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Best Employee Onboarding Tools

9 Best Onboarding Software for New Hires (2024)

The best employee onboarding software, tested and reviewed by our in-house HR tech experts (plus insights from thought leaders and everyday users).

Phil Strazzulla
Written by
Phil Strazzulla
HR Tech Expert, Harvard MBA, Software Enthusiast
Contributing Experts
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Last Updated: Mar 28, 2024
TOP
Excellent Employee Onboarding Tool For Remote-First Teams
Remote
4.0
Popularity Score
4.6
User Score
4.5
Product  Score
Visit Website
TOP
Excellent Employee Onboarding Tool For Remote-First Teams
Remote
4.0
Popularity Score
4.6
User Score
4.5
Product  Score
Learn More
TOP
Employee Onboarding with Extensive Integrations
Rippling
4.2
Popularity Score
4.2
User Score
4.1
Product  Score
Visit Website
TOP
Employee Onboarding with Extensive Integrations
Rippling
4.2
Popularity Score
4.2
User Score
4.1
Product  Score
Learn More
TOP
Easy Onboarding, Offboarding, and Reboarding
Enboarder
4.1
Popularity Score
4.8
User Score
4.6
Product  Score
Visit Website
TOP
Easy Onboarding, Offboarding, and Reboarding
Enboarder
4.1
Popularity Score
4.8
User Score
4.6
Product  Score
Learn More
Over 3 million HR leaders trust our advice

Introduction to Employee Onboarding Software

Achieving business success starts with your people — but not just what they bring to the table. How you welcome and engage them so they stay focused and produce their best work can make or break your company’s ability to grow for the long term. It’s no surprise then that companies and hiring managers are building formal onboarding processes (from the software tools listed below to simple gifts send to new employees) to welcome and train new hires — and that they’re using employee onboarding software to automate these processes.

With the best employee onboarding software, you can make a new hire feel welcomed even before they start, set them up for success in their new roles, and empower them to give their all every day. Not only that, you’ll prevent them from wanting to leave. In fact, new hires are 58% more likely to be at the company three years later if they went through an onboarding program.

As you likely know, employee turnover can wreak havoc on your company’s productivity and recruiting costs. So it goes without saying that having a formal employee onboarding process is critical. In this guide, we break down everything you need to know about the top onboarding software providers so you can empower new hires before they even start, create high-growth teams, and save yourself a lot of time and money in the process.

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Best Employee Onboarding Tools

Remote

: Excellent Employee Onboarding Tool For Remote-First Teams

Rippling

: Employee Onboarding with Extensive Integrations

Enboarder

: Easy Onboarding, Offboarding, and Reboarding

ClearCompany

: A Classic for Medium & Large Businesses

eloomi

: Employee Onboarding Tool Features Feedback & LMS

Atlas

: A Must-See for Multinational Onboarding

BambooHR

: Top SMB Option, Easy to Set Up

Leapsome

: Scalable & Automated Onboarding

Trainual

: Great for Training-Focused Onboarding

Our Criteria: Here's How We Chose The Best Employee Onboarding Tools

To choose the best employee onboarding software, we’ve booked demos with several vendors, sought the expertise of HR tech leaders, did independent tests, and chatted with other end users. The features we think make the biggest difference for employee onboarding software are ease of use, customizability, feedback collection, and reporting and analytics.

  • Ease of use: The best employee onboarding systems integrate new hires into your company quickly and smoothly, helping them access the relevant paperwork, e-sign documents, become familiar with your company’s policies, and more. Accessibility on mobile devices is also important, so extra points were given to platforms that enable employees to complete tasks on-the-go.
  • Customizability: We’ve looked for employee onboarding software with customizable workflows, allowing your HR team to tailor the onboarding process according to various job roles and departments. The majority of these tools also allow you to customize and deliver training materials and courses that’ll acquaint new hires with your company's mission, goals, and how their role fits in the bigger picture.
  • Feedback collection, reporting, and analytics: We know that listening to what your employees have to say about your onboarding process is key to making it better, so we’ve looked for tools that support feedback collection and analysis, either through built-in capabilities or integration. The tools on this list also have robust reporting capabilities, helping you track various onboarding metrics including completion time and rate.

We only recommend the best products in a given category. For more information on how we evaluate and select those products, check out our editorial guidelines.

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Compare the Best Employee Onboarding Tools

Popularity Score
Best for
Key Differentiator
Pricing
Free Trial
Customers
Users Score
Product Score

Remote

Most Popular
4.0
Companies with remote, international employees
Payroll & HR tools (including onboarding) for multinational teams
Starts at $50/month
Yes
Undisclosed
4.6
4.5

Rippling

Most Popular
4.2
Medium and large companies
Comprehensive HRIS platform with onboarding module
Starts at $8/employee/month
No
2,000+
4.2
4.1

Enboarder

Most Popular
4.1
Medium and large companies
A platform dedicated to smoother onboarding, offboarding, & reboarding
Custom Pricing
No
500+ companies
4.8
4.6

ClearCompany

Most Popular
4.0
Medium and large companies
Known for enterprise-grade HR tools, includes onboarding
Custom Pricing
No
2,400+ companies
4.5
4.3

eloomi

Most Popular
4.1
Medium and large companies
Comprehensive employee learning system with onboarding module
Custom Pricing
Yes
1,000 + companies
4.8
4.6

Atlas

Most Popular
4.1
Companies with remote, international employees
Payroll & HR tools (including onboarding) for multinational teams
Custom Pricing
No
N/A
4.0
4.1

BambooHR

Most Popular
4.6
Companies of all sizes
Widely used people management platform with onboarding module
Custom Pricing
Yes
30,000+
4.5
4.4

