10 Best BambooHR Competitors & Alternatives in 2025

Finding the right tool for recruitment is important for businesses aiming to streamline hiring and boost overall efficiency. While BambooHR is good, it may not suit every organization. Therefore, many businesses seek alternatives with better pricing, advanced features, or scalability.

The recruitment software market is estimated to reach approx $5.58 billion by 2031. With this rapid growth, several BambooHR competitors have appeared, serving small startups, mid-sized firms, to large companies with strong features.

In this blog, we compiled a list of the top 10 BambooHR alternatives. Each platform is carefully reviewed based on its features, pricing, pros, cons, etc. By the end HR and businesses will be able to choose the right software for their organization.

What is BambooHR?

BambooHR is an HR recruitment software built for small to mid-sized businesses. It offers features like HR & reporting, integrated payroll, benefits administration, HR database management, etc. 

Its Applicant Tracking System (ATS) lets recruiters post jobs, track applicants, and manage the hiring process in one place. BambooHR offers 125+ integrations with platforms such as Slack, Greenhouse, Indeed, Google, Deel, 15five, etc. BambooHR cost is hidden so you have to contact its sales team for the quote.

Read the full BambooHR review here for more detailed information.

Top 10 BambooHR Competitors and Alternatives

These are the best BambooHR alternatives in 2025 that HRs and business should know about :

1. Skima AI

Skima AI is a next-generation talent intelligence platform and ATS designed to transform how recruiters find and hire talent. It uses an AI search engine to quickly scan millions of resumes.

It focuses on AI matching scores, resume parsing, and using AI to rank top candidates so recruiters can hire the best fit quickly. Using machine learning, it analyzes global and local candidate data from 800 million databases to predict job fit with precision.

Skima AI integrates smoothly with tools like LinkedIn, Indeed, Glassdoor, Slack, Zapier, etc, letting you plug it into your existing HR setup. For recruiters, Skima AI is one of the best BambooHR competitors that boosts efficiency with smart automation.

Key Features

The key features of Skima AI are as follows:

• Application Tracking System (ATS)
• AI Search Engine
• AI-Powered Candidate Matching
• AI Job Description Generator
• Resume Parser
• Resume Tagging
• In-House APIs
• Source
• Outreach AI-Powered Candidate Ranking
• Predictive Analytics for Hiring
• Customizable Workflows
• Multiple Language Support
• Smart Filtering System
• Public Job Advertising
• Email Campaigns

Free Trial: 14 days

Pricing:

Pros

According to the customer reviews here are the pros of using Skima AI that make it one of the best BambooHR competitors:

• AI Search Engine: Skima AI's search engine quickly scans millions of resumes, helping recruiters find candidates faster and reducing manual search time. It's like using Google for instant results.. 
• Precision Candidate Ranking: Using AI Skima ranks candidates from best to low based on job fit, saving recruiters time. 
• Smart Outreach Automation: Skima AI automates candidate outreach with personalized email campaigns, boosting response rates. 

Cons

Based on user feedback here are the drawbacks of Skima AI:

• Learning Curve for AI Tools: Skima’s AI features are powerful and user-friendly. New users might need a short adjustment period, but the easy interface makes learning easy, unlocking faster and smarter hiring outcomes.

2. Paylocity

Paylocity is an HR and payroll platform with recruitment features like onboarding, ATS, performance management, talent management system, etc. Its applicant tracking system (ATS) helps recruiters manage job postings, track candidates, and streamline hiring workflows.

It’s designed to make hiring collaborative, letting hiring managers and HR work together easily. Paylocity integrates with tools like LinkedIn, Indeed, ZipRecruiter, etc. Paylocity's AI generates job descriptions quickly, analyzes previous data, and provides smart insights, and automation.

Key Features

The key features of Paylocity are:

• Recruiting
• Performance Management
• Compensation Management
• Onboarding 
• Payloctiy AI

Free Trial: Paylocity did not offer a free trial

Pricing: The price of Paylocity is hidden. To get an quote businesses have to contact their customer support team.

