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Best Employee Onboarding Tools

10+ Best Onboarding Software for New Hires in 2026

Fact-based employee onboarding software reviews from SSR experts plus insights from thought leaders and everyday users to make the most out of your onboarding tool.

Phil Strazzulla
Written by
Phil Strazzulla
HR Tech Expert, Harvard MBA, Software Enthusiast
Contributing Experts
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Last Updated: Apr 22, 2026
TOP
Best for structured onboarding automation with strong workflow control
Freshservice
4.2
Popularity Score
4.5
User Score
4.1
Product  Score
Visit Website
TOP
Best for structured onboarding automation with strong workflow control
Freshservice
4.2
Popularity Score
4.5
User Score
4.1
Product  Score
Learn More
TOP
Best for compliant onboarding in 150+ countries
Deel
4.4
Popularity Score
4.6
User Score
4.5
Product  Score
Visit Website
TOP
Best for compliant onboarding in 150+ countries
Deel
4.4
Popularity Score
4.6
User Score
4.5
Product  Score
Learn More
TOP
Mobile-first employee onboarding tool for deskless teams
Connecteam
4.5
Popularity Score
4.6
User Score
4.6
Product  Score
Visit Website
TOP
Mobile-first employee onboarding tool for deskless teams
Connecteam
4.5
Popularity Score
4.6
User Score
4.6
Product  Score
Learn More
TOP
Highly scalable payroll and HR for solopreneurs and SMBs
Paychex
4.1
Popularity Score
3.9
User Score
4.1
Product  Score
Visit Website
TOP
Highly scalable payroll and HR for solopreneurs and SMBs
Paychex
4.1
Popularity Score
3.9
User Score
4.1
Product  Score
Learn More
TOP
Best talent acquisition tool for enterprise employers
Greenhouse
4.5
Popularity Score
4.4
User Score
4.6
Product  Score
Visit Website
TOP
Best talent acquisition tool for enterprise employers
Greenhouse
4.5
Popularity Score
4.4
User Score
4.6
Product  Score
Learn More
TOP
Enterprise-grade project management tool with powerful automation
Wrike
4.7
Popularity Score
4.2
User Score
4.6
Product  Score
Visit Website
TOP
Enterprise-grade project management tool with powerful automation
Wrike
4.7
Popularity Score
4.2
User Score
4.6
Product  Score
Learn More

Best Employee Onboarding Tools

WhaleTop choice for structured onboarding and role-based training
ClearCoBest for onboarding new hires at medium-to-large businesses
eloomiEmployee onboarding, engagement, and training software
EnboarderGreat for easy onboarding, offboarding, and reboarding
RipplingHR onboarding software with extensive integrations
RemoteBest onboarding software for remote employees
LeapsomeStructured, AI-supported employee onboarding for global SMBs
WorkleapBest for organized and feedback-driven employee onboarding
Atlas HXMHighly recommended for multinational employee onboarding

BambooHR

: A classic for onboarding and everything HR

Trainual

: Among the best for training-focused onboarding

TOP
Best for structured onboarding automation with strong workflow control
Freshservice
4.2
Popularity Score
4.5
User Score
4.1
Product  Score
Visit Website
TOP
Best for structured onboarding automation with strong workflow control
Freshservice
4.2
Popularity Score
4.5
User Score
4.1
Product  Score
Learn More
TOP
Best for compliant onboarding in 150+ countries
Deel
4.4
Popularity Score
4.6
User Score
4.5
Product  Score
Visit Website
TOP
Best for compliant onboarding in 150+ countries
Deel
4.4
Popularity Score
4.6
User Score
4.5
Product  Score
Learn More
TOP
Mobile-first employee onboarding tool for deskless teams
Connecteam
4.5
Popularity Score
4.6
User Score
4.6
Product  Score
Visit Website
TOP
Mobile-first employee onboarding tool for deskless teams
Connecteam
4.5
Popularity Score
4.6
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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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
4.2
Service-driven organizations
Intuitive Journey builder with templates for onboarding & more
Starts at $49/agent/mo
Get pricing info
Yes
74,000+ companies
4.5
4.1
4.4
Teams with international hires
Global-oriented HR and payroll
Starts at $5/mo
Get pricing info
No
40,000+ companies
4.6
4.5
4.5
Organizations with deskless workers
Mobile-oriented solution, free plan available
Starts at $0/mo
Get pricing info
Yes
36,000+ companies
4.6
4.6
Phil Strazzulla
HR Tech Expert, Harvard MBA, Software Enthusiast

Need Help? Get Custom Recommendations for Best Employee Onboarding Tools

Talk to An Advisor

Detailed Reviews of the Best Employee Onboarding Software

Freshservice

Visit Website
Freshservice
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Popularity Score
4.2 / 5
User Score
4.5 / 5
Product Score
4.1 / 5

Why we picked Freshservice

For teams requiring tight integration between employee onboarding and IT and Enterprise Service Management, we highly recommend Freshservice. Its Journeys enable organizations to orchestrate structured, role-based onboarding across IT and business teams, whereas tools like ticket-driven workflows, identity orchestration, business systems, and employee lifecycle automation are great for structured, process-heavy environments.

PROS

  • Cross-department orchestration coordinates tasks across IT, HR, Facilities, Legal, Finance, and other teams within a single structured workflow.
  • Employee lifecycle automation standardizes and simplifies onboarding, offboarding, and internal transitions.
  • Cross-system integrations orchestrate actions across HR platforms, identity providers, and business applications.
  • Users can customize journeys with configurable workflows, tailoring paths by department, role, or region.
  • Provides end-to-end tracking of tasks, stakeholders, and progress across complex lifecycle processes.
  • Freddy AI can answer employee questions instantly inside Slack or Microsoft Teams.
  • Service workflows can coordinate HR, IT, Finance, and Legal tasks in one place.
  • Workspaces allow departments to operate independently while sharing the same platform.
  • Strong automation tools like Journeys simplify complex employee transitions, such as onboarding or relocations.
  • AI can search knowledge sources like Confluence, SharePoint, and Google Drive.
  • Dashboards provide clear visibility into unresolved requests and operational bottlenecks.
  • Freshservice integrates well with your HR tech stack, offering out-of-the-box integrations with Workday, BambooHR, Oracle HCM, and SAP SuccessFactors, and several others.

