The Problem
Why teams leave BambooHR
Per-employee pricing scales directly with headcount growth
Payroll, performance, and time tracking are paid add-ons
Limited customization of workflows and fields
Reporting is basic without Advanced plan
Integration options are limited
What We Build Instead
Your custom hr & people tool
HR platform with all modules included — no add-on pricing
Employee database with custom fields and org chart
Time-off management and attendance tracking
Performance reviews and goal tracking
Onboarding workflows and document management
Custom reporting and people analytics
The Math
BambooHR vs. custom build
Based on 150 seats at $8/seat/month, with ~10% annual SaaS price increases.
Keep paying BambooHR
Build with 86 SaaS
3-year savings with 150 seats
-$3,230
-7% less than BambooHR
Pricing Breakdown
BambooHR tier pricing vs. one-time custom build
Compare what you pay per seat across BambooHR's tiers against a single investment in software you own forever.
| Tier | Monthly/Seat | Annual/Seat | Key Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essentials | $6/mo | $5/mo | Employee database, Time-off management, Reporting, Mobile app |
| Advantage | $8/mo | $7/mo | Onboarding, Offboarding, E-signatures, Training tracking |
| Advantage + Payroll | $14/mo | $12/mo | Full payroll, Tax filing, Benefits admin, Garnishment management |
| Advantage + Performance | $18/mo | $15/mo | Performance reviews, Goal tracking, 360 feedback, Compensation management |
| Custom Build by 86 SaaS | $25,000–$45,000 one-time | $0/seat | Unlimited users, full ownership, no recurring fees |
Migration Timeline
From BambooHR to ownership — week by week
A structured migration plan to move off BambooHR in 6-10 weeks with zero downtime.
Discovery & Audit
1 weekAudit existing HR processes, employee data, and compliance requirements
Architecture & Design
1-2 weeksDesign HR platform with employee lifecycle workflows and reporting
Core Development
3-5 weeksBuild employee database, onboarding, time-off, performance, and reporting
Data Migration & Testing
1-2 weeksMigrate employee records, org charts, and historical data
Deployment & Training
1 weekLaunch HR platform and train HR team and managers
Total build time
6-10 weeks
Feature Comparison
What you keep, what you skip, and why
A transparent comparison of BambooHR features vs. your custom-built alternative.
| Feature | BambooHR | Custom Build | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Employee Database | |||
| Time-off Management | |||
| Onboarding Workflows | |||
| Performance Reviews | |||
| Reporting & Analytics | |||
| Document Management | |||
| Org Chart | |||
| Employee Self-service | |||
| BambooHR Marketplace | Direct integrations built for your tool stack | ||
| Unlimited Modules | All HR modules included — no add-on pricing |
Your custom build focuses on the features your team actually uses — typically 15-20% of what BambooHR offers — built exactly for your workflow.
How It Works
From BambooHR to ownership in 6-10 weeks
Free Audit
We analyze your BambooHR usage and identify exactly which features your team actually uses.
Scope & Build
We build your custom hr & people tool with only the features you need. 6-10 weeks.
Deploy & Migrate
We deploy to your infrastructure, migrate your data from BambooHR, and train your team.
You Own It
Full source code, documentation, and optional maintenance retainer. No vendor lock-in. Ever.