Comparison
BambooHR vs Rippling
How BambooHR and Rippling compare on price, pricing model, features and reviews, with every fact checked on October 24, 2026.
Quick verdict
Choose BambooHR if
- Small and mid-size US companies that want HRIS first and light recruiting in the same system.
- Teams of 25 or fewer that benefit from the flat monthly rate.
Choose Rippling if
- Companies already running payroll and HR on Rippling that want app access tied to employee records.
- Teams wanting automatic account provisioning and offboarding.
BambooHR vs Rippling side by side
| BambooHR | Rippling | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Per-employee HRIS for small and mid-size US companies with a built-in ATS capped by job openings per tier. | HR, payroll, IT and spend suite whose app management handles SSO, provisioning and offboarding for employee apps. |
| Status | Active | Active |
| Starting price | $250/mo flat (Core, 25 or fewer employees); $10 to $10.25 per employee per month above that | $8 per employee per month plus monthly base fee |
| Pricing model | per employee | per employee |
| Free plan or trial | No | No |
| SAML SSO | SAML 2.0 via installable plugin app; plan not stated. | Not published |
| SCIM provisioning | Not published | Not published |
| Audit logs | Not published | Not published |
| Data residency | Not published | Not published |
| Contract | Month-to-month or extended term; volume discounts automatic; nonprofits get 15% off. | US VC-backed startups may get 6 months free; custom quote required. |
| Support | Not published | Not published |
| G2 rating | 4.4 (5,796 reviews) | 4.7 (1,116 reviews) |
| Founded | 2008 | 2016 |
| Headquarters | Utah, US (sources disagree: Lindon or Draper) | San Francisco, US |
| Employees | About 1,500-1,900 (third-party estimates) | 5,000+ (aggregator figure) |
| Core HR and employee records | HR data and reporting in Core; custom dashboards and analytics in Elite. | Not verified |
| Payroll integration or built-in payroll | Payroll add-on, US employees only. | Payroll, Contractors, Global Payroll, EOR listed as products on pricing page. |
| Onboarding and offboarding workflows | Hiring and onboarding included in Core. | Not verified |
| Time off and attendance | Time-off tracking in Core; Time & Attendance is a paid add-on. | Not verified |
| Benefits administration | Benefits tracking in Core; full Benefits Administration is a paid add-on (US only) | Benefits Administration and PEO listed as products. |
| Performance and engagement | Included in Pro and Elite (360 reviews, 1:1s); engagement tools in Core. | Performance, Surveys, Learning listed as products. |
| Integrations | Not verified | App catalog for SSO and provisioning (count not verified) |
| Pricing model and transparency | Per employee per month by tier; flat monthly rate for 25 or fewer employees; add-on modules. | Per employee per month, modular, custom quote. |
| Target company size | Small to mid-size; flat rates tuned to 25 or fewer employees. | Not verified |
Differences most comparisons miss
Worth knowing about BambooHR
- Job openings are capped by tier: 5 (Core), 25 (Pro), 50 (Elite); the ATS is a feature, not a separate add-on.
- Companies with 25 or fewer employees pay flat $250, $425 or $650 per month.
- Payroll and Benefits Administration are US-only add-ons; bundling both saves 15% per the pricing page.
- Pricing header and FAQ disagree by $0.25 to $0.50 per employee on Core and Pro.
Worth knowing about Rippling
- The $8 per employee price is the suite entry point, not a SaaS management price; IT and spend modules are quoted separately.
- No evidence found that Rippling discovers unsanctioned apps; it manages apps routed through its own SSO.
- G2 reviews Rippling IT and Rippling Spend as separate products, so one rating does not cover both.
- Value comes from HRIS-driven triggers (hire, role change, exit) rather than usage analytics.
What reviewers complain about
BambooHR
- Limited features and weak customization.
- Reporting and approval options feel thin.
Rippling
- Initial setup can be complex.
Sources
Both columns use the same sources: vendor pricing and product pages, documentation, G2 and company records, checked on October 24, 2026. Full source lists are on the BambooHR and Rippling reviews.