Choosing the Right Performance Review Software: A Comprehensive Comparison

Choosing the Right Performance Review Software: A Comprehensive Comparison

The worldwide market for performance appraisal software is on a significant growth trajectory. It is projected to escalate from $2.194 billion in 2021 to an impressive $7.011 billion by 2028, as reported by Business Research Insights.

An effective performance management tool is vital in today's fast-paced business world. The right software can streamline appraisals, foster high performance, and provide critical insights.

However, the multitude of options can make choosing the right solution challenging. This article aims to ease that process for you. We'll analyze the top performance review software, comparing its key features, pricing, strengths, and weaknesses.

Factors to consider when choosing performance review software

  1. Ease of use and user experience. The software should be simple to use and navigate, reducing the learning curve for your employees.
  2. Features and functionalities. Goal-setting, performance evaluations, one-on-ones, peer-to-peer feedback, growth plans, compliments, integrations, employee surveys, dashboards, and analytics are desirable features and functionalities for the top performance review software solutions.
  3. Integration capabilities. The chosen performance management system should work in tandem with your current HR systems and calendars.
  4. Customization options. It is critical to be able to modify the software to your organization's exact demands.
  5. Scalability and adaptability. Your performance review software should expand and adapt as your business develops and teams grow.
  6. Data security and privacy. Check that the software conforms with data protection standards and has robust security mechanisms.
  7. Customer support and training resources. Look for performance review software with thorough customer support and training materials to help you get the most out of it.
  8. Pricing and value for money. Consider the software's price and if it provides excellent value for money.

Performance review software to consider

Plai

Performance review software #1 - Plai
Image source: Plai.team

Plai is a people and performance management software that stands out as the top performance management software for organizations aiming to create a high-performing culture where employees feel valued and rewarded. It offers comprehensive features to streamline the performance review and foster a transparent, fair environment.

  • Goal-setting. Plai allows you to align and focus team and individual objectives with OKRs, ensuring everyone is working towards the same goals.
  • Performance reviews. With Plai, you can gather feedback and run automated review cycles without dealing with hundreds of forms and sheets.
  • One-on-ones. Plai enables you to schedule regular check-ins and craft meaningful conversations with over 100 templates and questions. It also provides an action items list and shared/private notes for better organization and use of this time.
  • Peer-to-peer feedback. Plai encourages regular and constructive peer-to-peer feedback, fostering a culture of continuous improvement.
  • Growth plans. Plai helps employees set and track personal goals and explore career paths in a fair, transparent environment.
  • Praise. With Plai, you can reward excellence and reinforce company culture with public praise while fostering healthy competition with a leaderboard.
  • Employee surveys. Plai allows you to assess and enhance employee engagement with easily scheduled surveys and in-depth analytics, making performance appraisals less stressful for employees and managers.
  • Dashboards and analytics. Plai provides integrated reports on employee performance, goals, and engagement to identify trends and decrease attrition. You can easily filter data by specific users or teams and compare grades with scored attributes in 360-degree feedback with just two clicks.
  • Integrations. Plai integrates smoothly with your existing tools such as Zoho, Slack, MC Teams, calendar, HR systems, and identity management providers, creating a unified hub for all your HR team needs

Plai, highly praised for its user-friendly design, offers a 14-day free trial, allowing teams to explore its comprehensive features.  

Plai has this standalone pricing plan:

  • Starter plan at $2.4/user/month

Lattice

Performance review software - Lattice
Image source: Software Advice

Lattice is a people, talent, and performance review software among Betterworks competitors. It offers features like:

  • Performance management. Streamline goal setting, real-time feedback, and performance review process.
  • Employee engagement. Measure and boost employee satisfaction along with engagement.
  • Career development. Help employees grow professionally through 1-on-1 meetings and feedback.
  • People analytics. Help businesses better understand their employees and put forward data-driven decisions.
  • Integrations. Slack, workday, Salesforce, G Suite, Outlook, MC Teams, etc.

Lattice and Plai offer robust performance management solutions, each catering to different needs. Lattice provides performance management emphasizing people analytics and career development. In contrast, enter Plai, a platform with comprehensive capabilities focusing on employee reward, feedback, and advanced reporting. What is more, Plai comes at a competitive pricing and user-friendly design that users appreciate.

Lattice has multiple pricing plans:

  1. Performance Management + OKRs& Goals at $11/user/month
  2. Engagement at $15/user/month
  3. Grow at $19/user/month
  4. Compensation at $25/user/month

15Five

Performance review software - 15Five
Image source: Software Advice

15Five is a workforce, talent management, and performance review solution that optimizes team engagement, performance, and retention. It offers features like:

  • Perform Features. Offer simple reviews to maximize employee performance.
  • Engage Feature. Provide actionable engagement surveys to boost employee satisfaction.
  • Focus Feature. Aligns the company's OKRs with employees' individual priorities.
  • Transform Feature. Offer customizable training and coaching programs for managers.
  • Integrations. Workday, Slack, Salesforce, okta, Jira, etc.

Regarding performance management software, 15Five and Plai are both names that come up often.Yet, when it comes to differences, 15Five brings to the table features and tools emphasizing employee engagement and training. However, it might need to catch up regarding unique features like the praise feature and seamless integrations, where Plai excels. In turn, Plai's comprehensive suite of features and user-friendly design makes it a strong contender for organizations aiming to enhance performance management processes in general.