Pros

Based on the user’s review these are the advantages of Paylocity which make it one of the BambooHR competitors:

• Collaborative Hiring Tools: Paylocity lets recruiters and hiring managers work together in real time to review candidates. This teamwork speeds up decision-making and keeps everyone aligned on hires. 
• Quick Job Board Posting: With one click Paylocity helps post jobs to LinkedIn and Indeed. Recruiters can attract candidates from multiple sources without extra effort. 
• Custom Recruitment Reports: Paylocity offers tailored reports to track hiring progress, like time-to-fill metrics.

Cons

Here are the cons of Paylocity as per the reviews given by users:

• Manual Candidate Screening: Without AI-driven matching, recruiters must sift through applications by hand. This can slow down the process.
• Limited Outreach Features: Paylocity lacks built-in tools for automated candidate emails or follow-ups. Recruiters have to manage outreach separately, adding extra steps. 

3. ADP Workforce Now

ADP Workforce Now is an HR tool that helps recruiters manage hiring from start to finish with its Applicant Tracking System (ATS). It lets you post jobs to sites like LinkedIn and Indeed, track applicants, and match them to roles using basic filters for skills and experience.

It offers a talent management system and combines payroll, time tracking, and benefits administration into one platform.

It's a good way to organize things and works well for larger teams. However, it's not the fastest or smartest option, lacking advanced AI features that could simplify hiring and recruitment challenges.

Key Features

The key features of ADP Workforce Now:

• Talent Acquisition
• Talent Management
• Reporting and Analytics
• Job Posting Tools
• Candidate Management
• Recruitment Analytics
• Compliance Tracking

Free Trial: ADP Workforce Now did not offer a free trial.

Pricing: ADP Workforce Now pricing is not transparent in its official website. To get a quote businesses need to contact their sales team.

Pros

According to the user’s review here are the advantages of ADP Workforce Now that make it one of the BambooHR competitors:

• Compliance-Driven Hiring: ADP ensures recruitment meets legal standards with built-in compliance checks. Recruiters can hire confidently without worrying about regulatory slip-ups.
• Flexible Workflow Design: This one of the BambooHR competitors ATS lets recruiters customize hiring stages to fit their process perfectly. This adaptability helps teams stay organized and efficient. 
• Broad Candidate Sourcing: Integration with LinkedIn, Monster, and Glassdoor pulls in diverse applicants easily. Recruiters can tap into large talent pools without juggling multiple platforms. 

Cons

As per the user's review here are the drawbacks of the ADP workforce now:

• Time-Intensive Setup: Setting up ADPs can take effort and technical knowledge. Recruiters might face delays before hiring ramps up fully.
• Slower Manual Reviews: Without AI to rank candidates, recruiters spend more time evaluating resumes. This hands-on approach can drag out the hiring timeline. 

4. Paycom

Paycom is an HR Payroll Software with a recruitment system focused on streamlining the hiring process. Its ATS helps recruiters post jobs, track applicants, automate recruiting, and manage the candidate pipeline efficiently.

Paycom integrates with job boards like Indeed and LinkedIn, making it easy to reach a wide audience. Furthermore, its customizable career site helps attract top talent, and its secure storage system keeps documents safe and accessible.

Key Features

The key features of Paycom are as follows:

• Application Tracking System (ATS)
• Talent Management
• Onboarding
• Employee Self Service
• Compensation Budgeting
• Employee Self Service

Free Trial: Paycom did not offer a free trial

Pricing: The price of Paycom is hidden in its official website. So businesses need to get in touch with their sales team for further queries.

Pros

Based on the user’s reviews these are the advantages of Paycom that make it one of the BambooHR competitors:

• Single-System Efficiency: Paycom’s recruitment ties directly into payroll, reducing data entry after hiring. It saves time by moving candidates from ATS to HR seamlessly.
• Clear Pipeline Visibility: The candidate pipeline shows every applicant’s status at a glance. Thus, recruiters can track progress easily and avoid losing candidates in the shuffle. 
• Fast Job Distribution: Paycom pushes job postings to Indeed and LinkedIn with minimal clicks. 

