BambooHR vs Flare HR (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, we pick BambooHR: it is second in our ranking of HR software, and they share a 2.4 GPA.
Checked Oct 18, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 · graded Oct 18, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 by ToolGPA
BambooHR grades higher on features, ease of use and platforms. Flare HR grades higher on value for money and the free plan.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
BambooHR
HR records, hiring, time off and reviews, with US payroll as an add-on
Flare HR
Employee benefits platform for Australian employers, free to them
Which one is for you
Pick BambooHR if
- Fits if you're moving staff details out of spreadsheets
- Works for US companies that want hiring, onboarding and time off in one system
Look elsewhere if
- Pricey if you're well under 25 people, as you pay the full $250 a month anyway
- Tight if you hire a lot on Core, which allows 5 job openings
- Skip it if you need payroll outside the US, as the add-on is US only
- Watch out: payroll and benefits are add-ons with no price published
- Watch out: the plan cards say $10 and $17 per employee for Core and Pro, the FAQ $10.25 and $17.50
Pick Flare HR if
- Fits if you are an Australian employer who wants to offer staff perks at no software cost
- Works for staff who want novated car leasing through payroll
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you are outside Australia, as the brands and tax treatment are Australian
- Not for you if you want an HR system, since it does no payroll, records or hiring
- Watch out: some benefits, such as car leasing, are products the employee buys through Flare
- Watch out: the pages don't say how Flare makes money from those products
How we grade them
| 2.4GPABambooHRFair | 2.4GPAFlare HRFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | DCore is a flat $250 a month for up to 25 employees, so a ten-person company pays $250, or $25 a head. It buys records, time off, hiring and onboarding. That's the dearest tenth of this category, where most charge $3.75 to $9 a person. | BThe vendor says it costs the employer nothing: no subscription, per-user fee or integration fee. Employees buy products such as car leasing through it, and the pages don't say how Flare is paid. |
| Free plan and trial | CNo free plan, but a free trial with no card that ends on its own rather than turning into a bill. | AFree for employers outright, with no subscription, per-user price or integration fee, per the vendor's SME page. |
| Features | BRecords and reports, time off with accruals, hiring with 5 openings, onboarding with e-signatures and an AI assistant, then reviews and 1:1s on Pro. The whole job, with US payroll and benefits as add-ons. | DOne narrow job, employee benefits and perks. No payroll, records or hiring, and it plugs into a separate HR system. |
| Ease of use | B4.66 from 12,758 App Store ratings, just under the 4.7 that would make it an A. | CNo store rating on record. A benefits program needs to be set up, and linked to your HR system, before staff can use it. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWeb, iPhone and Android, with Slack, Greenhouse, Checkr, Culture Amp, Remote, Indeed and TalentLMS. No desktop app. | CWeb portal; the pages mention a mobile app, but no apps or integrations list are on record. |
| Best for | small US companies leaving HR spreadsheets | staff discounts and pre-tax benefits in Australia |
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: BambooHR and Flare HR. How we grade
Price against what you get
BambooHR starts at $10 a month for each person and scores 3.0 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. Flare HR has no paid plan and scores 1.7.
BambooHR scores higher, and starts $10 a month higher: the question is whether the extra is worth that to you. Of the other HR software on the chart, none scores higher than BambooHR for less, and none scores higher than Flare HR 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
- BambooHR also covers reports, applicant tracking, employee records and time off.
- Flare HR also covers calculator.
At a glance
| BambooHR | Flare HR | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free trial | Free |
| Starts at | $250 per month for up to 25 employees, then $10 per employee / month | Free |
| Free plan | None | Free for employers: no software cost, subscription, per-user price, integration fee or ongoing cost, per the vendor's SME page. |
| Free trial | Free trial, no credit card required; it ends on its own | None listed |
| Web | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | BambooHR | Flare HR |
| Price read from | bamboohr.com | flarehr.com |
| Checked | Oct 18, 2026 | Nov 12, 2026 |
Worth knowing
BambooHR
- Teams of 25 or fewer pay the flat monthly fee whatever their size; per-employee pricing, with volume discounts, starts above 25 employees.