Leapsome

Most Popular
4.3
Medium and large companies
Data-driven employee training, engagement and management
Custom Pricing
No
1,500+ companies
4.8
4.7

Trainual

Most Popular
4.2
Medium and large companies
Employee training platform that can be used for onboarding
Starts from $250/month
Yes
8000+ companies
4.7
4.6
Phil Strazzulla
HR Tech Expert, Harvard MBA, Software Enthusiast

Need Help? Get Custom Recommendations for Best Employee Onboarding Tools

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Detailed Reviews of the Best Employee Onboarding Software

Remote

Visit Website
Remote
Learn More
Popularity Score
4 / 5
User Score
4.6 / 5
Product Score
4.5 / 5

Why we picked Remote

Remote is ideal for multinational teams who want to get their entire onboarding process taken care of with one platform. From sending, filling, signing, and storing documents, Remote onboarding is paperless, mobile-friendly, and workable for remote employees and contractors in 60+ countries.

PROS

  • As an owned-entity provider, Remote offers a lean onboarding process without the worries of IP and data passing to third parties.
  • Employee self-service options.
  • iOS and Android apps with self-onboarding for employees.
  • Responsive customer service available via live chat and email.
  • Global employment resources, specific to each region, are free and easy to access.
  • Equity-based compensation option.

CONS

  • Remote doesn’t offer a free plan or free trial.
  • The platform doesn’t provide phone support.
  • The mobile apps were hard for some to find on both Google Play and App Store.
  • No features to support employee feedback for the onboarding process.
  • It has very few pre-built integration options (Greenhouse, BambooHR, and HiBob).
Remote's Onboarding Software dashboard screenshot

Remote Review

Remote is a great platform for companies that plan to hire and onboard a substantial number of international employees in the near future.

They have built a reputation with their flat-rate, straightforward global payroll, but their onboarding features are also top-notch. Their platform handles payroll, onboarding, taxes, benefits, and more – all with compliance and IP protection in mind.

One particularly appealing feature is the availability of experts in each region they operate. Sometimes, only a local will do this when it comes to the complex standards and customs of local laws and practices, and they have assured that resource is available to their customers by offering local support in each of the 60+ countries in which they operate. According to our research, the majority of Remote users who contacted these local experts for support were pleased with the service. Users also had positive feedback about Remote’s technical support.

Remote can be a sound option for effective global onboarding, whether you want to establish a new branch or employ one person in a different country. It has a dedicated self-service portal to keep workers connected. It provides robust data protection and security.

However, businesses looking for features like employee training or pre-built integrations won’t find Remote helpful, as the tool isn’t a training-focused onboarding platform, and rather than offering a range of native integration options, it provides customers with free custom API.

Remote Customers

Arduino, GitLab, Paystack, Loom, cargo.one, Secureframe, Phaidra.

Remote Pricing

  • Contractor Management plan: $29/contractor/mo.
  • Employer of Record plan: $599/employee/mo (when paid annually).
  • Global Payroll and Remote Enterprise plans: Custom prices – contact Remote.
  • Startup and nonprofit discount: Eligible startups and nonprofits can get 15% off EOR and Contractor Management services for 12 months.
  • Refugee discount: Up to 10 employees free when hiring refugees.

Best For

Remote is a good fit for globally distributed teams looking to hire, pay, onboard, and retain international talent with country-custom benefits, seamless onboarding experience, and payroll.

Remote in action
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Rippling

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Rippling
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Popularity Score
4.2 / 5
User Score
4.2 / 5
Product Score
4.1 / 5

Why we picked Rippling

Rippling can not only handle onboarding but payroll, benefits, and HR for both US-based and global businesses. The platform has extensive integrations, an intuitive UI, and multiple modules to be purchased jointly or separately. Rippling is found most helpful for fast-growing teams with under 2,000 employees.

PROS

  • Rippling provides employees with a self-service portal for digital onboarding.
  • Automated onboarding surveys.
  • US payroll includes I-9s and W-2s, built-in auto-warnings to prevent businesses from violating state laws and regulations.
  • Global payroll works for both employees and hourly workers.
  • Can connect with 500+ apps.
  • Built-in compliance training for employees and managers.
  • Has a mobile app.
  • Ability to purchase modules separately or as a full suite.
  • All-in-one platform for employee management + PEO services offered, and even a suite of other IT products 
  • With 500 integrations, it’s very likely that they integrate with other key tools from your tech stack.
  • Operates globally with any currency
  • Workflow automation
  • Analytics opportunities
  • Provides a holistic view of company outflows—headcount costs included

CONS

  • Payment is available via direct deposit or check only.
  • No free trial.
  • Phone support is a paid add-on.
  • Not the best bet for teams with 2,000+ employees.
  • Limited features on the mobile app compared to the web browser version.
  • Total buy-in to Rippling is essential 
  • Very SMB-oriented, in case you’re a larger company. 
  • New features tend to be buggy in ways that tech teams are not accustomed to fixing
Rippling's HR Onboarding Software dashboard

Rippling Review

Rippling is renowned for its comprehensive payroll and HR features, particularly among fast-growing teams. While employee onboarding is not a standalone tool, it is included in the Rippling Unity module, which offers automation, documentation, and a workforce directory.

We are impressed by Rippling's lifecycle automation within the Unity product. It encompasses onboarding, payroll, benefits, training, and offboarding, accessible via web browsers and mobile devices. The platform provides a pre-built library for custom workflows, surveys, and HR documents, expediting the setup process. The automation capabilities allow us to tailor onboarding workflows and collect feedback automatically from new hires.

