The Pave Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Pave in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Pave
The Insider’s Guide
Compensation benchmarks, pay planning and total rewards software
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among HR software, read from Pave’s own pages.
Made by Pave · checked Nov 12, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Pave’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Pave’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Nov 12, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.4
GPA, above 50 of the 63 other HR software we grade
Pave is a compensation platform that pulls pay data from companies' HR and payroll systems to build salary and equity benchmarks. On top of the benchmark data it offers market pricing, compensation planning cycles, manager views, a total rewards portal and an AI assistant called Pave Agent. A free benchmark tier is available; everything else is quoted.
To get you started, here are 8 things to know about Pave, taken from its own pages and our grades.
Past that, every plan is a quote, global data needs Pro, and planning and offer letters are add-ons.
- 1
Best for pay benchmarks from a free tier
Pave gives you salary and equity benchmarks from companies that connect their HR systems, and the Lite tier costs nothing.
- 2
There is a free plan
Market Data Lite: free salary and equity benchmarks for 290+ job families, limited to the U.S. overall plus one other market.
- 3
It runs on Web
Web.
- 4
Compensation benchmarks
Salary and equity data from companies that connect their HR systems to Pave, with AI-assisted job matching across 290+ job families.
- 5
Custom peer groups
Pro lets a team build peer groups from the integrated client base and filter for recent hires.
- 6
Market pricing
Blends Pave data with uploaded surveys to price jobs and build pay ranges.
- 7
A 2.4 GPA, above 50 of 63
That is against the other HR software we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 8
Keep it
To replace Pave you would be making an AI agent, with the models and the safeguards behind it. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
Pave at a glance
- Pricing
- Free plan
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- Web
- Made by
- Pave, since 2019
- Category
- HR Software
- Our grade
- 2.4 GPA, fair
The report card
Best for pay benchmarks from a free tier
Pave gives you salary and equity benchmarks from companies that connect their HR systems, and the Lite tier costs nothing. Past that, every plan is a quote, global data needs Pro, and planning and offer letters are add-ons.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C | No price is published for Market Data Pro, Pave Agent or Agentic Workflows, and planning, Team View and Total Rewards are add-ons. Only Market Data Lite has a number, which is $0, so value sits at the middle. |
| Free plan and trial | B | Market Data Lite is free for 290+ job families, but only for the U.S. overall plus one other market. A small company can live on that for benchmarks, though not for anything else. |
| Features | C | Benchmarks, custom peer groups, market pricing, planning, total rewards and an AI assistant. The listing shows gaps: global benchmarks sit on Pro and planning and offer letters are add-ons. |
| Ease of use | C | No store rating is on record. You have to connect your HR or payroll system before the data is useful, which is setup work. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | Web only, but it lists integrations with ADP, Ashby, BambooHR, Carta, Deel, Greenhouse and Gusto, among others. No desktop or phone app. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Pave is for
- Fits if you want U.S. pay benchmarks for a handful of job families at no cost
- Works for a company that already runs BambooHR, Gusto or ADP and can connect it
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you need benchmarks outside the U.S. and one other market, as global data is on Pro
- Pricey if you want planning, Team View or offer letters, which are add-ons with no published price
- Watch out: Pro, Pave Agent and Agentic Workflows are quote-only, so there is nothing to compare before a sales call
- Watch out: the data comes from companies that connect to Pave, so it reflects that client base
Good to know
Good for
- Compensation and total rewards teams at venture-backed and tech companies
- Companies that need current equity and salary benchmarks without a survey cycle
- HR teams running merit cycles that want managers working inside one system
Worth knowing
- Only Market Data Lite has a published price ($0); Pro, Pave Agent and Agentic Workflows require a quote.
- Free Lite benchmarks cover the U.S. overall plus one additional market; global benchmarks across 60+ countries are on Pro.
- Compensation Planning, Team View, Total Rewards and Visual Offer Letter are add-ons that pair with Agentic Workflows.
- The benchmark data comes from companies that integrate with Pave, so it reflects that client base.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
4
plans to choose from
Pave has a free plan.
No price is published for Market Data Pro, Pave Agent or Agentic Workflows, and planning, Team View and Total Rewards are add-ons.
Market Data Lite
$0
Benchmarks from 9,000+ participating companies, AI job matching, 290+ job families, U.S. overall plus one additional market.
Market Data Pro
Custom
Custom peer groups, unlimited global benchmarks across 60+ countries, recent-hire filter, advanced equity data and unlimited exports. Quote required.
Pave Agent
Custom
Market Data Pro plus an AI compensation analyst, job architecture and job-pricing help, and MCP access to Pave data. Quote required.
Agentic Workflows
Custom
Pave Agent plus a structured comp data warehouse, survey uploads and Market Pricing that blends sources. Add-ons for planning, Team View and total rewards. Quote required.
The free plan
Market Data Lite: free salary and equity benchmarks for 290+ job families, limited to the U.S. overall plus one other market.
Read from pave.com on Nov 12, 2026.
