BambooHR Alternatives: 9 Options Compared on Price, Payroll and Fit
Table of Contents
Payrun is our product. Payrun is made by Gain Solutions AS, and we list it in this guide. We have no affiliate deals with any vendor here, and no one paid to be included. BambooHR and the other tools are described only from their own pricing and product pages, checked on 26 Oct 2026. Prices change, so check each link before you buy.
BambooHR is one of the best-known HR systems for small and mid-sized companies. It keeps employee records, time off, hiring and performance in one place, and its pricing is now public. So why do so many teams search for BambooHR alternatives?
Usually it comes down to three things: the price floor for small teams, payroll that only covers US employees, and features that sit in higher plans. This guide compares nine options against BambooHR on what each vendor publishes today: price, free plan or trial, payroll coverage, and who each tool fits. We also cover when BambooHR is still the better choice, and what to check before you switch.
Quick comparison
All prices in USD, as published on each vendor's own page on 26 Oct 2026. "Annual" means the price billed yearly.
Tool | Starting price (source, checked 26 Oct 2026) | Free plan or trial | Payroll | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
BambooHR (baseline) | $250/month flat, up to 25 employees (Core); about $10 to $10.25 per employee above 25 | No free plan or trial mentioned | Add-on, US employees only, with tax filing | US companies that want a mature, all-round HRIS |
Payrun (our product) | Free up to 5 users; Starter $4.95/user/month annual; payroll from Pro at $9.95 | Free plan; 14-day trial, no card | Payroll calculation and payslips on Pro and Ultimate; no US payroll tax filing | Small teams that want HR, leave, attendance and payroll in one low-cost tool |
Gusto | No trial mentioned | US payroll with federal, state and local tax filing | US small businesses that want payroll first | |
Rippling | No trial mentioned; demo | US and global payroll products | Teams that want HR, IT and payroll in one system | |
Deel HR | Demo only | Payroll and EOR sold separately; EOR from $599/employee/month | Teams hiring across countries | |
Factorial | Not stated on pricing page | Not stated on pricing page | Teams that want to pick HR modules | |
Zoho People | Free for up to 5 users; paid plans priced per user (minimum 5) | Free plan; 30-day trial, no card | Zoho Payroll, India and UAE only | Teams already using Zoho apps |
Connecteam | HR & Skills hub from $29/month for the first 30 users (annual) | Free up to 10 users; 14-day trial, no card | Payroll integrations only | Shift-based and deskless teams |
HiBob | Not mentioned | "Payroll Hub" and UK Payroll | Mid-sized, multi-country companies | |
Personio | Not mentioned | "Preliminary Payroll" in both plans | European companies from 10 employees |
What a small team would pay per month
These figures use only the published list prices above, before tax, discounts or add-ons. They are arithmetic, not quotes. Tools without a full public price (Rippling, HiBob, Personio, Zoho People's paid plans) are left out because we would have to guess.
Tool and plan (source) | 10 people | 25 people | 50 people | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
$250 | $250 | about $500 to $513 | Flat to 25 employees; per employee above. Payroll is extra. Volume discounts may lower the 50-person price. | |
$49.50 | n/a | n/a | Starter covers up to 20 users. No payroll. | |
$99.50 | $248.75 | $497.50 | Includes payroll calculation. Pro covers up to 50 users. | |
$109 | $199 | $349 | Payroll-first, one state, includes US tax filing. | |
from $50 | from $125 | from $250 | HRIS only; payroll and EOR are priced separately. | |
from $80 | from $200 | from $400 | "Starts at" price; plan not stated. | |
$29 (or free on the 10-user plan) | $29 | $39 | First 30 users included, then $0.50 per user. No native payroll. |
What this shows:
- Below 25 employees, BambooHR's $250 flat fee is the main cost gap. A 10-person team pays the same $250 as a 25-person team.
- At 25 to 50 employees, BambooHR Core and Payrun Pro cost about the same, so price stops being the reason to switch. Features, payroll coverage and support matter more.
- Gusto and BambooHR do different jobs. Gusto is payroll with HR tools added; BambooHR is HR with payroll added for US employees.
How we compared
We compared published pricing and feature pages. We did not run paid trials or test the products with real employee data, and we have not used any third-party ratings or review counts.
What we did, on 26 Oct 2026:
- Opened each vendor's own pricing page (and, where the pricing page was silent, its product page) and recorded the price, plan names, free plan or trial, and what is included.
- Recorded where each vendor says payroll runs, and whether the page says the vendor files payroll taxes.
- Worked out monthly costs at 10, 25 and 50 people using list prices only.
- Left out any tool we could not verify on its own site (for example, one UK vendor whose pricing page would not load, and US payroll vendors that publish no prices).
What we looked at, in this order:
- Price at small-team sizes, because the BambooHR flat fee is the most common reason small teams look elsewhere.
- Payroll coverage: which countries, and whether tax filing is included.
- Free plan or trial, so you can try before you commit.
