ADP Workforce Now
Comprehensive HR and payroll platform for mid-sized businesses with integrated payroll, benefits, talent management, and compliance tools.
Website: www.bamboohr.com
BambooHR at a glance
- Best for
- Growing companies wanting HR records before payroll
- Pricing model
- Per employee per month, by plan tier
- Deployment
- Cloud, with iOS and Android apps
- Regions
- United States, with global HR records
- Key integrations
- QuickBooks Online, Xero, Greenhouse, Slack
Last reviewed . Pricing and features change frequently — confirm current details with the vendor.
BambooHR is an HR and payroll platform for small and mid-sized businesses, covering employee data management, time tracking, benefits administration, performance management, and — in the United States — payroll processing.
How accounting firms use it
The first thing worth establishing with a client on it is whether payroll actually runs through it. The product’s origins are in HR records rather than payroll, and a substantial share of users run HR here while processing pay somewhere else. Assuming otherwise leads to requesting reports from a module the client does not license.
Where payroll is in use, the platform supplies the registers, tax filings, and employee data firms need for financial statements, tax preparation, and compliance, with journal export to QuickBooks Online and Xero.
Key features
Employee records hold personal details, compensation history, documents, and job changes in one place, with self-service so staff maintain their own information. Onboarding covers offer letters, document collection, and e-signature.
Time-off management handles accrual policies, requests, and approvals. Performance management covers review cycles and goal tracking, and reporting spans headcount, turnover, and compensation analysis.
US payroll includes tax calculation, filing, direct deposit, and year-end forms. HR functionality applies to international employees even though payroll does not.
Who it’s best for
Businesses roughly between 25 and 1,000 employees that want HR process and records handled well, with US payroll optionally attached. Ease of use is its consistent strength, which matters where a company has no dedicated HR specialist.
Clients whose priority is payroll rather than HR are usually better served by Gusto or OnPay. Rippling covers similar ground with IT management added, Namely targets a comparable mid-market HR audience, and larger clients typically end up on ADP Workforce Now or Paylocity.
BambooHR FAQ
- Is BambooHR primarily HR or payroll software?
- HR first. It began as an employee records and HR workflow system, with payroll added later as a US-only module. Many clients run it for HR while processing payroll elsewhere, which is worth confirming before assuming a client's payroll data lives in it.
- Is payroll available outside the United States?
- No. The payroll module covers US payroll only, though HR records, time off, and performance management work for international employees. Clients with staff abroad typically pair it with a local payroll provider or an employer of record such as Deel or Remote.
- Does it integrate with accounting software?
- Yes, where the payroll module is in use — journals export to QuickBooks Online and Xero. Clients running HR only will have no payroll data to export, and the firm will be working from whichever payroll system the client actually uses.
- What are the main alternatives?
- Gusto and Rippling both combine payroll and HR and are common comparisons for smaller employers. Namely serves a similar mid-market HR audience. For clients whose priority is payroll accuracy rather than HR process, a payroll-first platform is usually the better recommendation.
BambooHR Alternatives
Other hr tools for accounting firms, ordered by how much of BambooHR's functionality they cover.
ClockOn
ClockOn is an Australian workforce management platform combining rostering, time and attendance, award interpretation, and STP payroll in one system.
Deel
Global payroll and compliance platform for hiring and paying employees and contractors in 150+ countries with local tax compliance.
Gusto
Cloud-based payroll, benefits, and HR platform that simplifies payroll and HR management for small to medium-sized businesses.
Justworks
PEO and HR platform simplifying payroll, benefits, compliance, and HR administration for small businesses with enterprise-level benefits access.