BambooHR has remained one of the top names in HR software for years. They have won numerous awards for customer support, ease of use, and good value. Their numerous features can be flexibly packaged according to your needs.
Ratings
Ease of Use
Best For
Key Differentiator
Price
Free Trial
PROS
- Flexible packaging and custom pricing is the way they roll. You can pick out one or two packages and pick other modules as add-ons based on your needs.
- Very simple and straightforward tool, easy to use.
CONS
- Payroll is only available for US-based employees
- Customer support is only offered during US business hours.
- Some modules like time tracking, performance management, and surveys are only available as add-ons.
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BambooHR tries to accommodate one or another version of their technology to fit your business. Their HR platform spans across the employee lifecycle as they have tons of other functionalities (like a full ATS or a performance management module) in addition to the core HRIS offer.
They do offer the core HR part as a stand-alone product. The way they package features can be flexible. For instance, they have a small business package called Essentials.
This package covers all the HR Management features like employee records, benefit tracking, standard reporting, document storage and more. It also has the employee self-service module, which is where workers can manage their time off, consult the employee directory and org chart, see a company calendar, and do all this from either the desktop version or the mobile app.
Further, Modules like payroll, time tracking, and performance management are offered as add-ons. If you need more, you can opt for the Advantage package. This plan includes onboarding and offboarding features, the Applicant Tracking System, advanced reporting, company branding, access to the open API, satisfaction surveys, and much more.
The flexibility of building out your plan like this is part of what keeps drawing one HR team after another to the tool. Arguably, it’s also what makes BambooHR one of the most popular HR software products of all time.
The product itself is fairly easy to use and figure out on your own. It’s one of the most simple tools to navigate that packs so many features. At SSR, we’ve demoed the tool, tried it for free, and even worked at companies where it was the HRIS of choice. We can say it’s rare to have to consult any help articles in order to make use of the tool. You just log in, do what you have to do, and trust that your colleagues will be notified.
Take the process of requesting time off, for instance. A worker would log in, send the request to their manager, and the manager gets an email notification. Once approved or rejected, the worker gets an email notification as well and the company calendar is updated accordingly. There’s no need for the worker to log back into the tool.
Lastly, BambooHR also have numerous amenities like an app marketplace of HR/recruiting vendors that integrate with their system, an HR glossary, and host HR events on occasion.
We primarily use BambooHR for payroll and internal HR processes. It consolidates various HR functions into one platform, making it easier to manage workflows, merit increases, and communication during site closures. The system also helps track employee performance and manage compensation reviews, streamlining our overall HR operations. Additionally, we use it for onboarding and recruiting, as it simplifies job postings across multiple platforms. The integrated features create a consistent candidate experience, making the hiring process more efficient.
- It is easy to use, allowing users to quickly become proficient without extensive training.
- The setup process is simple, ensuring a hassle-free installation.
- It offers a variety of features, providing flexibility for different HR needs.
One of the key issues we aimed to address was the need for better support for our internal team. We required a system that would provide reliable assistance whenever needed.
Previously, we used ADP, which offered various features, but its customer service was lacking. This often left our team feeling frustrated, especially during critical times when timely support was essential.
In contrast, BambooHR made it easy to get assistance and resolve issues quickly. Their responsive customer support significantly improved our experience, allowing us to navigate challenges more efficiently. Additionally, the platform was simple to install and use, with an intuitive interface that helped our team transition smoothly.
- Many useful features require additional payments, which can increase costs.
- The billing structure works well for smaller organizations but may become expensive as employee counts grow.
I find BambooHR to be more intuitive and accessible than other HR platforms, which can often feel clunky or overly complex. Its user-friendly interface allows me to work more efficiently with fewer obstacles, making the overall experience more enjoyable.
The number of employees in an organization is a key consideration, as pricing can increase significantly with a larger workforce. It’s also important to assess which features are necessary and which ones can be omitted to manage costs effectively. Identifying essential tools ahead of time can help keep monthly expenses reasonable.
BambooHR has continuously improved by listening to user feedback and adding features that enhance usability and efficiency. These updates have made the platform even more valuable for HR teams.
BambooHR is ideal for HR professionals and organizations looking to streamline recruitment, improve employee engagement, and manage workforce operations efficiently.
BambooHR may not be the best fit for sales teams or organizations primarily focused on direct sales activities, as it is designed for HR and workforce management rather than sales tracking.
If I recall correctly, we intended to use BambooHR primarily as an ATS. However, the basic package did not include an ATS, so we added the ATS, Onboarding, and Employee Self-Service modules.
The ATS component was used almost daily to manage job postings and candidate pipelines. That said, the Employee Self-Service and Onboarding modules were underutilized, partly due to the variety of positions we hired for and differing needs across roles.
- The ATS system was easy to use and well-suited for a small business, with flexibility to manipulate information as needed.
- The increased visibility provided by BambooHR greatly improved our candidate pool and reduced time-to-fill metrics.
- The Employee Self-Service page was intuitive and straightforward to navigate.