Cons

As per the feedback from users here are the drawbacks of Paycom:

• No Automated Matching: Paycom lacks AI to suggest top candidates, so recruiters review everything manually. This can slow down finding the right fit for urgent roles. 
• Rigid Workflow Options: The ATS workflows are straightforward but hard to tweak for unique needs. Recruiters might struggle with niche or creative hiring processes.

5. Workday

Workday is an HCM platform with a recruitment module for large organizations. Its ATS is designed for enterprise-level hiring, offering tools to source, track, and evaluate candidates effectively.

Workday integrates with LinkedIn, Jobvite, and other talent platforms. It includes features like advanced analytics, automated campaigns, interview scheduling, etc.

Besides this, HRs can use Workday Illuminate for better AI insights to improve HR processes and promote growth. Its skills Integrations help in understanding workforce skills to meet future demands.

Key Features

The features of Workday are as follows:

• Candidate Sourcing
• Applicant Tracking
• Recruitment Analytics
• Hiring Workflow Automation
• Illuminati AI
• Talent Management

Free Trial: Workday offers a 30-day free trial for Workday Adaptive Planning only which focuses on financial planning and analysis

Pricing: The price of Workday is hidden in its official website. To get the price quote businesses have to get in touch with its sales team.

Pros

According to customers' reviews, these are the advantages of Workday that make it one of the BambooHR competitors:

• Candidate Scoring System: Workday scores applicants based on skills and qualifications, helping recruiters prioritize. This data-driven approach cuts through the noise of large applicant pools. 
• Enterprise-Level Sourcing: Integration with LinkedIn and Jobvite taps into massive talent networks effortlessly. Recruiters can handle high-volume hiring with strong sourcing options. 
• Hiring Process Insights: Workday’s analytics reveal trends like hiring speed or source success which can refine strategies with clear, actionable data. 

Cons

These are the cons of using Workday based on users' reviews:

• Complex Navigation: Workday’s robust features can overwhelm new recruiters with its layout. Finding key tools takes time, slowing down early hiring efforts. 
• Less Focus on Speed: Workday prioritizes structure over quick matches. Recruiters might wait longer to fill roles needing fast hiring teams. 

6. Zoho People

Zoho People is a cloud-based HR software. Its ATS helps recruiters post jobs, track applicants, onboarding, and manage the hiring process affordably. Zoho people integrate with Zoho Recruit to offer a seamless recruitment process.

It integrates with Zoho’s ecosystem (like Zoho Recruit and Zoho Mail) and external platforms like LinkedIn and Indeed, making candidate sourcing straightforward.

Key Features

The key features of Zoho People are:

• Application Tracking System (ATS)
• Candidate Tracking
• Customizable Hiring Workflows
• Onboarding
• Employee Management
• Document Management
• Zia AI Assistant

Free Trial: Zoho People offers 30 days free trial

Pricing:

Pros

According to the number of users’ reviews here are the advantages of using Zoho People that make it one of the BambooHR competitors:

• Budget-Friendly: As per users Zoho People offers affordable recruitment tools that small teams can rely on. 
• Custom Hiring Stages: The ATS lets recruiters tweak workflows to match their process easily. This flexibility keeps hiring smooth and tailored to team needs. 
• Zoho Ecosystem Sync: Integration with Zoho Recruit and Zoho Mail ties sourcing to tracking seamlessly. 

Cons

As per the user's review here are the cons of Zoho People:

• Manual Candidate Sorting: Without AI, recruiters must filter and rank applicants by hand. This slows down finding the best fit in big pools. 
• Slow Analytics: According to users Zoho’s recruitment dashboards lack deep hiring insights or metrics. 

7. Gusto

Gusto is an HR and payroll platform built for small businesses, with recruitment features. Its ATS lets recruiters post jobs, track candidates, and onboard new hires smoothly.

Gusto integrates with job boards like Indeed and LinkedIn, helping you reach candidates easily. Moreover, Gusto offers vast features, and job description generators however they are not as robust or AI-focused to cater to recruitment challenges. However, it is suitable for startups or medium-sized teams who want an all-in-one solution.

