BambooHR vs When I Work
Compare BambooHR and When I Work on features, pricing, and buyer fit using the same researched criteria.
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
No universal winner. Choose based on which criteria matter most for your team.
When I Work is better for
- ✓ Starting pricing
Tie
- • Integrations
Choose BambooHR if: Small and mid-size teams that need a clean core HRIS as the employee system of record
Choose When I Work if: Hourly teams that mainly need scheduling and messaging at a low per-user price
When I Work
Per-user hourly scheduling — Essentials from $2.50/user/mo; Pro $5; Premium $8; 14-day trial. Time & attendance is a paid toggle.
Best for
- • Hourly teams that mainly need scheduling and messaging at a low per-user price
- • Operators who will trial 14 days before buying Deputy or Homebase hubs
- • Multi-location teams that stay on Essentials+ for templates and OpenShifts
Starting from $2.50/user/mo
No free plan
BambooHR vs When I Work pricing
BambooHR researched starting price from $10/mo. When I Work researched starting price from $2.5/mo. Affiliate economics excluded.
BambooHR
From $10.00/user/mo
When I Work
From $2.50/user/mo
BambooHR
Starting from $10.00/user/mo
No free trial evidenced
- CorePopular$10.00/user/mo
- $10 per employee/mo (published PEPM) for teams above 25 employees. ATS openings capped (5). Payroll/benefits/time are add-ons.
- Pro$17.00/user/mo
- $17 PEPM. Higher hiring caps and HR depth. Add-ons still apply for payroll/benefits/time.
- Elite$25.00/user/mo
- $25 PEPM. Highest published people-experience / AI packaging. Confirm quote for volume discounts.
- Core (≤25 employees)$250.00/mo
- Published flat floor from $250/mo for teams of 25 or fewer — effective PEPM is much higher than $10.
When I Work
Starting from $2.50/user/mo
Free trial available
- EssentialsPopular$2.50/user/mo
- $2.50/user/mo scheduling. Auto-scheduling, multi-location, OpenShifts, messaging.
- Pro$5.00/user/mo
- $5/user/mo. Rules, permissions, labor sharing, custom forecasting.
- Premium$8.00/user/mo
- $8/user/mo. API, webhooks, SAML/SSO.
- EnterpriseCustom
- Custom enterprise packaging — contact sales.
Estimate your team cost
Monthly estimate from verified per-seat list pricing. Confirm on the vendor site before purchasing.
BambooHR
$150.00/mo
When I Work
$37.50/mo
+$112.50/mo — BambooHR costs more
Verified monthly unit prices · Aug 18, 2026
Prices in USD
Shown per user / month from verified list pricing.
Plans can change
Confirm live vendor rates before purchasing.
Add-ons may apply
Calling, SMS, or usage fees can add cost.
Independence
Affiliate status never changes pricing outcomes.
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