CONS

  • Onboarding requests can only be initiated via the support portal, not directly from the agent view.
  • Approval reassignment isn’t supported; requests must be canceled and recreated if a manager changes.
  • Freshservice controls access to sensitive onboarding files through roles and permissions, but encrypted storage for those documents is not yet available.
  • Agent-based pricing can add up quickly for larger service teams.
  • The platform still feels like a service desk tool first, which may not match every HR team’s workflow.
  • Some advanced automation and orchestration capabilities require higher-tier plans.
Freshservice employee onboarding software dashboard

Freshservice Review

Freshservice approaches employee onboarding from a service management perspective, and that became even clearer to us after reviewing their latest Journeys capability. Launched in 2025, Journeys replaces Freshservice’s previous onboarding module for new customers and expands the platform’s focus from simple onboarding checklists to full employee lifecycle workflows.

Instead of treating onboarding as a single HR process, Freshservice positions it as a cross-department workflow that can involve HR, IT, Finance, Legal, Facilities, and other operational teams. That orientation makes sense for organizations where onboarding includes provisioning accounts, assigning equipment, collecting documentation, and coordinating approvals across multiple departments.

What stood out most to us was how much more customizable this feels than the older onboarding experience. Journeys supports multiple activity types, including emails, tickets, plain tasks, and form-based tasks. Teams can also personalize emails with placeholders, pass selected journey data into tickets for context, and let new hires complete assigned tasks before they even receive a company email address through a tokenized guest portal.

We also appreciate how service items can now be tied directly into a workflow. In the demo, a stakeholder selected software and hardware preferences inside a form task, and Freshservice automatically created child tickets for fulfillment in the right workspace. That is a smart improvement for organizations that want to standardize provisioning without asking HR or hiring managers to manually open follow-up requests. The system also gives journey owners a useful runtime view, with statuses, due dates, logs, and activity-level progress in one place.

That said, Freshservice still feels more operational than employee-experience-led. Even with Journeys, onboarding begins from the support portal, which may feel natural for service teams but less so for HR teams that primarily live in an HRIS. The product is clearly strongest when onboarding is treated as a coordinated service workflow, not as a culture-first welcome experience.

Freshservice does restrict access to sensitive onboarding documents, but according to the demo, they do not yet offer the added reassurance of encrypted document storage for this use case. In practical terms, that means access can be tightly limited, but HR teams handling highly confidential employee records may want stronger built-in document security.

Finally, the platform’s service-desk DNA still shows up in practical ways. Approval reassignment remains rigid in the older onboarding flow, and highly HR-specific teams may still find the overall experience more ticket-centric than they want. Even so, the new Journeys capability makes Freshservice more compelling than before for companies that need onboarding to coordinate multiple departments, conditional workflows, and fulfillment tasks at scale.

Freshservice Customers

74,000+ companies, including Databricks, University of Oxford, RingCentral, and Marvel.

Freshservice Pricing

Freshservice Employee Onboarding is part of the Freshservice for Business Teams Pro plan at $49/agent/month (billed annually). The plan includes a Service Catalog, Journeys, Workflow Automator, reporting, compliance, and project management. Optional add-ons include Freddy AI Copilot and e-signatures. A 14-day free trial is offered.

How has Freshservice Changed Over Time?

Best For

IT-centric organizations, particularly those that already use Freshworks for service management.

Freshservice in action
Reviewer's Rating
8/10

We use Freshservice to request services from IT support personnel. I am in recruiting, and when I hire someone I also launch a new ticket which goes to both my onboarding team and the IT team, asking them to do their respective parts to get the employee started. This is a way to keep us all informed and on time with regards to critical requests like these.

What do you like about Freshservice?

It keeps us organized, accountable on timelines, records every submission or edit, which helps us continue to look at our operational processes and make sure they work for everyone involved. When they don't, we're able to use the data of our own activity to make changes and pivot.

Why did your organization buy Freshservice, and how long have you used it for?

We were using Slack messages as a ticketing system for IT requests, and to plan for new employees that would be onboarded. We were also only using email tickets (we would email IT@shift.com, for example, to request personal help with IT related issues). Communication requests/tickets would get lost chronically and we all had enough. Since we started using Freshservice last year, it allowed us to request service (from IT or Onboarding) and even report issues for our own IT needs.

What do you dislike about Freshservice?

There are other solutions out there that do a better job at organizing tickets, Jira for example.

How is Freshservice different than their competitors?

Freshservice has been good in helping us stay more organized, respond in a way that gives many people simultaneous visibility. That said, Jira is more comprehensive; it has a knowledge base, ticketing, and project planning tools. It's literally everything we need and it turned out to be cheaper than the multiple other systems we have so as a company, we're talking about phasing out Freshservice.

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

Cost, labor to get it up and running and then continuously running correctly - that takes time! Also, people should think about who they want to have visibility and actions in Freshservice for various scenarios. FS is really good at that.

How has Freshservice changed or evolved over time to meet users needs?
What specific type of user or organization is Freshservice very good for?

I would say small startup type companies like ours was/is where the environment is very scrappy and everyone likes to have insight and visibility so we can continue to discuss operational efficiencies.

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

Very large, non-technical companies.

Deel

Visit Website
Deel
Learn More
Popularity Score
4.4 / 5
User Score
4.6 / 5
Product Score
4.5 / 5

Why we picked Deel

What sealed the deal for us in recommending Deel in this guide is its flexibility and its focus on remote teams. Deel Hire supports various types of international workers, offers multiple modules you can purchase individually, and lets you onboard new hires directly in Slack.

PROS

  • Supports different types of workers, including EOR hires, salaried employees, and independent contractors.
  • Bulk upload worker information available for mass onboarding.
  • Option to onboard a new hire within Slack (via a plugin).
  • Compatible with 96 HR and recruiting systems, including popular accounting, ATS, and remote workforce management software.
  • Excellent 24/7 customer service with fast onboarding (2-3 days) and local payroll experts in each jurisdiction.
  • Seamless integration with platforms like QuickBooks, BambooHR, and Greenhouse, plus custom integration options.
  • User-friendly, self-service features enable quick setup; identity verification often takes under 24 hours.
  • Automated invoices simplify payments, provided they're in English.

CONS

  • The tool cannot be purchased separately; it’s accessible only as part of Deel HR.
  • Not the best money spent for teams with only locally hired employees.
  • Key features like onboarding automation are add-ons, which may increase costs.
  • Limited flexibility in modifying contracts or service agreements; changes often require an addendum.
  • Invoices cannot be generated in languages other than English.

Deel Review

As a distributed team, we have a special appreciation for Deel's completely remote-friendlyonboarding tool. It caters to pretty much any hiring need you might have: EOR workers, PEO hires, full-time salaried employees, or even independent contractors. And more importantly, the tool does so nicely, with transparency and flexibility as highlights.