As an HR Business Partner for a smaller company that relied entirely on manual processes, we sought a software solution to support hiring and employee records management. Major pain points included the lack of a proper ATS and an effective system for managing employee records.
At the time, individuals would physically drop off applications or apply through Indeed, limiting our talent reach significantly. Additionally, employee records were maintained as physical files, posing significant challenges for tracking and audits. This tool addressed these issues and helped streamline our processes.
- BambooHR was costly compared to other tools, considering its features and practicality for a small business.
- A better onboarding and training process for the team could have improved the use of the Employee Self-Service tools.
- For a company with both tech-savvy and labor employees, the tool could have been more agile to meet diverse needs effectively.
From a small business perspective, I would rate it a 7 out of 10. It is easy to use and allows for quick adjustments, but the cost is high for what it offers. While its user-friendliness is a plus, it may not be suitable for larger companies with complex requirements.
Cost is a crucial factor to consider. It is essential to evaluate whether employees and HR team members will use all the functionalities of the tool effectively. Assess the types of employees in your company, their technical skills, and their familiarity with workflows or self-service tools.
If you have a team that is technologically adept and values independent workflows, this tool could be a great fit. Additionally, for companies transitioning to more technologically enhanced processes, this tool can be beneficial if the cost aligns with your needs and expected usage.
Based on feedback I’ve heard, the tool has remained consistent with the features and functionality I experienced during my time using it.
This tool is ideal for smaller to mid-sized companies with independent, technologically proficient employees who value easy-to-use self-service and ATS tools. It also supports organizations looking to modernize their processes.
Larger companies with complex organizational structures may find this tool too basic for their needs. It is less suited for businesses requiring advanced functionalities or extensive customization.
Key workflows I used in BambooHR included notifications and reminders to keep employees informed about birthdays and work anniversaries. I also used the policy acknowledgment feature, which allowed me to create documents and set up approval workflows when multiple employees needed to review and acknowledge them.
Employee changes were another commonly used feature, enabling updates to employee profiles, including personal and payroll information. Additionally, I used the system for onboarding new hires, sending out the employee handbook, and distributing required documents for signature or review.
Finally, I used BambooHR for performance reviews, conducting annual evaluations and 360-degree feedback, where managers could request feedback from an employee’s colleagues.
- BambooHR is highly user-friendly, making it easy for organizations to integrate into their processes.
- It offers customizable fields and charts, allowing organizations to tailor the system to their needs.
- The platform receives frequent updates based on client feedback, continually improving the user experience.
I used BambooHR in my previous organization, which chose to purchase it for its user-friendly design. The company needed an HR management system that could centralize all employee information while also supporting performance reviews and document storage.
BambooHR provided these features while maintaining a simple and intuitive interface. The platform allowed HR teams to manage employee data efficiently without the complexity of more advanced systems.
- While some customization options are available, they are relatively basic.
- The performance review module only allows customization of questions but lacks options for adding charts or more detailed evaluations.
- The cost can be high, especially when considering add-ons, making it less accessible for smaller companies.
- Larger companies often require more customization, and while BambooHR may be more cost-effective, its limitations can be restrictive.
- The system is more payroll-focused, which may be unnecessary for organizations looking only for HR management features.
BambooHR is more affordable and easier to use than competitors like Paycom, Rippling, and ADP. While those systems offer more robust features, they are also more complex to set up and navigate. BambooHR’s simplicity makes it a strong choice for organizations that prioritize ease of use over advanced functionality.
A company should consider cost and, based on its budget, determine which system best fits its needs. Customer support is another critical factor, as implementing a new system comes with a learning curve, making reliable support essential, particularly in the first 6–12 months.
Additionally, organizations should assess which modules they need most and how well those features integrate to ensure accurate and efficient data management.
BambooHR has added more customization features over time to better meet user needs.
Small to medium-sized organizations can benefit from BambooHR.
Large companies may not feel that BambooHR is adequate for their needs.
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Many of BambooHR’s features work grandly for businesses in virtually every part of the world. However, modules like payroll, hiring & onboarding, and time tracking are certainly either thought of for US business practices or, in the case of payroll, only available for US employees. International or remote businesses looking for an HRMS to handle both HR and payroll needs would not be a good fit. Unless, that is, they use the HR part only and integrate payroll through another vendor, like one of the best international payroll providers.
Among the 20,000+ companies that use BambooHR, you’d find names like Quora, Universal Group, Reddit, Asana, Change.org, University of Maryland, Grammarly, Stance, Postmates, Wistia, the Jacksonville Jaguars, and ZipRecruiter.
BambooHR has two feature sets. Essentials provides human resources management modules, employee self-service tools, and baseline customer support.
Advantage includes everything in Essentials but adds premium customer support, hiring and onboarding systems, an ATS, training, reporting, a job site, company branding, and access to BambooHR's partner marketplace and open API integration.
Add-ons such as time tracking, payroll, and performance management are available at additional costs.
Here’s a breakdown of some of the top features:
- People Data & Analytics: BambooHR strives to be the single and secure database where all your employee information is stored and managed. They couple that with powerful, intuitive reporting tools and a strong focus on security.
