BambooHR vs Paylocity — Pricing, Plans, and Verified Costs (2026)
BambooHR starts at $10/mo. Paylocity uses custom pricing — request a quote to compare.
HRIS for small-to-mid businesses (5-500 employees), acquired by KKR-backed private equity in 2023. Positioned as the alternative to Workday for teams that don't need enterprise-grade complexity. Distinctive for its non-technical HR generalist UX and its e-signature + onboarding flows. Priced per employee monthly (~$8-$12) with all-in-one plans. Real cost bloat comes from add-ons: Performance, Time Tracking, Payroll (US only).
Mid-market cloud HCM (Human Capital Management) platform focused on 50-1,000 employee businesses, founded 1997. Positioned as the modern, culture-first alternative to ADP Workforce Now for mid-market companies that want a single system for payroll + HR + talent + engagement. Distinctive for its Community feature (internal social network) + video employee training + mobile-first workforce experience. Priced quote-based (~$4-$15/employee/mo reference) across Payroll / HCM Bundle / Premium HCM tiers. Publicly traded NASDAQ: PCTY, $12B market cap. Serves 40K+ customers primarily in US.
All plans compared
| Tier role | Plan | BambooHR monthly | BambooHR annual | Paylocity monthly | Paylocity annual |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entry paid | Core / Payroll & Tax | $10 | $10 | $4 | $4 |
| Mid tier | Pro / HCM Bundle | $17 | $17 | $8 | $8 |
| Pro / power | Elite / Premium HCM | $25 | $25 | $15 | $15 |
Tier names differ across vendors. Rows are aligned by tier role, not name. Full tier structures on each tool's page.
What each is best for
BambooHR is worth it if… SMBs (30-500 employees) that need core HR (records + time-off + reporting) plus lightweight performance and hiring modules — without Workday's complexity. Per-employee pricing on Core; Pro adds performance management and advanced analytics.
Paylocity is worth it if… US-based mid-market companies (50-1,000 employees) that need payroll + HR + benefits + basic talent in one platform — particularly if you value modern mobile UX and employee-engagement features that ADP lacks. Payroll & Tax covers core payroll processing; HCM Bundle adds HR + benefits + time; Premium HCM adds recruiting + onboarding + engagement + analytics.
Bottom line: Similar positioning, closer to a preference call than a strategic one.
Choose BambooHR over Paylocity if…
Choose BambooHR if…
- You want fixed-price predictability (per seat, from $10/mo).
- You match the profile BambooHR is built for: SMBs (30-500 employees) that need core HR (records + time-off + reporting) plus lightweight performance and hiring modules — without Workday's complexity.
- You need a general-purpose hr & people option rather than a vertical-specific one.
Choose Paylocity if…
- You're comfortable with Paylocity's a free entry tier entry point.
- You match the profile Paylocity is built for: US-based mid-market companies (50-1,000 employees) that need payroll + HR + benefits + basic talent in one platform — particularly if you value modern mobile UX and employee-engagement features that ADP lacks.
- You're building for recruiting.
At a glance
| BambooHR | Paylocity | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | No | No |
| Entry price | $10/mo | Custom pricing |
| Enterprise available | Yes | Yes |
| Pricing model | Per Seat | — |
| Verification | Checked September 28, 2026 | Pricing under review |
| Full pricing | View full pricing | View full pricing |
Pricing last verified September 28, 2026. Tracked daily.