Key Features

The key features of Gusto are as follows:

• Hiring
• Onboarding
• Personalized Offer Letters
• Candidate Tracking
• Compliance Management

Free Trial: Gusto did not offer a free trial

Pricing: 

Pros

As per the users here are the advantages of using Gusto that make it one of the BambooHR competitors:

• Fast Hiring-to-Onboarding: Gusto moves candidates from recruitment to payroll easily. It saves time by skipping extra steps after hiring decisions are made. 
• Simple Job Posting: Gusto lets recruiters post to Indeed and LinkedIn with minimal effort. This quick setup gets openings live and attracts candidates quickly. 
• Startup-Friendly Design: The ATS is built for small businesses, offering an easy-to-use hiring process. Recruiters with limited resources can manage everything without stress. 

Cons

Based on users' reviews here are the drawbacks of using Gusto:

• No Candidate Matching: Gusto doesn’t use AI to suggest top applicants, leaving recruiters to review manually. This can delay finding the right person for the job. 
• Small-Scale Focus: As per users Gusto struggles with large applicant volumes or complex hiring needs. Recruiters at bigger firms might find it too basic. 

8. Rippling

Rippling is an HRIS platform that helps recruiters post jobs, track applicants, and automate parts of the hiring process. It integrates with LinkedIn, Indeed, and tools like Slack, making it easy to source candidates and collaborate.

It facilitates transitions from planning to job posting, onboarding, and offboarding. Provides a comprehensive suite that includes employee referral management, branded careers pages, compliance features, and candidate experience surveys.

Key Features

The key features of Rippling are as follows:

• Application Tracking System (ATS)
• Automated Workflows
• Onboarding 
• Interview Scheduling
• Customizable Pipelines

Free Trial: Rippling did not offer a free trial

Pricing: The price of Rippling is hidden in its official website. So businesses have to contact the sales team of Rippling to get a quote. 

Pros

According to the user's reviews here are the advantages of using Rippling that make it one of the BambooHR competitors:

• Automated Hiring Steps: Rippling automates parts of the recruitment process, like moving candidates to onboarding. 
• Team Communication Sync: Integration with Slack lets recruiters share candidate updates instantly. This keeps hiring teams connected and speeds up feedback loops.
• Broad Sourcing Options: As per users Rippling connects to LinkedIn and Indeed, pulling in applicants from key platforms. 

Cons

Based on user’s feedback here are the cons of Rippling:

• Integration Challenges: As per users the platform depends on a user-run app marketplace, which may limit available third-party integrations.
• Costly for Small Teams: Rippling’s pricing can feel steep for startups or smaller hiring needs. Recruiters on tight budgets might look elsewhere.

9. TriNet (Zenefits)

TriNet, which includes Zenefits, is an HR platform with a recruitment system aimed at small to mid-sized businesses. It lets recruiters post jobs, track candidates, and manage hiring workflows with ease.

It integrates with LinkedIn, Indeed, and Glassdoor, helping you pull in applicants from job boards. The platform offers other features like onboarding, benefits administration, payroll manager, etc.

Key Features

These are the key features of TriNet:

• Application Tracking System (ATS)
• Job Posting Management
• Candidate Tracking
• Hiring Workflows
• Onboarding Tools

Free Trial: TriNet did not offer a free trial

Pricing: TriNet pricing is not transparent so businesses have to contact the sales team to get a quote as per the needs.

Pros

As per the user’s review, these are the pros of using TriNet which makes it one of the BambooHR competitors:

• Quick Job Setup: TriNet’s ATS gets job postings up on LinkedIn and Indeed in no time which helps in attracting candidates fast with little setup.
• Hiring-to-HR Flow: It helps recruited candidates connect smoothly to onboarding and benefits management. 
• Lightweight Interface: As per users using the Trinet is easy to use, even for recruiters new to ATS tools. This simplicity speeds up adoption and daily hiring tasks. 

Cons

The following are the drawbacks of Trinet highlighted by users:

• No Smart Matching: TriNet lacks AI to highlight top candidates, so screening is all manual. Recruiters might miss great fits in busy applicant pools. 
• Basic Pipeline Tools: The candidate pipeline is functional but lacks advanced tracking features which let HRs struggle to manage complex or large hiring projects. 

