The crux of someone’s career can depend on how they are evaluated and how intensely their growth is nurtured in their workplace.
Performance appraisal software does more than just store ratings and reviews. It offers a transparent approach to measuring subjective metrics, roots out unfair comparisons. It sets the stage for a professional development dialogue that benefits both the organization and employees at large.
Choosing the right software is the secret to getting it right, even if you have the best review process in the world.
Take an informed approach to choosing the right performance appraisal software. Dig into the reviews we’ve collected for you to make your decision-making easier.
| Software | Description | Highlights |
| Peoplebox | A comprehensive people management and performance review software tailored for fast-growing companies. It aligns teams and employees with company goals. Ideal for goal oriented companies. | OKR and goal managementPerformance reviewsReal-time feedback |
| Keka HR | HR software that simplifies payroll, attendance, and performance management, making it ideal for small to mid-sized businesses. | Payroll managementEmployee engagementTime tracking and attendance |
| Profit.co | OKR management platform that enables businesses to track, manage, and achieve organizational goals efficiently. | OKR and KPI trackingPerformance management360-degree feedback |
| Bamboo HR | HR software designed for small to medium-sized businesses. It simplifies HR processes such as hiring, onboarding, and employee management. | Employee database Time-off trackingReporting and analytics |
| Engagedly | A modern performance management software focused on continuous employee engagement and development. | 360-degree feedbackGoal alignmentLearning and development |
❓ What is Performance Appraisal Software?
Performance appraisal software is a tool a company uses throughout their performance cycle, to set organization-wide goals, and translate them to department-wise and individual goals, set metrics to track progress, monitor progress made, course correct, and give feedback at the end of the performance review period.
Choosing the right performance appraisal software is one of the toughest decisions to make, and a critical area of concern for HR, as it can either reduce their workload or add to it colossally.
It’s a great way of taking a snapshot of the current skill level and productivity of the organization, and a solid backing to assign pay increases and bonuses.
“The reason why managers and employees dread performance appraisals is because companies have forced their people into buckets of performance and it impacts their future pay and career progression. Having a tool that helps do this in an unbiased manner, and with minimal effort is key to getting appraisals done on time.” – Josh Bersin, Industry Analyst and Researcher in the HR industry.
Without the right performance appraisal software in place, managers will be asked to fill in reviews multiple times, or without a proper structure, which can make way for bias to kick in, along with vaguely worded, open-ended feedback that may not be useful to plan the growth trajectory for employees.
It wouldn’t highlight the performance expectation vs actuals gap.
“The right performance appraisal tool allows a transparent approach to reviews, and roots out unfair comparison. Consider this: Managers who head a 10-member team take at least 1.5 hours to prepare for their reports’ reviews, conduct reviews for 1 hour each, and follow up on review-related administrative tasks for at least 2 hours. A good appraisal tool will reduce the time taken to review each report and make the managers’ job easier.” – Sue Ingram, a renowned HR Consultant, Facilitator & Coach.
🔍 What should you look for in performance appraisal software?
Before you browse hundreds of performance appraisal software options, it’s important to sit down and consider the following:
👉 What features do you want to retain in your legacy performance appraisal software?
👉 What’s not working that you want fixed?
👉 How is the same functionality different, or better in the new software you’re eyeing?
👉 Can the new system do the same function more efficiently?
👉 What’s keeping you from scaling up?
👉 Is the performance appraisal software compatible with your HRIS? Or, do you want a standalone tool?
👉 What data visualization capabilities suit your needs?
👉 Is the software easy to use, and with a straightforward learning curve?
👉 What is the review cadence you’re visualizing?
👉 What is the pricing of the tool, and how much do customizations cost?
👉 How responsive is the customer support team?
👉 What do your competitors, and peers use, and how has their experience been?
👉 What integrations would you need to make your workflows simpler? (Do you want the performance appraisal software integrated into employee engagement, organization chart, and recognition platform, or do you want them all built into the tool?)
Apart from these, you may also want to consider what information informs the review and how you want the data to flow – is it project information, goals/competencies, manager feedback, or cross-functional feedback?
As part of the performance review process, managers will have to review past notes, get familiar with previous action items, follow up on what action items have been met and what haven’t, and identify what’s working and what’s not.
They need to jot down important talking points and come up with an agenda that covers everything they need to cover with the employee in the given timeframe, without compromising on any element.
Since reviews involve considerable preparation, the performance appraisal software you choose needs to have preparatory sections that involve minimal effort, optimal retrieval, and immediate access. These are a few features you need to consider when evaluating your options.
📊 How did we compare the performance appraisal tools?
When evaluating performance appraisal tools, our focus was on identifying software that simplifies performance management, enhances employee engagement, and aligns with business objectives. To ensure a comprehensive comparison, we assessed each tool based on several key criteria:
- Ease of Use and User Experience: We considered each platform’s intuitive and user-friendly design. A well-designed interface that allows managers and employees to navigate seamlessly is crucial for effective implementation.
- Key Features and Functionality: We examined each tool’s core features, such as performance reviews, real-time feedback, goal setting, and 360-degree feedback. We looked for tools beyond basic functionalities to offer advanced features supporting continuous employee development.
- Integration Capabilities: We evaluated how well the software integrates with other systems, such as HRIS, payroll, and communication tools (e.g., Slack). Seamless integration ensures that performance management is not a siloed process but part of a cohesive HR ecosystem.