When we logged into Deel with an employer account, we were greeted right away with the onboarding progress of all our workers. We could instantly see who was missing what from their checklists (see screenshot). It makes it so easy to stay on top of the onboarding status and spot areas where we should simplify to better the new hire experience.

Digging deeper into the app, the level of transparency Deel provided users truly stood out to us. With a click on a worker, we could view more detailed information about how they were in their onboarding checklist: what's been done and what's still pending. And if it looked like they needed a nudge to finish up their tasks, sending them a reminder was just a button click away.

deel employee onboarding software

The Onboarding by Deel plugin is such a convenient tool. After we set up workflows for each department and location, the plugin automatically segmented and sent onboarding notifications and reminders directly to new hires through Slack. We could even monitor everyone's progress without leaving the comms app.

Deel employee onboarding plugin screenshot
You can check your employee onboarding progress right within your Slack with Deel onboarding plugin

We wish this tool were more approachable, though. Under the current pricing structure, the onboarding tool is included in Deel’s broader modules. So, even if you’re willing to pay for this tool separately, that's not an option.

Also, if your team is fully locally hired and you don’t plan to hire employees or contractors from other countries, check out our reviews of Eloomi and ClearCo above— they could be a much better fit for you.

Deel Customers

40,000+ companies, including OpenAI, Zapier, and LEGO.

Deel Pricing

Deel's onboarding integrates across several modules: Deel Hire (via Employer of Record, starting at $599/month, or US PEO, starting at $125/month) and Deel IT (via Deel IT module, starting at $45/month, or Platform, starting at $10/month).

How has Deel Changed Over Time?

Best For

Organizations seeking to recruit or currently employing workers and independent contractors globally.

Deel in action
Reviewer's Rating
8/10

I use Deel to manage multiple contractors in various countries and to maintain compliance with contractor/freelancer working relationships. Deel provides a reliable solution for handling international payments efficiently.

The platform processes payments quickly and in a streamlined way. I also have the ability to conduct background checks on international workers, which I find to be very valuable. Deel also provides compliance guides for employers to help keep everything organized and in one place.

What do you like about Deel?

I like the following aspects of Deel:

  • The ability to pay international contractors/freelancers in US currency or their local currency.
  • The ability to pay international contractors/freelancers on a timely schedule without delays.
  • The compliance guides and knowledge base that Deel provides for customers.
Why did your organization buy Deel, and how long have you used it for?

My organization decided to implement Deel for several key reasons. Last year, I was managing multiple projects that required hiring contractors from various countries. I needed a solution that could handle international payments seamlessly and efficiently.

While I had been using platforms like Bill.com and QuickBooks, the payment processing times for international contractors were often lengthy. Deel offered a much faster and more streamlined process, including the ability to conduct background checks on international contract workers and freelancers. This made it the ideal solution for my organization's needs.

What do you dislike about Deel?
  • Deel's customer service is not always available during EST or PST hours when issues arise.
  • Deel can be costly when hiring multiple workers; there should be bundled rates or plans for several workers.
  • There have been issues with entering banking information, and Deel doesn't work with certain banks, without providing an explanation.
How is Deel different than their competitors?

Deel is similar to Oyster. I have tried both with clients and prefer Deel, as it is more cost-effective and provides a more streamlined process.

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

Consider what countries the freelancers/contractors/workers are located in and whether Deel supports those countries.

The company also needs to consider compliance and how contracts should be executed. Several countries, including the US, have strict labor laws regarding how a freelancer/contractor should be classified versus an employee.

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

I have been a Deel customer for almost two years. During that time, they have resolved many issues with the platform, and it is now much more user-friendly and easier to use.

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

Deel is good for businesses that hire freelancers and contractors and want to avoid the risk of misclassification.

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

Deel is not good for companies that do not hire any freelancers or contractors.

Connecteam

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Connecteam
Learn More
Popularity Score
4.5 / 5
User Score
4.6 / 5
Product Score
4.6 / 5

Why we picked Connecteam

Connecteam streamlines employee onboarding with mobile accessibility, user-friendly course creation, and centralized learning materials. Its micro training units, compliance tracking, and always-on access ensure faster training, increased productivity, and a consistently skilled workforce, all while saving time and resources.

PROS

  • Connecteam offers a user-friendly platform that's mobile-oriented for deskless employees.
  • Comprehensive feature set including team management, communication, training, and engagement.
  • Transparent pricing across all plans and there’s a free-forever plan for small businesses.
  • 14-day trial offered without requiring a credit card.
  1. One of the only fully-mobile HR tech tools for deskless workers
  2. Very adequately-priced for all it entails, SMB-friendly
  3. Quite open to feedback, having implemented user suggestions as features in the past.

CONS

  • Initial learning curve can still be experienced due to the abundance of features available.
  • Certain crucial features are restricted to higher-priced plans.
  • Some users reported customization limitations, such as the inability to create shared document folders for onboarding and having to assign documents to specific employees instead.
  1. In the communication hub, the app offers no confirmation that messages were sent and/or seen. 
  2. Certain features that some teams consider essential, such as GPS-tracking, are only available in the higher-tier pricing plans.

Connecteam Review

Connecteam offers a host of specialized tools that support the onboarding and training of deskless workers. The platform stood out for us for its mobile-first approach, which allows employees to access and complete training courses from anywhere, at any time. This flexibility is especially valuable for frontline teams who may not always have access to a computer.

Among the things we liked about it is its user-friendly course creation tools. Businesses can easily create and share their own educational materials, eliminating the need for expensive third-party content. The platform also offers a variety of pre-made courses and templates, saving time and resources on research and content creation. These courses are based on best practices and micro-learning principles, ensuring that employees receive engaging and effective training.

Connecteam centralizes all learning materials into one digital space, making it easy for employees to access the information they need. The platform's microtraining units allow for shorter learning times, while always-on access accelerates time to competence. This means that employees can get trained faster and remain productive, even as they continue to learn and grow within the company.

Compliance is another area where Connecteam shines. The platform ensures that everyone is trained consistently with one unified program, and makes it easy to revise content to align staff on new policies and procedures. Progress monitoring and follow-up features help ensure completion, while a detailed record of all mandatory training keeps the company covered.

Connecteam Customers

Sodexo, Subway, Hilton, Chick-Fil-A, and Foot Locker

Connecteam Pricing

The onboarding features, including training courses, can be accessed through Connecteam’s HR & Skills hub. The pricing for this hub is as follows:

  • The Small Business Plan: Free forever for up to 10 users.
  • Basic: $29 per month for the first 30 users and $0.5 per month for each additional user.
  • Advanced: $49 per month for the first 30 users and  $1.5 per month for each additional user.
  • Expert: $99 per month for the first 30 users and $3 per month for each additional user.

