15Five vs Betterworks (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 12, 2026, 15Five and Betterworks share a 1.8 GPA, neither has a free plan, and 15Five starts cheaper, at $4 a month for each person against $8 a month for each person.
Checked Nov 12, 2026 · graded Nov 12, 2026 by ToolGPA
They get the same grade on all five counts.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Betterworks
Performance management, goals and OKRs, and talent intelligence
Which one is for you
Pick 15Five if
- Fits if you want reviews, OKRs and 1-on-1s in one tool and already have an HR system
- Works for managers who want meeting notes and coaching tied to review data
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want a free plan or a trial: neither is listed and you start with a demo
- Not for you if you need payroll or employee records, as it does neither
- Pricey if you add the extras: AI coach is $19 per manager a month and manager content $49
- Watch out: live coaching is sold in credits at $399 each, and a group session uses 5
Pick Betterworks if
- Fits if you want goals and OKRs linked to review conversations
- Works for HR teams that need calibration and succession on a $9 plan
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want a free plan or trial, as neither is listed
- Tight if you are buying for a few people: no seat minimum is stated and no billing term either
- Watch out: calibration, succession and skills tools need the $9 plan
- Pricey if you want the Engage culture measure or implementation help, which are Enterprise quotes
How we grade them
| 1.8GPA15FiveWeak | 1.8GPABetterworksWeak | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C$4 to $16 per user a month on annual billing, with the Perform plan at $11 against a category middle of about $7. The AI notetaker ($2), AI coach ($19 per manager) and manager content ($49 per manager) cost extra. | C$8 per user a month, or $9 with talent tools, against a category middle of about $7. The page does not say whether that is monthly or annual billing. |
| Free plan and trial | FNo free plan and no published trial; the pricing page points to a demo. | FNo free plan and no free trial on the pricing page. |
| Features | CReviews, 360 feedback, OKRs, 1-on-1s and surveys, with a talent matrix. It does no payroll or employee records, so it sits next to an HR system rather than being one. | CGoals, OKRs, feedback, 1:1s and AI help. Calibration and succession need the $9 plan, and the Engage culture tool needs Enterprise. It isn't an HR system. |
| Ease of use | CNo store rating on record. Review cycles, OKRs and survey settings all have to be set up before anyone gets value. | CNo store rating on record. Goal cascades and review programs take setting up, and Enterprise adds an implementation team. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWeb plus iOS and Android apps, and integrations with ADP, BambooHR, Gusto, Rippling, Okta, Jira, Salesforce and Slack. No desktop app. | BWeb only, but with a list of integrations (8 on record). |
| Best for | reviews, OKRs and 1-on-1s in one place | goals, OKRs and review conversations |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: 15Five and Betterworks. How we grade
Price against what you get
15Five starts at $4 a month for each person and scores 2.3 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. Betterworks starts at $8 a month for each person and scores 2.3.
They score the same, and 15Five starts $4 a month lower. Of the other HR software on the chart, 2 score higher than 15Five for less, and 2 score higher than Betterworks for less.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Where they differ
- 15Five also covers meeting notes and AI agents.
At a glance
| 15Five | Betterworks | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Paid | Paid |
| Starts at | $4 per user / month, billed annually | $8 per user / month |
| Free plan | None | None |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | 15Five | Betterworks |
| Price read from | 15five.com | betterworks.com |
| Checked | Nov 12, 2026 | Nov 12, 2026 |
Worth knowing
15Five
- No free plan or published trial; the pricing page points to a demo.
- Kona Notetaker costs $2 per employee a month, Kona Coach $19 per manager a month, and manager content $49 per manager a month, all billed annually.
- Live coaching is sold by credit at $399 each; a 1-on-1 session is 1 credit and a group session is 5.
- It is not an HR records or payroll system; it runs alongside an HRIS.
Betterworks
- The pricing page shows $8 and $9 per user / month but does not say whether that is billed annually or monthly, or any minimum seat count.
- Calibration, succession planning and skills intelligence need the $9 Performance + Talent Intelligence plan.
- The Engage culture measure, in-app guides and dedicated implementation team are Enterprise only, with custom pricing.
- No free plan or free trial is listed on the pricing page.
Key features
15Five
- Engagement surveys
- Surveys and eNPS with industry benchmarking, lifecycle surveys for onboarding and exit, heat maps and action planning.
- Performance reviews
- Review cycles with AI-assisted writing, 360 reviews, calibrations and a 9-box talent matrix.
- OKRs, 1-on-1s and check-ins
- Weighted OKRs and goals, 1-on-1 agendas and notes, and weekly check-ins with wins and challenges.
- Kona AI notetaker and coach
- Add-ons for 1-on-1 meeting notes and auto-filled performance snapshots, and for AI coaching aimed at managers.
- Manager training and coaching
- An on-demand learning library and live 1:1 or group coaching sessions with the vendor's experts, bought separately.
- Mobile app
- A mobile app for check-ins, 1-on-1s and surveys, with iOS and Android store links on the 15Five site.
Betterworks
- Goals and OKRs
- Team and individual goals are aligned to company priorities, with progress tracked in one place.
- Feedback and conversations
- Feedback can be given in real time, and review cycles run as structured conversations.
- 1:1 meetings
- Shared agendas, notes and follow-ups, with automated summaries listed on the pricing page.
- Calibration and succession
- On the higher plan, calibration can be run at any time and succession planning covers critical roles.
- Skills intelligence
- Shows skills, gaps and development areas across the workforce, with unified talent profiles and AI-recommended development plans.
- AI features
- AI assistance for drafting is included from the entry plan, and Zoom meeting transcripts can feed 1:1 insights.
Plans
15Five
Engage$4
per user / month, billed annually
Engagement surveys, targeted assessments, action planning, heat maps and benchmarking.
Perform$11
per user / month, billed annually
AI-assisted reviews, OKRs and goals, 360 feedback, talent matrix, career paths and plans, 1-on-1s and check-ins.
Total Platform$16
per user / month, billed annually
Everything in Engage and Perform, plus the HR dashboard and manager-training microlearnings. Marked most popular.
Betterworks
Performance$8
per user / month (billing term not stated)
Goals and OKRs, feedback, review conversations, 1:1 meetings, AI assistance, SSO, live and on-demand training and a designated success partner.
Performance + Talent Intelligence$9
per user / month (billing term not stated)
Everything in Performance plus anytime calibration, succession and talent mobility, skills intelligence, unified talent profiles and individual development plans.
EnterpriseCustom
Adds program design with HR experts, the Engage culture measure, in-app guides, change management services and a dedicated implementation team.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, 15Five or Betterworks?
As of Nov 12, 2026, 15Five is cheaper to start with: $4 a month for each person, against $8 a month for each person for Betterworks. 15Five starts at $4 per user / month, billed annually, and Betterworks starts at $8 per user / month.
Which has a free plan, 15Five or Betterworks?
As of Nov 12, 2026, neither 15Five nor Betterworks has a free plan.
Which platforms do 15Five and Betterworks run on?
As of Nov 12, 2026, only 15Five lists iOS and Android apps. Both list a web app. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.