- Customization and Flexibility: We considered the degree to which each tool can be customized to fit the specific needs of different organizations. This includes tailoring performance review templates, workflows, and reporting.
- Scalability: We examined how well each tool can scale with an organization’s growth. This includes assessing whether the tool can handle increasing numbers of employees, more complex performance management needs and expanded feature requirements.
- Customer Support and Resources: We also evaluated the availability and quality of customer support, including onboarding assistance, training, and ongoing technical support. A robust support system is essential for ensuring smooth adoption and continued use.
- Pricing and Value for Money: Finally, we analyzed the cost of each tool relative to its features and benefits. We aimed to identify tools that provide the best value for money, especially for small—to medium-sized businesses.
🏆 Top Performance Appraisal Software to Choose From
Let’s compare the tools discussed the most in the industry and weigh their pros and cons to help you make the right decision.
- Peoplebox: Best for fast-growing companies that need a comprehensive people management and OKR alignment tool.
- Keka HR: Best for small to mid-sized businesses looking for an all-in-one HR solution that simplifies payroll, attendance, and performance management.
- Profit.co: Best for organizations focused on goal-oriented performance management and OKR tracking.
- Bamboo HR: Best for small to medium-sized businesses that need a user-friendly HR software to manage employee information, hiring, and onboarding.
- Engagedly: Best for organizations aiming to foster continuous employee engagement and development through modern performance management practices.
- 15Five: Best for businesses that prioritize employee engagement and growth, especially for remote working teams.
- Betterworks: Best for large enterprises that need a robust platform for continuous performance management and goal setting.
- Lattice: Best for enterprise businesses with advanced performance management needs, including people management, engagement, and compensation.
- Rippling: Best for companies seeking a unified workforce management platform that integrates HR, IT, and payroll in one system.
- Workday HCM: Best for global enterprises that require a comprehensive human capital management solution with advanced analytics and insights.
- Dayforce HCM: Best for organizations that need a single solution for managing workforce data, payroll, and compliance.
- WebHR: Best for small to mid-sized businesses looking for an affordable, cloud-based HR management system with core HR functionalities.
- Namely: Best for mid-sized companies that need a customizable HR platform with a strong focus on employee experience.
- Leapsome: Best for companies focused on enhancing employee development through continuous performance management and learning initiatives.
Here is a detailed comparison of each performance appraisal software listed above:
1. Peoplebox – 4.8/5
Peoplebox is a performance appraisal software that provides holistic OKR, performance appraisal, and 360-degree review tools with auto-tracking goals and competencies. The platform offers a smooth onboarding experience and provides an amazing interface for team members to collaborate, set goals, track progress, analyze, and offer feedback instantly and thoroughly.
It integrates with your work tools like Slack, Microsoft Teams, Asana, Hubspot, and Salesforce and makes your employees love performance appraisal. Its integration with Slack/Microsoft Teams goes beyond notification to help you run entire goal alignment and appraisal within Slack and get 100% participation.
The tool is also extensively used for business review presentations without switching between different tools or waiting to transfer data from day-to-day work tools to the OKR tool. The 1:1 and 360-degree feedback modules are raved about by user communities.
Interested to see the software in action? Explore the guided demo of Peoplebox.
💰 Pricing
Peoplebox pricing starts at $7/month/user onwards
🔍 Standout features
1. Meetings: Peoplebox streamlines one-on-one meetings with tools for setting agendas, documenting discussions, and tracking action items. AI-guided interactions ensure productive sessions, fostering open communication and alignment between managers and employees.
2. Employee Engagement Surveys: Peoplebox helps improve workplace culture by collecting detailed employee feedback. Gain insights into job satisfaction, management effectiveness, and team dynamics, aiding in better workforce retention.
3. OKR and Goal Management: Peoplebox enables teams to set and track clear OKRs that align with company goals, ensuring everyone works towards a shared vision with transparency across departments.
4. Ongoing Performance Review: Managers can monitor employee performance in real time and provide continuous feedback through an intuitive dashboard, promoting growth and development.
5. 360-Degree Feedback: Peoplebox offers customizable 360-degree feedback, providing employees with diverse insights into their performance tailored to fit your organization’s culture and values.
6. Org Charts: Peoplebox provides visual organizational charts that facilitate a clear understanding of team structures and reporting lines. This feature helps in identifying talent gaps and succession planning, ensuring that organizations are prepared for future leadership needs.
7. Calibration: Calibration within Peoplebox allows for standardized performance evaluations across teams. This process ensures that performance ratings are consistent and fair, promoting equity in talent management.
7. Automated Review Summaries: Leveraging generative AI, Peoplebox automates the creation of review summaries, streamlining the performance review process. This feature enhances efficiency by generating actionable insights and feedback based on employee performance data.
