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BambooHR Employee Monitoring Software Review and Pricing
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Table of Contents
Editors Score:7.9/10
While many employee monitoring platforms focus on productivity tracking, BambooHR emphasizes employee growth and performance management through reviews, feedback and goal-setting tools, making it our top pick for performance management.
Pros
The software includes performance management tools for reviews, goal tracking, 360-degree feedback and 1:1 meetings.
You can automate HR processes with customizable workflows and approvals.
The platform combines HR management, hiring and onboarding in one system.
Cons
Performance management tools require a Pro or Elite subscription.
Payroll, benefits administration and time tracking are paid add-ons.
Businesses that need traditional employee monitoring features, such as website monitoring and activity tracking, will need a separate platform.
Looking for more options?
Check out The Best Employee Monitoring Software of 2026 business.com recommends.
BambooHR is our choice for the best employee monitoring software for businesses prioritizing employee performance management. It’s important to note that BambooHR isn’t traditional employee monitoring software, which typically tracks employee activity through screenshots, keystroke logging or website monitoring. Instead, it’s a cloud-based HR information system (HRIS) that includes payroll services, applicant tracking, onboarding, e-signatures, time-off tracking and reporting tools that are accessible through desktop and mobile devices.
What sets BambooHR apart in this category are its performance management features. Businesses that choose BambooHR’s Pro or Elite plans get access to tools such as goal tracking, 360-degree feedback, one-on-one meeting management and customizable review cycles. These features help managers monitor employee progress, identify coaching opportunities and support employee development, making BambooHR a strong choice for organizations that want to focus on performance rather than employee surveillance.
BambooHR EMS Editor's Rating:
7.9 / 10
Price/value
7.9/10
Features
5/10
Compatible operating systems
9.3/10
Ease of use
8.8/10
Customer support
8.8/10
Why We Chose BambooHR for Performance Management
We chose BambooHR for performance management because it gives managers multiple ways to evaluate employee engagement, growth and performance from a single platform. Businesses can conduct manager, self, peer and 360-degree reviews, track progress toward individual and team goals, and schedule recurring one-on-one meetings to support employee development.
We were especially impressed by BambooHR’s flexibility. Administrators can customize review cycles, create their own review questions and automate reminders to keep evaluations on schedule. The platform’s reporting tools also make it easier to identify high performers, spot employees who may need additional support and track performance trends over time.
Another advantage is that BambooHR’s performance management tools are integrated with the company’s broader HR platform. Instead of managing reviews, employee records, hiring and onboarding in separate systems, businesses can access workforce and performance data from a single location.
BambooHR’s performance dashboard centralizes employee goals, feedback and assessments in one place. Source: BambooHR
Did You Know?
Employee monitoring doesn't always mean user activity monitoring, such as tracking screens, websites or keystrokes. Some platforms, including BambooHR, focus on measuring employee performance through goals, feedback and performance reviews instead.
Ease of Use
After testing BambooHR, we understand why users frequently praise the platform’s ease of use. The interface is clean, modern and well organized, making it easy to navigate between employee records, performance management tools, reporting features and other HR functions. We especially like that key information is centralized within each employee profile, reducing the need to jump between multiple screens.
Because BambooHR is designed for small and midsize businesses, most features are straightforward to set up and use without extensive training. The platform also offers customization options, automated workflows and helpful support resources that can make implementation and day-to-day administration easier. Businesses with remote work plans or distributed teams should appreciate BambooHR’s cloud-based design, which gives employees and managers access to the platform from virtually anywhere.
BambooHR Features
BambooHR’s performance management tools help managers track employee goals, gather feedback, conduct reviews and identify opportunities for employee development. Here are some of the features that stood out during our evaluation.
Performance Management
BambooHR earned our recommendation because of its robust performance management capabilities. Available with the Pro and Elite plans, these features help managers track employee progress, gather feedback and evaluate performance over time. Here are a few performance management functions businesses will appreciate:Â
Performance reviews: We especially like BambooHR’s flexible approach to performance reviews. Businesses can conduct manager, self, peer and 360-degree assessments, giving employees and managers a more complete picture of performance.
Assessment options: The platform also supports double-anonymized reviews, mobile assessments and impromptu evaluations, giving businesses multiple ways to gather meaningful feedback.
Employee development: The platform supports one-on-one meetings, goal tracking and automated reminders to help keep development plans and review cycles on schedule. We also like BambooHR’s employee community and recognition features, which encourage peer recognition and help reinforce employee engagement between formal performance reviews.
Customization: Another standout performance management feature is BambooHR’s customization. Administrators can create custom review questions, use prebuilt templates, schedule recurring reviews and configure review cycles to fit their organization’s needs.Â
Reporting: Beyond reviews and assessments, BambooHR provides HR reporting tools that help managers identify performance trends and coaching opportunities. HR teams can review performance data, goal progress and other workforce metrics, while segmenting reports by factors such as department, manager, location and employment type. We like that these insights are available within the same platform businesses use to manage employee records, helping managers connect performance data to broader workforce trends.