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
1
Place it runs: Web
Compensation benchmarks, pay planning and total rewards software. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: AI features, AI agents, reports, employee records.
Benchmarks, custom peer groups, market pricing, planning, total rewards and an AI assistant.
- Compensation benchmarks
- Salary and equity data from companies that connect their HR systems to Pave, with AI-assisted job matching across 290+ job families.
- Custom peer groups
- Pro lets a team build peer groups from the integrated client base and filter for recent hires.
- Market pricing
- Blends Pave data with uploaded surveys to price jobs and build pay ranges.
- Compensation planning
- An add-on for running merit and equity cycles, with permissioning so each manager sees only the people they should.
- Total rewards and offer letters
- Add-ons for an employee total rewards portal and an interactive visual offer letter that shows total compensation to candidates.
- Pave Agent
- An AI analyst that answers questions about the market data, helps build job architecture and can run merit simulations.
Where it runs
- Web
What it works with
- ADP
- Ashby
- BambooHR
- Carta
- Culture Amp
- Deel
- Greenhouse
- Gusto
Pave is made by Pave, and has been around since 2019.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
50/63
Other HR software it is graded above
Pave's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 50 of the 63 other HR software we grade, and level with 9.
It stands best on free plan and trial (B, above 59 of 63) and worst on features (C, above 1).
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 64 HR software we grade, cut by the letter each got. Pave’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 5 of 63
- BFree plan and trialAbove 59 of 63
- CFeaturesAbove 1 of 63
- CEase of useAbove 1 of 63
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 22 of 63
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
To replace Pave you would be making an AI agent, with the models and the safeguards behind it. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
It is one of the better ones too: its GPA of 2.4 is higher than 50 of the 63 other HR software we grade.
What you could make
- Employee records and reports: an app builder makes these well.
What you could not
- An AI agent, with the models and the safeguards behind it.
- It plugs into other products, ADP, Ashby and BambooHR among them.
What this rests on. Pave’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
BambooHR, Culture Amp, Lattice, HiBob and Rippling
The 5 tools Pave is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.4GPA
BambooHR
Free trial · from $250/mo
HR records, hiring, time off and reviews, with US payroll as an add-on.
- Pave has a free plan. BambooHR does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only BambooHR lists iOS and Android apps.
- Pave also covers AI agents.
- 1.8GPA
Culture Amp
Paid
Engagement surveys, performance reviews and development together.
- Pave has a free plan. Culture Amp does not.
- Pave also covers AI agents and employee records.
- Culture Amp also covers goals and surveys.
- 1.6GPA
Lattice
From $4/mo
Performance reviews, goals and engagement surveys for HR teams.
- Pave has a free plan. Lattice does not.
- Pave also covers employee records.
- Lattice also covers meeting notes, goals and surveys.
- 2.0GPA
HiBob
Paid
HR platform for mid-sized global firms, with US and UK payroll.
- Pave has a free plan. HiBob does not.
- Only HiBob lists iOS and Android apps.
- Pave also covers AI agents.
- 2.4GPA
Rippling
Paid
HR, IT and finance platform with US and global payroll, by quote.
- Pave has a free plan. Rippling does not.
- Only Rippling lists iOS and Android apps.
- Pave also covers AI agents, reports and employee records.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
11
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Pave free?
Pave has a free plan. Market Data Lite: free salary and equity benchmarks for 290+ job families, limited to the U.S. overall plus one other market.
How much does Pave cost?
Pave lists 4 plans. Market Data Lite: $0.
What platforms does Pave work on?
Pave is available on Web.
Does Pave have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. Pave is listed for Web.
Does Pave have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. Pave is listed for Web.
Is Pave open source?
Pave is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Nov 12, 2026.
What does Pave integrate with?
Pave's listing names ADP, Ashby, BambooHR, Carta, Culture Amp, Deel, Greenhouse and Gusto.
Who makes Pave?
Pave is made by a company of the same name. It dates from 2019.
What are the alternatives to Pave?
The closest alternatives to Pave in our directory are BambooHR, Culture Amp, Lattice, HiBob and Rippling.
How does Pave compare with other HR software?
Pave's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 50 of the 63 other HR software we grade, and level with 9.
Could I make my own version of Pave?
To replace Pave you would be making an AI agent, with the models and the safeguards behind it.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Pave’s own pages on Nov 12, 2026, and the grades were given on Nov 12, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Pave's own pages on 12 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Pave. Prices change, so check pave.com before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
5,038
Tools graded, in 95 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
5,038
tools graded
95
categories
739
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Pave, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/pave
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Pave: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 12, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/pave
Know someone choosing between HR software?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/pave/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded HR software after Pave, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- HR Software Insider's GuideEvery one of the 64 HR software we grade, compared
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- Leave Dates Insider's GuideAnnual leave planner and absence tracker for small teams2.6 GPA
- TalentHR Insider's GuideHR records, time off, hiring and reviews for small teams2.6 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Pave’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Pave is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Pave. Prices and plans change: check pave.com before you buy.