How has Connecteam Changed Over Time?

Best For

Connecteam’s platform is highly scalable, and its plans suit the needs of most businesses, regardless of size and industry.

Connecteam in action
Reviewer's Rating
10/10

I use the solution to connect and collaborate with the team remotely, to develop work libraries that help our new team understand how we operate, our ethics, and our code of conduct during the orientations at our workplace, I also use the tool to share documents online for the team to work and to provide feedback on through the chat channel

What do you like about Connecteam?
  • I like the software pricing of the tool, it is cheap to use for business purposes and hence does not affect the ROI of the company.
  • I like the chat feature which you can use to broadcast your messages amongst the team at no extra cost.
  • Event notifications make sure that our users never miss our internal meetings and events

Why did your organization buy Connecteam, and how long have you used it for?

Connecteam is faster and easier to use, which has helped us solve the problem of team management, team collaborations, and group work, it is helping us to share documents, and work plans with the team remotely, and, also we use it as decision-making tool where we use the chat feature of the software to chat with our team remotely to make important decision makings to our tool. I have used the solution for three years and eight months as an administrator of the software

What do you dislike about Connecteam?

The software has a lot of video tutorials that play automatically hence creating inconvenience, one should only play the video when needed and with his or her consent.It does not have a calendar integration which makes it hard for one to integrate a calendar within the software to track personal events and business events to prevent event conflicts, the text editor in the tool is too slow when you are creating event descriptions, it is impossible to add the ALT text on images that you add in the tool.

How is Connecteam different than their competitors?

They have kept the pricing relatively lower to help even smaller businesses use the solution, and they have a responsive customer support team through the live chat

What Instructions should people think about when buying this type of tool?
How has Connecteam changed or evolved over time to meet users needs?
What specific type of user or organization is Connecteam very good for?

Good for HR, team leaders, and marketing teams

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

May not be a good solution for support teams

BambooHR

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BambooHR
Learn More
Popularity Score
4.5 / 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 34,000+ 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

BambooHR's employee onboarding tool is available across its three per-employee, per-month pricing tiers:

  • Core ($10): Includes essential HR functions (records, hiring, onboarding, time off, compliance).
  • Pro ($17): Adds performance and engagement tools to Core features.
  • Elite ($25): Pro features plus compensation management, advanced analytics, and premium services.

How has BambooHR Changed Over Time?

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
10/10

With my clients, I use BambooHR as a recommended solution by conducting demos. For my business, I use it to process payments, track time off to monitor cash flow, and make payments to consultants I 1099.

I log in regularly to manage these workflows and ensure everything is running smoothly. The system helps me stay organized and reduces the time I spend managing separate systems. It’s a central hub for several key HR tasks.

What do you like about BambooHR?
  • I like the design and the flexibility of month-to-month contracts, so you're not locked into a long-term agreement like with some other HRIS systems.
  • It covers the core needs I consult on, such as performance management integration, and it's customizable to fit how I run my business.
  • I can set up my own benefits enrollment periods and define the performance year for my company.
  • The payroll interface allows me to easily view cash flow and payments for contract work.
Why did your organization buy BambooHR, and how long have you used it for?

As an HR consultant, I’ve had experience using several HRIS platforms. One recurring problem was that systems didn’t communicate with each other, which was frustrating; I had to pull information from various sources to get a comprehensive view for analysis.

As a business owner, BambooHR provides me with a one-stop shop to manage payroll, performance management, and benefits administration under one API.

I’ve been using BambooHR for about five months as an admin/user and previously for about seven months while supporting client work.

What do you dislike about BambooHR?
  • So far, I don't have many complaints, but I believe the user permissions (accessibility) still need improvement.
  • Transferring performance management appraisals between managers is not intuitive when a transfer occurs mid-cycle.
  • A more user-friendly way to manage these transitions would improve the experience.
How is BambooHR different than their competitors?

I’ll keep the other system nameless, but I was using one that felt clunky and lacked the interface BambooHR offers. I haven’t used every tool available, but I’m convinced that BambooHR is one of the better HRIS systems for small businesses. Its user experience and features stand out compared to others I’ve tried.

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

The key for me and the businesses I support is finding a customizable solution that can scale and has integration features. What sold me was the ability to integrate QuickBooks Online with BambooHR, making payment tracking much easier.

For my clients, moving from Excel-based performance management to having an API-integrated dashboard improves the overall user experience.

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

I’ve only been using the tool for less than a year, so I don’t have a long-term perspective on its evolution.

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

BambooHR offers flat rates once you reach a certain threshold, and in my opinion, it's not overly expensive. It works well for small businesses, likely up to around 100 employees. The Core tier has data storage limitations, but more storage may be available in the Pro or Elite versions.

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

Large, more complex organizations with international operations may not find BambooHR suitable. It currently has some limitations when working with international companies.

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.

How has Trainual Changed Over Time?

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
9/10

We use Trainual to create policies and procedures for our startup clients who need onboarding assistance. We collect workflow information from them and document it using Trainual templates. We also use Trainual internally for onboarding. Once we hire an employee, we use our BambooHR integration to create a Trainual account for the new hire. We issue onboarding documents and track who has viewed and signed them.

What do you like about Trainual?

I like that Trainual is a centralized document repository that integrates with our existing tools, such as BambooHR and QuickBooks. We also appreciate the workflow automation it provides. Above all, we find the templates very helpful. We don't have to create policies and procedures from scratch, which saves us a lot of time.

Why did your organization buy Trainual, and how long have you used it for?

Our organization purchased Trainual because we create a lot of SOPs for our clients. We were looking for software that offered various templates to enhance our work. Trainual enables us to house all policies and procedures in one place and provides the ability to share links to our policies and procedures with new hires.

What do you dislike about Trainual?

I don't dislike anything. We are very satisfied.

How is Trainual different than their competitors?

Trainual differs from its competitors in terms of price and user interface. It is very affordable for small business owners and easy to navigate.

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

People should consider how the tool will enhance their business workflow. They should think about whether the tool will be used for internal purposes or to meet their clients' needs. They should also consider the number of staff that will require access to the tool. Other factors to consider include the frequency of use, such as daily versus monthly. These considerations are important for small businesses with limited budgets.

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

Trainual has evolved by adding additional software integrations with other business technology stacks. It has also adapted in response to the pandemic. They now offer public sharing capabilities for business owners to share their content with the general public, such as contractors. Previously, you could only share with employees. This is a great feature, especially for organizations that utilize freelancers. Some freelancers or fractional HR support occasionally require access to in-house policies and procedures.