Employee self-service is facilitated through Rippling's benefits administration module. It allows employees to view and update payroll, benefits, and documents directly in the portal. Mobile access to compliance training courses is also available. However, the choice of withdrawal methods is limited to direct deposit or check, and the mobile app can be sluggish at times, affecting certain features like receipt scanning and paystub access.

Rippling Customers

Vox, Maximum Games, Superhuman, Compass Coffee, Highnoon.

Rippling Pricing

Rippling pricing starts at $8 per employee per month. Get in touch with Sales for more details.

Best For

Rippling is most useful for growing teams that have fewer than 2,000 employees. It can work for US-based, international, remote, and office-based organizations.

Rippling in action
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Enboarder

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Enboarder
Learn More
Popularity Score
4.1 / 5
User Score
4.8 / 5
Product Score
4.6 / 5

Why we picked Enboarder

Enboarder digitizes your onboarding process and makes it more personalized. It facilitates communication between your existing team and new hires to guide them through the transition and make them feel welcome.

PROS

CONS

Enboarder Onboarding Tool dashboard

Enboarder Review

Enboarder is a cloud-based platform that streamlines how you onboard, offboard and reboard people - all while delivering great experiences. The platform is quite versatile; you can use it to transition employees at different levels, as well as partners, customers or any other relevant stakeholder. Enboarder is also easy to use; it features a drag and drop mechanism, allowing you to customize it to your liking with little to no help from your IT department.

Enboarder Customers

Hugo Boss, EventBrite, Mcdonald’s, LVMH Fashion Group, ING

Enboarder Pricing

The pricing of Enboarder’s solutions isn’t disclosed upfront. Contact their Sales team to get a custom price quote based on the size and needs of your business.

Best For

Enboarder serves businesses of various sizes, from SMBs to Enterprises.

Enboarder in action
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ClearCompany

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ClearCompany
Learn More
Popularity Score
4 / 5
User Score
4.5 / 5
Product Score
4.3 / 5

Why we picked ClearCompany

Modern, easy-to-use, and efficient, ClearCompany's employee onboarding software has many useful features some of which are: device and equipment management, compliance management, automated task notifications, bulk onboarding.

PROS

  • Offers several integrated HR solutions you can pick from and combine as needed.
  • Intuitive, easy-to-navigate interface.
  • Highly rated support team for speedy, quality responses.
  • They provide implementation support so you can get your instance up and running quickly.
  • ClearCompany offers a host of HR solutions that work well with another. You can choose the solution you need or combine them all to have a comprehensive talent management platform in your stack. 
  • The majority of users find ClearCompany’s interface to be quite intuitive and easy to navigate. 
  • Many users have highly rated ClearCompany’s support team for speed and quality of response. Several users have also reported a smooth implementation experience.

CONS

  • Pricing is not readily available and you can’t create a trial account on your own.
  • Reporting customization options are limited.
  • The candidate search functionality could be improved in accuracy and speed.
  • There isn’t a mobile app, but the platform is mobile-optimized.
  • ClearCompany’s pricing is not readily available on their website. You also can’t create a trial account on your own from the website and have to go through the sales team for more info. 
  • Some users felt that the reporting feature is limited in customizations.
  • According to a few users, the candidate search function doesn’t always bring up the correct candidate(s) and could use some improvement.
  • ClearCompany doesn’t currently have a mobile app, but the platform is well optimized for mobile use both for hiring managers and candidates.
ClearCompany Employee Onboarding Software dashboard

ClearCompany Review

ClearCompany's solution can provide a paperless onboarding experience for new hires. Their mobile friendly experience helps take care of compliance issues (I9, W-4, etc) all the way through directions to the office and new team member introductions.

ClearCompany Customers

Jamestown Community College, Supreme Court of the State of Arizona, Jackson Hospital, Vigor Industrial, Goodwill 9.

ClearCompany Pricing

Choose from buying a single module, several, or the whole platform. That being said, ClearCompany's prices aren't provided upfront.

Best For

Companies looking for more than just an onboarding tool to add to their HR tech stack.

ClearCompany in action
Reviewer's Rating
10/10

I use ClearCompany daily to review applicants for open positions, manage position requisitions, performance reviews, and as an administrator manage the users. I also use the system to add recruiters (vendors) so they can add their applicants directly to the requisition. The system provides me with a great deal of data that I didn't have before so I can now determine what recruiters are working best for us. I also use it to conduct surveys throughout the year.

What do you like about this tool?
  • The flexibility of the system; it can be tailored to suit your needs.
  • The customer service is awesome; they help you get the most out of the system.
  • Provides a number of processes all in one spot.
Why did your organization buy this tool, and how long have you used it for?

We purchased ClearCompany February of 2023. As an HR department of one, I needed a system that could help me with recruiting, scheduling interviews, onboarding, performance reviews, goal setting and recognition. This system does it all. It takes a great deal of work from me and allows the managers to take charge of reviewing their applicants in one place, without me having to email everyone, and schedule their own interviews. It even provides a way to schedule a panel review which is our process for hiring key positions. I have been using it since we purchased and still making enhancements to ensure our processes are automated.

What do you dislike about this tool?

I would like to be able to print out the performance reviews as opposed to view them in preview mode. This would help me when designing them and comparing them to others in the system.

How is this tool different than their competitors?

This system is easy to use and easy to set up. I prefer it in comparison to other systems I've used because of the user interface and how well it was received in my organization.

What Instructions should people think about when buying this type of tool?

What processes do you need? This system has recruiting, onboarding, performance management, surveys (templates and you can create your own), dashboards, and employee recognition.

How much are you willing to pay? The price is great when you consider what you are getting.

How has this tool changed or evolved over time to meet users needs?

In the short time I've been using the system, it has added new features that provide even more flexibility to the system.

What specific type of user or organization is this tool very good for?

Midsize to large companies. Industry doesn't matter.

