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HR · head to head

BambooHR vs People HR

BambooHR logo

BambooHR

HR

HR software with heart

From
$10/month per employee
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
People HR logo

People HR

HR

HR software that does the HR hard work

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only People HR has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: BambooHR organisations of 25 or fewer employees pay a flat rate starting at $250 a month, so a very small team pays far more per head than the listed per-employee price; People HR pro and Elite+ HR plans require contacting sales; exact features unclear
  • They diverge on capability: BambooHR covers Employee database, People HR covers Employee Database.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which BambooHR and People HR actually diverge.

Attributes where BambooHR and People HR differ
AttributeBambooHRPeople HR
Starting price$10/month per employeeFree
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, Ios, Android, ApiWeb, iOS, Android
Founded20082012

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), user rating (Not yet rated), category (HR).

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 BambooHR

  • Employee database
  • Time-off management
  • Benefits tracking
  • Performance reviews
  • Onboarding
  • Reporting & analytics
  • Mobile access
  • Document management

Only in People HR

  • Employee Database
  • Absence Management
  • Document Management
  • Performance
  • Recruitment
  • Self-Service Portal
  • Xero
  • Sage

Both cover

  • Slack
  • Google Workspace
  • Microsoft 365

What people use each for

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

BambooHR

  • HR system of record with employee data and documentsnot People HR
  • Time off tracking and approvalsnot People HR
  • Applicant tracking and onboardingnot People HR
  • Performance reviews and 1:1s on the Pro tiernot People HR
  • Compensation planning and benchmarking on Elitenot People HR

People HR

  • HR management for startups and growing teamsnot BambooHR
  • Integrated payroll and HR operationsnot BambooHR
  • Employee management with compliance featuresnot BambooHR

Where each one falls short

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

BambooHR

  • Organisations of 25 or fewer employees pay a flat rate starting at $250 a month, so a very small team pays far more per head than the listed per-employee price
  • Per-employee pricing starts at 26 employees, from $10 on Core
  • Performance management, 360 reviews and recognition all require Pro at $17 per employee per month
  • Compensation management, salary benchmarking and advanced analytics are Elite only at $25 per employee per month
  • Compliance training is rationed by tier, at 1 course on Core against 300 on Elite

People HR

  • Pro and Elite+ HR plans require contacting sales; exact features unclear
  • Payroll SaaS Pro and Elite+ pricing not published
  • Combined plans mark no distinction between HR and payroll components

Pricing, plan by plan

BambooHR

$10/month per employee

No published plan breakdown. See the BambooHR review.

People HR

Free
  • Starter$3/month
    • per-employee pricing
    • ideal for startups
  • Core$5.5/month
    • per-employee pricing
    • growing teams
  • Pro$8/month
    • per-employee pricing
    • larger companies
  • Elite+$9.5/month
    • per-employee pricing
    • advanced HR

Which should you pick?

Choose BambooHR if

  • You need employee database.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
  • You also want time-off management.
BambooHR review

Choose People HR if

  • You need employee database.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want absence management.
People HR review

Questions people ask

Is BambooHR or People HR better?
Neither clearly leads. BambooHR starts at $10/month per employee and People HR at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, BambooHR or People HR?
People HR has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $10/month per employee for BambooHR and Free for People HR.
Does BambooHR or People HR run on more platforms?
BambooHR runs on Web, Ios, Android, Api. People HR runs on Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use People HR for free?
Yes. People HR has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. BambooHR starts at $10/month per employee.
What is BambooHR best used for?
BambooHR is most often used for hr system of record with employee data and documents, time off tracking and approvals, applicant tracking and onboarding, performance reviews and 1:1s on the pro tier. Of those, hr system of record with employee data and documents and time off tracking and approvals are not what People HR is typically brought in for.
What can BambooHR do that People HR cannot?
BambooHR covers Employee database, Time-off management, Benefits tracking, Performance reviews. People HR covers Employee Database, Absence Management, Document Management, Performance. Both handle Slack, Google Workspace, Microsoft 365.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

BambooHR: Does BambooHR offer a free trial?

Yes, BambooHR offers a free trial available at bamboohr.com/signup/.

Source
People HR: How is PeopleHR pricing calculated?

Pricing is per employee per month (PEPM). Starter: £3, Core: £5.50, Pro: £8, Elite+: £9.50. Users can add/remove employees as needed.

Source
BambooHR: How is BambooHR pricing calculated?

Pricing varies depending on the number of employees at your organization and the features you select. Contact BambooHR at 1-866-387-9595 for a free price quote specific to your company size.

Source
People HR: Do I get a discount for annual billing?

Yes, annual customers receive discounts compared to monthly billing. Exact discount percentages not specified on the pricing page.

Source
BambooHR: Is payroll included in the core plan?

Payroll and time tracking are offered as separate add-on solutions, not included in the base HR modules. The payroll add-on provides seamless data flow, comprehensive reporting, full-service tax filing, and dedicated customer support.

Source
People HR: What add-ons are available?

Optional add-ons cost £1.50-£2 PEPM for most features. Specific add-ons not listed on the pricing page.

Source
BambooHR: In which countries can I use BambooHR?

BambooHR is available in 150+ countries worldwide.

Source
People HR: Can I combine HR and Payroll services?

Yes, combined HR + Payroll plans are available: Core+ (£7 PEPM), Pro+ (£9.50 PEPM), Ultimate+ (£11 PEPM). Support and implementation included.

Source
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