Softwr

HR · head to head

Culture Amp vs SmartHR

Culture Amp logo

Culture Amp

HR

Build a better workplace with employee experience data

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
SmartHR logo

SmartHR

HR

Japanese back-office cloud for labor management, payroll and talent management

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Culture Amp no price is published, and cost depends on employee count, product chosen and service tier; SmartHR no specific pricing published on vendor website
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Culture Amp and SmartHR actually diverge.

Attributes where Culture Amp and SmartHR differ
AttributeCulture AmpSmartHR
Pricing modelsubscriptionquote
PlatformsWeb, Ios, Android, ApiWeb
Founded2009Unknown

Identical on both: starting price (On request), free tier (No), 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 Culture Amp

  • Employee engagement surveys
  • Pulse surveys
  • Performance management
  • Goal tracking
  • 360-degree feedback
  • Analytics & insights
  • Action planning
  • Manager effectiveness

Only in SmartHR

Nothing recorded that Culture Amp does not also cover.

What people use each for

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

Culture Amp

  • Employee engagement surveys and analysisnot SmartHR
  • Performance reviews and development planning across an organisationnot SmartHR

SmartHR

  • Reducing combined processing time by 88% across HR functionsnot Culture Amp
  • Centralizing employee information through onboarding to offboardingnot Culture Amp
  • Distributing payroll and salary statements via mobile appnot Culture Amp
  • Automating document distribution and employee communicationsnot Culture Amp
  • Integrating with 120+ external systems for extended functionalitynot Culture Amp

Where each one falls short

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

Culture Amp

  • No price is published, and cost depends on employee count, product chosen and service tier
  • All products are billed annually
  • Support level is banded by organisation size, with additional support starting at 200 employees and enterprise treatment at 1,000, so smaller customers get less for the same product

SmartHR

  • No specific pricing published on vendor website
  • Requires direct quotation for customized pricing
  • Multiple plan options create complexity in pricing structure

Pricing, plan by plan

Culture Amp

On request
  • Engage$undefined/month
    • Engagement surveys
    • Pulse surveys
    • Action planning
  • Perform$undefined/month
    • Goal tracking
    • Performance reviews
    • 1-on-1 meetings
  • Develop$undefined/month
    • Skills development
    • Career paths
    • Learning integrations

SmartHR

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the SmartHR review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Culture Amp if

  • You need employee engagement surveys.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
  • You also want pulse surveys.
Culture Amp review

Choose SmartHR if

Nothing in the data separates SmartHR from Culture Amp on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

SmartHR review

Questions people ask

Is Culture Amp or SmartHR better?
Neither clearly leads. Culture Amp starts at On request and SmartHR at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Culture Amp or SmartHR?
Culture Amp starts at On request and SmartHR at On request.
Does Culture Amp or SmartHR run on more platforms?
Culture Amp runs on Web, Ios, Android, Api. SmartHR runs on Web.
What is Culture Amp best used for?
Culture Amp is most often used for employee engagement surveys and analysis, performance reviews and development planning across an organisation. Of those, employee engagement surveys and analysis and performance reviews and development planning across an organisation are not what SmartHR is typically brought in for.
What can Culture Amp do that SmartHR cannot?
Culture Amp covers Employee engagement surveys, Pulse surveys, Performance management, Goal tracking.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Culture Amp: How much does Culture Amp cost?

Culture Amp does not publish specific pricing. The vendor uses a custom pricing model based on the number of employees in your organization, the product chosen, and the service tier needed. Annual billing is required. Interested customers must request a quote to receive pricing details.

Source
SmartHR: How much does SmartHR cost?

SmartHR pricing is customized per organization based on features and user count. The vendor does not publish standard pricing rates. Customers must use the estimation tool or contact the vendor directly to receive a personalized quote. No additional charges are assessed beyond monthly usage fees.

Source
Culture Amp: What factors determine Culture Amp pricing?

Culture Amp pricing depends on three factors: the number of employees, the specific product chosen, and the service tier. Organizations are typically categorized as small/medium (under 200 employees), mid-market (200-999 employees), or enterprise (1000+ employees). Annual prepayment is required.

Source
SmartHR: What is SmartHR's free tier?

SmartHR offers a free plan (¥0プラン) for small businesses with up to 30 employees. This tier provides basic employee data management without additional charges, making it suitable for very small organizations or trials.

Source
SmartHR: What are SmartHR's plan options?

SmartHR provides multiple plans including HR Strategy Plan (labor and talent management), Essential Plan (labor management focus), Talent Management Plan (employee growth focus), and a specialized plan for companies with 50 or fewer employees. Optional add-ons including payroll, attendance tracking, and recruitment are available.

Source
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