What specific type of user or organization would this tool not be a good fit for?

Small organizations.

eloomi

Visit Website
eloomi
Learn More
Popularity Score
4.1 / 5
User Score
4.8 / 5
Product Score
4.6 / 5

Why we picked eloomi

Eloomi's onboarding solution helps you define learning paths and automate workflows based on job roles, making it easy for new hires to enroll in all necessary training on their own. You can also customize materials and use interactive modules to make the process more engaging.

PROS

  • Comprehensive modules for onboarding, training, performance, engagement, and recognition.
  • Pre-made templates to create online training faster.
  • Customizable and private surveys for honest employee feedback.
  • Can request peer feedback on employee skills.
  • Microlearning content prevents overwhelming onboarding.
  • Eloomi is quite comprehensive, with modules for onboarding, training/learning, performance management, employee engagement, and recognition.
  • The platform comes with a library of ready-to-use templates to help you create online training faster. It also has a mobile app for your employees to access training materials on the go.
  • Their surveys are customizable and private, helping you get specific and honest feedback from employees.
  • You can request other members of the organization to provide feedback on certain skills of employees.
  • You can make use of Eloomi’s micro-sized online training content to prevent overwhelming onboarding experiences.

CONS

  • Steep learning curve due to its vast feature set.
  • Some bugs and slowness may be experienced when generating large reports, but support is responsive.
  • Pricing is not transparent, and no free trials are offered currently.
  • Because of the sheer number of features Eloomi offers, there’s a steeper learning curve for the average user to get the hang of the platform and understand it to its fullest.
  • A few users reported experiencing bugs and speed issues when generating reports, especially ones with a large volume of data, but have noted that Eloomi’s customer support team is quick to resolve such issues.
  • The platform’s pricing isn’t transparent and free trials aren’t available at this time.
eloomi's Employee Onboarding Software dashboard screenshot

eloomi Review

With Eloomi’s employee onboarding solution, you can make your onboarding process reflective of your company culture. You can break the entire training process into bite-sized pieces to make it easier for your new hires to grasp all of the new information you share with them. You can also track their progress through your onboarding and training phase in real time and have conversations with them around it.

eloomi Customers

Eloomi’s customer list includes BONUS Vorsorgekasse AG, Breakout Games, Carne Group, ElectricBrands, Nufarm, Domino’s, and more.

eloomi Pricing

Eloomi offers custom pricing, so the best way to find out how much it costs is to request a demo.

Best For

Eloomi is designed for HR leaders and managers in mid-sized and large businesses. Its purpose is to simplify employee onboarding, foster engagement through regular feedback, and monitor personal development.

eloomi in action
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Atlas

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Atlas
Learn More
Popularity Score
4.1 / 5
User Score
4 / 5
Product Score
4.1 / 5

Why we picked Atlas

Atlas is a good mix of industry expertise and tech. They empower companies to hire and pay employees internationally while complying with local labor regulations.

PROS

  • Legal entities in more than 160 countries
  • Specialized services for employee onboarding and payroll processing
  • Atlas has legal entities in over 160 countries. They’ll help you take care of employee onboarding and payroll processing in any of those countries, eliminating the need to engage any local service providers.
  • The platform simplifies how you hire, manage and pay employees and contractors abroad, without needing to set up an operation where they are located. 
  • Atlas helps you stay compliant with local labor laws and frees you from employer liability.

CONS

  • Some users have noted that communicating with support can be tricky and time-consuming since they have an expert for each country. This means new people must sometimes be looped in, depending on the situation. Nevertheless, our research suggests that this is constantly improving.
  • Limited pre-built integration modules, Atlas only offers API integration.
  • Atlas currently doesn’t offer global managed payroll for non-employer of record (EoR) clients; so if your company doesn't need Atlas to take on from you as EoR, but need to use Atlas' global payroll services, you can't do so at this time. Do note though that the team at Atlas is planning to offer this service next year.
  • Atlas currently has limited prebuilt integration modules but they do offer API access for users to plug in third-party tools.

Atlas Review

Atlas is a global payroll and direct employer of record (EOR) platform that helps companies ensure legal compliance as they hire and pay employees worldwide. They provide end-to-end management for local labor laws in global markets, from onboarding to payroll processing.

Atlas is suitable for companies of any size. The platform offers a compliance-assured EOR solution for those looking to hire and pay employees globally. The platform is continually growing, and they recently added contractor payments to the mix.

Atlas Customers

Atlas is used by over a thousand companies, including Toyota, CACI, Bath & Body Works, Coupa, PAE, and Namely.

Atlas Pricing

  • Essential: For $99 per month, this plan encompasses features and services that help users navigate the labor & employment laws in over 160 countries (+50 US States), manage employee lifecycle, compliance information between countries, be compliant with their accounting for travel and business expenses, receive personalized notifications, as well as have moderate access to expert insights and HR templates (which are priced separately). 
  • Premium: For $149 per month, this plan packs everything in the Essentials plan, plus compliance audit interactive checks, people analytics and planning features as well as dedicated account management.
  • Enterprise: The pricing of this plan varies according to the number of purchased licenses and customer needs. You can reach out to Atlas’ Sales team for a custom price quote. 

Add-ons:

  • Contractor Pay: Starting at $49 per contractor per month
  • Employer of Record: $595 per employee per month
  • Visa & Mobility Sponsorship: Starting at $2,500 per visa

Best For

Atlas is great for teams of any size who’ve determined EOR is the right way to manage global payments.

Atlas in action
No items found.

BambooHR

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BambooHR
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Popularity Score
4.6 / 5
User Score
4.5 / 5
Product Score
4.4 / 5

Why we picked BambooHR

BambooHR helps you save countless hours in onboarding. It comes with customizable pre-boarding packages, built-in e-signatures, onboarding process templates, and automated messaging to help new hires through onboarding tasks.