- Fit: the company size or team type the vendor itself describes.
Because Payrun is our product, we held it to the same rules: only what is on payrun.app/pricing and payrun.app/features, including what it does not do. For more on how per-user and flat pricing compare, see our guide to HR software pricing.
Why teams look for BambooHR alternatives
From BambooHR's own pricing page and recurring themes on public review sites, these are the usual reasons:
- A $250 monthly floor for small teams. Core costs $250/month for any company with 25 employees or fewer. That is fair for 25 people but steep for 5.
- Cost grows with headcount. Above 25 employees, Core is about $10 to $10.25 per employee per month (the plan card and FAQ show slightly different figures), Pro is about $17 to $17.50 and Elite $25.
- Key features sit in higher plans. Performance reviews (360° cycles, 1:1s) start in Pro; compensation planning and salary benchmarking are in Elite.
- Payroll and benefits are US-only. BambooHR says its Payroll and Benefits Administration add-ons are for US employees only. Teams with staff in the UK, EU or Asia need another payroll provider.
- No free plan or trial on the pricing page. You book a demo or get a quote.
- Renewal price changes and add-on costs come up often in public reviews and HR forums.
None of these make BambooHR a bad product. They make it a poor fit for some teams.
The 9 BambooHR alternatives
1. Payrun (our product)
Payrun is an HR and payroll app for small businesses, made by Gain Solutions AS. It covers employee records, onboarding, leave and attendance, hiring, projects, assets, expenses and payroll, with iOS and Android apps.
- Price (payrun.app/pricing, checked 26 Oct 2026): Free for up to 5 users. Starter $4.95 per user/month billed annually ($8.25 monthly). Pro $9.95 annual ($16.58 monthly), which adds payroll. Ultimate $14.95 annual ($24.92 monthly).
- Free plan or trial: Free plan, plus a 14-day trial of all features with no credit card. No minimum-term contract, and a 30-day money-back guarantee.
- Payroll: On Pro and Ultimate, Payrun calculates salaries and deductions and generates payslips. Payrun is available to businesses worldwide.
- Best for: Small teams that want HR, leave, attendance and payroll in one tool at a per-user price.
- Limits: Payrun does not file US payroll taxes, so US employers still need a provider or accountant for federal and state filings (Gusto or BambooHR's payroll add-on does that). No performance review module is listed on the features page. Payrun is a newer product and does not have BambooHR's long track record, review history or partner ecosystem.
Want the full head-to-head? See Payrun vs BambooHR side by side.
2. Gusto
Gusto is a US payroll platform with HR tools built around it.
- Price (gusto.com/product/pricing, checked 26 Oct 2026): Simple $49/month + $6 per person; Plus $80 + $12; Premium $180 + $22.
- Free plan or trial: None mentioned on the pricing page. Account setup is free.
- Payroll: US payroll. Gusto says it files federal, state and local payroll tax forms for you. Simple covers one state; Plus adds multi-state. Contractor payments in more than 120 countries.
- Best for: US small businesses where payroll is the main job.
- Limits: US employees only for payroll. HR depth on Simple is lighter than an HRIS like BambooHR.
BambooHR vs Gusto: BambooHR is HR-first with payroll as a US add-on; Gusto is payroll-first with HR included. If payroll is your priority, Gusto is the closer fit; if records, hiring and performance matter more, BambooHR is. More detail: Payrun vs Gusto.
3. Rippling
Rippling combines HR, IT (devices and apps) and finance tools on one employee record.
- Price (rippling.com/pricing, checked 26 Oct 2026): "Plans start at $8 per employee per month, with a monthly base fee." The base fee is not published; you get a custom quote.
- Free plan or trial: None mentioned; demo. There is a startup program for eligible US VC-backed startups.
- Payroll: Payroll, Global Payroll, Employer of Record and Contractor of Record products.
- Best for: Companies that want HR, IT and payroll on one system and expect to grow.
- Limits: You cannot work out the full price without a quote. Modular pricing means the total depends on what you add.
BambooHR vs Rippling: Rippling goes wider (IT, devices, global payroll); BambooHR stays focused on HR and has a simpler public price.
4. Deel HR
Deel is best known for global hiring (employer of record and contractors). Deel HR is its HRIS.
- Price (deel.com/hr, checked 26 Oct 2026): "Core starts at $5 per employee per month." Advanced and Elite are priced higher; recruiting is an add-on. On deel.com/pricing: EOR from $599 per employee/month, contractors from $49 per contractor/month.
- Free plan or trial: Demo only.
- Payroll: Sold separately from Deel HR; EOR covers "130+ countries".
- Best for: Teams with people in several countries, or hiring abroad without a local entity.
- Limits: The HRIS price is low, but payroll and EOR costs add up quickly. Check the full bundle price.
5. Factorial
Factorial is a modular HR platform: you start with Factorial Core and add modules.
