If you're running a small business with 50 employees or fewer, you've likely been pitched by the "big names" in HR software: Lattice, BambooHR, Leapsome, and 15Five. Their sales teams promise revolutionary performance management, seamless integrations, and transformative employee engagement. But here's what they don't tell you upfront: you're about to pay enterprise prices for features you'll never use.
Let's break down what small businesses are actually paying for these platforms:
For a 30-person team: $9,000 per year For a 50-person team: $15,000 per year
BambooHR keeps their pricing behind a "contact us" wall, requiring businesses to go through sales calls to discover costs. Based on publicly available information, users report significant monthly costs for their comprehensive feature sets.
According to publicly available information, 15Five's comprehensive features cost $16/user/month when you want access to all modules, making it a significant investment for small teams.
Leapsome follows the same pattern with "pricing available upon request," which typically means custom enterprise-level pricing that small businesses discover only after lengthy sales processes.
The research reveals consistent patterns in user feedback from small businesses:
According to publicly available reviews, "Goals and OKRs confuse users" is cited as one of the key complaints about 15Five. Many small business users report that these platforms are overly complex for their needs, requiring extensive training and setup time.
User reviews commonly cite "Unintuitive user interface that requires time to learn and adjust" as a concern. Small business owners report needing tools that work immediately without lengthy learning curves.
Despite promises of seamless connectivity, some users report limited integration options, forcing businesses to maintain multiple disconnected systems.
Here's what these enterprise platforms miss about small businesses:
You Don't Need 360-Degree Reviews Every Quarter Small businesses thrive on direct communication. You know your team members personally, their strengths, and their growth areas. Complex review cycles designed for 500+ employee companies are overkill.
You Don't Need Advanced Analytics Dashboards When you can walk across the office and see how your team is performing, paying for sophisticated analytics is like buying a telescope to see what's in your backyard.
You Don't Need Compensation Management Modules Most small businesses have straightforward compensation structures. Paying extra for complex compensation planning tools designed for large corporations is unnecessary overhead.
You Don't Need Enterprise-Level Integrations Small businesses typically use 3-5 core tools. You don't need integration with 50+ enterprise systems you'll never use.
Beyond the high costs, these platforms often require small businesses to commit to:
Small businesses need flexibility, not long-term commitments to expensive tools that may not fit their evolving needs.
Smart small business owners are recognizing that they've been sold enterprise solutions for small business problems. The most successful small businesses are choosing focused, affordable solutions that deliver what they actually need:
While enterprise platforms try to be everything to everyone, Evalflow focuses on what small businesses actually need:
Simple, AI-Powered Solution A standalone platform that doesn't require complex integrations or lengthy setup processes. Built specifically for small business needs without enterprise bloat.
Transparent Approach Clear pricing structure at $4 user/month, no-contract, designed for small businesses, not enterprise budgets.
Immediate Implementation Quick setup and intuitive interface that teams can start using right away.
Focused Feature Set Essential performance management tools powered by AI, without unnecessary complexity. Every feature serves a real small business need.
If you're a small business owner currently paying $15,000+ annually for HR software that your team finds confusing and overcomplicated, it's time for a reality check. You're not a Fortune 500 company, and you don't need Fortune 500 solutions.
The question isn't whether you can afford these enterprise platforms - it's whether you can afford to keep overpaying for features you don't need while your actual business needs go unmet.
Your business deserves better than enterprise leftovers packaged for small business budgets.
Ready to stop overpaying for enterprise HR solutions? Discover how Evalflow delivers exactly what small businesses need at a price that makes sense. No contracts, no hidden fees, no enterprise bloat - just effective performance management built for teams like yours.