PROS

  • Flexible packaging and custom pricing: you can add features as needed to your base plan
  • Customizable checklists for the onboarding process
  • Centralized information repository, good tool for optimized document organization
  • Automate workflows and set up reminders for efficient task management
  • Easy to use
  • 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

  • For advanced onboarding workflows, customization may be limited.
  • Companies outside the United States might find it too U.S.-centric. For example, payroll is only available for U.S.-based employees, and customer support is only offered during U.S. business hours.
  • Certain components like time tracking, performance management, and surveys are only available as add-ons.
  • 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.
BambooHR Onboarding Software dashboard screenshot

BambooHR Review

For years, BambooHR has stood out for covering the complete employee lifecycle, encompassing core HRMS functions like recruiting and performance management. We’ve always found their design intuitive and easy to use, which helps explain why they remain one of the top names in HR software.

Onboarding features are limited to specific plans, so teams who are looking for this feature a la carte should look elsewhere. However, Bamboo is a great choice for teams in the market for or open to adopting an HR suite of user-friendly tools designed to streamline processes, optimize efficiency, and foster employee engagement.

BambooHR Customers

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 Pricing

Pricing is not disclosed upfront, but they do offer a free trial of their all-in-one software and then go out of their way to find a version that will suit you. Before they come up with a personalized quote that will align with your budget, however, they are also likely to extend your free trial upon request or even give you a free demo of the advanced features.

Best For

BambooHR is a good bet for organizations seeking a customizable HR solution offering flexible pricing. It’s popular among teams embracing partial or complete remote work arrangements.

BambooHR in action
Reviewer's Rating
9/10
  • The tool has been critical in managing employee data and maintaining the database of employee information accessible by the team remotely.
  • We use BambooHR for onboarding and collecting information for new joiners. It is also an ideal tool for recruitment and tracking of candidates throughout the recruitment cycle.
  • We are also able to use it to track and manage employee leave applications.
  • Reporting has been made very simple since I can pull a report in minutes on headcount, analysis on gender, leave, turnover rates, onboarding, and performance

What do you like about this tool?
  1. Excellent Customer Service: The customer support team has been very supportive and responsive in troubleshooting.
  2. The system is user-friendly and has some videos guiding you through some of its functions. The system is designed to be customizable, so clients can tailor it to meet their specific needs.
  3. Powerful reporting: BambooHR's reporting features have allowed me to generate a wide range of reports, such as headcount, turnover, and diversity reports, this information is instrumental in making data-driven decisions.
Why did your organization buy this tool, and how long have you used it for?

As Covid-19 forced most employers to look into hybrid working models, there was a need for us to look into tools for managing employee information and tracking time off to streamline administrative tasks and reduce errors while working remotely.

BambooHR offers Recruiting and applicant tracking features that make it easier to find and hire the right candidates for open positions remotely.

Additionally, it provides performance management tools, including goal setting and performance reviews, which can help ensure that employees are working towards company objectives and receiving the feedback they need to succeed.

I found the system to be user-friendly, with a modern interface that is easy to navigate and customize to meet our needs. The system also has video tutorials that are clear and guide you through its functions.

What do you dislike about this tool?

The main con would be its limited payroll functionality. It is not available in Africa and its payroll functionality is currently only available for customers in the United States and Canada, which may be a drawback for companies based in other countries.

Pricing is also on the upper limit compared to other solutions, particularly in Africa.

The features on training could also be more customizable to clients in diverse spaces or lines of work

How is this tool different than their competitors?

BambooHR has strong reporting features which allow us to generate a wide range of reports, such as headcount, turnover, and diversity reports, which can help organizations make data-driven decisions.

Its user-friendly interface is easy to navigate and find the information users need. The system is designed to be customizable, so users can tailor it to meet their specific needs.

What Instructions should people think about when buying this type of tool?

When buying BambooHR or any other HR software solution, there are several criteria to consider, including:

  1. Location: BambooHR's payroll functions are better suited for companies in US and Canada. For ease of compliance with local regulations, countries in Africa can consider an alternative tool to run their payroll function.
  2. Company size and needs: The size of the company and its HR needs are important factors to consider when selecting a software solution. BambooHR is generally well-suited for small to medium-sized businesses with straightforward HR needs.
  3.  Customization: Companies should consider how customizable BambooHR is, and whether it can be tailored to their specific HR workflows and processes.
  4. Security and compliance: Companies should consider BambooHR's security and compliance features to ensure that employee data is protected and that the system meets relevant legal and regulatory requirements.

How has this tool changed or evolved over time to meet users needs?
  • Improved user experience: BambooHR has focused on improving the user experience over time, with updates to the system's interface, navigation, and overall usability.
  • Deeper analytics: BambooHR has added more powerful reporting and analytics features over time, which has helped users gain deeper insights into their HR data.

What specific type of user or organization is this tool very good for?

BambooHR is well-suited for small to medium-sized organizations with straightforward HR needs. The system is particularly strong in areas such as employee data management, onboarding, and reporting, and is designed to be customizable to meet the specific needs of each organization.

Functions like payroll are better suited for companies in US and Canada.

It is well-suited to organizations that need a flexible, customizable, and user-friendly HR software solution.

What specific type of user or organization would this tool not be a good fit for?

Large enterprises: BambooHR is generally not recommended for large enterprises with complex HR needs. The system is designed to be straightforward and easy to use, which means it may not have the depth of functionality that larger organizations require.