8. 9-Box Grid: Peoplebox’s 9-box grid provides a powerful tool for talent management, enabling organizations to assess employees based on their performance and potential. The visual representation also allows organizations to quickly identify talent gaps, strengths, and areas for improvement within their workforce
✔️ Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
| Slack/Microsoft Team Integration gets reviewers and team members to work seamlessly | Not all language is supported and some features may be work-in-progress |
| Auto-Tracking of Goals is suitable for offering instant, real-time feedback | Features like Performance Development Plan and Career Path are being developed and will be available soon |
| 9-Box and Manager Calibration helps establish strong team connections across teams | |
| Unmatched Customization to run appraisal as you want. Amazing to gauge employee pulse and assist in employee engagement | |
| Simple, intuitive, and user-friendly UI | |
| Excellent customer support | |
| Right for setting and tracking goals and objectives and data visualization | |
| Gives a flexible and smooth integration with plenty of work tools | |
| Numerous pre-built templates for OKRs, Surveys and surveys to capture employee pulse and feedback |
2. Keka HR – 4.5/5
Keka HR is a leading HRMS brand for small and medium enterprises. It’s known for adapting, evolving, and scaling your performance function. Users report that onboarding takes an unusually long time, and there isn’t much support from the tool. It has a fantastic integration ecosystem, right from project management to data monitoring tools/software.
💰 Pricing
$3.98/month/user onwards
🔍 Standout features
1. Comprehensive Payroll Management: Keka HR simplifies payroll processing with automated calculations, compliance management, and seamless integration with attendance and leave data.
2. Employee Self-Service Portal: Empowers employees with a user-friendly portal where they can access payslips, apply for leaves, track attendance, and update personal information.
3. Advanced Attendance Tracking: Keka HR offers robust attendance tracking with biometric integrations, geofencing, and real-time monitoring, ensuring accurate timekeeping.
4. Performance Management: Facilitates goal setting, performance reviews, and continuous feedback, helping managers and employees align on objectives and track progress.
5. Customizable HR Workflows: Keka HR allows businesses to tailor HR processes like onboarding, exit management, and appraisal cycles, ensuring they meet specific organizational needs.
✔️ Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
| Good analytics features and data visualization capability | Navigation within the tool can be really confusing |
| Commendable 360-degree feedback features | Getting help from customer support teams takes a lot of time |
| Good integration capability with Quickbooks, Empuls, WeThrive, Junoi, Plum, SuccessionHR | Occasional server down issues come up |
| The performance management is directly linked to the payroll module, reducing hassle in data transfer | Doesn’t provide Slack integration |
| Makes room for flexible peer appraisals | Customer support has very slow response times |
| Lacks integration with predominant project management or HRIS tools | |
| Almost impossible to change or customize the tool to suit your unique performance appraisal processes | |
| Slightly difficult UI, no proper survey or feedback options |
3. Profit. Co – 4.7/5
Profit. co is an AI-powered, continuous performance management software that is amazing for creating strategy roadmaps, OKR management, task and performance management, and employee engagement.
Users report a seamless experience tracking year-long performance and balancing organizational and individual goals. However, one downside to the tool is that it rolls out constant updates but provides inadequate training or helpful materials for users to learn from.
💰 Pricing
$9/month per user onwards
🔍 Standout features
1. OKR (Objectives and Key Results) Management: Profit.co offers a powerful OKR management system that enables organizations to set, track, and achieve strategic goals across all levels of the company.
2. Performance Management: The platform supports continuous performance reviews, 360-degree feedback, and employee development, helping to align individual performance with company objectives.
3. KPI (Key Performance Indicator) Tracking: Profit.co allows businesses to define and monitor KPIs, providing real-time insights into progress towards key goals and driving data-driven decision-making.
4. Integration Capabilities: Profit.co seamlessly integrates with popular tools like Slack, Jira, Salesforce, and Microsoft Teams, ensuring smooth workflows and unified goal tracking across platforms.
5. Customizable Dashboards and Reporting: The platform offers customizable dashboards and detailed reporting features, giving users a clear and actionable view of their OKRs, performance metrics, and business outcomes.
✔️ Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
| Easily customizable templates that make sending out surveys and review questionnaires a cakewalk | Tough to go back to finished reviews and complete check-ins for previous weeks |
| Great self-service portals for employees to finish reviews in no time | Cluttered UI |
| Great and responsive customer support | It can be expensive to roll out to the entire organization |
| Easy task tracking | The survey feature is pretty basic |
| Add sub-owners easily | Doesn’t involve employee engagement |
| Anyone can understand how they’re contributing to the bigger entity | Tough to upload performance data |
| Offers great integration capabilities: MS TeamsTrelloSlackJiraSalesforceHubspot |
4. Bamboo HR – 4.4/5
Bamboo HR is a well-known HRMS tool in the market that offers a full suite of HR functions. It’s usually preferred by large enterprises to streamline all HR processes and have a single source of truth.
However, users report a high cost of implementation even if done for small teams. Another common hassle frequently cited is the not-so-great customer service.
💰 Pricing
$7.50/month per user onwards
🔍 Standout features
1. Employee Database and Self-Service: Bamboo HR provides a centralized employee database with a self-service portal, allowing employees to access and update their personal information, view documents, and manage time-off requests.
2. Onboarding and Offboarding: The platform streamlines the onboarding process with customizable checklists and automated workflows, ensuring a smooth transition for new hires and a consistent experience during offboarding.
3. Time-Off Tracking: Bamboo HR simplifies leave management with easy-to-use tools for tracking vacation days, sick leave, and other time-off requests, complete with automated accrual calculations.
4. Performance Management: Bamboo HR offers performance management tools that include goal setting, performance reviews, and feedback mechanisms to help managers and employees stay aligned and focused on growth.
5. Reporting and Analytics: The platform features robust reporting capabilities, enabling HR teams to generate insightful reports on various aspects of the workforce, from turnover rates to employee satisfaction, supporting data-driven decision-making.