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

Trainual is good for all users and organizations.

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

Trainual is suitable for all users and organizations.

Whale

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Whale
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Popularity Score
4.1 / 5
User Score
4 / 5
Product Score
4 / 5

Why we picked Whale

We found Whale a highly effective onboarding tool for growing teams, especially those prioritizing consistency, clear documentation, and role-specific training. The platform’s AI-powered automation and interactive learning features make it engaging for new hires, while its strong support framework ensures teams are set up for success.

PROS

  • Automates role-based training for efficient and tailored onboarding.
  • Engages new hires with AI-generated quizzes and gamified badges.
  • Offers intuitive process documentation tools, including step-by-step guides and a step recorder.
  • Scalable pricing, with a free plan for small teams and affordable options for mid-sized businesses.
  • Strong implementation support, including a four-week onboarding framework guided by a Customer Success team.
  • Automates role-based training for efficient and tailored onboarding.
  • Engages new hires with AI-generated quizzes and gamified badges.
  • Offers intuitive process documentation tools, including step-by-step guides and a step recorder.
  • Scalable pricing, with a free plan for small teams and affordable options for mid-sized businesses.
  • Strong implementation support, including a four-week onboarding framework guided by a Customer Success team.

CONS

  • Limited customization options in the content editor.
  • Best suited for mid-sized and scaling companies, less ideal for very small teams who lack well-defined onboarding processes.
  • Relies heavily on structured workflows, which may not suit informal or dynamic teams.
  • Pricing can become expensive for larger organizations with many users.
  • Limited customization options in the content editor.
  • Best suited for mid-sized and scaling companies, less ideal for very small teams who lack well-defined onboarding processes.
  • Relies heavily on structured workflows, which may not suit informal or dynamic teams.
  • Pricing can become expensive for larger organizations with many users.

Whale Review

If you’re a growing company ready to invest in structured onboarding, we think Whale is absolutely worth considering. It’s a tool designed to make onboarding efficient, organized, and tailored, and we found plenty to like about how it delivers on these promises.

One of the main reasons for our recommendation is how well Whale handles role-based training automation. As part of our testing, we set up onboarding for a sales team and assigned specific training modules based on their roles. The platform smoothly tailored training paths for new hires so everyone received exactly what they needed without having to sift through irrelevant material. For teams with limited HR resources or those looking to streamline their onboarding process, this level of automation can be a huge lifesaver, we’d imagine.

Whale employee onboarding software screenshot

Another feature we thought was great was the platform’s use of AI to enhance learning. We tested the AI-generated quizzes and badges, which added an engaging, gamified element to the onboarding experience. For example, after completing a training module on customer handling, the system generated a quick quiz to reinforce key points, rewarding high scores with badges. This approach made learning interactive and fun— a refreshing touch for what is often considered a tedious process.

Teams wanting consistency in their training materials will love Whale’s focus on process documentation. The ability to create step-by-step guides and standard operating procedures felt intuitive and effective. During our test, we used the step recorder to capture a guide for using a CRM system. The result was a readily shareable, easy-to-follow document that we’d imagine new employees would find helpful.

In terms of pricing, Whale’s model starts at $99 for 10 users—quite accessible for most businesses looking to standardize their onboarding process affordably. Plus, if you’re a smaller team with fewer than five users, you can get started for free, no strings attached.

On the customer service front: our experience was quite positive. During our free plan trial, Whale’s support rep guided us through a four-week kick-off process, helping us create thematic structures, onboard users, and document workflows.

That said, the content editor was one of the first limitations we noticed about the onboarding tech. While functional, it lacks advanced customization options, which could be frustrating if you need highly personalized onboarding materials tailored to your brand or industry.

Additionally, though Whale does offer a free plan for teams of five or fewer, we believe the software works best for larger teams, ideally with 25+ employees and scaling. In our tech tests, we noticed that features like the step recorder are most valuable for ones with well-defined processes already in place. Smaller organizations or those without structured workflows might find Whale’s robust framework an overkill instead.

Whale Customers

The number of customers is not disclosed, but our research indicates that most are small and midsized teams based in the U.S. and Europe. Notable clients include Oxygen Service Company, RIHM, Theiner ICT, Image Solutions, SJA Solutions, and Posternock Apell.

Whale Pricing

Whale is free for small teams, starting with documentation and knowledge sharing. The Scale plan costs $99 for up to 10 users, with an additional fee of $10 per month for each extra user. Enterprise pricing is available on request.

How has Whale Changed Over Time?

Best For

Whale’s employee onboarding software works best for growing businesses, especially those that prioritize consistency, clear documentation, and role-specific training.

Whale in action
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ClearCo

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ClearCo
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Popularity Score
4.2 / 5
User Score
4.5 / 5
Product Score
4.3 / 5

Why we picked ClearCo

Modern, easy-to-use, and efficient, ClearCo'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.
  • ClearCo offers a host of talent solutions that work well with one 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 ClearCo’s interface to be quite intuitive and easy to navigate.
  • Many users have highly rated ClearCo’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.
  • ClearCo’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.
  • ClearCo doesn’t currently have a mobile app, but the platform is well optimized for mobile use both for hiring managers and candidates.
ClearCo Employee Onboarding Software dashboard

ClearCo Review

ClearCo'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.

ClearCo Customers

ExxonMobil, Mitsubishi Electric, Yates Construction, JC Penney, and Lake Charles Memorial Health System.

ClearCo Pricing

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

How has ClearCo Changed Over Time?

Best For

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

ClearCo in action
Reviewer's Rating
5/10

As an ATS we used ClearCo to post open roles and track a candidate's workflow. The ATS offered reporting on metrics such as time-to-fill and source of hire, which was also helpful. When planning for a SOC II audit and applying for our HITRUST certification, we used ClearCo for training and audit data.

We also used ClearCo to create and track employee OKRs. The OKR work was largely done at the VP and Executive level - our staff level employees didn't typically use this module.

What do you like about ClearCo?
  • The ATS ease of use and candidate metric reporting.
  • Onboarding was simple with digital offers and automatic requests for documents such as I9s.
  • The implementation of ClearCo only took ~1.5 months.
Why did your organization buy ClearCo, and how long have you used it for?

We originally purchased ClearCo as a recruiting solution, but ultimately used it for compliance training, and OKR assignment and tracking.

What do you dislike about ClearCo?
  • ClearCo was too expensive for one that was not a fully functioning HRIS.
  • The OKR module was not intuitive and difficult to visually follow.
  • Reporting for the ATS portion was helpful, but other areas were lacking.
How is ClearCo different than their competitors?