10. Ceridian Dayforce

Ceridian Dayforce is a comprehensive HCM platform with a strong recruitment module for mid to large businesses. Its ATS helps recruiters manage job postings, track applicants, and analyze hiring performance.

It integrates with LinkedIn, Indeed, and other sourcing platforms, making candidate outreach efficient. Dayforce offers advanced features like workforce planning and analytics.

Key Features

Here are the key features of Ceridian Dayforce:

• Application Tracking System (ATS)
• Job Posting Tools
• Candidate Management
• Recruitment Analytics
• Workforce Planning

Free Trial: No Ceridian Dayforce did not offer a free trial

Pricing: Ceridian Dayforce pricing is hidden in its official website. Businesses have to contact their sales team to get the pricing quote for their team.

Pros

As per the user’s reviews here are the advantages of using Dayforce which makes it one of the BambooHR competitors:

• Data-Driven Hiring: Dayforce’s analytics track metrics like hiring speed and source success. Recruiters can use these insights to improve their process over time.
• High-Volume Capacity: The ATS handles large applicant pools and multiple roles with ease. 
• Structured Workflow Tools: Dayforce offers detailed hiring stages to keep recruitment organized. 

Cons

According to the user’s reviews, these are the drawbacks of Cerdian Dayforce:

• Reporting Challenges: While Dayforce offers pre-built reports, creating custom reports can be complex and may necessitate technical expertise. 
• Overkill for Small Teams: The system’s depth can overwhelm smaller recruitment needs with extra features that startups might find too complex to justify.

What to Look for in BambooHR Competitors?

The main goal of finding an alternative solution is that it should have better tools and or be capable of handling modern recruitment challenges.

Therefore, here are things you should look for in a BambooHR alternative:

1. Strong ATS

A solid Applicant Tracking System (ATS) is a must-have to manage candidates and job postings smoothly. It should handle resumes, track where each person is in the process, and let recruiters post jobs without a headache.

According to a report, 98% of Fortune 500 companies use an ATS including staffing agencies, government organizations, mid-sized companies, and small businesses. It helps them to take control of their recruitment workflow.

2. AI Features

Look for AI tools like candidate matching or resume parsing to cut down on manual work and speed up hiring. These features can spot top talent by scanning skills and experience in seconds.

As per data, businesses can save up to 85% of the time with AI-powered ATS using its resume parsing speed. With AI, you’re not just working faster you’re working smarter, finding the right fit without the manual resume screening work.

3. Strong Integrations

Integrations with job boards like LinkedIn and Indeed help pull candidates easily, while linking to HR software tools keeps workflows seamless and saves time jumping between apps.

A well-integrated applicant tracking system is a key feature to looking at top BambooHR competitors, reducing time-to-hire by 36% while boosting candidate engagement by 40%.

4. Scalability

The ATS should grow with your team, handling five hires or 500 easily. Hence, you are ready whether you’re a small startup or a big company. It needs to manage high-volume hiring without crashing.

63% of U.S. companies plan to add new permanent positions in the first half of 2025. A scalable system means you won’t outgrow it when your needs explode, keeping you stress-free.

5. Analytics

Businesses using analytics in hiring insights see a significant improvement during the recruitment process. Data and metrics, like time-to-fill or candidate source success, help you track how well you’re doing and improve your process.

6. User-Friendly

An easy interface ensures HRs and recruiters start using it without frustration. Also, a good BambooHR alternative should cut the training time needed to learn the software as even a non tech person can start using it easily. 

94% of recruiters say that ATS software improved their hiring process. It highlights how important it is to use user-friendly and easy-to-navigate ATS that can handle the core part of the recruitment process.

7. Candidate Engagement

Tools like automated emails or outreach features keep candidates interested and responsive. Engaging candidates daily is important because there are many cases where candidates keep texting HR for updates. However, sometimes HR doesn't reply, either by choice or they forget due to the large number of hiring.

74% of candidates drop out if communication lags, so timely replies matter. Keeping candidates hooked and excited in 2025 helps in turning applicants into hires more often.

Why is Skima AI the Best BambooHR Alternative?

