BambooHR vs Workmotion (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 Workmotion if

• Fits if you hire full-time staff abroad and want one provider to employ them
• Works for companies that pay contractors in many countries

Look elsewhere if

• Pricey if you hire one or two people, as $549 a person a month is a starting rate
• Skip it if you want to try first, because there is no free plan or trial
• Not for you if you want a self-serve sign-up, as every plan routes to sales
• Watch out: its AI candidate matching takes 10% of gross annual starting salary unless the hire goes through its employer-of-record or direct hiring
• Watch out: hiring in Switzerland is on a separate site

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.

Workmotion

• Every plan routes to Talk To Sales; the listed figures are starting prices per person.
• Synmatch AI is free only when the hire goes through Workmotion's EOR or Direct Hiring; otherwise it takes a 10% commission on gross annual starting salary.
• Hiring in Switzerland is handled on a separate site, WorkMotion Switzerland.

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.

Workmotion

Employer of record

Hires people in 160+ countries through Workmotion's subsidiary network, with contract negotiation, payroll and benefits handled for the employer.

Direct hiring

Helps a company register as an employer in another country, with legal and HR guidance and custom benefits, for a longer-term presence.

Contractor management

Manages international contractors and freelancers, their invoices and projects, and pays them in 160+ countries.

Payroll and expenses

Payroll management and expense management are part of the platform, which also covers onboarding and offboarding.

AI-sourced candidates

Synmatch AI supplies pre-screened candidates through AI interviews and identity checks, free when hired through Workmotion's EOR or Direct Hiring.

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.

Workmotion

• Contractor management$31

  per contractor / month, and up

  Contractor invoices, projects and payments in 160+ countries, with misclassification checks.

• Direct Hiring$429

  per talent / month, and up

  Register as an employer in another country for a longer-term presence; sold through sales.

• Employer of Record$549

  per talent / month, and up

  Hire in 160+ countries without opening entities; the euro price is €499. Sold through sales.

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.

Workmotion

No public discounts listed.