It is also not ideal for a company wishing to run payroll that is operating outside the US

Leapsome

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Leapsome
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Popularity Score
4.3 / 5
User Score
4.8 / 5
Product Score
4.7 / 5

Why we picked Leapsome

Leapsome is used by some of the best companies in the world and rightly so. It lets you build personalized learning paths, set learning schedules with fixed timelines, create quizzes based on the learning, and get data for analysis purposes.

PROS

  • Feature-rich platform with modules for employee onboarding, training, surveying, performance, goals, and more.
  • User-friendly and clean interface.
  • Numerous third-party integrations to choose from, including Slack.
  • Transparent pricing, and you only pay for what you need.
  • Leapsome is quite feature-rich; the platform packs modules for employee onboarding,  learning management, engagement, performance management, goals tracking and much more. 
  • The majority of users find Leapsome’s UI to be friendly and easy to navigate.
  • There are lots of third party integrations options to choose from, including Slack, which many users appreciate. 
  • The platform has transparent pricing, and you only pay for the modules you need.

CONS

  • You can’t include images or files in your feedback.
  • Steeper learning curve due to expansive features.
  • No mobile app for on-the-go access yet.
  • Free trials require booking demos with the sales first.
  • There is currently no way to post or upload an image or file into your feedback.
  • Since Leapsome can do so many things, you may need some time to get used to it. The implementation process can also take some time. 
  • There currently isn’t a mobile app that users can download and access Leapsome quickly on-the-go. 
  • Free 14-day trials are available but you need to book a demo with the sales team first to sign up for one; you can’t do so on your own. 
Leapsome Employee Onboarding Tool dashboard

Leapsome Review

Leapsome is a performance management and employee engagement software tool that also has a robust employee onboarding solution. Their product is really focused on teaching new hires the right skills through programming at different points in their onboarding process and then testing what has been taught.  For example, a new sales person may learn the product, then the pitch, then the pricing for their new company.

Leapsome Customers

Spotify, Babbel, Trivago, PlusDental+, Mercedes-Benz.

Leapsome Pricing

Leapsome starts at a 24-day free trial. Once that is over, pricing will depend on the number of employees you'll have using the tool and the modules you'd like to use. Their modular pricing starts at 7 USD user/month if billed yearly.

Best For

Leapsome can be a good bet for all manner of companies looking for a modern alternative to their onboarding.

Leapsome in action
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Trainual

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Trainual
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Popularity Score
4.2 / 5
User Score
4.7 / 5
Product Score
4.6 / 5

Why we picked Trainual

Trainual accelerates employee onboarding like nothing else. All you have to do is document your onboarding process and leave the hard work of repeating and scaling up to Trainual.

PROS

CONS

Trainual Employee Onboarding Software Dashboard

Trainual Review

As you may have guessed from the name, Trainual is generally focused on the learning that happens within your organization. And, one of the key ways they help employees learn is during onboarding. Their platform will allow your employees to learn and reference the core processes that will be essential to their role.

Trainual Customers

Trainual is used by the UPS Store, Stanford University, Design Pickle, RE/MAX, and Harmon Brothers.

Trainual Pricing

Trainual's pricing starts at $99/month, billed annually, with the Pro plan. If more features are needed, as well as phone support and personalized coaching, the Premium Plan is $149 per month. Both of them include the first 25 users.

Best For

Small, medium, large businesses, and enterprises looking for an all-in-one solution for training, onboarding, and process documentation.

Trainual in action
Reviewer's Rating
10/10

Trainual helped our small organization improve the efficiency and effectiveness of our training and onboarding processes. It reduced the time and resources required to manage them. This platform standardized our training process and ensures that all employees receive the same training materials, regardless of their location or role in the organization. With Trainual, we automated many of the administrative tasks associated with onboarding new employees, such as sending welcome emails, setting up accounts, and assigning training modules. Trainual allows us to create our own training materials to fit our organization's needs and culture.

What do you like about this tool?
  • Analytics and insights are the number one pro for us. Trainual provides detailed analytics and reporting features that can help us track employee progress, identify knowledge gaps, and measure the effectiveness of our training programs.
  • Efficiency is the other pro. By automating many of the administrative tasks associated with training and onboarding, Trainual helped us save time and resources. This freed up our HR to focus on more strategic initiatives.
  • Building engaging policies and employee handbooks right there on the platform. There is no limit to your creativity here. It is a fun way to deliver the employee handbook to new hires.
Why did your organization buy this tool, and how long have you used it for?

My small organization was looking to reduce spend as well as condense the growing number of third-party vendors we used to run our operations. It became increasingly hard to keep track of log-ins for different tools and websites. We were struggling to find a one-stop-shop solution for onboarding and training our new employees and we heard that Trainual can offer a solution to our problem. We have been using this tool for 6 months now and couldn't be happier.

What do you dislike about this tool?
  • While Trainual does offer some integrations with other software platforms, such as Slack and Google Drive, the number of integrations available is limited compared to other training platforms.
  • The minimum number of users/seats is 10 so if you have less than 10 employees in your company you may be overpaying.
  • There is only a 7-day trial which may not be enough to fully understand if Trainual can give you what your organization is looking for.
How is this tool different than their competitors?

Trainual focuses on small to medium organizations while most of the other training platforms are targeting large corporations.

It allows you to pay monthly while you are learning the ropes and figuring out your needs. It also includes a range of automation features that can help streamline the training and onboarding process, such as automated reminders, progress tracking, and the ability to assign training modules based on employee roles.