As a reviewer, I find BambooHR not reliable for modern hiring needs as it did not meet the advance recruitment challenges and it lacks AI functionalities. Thus, it opens the door for competitors like Skima AI to offer smarter and faster hiring tools.

Here are the parameters of why Skima AI is one of the best BambooHR competitors:

1. AI-Search Engine

Skima AI’s search engine finds candidates as per requirement in under a second. Scanning millions of resumes from your database or job boards like LinkedIn and Indeed.

2. AI Candidate Matching

With AI-powered candidate matching, Skima AI scores and ranks candidates based on job fit, using data from resumes and profiles. It cuts hiring time and ensures you don’t miss the best talent.

3. AI Resume Parsing

Skima AI offers the best resume parser that pulls information like names and skills from any resume. It learns from millions of resumes, so recruiters don’t waste time fixing mistakes like with other tools.

4. Unique Resume Tagging Capabilities

Skima AI adds unique tags to resumes to organize candidate profiles, like #PythonDeveloper #RemoteWork #5YearsExperience, etc. HRs can search for something, like a candidate with startup experience in a SaaS company and sales experience. These tags help HR teams manage resumes and match candidates quickly.

5. Fast AI Search Across 800M Profiles

Hiring now takes over 30-40 days, but Skima AI searches 800 million profiles in seconds using its smart engine. You can just chat, “Find me a FinTech project manager,” and get great matches quickly, cutting that 62% longer wait time.

6. Skill Evidence Detection: No More False Skill Claims

Skima AI checks if the skills on resumes are real by looking at a candidate’s actual work experience. It finds proof like Python projects for a listed skill so recruiters only see people who truly know their stuff. This stops bad hires that can cost double a salary.

7. AI Resume Scoring Against Job Descriptions

It rates how well candidates fit a job, giving scores like “90% match” with notes like “great Python, no experience.” Other tools make you guess, but this clear breakdown helps recruiters pick the best ones fast.

8. AI Job Description Generator 

Skima AI offers an AI job description generator in no time, perfectly tailored to any role with the right skills and tone. It saves recruiters hours of writing from scratch and pulls in candidates who fit the job.

9. Chat-Based Search

Skima's chat understands requests and converts them into precise search results. Like HR can write show me bilingual marketing managers in Europe with experience in the automotive industry. Skima AI will give the top results and speed up complex searches for experts.

10. In-House AI Models, No External APIs, 

Skima AI keeps data secure with its tech and meets tough rules like SOC 2 and GDPR compliance. It is built for big companies like banks, healthcare,  government, etc.

11. AI Matching for Perfect Fits

Skima AI pairs candidates to jobs by smartly analyzing their skills and experience, not just scoring them. It looks at resumes and job needs to find the best matches.

12. AI-Written Questions and Answers for Interviews

Skima AI hands HR simple questions like “What’s a Python project you’ve done?” for a developer job, plus the right answers just for HR to see, so they can check if the candidate’s on track. HR doesn’t have to study each job role before the interview, saving tons of time. Hence, even an HR intern can confidently interview a CA.

Summary: Is BambooHR Legit?

While BambooHR is a solid choice however it often struggles to meet the fast-paced demands of modern hiring.

That's where BambooHR competitors like Skima AI stands out. With its AI-powered speed, automation, and smart candidate matching, Skima AI takes recruitment to the next level.

Whether you prefer a cutting-edge AI solution like Skima AI or a traditional ATS like BambooHR, the choice depends on your hiring goals.

Experience faster, smarter hiring with Skima AI — try it today!

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is similar to BambooHR?

Top BambooHR alternatives are Skima AI, Workday, and Paylocity which offer recruitment features and seamless functionality.

2. What are the weaknesses of BambooHR?

BambooHR lacks advanced AI for matching candidates or deep customization, making it less flexible for complex needs. Its basic ATS and add-on costs for payroll and time tracking can feel limited for big or fast-growing teams.

3. Is BambooHR expensive?

BambooHR’s pricing is hidden on its official website.

4. Is BambooHR an ERP system?

No, BambooHR is an HRIS focused on HR tasks like hiring and employee records. Thus it is not a full ERP covering finance or operations.