✔️ Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
| Amazing 360-degree feedback feature | Not linked to compensation or payroll to reflect monetary changes after the performance appraisal |
| Access to the entire employee database, helping you maintain a single source of truth, along with employee engagement, rewards, and recognition | The tool may not be proactive enough |
| Easy goal-setting and tracking | Basic and unhelpful reporting feature |
| Simple and easily serviceable self-service portal | May not have an integration between BambooHR and the payroll system |
| Helps performance tracking | More modules can only be included without any additional cost |
| User-friendly interface | Rigid performance review templates that don’t allow room for customization or flexibility |
| Easy to set up and onboard the tool | Lack of integration with accounting tools |
| You can add performance milestones to track, leave peer reviews anonymously, and carry out simple evaluations | Even with about 125 integrations, the tool still requires you to have middleware to integrate with major project management tools |
| 125+ pre-built integrations, including Google Workspace and Slack, including Officevibe and Lattice. |
5. Engagedly – 4.6/5
Engagedly is a useful, non-overwhelming performance management and employee engagement tool to help organizations improve employee performance and enhance workplace culture with learning and development, succession planning, OKRs, recognition, etc.
Users report that they were onboarded with extensive handholding and excellent support from the team.
💰 Pricing
$2/month per user onwards
🔍 Standout features
1. 360-Degree Feedback: Engagedly offers a comprehensive 360-degree feedback system that allows employees to receive constructive input from peers, managers, and subordinates, promoting well-rounded personal and professional growth.
2. Goal Alignment and OKR Management: The platform helps organizations align individual and team goals with broader company objectives using OKR management, ensuring everyone is working towards shared outcomes.
3. Employee Engagement and Recognition: Engagedly fosters a positive work culture with tools for employee recognition, social rewards, and gamification, enhancing motivation and engagement across the organization.
4. Learning and Development: Engagedly integrates learning management features that allow organizations to create, track, and manage training programs, supporting continuous employee development and skill enhancement.
5. Customizable Performance Reviews: The platform provides flexible performance review templates that can be tailored to fit specific organizational needs, enabling meaningful evaluations that align with company values and goals.
✔️ Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
| Easy, seamless UI | Multi-rater systems and performance features are very complicated |
| Offers very good customer support | Customizing and designing the right templates is a pretty labor-intensive process |
| Prompt issue resolution | Reminders are sent to everyone in the review process, instead of those whose tasks are pending |
| Fully customizable templates | Involves a steep learning curve to maneuver the tool and inadequate materials |
| Great level of permission controls module and feature-wise | Rewards and recognition modules aren’t connected like other tools |
| Helps set skills and courses for upgrading employees seamlessly | Inability to edit goals already set |
| Simple, straightforward dashboard suitable for real-time decision-making | |
| Smooth goal check-in to track performance, 360-degree reviews | |
| Offers the full range of performance management and development – 1:1s, LMS, mentoring, engagement surveys, and feedback loops | |
| Offers integration capabilities with: SlackHibobBambooHRPaylocityPersonioMicrosoft AzureGustoNamelyLinkedIn Learning |
6. 15Five – 4.7/5
It’s a holistic performance management tool, and it can serve as the single tool to improve manager effectiveness, drive high performance, and increase retention. It offers a full-performance suite – 360-degree performance review, employee engagement surveys, goals, and OKR tracking, weekly feedback, 1:1s, and pulse ratings.
Users report it’s great for goal and productivity tracking. There are also issues with respect to the billing systems and refunds.
💰 Pricing
$9/month per user onwards
🔍 Standout features
1. Weekly Check-Ins: 15Five facilitates regular check-ins between managers and employees, allowing for continuous communication, goal tracking, and timely feedback, which helps to address issues before they escalate.
2. Continuous Performance Reviews: The platform supports ongoing performance reviews with features like self-assessments, peer feedback, and manager evaluations, fostering a culture of continuous improvement.
3. Real-Time Feedback: 15Five enables instant feedback, allowing employees and managers to give and receive recognition or constructive comments in real time, promoting a more dynamic and responsive work environment.
4. Goal Setting and OKRs: The platform helps teams set, track, and achieve their goals through an intuitive OKR framework, ensuring alignment with the company’s strategic objectives and improving focus.
5. Employee Engagement and Wellbeing: 15Five includes tools for measuring employee engagement and wellbeing, such as pulse surveys and wellbeing assessments, providing insights into employee satisfaction and areas for improvement.
✔️ Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
| The tooltip and instructions in the tool are excellent | No analysis tool at the end of a review period to see ‘manager-only’ data |
| Great custom integrations with API | Customer support is tricky and unresponsive |
| Not much training is needed to use the tool – pretty straightforward | Not much training is imparted as part of onboarding for first-time users |
| Easy to use and development-focused | No data visualization to track overall team performance and productivity |
| Great for weekly 1:1s, and periodic check-ins | Needs users to use multiple external tools for data management (before and after review) |
| Easy to give public and private kudos and feedback to team members | Very difficult to allow the collaboration of multiple owners and add inputs |
| Simple to use | It only works on hierarchy – if multiple managers need to access and comment on a review without being ranked on top of another |
| Offers integration capabilities including Bamboo HRSlackMS TeamsNamelyGoogle CalendarOktaMS Extra ID | Difficult to slice and dice data without exporting every single time |
7. Betterworks – 4.6/5
Betterworks is a goal alignment tool to set and track OKRs and is a robust performance management software.