- Mobile Hiring App: One of their most-talked-about perks, their hiring app gives recruiters the ease to perform most applicant tracking tasks from their phone if needed.
- Automated onboarding: Set up tasks to new hires for them to complete at a time of their choosing.
- Introductions: BambooHR makes introductions easy with resources like customizable new-hire packets and get-to-know-you emails.
- Electronic signatures: New employees can sign the stuff they need to without stepping a foot in the office.
BambooHR also has capabilities for:
- Attendance tracking
- Benefits administration
- Compliance
- Employee communication tools
- Employee engagement
- Reporting and analytics
- Payroll
- Performance appraisal
- Time tracking
- Workforce management
- Compensation management
- Performance management tools and surveys
BambooHR has an API with lots of partnerships and an app marketplace, although these are only available from the Advantage onwards. If you do go with that plan, the platform integrates with most applicant tracking systems, as well as solutions for employee assessments, background checks, employment verification, payroll, benefits administration, ERP & accounting, training, onboarding, performance management, recognition, and more. Their marketplace keeps growing and already features a few hundred vendor integrations.
BambooHR uses per-employee, per-month pricing, varying by company size: companies with 26+ employees pay per-employee, while those with 25 or fewer pay a flat monthly rate (starting at $250).
Three plans are offered:
- Core: $10/employee/month
- Pro: $17/employee/month (Includes Core + more)
- Elite: $25/employee/month (Includes Pro + advanced features, training, and AI assistant)
Add-ons include Payroll, Benefits Administration, Time Tracking, and Employer of Record. Bundling Payroll and Benefits Administration saves 15% (U.S. employees only). Volume and non-profit discounts are available.
BambooHR is a good fit for companies looking for a very customizable HR product, with pricing that reflects their needs. It’s also popular among teams that are partially or even fully remote.
BambooHR’s latest product enhancements reflect a continued push toward mobile accessibility, simplified task management, and greater workflow flexibility. These enhancements are unlikely to change how users perceive the platform overall, but they do reinforce BambooHR’s value as a system geared toward SMBs looking for pragmatic, incremental improvements in hiring efficiency.
Key feature changes include:
- Hiring widget in Android mobile app: Recruiters using Android devices can now monitor new applicants directly from their home screen and access the candidate list with one tap. This should improve responsiveness for hiring managers or recruiters working in the field or away from a desktop.
- Updated import tasks modal: BambooHR has introduced a redesigned interface for importing tasks, intended to streamline checklist creation during onboarding and offboarding. With this UI enhancement, admins can manage multiple hires at once or coordinate cross-departmental workflows.
- Support for up to 15 job pipeline stages: The previous 10-stage cap has been raised to 15, allowing for more granular hiring workflows. This is useful for teams that want to separate screening, interviews, assessments, and approvals into distinct stages without relying on workaround labels or notes.
Getting started with BambooHR is as easy as signing up for their free trial and then getting in touch with their team. They'll likely want to talk to you about choosing a plan that's based on your needs, and the implementation of that will vary accordingly.
BambooHR does more of a self-service approach to customer success. The Essentials package includes email support and access to their Customer Success Webinar library. For their telephone support, you’d have to upgrade to the Advantage plan. From our understanding, both kinds of personal support are only offered in US business hours.
BambooHR was started in 2008 by Ben Peterson and Ryan Sanders. Their goal was to create a product that customers would love using and that would save countless man hours. At the same time, they wanted the company behind this product to be a place people would enjoy working at.
This approach worked, as they have kept growing both their employee and customer count quite steadily over the years. They had 470 employees around the end of 2019. Now, as of Summer 2025, they have over 1730. Their product is used by thousands of companies in well over 100 countries.
An interesting bit about the way they manage their company is that they have an “anti-workaholic policy”. Basically, BambooHR employees are forbidden from laboring over 40 hours per week.
Also noteworthy is the fact that while both founding members are still on the board, BambooHR’s CEO is now Brad Rencher. He was previously a marketing executive at Adobe Inc., before being recruited for the post in October 2019.
Company HQ
Lindon, Utah
Number of Employees
1250+
Year Founded
2008
Amount Raised
According to their Crunchbase profile, BambooHR has raised an undisclosed amount of funding over 2 rounds. The last one of which was in Summer 2016. Among others, BambooHR is funded by Sorenson Capital.
FAQ
How come BambooHR is so popular?
We’d argue that BambooHR was one of the first companies to bring HR functionalities to the SaaS realm with modern UX design. However, while many companies do that now, they’ve secured their position as a household name in HR software due to their ever-growing features and flexible packages; which suit SMBs and enterprises alike.
Is BambooHR Free?
As of summer 2025, BambooHR doesn’t offer a stand-alone free-for-life product. They do have a free trial, however, and they’ve been known to extend it based on your needs and plans. That being said, it does eventually cost, but the pricing is completely customized based on what features you need.
About SSR
We spend hundreds of hours researching the best HR and recruiting software so you don’t have to. We never take money from vendors during our research phase and rely heavily on practitioners and experts to help us recommend the right software. However we may earn a small fee if you click on vendor links on this page.
