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
Comparison scorecard
Criterion-by-criterion results for BambooHR and When I Work. Numeric bars appear only when both products have approved scores.
- When I Work
Starting pricing
Published floor price and what that floor actually includes.
When I Work publishes a lower researched starting floor ($2.5/mo vs $10/mo for BambooHR). Confirm currency, renewals, and add-ons — not a total TCO winner.
BambooHRWeakerWhen I WorkStronger - Depends
Free plan
Whether a usable free plan is published, and what it gates.
BambooHR does not research a free plan; When I Work does not research a free plan.
BambooHRDependsWhen I WorkDepends - Depends
User / licence minimum
Seat floors, per-employee minimums, and small-team pricing traps.
Check employee or licence minimums for BambooHR and When I Work on current vendor packaging.
BambooHRDependsWhen I WorkDepends - Tie
Integrations
Important third-party integrations.
BambooHR and When I Work are close on integrations (8/10 vs 8/10) from approved SoftwareGlimpse editorial assessments — not hands-on lab testing.
BambooHR8/10When I Work8/10
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