BambooHR is a cloud-based Human Resources Information System (HRIS) that has become the go-to solution for small to medium-sized businesses seeking to modernize their HR operations.
Known for its intuitive interface and all-in-one approach, BambooHR centralizes everything from employee data management to performance reviews in a single platform. Many IT, operations, and HR teams use BambooHR for traditional HR functions and also for streamlining workflows, automating processes, and creating a unified system of record that supports business growth.
What Is BambooHR?
BambooHR is a cloud-based HR management platform designed to centralize and automate HR processes for growing organizations. The system serves as a unified hub for employee data, recruitment, onboarding, performance management, time-off tracking, and payroll administration.
Originally built to help businesses transition from spreadsheet-based HR to professional-grade systems, BambooHR now supports over 34,000 companies across 190 countries. Its user base primarily consists of small to medium-sized businesses (20-500 employees) in industries like technology, IT services, retail, and healthcare, with strong adoption among HR managers who need efficient, scalable HR solutions.
What is BambooHR used for?
BambooHR serves as the central nervous system for modern HR operations, handling everything from hiring to offboarding:
- Employee Data Management - Centralizes all personnel information, documents, and records in a secure, searchable database that eliminates spreadsheet chaos
- Recruitment and Hiring - Manages job postings, candidate tracking, interview scheduling, and collaborative hiring decisions through an integrated applicant tracking system
- Onboarding and Offboarding - Automates new hire paperwork, task assignments, and exit processes with customizable workflows and digital signatures
- Performance Management - Facilitates continuous feedback, goal setting, 360-degree reviews, and performance tracking throughout the employee lifecycle
- Time-Off and Attendance - Streamlines PTO requests, approvals, and balance tracking while maintaining compliance with labor regulations
- Payroll and Benefits - Processes payroll, manages benefits enrollment, and handles compensation planning with integrated compliance features
- Analytics and Reporting - Generates custom reports on turnover, engagement, compensation, and workforce trends to support strategic decision-making
Key Features of BambooHR
The platform's comprehensive functionality centers around core HR automation and employee experience:
- Unified Employee Database provides a single source of truth for all personnel information, with customizable fields and role-based access controls that ensure data security and compliance.
- Applicant Tracking System streamlines recruitment with automated job postings, resume parsing, candidate communication, and collaborative hiring workflows that reduce time-to-hire.
- Performance Management Tools enable continuous feedback through goal tracking, regular check-ins, customizable review cycles, and 360-degree assessments that support employee development.
- Time Tracking and PTO Management automates leave requests, approval workflows, and balance calculations while integrating with payroll systems for accurate processing.
- Onboarding Automation creates personalized welcome experiences with digital paperwork, task checklists, and integration touchpoints that accelerate new hire productivity.
- AI-Powered Analytics delivers benchmarking data, predictive insights, and custom reporting that helps HR teams make strategic, data-driven decisions.
- Mobile Access extends core functionality to smartphones and tablets, enabling remote approvals, time tracking, and employee self-service from anywhere.
BambooHR Pros & Cons
BambooHR offers significant value for growing organizations while maintaining some limitations for specific use cases.
