BambooHR Review
BambooHR is a cloud HR platform founded in 2008 in Utah, built in its own words for organizations of generally 50 to 500 employees. It covers employee records, hiring, onboarding, time off, performance and compensation.
- Company size
- Small businesses, mid-market companies
- Pricing model
- Per employee
- Free trial
- Yes
- Integrations
- 150
Best for
- Companies of about 50 to 500 employees, the range BambooHR says it is built for
- Buyers who want public per-employee pricing and month-to-month terms
- HR teams that want records, time off, hiring and onboarding in one system
Not ideal for
- Buyers who need published payroll, benefits or time-tracking prices
- Teams with more than 50 open jobs at once, the Elite plan limit
- Employers that want non-US staff on BambooHR Payroll, which covers US employees
How we evaluated BambooHR
This review rests on 27 facts checked against BambooHR’s official pricing pages and documentation, most recently on . We did not test the product hands-on: the score and the pros and cons use only those verified facts, as our methodology explains, and third-party ratings are quoted, never scored.
Our verdict
BambooHR suits growing US companies that want one HR system of record with public, month-to-month pricing from $10.25 per employee per month. Performance reviews start at Pro and compensation tools at Elite. It is less suited to buyers who need payroll or benefits prices up front, since those add-ons are quoted, or to teams with more than 50 open jobs at once.
Strengths
Public per-employee pricing
Core, Pro and Elite cost $10.25, $17.50 and $25 per employee per month above 25 employees. Smaller companies pay a flat monthly rate, terms can be month-to-month, and volume discounts apply automatically.
Evidence: Price transparency: Published
Hiring, onboarding and performance in one place
Every plan includes applicant tracking, new hire packets, e-signatures and onboarding checklists. Pro adds 360-degree reviews, 1:1s and goals.
Evidence: E-signature and storage: Yes
Stated implementation time
BambooHR says implementation usually takes 4 to 6 weeks, and some smaller teams set up on their own within a few days.
Evidence: Typical implementation: 4–6 weeks
Open API and 150+ integrations
A REST API, webhooks and a marketplace of over 150 integrations, including Greenhouse, Checkr, Slack and Indeed, are listed.
Evidence: API type: REST
Audited security
The trust center lists SOC 1, SOC 2 Type 2 and PCI DSS. A data processing agreement covers GDPR, and data can be hosted in Ireland.
Evidence: SOC 2 Type II: Yes
Weaknesses
Add-on prices not published
Payroll, Benefits Administration, Time & Attendance and Global Employment have no published price, and implementation is quoted separately.
Evidence: Extra costs: Payroll add-on, Benefits Administration add-on, Time & Attendance add-on, Global Employment (powered by Remote) add-on
Key modules gated by plan
Performance management starts at Pro, and compensation management with Mercer salary benchmarks is in Elite only.
Job opening limits per plan
Applicant tracking allows 5 open jobs on Core, 25 on Pro and 50 on Elite, so it is less suited to high-volume hiring.
Flat minimum for small teams
Companies with 25 or fewer employees pay a flat $250, $425 or $650 per month, whatever their headcount.
Evidence: Starting base fee: $250/mo
Price at a glance
Starting base fee
$250/mo
Starting price per employee
$10.25/employee/mo
Pricing model
Per employee
Price transparency
Published
Free trial
Yes
Contract term
Monthly
BambooHR cost at 10 to 100 employees
- Core$10.25/employee/mo · minimum $250/mo
- Pro$17.50/employee/mo · minimum $425/mo
- Elite$25/employee/mo · minimum $650/mo
| Employees | Core | Pro | Elite |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $250/mo | $425/mo | $650/mo |
| 25 | $250/mo | $425/mo | $650/mo |
| 50 | $512.50/mo | $875/mo | $1,250/mo |
| 100 | $1,025/mo | $1,750/mo | $2,500/mo |
Monthly list price before discounts, add-ons and taxes, from the published price model of each plan.
Quick answers
- How much does BambooHR cost?
- $10.25, $17.50 or $25 per employee per month for Core, Pro or Elite above 25 employees. With 25 or fewer, it is a flat $250, $425 or $650 a month. At list price, 100 employees on Core cost $1,025 a month before volume discounts.Based on Pricing model: Per employee
- How much does BambooHR payroll cost?
- No price is published. Payroll is an add-on, and BambooHR gives 15% off when you combine Payroll and Benefits Administration with any plan. The add-on files federal, state and local payroll taxes for US employees.Based on Extra costs: Payroll add-on, Benefits Administration add-on, Time & Attendance add-on, Global Employment (powered by Remote) add-on
- Is BambooHR free, and is there a free trial?
- No free plan is listed; the pricing page shows three paid plans. A free trial needs no credit card and ends on its own, but BambooHR does not state its length.Based on Free trial: Yes
- Does BambooHR include an applicant tracking system?
- Yes. Every plan includes hiring and onboarding, with 5 open jobs on Core, 25 on Pro and 50 on Elite. Background checks link in through Checkr.Based on Background check link: Yes
Coverage of core HRIS software capabilities
Each core capability we evaluate in HRIS Software, checked against BambooHR’s own documentation. “Not verified yet” means we have not confirmed it either way, not that it is missing.