BambooHR allows employees and managers to complete assessments and performance reviews within each employee’s profile. Source: BambooHR
Employee Experience
BambooHR goes beyond performance reviews with tools designed to measure employee satisfaction and well-being. The platform includes eNPS and employee well-being surveys that help employers gather employee feedback and identify potential workplace issues before they become bigger problems. Businesses can use questions from BambooHR’s research-validated question bank or build their own surveys to focus on the topics that matter most to their teams.
We also like BambooHR’s tools for analyzing employee feedback. Heatmaps and keyword analysis make it easier to identify trends, while the platform’s AI-powered tools automatically organize eNPS responses into recurring themes. For small businesses in particular, these capabilities can save significant time by helping managers quickly understand what employees are saying without manually reviewing every response.
Beyond collecting feedback, BambooHR helps employers turn survey results into actionable insights. Managers can identify engagement concerns, uncover communication issues and track changes in employee sentiment over time, giving them more information to support workplace improvements and employee retention.
BambooHR’s employee satisfaction dashboard tracks eNPS scores, response rates and engagement trends across departments and locations. Source: BambooHR
Time Tracking
While BambooHR’s primary focus is performance management and HR administration, its optional Time Tracking add-on gives businesses many of the workforce monitoring tools found in dedicated time and attendance platforms. Employees can clock in and out from desktop or mobile devices, track project hours, submit timesheets and request time off through the same system they use for other HR tasks.
We like that BambooHR automates many administrative processes that can otherwise become time-consuming. The platform automatically calculates overtime, routes timesheets through customizable approval workflows and can sync approved hours with BambooHR Payroll. Managers can also monitor PTO balances, review attendance records and track hours worked from a centralized dashboard.
For businesses with more complex scheduling needs, BambooHR’s time and attendance tools also support shift scheduling, geolocation tracking and automated notifications that help employees submit and verify their hours on time. Because these features are integrated with the broader BambooHR platform, managers can connect attendance data with employee records, payroll and performance information without juggling multiple systems.
BambooHR’s Time Tracking add-on lets employees clock in, submit timesheets and track overtime from desktop and mobile devices. Source: BambooHR
Tip
Businesses that need deeper visibility into hours worked, scheduling and PTO usage may benefit from using one of the best time and attendance software solutions alongside their broader HR tools.
HR Administration
One of BambooHR’s biggest advantages is that it combines performance management tools with a full suite of HR administration features. In addition to tracking employee goals, feedback and reviews, businesses can use BambooHR to manage employee data, store documents, track benefits, automate workflows and approvals, and handle hiring, employee onboarding and offboarding tasks.
We also like that BambooHR includes e-signatures, training tracking, audit trails and an applicant tracking system. Because these capabilities are built into the same platform, businesses can manage much of the employee lifecycle without relying on separate software solutions. This broader functionality helps distinguish BambooHR from employee monitoring platforms that focus primarily on workforce activity or productivity tracking.
BambooHR includes onboarding and HR administration tools that help businesses manage employee information, workflows and new-hire experiences from a single platform. Source: BambooHR
BambooHR Pricing
BambooHR’s pricing is more transparent than that of many HR software competitors, thanks to its published starting rates for Core, Pro and Elite plans. However, because key functions such as payroll, benefits administration and time tracking are sold separately, businesses should request a custom quote to understand their total cost before committing.Â
Service Plan
Price
Key Features
Core
$10 per employee/month
HR data and reporting
Hiring and onboarding
Time off and benefits tracking
Employee experience tools
Compliance intelligence
AI assistantÂ
Over 150 integrations
Pro
$17 per employee/month
Everything in Core, plus:
Performance management
Employee community tools
Recognition and rewards
Additional compliance trainingÂ
Upgraded AI assistant
Elite
$25 per employee/month
Everything in Pro, plus:Â
Compensation management
Custom dashboards and analytics
HR benchmarks
Premium servicesÂ
Advanced AI capabilities
Optional add-on features
Custom pricing
Payroll, benefits administration and time tracking
Additional pricing considerations include the following:
Small-business pricing differs: Companies with 25 employees or fewer pay a flat monthly fee starting at $250 per month, while larger organizations pay per employee, per month.
Volume discounts are available: BambooHR automatically applies discounts as employee headcount increases.
Nonprofits receive additional savings: Registered nonprofit organizations qualify for a 15 percent discount.
Add-ons may increase costs: Payroll, benefits administration and time tracking are available separately and require additional fees.
Free trials are available: BambooHR offers a seven-day free trial for its core HR platform. Businesses interested in the Time Tracking add-on can also sign up for a dedicated 14-day free trial.
Bottom Line
For companies that want an HR platform they can expand over time, BambooHR's tiered structure and automatic volume discounts provide flexibility as their workforce grows.
Implementation and Onboarding
Because BambooHR is designed for small and midsize businesses, implementation is generally more straightforward than what we often see with enterprise HR platforms. The company provides onboarding resources and implementation support to help businesses migrate employee data, configure settings and get the system up and running.
