BambooHR vs. BizMerlin

Overview
ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price
BambooHR
Score 8.3 out of 10
N/A
BambooHR is an on-line human resources solution that provides onboarding, payroll, and benefits management. It also offers automated time-off management and employee self-service.
$250
per month
BizMerlin
Score 9.0 out of 10
Mid-Size Companies (51-1,000 employees)
BizMerlin is an HR Management Solution targeted at small and medium-sized teams, allowing them to hire, onboard, manage, allocate and retain their team members. The application is cloud based and available via web browsers and native iOS and Android mobile apps. The vendor also offers 100+ integrations with JIRA, Salesforce, QuickBooks and others. According to the vendor, key capabilities…N/A
Pricing
BambooHRBizMerlin
Editions & Modules
Core
$250
per month
Pro
$250
per month
No answers on this topic
Offerings
Pricing Offerings
BambooHRBizMerlin
Free Trial
YesYes
Free/Freemium Version
NoYes
Premium Consulting/Integration Services
YesYes
Entry-level Setup FeeOptionalNo setup fee
Additional DetailsNo matter what HR looks like at your company, we have the perfect plan for you!
More Pricing Information
Community Pulse
BambooHRBizMerlin
Considered Both Products
BambooHR

No answer on this topic

BizMerlin
Chose BizMerlin
We took the trial of 3 HR software before going with BizMerlinHR. We wanted to have a comprehensive HR solution to cover our Paperless employee records, employee onboarding, PTO, Timesheets and Employee Performance Management. We were not looking for an Applicant Tracking …
Top Pros
Top Cons
Features
BambooHRBizMerlin
Human Resource Management
Comparison of Human Resource Management features of Product A and Product B
BambooHR
8.1
103 Ratings
3% above category average
BizMerlin
9.0
3 Ratings
14% above category average
Employee demographic data7.885 Ratings9.03 Ratings
Employment history8.892 Ratings9.03 Ratings
Job profiles and administration8.591 Ratings9.03 Ratings
Workflow for transfers, promotions, pay raises, etc.8.380 Ratings00 Ratings
Organizational charting7.188 Ratings9.03 Ratings
Organization and location management8.081 Ratings9.03 Ratings
Compliance data (COBRA, OSHA, etc.)8.552 Ratings00 Ratings
Payroll Management
Comparison of Payroll Management features of Product A and Product B
BambooHR
8.1
69 Ratings
1% above category average
BizMerlin
9.0
2 Ratings
11% above category average
Pay calculation8.246 Ratings00 Ratings
Support for external payroll vendors8.240 Ratings9.02 Ratings
Off-cycle/On-Demand payment8.026 Ratings00 Ratings
Benefit plan administration8.952 Ratings9.02 Ratings
Direct deposit files8.553 Ratings00 Ratings
Salary revision and increment management8.153 Ratings00 Ratings
Reimbursement management6.827 Ratings00 Ratings
Leave and Attendance Management
Comparison of Leave and Attendance Management features of Product A and Product B
BambooHR
8.9
90 Ratings
10% above category average
BizMerlin
9.0
3 Ratings
11% above category average
Approval workflow9.288 Ratings00 Ratings
Balance details9.081 Ratings9.03 Ratings
Annual carry-forward and encashment8.572 Ratings9.03 Ratings
Employee Self Service
Comparison of Employee Self Service features of Product A and Product B
BambooHR
8.7
100 Ratings
7% above category average
BizMerlin
9.0
3 Ratings
10% above category average
View and generate pay and benefit information7.965 Ratings9.03 Ratings
Update personal information9.299 Ratings9.03 Ratings
View company policy documentation9.080 Ratings9.03 Ratings
Employee recognition8.567 Ratings9.03 Ratings
View job history9.093 Ratings9.03 Ratings
Asset Management
Comparison of Asset Management features of Product A and Product B
BambooHR
7.8
39 Ratings
1% above category average
BizMerlin
-
Ratings
Tracking of all physical assets7.839 Ratings00 Ratings
HR Reporting
Comparison of HR Reporting features of Product A and Product B
BambooHR
7.7
77 Ratings
1% above category average
BizMerlin
9.0
3 Ratings
17% above category average
Report builder8.173 Ratings9.03 Ratings
Pre-built reports7.773 Ratings9.03 Ratings
Ability to combine HR data with external data7.456 Ratings9.02 Ratings
Onboarding
Comparison of Onboarding features of Product A and Product B
BambooHR
8.6
81 Ratings
7% above category average
BizMerlin
9.0
2 Ratings
12% above category average
New hire portal8.777 Ratings9.02 Ratings
Manager tracking tools8.673 Ratings9.02 Ratings
Performance and Goals
Comparison of Performance and Goals features of Product A and Product B
BambooHR
8.2
53 Ratings
1% above category average
BizMerlin
9.0
3 Ratings
10% above category average
Corporate goal setting8.243 Ratings9.03 Ratings
Individual goal setting8.351 Ratings9.03 Ratings
Line-of sight-visibility8.240 Ratings9.03 Ratings
Performance tracking8.147 Ratings9.03 Ratings
Performance Management
Comparison of Performance Management features of Product A and Product B
BambooHR
7.9
59 Ratings
1% below category average
BizMerlin
9.0
3 Ratings
12% above category average
Performance plans7.652 Ratings9.03 Ratings
Performance improvement plans8.047 Ratings9.03 Ratings
Review status tracking7.953 Ratings9.03 Ratings
Review reminders8.255 Ratings9.03 Ratings
Multiple review frequency7.850 Ratings9.02 Ratings
Succession Planning
Comparison of Succession Planning features of Product A and Product B
BambooHR
7.2
39 Ratings
9% below category average
BizMerlin
9.0
2 Ratings
13% above category average
Create succession plans/pools5.927 Ratings9.02 Ratings
Candidate ranking7.734 Ratings9.02 Ratings
