For a team of 3 or fewer, Zoho People's free edition covers employee records and time off at no cost. For small US businesses, Gusto ($49 a month plus $6 per person) and Justworks ($8 per employee plus a $50 base fee) include payroll in published prices, while BambooHR charges a $250 flat fee at 25 or fewer employees and quotes payroll separately. Larger or international teams should get quotes from Rippling and HiBob.
BambooHR is easy to learn, but small teams often find the $250 monthly minimum and the extra cost of payroll, benefits and time tracking add up. Others leave over setup help, support after the sale, or reporting that does not bend to their process.
This guide is for HR managers and owners comparing a replacement. We list each alternative's published price where one exists, whether payroll is included, contract terms, and who it suits better than BambooHR.
Prices are as listed in October 2026. Get a written quote before you switch, and export your BambooHR data before you cancel.
Why people look for BambooHR alternatives
BambooHR’s reviews praise how easy it is for staff and employees to learn, but complaints cluster around five problems (Trustpilot 3.3 out of 5 from 154 reviews, per our review):
- Cost for small teams and extra add-ons. Companies with 25 or fewer employees pay a flat $250 a month for Core, and payroll, benefits and time tracking are quote-only add-ons. Look at: Gusto, Justworks or Paycor, which include payroll in published prices, or Zoho People’s free edition for 3 users.
- Thin onboarding and setup help. Some customers pay extra for implementation. Look at: a PEO such as Justworks, where the provider handles more of the setup and compliance.
- Support harder to reach after the sale. Ask any vendor in writing what support channels and response times your plan includes.
- Time-off calendar and leave balances hard to read, and time-tracking bugs. Test the time-off and attendance screens during a trial or demo.
- Reporting and workflows less flexible than expected. Look at: Rippling or HiBob, which are built for larger, more complex setups.
Free and low-cost options
If you have only a few employees, you may not need a paid HR system yet.
- Zoho People free edition. Free for up to 3 users in the US, with employee records, time off and document storage.
- Your payroll provider’s HR tools. Gusto, Justworks and Paycor include employee profiles, documents and onboarding with payroll, so a separate HR system may be unnecessary.
- A shared spreadsheet and folder. Free for a handful of people, but you lose approvals, reminders and access controls, so protect it carefully because it holds personal data.
What BambooHR alternatives cost for a 10-person team
Monthly cost for 10 employees using each company’s listed entry price, as listed October 2026, before taxes, add-ons and promotions. We did the math; companies may quote differently.
| Company |
Entry plan |
Monthly cost, 10 people |
Payroll included |
| BambooHR |
Core, flat rate at 25 or fewer |
$250 |
No, quote-only add-on |
| Gusto |
Simple, $49 + $6 per person |
$109 |
Yes |
| Justworks |
Payroll, $50 + $8 per employee |
$130 |
Yes |
| Paycor |
Basic, $99 + $5 per employee |
$149 |
Yes |
| Zoho People |
Free edition |
Not available (3-user limit) |
No |
| Rippling, HiBob |
Quote |
Not published |
Yes, as a module |
BambooHR’s HR features run deeper than the HR tools bundled with Gusto or Justworks, so compare what you actually use, such as performance reviews or compensation planning.
How to choose a BambooHR replacement
- Decide whether payroll moves too. If you are happy with your payroll provider, look for an HR system that integrates with it. If you want one bill, choose a provider that includes payroll.
- Count your people and locations. UK staff point to HiBob; several countries point to Rippling; US-only small teams can start with Gusto, Justworks or Paycor.
- Ask for the full price. Get quotes in writing, including setup fees, add-ons and the price after any promotion ends.
- Check the contract. Prefer month-to-month terms until you are sure. Paycor’s promotion adds a 13-month commitment.
- Plan the data move. Export employee records, time-off balances, documents and reports from BambooHR before your access ends.
How to cancel BambooHR
- Check your contract type. Month-to-month subscriptions can be cancelled any time and end at the end of that month. Extended-term subscriptions renew for 12-month terms, cannot be cancelled early, and prepaid fees are not refunded.
- Export your data first. Download employee records, documents, time-off history and reports.
- Submit the request. According to BambooHR’s help center, the account owner, a full admin or a billing contact goes to Settings, then Account, then Account Info, and selects Cancel BambooHR Account, then completes the request form.
- Keep the confirmation. Save it in case you are billed again.
Terms to know
- HRIS
- Human resources information system, software that stores employee records and runs HR tasks such as time off and onboarding.
- PEO
- Professional employer organization, a company that co-employs your staff to provide payroll, benefits and compliance support.
- Employer of record (EOR)
- A service that legally employs a worker in another country on your behalf.
- Per employee per month
- A pricing model where the monthly bill rises with each active employee.
- Extended term
- BambooHR's prepaid multi-month subscription that cannot be cancelled early.