What Instructions should people think about when buying this type of tool?
  • First, consider the specific features that are most important to your organization. For example, do you need a platform that can automate onboarding tasks, provide detailed analytics and reporting, or allow for customization of training materials? Or do you need a platform that already offers ready-to-use training materials?
  • Consider whether the platform can integrate with other software tools that your organization uses, such as HRIS software or communication tools like Google Meet or Microsoft Teams.
  • Consider the cost of the platform, as well as any additional fees for implementation, support, or upgrades. Make sure the cost aligns with your budget and the value you expect to receive from the platform. How many employees do you have? Is your company planning to grow in the future? Can this platform accommodate the growth and how will the cost increase?
  • Consider the level of customer support offered by the platform, such as training resources, technical support, and a user community.
How has this tool changed or evolved over time to meet users needs?

I have not used it long enough to see major changes.

What specific type of user or organization is this tool very good for?

Startups, small to medium sized companies and growing organizations, especially ones with remote teams.

What specific type of user or organization would this tool not be a good fit for?
  • Business with less than 10 people that is not planning to grow.
  • Trainual may not be the best fit for very large enterprises with complex training needs, as the platform's features and scalability may be more limited compared to more robust enterprise-level solutions.
  • Organizations that don't prioritize training.

Use-Cases: Why Use Employee Onboarding Software

If building a successful company with motivated, inspired, and productive team members is important to you, then you’re going to want a structured onboarding workflow that engages new hires. But if you’re still not sure if you need software to help manage, automate and streamline that process, here are common use-cases that may convince you to invest:

  • Culture Building: Company culture starts with your people and how you engage them. Having a company mission and values is one thing, but sharing those with your employees from day one and ensuring that they understand them is another. With employee onboarding software, you can share your mission and values cemented into communications so new hires and existing employees alike know the company’s “why” — and in turn, their own reason for coming to work. You can also schedule welcome events for new hires, create welcome messages for new employees to your team or the entire company, match new hires with an internal “buddy” that they can lean on as they get acclimated to their new job, and more. All of these actions can contribute to the culture you want to create.
  • Ensuring Employee Has Necessary Paperwork: There is a legal & compliance piece of onboarding that you need to follow, specifically when it comes to paperwork. Such paperwork includes employment contracts, non-disclosure agreements (if applicable to your company), health and safety training, I-9s and W-2s, company policies, benefits and payroll forms, and more. As you likely know, there’s a lot of administrative work when bringing on a new hire, and if you’re hiring a lot of people at once, it can really eat up your time. HR onboarding software can help streamline and automate this process for you.
  • Training: A huge part of onboarding is, of course, employee training — and there’s a lot of it. After all, new hires need to learn the company mission and values, its product and/or service, and its customers as well as team processes, systems, etc. An employee onboarding platform can help you create a training plan, mentoring opportunities with senior leadership, skills assessments, etc. Of course, consider that all of these HR processes can become an automated workflow if you have the right onboarding app.
  • Stay Organized: New hire onboarding checklists and processes built into a tool means you don't have to spend as much time making sure every box is checked. If something isn't done, the system will alert the human resources org.
  • Automation: If your current onboarding checklist is literally a paper checklist, you are no doubt spending a lot of time and effort on tasks that can be automated through onboarding software. Collecting employee data, e-signtures, background checks, etc are all processes that your HR team can spend a lot less time on.

Pro Tips on Employee Onboarding Software

Considerations & Common Mistakes

There is a big difference between onboarding and orientation. If you don’t realize this, then your new hires’ experiences will be suboptimal. Fortunately, there are common challenges and mistakes associated with onboarding that you can learn from — and avoid. Here are a few:

  • Not making employees feel welcomed: Employee onboarding software can only do so much to make employees feel welcomed. There is a required human element that you should make sure managers incorporate into the onboarding experience. For example, taking a new hire out to lunch with the team on their first day, walking them around the company to meet employees, hanging up welcome signs at their new desk, etc.
  • Not setting the right expectations: Make sure new hires know from day one — or even before they start — what they can expect at different parts of their onboarding journey. This can help them prepare necessary paperwork, and generally cut down on the anxiety that comes with starting a new job.
  • Before they start: To help new hires walk through your company doors with confidence on their first day, tell them ahead of time about anything they need to prepare for day one, where they should go, who they should check in with, what they should wear (if there’s a dress code, that is), etc.
  • First day: Who should they meet with on day one to get a rundown of their role? It goes without saying that they should meet with their managers, but if there are other employees they’ll be working with regularly, make sure to pre-schedule the right meetings/meet-and-greets.
  • Focusing on paperwork vs. employee experience: As we’ve mentioned, employee onboarding software can take the burden of paperwork off of your plate. But it can also do a lot when it comes to your employee’s overall experience with the company. So don’t shy away from software providers that offer more than just paperwork help — and don’t forget to incorporate any relevant culture activities, like happy hours, team lunches, etc.
  • 30/60/90 days: Managers should create a clear 30/60/90-day plan that maps out clear goals and milestones for a new hire’s first three months of employment. Your onboarding software provider should have templates and manager trainings that can help get this started.

Benefits & ROI

At the end of the day, employee onboarding software can help your new hires achieve productivity faster than they would without a formal training and welcoming process. And, as we’ve mentioned, employees are more likely to stay at your company long-term if they’ve undergone a formal onboarding process. Increased retention of course saves you time and money on recruiting, prevents lost work from employee turnover, and contributes to a more productive and successful company overall.

While there’s no defined return on employee onboarding software, the benefits from it (better employee retention, more employee engagement, and more streamlined HR processes) are huge. To help you get an idea of what that translates to in dollars, use our HR tech ROI calculators here.

Pricing

How much to budget for employee onboarding software depends on a number of factors, such as what components you actually need and how many users you’ll have. Some of the software providers we’ve mentioned here charge for each individual module they offer while others charge a per user per month fee (which we’ve seen for as low as $0-$8/user/month) and/or an annual fee. All this to say, don’t forget to discuss pricing on your demo based on your specific needs so you can get a clear sense of total cost.