ClearCo combines a unique set of offerings. It's not the best choice for an HRIS but if your organization is looking to develop their recruiting pipeline or interested in deepening their talent management curriculum, it's useful.

What Instructions should people think about when buying this type of tool?
  • How many HR tools employees currently have to utilize. Given that it's not a full suite solution, I would hesitate to choose ClearCo if you're not able to limit additional tools. It can cause employee confusion and frustration.
  • RE: OKR tracking - it's important to consider who and/or how many people are the actual owners. It's a bit cumbersome and confusing as a tool if you don't have an extremely limited set of OKRs.
  • Ensure that it will integrate with your current HRIS or even ATS if you're not purchasing that model.
How has ClearCo changed or evolved over time to meet users needs?

ClearCo have expanded their suite of solutions and added additional training.

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

ClearCo is good for 100+ employees with an already-installed HRIS that will integrate quickly and easily; an organization with a recruiting-savvy manager population.

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

ClearCo is not recommended for fewer than 100 employees; organizations that already use disparate tools for HRIS, recruitment, employee engagement, benefits admin, etc.

eloomi

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eloomi
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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.

How has eloomi Changed Over Time?

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
Reviewer's Rating
8/10

The client uses Eloomi to monitor team skills, leverage skills more efficiently across teams, track progress in upskilling and reskilling, and identify talent needs within the development and product teams. They also use Eloomi to identify high-potential employees and support their development.

Additional Uses:

  • Custom Learning Programs: Design and implement learning paths tailored to employee needs, covering skill development, leadership training, industry certifications, and product knowledge.
  • Goal Setting and Tracking: Leverage performance management tools to set individual, team, and organizational goals, with real-time tracking of progress and performance metrics to ensure accountability and transparency.
  • Personalized Learning Paths: Provide employees with personalized learning experiences to help them grow in their current roles and prepare for future opportunities, enhancing engagement by showing a clear commitment to their development.
What do you like about eloomi?
  • Ease of use for both administrators and employees.
  • AI functions generate a critical framework for training programs.
  • Integration with existing platforms is seamless, and it includes performance management, collaboration tools, reporting, and data analytics.
Why did your organization buy eloomi, and how long have you used it for?

I evaluated this platform for a client who made the purchase. The client needed a tool to support employee development and client learning for their rapidly growing business. Additionally, the platform needed to have API integration, analytics, and skills intelligence as they prepared to implement strategic workforce planning.

Pain Points:

  • Decentralized and fragmented learning platforms
  • Limited employee engagement in career mobility through learning and development
  • Challenges with onboarding new employees— inconsistency and misalignment of expectations
  • Lack of tracking and oversight for skills aligned with regulations and compliance for individual roles
What do you dislike about eloomi?
  • Lacks customization options and deeper analytics in reporting, which could be helpful as the company scales.
  • The integration options work for the company now, but they will likely outgrow these in the next two years and need to look for new options.
  • The cost is relatively high, which could prompt the company to consider alternative tools in the future.
How is eloomi different than their competitors?

We also evaluated Docebo, but at the time, AI capabilities were less of a priority for the client. I believe Docebo could be a future opportunity for the client, as I have recommended it for clients seeking stronger analytics and AI-driven capabilities.

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

My client’s top three priorities when looking for a similar tool are user experience, integration, and ramp-up time. Cost is also critical, as my clients are scaling startups accountable to investors, which means they need to get the most value for their spending.

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

Eloomi has expanded its integration options and improved its mobile experience, significantly enhancing the user experience. However, the cost remains a factor, driving a stronger need for the platform to increase its value, which it appears to be doing.

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

Eloomi is ideal for professional services, tech startups, and SMEs.

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

Eloomi may not be suitable for large enterprises with complex HR needs.

Enboarder

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Enboarder
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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.

How has Enboarder Changed Over Time?

Best For

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

Enboarder 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.

How has Rippling Changed Over Time?

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
Reviewer's Rating
7/10

I used Rippling frequently as an HR administrator, accessing the platform daily to manage personnel data and support HR operations.

Much of my time in the system was focused on maintaining employee records, assisting staff with system access, and guiding them through self-service workflows.

Rippling was used to route employee requests to the appropriate managers or departments, ensuring approvals followed the correct reporting structure.

I also supported workflows related to employee information changes, such as address updates, tax elections, and direct deposit details, some of which required review or approval by payroll or finance.

The platform served as a centralized space for onboarding tasks and ongoing employee data management.

What do you like about Rippling?

Rippling offers a user-friendly employee self-service experience, allowing staff to update personal information, submit requests, and complete tasks through the mobile app, which helps reduce the administrative burden on HR.

The platform was accessible for employees with varying levels of technical comfort, making it easier for a nonprofit transitioning from paper-based processes to adopt a digital system.

Rippling’s interface is clean and modern, which made it easier to navigate menus and locate basic HR information compared to more cluttered or outdated systems.

Why did your organization buy Rippling, and how long have you used it for?

My organization selected Rippling to centralize employee data and move away from fragmented or paper-based HR processes.

As a small nonprofit, the goal was to implement a platform that was functional without being overly complex, allowing HR to manage records while offering employees access to basic self-service features.

Rippling provided a single location for core personnel information and supported common HR tasks such as requests and employee data updates. From an employee perspective, the system was accessible through both web and mobile platforms, which supported usability across varying levels of technical comfort.

I personally used Rippling as an HR administrator for approximately 30 days, during which time it aligned with the organization’s immediate needs and scale. My experience reflects use within a limited configuration rather than a fully built-out enterprise implementation.

What do you dislike about Rippling?

From an administrator's perspective, certain workflows and settings were not immediately intuitive, and locating specific functions sometimes required additional exploration compared to other HRIS platforms I’ve used.

The version of Rippling used by the organization felt fairly basic, and functionality appeared limited depending on the selected package, which may not meet the needs of organizations seeking more robust or layered HR capabilities.

There was limited visibility into built-in user guides or onboarding resources, and notification effectiveness seemed highly dependent on configuration, which could impact timely approvals if not carefully set up.

How is Rippling different than their competitors?

Compared to other HRIS platforms I’ve used, such as Paycom, Kronos, and ADP, Rippling felt more streamlined and basic in its interface and overall functionality.

While this simplicity can work well for smaller organizations, especially those transitioning from paper-based processes, it offered fewer layers and visual tools than some competing systems.

Other platforms I’ve used provided more interactive dashboards, quick links, and real-time notifications, which can be helpful for both administrators and employees managing frequent requests.

