PTODesk vs BambooHR for time off
BambooHR is a real HRIS — onboarding, records, performance, reporting. If you need all of that, buy it. If what you actually need is leave tracking that is correct, you are paying HRIS prices for one module.
| BambooHR | PTODesk | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | $10 to $25 per employee per month, with a minimum around $250 a month for 25 employees | Flat per company — $29, $59 or $99 a month |
| Free plan | None | Up to 5 employees, full engine |
| Accruals | Included | Every plan, including free |
| Mid-year hire proration | Varies | Automatic, with the arithmetic shown |
| US state sick leave | Not encoded | Encoded, dated and statute-linked |
| Integrations | Extensive | Slack, plus an ICS feed any calendar reads |
BambooHR list pricing checked 18 August 2026. Competitors change prices — confirm on their site before deciding.
What BambooHR is good at
If these are the things you need, they are the better buy and we would rather say so.
A genuine system of record for employees, not just their leave — documents, onboarding workflows, e-signature, org charts.
Performance management and reporting that no dedicated leave tracker offers.
The right purchase once HR is somebody's actual job rather than a side task.
Where teams outgrow BambooHR
You are buying a suite to get one module
The most quotable number in this market is BambooHR's roughly $250 a month minimum for 25 employees. PTODesk covers the same 25 people for $29, because it does one job.
Leave configuration is deliberately general
An HRIS models leave generically because it must serve every customer. State sick-leave denominators, hours-worked accrual with remainder carry, and per-state statutory reports are not what a generalist policy engine is shaped for.
Implementation is a project
Adopting an HRIS is a data-migration exercise with a timeline. Turning on a leave tracker is an afternoon.
What it costs as you grow
BambooHR at list price, against the cheapest PTODesk plan that covers the same team. Per-seat pricing rises with every hire; a flat price does not move until you cross a plan boundary.
| Employees | BambooHR | PTODesk | Difference a year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | $250.00/mo | $0.00/mo Free | Save $3,000 |
| 10 | $250.00/mo | $29.00/mo Starter | Save $2,652 |
| 25 | $250.00/mo | $29.00/mo Starter | Save $2,652 |
| 50 | $500.00/mo | $59.00/mo Team | Save $5,292 |
| 75 | $750.00/mo | $59.00/mo Team | Save $8,292 |
List prices with no discounts applied, including BambooHR's free tier and monthly minimum where they have one. Rows where they come out cheaper are left in.
Common questions
Can we run PTODesk alongside BambooHR?
Yes, and some teams do — BambooHR as the record of employment, PTODesk as the leave engine, with a CSV export into payroll. The calendar feed keeps everyone else in sync.
Is PTODesk an HRIS?
No, and it is not trying to be. It tracks leave, accrues it correctly and proves the balance. If you need onboarding workflows and performance reviews, you need a different category of product.
What does BambooHR cost for a small team?
Published rates are roughly $10 to $25 per employee per month, but the monthly minimum is what matters below about 25 people — widely reported at around $250 a month.
Try it against your own numbers
Free for teams up to five, with the whole accrual engine. Import your roster from a CSV, set opening balances, and run it alongside what you have now for a month.
No credit card. Flat monthly price, never per seat.