Why people look for a BambooHR alternative
- Payroll, benefits administration and time and attendance are add-ons with unpublished prices (vendor-sourced).
- Payroll and benefits administration are US only (vendor-sourced).
- Capterra reviewers report limited customization and unclear pricing (review platform).
The 4 best BambooHR alternatives ranked
1. Workday: 6.8/10, best for large enterprises
Compared with BambooHR, you gain HR and financial management on one data model, the highest proof of results sub-score in the category, 8.0 out of 10, and named customers including Cisco, The Ohio State University and HonorHealth. You give up published pricing and a light setup, because pricing is quoted by sales and implementation is reported at 100 to 150% of the first-year subscription (third-party reported).
2. Gusto: 6.7/10, best for payroll first
Compared with BambooHR, you gain payroll, tax filings and basic HR in one product, with unlimited payroll runs, tax filings and payments on every plan and no contract (third-party reported). You give up multi-country coverage, because Simple covers payroll in one state only and international hiring depends on a partner.
3. Paylocity: 6.5/10, most G2 reviews cited
Compared with BambooHR, you gain payroll, HR, onboarding, benefits and performance reviews on one platform, with 4.4/5 on G2 from 5,302 to 6,080 reviews and 4.3/5 on Capterra from about 1,830 (review platform). You give up published prices, because Paylocity publishes no list prices, and implementation adds roughly 10% to 20% of first-year spend (third-party reported).
4. Rippling: 6.3/10, best for HR, payroll and IT together
Compared with BambooHR, you gain HR, payroll, IT and app access on one employee record, with the core platform and US payroll each starting at $8 per employee per month (vendor-sourced). You give up a predictable bill, because the Unity base is required for every module, modules are billed on top, and a reported median contract is $45,360 a year (third-party reported).
BambooHR and its alternatives at a glance
How these alternatives compare with BambooHR
BambooHR scores 7.1/10, so 4 score lower. The page orders alternatives by overall score, with equal scores ordered by name. The reviews quote prices in different currencies, billing terms and tiers, so compare the tier that carries the features you need, and read the pricing section of each review for the source type behind every figure.
Which BambooHR alternative to choose
- You run a large enterprise that needs HR and finance on one data model: Workday, for the shared HR and financial management data model.
- Payroll comes first and you operate in the US: Gusto, for payroll, tax filings and basic HR in one product.
- You want payroll and HR on one platform with a large review base: Paylocity, for the G2 base of 5,302 to 6,080 reviews (review platform).
- You want HR, payroll and IT on one employee record: Rippling, for the single record across HR, payroll and IT.
Frequently asked questions
Which BambooHR alternatives publish prices?
Workday quotes prices through sales (third-party reported). Gusto lists Solo at $49 a month plus $6 per person (third-party reported). Paylocity publishes no list prices (review platform and third-party reported). Rippling lists its core platform from $8 per employee per month (vendor-sourced).
Which BambooHR alternative scores highest?
Workday scores 6.8/10, followed by Gusto at 6.7/10. BambooHR scores 7.1/10.
Do the BambooHR alternatives score higher than BambooHR?
0 of the 4 alternatives score higher than BambooHR's 7.1/10 and 4 score lower. The scores combine six weighted criteria, so a lower overall score can still lead on one criterion that matters to you, which the reviews show in their score breakdowns.
Read the BambooHR review for its full score breakdown, or the best HR software roundup for all 5 tools.