BambooHR also gives businesses plenty of control over how the platform is configured. Administrators can adjust approval workflows, notifications, employee self-service settings and time-off policies to fit their existing processes. Most changes are straightforward to make, which should help reduce the learning curve during implementation.
Once the system is live, BambooHR provides training resources to help employees and managers become comfortable with the platform. Because hiring, onboarding, performance management and employee records are all housed in one system, businesses can often consolidate processes that may have previously been spread across multiple tools.
Customer Support
BambooHR offers support by phone, email and self-service resources. We like that the company publishes its support contact information directly on its website, making it easy for customers to get help when needed. Phone support is available Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mountain Time.
For businesses that prefer to troubleshoot issues on their own, BambooHR maintains a searchable online Help Center. The knowledge base covers a wide range of topics, including onboarding, payroll, performance management, time and attendance, mobile app functionality and employee self-service tools. We found the documentation easy to navigate, with content organized by user type and product area.
Because BambooHR handles everything from hiring and onboarding to performance management and time tracking, it’s helpful that the company’s support resources cover more than just technical issues. Users can also find guidance for many common HR tasks and workflows.
Limitations
Because BambooHR is first and foremost an HR platform, it doesn’t include some of the employee monitoring features businesses may find in dedicated monitoring software. Here are a few limitations businesses should keep in mind:
Not designed for intensive employee monitoring: BambooHR includes time tracking, PTO management, performance reviews and employee engagement tools, but it isn’t built for businesses that want to closely monitor employee activity. The platform doesn’t offer features such as keystroke logging, screenshot capture, website and application monitoring or content filtering. Companies that need those capabilities should consider dedicated employee monitoring software; read our Teramind review to learn about more traditional monitoring solutions.
Many advanced features require higher-tier plans or add-ons: BambooHR’s Core plan includes a strong foundation of HR tools, but some of the platform’s most valuable capabilities — including performance management, employee community features and compensation management — require Pro or Elite subscriptions. Payroll, benefits administration and time tracking are also sold separately.
Mobile functionality isn’t as robust as the desktop experience: BambooHR offers a mobile app for tasks such as time tracking, performance management and time-off requests. However, some users report that more complex administrative tasks and HR workflows are easier to manage from the desktop version.
FYI
BambooHR is best known as HR software, not employee monitoring software. If you'd like a closer look at its hiring, onboarding, payroll and HR administration tools, check out our BambooHR HR software review.
Methodology
We examined the best employee monitoring software to identify the top solutions on the market. As part of our evaluation, we researched and analyzed dozens of platforms with a focus on pricing, ease of use, customer support, monitoring capabilities and security. To identify the best solution for performance management, we paid particular attention to features such as goal tracking, performance reviews, peer and manager feedback, self-assessments, employee development tools, reporting capabilities and overall ease of use. Because BambooHR focuses on employee development and performance rather than traditional activity monitoring, these capabilities played a significant role in our evaluation.
BambooHR FAQs
BambooHR helps businesses manage employee information, HR processes and workforce development from a single platform. The software includes tools for the hiring process, onboarding, time-off management, employee satisfaction surveys and HR administration. Pro and Elite plans also include performance management features such as goal tracking, employee assessments and feedback tools.
Yes. Businesses can add BambooHR Payroll to manage payroll within the same platform they use for HR administration. The service includes payroll processing, reporting, payroll tax filing and year-end tax forms, and it can automatically sync employee and time-tracking data from BambooHR. Companies that prefer a separate payroll provider can also integrate BambooHR with many of the best online payroll services.
Not in the traditional sense. Unlike many employee monitoring platforms, BambooHR doesn't track employee activity through screenshots, keystroke logging, website monitoring or application tracking. Instead, BambooHR focuses on performance management and workforce development through tools such as goal tracking, employee assessments, feedback surveys and performance reviews. That's why we selected it as our top employee monitoring solution for performance management.
Bottom Line
We recommend BambooHR for …
Businesses that want to manage employee performance, engagement and HR operations from a single platform.
Companies looking for goal tracking, performance reviews, employee feedback and employee development tools.
Organizations that want to streamline hiring, onboarding, employee records and other HR processes.
We don’t recommend BambooHR for …
Businesses that need activity monitoring tools such as keystroke logging, screenshot capture or website tracking.
Companies looking for dedicated workforce surveillance or productivity-monitoring software.
Organizations that want all features included in a single plan rather than spread across tiers and add-ons.
Skye Schooley is a dedicated business professional who is especially passionate about human resources and digital marketing. For more than a decade, she has helped clients navigate the employee recruitment and customer acquisition processes, ensuring small business owners have the knowledge they need to succeed and grow their companies.
At business.com, Schooley covers the ins and outs of hiring and onboarding, employee monitoring, PEOs and HROs, employee benefits and more.
In recent years, Schooley has enjoyed evaluating and comparing HR software and other human resources solutions to help businesses find the tools and services that best suit their needs. With a degree in business communications, she excels at simplifying complicated subjects and interviewing business vendors and entrepreneurs to gain new insights. Her guidance spans various formats, including newsletters, long-form videos and YouTube Shorts, reflecting her commitment to providing valuable expertise in accessible ways.
