PapaHR · Mike Pritula Academy

BambooHR vs Personio: prices and features for a small team

BambooHR publishes its prices: Core is a flat $250 a month for a team of up to 25, and reviews and 1:1s start with Pro at $425. Personio Core starts at €7.60 per employee a month, plus a one-time setup fee; the exact price comes after a demo. Below: both side by side, and PapaHR, which is free up to 25 employees.

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PapaHR Free: up to 25 employees, no card and no demo. Pro with every module — $1.50 per employee a month (paid for a year).

Count your team: for up to 25 people BambooHR charges a flat price, Personio charges per employee.
Decide whether you need reviews and 1:1s now: BambooHR has them only in the pricier Pro plan, Personio in a separate app.
Compare the monthly price in the tables below with PapaHR for the same team.

What PapaHR costs your company

Employees

BambooHR vs Personio: what is included

BambooHR prices are from bamboohr.com/pricing as of Nov 12, 2026. Personio prices are from personio.com/pricing as of Oct 27, 2026. Check the current prices before you decide.

	BambooHR	Personio	PapaHR
Starting price	Core: $250 a month for up to 25 people, $10.25 per employee above 25	Core: from €7.60 per employee a month, exact price after a demo	Free up to 25 employees, then $1.50 per employee a month paid yearly
Setup fee	not listed on the pricing page	one-time, depends on company size	none
Reviews and 1:1s	from the Pro plan: $425 a month up to 25 people, $17.50 per employee above 25	Performance app, priced on request	in Pro
Hiring (ATS)	Core — 5 job openings, Pro — 25, Elite — 50	Recruiting app, priced on request	in Pro, unlimited jobs
Surveys	eNPS surveys in Core	Surveys app, priced on request	in Free
Time tracking	Time & Attendance — a paid add-on	in Core	time clock and timesheet in Free
Payroll	a paid add-on, US employees only	preliminary payroll in Core	timesheet to Excel for accounting, pay calculations in Pro
How you buy	prices on the site, month-to-month terms available	a 14-day trial, the total after a demo	sign up yourself, no demo

What 20 and 40 employees cost a month

Starting prices from the two pricing pages, before taxes and volume discounts. Personio's figures are starting prices without the one-time setup fee; the exact total comes after a demo.

	BambooHR	Personio	PapaHR
20 employees, core HR	$250 (Core)	from €152 (Core)	$0 (Free)
20 employees, with reviews and 1:1s	$425 (Pro)	from €152 plus the Performance app, priced on request	$30 (Pro, paid yearly)
40 employees, core HR	$410 (Core, $10.25 per employee)	from €304 (Core)	$60 (Pro, paid yearly)
40 employees, with reviews and 1:1s	$700 (Pro, $17.50 per employee)	from €304 plus the Performance app, priced on request	$60 (Pro, paid yearly)

When BambooHR is the better fit

If your employees are in the US and you want payroll and benefits administration in the same system: BambooHR sells both as add-ons for US employees only. Its plan prices are on the site, so you know the base price before you talk to sales, and a team of up to 25 pays one flat price whatever the headcount.

BambooHR and PapaHR compared →

When Personio is the better fit

If you need time tracking and preliminary payroll in Core, several legal entities and 200+ integrations, and you have an HR team and a budget for the rollout. Personio is made for companies with 10 to 10,000 employees; reviews, hiring and surveys are separate apps on top of Core.

Personio and PapaHR compared →

If both are more than you need

PapaHR is made for companies where HR is one person or the manager. It is free up to 25 employees with employee cards, the org chart, time off, onboarding and surveys. Reviews, goals, 1:1s and hiring are in Pro at $1.50 per employee a month paid yearly, with no setup fee and no separate apps. PapaHR has no payroll with taxes: if you need it, choose BambooHR or Personio.

Questions

Which is cheaper for a small team, BambooHR or Personio?

For 20 employees BambooHR Core is a flat $250 a month, and Personio Core starts at €7.60 per employee — from €152 a month — plus a one-time setup fee. With reviews and 1:1s BambooHR Pro is $425 a month; Personio adds its Performance app, priced on request. BambooHR prices are from its site as of Nov 12, 2026, Personio prices as of Oct 27, 2026.

Does BambooHR or Personio have a free plan?

Neither pricing page lists a free plan, and Personio offers a 14-day trial (BambooHR as of Nov 12, Personio as of Oct 27, 2026). PapaHR is free up to 25 employees with no time limit.

Does Personio publish its prices?

Only the starting price: Core from €7.60 per employee a month. The setup fee depends on company size, the Performance, Recruiting and Surveys apps are priced on request, and the total comes after a demo.

How much is BambooHR for more than 25 employees?

Per employee a month: $10.25 for Core, $17.50 for Pro and $25 for Elite. Up to 25 employees it is a flat $250, $425 or $650 a month. Volume discounts apply by headcount.

Is there a cheaper alternative to both?

PapaHR: free up to 25 employees, then $1.50 per employee a month paid yearly, with every module — reviews, goals, 1:1s, hiring and surveys. It has no payroll with taxes.

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Free up to 25 employees, no card and no demo.

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