Users report the UX is difficult to maneuver and major functionalities are locked according to user type. They also cite that it’s easy to set corporate and individual goals while comparing and aligning them with each other.
💰 Pricing
Custom pricing
🔍 Standout features
1. OKR Management: Betterworks offers a robust OKR (Objectives and Key Results) management system, allowing organizations to set, track, and align goals across all levels, ensuring everyone is focused on achieving strategic objectives.
2. Continuous Performance Management: The platform supports ongoing performance reviews and real-time feedback, enabling managers and employees to have regular check-ins and stay aligned on performance and development.
3. Integrated Goal Tracking: Betterworks provides tools for tracking progress on individual and team goals, with visual dashboards and reports that offer insights into how goals are being met across the organization.
4. Employee Engagement Insights: The platform includes features for collecting and analyzing employee feedback, helping organizations understand engagement levels and identify areas for improvement.
5. Flexible Feedback Mechanisms: Betterworks allows for customizable feedback processes, including peer reviews, self-assessments, and manager feedback, tailored to meet the specific needs and culture of the organization.
✔️ Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
| Great for exclusive OKR management with a single source of truth | Hard to follow up on specific tasks and activities. Even for simple follow-up tasks, you need integrations. |
| Easy to set quarterly objectives while staying on track with the organizational yearly goals | Steep learning curve |
| Easy to mark progress on ongoing efforts | No regular updates or reminders to review goals as the cut-off date approaches |
| Simplified annual employee engagement assessment | Customizing some of the survey templates is hard |
| Simple and exhaustive reporting | Active and inactive goals are hard to differentiate because of a difficult UI |
| Straightforward manager-employee check-ins and exhaustive templates to capture every part of every conversation | The tool needs to improve integration capabilities easily |
| Simple but informative dashboard and customizable surveys | |
| Offers integration capabilities: Slack, Asana, Google Sheets, Github, BambooHR, MS Teams, Microsoft Excel, LinkedIn Learning, Workday, SAP, Oracle, Okta, Gmail |
8. Lattice – 4.7/5
Lattice is an AI-powered people management platform to make managers more effective, simplify people operations, and leverage workforce capabilities, which includes effective performance appraisal.
Users state Lattice is a comprehensive tool that manages all their talent management needs – goal setting, feedback, reviews, 1:1s, growth goals, and monitoring performance. One major hassle of the tool is that it makes it tough to integrate with HRIS.
💰 Pricing
$11/month per user onwards
🔍 Standout features
1. Comprehensive Performance Management: Lattice offers a full suite of performance management tools, including goal setting, performance reviews, and ongoing feedback, designed to help employees and managers stay aligned and drive continuous improvement.
2. OKR and Goal Tracking: The platform provides robust OKR (Objectives and Key Results) management, allowing teams to set, track, and align goals with organizational objectives, enhancing transparency and focus.
3. Employee Engagement Surveys: Lattice includes tools for conducting engagement surveys and gathering feedback, offering insights into employee satisfaction, team dynamics, and areas for development.
4. 360-Degree Feedback: The platform supports 360-degree feedback, enabling employees to receive input from peers, subordinates, and managers, which helps them gain a well-rounded view of their performance and areas for growth.
5. Customized Analytics and Reporting: Lattice provides powerful analytics and customizable reporting features, allowing organizations to track performance metrics, analyze trends, and make data-driven decisions to improve workforce management.
✔️ Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
| Easy editing of goals and updating tasks | Setting review meetings is very difficult and takes a lot of integration to integrate with meeting software and calendars |
| Retrieve performance feedback easily | Reminders and notification emails contain the entire reviews, which can be accessed by email and network operators. There’s a lack of confidentiality. |
| Offers great UI for managers, and employees alike, and any template can be designed with plenty of options to launch a review program | Tough to measure progress for cross-functional projects |
| Excellent customer service with prompt issue resolution | Extracting reports on reviews and surveys is exceptionally hard and clunky. It involves the double work of cleaning the data every time before using it |
| Simple to review goals and evaluation forms, set 1:1 agendas, 9-box reviews, biannual performance reviews, career tracking, and engagement surveys | Hard to customize the tool |
| Convenient to send nudges to praise employees publicly | Tough to bring all inputs collected throughout the year, and bring them together during reporting or performance plan creation |
| Offers integration capabilities with Slack, Gmail, Google Workspace, MS Teams, Google Calendar, Gusto, Microsoft Outlook, Workday |
9. Rippling – 4.6/5
Rippling is an integrated workforce management system that can conveniently manage the entire employee lifecycle. Users rave about the excellent customer support and how easy it is to use.
However, one of the main hassles of using the tool turns out to be that you treat external people as employees and require them to buy the tool per user, even if they are contractors.
💰 Pricing
$8/month per user onwards
🔍 Standout features
1. Unified HR and IT Management: Rippling integrates HR and IT management into a single platform, streamlining processes such as onboarding, offboarding, and device management with a unified system.
2. Automated Payroll and Benefits Administration: The platform automates payroll processing and benefits administration, ensuring accurate and timely payments while managing health insurance, retirement plans, and other benefits.
3. Employee Self-Service Portal: Rippling provides an intuitive self-service portal where employees can access their payroll information, manage benefits, request time off, and update personal details, enhancing overall efficiency.
4. Compliance and Reporting: Rippling offers robust compliance tools and reporting features to help organizations adhere to regulatory requirements and generate detailed reports on various HR and IT metrics.