11 verified of 11 core capabilities
HRIS Software
- Employee records
- Job and org structure
- Payroll integration
- Onboarding and documents
- Time off and absence rules
- Benefits administration
- Reporting
- API and integrations
- Permissions and privacy
- Self-service
- Workflows
Specifications
Fit
- Industry focus
- Construction, Education, Finance, Healthcare, Manufacturing, Nonprofit, Technology
Product
- Modules
- Hiring & Onboarding, HR Data & Reporting, Payroll & Time, Benefits Administration, Employee Experience, Performance Management, Compensation
- Deployment
- Cloud
- Mobile apps
- iOS, Android
- AI features
- Ask BambooHR AI assistant, AI categorization of eNPS free responses into themes
Integrations
- Open API
- Yes
- API type
- REST
- Webhooks
- Yes
BambooHR integrations
6 integrations we documented, by how they connect. BambooHR reports 150 native integrations in total.
Partner and marketplace apps
Built on the API
BambooHR integration coverage
The 10 apps that HRIS software products document most often, and whether BambooHR documents each.
4 of the 10 most-connected apps documented by BambooHR; median of the 18 products compared: 4
- QuickBooks · documented by 10 of 18
- Slack · documented by 9 of 18
- Xero · documented by 8 of 18
- Checkr · documented by 7 of 18
- Greenhouse · documented by 7 of 18
- Deputy · documented by 5 of 18
- Employee Navigator · documented by 5 of 18
- Google Workspace · documented by 5 of 18
- Indeed · documented by 5 of 18
- Okta · documented by 5 of 18
Integrations each vendor documents (native, marketplace, Zapier or API), 18 live HRIS software products. Not documented does not mean not possible.
Where it ranks
- #2 of 19 scoredHRIS Software
- #1 of 3 scoredHR Software
- #11 of 11 scoredApplicant Tracking Systems
- #3 of 4 scoredOnboarding Software
- #4 of 4 scoredPerformance Management Software
- #3 of 6 scoredBenefits Administration
- #2 of 2 scoredApplicant Tracking Systems for Construction
- #2 of 2 scoredApplicant Tracking Systems for Education
- #5 of 5 scoredApplicant Tracking Systems for Healthcare
- #4 of 4 scoredApplicant Tracking Systems for Manufacturing
- #4 of 8 scoredApplicant Tracking Systems for Mid-Sized Companies
- #4 of 7 scoredApplicant Tracking Systems for Small Business
BambooHR alternatives
Compare BambooHR
Security and compliance
- SOC 2 Type IIYes
- GDPR programYes
- Single sign-onSAML, Google, Microsoft
Implementation and support
- Typical implementation
- 4–6 weeks
- Support channels
- Phone, email, chat
- Support hours
- Monday to Friday, 6 AM to 6 PM MT
About BambooHR
- Founded
- 2008
- Headquarters
- Draper, Utah, US
- Ownership
- Private
Official profiles
Frequently asked questions
Is BambooHR legit?
Yes. BambooHR was founded in 2008 and is based in Draper, Utah. Its trust center lists SOC 1, SOC 2 Type 2 and PCI DSS, and it publishes a GDPR data processing agreement.
How long does BambooHR implementation take?
4 to 6 weeks, according to BambooHR, depending on size, complexity and products. Some smaller teams set up on their own within a few days. Implementation is quoted separately, with no published fee.
Does BambooHR have a mobile app?
Yes. BambooHR lists mobile apps for iOS and Android.
What does BambooHR integrate with?
Over 150 apps, including Greenhouse, Checkr, Culture Amp, TalentLMS, Slack and Indeed. It also offers a REST API, webhooks and single sign-on with SAML, Google or Microsoft.
What is BambooHR used for?
BambooHR, on the market since 2008, is a HRIS software product built for small businesses and mid-market companies. Its modules include Hiring & Onboarding, HR Data & Reporting, Payroll & Time, Benefits Administration, and 3 more.
What are the best alternatives to BambooHR?
In our HRIS software ranking, the highest-scored products other than BambooHR are Rippling, Zoho People, and Namely. Compared side by side, by reason to switch: BambooHR alternatives.
Which is better, BambooHR or Gusto?
It depends on the team. Choose BambooHR if: you want performance reviews, goals and 1:1s (Pro and Elite). Choose Gusto if: payroll comes first: unlimited runs and automatic tax filing on every plan. The full comparison: BambooHR vs Gusto.
What are the pros and cons of BambooHR?
Strengths documented on the vendor’s own pages: public per-employee pricing, Hiring, onboarding and performance in one place, and stated implementation time. It is less suited to buyers who need published payroll, benefits or time-tracking prices and teams with more than 50 open jobs at once, the Elite plan limit.
Does BambooHR have an API?
Yes. BambooHR offers an open API (REST) to customers, with webhooks for event updates.
Is BambooHR secure?
BambooHR states a SOC 2 Type II report and a GDPR program. It supports single sign-on (SAML, Google, and Microsoft).
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