- Price (factorial.com/pricing, checked 26 Oct 2026): "Factorial starts at $8 per month, per user." The page does not say which plan that is; you request a tailored quote.
- Free plan or trial: Not stated on the pricing page.
- Payroll: Not stated on the pricing page.
- Best for: Teams that want to choose modules such as time off, time tracking, performance, recruitment and expenses.
- Limits: Final price depends on the modules you pick, so the starting price is only a floor.
6. Zoho People
Zoho People is the HR app in the Zoho suite.
- Price (zoho.com/people/pricing.html, checked 26 Oct 2026): "Forever free for 5 users", covering the employee database and time-off management. Paid plans are priced per user with a minimum of 5 users; the amounts did not display in our check, so we have not listed them. Above 500 users, it is quote-based.
- Free plan or trial: Free plan for 5 users; 30-day trial, no card.
- Payroll: Zoho Payroll is included in the Enterprise tier and covers India and the UAE only.
- Best for: Teams already on Zoho apps.
- Limits: No US or UK payroll from Zoho. Plan tiers bundle different modules, so check which one you need.
7. Connecteam
Connecteam is built for shift-based and deskless teams, split into Operations, Communications and HR & Skills hubs.
- Price (connecteam.com/pricing, checked 26 Oct 2026): HR & Skills hub Basic $29/month billed annually ($35 monthly) for the first 30 users, then $0.50 per user ($0.60 monthly). Advanced $49 ($59); Expert $99 ($119).
- Free plan or trial: Free for up to 10 users ("Small Business Plan"); a limited free plan for up to 30 users; 14-day trial, no card.
- Payroll: Payroll integration from the Operations hub time clock. No native payroll.
- Best for: Teams that work in shifts or in the field and need scheduling, time clock and mobile-first HR.
- Limits: Time clock and scheduling are in a different hub from HR, so total cost depends on which hubs you buy. You still need a payroll provider.
8. HiBob
HiBob (Bob) is an HR platform aimed at modern, multi-site companies.
- Price (hibob.com/pricing, checked 26 Oct 2026): No prices published. You fill in a demo form with your headcount and modules.
- Free plan or trial: Not mentioned.
- Payroll: "Payroll Hub" and a UK Payroll product.
- Best for: Mid-sized companies with teams in more than one country that want strong culture and engagement features.
- Limits: No public price, so you cannot compare cost without a sales call.
BambooHR vs HiBob: BambooHR now publishes its prices and is simpler to budget; HiBob leans towards larger, international teams.
9. Personio
Personio is a European HR platform.
- Price (personio.com/pricing, checked 26 Oct 2026): Quote-only. Plans are Core and CorePro. Price depends on headcount and add-on apps.
- Free plan or trial: Not mentioned.
- Payroll: Both plans include "Preliminary Payroll" (payroll preparation).
- Best for: European companies. Personio says it suits "companies with 10-10,000 employees".
- Limits: No public price. Built for European businesses, so less suited to US-only teams.
When BambooHR is still the better choice
Switching has a cost. BambooHR may be the right choice if:
- You have 20 to 25 US employees. At that size, the $250 flat fee works out at $10 to $12.50 per employee, in line with the per-user tools above.
- You need US payroll with tax filing in the same system as HR. BambooHR's Payroll add-on files federal and state taxes. Payrun, for example, does not file US payroll taxes.
- You use performance reviews, compensation planning or salary benchmarking. Pro and Elite include 360° reviews, compensation planning and Mercer benchmarking.
- Your team already uses it well. If records are clean and workflows are set up, the time cost of moving may outweigh the savings.
- You want a long track record. BambooHR is an established product; newer tools, including Payrun, have less history behind them.
Also check the current offer: BambooHR's pricing page advertises free payroll processing through 31 Dec 2026 for qualifying 12-month agreements (implementation and some fees excluded).
Migration checklist: moving off BambooHR
Use this whichever tool you choose:
- Check your contract end date and notice period so you are not paying for two systems.
- Export your data from BambooHR: employee records, job and pay history, time-off balances and history, documents, and custom fields.
- Map fields to the new tool. Note anything that has no matching field (custom fields, notes).
- Agree a cut-over date at the end of a pay period, so payroll runs cleanly in one system.
- Move leave balances as of the cut-over date, and check them against payslips.
- Run one parallel payroll in the new tool and compare it line by line with your last run.
- Rebuild approval workflows (time off, expenses, onboarding) and test each with a real manager.
- Re-connect integrations such as accounting, single sign-on and job boards.
- Tell employees what changes: new login, new mobile app, where to find payslips.
- Keep read-only BambooHR exports for your record-keeping period before closing the account.
Payrun's free plan and 14-day trial (no card) let you add a few employees and test leave and payroll before you commit. See Payrun pricing.
Written by the Payrun Team. Prices and features were checked on each vendor's own website on 26 Oct 2026. Payrun is our product; we have no affiliate relationship with any other vendor listed. If you spot an error, contact us and we will correct it.