BambooHR Pros
- Intuitive, user-friendly interface that requires minimal training for both HR teams and employees
- Comprehensive feature set covering all core HR functions in a single, integrated platform
- Strong onboarding and performance management tools that improve employee experience
- Robust reporting and analytics capabilities with industry benchmarking data
- Excellent customer support and implementation assistance
- Scalable architecture that grows with expanding organizations
BambooHR Cons
- Custom pricing model without transparent public rates makes budgeting challenging
- Limited international payroll capabilities compared to global-first competitors
- Advanced features like complex workflow automation may require additional modules
- Can be expensive for very small businesses or startups with tight budgets
- Some enterprise-level customization options are more limited than specialized platforms
BambooHR Pricing
BambooHR offers flexible pricing plans designed to meet the needs of organizations of all sizes:
- Comprehensive: Take care of everything HR, payroll, and benefits in one platform
- Flexible: Find the perfect fit with multiple plan options and add-ons
- One low monthly payment: Pay one low price each month with the ability to cancel at any time
The platform offers three main packages to suit different organizational needs:
Each plan includes core features with additional capabilities at higher tiers:
- HR Data & Reporting - Build reports that move the needle
- Hiring & Onboarding - Easily hire the right talent for every role
- Time Off & Benefits Tracking - Track time off and benefits without tracking anyone down
- Employee Experience - Fuel growth with authentic feedback
- Performance Management - Manage employee performance without the pain (Pro & Elite)
- Custom Dashboards & Analytics - Revolutionize your data insights (Elite)
- HR Benchmarks - Compare with confidence (Elite)
- HR Intelligence - Make smarter HR decisions with smart insights (Elite)
Additional add-on solutions include:
- Payroll - Switch to fast, easy, and accurate paydays
- Benefits Administration - Bring HR and benefits together
- Time Tracking - Spend minutes tracking hours
BambooHR offers a 15% discount when combining Payroll and Benefits Administration with a new plan. For specific pricing information, interested organizations can submit a request through BambooHR's website.
How Siit Integrates With BambooHR
BambooHR becomes even more powerful when combined with Siit — an AI-powered service management platform that works directly within Slack and Teams. This integration transforms how employees interact with HR systems while maintaining BambooHR's comprehensive data management capabilities.
Here's how Siit + BambooHR enhances internal operations:
- Conversational HR Support - Employees can ask HR questions and submit requests directly in Slack and set up slack reminders so nothing falls through the cracks, with Siit automatically pulling relevant information from BambooHR and routing complex queries to appropriate team members.
- Automated Onboarding Workflows - When new employees are added to BambooHR, Siit can automatically trigger onboarding sequences, IT provisioning, and welcome messages without manual intervention. Onboarding workflows can automatically provision application access and equipment the moment a new hire record appears in BambooHR, orchestrated through a flexible itsm workflow that keeps HR, IT, and operations perfectly in sync.
- Intelligent Request Routing - Siit analyzes employee requests in Slack and automatically determines whether they need HR attention, proactive IT support, or can be resolved through BambooHR self-service features. Siit intelligently routes requests to the correct it support tiers, ensuring specialists focus only on issues that match their expertise.
- Real-Time Data Sync - Employee information, organizational changes, and policy updates in BambooHR are instantly accessible to Siit agents, ensuring consistent and accurate responses.
- Streamlined Approvals - Time-off requests can be initiated in Slack and automatically synchronized with BambooHR's approval workflows, but there is no evidence that expense approvals or policy exceptions are supported in this way. Simple HR questions are resolved instantly, while more complex issues can be escalated into a formal service ticket without leaving the conversation.
- Unified Employee Experience - For employees, the Siit + BambooHR combination feels like an internal help desk living right inside Slack. By surfacing answers instantly, Siit provides an employee self service ai layer on top of BambooHR’s rich data set, ensuring fast, accurate support.
Try It With Siit
BambooHR's comprehensive HR platform combined with Siit's conversational AI creates a seamless employee experience that reduces administrative overhead while improving response times and service quality. Explore how this integration can transform your internal operations and book a demo to see the combined power in action.
BambooHR Alternatives
Organizations evaluating BambooHR should consider these alternatives:
- isolved offers comprehensive HCM with advanced engagement features and robust payroll capabilities, ideal for organizations prioritizing employee experience alongside HR administration.
- Rippling combines HR, IT, and finance automation in a modular platform, perfect for tech-focused companies needing integrated device management capabilities.
- ADP Workforce Now provides enterprise-grade HR and payroll with deep compliance features, suitable for larger organizations with complex regulatory requirements.
- Gusto delivers payroll-first HR functionality with excellent small business features, appealing to startups and growing companies prioritizing simplicity and cost-effectiveness.
- Justworks operates as a Professional Employer Organization (PEO) providing comprehensive HR, benefits, and compliance support, ideal for small businesses seeking full-service HR outsourcing.
