Softwr

Employee Engagement · head to head

Betterworks vs Workday

Betterworks logo

Betterworks

Employee Engagement

Align, develop, and inspire your workforce

From
$1/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Workday logo

Workday

HR

Enterprise cloud applications for finance and HR

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Betterworks the $1 and $2 promotional rates require a three year agreement and expire on 31 August 2026; the standing prices are $8 and $9 per user per month; Workday high implementation costs equal to or exceeding annual software fees
  • They diverge on capability: Betterworks covers OKR & goal management, Workday covers Human capital management.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Betterworks and Workday actually diverge.

Attributes where Betterworks and Workday differ
AttributeBetterworksWorkday
Starting price$1/monthOn request
Pricing modelsubscriptionquote
PlatformsWeb, Ios, Android, ApiCloud/Web
CategoryEmployee EngagementHR
Founded20132005

Identical on both: free tier (No), 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 Betterworks

  • OKR & goal management
  • Performance reviews
  • Continuous feedback
  • 1-on-1 meetings
  • Goal alignment
  • Calibration tools
  • Analytics & reporting
  • Mobile app

Only in Workday

  • Human capital management
  • Financial management
  • Planning
  • Analytics
  • Payroll
  • Time tracking
  • Talent management
  • Procurement

Both cover

  • Slack
  • ISO27001
  • GDPR

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Betterworks

  • Goals and OKR tracking across an organisationnot Workday
  • Performance reviews, 1:1s and continuous feedbacknot Workday
  • Calibration and succession planning on the higher tiernot Workday
  • Skills mapping and development plansnot Workday
  • Engagement surveys on the Enterprise tiernot Workday

Workday

  • HR managementnot Betterworks
  • Financial planningnot Betterworks
  • Workforce planningnot Betterworks
  • Compliancenot Betterworks
  • Analyticsnot Betterworks

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Betterworks

  • The $1 and $2 promotional rates require a three year agreement and expire on 31 August 2026; the standing prices are $8 and $9 per user per month
  • Implementation is charged on top of the per-user price
  • Calibration, succession planning and skills intelligence need the Talent Intelligence tier
  • Engagement surveys and change management services are Enterprise only
  • The vendor states it adds most value above 500 employees, so smaller companies are not the target

Workday

  • High implementation costs equal to or exceeding annual software fees
  • Long deployment timelines (12-18 months standard) before ROI
  • Steep per-employee pricing at enterprise scale ($408-504 PEPM)
  • Limited pre-built templates and customization; often requires extensive configuration
  • Requires significant IT and change management resources during implementation

Pricing, plan by plan

Betterworks

$1/month
  • Performance$8/month
    • Real-time performance tracking
    • Goals & OKRs
    • Feedback and conversations
  • Performance + Talent Intelligence$9/month
    • All Performance features plus anytime calibration
    • Succession planning
    • Skills intelligence
  • Enterprise$null/mo
    • Custom pricing
    • Everything in Performance + Talent Intelligence plus transformational program design
    • Engagement measurement

Workday

On request
  • Small Business$undefined/month
    • Core HR
    • Payroll
    • Time tracking
  • Medium Enterprise$undefined/month
    • Full HCM suite
    • Financial management
    • Advanced analytics
  • Large Enterprise$undefined/month
    • Complete platform
    • Custom configurations
    • Dedicated support

Which should you pick?

Choose Betterworks if

  • You need okr & goal management.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
  • You also want performance reviews.
Betterworks review

Choose Workday if

  • You need human capital management.
  • You work on Cloud/Web.
  • You also want financial management.
Workday review

Questions people ask

Is Betterworks or Workday better?
Neither clearly leads. Betterworks starts at $1/month and Workday at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Betterworks or Workday?
Betterworks starts at $1/month and Workday at On request.
Does Betterworks or Workday run on more platforms?
Betterworks runs on Web, Ios, Android, Api. Workday runs on Cloud/Web.
What is Betterworks best used for?
Betterworks is most often used for goals and okr tracking across an organisation, performance reviews, 1:1s and continuous feedback, calibration and succession planning on the higher tier, skills mapping and development plans. Of those, goals and okr tracking across an organisation and performance reviews, 1:1s and continuous feedback are not what Workday is typically brought in for.
What can Betterworks do that Workday cannot?
Betterworks covers OKR & goal management, Performance reviews, Continuous feedback, 1-on-1 meetings. Workday covers Human capital management, Financial management, Planning, Analytics. Both handle Slack, ISO27001, GDPR.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Betterworks: How much does Betterworks cost per user?

Betterworks costs $8 per user per month for the Performance plan or $9 per user per month for Performance + Talent Intelligence. Promotional pricing as low as $1-$2 per user per month is available for the first contract year with a 3-year commitment (expires August 31, 2026).

Source
Workday: What is Workday GO and what market is it designed for?

Workday GO is a product designed for small and midsize organizations, bringing together HR and finance solutions with transparent pricing and fast activation in 30 to 60 days. It includes HCM, benefits, payroll, talent, and more at a lower price point than standard Workday.

Source
Betterworks: What does the Enterprise plan include?

The Enterprise plan includes everything in Performance + Talent Intelligence plus transformational program design, engagement measurement, in-app guides, and change management services. Pricing is custom and tailored to your organization.

Source
Workday: What is Workday Skills Cloud and how does it fit into HCM?

Workday Skills Cloud is an intelligent skills foundation built into Workday HCM. It is described as the world's most open intelligent skills foundation and fuels data-driven talent strategies across recruiting, learning, and workforce planning.

Source
Betterworks: Are there additional costs beyond per-user pricing?

Yes, implementation is a one-time cost separate from monthly per-user pricing. Betterworks' Professional Services team assists with design and launch.

Source
Workday: Does Workday include payroll and benefits management?

Yes. Workday HCM includes benefits administration and payroll capabilities as part of its core suite. Global payroll processing is available across multiple countries and tax jurisdictions.

Source
Workday: What is the typical pricing model for Workday HCM?

Workday HCM uses per-employee (PEPM) annual subscription pricing. Companies at scale typically pay $34-42 PEPM. Enterprise organizations with 5,000+ employees typically pay $408-504 per employee annually. Pricing decreases with larger commitments and longer contract terms.

Source
Workday: How long does Workday implementation typically take?

Standard implementations are lengthy, often taking 12-18 months. Workday GO promises faster activation in 30-60 days. Implementation costs typically equal 100-150% of the first year's software subscription fees.

Source
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