15Five vs Trakstar (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 12, 2026, 15Five grades higher than Trakstar: 1.8 against 1.6 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 12, 2026 · graded Nov 12, 2026 by ToolGPA
15Five grades higher on platforms. They get the same grade on value for money, the free plan, features and ease of use.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
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 Trakstar if
- Fits if you want reviews, hiring and learning from one maker
- Works for HR teams happy to buy modules one at a time
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if you want a price first, as the pricing page is only a quote form
- Watch out: the pricing page sits on Mitratech's site, which acquired Trakstar in April 2023 according to its homepage
- Skip it if you want to try before buying, since no trial is listed
- Too light for budgeting, as the page does not say what a quote includes
How we grade them
| 1.8GPA15FiveWeak | 1.6GPATrakstarWeak | |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | CNo price is published, so value sits at the middle of the category by default. |
| Free plan and trial | FNo free plan and no published trial; the pricing page points to a demo. | FNo free plan and no trial on record. The pricing page is a quote request. |
| 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. | CReviews, engagement surveys, applicant tracking, learning and analytics, split across separate modules. The listing does not say which are in a quote. |
| 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. A modular suite has to be set up and the modules picked. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWeb plus iOS and Android apps, and integrations with ADP, BambooHR, Gusto, Rippling, Okta, Jira, Salesforce and Slack. No desktop app. | CWeb only, and no integrations are listed in our record. |
| Best for | reviews, OKRs and 1-on-1s in one place | performance and hiring modules, by quote |
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 Trakstar. How we grade
Where they differ
- 15Five also covers meeting notes and AI agents.
- Trakstar also covers applicant tracking.
In commonWebGoalsSurveysReports
At a glance
| 15Five | Trakstar | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Paid | Paid |
| Starts at | $4 per user / month, billed annually | Not published |
| Free plan | None | None |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | 15Five | Mitratech |
| Price read from | 15five.com | Not confirmed |
| 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.
Trakstar
- No prices are published: the pricing page is a quote request form, so the cost is unverified.
- The suite is modular (Perform, Hire, Learn, Insights), and the pricing page does not say which parts a quote includes.
- The pricing page now sits on Mitratech's site, which acquired Trakstar in April 2023, according to Trakstar's homepage.
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.
Trakstar
- Performance reviews
- Perform offers customizable reviews with over 100 competencies, 360-degree reviews, goal setting and improvement plans.
- Engagement surveys
- Surveys are listed as part of the performance product alongside reviews and goal tracking.
- Applicant tracking
- Hire covers applicant tracking, collaborative hiring, candidate sourcing, talent pools and reports.
- Learning management
- Learn builds training courses with quizzes, assessments, screen shares and multimedia, with auto-enrollment and content delivery.
- Workforce analytics
- Insights is a dashboard that spans the platform's products and includes benchmarking.
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.
Trakstar
Pricing could not be confirmed. See trakstar.com.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, 15Five or Trakstar?
As of Nov 12, 2026, 15Five starts at $4 per user / month, billed annually, and Trakstar has no price we could confirm.
Which has a free plan, 15Five or Trakstar?
As of Nov 12, 2026, neither 15Five nor Trakstar has a free plan.
Which platforms do 15Five and Trakstar 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.