Rippling’s effectiveness appeared highly dependent on how it was configured and which modules were selected, which may limit flexibility for organizations seeking a more robust, all-in-one solution.

I tend to prefer platforms with more intuitive, visually driven interfaces and stronger automated reminders, as these features can significantly reduce administrative workload, particularly in lean HR environments.

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

When selecting an HRIS like Rippling, organizations should consider their size, internal HR resources, and how much system complexity they actually need.

Smaller or nonprofit organizations may benefit from a more streamlined platform that supports core HR functions without overwhelming users or budgets.

Buyers should evaluate administrator usability, employee self-service capabilities, and how configurable workflows and notifications are based on organizational structure.

Understanding which modules are included and how easily the system can scale over time is important before making a long-term investment.

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

My direct experience with Rippling was relatively short, so I did not personally observe major platform changes or feature evolutions during that period.

From my perspective, the system appeared stable and already configured to meet the organization’s existing HR needs at the time of use.

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

Rippling is well suited for organizations looking to centralize core HR information and streamline basic administrative processes in a single platform.

It can be a strong fit for smaller or growing organizations, including nonprofits, that need reliable HR functionality without requiring a highly complex or visually intensive interface.

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

Rippling may be less suitable for organizations that require highly complex, deeply layered HR workflows or a more visually driven and customizable user interface out of the box.

Based on my experience, organizations with very large or highly complex workforces that rely heavily on advanced automation, extensive reporting, or robust approval hierarchies may find other platforms better aligned with those needs.

Remote

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Remote
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Popularity Score
4.2 / 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 accessible for remote employees and contractors in over 100 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.
  • Regional global employment resources are easily accessible.
  • Equity-based compensation option.
  • Fast and compliant payroll in 170+ countries.
  • Live chat support with local payroll experts.
  • Flexible, localized benefit packages.
  • Flat-rate pricing structure, no deposits or hidden fees.
  • Mobile app streamlines expense reimbursement with autofill from receipt photos.

CONS

  • Remote doesn’t offer a free plan or free trial.
  • The platform doesn’t provide phone support.
  • No features to support employee feedback for the onboarding process. (currently on the vendor’s roadmap)
  • Doesn’t have a free trial.
  • Redundant for organizations solely recruiting within the U.S.
  • Help center documentation isn’t easiest to understand.
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

The onboarding features are included within Remote’s HRIS, which costs $12 per employee per month when billed annually.

How has Remote Changed Over Time?

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
Reviewer's Rating
8/10

We use Remote to maintain and track payroll and PTO for our international hires.

What do you like about Remote?
  • Very organized to track international payroll and PTO.
  • User friendly for both hiring manager and employee.
  • Great dashboard and easy to navigate.
Why did your organization buy Remote, and how long have you used it for?

We made international hires. Remote provided a safe space for us to negotiate, track and provide timely payments to our international employees. Remote provides similar HR/Payroll usage as another in-house system for example like TriNet.

What do you dislike about Remote?
  • If you’re unfamiliar with international payroll processing, it can be confusing.
  • Invoices need to be attended to so employees do not miss timely payouts.
  • Benefits and policies can be different country to country.
How is Remote different than their competitors?

Remote is the only platform I have used for international hiring purposes.

What Instructions should people think about when buying this type of tool?
  • What does the hiring manager and employee need access to regarding payroll, benefits and HR purposes when hiring internationally.
  • Confirmation that Remote can support the respective country you are hiring someone
How has Remote changed or evolved over time to meet users needs?

I’ve used Remote for about 6 months now and it’s worked like a charm. They provide a great customer support team that is responsive and knowledgeable about everything related to hiring and payroll policies with respect to regions and countries.

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

Companies that are looking to expand hiring internationally.

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

This tool would not be a fit for departments outside of talent acquisition, payroll and/or HR. Remote is primarily used for hiring and tracking invoices of international hires. It would not make sense for someone in sales, marketing or CS to ever use remote.

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

More than a basic task tracker, Leapsome helps your new hires integrate both culturally and productively right from the start, using structured checklists, embedded surveys, learning resources, and real-time praise features.

PROS

  • Onboarding workflows can be fully customized, scheduled, and triggered by employee attributes.
  • Preboarding steps supported, including document upload, policy sign-off, and profile setup.
  • Feedback and praise tools help reinforce early wins and promote belonging.
  • Surveys, probation check-ins, and goal-setting can be linked directly to onboarding flows.
  • Smart automations include reminders for new hires and nudges for managers.
  • Built-in learning module allows for task-based learning paths during onboarding.
  • 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

  • All contracts are for a minimum of one year.
  • Customer support requires a minimum annual spend of $6,000.
  • The price is no longer publicly available.
  • 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 Review

When we trialed Leapsome’s onboarding functionality, what stood out immediately was how much more it offered than just assigning tasks or sending welcome emails.

Leapsome onboarding tool

You can build out onboarding and even preboarding workflows that launch automatically based on any employee detail, like job title, location, or start date. The flexibility here is impressive: flows can include document uploads, policy acknowledgments, profile setup, training tasks, and probation check-ins. You can even schedule nudges and reminders for incomplete steps, and escalate overdue items to managers if needed.

But what we really liked was how Leapsome ties onboarding into performance and culture-building right from the start. Managers can give public praise to new hires using custom badges like “Team Player” or “Time Management.” That praise shows up in a Slack channel or on the in-office Praise Wall. New employees also get exposed early to team meetings with shared agendas, goal-setting check-ins, and feedback tools. It’s a thoughtful way to create early momentum, especially for remote or hybrid teams.

For adoption, Leapsome supports workflow-based nudges like the “New Joiner Awareness Journey,” which sends weekly onboarding tips during the first 30 days. Employees are prompted to explore their profiles, join team meetings, and offer praise to colleagues to help them engage with company culture.

That said, all Leapsome plans require a one-year contract, so you’ll want to be confident it fits your needs. Dedicated customer success support is available only to customers spending at least $6,000 annually, which may be a stretch for smaller companies looking to activate just one or two modules.

Even with those limitations, we think Leapsome hits a rare balance: it brings structure and heart to the onboarding experience. For SMBs that care about creating lasting first impressions and want to make feedback, recognition, and alignment part of the new hire journey, this one is a sound option worth considering.

Leapsome Customers

1,500+ companies, including DrFirst, Bob W, and Jina AI.

Leapsome Pricing

Leapsome pricing is custom.

How has Leapsome Changed Over Time?

Best For

(Global) SMBs that want onboarding to extend beyond operations and into engagement, feedback, and retention.

