BambooHR vs Paylocity
BambooHR fits small and mid-size teams that need a clean core hris as the employee system of record; Paylocity fits us mid-market companies (roughly 100–1,000 employees) that want payroll+hr in one modern platform.
BambooHR
SMB/mid-market core HRIS with Core/Pro/Elite PEPM tiers — Core from $10/employee/mo above 25 employees, or $250/mo flat floor for smaller teams.
Best for
- • Small and mid-size teams that need a clean core HRIS as the employee system of record
- • US companies that may add payroll/benefits later rather than buying a payroll-first suite
- • Buyers who want published PEPM instead of fully opaque HCM quotes
Starting from $10.00/user/mo
No free plan
VS
Our verdict
There is no universal winner between BambooHR and Paylocity. Choose BambooHR when Small and mid-size teams that need a clean core HRIS as the employee system of record. Choose Paylocity when US mid-market companies (roughly 100–1,000 employees) that want payroll+HR in one modern platform. Criterion scores come from approved SoftwareGlimpse editorial assessments and first-party research — not hands-on lab testing.
Tie
- • Integrations
Choose BambooHR if: Small and mid-size teams that need a clean core HRIS as the employee system of record
Choose Paylocity if: US mid-market companies (roughly 100–1,000 employees) that want payroll+HR in one modern platform
Paylocity
US mid-market HR + payroll (+ finance/IT) — custom quote (‘Explore Payroll Pricing’); Ignite AI. Landscape vs Gusto.
Best for
- • US mid-market companies (roughly 100–1,000 employees) that want payroll+HR in one modern platform
- • Teams comparing Paylocity vs ADP Workforce Now vs Paycor
- • Orgs that may add finance/IT and Ignite AI later
No free plan
Quick verdict
Start here — then dig into the evidence below.
Choose BambooHR if…
- Small and mid-size teams that need a clean core HRIS as the employee system of record
- US companies that may add payroll/benefits later rather than buying a payroll-first suite
- Buyers who want published PEPM instead of fully opaque HCM quotes
Choose Paylocity if…
- US mid-market companies (roughly 100–1,000 employees) that want payroll+HR in one modern platform
- Teams comparing Paylocity vs ADP Workforce Now vs Paycor
- Orgs that may add finance/IT and Ignite AI later
Overall recommendation
There is no universal winner between BambooHR and Paylocity. Choose BambooHR when Small and mid-size teams that need a clean core HRIS as the employee system of record. Choose Paylocity when US mid-market companies (roughly 100–1,000 employees) that want payroll+HR in one modern platform. Criterion scores come from approved SoftwareGlimpse editorial assessments and first-party research — not hands-on lab testing.
Key trade-off
Neither product dominates every criterion — prioritize the jobs that matter most.
Winner by category
Only dimensions with researched evidence for this pair.
| Dimension | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Integrations | Tie | BambooHR and Paylocity are close on integrations (8/10 vs 8/10) from approved SoftwareGlimpse editorial assessments — not hands-on lab testing. |
Side-by-side feature matrix
Normalized availability from product research — empty rows are not shown.
Hiring
| Feature | BambooHR | Paylocity |
|---|---|---|
| Applicant tracking | Moderate | Strong |
| Career site & job boards | Moderate | Moderate |
| Interview scheduling | Moderate | Moderate |
Workforce
| Feature | BambooHR | Paylocity |
|---|---|---|
| Workforce scheduling | Limited | Moderate |
| Frontline communications | Limited | Moderate |
| Time & attendance | Moderate | Strong |
| GPS / geofence clock-in | Limited | Moderate |
People & payroll
| Feature | BambooHR | Paylocity |
|---|---|---|
| Core HRIS | Strong | Strong |
| Payroll processing | Moderate | Strong |
| Benefits administration | Moderate | Strong |
Training
| Feature | BambooHR | Paylocity |
|---|---|---|
| SOP / knowledge base | Moderate | Moderate |
| Employee training paths | Moderate | Strong |
| LMS / course commerce | Limited | Limited |
Platform
| Feature | BambooHR | Paylocity |
|---|---|---|
| HRIS integrations | Strong | Strong |
| Analytics & reporting | Strong | Strong |
| AI assistance | Strong | Strong |
Pricing comparison
Pricing evidence last checked Sep 9, 2026.
BambooHR
From $10.00/user/mo
- Core$10.00/user/mo
- Pro$17.00/user/mo
- Elite$25.00/user/mo
- Core (≤25 employees)$250.00/mo
Paylocity
- Paylocity platformCustom
Seat-count estimates
Labeled estimates from verified starting per-seat pricing — not invoices.
| Seats | BambooHR | Paylocity |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | ~$50.00/mo (5 × starting seat) | — |
| 10 | ~$100.00/mo (10 × starting seat) | — |
| 25 | ~$250.00/mo (25 × starting seat) | — |
| 50 | ~$500.00/mo (50 × starting seat) | — |
Estimate from verified starting per-seat pricing — actual total depends on plan, annual discounts, and add-ons.