Features: What You Can Expect from Employee Onboarding Software

At a minimum, employee onboarding software can help you optimize the process of welcoming and training a new hire. This means automating paperwork, streamlining training, and more. But some vendors have a broader set of offerings that cover pre-boarding and recruiting. It really depends on your company’s needs and overall onboarding goals. In general, you can expect to see the following features from employee onboarding software:

  • Automated Workflows: Employee onboarding software can help streamline a lot of the workflows that are vital to your job but that also take up a lot of your time. This includes:
  • Email & Text Capabilities: Some employee onboarding software allows you to streamline communications with new hires (and even job candidates) through automated email and text capabilities. With email templates, calendar syncing, even text-to-apply functionality, you can more efficiently handle a lot of the admin work involved in recruiting and onboarding.
  • Legal Documentation & Other Paperwork: Before new employees actually start, let them complete their paperwork from home. You can send them everything from I-9s and W-2s to your employee handbook, non-disclosure agreements, and more.
  • Training: Create training materials (in some cases, with the help of preloaded templates) and offer synchronous or asynchronous training sessions so new hires can get up to speed on everything from company mission and values to core work functions. You can even administer simple tests to increase accountability and make sure everyone is on track as they transition into their new role.
  • Performance Management: Offering continuous and real-time feedback to all employees (not just new hires) is a great way to increase engagement and retention — after all, the last thing you want is for an employee to be blindsided at a mid-year review for something that may have happened months prior. Fortunately, some employee onboarding systems offer a performance management feature where you can set goals for individual team members and map them to broader team and company goals. From there, you can track progress, note successes, and discuss lessons learned so team members have a clear path for growth and continuous contribution.
  • ATS & Recruiting: Depending on your needs, you can find employee onboarding software that offers applicant tracking components to help you streamline your entire hiring process and lay a strong foundation for onboarding new hires. These features include everything from employer branding and career sites, to interview scheduling and video interview functionality, to talent communities and candidate management, to recruiting analytics, background checks, offer letter management, even referrals.

Demo Questions: What to Ask During Demos

Before you have any software demos, make sure to prepare a list of questions so you can get a clear picture of each vendor and what they offer. That way, you can more confidently invest in the solution that’s right for your company and its unique needs.

To help you get started, here are some sample questions to ask:

  • How are new employees automatically put into an onboarding process?
  • What parts of the product address training?
  • How are connections with colleagues fostered?
  • Do I need to buy a broader platform to use this?
  • When does onboarding start and end from the employee’s perspective?
  • How does this integrate into my existing HR software and payroll? What integrations will I need?
  • How will others in the organization use this solution?
  • What are the key features I want to ask about?
  • What are the things that would make me nervous about buying this sort of solution?

Implementation

There are two key implementation steps you’ll need to take with employee onboarding software. On one hand, you’ll need to get the software up and running, which might include integrating with existing HR software you already use. On the other, you’ll need to set up workflows for different employees and create all necessary training and onboarding content.

In most cases, implementation depends on your company, the software provider you choose, and how the two need to integrate for success. To get a clear sense of what implementation will look like for your company, use your demo to find out how integrations work, who you’ll need to tap internally for help (i.e. will IT need to help with any software integrations), etc.

Employee Onboarding Tools FAQs

What is employee onboarding software?

Employee onboarding software provides tools to automate and improve the process of bringing new hires into an organization. It typically includes features like digital paperwork, company resource distribution, training assignments, and onboarding checklists.

What are the benefits of using onboarding software?

Benefits include a faster, smoother, and more consistent onboarding experience for new hires. It reduces manual tasks for HR and managers, improves engagement, and allows customizing onboarding per employee role.

How is onboarding software different from an LMS?

A learning management system (LMS) focuses specifically on training while onboarding software has a broader scope. It facilitates all aspects of onboarding, not just training - paperwork, company policies, equipment, peer connections, etc.

What features should I look for in onboarding software?

Key features of onboarding software include customizable templates, digital document signing, automated task triggers, new hire portals, team/manager collaboration tools, surveys, analytics, mobile access, and HRIS integrations.

Does onboarding software integrate with my HR stack?

Most onboarding systems integrate with leading HRIS/HCM platforms to allow the passing of new hire data seamlessly and keep records updated across systems. API integration is also often available.

Is onboarding software secure?

Reputable onboarding software vendors ensure the security of sensitive new hire records and data through encryption, permission controls, and other measures like SOC 2 compliance.

What is the typical pricing model for onboarding software?

The pricing of onboarding software usually follows a per-user-per-month model. Some products may base their pricing on features but it isn’t common. Enterprises can expect custom pricing if they require advanced features, particularly around permissions/security.

Next Steps

At the end of the day, new hire onboarding is critical for business success. It’s also a long-term process with multiple stages that can last an entire year — from preboarding (making an offer, handling paperwork, and preparing for their first day), to welcoming them on their first day, to providing ongoing training and support as they get up to speed. Therefore, it makes sense to spend the time getting the right employee onboarding solution live sooner than later.

Eventually, your focus will shift from onboarding to engagment and satisfaction, for a which high-quality employee engagement software is essential — but remember that what you do now for a new hire’s first few months will have a lasting impact on their productivity and longevity with your company. With the right onboarding software, you can maximize success for both your new hire and your company, reduce attrition, and build a productive and welcoming company culture.

About Us

  • Our goal at SSR is to help HR and recruiting teams to find and buy the right software for their needs.
  • Our site is free to use as some vendors will pay us for web traffic.
  • SSR lists all companies we feel are top vendors - not just those who pay us - in our comprehensive directories full of the advice needed to make the right purchase decision for your HR team.

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