Leapsome in action
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Workleap

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Workleap
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Popularity Score
4 / 5
User Score
4.3 / 5
Product Score
4.1 / 5

Why we picked Workleap

We found Workleap particularly impressive for its range of customizable templates and thoughtful e-learning tools, which make the onboarding journey more like an online course. This makes it an easy recommendation for teams that want to improve their new hire experience through generative AI and fresh employee feedback.

PROS

  • Multiple searchable onboarding templates are available.
  • A new hire survey will automatically be included in all future onboarding plans.
  • The freemium plan includes core features of Workleap Onboarding, with easy activation— just create your account (no credit card required).
  • Integration options for HRIS, video conferencing, calendar, and email are available.
  • Workleap is easy to use and has a free plan that a team of up to 10 users can use. 
  • To ensure that feedback is truely anonymous, without the manager, or anyone with higher access being able guess who submitted what response, a minimum of 5 responses need to be sent in before the survey manager is able to access the anonymous feedback.
  • The platform has a feature for peer-to-peer recognition, giving your employees the ability to praise one another for outstanding work.

CONS

  • No e-signature feature.
  • There is no mobile app.
  • The free plan is limited to one onboarding template.
  • Lack of phone and dedicated customer support.
  • Some users have reported that Slack integration sometimes malfunctions.
  • Workleap does not include a complete performance management solution among their offerings. They have an OKR tool that lets you set goals but there isn’t a mechanism in place to track thos
  • e goals or conduct performance reviews.
  • There currently isn’t a mobile app that managers and employees can use on the go.

Workleap Review

Workleap provides an intuitive onboarding solution that makes the entire process easy and efficient for HR teams.

Workleap employee onboarding software screenshot

Onboarding templates are a no-brainer these days, as they save recruiters from starting everything from scratch every time a new hire is onboarded, and Workleap didn’t disappoint in that aspect.

There are plenty of templates, all very well-developed and easy to customize. During our testing of the tool via the free trial, we particularly appreciated the ability to assign multiple templates to a new hire. We typically have a general onboarding template for all hires and a specialized one for specific roles, and this approach just complimented our process— it allowed us to tailor onboarding to each role without reinventing the wheel every time. Not to mention, the fact that these templates are available even on the free plan is a huge plus.

For those looking to onboard several new hires more efficiently, you’ll agree with us that Workleap’s bulk assignments and role-based activities are truly labor-saving. The onboarding tool comes with multiple predefined roles and the option to create custom roles.

In our tests, instead of assigning tasks to each individual, we assigned activities to roles within templates. As soon as a specific person was assigned that role, all the related activities were automatically assigned to them.

Employee feedback is critical to improving the onboarding process, and we found that Workleap did an excellent job here. The platform includes native Pulse Surveys automatically enabled for new hires, allowing us to gather valuable insights on how new employees were progressing, their satisfaction levels, and their feelings about their new roles and company culture. We could also see aggregated reports as well as individual feedback, which gave us a comprehensive view of the new hire experience.

Unfortunately, Workleap does not offer e-signature functionality. The platform also lacks a mobile app, although we found that its responsive UI worked well enough on our smartphones to compensate for this.

Furthermore, the support is only available on weekdays during regular hours. For teams spread across different time zones who may need assistance outside of those hours, this limitation can be quite frustrating.

Workleap Customers

Workleap’s customers include Rewind, CSL Group, Thirdbridge, and Assent. The total number of customers is not disclosed.

Workleap Pricing

Workleap's pricing plans are mostly differentiated by the number of onboarding templates available. The free plan includes one template, while the Starter ($49/month), Essential ($139/month), and Pro ($479/month) offer three, ten, and unlimited templates, respectively. Other features remain consistent across plans, including unlimited users, making it easy for teams of any size to get started.

How has Workleap Changed Over Time?

Best For

Growing teams looking to streamline their onboarding workflows while collecting valuable insights from new hires.

Workleap in action
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Atlas HXM

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Atlas HXM
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Popularity Score
4.1 / 5
User Score
4 / 5
Product Score
4.1 / 5

Why we picked Atlas HXM

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 HXM 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 HXM Customers

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

Atlas HXM 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

How has Atlas HXM Changed Over Time?

Best For

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

Atlas HXM in action
Reviewer's Rating
7/10

We can manage our employee's expenses, payroll, holiday management, bonuses and commissions, and all compliant paperwork through Atlas HXM. This is very handy, quite easy to use, and offloads many tedious tasks through automation.

What do you like about ?
  1. Convenience: We didn't have to set up our own entity to hire someone in France.
  2. Compliance: It's handled by the Employer of Record, so we don't need to acquire the knowledge ourselves or create policies.
  3. Employee satisfaction: All HR and payroll questions can be answered by a local team.
Why did your organization buy , and how long have you used it for?

There was a need to expand the firm's market in France, and we needed an SDR in the country with the necessary language skills. Atlas HXM allows us to employ individuals through an existing local structure, which addressed our concerns. The company I work for is still using the service, which is compliant with local laws, easy to understand, and saves time.

What do you dislike about ?
  1. Response time: The account managers are slow to respond.
  2. Holiday management system: It doesn't always count correctly.
  3. Constant changes: The platform changes quite often.
How is different than their competitors?

It is a great tool to use and cost-efficient in our setting. We had quotes from different providers, and this quote was the most service vs. price efficient.

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

Companies should explore the cost of using this tool when they consider employing someone abroad without an entity. If it's for several employees, it will be cost-efficient, but above a certain number, it might be worth exploring the option of setting up your own entity.

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

The platform has changed several times for the better. They have created a more accurate holiday tool and clearer information sharing. The response time has improved as well.

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

Remote companies can make great use of Atlas, mainly for tech or sales roles.

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

Companies that want hybrid or on-site roles cannot get the most out of Atlas HXM.

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 the Author

Phil Strazzulla
HR Tech Expert, Harvard MBA, Software Enthusiast
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Phil is the founder of SelectSoftware Reviews, a website dedicated to helping HR and Recruiting teams find and buy the right software through in-depth, expert advice. He has bought over $1 million worth of HR and Recruiting tools. Additionally, as of 2023, nearly 3 million HR professionals have relied on his advice to determine which business software they should buy.

Phil studied finance at New York University and started his career working in venture capital before getting his MBA from Harvard Business School. His in-depth understanding of the Saas landscape, especially HR Tech, stems from nearly a decade of researching and working with these tools as a computer programmer, user, and entrepreneur.

Featured in: Entrepreneur Harvard Business School Yahoo HR.com Recruiting Daily Hacking HR Podcast HR ShopTalk Podcast Employer Branding for Talent Acquisition (Udemy Course)

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