BambooHR researched starting price from $10/mo. Paylocity starting price was not verified in current research — confirm on the vendor pricing page. Affiliate economics excluded.
The differences that actually matter
Pair-specific analysis for BambooHR vs Paylocity — not generic category copy.
Starting pricing
DependsStarting pricing: BambooHR — BambooHR researched starting price from $10/mo; Paylocity starting price was not verified in current research — confirm on the vendor pricing page. Better value depends on plan rungs, currency, and add-ons.. Paylocity — BambooHR researched starting price from $10/mo; Paylocity starting price was not verified in current research — confirm on the vendor pricing page. Better value depends on plan rungs, currency, and add-ons.. Feature evidence also diverges on Applicant tracking (BambooHR: Moderate; Paylocity: Strong); Workforce scheduling (BambooHR: Limited; Paylocity: Moderate); Frontline communications (BambooHR: Limited; Paylocity: Moderate).
Who should not choose each product
Decision quality improves when we say who should walk away.
Don't choose BambooHR if…
- Your primary fit looks closer to: US mid-market companies (roughly 100–1,000 employees) that want payroll+HR in one modern platform
- Your primary fit looks closer to: Teams comparing Paylocity vs ADP Workforce Now vs Paycor
Don't choose Paylocity if…
- Your primary fit looks closer to: Small and mid-size teams that need a clean core HRIS as the employee system of record
- Your primary fit looks closer to: US companies that may add payroll/benefits later rather than buying a payroll-first suite
Alternatives worth considering
When neither product is the right fit.
Unified people platform (HR + payroll + IT/spend) — published SMB floor $8/user/mo plus $40/mo platform fee; modules are quote-stacked.
US SMB payroll + benefits + light HR — Simple from $49/mo + $6/person; Plus $80 + $12; Premium $180 + $22.
Structured-hiring ATS (Core / Plus / Pro) — custom quote by plan, hiring volume, and org complexity; no published seat dollars.
Mid-market payroll + HR (Select / Plus / Premium packaging) — custom PEPM quote; no published seat $. Landscape vs Gusto.
Final verdict
Scenario-level close — not a repeat of the intro.
BambooHR wins when…
Small and mid-size teams that need a clean core HRIS as the employee system of record
Paylocity wins when…
US mid-market companies (roughly 100–1,000 employees) that want payroll+HR in one modern platform
Which one should you choose?
Choose BambooHR if:
- Small and mid-size teams that need a clean core HRIS as the employee system of record
- US companies that may add payroll/benefits later rather than buying a payroll-first suite
- Buyers who want published PEPM instead of fully opaque HCM quotes
Choose Paylocity if:
- US mid-market companies (roughly 100–1,000 employees) that want payroll+HR in one modern platform
- Teams comparing Paylocity vs ADP Workforce Now vs Paycor
- Orgs that may add finance/IT and Ignite AI later
FAQ
- Is BambooHR better than Paylocity?
- There is no universal winner between BambooHR and Paylocity. Choose BambooHR when Small and mid-size teams that need a clean core HRIS as the employee system of record. Choose Paylocity when US mid-market companies (roughly 100–1,000 employees) that want payroll+HR in one modern platform. Criterion scores come from approved SoftwareGlimpse editorial assessments and first-party research — not hands-on lab testing.
- Which HR software fits which team?
- BambooHR: Small and mid-size teams that need a clean core HRIS as the employee system of record Paylocity: US mid-market companies (roughly 100–1,000 employees) that want payroll+HR in one modern platform
- Does BambooHR or Paylocity have a free plan?
- BambooHR: No free plan. Paylocity: No free plan.
- How does BambooHR vs Paylocity pricing compare?
- BambooHR starts from $10.00/user/mo. Confirm live vendor pricing before purchasing.
- How did SoftwareGlimpse compare these products?
- We map both products to the same category criteria, then evaluate trade-offs using verified product, pricing and feature evidence. Affiliate relationships never change outcomes.
- reviewBambooHR review
- reviewPaylocity review
- pricingBambooHR pricing
- pricingPaylocity pricing
- alternativeRippling alternative
- alternativeGusto alternative
- alternativeGreenhouse alternative
- guideWhat Is HR Software?
- guideHow to Choose HR Software
- guideHR Software Pricing Guide
- categoryHR software hub
- finderBest HR software
Related comparisons
Alternatives to consider
Rippling
Unified people platform (HR + payroll + IT/spend) — published SMB floor $8/user/mo plus $40/mo platform fee; modules are quote-stacked.
Gusto
US SMB payroll + benefits + light HR — Simple from $49/mo + $6/person; Plus $80 + $12; Premium $180 + $22.
Greenhouse
Structured-hiring ATS (Core / Plus / Pro) — custom quote by plan, hiring volume, and org complexity; no published seat dollars.
ADP Workforce Now
Mid-market payroll + HR (Select / Plus / Premium packaging) — custom PEPM quote; no published seat $. Landscape vs Gusto.
Still deciding between BambooHR and Paylocity?
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