PerformYard vs Small Improvements (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 12, 2026, Small Improvements grades higher than PerformYard: 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.
PerformYard
Performance reviews, goals and talent development with AI help
Small Improvements
Performance reviews, 360 feedback, 1:1s and pulse surveys
Which one is for you
Pick PerformYard if
- Fits if you want reviews and goals in one tool and already have an HR system to sync from
- Works for companies that want onboarding and a success manager included in the price
Look elsewhere if
- Pricey if you land at the top of the range, since $15 a seat is well above the category's middle
- Skip it if you want to try first, because there is no free plan or trial
- Not for you if you need compensation planning or coaching in the base price, as Talent Development is a separate product
- Watch out: the page does not say which employee counts get which rate
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
| 1.8GPAPerformYardWeak | 2.2GPASmall ImprovementsFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C$5 to $15 per person a month billed annually. The bottom of the range matches the category's middle of $5, and the page does not say which team sizes pay what. | 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 | CReviews, meetings, goals, surveys and an AI writing helper. Compensation, coaching and succession planning are the separate Talent Development set, priced on their own. | 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. It syncs with HR systems and uses single sign-on, so there is setup before people use it. | CNo store rating on record. It syncs with HR systems and needs reviews built before it is useful. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWeb only, but it lists ADP, BambooHR, Gusto, Rippling, UKG, Workday, Slack and Microsoft Teams. | BWeb only, with Slack, Google Workspace, Okta, BambooHR, Personio, Rippling, Workday and Workable listed. |
| Best for | reviews and goals at $5 to $15 a seat | 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: PerformYard and Small Improvements. How we grade
Price against what you get
PerformYard starts at $5 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 $2 a month lower. Of the other HR software on the chart, 2 score higher than PerformYard 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
| PerformYard | Small Improvements | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Paid | Free trial |
| Starts at | $5 per person / month, billed annually (the page shows a $5 to $15 range) | $3 per user / month, billed annually |
| Free plan | None | None |
| Free trial | None listed | 30-day free trial |
| Web | ||
| Made by | PerformYard | Small Improvements |
| Price read from | performyard.com | small-improvements.com |
| Checked | Nov 12, 2026 | Nov 12, 2026 |
Worth knowing
PerformYard
- Prices are a range of $5 to $15 per person / month; the page does not say which employee counts or product choices fall where.
- Billed annually per seat, with volume pricing for larger organizations; there is no free plan or free trial on the pricing page.
- Talent Development (compensation, coaching, competencies) is a separate product set from Performance, each priced in the same $5 to $15 range.
- The vendor says onboarding, training and a dedicated success manager carry no extra fee.
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
PerformYard
- Reviews and check-ins
- Annual reviews, goal check-ins, 360 feedback, competency-based and project-based reviews, quarterly conversations and PIPs are listed as supported review types.
- Meetings and goals
- 1:1 meeting tools and goal management that aligns individual goals with company ones.
- Engagement surveys
- eNPS and custom pulse surveys, available in the Performance product set.
- Talent Development suite
- A separate set covering compensation merit cycles tied to performance, competencies and skills, AI coaching and career pathing.
- AI writing and coaching
- Writing assistance, summaries and coaching prompts for managers are listed as included in every plan.
- HRIS sync and SSO
- Employee data syncs from systems such as ADP, BambooHR, Gusto, Rippling, UKG, Workday and Paylocity, and SFTP covers others. SSO is included with every plan.
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
PerformYard
Performance$5-15
per person / month, billed annually
Reviews, meetings, goals, engagement, feedback and surveys, with PerformYard AI. The rate within $5 to $15 depends on employee count and products chosen.
Talent Development$5-15
per person / month, billed annually
Compensation, coaching, competencies, succession planning, employee insights and career pathing, with PerformYard AI. Rate depends on employee count and products chosen.
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, PerformYard or Small Improvements?
As of Nov 12, 2026, Small Improvements is cheaper to start with: $3 a month for each person, against $5 a month for each person for PerformYard. PerformYard starts at $5 per person / month, billed annually (the page shows a $5 to $15 range), and Small Improvements starts at $3 per user / month, billed annually.
Which has a free plan, PerformYard or Small Improvements?
As of Nov 12, 2026, neither PerformYard 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.