Candidate search7.134 Ratings00 Ratings
Candidate development8.031 Ratings9.02 Ratings
Recruiting / ATS
Comparison of Recruiting / ATS features of Product A and Product B
BambooHR
8.1
65 Ratings
4% above category average
BizMerlin
9.0
3 Ratings
15% above category average
Job Requisition Management8.045 Ratings9.03 Ratings
Company Website Posting8.353 Ratings9.03 Ratings
Publish to Social Media8.247 Ratings9.03 Ratings
Job Search Site Posting8.250 Ratings9.03 Ratings
Duplicate Candidate Prevention7.543 Ratings9.02 Ratings
Applicant Tracking8.257 Ratings9.03 Ratings
Notifications and Alerts8.760 Ratings9.03 Ratings
Best Alternatives
BambooHRBizMerlin
Small Businesses
Patriot Software
Patriot Software
Score 9.0 out of 10
Patriot Software
Patriot Software
Score 9.0 out of 10
Medium-sized Companies
Paypro Workforce Management
Paypro Workforce Management
Score 9.5 out of 10
Paypro Workforce Management
Paypro Workforce Management
Score 9.5 out of 10
Enterprises
Infor Human Resources
Infor Human Resources
Score 7.3 out of 10
Infor Human Resources
Infor Human Resources
Score 7.3 out of 10
All AlternativesView all alternativesView all alternatives
User Ratings
BambooHRBizMerlin
Likelihood to Recommend
8.9
(106 ratings)
9.0
(3 ratings)
Likelihood to Renew
9.2
(10 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Usability
8.5
(33 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Availability
9.3
(5 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Performance
8.7
(5 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Support Rating
8.5
(36 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Online Training
9.2
(4 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Implementation Rating
9.6
(3 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Configurability
8.6
(4 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Contract Terms and Pricing Model
8.3
(3 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Ease of integration
9.6
(2 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Product Scalability
8.9
(5 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Professional Services
9.2
(2 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Vendor post-sale
8.9
(4 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Vendor pre-sale
9.1
(4 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
User Testimonials
BambooHRBizMerlin
Likelihood to Recommend
BambooHR
BambooHR is well suited for corporate type of organization. For example, the performance reviews are great, but if something more tailored to the restaurant side were quick and easy, that would be awesome. Timekeeping, as I mentioned, could be a bit more automated. Customer service is top-notch!
Read full review
BizMerlin
We took the trial of 3 HR software before going with BizMerlinHR. We wanted to have a comprehensive HR solution to cover our Paperless employee records, employee onboarding, PTO, Timesheets and Employee Performance Management. We were not looking for an Applicant Tracking system and Retention management module, but when we saw the functionality and easy use we were completely sold to those modules as well. It was like add-on but the price of everything was more economical than the other software that we were reviewing
Read full review
Pros
BambooHR
  • It provides an extensive system for setting up time off accruals and managing their balances.
  • It has a powerful system for managing user permissions to allow supervisors access to necessary areas and limit the access of employees.
  • It provides a very useful set of auditing tools and reports, both for tracking changes to employee profiles and who made the changes.
  • It has a clean UI that makes it easy for less tech-savvy users to interact with their HR data.
Read full review
BizMerlin
  • Multiple integrations including LinkedIn for Business, Okta, and QuickBooks Online Advanced.
  • Payroll management.
Read full review
Cons
BambooHR
  • Have a more robust report builder that has all the data as a filter.
  • Not all reports are able to be downloaded in different formats. I would prefer, csv, excel and PDF for all.
  • More options in the report builder to be able to customize your own reports instead of having to pay at least $200 for a simple report.
Read full review
BizMerlin
  • Wall of fame or the feedback given to the users cannot be controlled. The users cannot choose or control who can view their wall of fame.
  • The dashboard is customizable at organization and geography level but cannot be customized at the individual level.
  • The filter on archived goals does not work properly using text search.
Read full review
Likelihood to Renew
BambooHR
We have tried other software in the last year and have not found it to be comparable to Bamboo HR especially in relation to the HR functionalities such as workflows, onboarding, automation, user-friendly experience, innovation, timekeeping, and ability to integrate with other 3rd party Payroll processing software. In addition, the employee ease of access and navigation of the platform makes this software crucial within our current culture of multi-site and remote work environments.
Read full review
BizMerlin
No answers on this topic
Usability
BambooHR
It’s a very user-friendly interface. It is modern and easy on the eyes. It is simple and not overloaded with too much detail. It is not overwhelming, and it is visually insightful for all types of learners and workers. The backend is also just as simple to use and visualize.
Read full review
BizMerlin