- Payroll and benefits administration are add-ons for US employees only, and their prices are not published.
- The plan cards show $10 and $17 per employee for Core and Pro, while the FAQ on the same page says $10.25 and $17.50.
- Job openings are capped by plan: 5 on Core, 25 on Pro and 50 on Elite.
Flare HR
- It is a benefits platform, not a full HR system: no payroll runs, records or hiring are described on the pages read.
- It is aimed at Australian employers and workers, with Australian brands and tax treatment.
- The free software cost applies to the employer; the pages do not say how Flare earns revenue from products like novated leasing.
- Some benefits, such as car leasing, are products that employees buy through Flare.
Key features
BambooHR
- Employee records and reports
- One database for people data, with a custom report builder, dashboards and built-in workflows for approving changes and time-off requests.
- Hiring and onboarding
- Post jobs to job boards, track candidates, send offer letters from templates, and give new hires a packet with e-signatures and an onboarding checklist.
- Time off
- Unlimited custom time-off policies with accruals, approvals and a shared calendar of who is out.
- Performance and recognition
- On Pro and Elite, run 360-degree review cycles, schedule 1:1s, track goals and give recognition points staff can redeem for gift cards.
- Ask BambooHR
- An AI assistant answers employees' questions about time off and holidays from company data, and on higher plans about policies and benchmarks.
- Payroll, benefits and time add-ons
- Add US payroll with tax filing, benefits enrollment with carrier connections, and time tracking with shift scheduling and an iPad kiosk.
Flare HR
- Everyday savings
- Discounts at 500+ Australian brands across over 9,000 locations, plus premium perks such as gym memberships and holidays.
- Pre- and post-tax benefits
- Benefits that can raise employees' take-home pay, which the vendor pitches as a way to offset cost-of-living pressure.
- Novated leasing
- Flare Cars offers novated car leasing, with a savings calculator and a deals page for electric vehicles.
- Comparison tools
- Free comparison tools and personalized support for larger expenses such as healthcare, energy and transport.
- Customizable program
- Employers choose which benefits to offer and can add Flare to a benefits program they already run.
- HRIS integration
- The enterprise page says Flare is integrated into most HRIS platforms and has no SaaS or implementation fees.
Plans
BambooHR
Core$250
per month for up to 25 employees
Records, reports, time off, hiring with 5 job openings, onboarding and the AI assistant. Above 25 employees, $10 per employee a month ($10.25 in the FAQ).
Pro$425
per month for up to 25 employees
Core plus performance reviews, 1:1s, recognition and rewards, and 25 job openings. Above 25 employees, $17 per employee a month ($17.50 in the FAQ).
Elite$650
per month for up to 25 employees
Pro plus compensation planning with Mercer benchmarks, custom dashboards, HR benchmarks and 50 job openings. Above 25 employees, $25 per employee a month.
Flare HR
Free for employers$0
No software cost, subscription fees, price per user, integration fees or ongoing costs for the employer.
Ways to pay less
BambooHR
- Nonprofit
15% off for registered nonprofits
BambooHR takes an additional 15% off for registered nonprofit organizations.
- Other savings
15% off when bundling payroll and benefits
Combining the Payroll and Benefits Administration add-ons with any plan gives a 15% discount, for employees based in the US.
Flare HR
No public discounts listed.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, BambooHR or Flare HR?
As of Nov 12, 2026, Flare HR is cheaper to start with: it is free, against $10 a month for each person for BambooHR. BambooHR starts at $250 per month for up to 25 employees, then $10 per employee / month, and Flare HR is free.
Which has a free plan, BambooHR or Flare HR?
As of Nov 12, 2026, only Flare HR has a free plan. BambooHR does not, though it has a free trial.
Which platforms do BambooHR and Flare HR run on?
As of Nov 12, 2026, only BambooHR 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.