Betterworks vs Small Improvements (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 12, 2026, Small Improvements grades higher than Betterworks: 2.2 against 1.8 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 12, 2026 · graded Nov 12, 2026 by ToolGPA
Small Improvements grades higher on the free plan. They get the same grade on value for money, features, ease of use and platforms.
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
Small Improvements
Performance reviews, 360 feedback, 1:1s and pulse surveys
Which one is for you
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
Pick Small Improvements if
- Fits if you run reviews for 20 or more people and already have an HR system
- Works for teams that want 360 feedback and 1:1s in one tool
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if you have fewer than 20 people, since every plan has a user minimum
- Pricey if you need 360 feedback, 1:1s or pulse surveys, which start on Grow at $6
- Watch out: volume discounts start at 200 users on Elevate or 1,000 on Grow
- Too light for HR records, as it syncs with an HR system rather than replacing it
How we grade them
| 1.8GPABetterworksWeak | 2.2GPASmall ImprovementsFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | 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. | C$3 a user a month is in the cheapest quarter, but the 20-user minimum means at least $60 a month, so one person cannot buy it. Grow at $6 and Elevate at $9 are where 360 feedback and 1:1s sit. |
| Free plan and trial | FNo free plan and no free trial on the pricing page. | CA 30-day free trial. The listing does not say whether it needs a card, and there is no free plan. |
| Features | 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. | CReviews, 360 feedback, objectives, 1:1s, pulse surveys and AI features. Launch covers essential reviews and praise only, and it is not an HRIS. |
| Ease of use | CNo store rating on record. Goal cascades and review programs take setting up, and Enterprise adds an implementation team. | CNo store rating on record. It syncs with HR systems and needs reviews built before it is useful. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWeb only, but with a list of integrations (8 on record). | BWeb only, with Slack, Google Workspace, Okta, BambooHR, Personio, Rippling, Workday and Workable listed. |
| Best for | goals, OKRs and review conversations | performance reviews from $3 a seat, 20 minimum |
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: Betterworks and Small Improvements. How we grade
Price against what you get
Betterworks starts at $8 a month for each person and scores 2.3 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. Small Improvements starts at $3 a month for each person and scores 2.3.
They score the same, and Small Improvements starts $5 a month lower. Of the other HR software on the chart, 2 score higher than Betterworks for less, and none scores higher than Small Improvements 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
At a glance
| Betterworks | Small Improvements | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Paid | Free trial |
| Starts at | $8 per user / month | $3 per user / month, billed annually |
| Free plan | None | None |
| Free trial | None listed | 30-day free trial |
| Web | ||
| Made by | Betterworks | Small Improvements |
| Price read from | betterworks.com | small-improvements.com |
| Checked | Nov 12, 2026 | Nov 12, 2026 |
Worth knowing
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.
Small Improvements
- Every plan has a minimum user count: 20 users on Launch and Grow, 30 on Elevate.
- 360 feedback, 1:1 meetings and pulse surveys need Grow ($6) or Elevate; Launch covers essential reviews and praise only.
- Volume discounts are offered only for 200 or more active users on Elevate, or 1,000 or more on Grow.
- It is a performance and engagement tool, not an HRIS: it syncs with HR systems such as BambooHR, Personio and Workday instead of replacing them.
Key features
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.
Small Improvements
- Performance reviews
- Review cycles launch from included templates with automated notifications. Calibration can be added to compare ratings across teams.
- 360 and anytime feedback
- Teammates can be asked for feedback as part of a cycle, and people can also give feedback outside review periods. Both sit on the Grow plan and above.
- Objectives
- Objectives can cascade from company to team to individual, and an AI Objectives Coach helps turn feedback into objectives.
- 1:1 meetings
- Managers and employees share an agenda and track action items between meetings. 1:1s sync with Google Calendar or Office 365.
- Pulse surveys
- Confidential surveys with heatmaps and trend reports to show which teams need attention.
- AI features
- AI drafts and summarizes in several areas, including insights across reviews, and the vendor says any AI feature can be turned off.
Plans
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.
Small Improvements
Launch$3
per user / month, billed annually
Essential performance reviews, praise, a company directory, HRIS integrations and Google sign-in. Minimum of 20 users.
Grow$6
per user / month, billed annually
Everything in Launch plus 360 and anytime feedback, essential objectives, 1:1 meetings, pulse surveys and the Slack integration. Minimum of 20 users.
Elevate$9
per user / month, billed annually
Everything in Grow plus all features, all integrations, all customizations and advanced analytics. Minimum of 30 users.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Betterworks or Small Improvements?
As of Nov 12, 2026, Small Improvements is cheaper to start with: $3 a month for each person, against $8 a month for each person for Betterworks. Betterworks starts at $8 per user / month, and Small Improvements starts at $3 per user / month, billed annually.
Which has a free plan, Betterworks or Small Improvements?
As of Nov 12, 2026, neither Betterworks nor Small Improvements has a free plan. Small Improvements has a free trial.
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.