BambooHR vs OrangeHRM (2026): which should you pick?

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 OrangeHRM if

• Fits if you have someone who can run a server and want free HR software
• Works for small firms that need leave, records and recruiting without a subscription

Look elsewhere if

• Skip it if you can't host software, as Starter runs on your own server
• Tight if you want support, as Starter has only a user forum
• Tight if you want onboarding, rosters, training or surveys, which are Advanced only
• Watch out: Advanced has no published price, only a quote form

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.

OrangeHRM

• Starter has no support from the vendor beyond a user forum, and you host it yourself.
• Advanced prices are not published; a quote is requested through a form.
• Onboarding, roster, training, surveys, request desk and Citra AI are Advanced only.

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.

OrangeHRM

Employee records

Both editions hold employee profiles and databases, work schedules, an organization chart, a corporate directory and document templates.

Leave and time tracking

Leave management and time tracking are in the free Starter edition, and Advanced adds a roster for scheduling.

Performance and recruitment

Starter includes performance management and recruitment; Advanced adds 360-degree reviews and individual development plans.

Advanced HR modules

Advanced adds onboarding, a request desk, career development, training, surveys, employee voice, discipline and an AI assistant called Citra AI.

Hosting choice

The vendor says Advanced is available as a cloud service or on premises with the same capabilities, and Starter can be hosted as you prefer.

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.

OrangeHRM

• Starter$0

  Open-source edition you host yourself, with core HR, leave, performance, recruitment and time tracking.

• AdvancedCustom

  Per employee per month, by quote. Pick and mix modules including onboarding, roster, training and surveys.

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.

OrangeHRM

No public discounts listed.