Head to head

BambooHR vs HR Cloud

Same facts, side by side: starting price, free tier, MCP, API and what each one is actually built for.

BambooHR

$250/mo

Small-business HRIS that often doubles as the first ATS. Per-employee plans start at $10, with a $250/mo floor for companies of 25 or fewer.

Where BambooHR fits

US small businesses buying a first HRIS
Teams that want a light ATS in the same product
HR teams running onboarding after the offer
Buyers comparing against Gusto or Namely

HR Cloud

Sales-quoted

HR Cloud is a modular HR platform for onboarding, core HR, and frontline employee experience. Modules are quoted by employee count.

Where HR Cloud fits

Frontline and deskless employers that need onboarding and an employee app
HR teams that want modular onboarding without moving payroll
Mid-market companies comparing a quoted HRIS with BambooHR or HiBob
Ops leaders who will keep ADP or Paychex for pay and add HR Cloud for experience

At a glance

Detail	BambooHR	HR Cloud
Starting price	$250/mo	Sales-quoted
Free tier	–No	–No
MCP server	–No	–No
Public API	✓Yes	–No
Listed under	ATS, Benefits administration, HR compliance, HRIS, Onboarding, Time & attendance	Engagement, HRIS, Onboarding
Capterra	4.6 from 3,558 reviews	Not enough reviews

Where they pull apart

BambooHR

Stands out: HRIS plus a light applicant tracker and onboarding in one small-business login.

Watch out: The $250 figure is the small-company flat rate, not a per-employee price. Bills scale with headcount above that.

Not the right fit for

High-volume hiring that needs a dedicated ATS
Global employer-of-record buyers

HR Cloud

Stands out: Onboard, People, and Workmates are sold as modules, so a frontline employer can buy onboarding without a full HRIS rip-and-replace.

Watch out: hrcloud.com does not print a self-serve per-employee grid. Implementation is a project. This is not Gusto payroll.

Not the right fit for

Five-person startups that need payroll plus HR in one $49 Gusto login
Enterprises standardized on Workday with no modular gap

Pros and cons

BambooHR

Clear per-employee pricing with a small-company floor
HRIS plus a light ATS
Public API

No MCP
Outgrown quickly by high-volume hiring
Costs climb with headcount

HR Cloud

Modular onboarding and frontline EX, not an all-or-nothing HRIS
Fits employers who will not move payroll
Aimed at deskless and frontline populations

Quoted, no public per-employee rate
Payroll still lives in another vendor
Implementation is heavier than a Gusto signup

What each one costs

BambooHR

$250/mo

Companies with 25 employees or fewer pay a flat monthly rate starting at $250. Above 25 employees, Core is $10, Pro $17 and Elite $25 per employee per month, with automatic volume discounts. Payroll, benefits administration and time tracking are add-ons. Confirm current terms on the vendor site.

Checked 20 Sep 2026

HR Cloud

Sales-quoted

HR Cloud quotes Onboard, People, and Workmates modules by employee count. hrcloud.com does not publish a self-serve per-employee grid. Confirm current terms on the vendor site.

Checked 19 Sep 2026

Common questions

Can you try BambooHR or HR Cloud for free?

Neither carries a free tier on our listing.

Not the pair you wanted?

All BambooHR alternatives All HR Cloud alternatives Every ATS tool

Editorial listings, never paid rankings. Prices checked 20 Sep 2026. Confirm current terms on the vendor site. Spot an error?