Peoplebox vs Small Improvements (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Small Improvements grades higher than Peoplebox: 2.2 against 1.8 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 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.
Peoplebox
OKRs, performance reviews and compensation, with per-module pricing
Small Improvements
Performance reviews, 360 feedback, 1:1s and pulse surveys
Which one is for you
Pick Peoplebox if
- Fits if you want to buy one module, such as engagement at $2
- Works for teams that want goals and reviews tied together
Look elsewhere if
- Pricey if you need reviews, 360s and compensation together, since each is its own per-person price
- Skip it if you want to try it first: no free plan and no trial
- Watch out: the AI hiring product is quoted on resume and interview volume
- Watch out: you book a demo to start
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
| 1.8GPAPeopleboxWeak | 2.2GPASmall ImprovementsFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C$2 to $8 per employee per module a month. Performance management at $8 sits near the dearer quarter ($9), so a useful bundle lands at C. | 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 trial is listed. You start with a demo request. | CA 30-day free trial. The listing does not say whether it needs a card, and there is no free plan. |
| Features | CGoals, reviews, 360 feedback, compensation and development plans, sold separately, and the hiring product has no published price. | 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, and you'd set it up with your own people data first, so it's an ordinary C. | CNo store rating on record. It syncs with HR systems and needs reviews built before it is useful. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWeb only, with two listed integrations. No mobile or desktop app named. | BWeb only, with Slack, Google Workspace, Okta, BambooHR, Personio, Rippling, Workday and Workable listed. |
| Best for | OKRs, reviews and pay, bought module by module | 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: Peoplebox and Small Improvements. How we grade
Price against what you get
Peoplebox starts at $2 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 Peoplebox starts $1 a month lower. Of the other HR software on the chart, none scores higher than Peoplebox for less, and 1 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
- Peoplebox also covers applicant tracking.
At a glance
| Peoplebox | Small Improvements | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Paid | Free trial |
| Starts at | $2 per employee / month, billed annually | $3 per user / month, billed annually |
| Free plan | None | None |
| Free trial | None listed | 30-day free trial |
| Web | ||
| Made by | Peoplebox.ai | Small Improvements |
| Price read from | peoplebox.ai | small-improvements.com |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 12, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Peoplebox
- No free plan or free trial is listed on the pricing page; buyers book a demo.
- Prices are per module, so a buyer who needs reviews, goals and engagement adds the figures together.
- The hiring product has no published price and is quoted on resume and interview volume.
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
Peoplebox
- OKRs and goals
- Cascaded company, team and individual goals, with AI-assisted goal creation and business reviews.
- Performance reviews
- Review cycles, probationary reviews, competencies, 9-box and calibration, with feedback pulled in from the year.
- 1:1s and continuous feedback
- Meeting agendas and action tracking, plus feedback that can be given and requested from Slack or Teams.
- Engagement surveys
- Pulse and engagement surveys with heatmaps by demographic and manager scoring; reports download as PPT or CSV.
- Compensation planning
- Budget distribution with pay-equity rules, approval steps and branded compensation statements.
- AI interviews and hiring
- An applicant tracking system with resume screening, sourcing, pre-screening calls and AI-run interviews.
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
Peoplebox
Engagement$2
per employee / month, billed annually
Custom and template surveys, anonymous or identified responses, manager scoring and driver heatmaps.
Individual Development Plans$3
per employee / month, billed annually
Development conversations, plan templates, AI-generated development areas, linked to performance reviews.
Compensation$5
per employee / month, billed annually
Compensation planning with budget limits, pay-equity rules, multi-step approvals and branded pay statements.
Performance Management$8
per employee / month, billed annually
OKRs and goals, performance reviews, 9-box and calibration, 1:1 meetings and continuous feedback.
360 Feedback$8
per employee / month, billed annually
Template-based 360 reviews with AI-written reports, competency scoring, anonymous or open review modes.
AI hiringCustom
Resume screening, sourcing, pre-screening calls and AI interviews; priced on resume and interview volume.
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, Peoplebox or Small Improvements?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Peoplebox is cheaper to start with: $2 a month for each person, against $3 a month for each person for Small Improvements. Peoplebox starts at $2 per employee / month, billed annually, and Small Improvements starts at $3 per user / month, billed annually.
Which has a free plan, Peoplebox or Small Improvements?
As of Nov 13, 2026, neither Peoplebox 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.