With 15Five, you can choose from four different pricing plans, these are the following:

  1. Engage at $4/user/month
  2. Perform at $8/user/month
  3. Focus at $8/user/month
  4. Total Platform at $14/user/month

HiBob

Performance review software - HiBob
Image source: g2

HiBob, known as "bob," is a comprehensive performance review software designed to manage an organization's time, talent, performance management processes, and culture. Here are some of its key features:

  • Employee engagement. HiBob promotes bringing employees together through Shotouts, Kudos posts, and Clubs.
  • Time and attendance management. The software simplifies time-tracking.
  • Document and management workflow. HiBob automates paperwork and easily manages everything linked to workflows.
  • Benefits management. The platform streamlines and manages employee benefit packages.
  • Actionable insights and KPIs. HiBob provides continuous feedback and perfects performance reviews.
  • Integrations. HiBob integrates with 360Learning, anecdotes, deputy, G Suite, Hofy, Jira, okta, etc.

HiBob is a comprehensive performance management software that manages time, talent, and organizational culture. It offers a range of features, including employee engagement tools and time-tracking capabilities. Following insights by Forbes, these aspects directly impact employee performance. However, when it comes to differences with Plai, HiBob fails to provide the same competitive pricing, as well as unable to offer the same high-quality customer support as Plai does. 

You must submit a form to get custom pricing for your company.

Reflektive

Performance review software - Reflektive
Image source: g2

Reflektive is a performance review software built to augment employee productivity and retention. It promotes accountability and encourages constructive, ongoing dialogues. Here are some of its key features:

  • Performance management system. The tool works with goals, reviews, check-ins, feedback, and talent calibration.
  • People analytics. The software provides performance trends and insights with pre-built customizable dashboards.
  • Employee engagement. Reflektive promotes employee recognition through surveys, benchmarks, Natural Language Processing (NLP), and action plans.
  • Integrations. The platform integrates with Slack, MS Teams, workday, Namely, ADP, Okta, etc.

Reflektive and Plai are both in the performance management tools arena. Reflektive promotes ongoing dialogues but might not have the comprehensive features and user-friendly interface that Plai boasts. Plai, with its extensive capabilities, user-friendly design, and unique features, stands out as a compelling choice for organizations looking to streamline their performance management process.

With its straightforward pricing, Reflektive provides a Starting Price plan at $6/user/month. 

Leapsome

Performance review software - Leapsome
Image source: Software Advice

Leapsome is a comprehensive performance review software designed for performance management, OKRs, and learning. Here are some of its key features:

  • Employee engagement. The software supports managers and employees in reaching greater levels of job satisfaction.
  • Learning features. Leapsome promotes employee development and training.
  • OKRs. The software aligns everything and everyone around the company's mission.
  • Automation features. Leapsome simplifies various C-level, HR, managerial, and workforce processes.
  • Integrations. Leapsome integrates with Outlook, MS Teams, Slack, LinkedIn Learning, Jira, etc.

Plai and Leapsome both offer a wide range of performance management features. However, Plai takes the lead when it comes to user experience and interface. Its intuitive and user-friendly design makes it easy for teams to navigate and utilize its extensive features. Besides, because of the less intuitive interface, Leapsome comes with a steep learning curve. As a result, Plai appears to be the tool that is easier to handle.

Leapsone provides an All-in-one pricing plan starting at $8/user/month.

Performance review software: comparison table

                                                                                                                                           
Tool nameFeaturesBest forPricing
PlaiGoal-setting
Performance reviews
One-on-ones
Peer-to-peer feedback
Growth plans
Praise
Employee surveys
Dashboards and analytics
Integrations
Organizations looking for a user-friendly interface and a comprehensive set of features for the best price on the marketStarter at $2.4/user/month
LatticePerformance management
Employee engagement
Career development
People analytics
Integrations
Organizations that prioritize goal tracking, 1-on-1s, and performance reviewsPerformance Management + OKRs& Goals at $11/user/month

Engagement at $15/user/month

Grow at $19/user/month

Compensation at $25/user/month
15FivePerform Features
Engage Feature
Focus Feature
Transform Feature
Integrations
Organizations that prioritize team engagement, performance, and retentionEngage at $4/user/month

Perform at $8/user/month

Focus at $8/user/month

Total Platform at $14/user/month      
HibobEmployee Engagement
Time and Attendance Management
Document and Management Workflow
Benefits Management
Actionable Insights and KPIs
Integrations
Larger organizations that need a comprehensive performance management softwareUpon request
ReflektivePerformance Management System
People Analytics
Employee Engagement
Integrations
Organizations that prioritize real-time feedback and goal managementStarting Price plan at $6/user/month
LeapsomeEmployee Engagement
Learning Features
OKRs
Automation Features
Integrations
Organizations looking for learning and automation in their performance review managementAll-In-One pricing plan starting at $8/user/month

Conclusion

Selecting the ideal performance review software is a pivotal step toward an effective performance appraisal solution. There are numerous tools out there. We have selected and reviewed 6 most promising candidates. They are alike in terms of the features they offer. Yes, they are still different in pricing, user-friendliness, learning curve, and customer support. Keeping all these factors in mind, in our opinion, Plai is the best performance review software because of its intuitive design, competitive pricing, top-notch customer support, and a number of features coming at such a price. 

Our team designed this versatile tool to handle all aspects of performance review management, making it a top choice for organizations and businesses alike. Ready to experience the transformative power of Plai? Don't hesitate to contact us and discover how Plai can revolutionize your performance reviews to make your employees feel valued.

Andrii Bas

Andrii Bas

Product Strategist, People & Performance

Founder of 3 products and product development agency @Uptech before 25. Use and consult about OKRs, performance management, and team leadership for 4+ years.

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