5. Integration Capabilities: The platform integrates seamlessly with numerous third-party applications and services, allowing businesses to connect their existing tools and systems for a more cohesive workflow.
✔️ Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
| Simple goal-setting tool with easy organizational and subordinate goals | Glitches frequently |
| Easy and integrated performance tracking, performance management, and succession planning | Needs users to buy advanced workflows separately |
| Ability to build individual performance plans, including goals and compensation easily | Tough to configure and onboard |
| Track and review performance appraisal status easily | Updates take long to be configured |
| Set reminders to track the status of every user’s inputs | Sends too many email notifications |
| Succession planning capabilities are highly raved about | Credit redemption can be extremely difficult |
| Offers integration capabilities with Quickbooks, Google Drive, Google Docs, PayPal, Slack, Google Workspace and many more |
10. Workday HCM – 4.3/5
A legacy tool, opted by large enterprises conventionally for finance and HR management. As with most other legacy software, it’s difficult to customize it according to a unique performance appraisal process and shows frequent performance issues.
Another important issue is that any integration with other tools is highly technical and costs heavily in terms of time and costs. The same applies to any custom requests raised by users.
💰 Pricing
$50/month per user onwards
🔍 Standout features
1. Unified Human Capital Management: Workday HCM provides a comprehensive suite of HR tools, including core HR, talent management, workforce planning, and analytics, all integrated into a single platform for a seamless experience.
2. Advanced Analytics and Reporting: The platform offers powerful analytics and reporting capabilities, allowing organizations to gain deep insights into workforce trends, performance metrics, and strategic HR initiatives with customizable dashboards.
3. Global Workforce Management: Workday HCM supports global operations with features for managing international compliance, multi-currency payroll, and localized HR practices, making it ideal for multinational organizations.
4. Talent Management and Development: The system includes robust talent management features such as goal setting, performance reviews, career development planning, and succession planning, designed to foster employee growth and align with business goals.
5. Employee Experience and Self-Service: Workday HCM enhances employee experience with a user-friendly self-service portal where employees can manage their personal information, view pay stubs, request time off, and engage with HR services.
✔️ Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
| Good user system | User experience is terrible |
| Great analytical capabilities in the tool | Very rigid and expensive to adapt the tool to the company’s process |
| Perfect for performance plans, reviewing status, and reviewing frequency | Meeting scheduling is difficult, even for 1:1s |
| Performance reporting and data extraction is smooth and exceptional | Steep learning curve |
| Easy to set goals, provide feedback, and conduct reviews | The tool shows frequent performance issues, |
| No tons of reminders about pending status – just timely ones | Archaic user interface and inconsiderate customer support |
| Increased transparency in each stage of the performance review | UX is not intuitive, and still needs extensive manual intervention |
| Offers integration capabilities with:ERP, CRMAdobe SignBeelineSalesforceServiceNowSlackUnanetVertex | Unable to go back and edit reviews |
11. Dayforce HCM – 4/5
It’s a global people platform and takes care of most performance management and development issues. Users report poor customer service frequently, repeated bugs when traffic increases, and hard-to-complete tasks. Users need to learn code (SQL) to customize forms and conduct surveys extensively. Integrations and carrying out commonly used advanced features require technical knowledge.
💰 Pricing
$22/month per user onwards
🔍 Standout features
1. Unified HCM Platform: Dayforce HCM integrates core HR functions, payroll, time and attendance, talent management, and workforce planning into a single, unified platform, streamlining HR processes and improving data accuracy.
2. Real-Time Payroll Processing: The platform offers real-time payroll processing, allowing organizations to calculate and adjust payroll data instantly, ensuring accurate and timely payroll with up-to-date compliance.
3. Advanced Workforce Management: Dayforce HCM provides sophisticated tools for managing employee scheduling, time tracking, and attendance, including predictive analytics and automated alerts to optimize workforce efficiency.
4. Talent Management and Development: The system includes comprehensive talent management features, such as performance reviews, goal setting, learning and development, and succession planning, to support employee growth and align with organizational objectives.
5. Global Compliance and Reporting: Dayforce HCM supports global compliance with features for managing multi-country payroll, adhering to local regulations, and generating detailed compliance reports, making it suitable for international operations.
✔️ Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
| Performance ratings easily get pulled into salary planning and move into payroll seamlessly | Steep learning curve |
| Easy to mitigate errors | Constant updates to the tool cause a great deal of hassle |
| Simple and straightforward to use | Many unresolved issues for users because customer support is unresponsive |
| Easy to work with 360-degree feedback | Some users report notes, documents, etc, may be difficult to access and find as and when needed |
| Ample approval process control | Several problems in the implementation |
| Easy activity tracking | Generating reports is hard |
| Simple to manage, sync, and monitor meetings | Mediocre customer service |
| Customizable review and survey templates | |
| Connected to employee engagement modules and has a simple integration into payroll | |
| Offers integration capabilities with DocuSign, Jobvite, Criteria, Assembly, Synerion, Quantum Workplace, iTacit, Lifeworks, Dynamics365, Bridge VMS |
12. WebHR – 4.2/5
WebHR is an HRMS tool that is known for its exceptional self-service and features that allow any business to scale up its performance management processes.
The tool is receptive to enhancement requests. Users report excellent customer support and state they are helpful and friendly.