No answers on this topic
Reliability and Availability
BambooHR
Yes, there is a huge team in the back of the online platform or it looks like it because I have never been left without an answer when I have a question or waiting from a response on my chat .... There must be a huge team, this is so great and I always seem to have someone that is very knowledgeable too. So many times in the past I had to leave with customer service that would connect you with someone else because of the expertise, here everyone seems to be some kind of an expert in the HR function.
Read full review
BizMerlin
No answers on this topic
Performance
BambooHR
I love BambooHR. Reports are easy to run and download and it usually covers any types of requests I get from the management team. You get excel or .csv downloads/reports and it is fast and simple, not too crowded so it is easy to read through. We don't integrate the tool yet but again, soon we will. we just did not had the time to utilize it yet but that's the plan.
Read full review
BizMerlin
No answers on this topic
Support Rating
BambooHR
Support is effective and responsive. During our time with BambooHR we did not experience many issues, but initial support on setup was helpful and allowed for a quick turnaround on getting started. Since then, few needs have arisen for contacting support, but I would not hesitate to do so and would recommend BambooHR based on the quality of their support team.
Read full review
BizMerlin
No answers on this topic
In-Person Training
BambooHR
I didn't have in-person training besides teaching my managers how to use the program. However, I couldn't omit this question (maybe a system glitch).
Read full review
BizMerlin
No answers on this topic
Online Training
BambooHR
As far as I can recall, everything went well with doing it online and got questions answered. Was thankful to work with a dummy file to get used to some practices prior to getting our own domain within bamboo to then place our personnel information in the system, this helped a lot!
Read full review
BizMerlin
No answers on this topic
Implementation Rating
BambooHR
It was some work involved in moving all of our documents from a drive over to the correct folders and creating the system of what folders were needed and what got placed where
Read full review
BizMerlin
No answers on this topic
Alternatives Considered
BambooHR
Although there are many products in the marketplace, there is no perfect system. BambooHR is the most economical HRIS for a small business, start-up, or business that has never had HR software. BambooHR was selected for its affordable functionality. However, if they continue to ingore the lack of functionality the pretty package will no longer have any value.
Read full review
BizMerlin
We took the trial of 3 HR software before going with BizMerlinHR. We wanted to have a comprehensive HR solution to cover our Paperless employee records, employee onboarding, PTO, Timesheets and Employee Performance Management. We were not looking for an Applicant Tracking system and Retention management module, but when we saw the functionality and easy use we were completely sold to those modules as well. It was like add-on but the price of everything was more economical than the other software that we were reviewing. Also, they really mean when they say "No setup fees" - because they helped us move all of our legacy data into the new system at no extra charge and helped us integrate with QuickBooks online. They definitely provide the best value of money when comparing the same set of features.
We have been using BizMerlinHR since 2018, and both our HR managers and users are very happy.
Read full review
Contract Terms and Pricing Model
BambooHR
Since my organization has dropped with employees, I always find ways to reduce costs. I thought there would be a cheaper option, but I was glad that my package included a lot for the price, and downgrading would cost more. The rep could have let me downgraded and taken me to a higher package. I am thankful that didn't happen.
Read full review
BizMerlin
No answers on this topic
Scalability
BambooHR
There is so much you can do with this platform, it is incredible and so welcoming. We don't utilize it 100% yet just because we are growing and the HR team has not been able to concentrate on other areas offered to us but but we will soon. Which is also why we got the product, specifically because what BambooHR can do to help us meet our growing business needs.
Read full review
BizMerlin
No answers on this topic
Professional Services
BambooHR
VERY professional!
Read full review
BizMerlin
No answers on this topic
Return on Investment
BambooHR
  • It's been a great force multiplier for our HR staff, supplementing their skills to allow them to focus on more complex tasks.
  • Employees enjoy using it and have to talk to HR staff less with the self-service options.
  • You may find as your organization grows that you outgrow a module or BambooHR and will replace with a dedicated solution.
Read full review
BizMerlin
  • In terms of costs, it is a very accessible platform, it is flexible and very easy to process the payroll, we also synchronize it directly with Linkedin for job announcements.
Read full review
ScreenShots

BambooHR Screenshots

Screenshot of BambooHR's Reporting

BizMerlin Screenshots

Screenshot of Centralized People databaseScreenshot of FeedbackScreenshot of Publish positions openlyScreenshot of Skill MatrixScreenshot of Resource ForecastingScreenshot of Project Team