HR & Recruiting · head to head
15Five vs BetterUp
The short version
- Each has a real cost: 15Five split across three tiers, so performance reviews, OKRs and 360 feedback need Perform at $11 per user per month rather than the $4 Engage tier; BetterUp sold to employers rather than to individuals, so access depends on your organisation buying it
- They diverge on capability: 15Five covers Weekly check-ins, BetterUp covers 1-on-1 coaching.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which 15Five and BetterUp actually diverge.
Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), free tier (No), platforms (Web, Ios, Android, Api), user rating (Not yet rated).
What each one covers
Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.
Only in 15Five
- Weekly check-ins
- 1-on-1 meetings
- OKRs & goal tracking
- Performance reviews
- High fives recognition
- Engagement surveys
- Pulse surveys
- Manager effectiveness
Only in BetterUp
- 1-on-1 coaching
- Mental health support
- Leadership development
- AI-powered matching
- Progress tracking
- Team analytics
- Mobile coaching
- Skill assessments
Both cover
- Slack
- Microsoft Teams
- HRIS systems
- SOC2 Type II
- GDPR
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
15Five
- Running engagement surveys with heat maps and benchmarkingnot BetterUp
- Performance reviews and continuous feedback cyclesnot BetterUp
- Setting and tracking OKRsnot BetterUp
- 360 degree feedback and talent matrix reviewsnot BetterUp
- Compensation review cycles as a paid add-onnot BetterUp
BetterUp
- One-to-one professional coaching provided as an employee benefitnot 15Five
- Manager development programmesnot 15Five
- Leadership development at enterprise scalenot 15Five
- Measuring coaching impact across a workforcenot 15Five
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
15Five
- Split across three tiers, so performance reviews, OKRs and 360 feedback need Perform at $11 per user per month rather than the $4 Engage tier
- Manager training microlearnings are only in Total Platform at $16 per user per month
- Compensation is a paid add-on at $9 per user per month, rising to $11 with benchmarking
- The Kona meeting assistant is a further $2 per employee per month and Kona Coach $19 per manager per month
- Advertised prices are the annual rates
BetterUp
- Sold to employers rather than to individuals, so access depends on your organisation buying it
- Pricing is not published
- Split into four products, Lead, Manage, Grow and Ready, so coverage is a purchasing decision
Pricing, plan by plan
15Five
$4/month- Engage$4/month
- Engagement surveys
- Pulse surveys
- Action planning
- Perform$10/month
- Weekly check-ins
- 1-on-1s
- Performance reviews
- Total Platform$16/month
- Everything in Engage & Perform
- Career paths
- Competencies
BetterUp
On request- Care$undefined/month
- Mental health coaching
- Stress management
- Work-life balance
- Coaching$undefined/month
- 1-on-1 coaching
- Leadership development
- Career growth
- Enterprise$undefined/month
- All coaching tiers
- Executive coaching
- Team coaching
Which should you pick?
Choose 15Five if
- You need weekly check-ins.
- You work on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
- You also want 1-on-1 meetings.
Choose BetterUp if
- You need 1-on-1 coaching.
- You work on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
- You also want mental health support.
Questions people ask
- Is 15Five or BetterUp better?
- Neither clearly leads. 15Five starts at $4/month and BetterUp at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, 15Five or BetterUp?
- 15Five starts at $4/month and BetterUp at On request.
- Does 15Five or BetterUp run on more platforms?
- Both run on Web, Ios, Android, Api, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
- What is 15Five best used for?
- 15Five is most often used for running engagement surveys with heat maps and benchmarking, performance reviews and continuous feedback cycles, setting and tracking okrs, 360 degree feedback and talent matrix reviews. Of those, running engagement surveys with heat maps and benchmarking and performance reviews and continuous feedback cycles are not what BetterUp is typically brought in for.
- What can 15Five do that BetterUp cannot?
- 15Five covers Weekly check-ins, 1-on-1 meetings, OKRs & goal tracking, Performance reviews. BetterUp covers 1-on-1 coaching, Mental health support, Leadership development, AI-powered matching. Both handle Slack, Microsoft Teams, HRIS systems, SOC2 Type II.
Related pages
Other head to heads
- 15Five vs BambooHR
- 15Five vs Workday
- 15Five vs Culture Amp
- 15Five vs Freshteam
- 15Five vs TINYpulse
- 15Five vs Zoho People
- 15Five vs Bonusly
- 15Five vs CharlieHR
- 15Five vs Kudos
- 15Five vs Lattice
- 15Five vs Personio
- 15Five vs Achievers
- 15Five vs Breathe HR
- 15Five vs Darwinbox
- 15Five vs Employment Hero
- 15Five vs greytHR
- 15Five vs HiBob
- 15Five vs Homebase
- 15Five vs Peakon by Workday
- 15Five vs Betterworks
- 15Five vs Qualtrics EmployeeXM
- 15Five vs Workhuman
- 15Five vs Workleap Officevibe
- 15Five vs Assembly
- 15Five vs Awardco
- 15Five vs Blink
- 15Five vs Cooleaf
- 15Five vs Empuls
- 15Five vs Engagedly
- 15Five vs Firstup
- 15Five vs Fond
- 15Five vs Glint
- 15Five vs Guusto
- 15Five vs Humu
- 15Five vs Kazoo
- 15Five vs Leapsome
- BetterUp vs BambooHR
- BetterUp vs Workday
- BetterUp vs Culture Amp
- BetterUp vs Freshteam
- BetterUp vs TINYpulse
- BetterUp vs Zoho People
- BetterUp vs Bonusly
- BetterUp vs CharlieHR
- BetterUp vs Kudos
- BetterUp vs Lattice
- BetterUp vs Personio
- BetterUp vs Achievers
- BetterUp vs Breathe HR
- BetterUp vs Darwinbox
- BetterUp vs Employment Hero
- BetterUp vs greytHR
- BetterUp vs HiBob
- BetterUp vs Homebase
- BetterUp vs Peakon by Workday
- BetterUp vs Betterworks
- BetterUp vs Qualtrics EmployeeXM
- BetterUp vs Workhuman
- BetterUp vs Workleap Officevibe
- BetterUp vs Assembly
- BetterUp vs Awardco
- BetterUp vs Blink
- BetterUp vs Cooleaf
- BetterUp vs Empuls
- BetterUp vs Engagedly
- BetterUp vs Firstup
- BetterUp vs Fond
- BetterUp vs Glint
- BetterUp vs Guusto
- BetterUp vs Humu
- BetterUp vs Kazoo
- BetterUp vs Leapsome