💰 Pricing
$2/month per user onwards
🔍 Standout features
1. Comprehensive HR Management: WebHR offers a broad range of HR functionalities, including employee management, recruitment, payroll, and performance evaluations, all integrated into a single platform to streamline HR operations.
2. Employee Self-Service Portal: The platform features a user-friendly self-service portal where employees can manage personal information, access pay slips, request leave, and view attendance records, enhancing employee autonomy and efficiency.
3. Customizable HR Workflows: WebHR allows organizations to create and customize HR workflows for processes such as onboarding, leave requests, and performance reviews, ensuring that the system aligns with specific business needs.
4. Time and Attendance Tracking: WebHR provides robust tools for tracking employee time and attendance, including clocking in/out, managing shifts, and generating attendance reports, which helps maintain accurate records and optimize workforce management.
5. Reporting and Analytics: The platform includes powerful reporting and analytics features that allow users to generate detailed HR reports, track key metrics, and gain insights into workforce trends, aiding in data-driven decision-making.
✔️ Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
| Easy and user-friendly UI | Limited integrations with the tool |
| Affordable pricing, even for additional modules | Glitches and lags frequently |
| Simple and customizable templates for reviews and employee surveys | No automated email system, and needs to be integrated with other external tools to send emails |
| Very flexible tool and great for adapting to the organization’s capabilities | Performance module doesn’t show the total score for review |
| 360-degree reviews are raved about | Multi-level approvals and ratings aren’t available |
| Access controls are great | Very basic 360-degree performance review feature |
| Benefits and compensation management after performance appraisals are easy to carry out | No link to employee engagement modules |
| Simple to conduct surveys and reminders sent occasionally | |
| Offers integration capabilities with Google Drive, Slack, Gmail, Google Workspace, Dropbox, Asana, Microsoft 365, Freshbooks, Zapier, Outlook, LinkedIn, Quickbooks, Hive |
13. Namely – 4.2/5
Namely is an HR solution for mid-sized businesses, and it offers end-to-end HCM solutions including HR, benefits, and payroll functions.
Users report they would like to have a free trial or free version, but to no avail, and it’s hard to get the customer support team to attend a meeting with the user team to clarify problems they have with the tool. Any customization also comes with a hefty price tag.
💰 Pricing
$19/month per user onwards
🔍 Standout features
1. Unified HR Platform: Namely integrates core HR functions, including payroll, benefits, and employee records, into a single, intuitive platform, simplifying HR management and providing a cohesive user experience.
2. Customizable Employee Self-Service: The platform offers a highly customizable self-service portal where employees can access personal information, manage benefits, request time off, and view pay stubs, enhancing engagement and operational efficiency.
3. Advanced Performance Management: Namely includes features for setting goals, conducting performance reviews, and providing continuous feedback, helping organizations align employee performance with business objectives and foster professional growth.
4. Comprehensive Benefits Administration: The system streamlines benefits administration with tools for managing enrollment, compliance, and reporting, making it easier for organizations to handle employee benefits and maintain regulatory compliance.
5. Integrated Payroll Processing: Namely offers integrated payroll processing with automated calculations, tax compliance, and reporting, ensuring accurate and timely payroll while reducing administrative burden and errors.
✔️ Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
| User-friendly interface | Performance module has complicated workflows |
| Offers good custom integrations | Cluttered, confusing processes |
| 360-degree feedback and surveys work well | Many repetitive and manual processes are involved, even after extensive automation |
| Multi-level ratings are made possible | Customer support isn’t responsive – takes a long time to get on a call with them |
| Generate extensive reports, slice and dice as needed | Goal setting is difficult. HR has to intervene at every step of the process |
| Linked with employee engagement and talent management modules, to ease the performance appraisal process | Difficulty getting or seeing all reviews and ratings in one place |
| Offers integration capabilities with Slack, Quickbooks, Zapier, Bonusly, Adobe, SignBreezy, HRPingboard, 15Five, NetSuite, Greenhouse, AbsorbLMS |
14. Leapsome – 4.5./5
Leapsome is a robust performance management and personalized learning tool with excellent customer support.
Users say even though integrations with the tool are limited; the team makes room for custom integration to allow teams to link any tool they need. Users are onboarded smoothly and are offered extensive implementation support even after the hyper-care period.
💰 Pricing
$8/month per user onwards
🔍 Standout features
1. 360-Degree Feedback: Leapsome provides a comprehensive 360-degree feedback system, allowing employees to receive input from peers, managers, and direct performance reports to gain a well-rounded perspective on their performance and areas for improvement.
2. OKR and Goal Setting: The platform supports OKR (Objectives and Key Results) and goal setting with tools for aligning individual and team goals with organizational objectives, ensuring clear focus and progress tracking across the company.
3. Performance Reviews and Continuous Feedback: Leapsome facilitates structured performance reviews and continuous feedback, enabling regular check-ins and development discussions to help employees grow and achieve their goals.
4. Learning and Development: Leapsome integrates learning management features, allowing organizations to create, track, and manage training programs and development plans, promoting continuous employee learning and skill enhancement.
5. Employee Engagement Surveys: The platform includes tools for conducting engagement surveys and pulse checks, providing insights into employee satisfaction, team dynamics, and areas for organizational improvement.
✔️ Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
| Simple user interface | The tool is very slow to upgrade |
| Launch meetings, periodic reviews, and surveys across the company easily, regardless of the size of the company | Navigating reviews can be very hard for a manager |
| Easy to share positive feedback with the entire company | Long performance review forms can be slow to load |
| Excellent customer support | The tool doesn’t store feedback after reviews, so users can’t refer to feedback later on |
| Easy to conduct regular 1:1s and regular check-ins | The UI isn’t intuitive, and it’s hard to switch between different sections |
| OKR setting and carrying out performance reviews are simple | Difficult to set custom reminder intervals |
| Following up on OKRs in terms of conversations, feedback, and recognition is possible using this tool | |
| Survey templates are great to administer | |
| Offers integration capabilities with Slack, Gmail, Google Workspace, Jira, MS Teams, OneLogin, Microsoft Azure, Payfit, Rippling |
👉 Tips for Maximizing the Benefits of Performance Appraisal Software
Best Practices for Using the Tool Effectively:
- Set clear objectives for the tool’s use to ensure alignment with organizational goals.
- Regularly update and maintain accurate employee data for precise appraisals.
- Utilize real-time feedback and goal-tracking features to maintain ongoing performance management.
- Customize the software to fit your organization’s specific performance metrics and processes.
Common Pitfalls to Avoid:
- Avoid using outdated or incomplete data, which can lead to inaccurate evaluations.
- Ensure the software is not used merely for compliance but as a tool for genuine development.
- Steer clear of overloading the system with excessive metrics or complex processes that can overwhelm users.
Engaging Employees in the Appraisal Process:
- Encourage employees to set their own goals and participate in self-assessments.
- Communicate the purpose and benefits of the appraisal software clearly to employees.
- Foster a culture of continuous feedback and open dialogue for ongoing improvement.
- Involve employees in regular feedback sessions to enhance engagement and collaboration.
📈 Future of Performance Appraisal Software
As employee evaluation practices evolve, we can expect significant changes in how performance is assessed. Traditional annual reviews are likely to be replaced by more frequent and flexible evaluation methods, such as continuous feedback and real-time performance tracking. This shift is driven by the need for timely, actionable feedback that helps employees adjust and improve their performance more effectively. Furthermore, the focus will increasingly be on aligning individual goals with broader organizational objectives through tools like OKRs (Objectives and Key Results), which facilitate clearer goal-setting and progress tracking, ensuring that employee efforts are directly contributing to business success.
Adopting advanced performance appraisal tools powered with AI and ML algorithms offers long-term benefits for organizations. These tools not only streamline the appraisal process but also enhance employee engagement and development by providing consistent, constructive feedback and opportunities for growth. By leveraging innovations such as AI-driven analytics and integrated goal management, companies can make more informed decisions regarding promotions, compensation, and professional development. Ultimately, investing in these advanced tools helps build a more productive and satisfied workforce, driving overall organizational success and adaptability in an ever-changing business landscape.
👉 What Makes Peoplebox the Best Performance Appraisal Software?
Peoplebox excels as a performance appraisal software by integrating OKR management, performance tracking, and people analytics into one cohesive platform. The platform enables organizations to effectively identify, align, and retain top talent, ensuring that every team member’s efforts are aligned with the company’s strategic objectives and driving overall success.
The platform features a Dynamic Org Chart that simplifies HR management, allowing teams to explore individual profiles in detail. With drill-down capabilities on over 50 parameters—such as goals, projects, review engagement, and compensation—Peoplebox delivers a comprehensive view within a single system. Enhanced by powerful visualization, smart search, and in-depth analysis, it uncovers actionable insights and supports data-driven decisions to foster a more engaged and productive workforce.
Selecting the best performance management software is crucial for nurturing a motivated and satisfied workforce. Peoplebox stands out for its ability to boost employee engagement through continuous feedback and pulse surveys, providing real-time insights into employee satisfaction and enabling proactive issue management.
With extensive native integrations, Peoplebox offers seamless customization to fit the unique needs of any organization, optimizing employee experience management within a unified platform.
We’ve been trusted by leading SaaS companies like RazorPay, and Nova Benefits to streamline their performance management, bring A-Z of performance appraisal under one umbrella, and make the whole process a cakewalk, for an affordable price at lighting speeds.
Want to create the same for your organization? Sign up for a demo today!
FAQs About Performance Appraisal Software
Which is the best performance appraisal system?
The best performance appraisal system varies depending on organizational needs. Peoplebox, for example, is highly regarded for its integration of OKR management, performance tracking, and people analytics, which helps align individual goals with company objectives and drive overall success. Other notable systems include 15Five and Lattice, which also offer robust performance management features.
Why is it important for businesses to use performance appraisal tools?
Performance appraisal tools are crucial for businesses as they provide structured feedback, align employee goals with organizational objectives, and identify areas for improvement. They help in setting clear expectations, tracking progress, and making informed decisions on promotions, compensation, and professional development, ultimately enhancing overall productivity and employee satisfaction.
What is the difference between a performance management system and performance assessment software?
A performance management system is a comprehensive tool that integrates various HR functions like goal setting, continuous feedback, and development planning to manage and improve employee performance over time. In contrast, performance assessment software focuses specifically on evaluating employee performance through periodic reviews and feedback, often providing tools for assessment but not necessarily encompassing broader management functions
What are the different types of performance appraisals?
Different types of performance appraisals include the traditional annual review, where performance is evaluated against set goals; 360-degree feedback, which gathers input from various stakeholders; self-assessment, where employees evaluate their own performance; and continuous feedback, which involves ongoing, real-time feedback to address issues and recognize achievements promptly.
