Awardco Reviews: Insights from 2000+ Real Users
Learn More
Ali Khan
Co-founder
Considering 15Five for your performance management needs? Hold on a minute.
As an HR professional, you know the importance of finding the right tools to empower your teams. You've likely come across 15Five in your research, but wading through countless 15five reviews can be overwhelming.
Here's the good news: I've spent significant time using 15Five and digging into its features.
In this 15five review, I'll share my unbiased perspective based on real experience and research.
Is this just another sales pitch for 15Five?
Absolutely not.
We'll dissect what 15Five offers, highlighting the features users love and the ones that leave them scratching their heads.
We'll also break down the pricing structure so you know exactly what you're getting for your investment.
But the big question remains: is 15Five worth it for your organization? We'll explore that in detail.
By the end of this review, you'll have a clear understanding of 15Five and its potential alternatives.
So, grab a coffee, settle in, and let's explore 15Five together. Let's get started!
15Five is a performance management platform. But it's more than just tracking metrics - it transforms data into actionable insights.
It's your "system of action" complementing HR systems.
15Five guides you on improving key outcomes proactively.
The HR Outcomes Dashboard visualizes progress transparently. You can monitor metrics like turnover, productivity, alignment, etc.
So in summary, 15Five is innovative. It's more than tracking performance - it's driving real improvement comprehensively.
For organizations wanting an "active" solution, not passive measurement, 15Five offers a compelling modern approach.
Now that we have the basics covered, let's look at some of 15Five's standout features that users appreciate.
Users appreciate how customizable 15Five is. It lets them tailor the platform to their needs. This flexibility makes it more useful and relevant. They can adjust settings, choose features that matter most, and make it work the way they want.
For example, managers can customize their dashboards to focus on key metrics, while employees can personalize their check-in forms to reflect their specific roles and responsibilities.
This customization enhances usability, making it easier for different business environments to benefit from 15Five. It ensures that the platform adapts to the unique workflows and preferences of each user, rather than forcing them to conform to a one-size-fits-all solution.
One of the favorite features of users is the seamless integration with Gusto. This integration simplifies payroll and employee management.
By combining these key functions into a unified system, it saves users time and reduces the hassle of managing multiple platforms. It’s convenient and ensures that all important tasks are in one place.
For instance, users can manage payroll, track time off, and handle benefits administration without leaving the 15Five platform.
Users find the weekly check-in feature invaluable. It helps maintain consistent communication between team members and managers.
Each week, they can track progress, share what they’ve been working on, and address any issues promptly.
This regular check-in ensures that everyone stays on the same page and can tackle problems quickly.
The check-ins also provide a structured way for employees to reflect on their accomplishments and challenges, fostering a culture of continuous feedback and improvement.
Additionally, managers can use the check-ins to recognize achievements, set new goals, and provide support where needed, making it a comprehensive tool for performance management.
The high-five feature is a unique way to recognize colleagues' achievements. It allows users to acknowledge their team’s efforts publicly, fostering a positive work culture.
Sending and receiving high-fives boosts morale and encourages a supportive environment where everyone feels appreciated for their contributions.
This feature is particularly popular because it’s simple yet impactful.
Whether it's celebrating a project milestone or simply acknowledging a job well done, high-fives make recognition a regular and enjoyable part of the workday.
However, alternatives like Wrenly offer a comprehensive peer recognition system.
Here’s what Desiree, a HR specialist has to say about Wrenly peer recognition in her review:
Related:
7 Benefits of Peer-to-Peer Recognition
Spark AI stands out as an innovative assistant for employees and managers. It uses performance and engagement data to recommend actionable steps.
This feature helps improve overall team effectiveness by providing insights and guidance based on real data.
Spark AI analyzes trends and patterns to offer personalized suggestions, helping users make informed decisions and take proactive measures.
For instance, it might highlight areas where an employee needs additional support or suggest ways to boost team engagement.
✨ This smart assistant enhances work processes and outcomes by ensuring that actions are data-driven and targeted, ultimately leading to better performance and higher employee satisfaction.
Of course, no software is perfect. As useful as some of 15Five's capabilities are, it also has its fair share of shortcomings that users take issue with. Let’s take a look at it.
Users find 15Five's customer service quite lacking. When issues pop up, the support is slow and often unhelpful.
This gets really frustrating, especially when dealing with billing problems or technical glitches.
Users often feel ignored and undervalued, which spoils the overall experience with 15Five. It's like trying to get help from a ghost.
“Terrible customer service and billing practices” ~ says Christen R., (Co-founder: Lead council)
15Five's billing practices are a major headache. If the employee count changes, they issue a bill almost instantly.
Plus, there are no refunds if users pause the service.
This nickel-and-diming approach creates financial stress and makes users feel like they are being unfairly charged. It's like they have a radar for squeezing out every cent.
Canceling a subscription with 15Five is a nightmare. Users can't do it themselves and must go through customer support.
To make it worse, they need to give at least 30 days' notice before the renewal date. This cumbersome process can make anyone feel trapped in their subscription, adding to the frustration. It's like trying to escape from a maze.
The high five feature doesn't impress everyone. While some users like it, others find it ineffective.
It's seen as a shallow attempt to boost morale.
Many believe it lacks depth and fails to make a real impact on workplace culture. It's like giving a virtual pat on the back that nobody feels.
15Five's platform stability is often questioned. Users frequently encounter technical issues, like broken features when viewing team 15Fives or creating objectives.
The lack of timely support during these outages makes the platform unreliable.
Frequent bugs and slow support responses lead to a lack of trust in the platform's efficiency. It's like driving a car that keeps breaking down on the road.
One area where 15Five gets mixed reviews is its pricing model. Let's break down the different plan options and costs.
If you're in hurry, here's the detailed table on 15Five Pricing:
With this plan, you get engagement surveys and insights to keep employees engaged.
However, here is the big reason why it's probably not worth it for you:
But again, it may not be the best value for smaller organizations because:
However, I really can't recommend this one based on:
Compensation Add-on: 15Five costs an additional $9 per user per month. Here’s what you get with the Compensation Add-on:
Reasons why it may not be that worthy for businesses:
Transform Plan: Starting at $99 per month, this plan includes manager training and coaching.
Copilot & Content: This plan costs $99 per manager per month, billed annually.
The cost can still be too high for smaller teams.
Group Coaching, Copilot, & Content: Priced at $220 per manager per month, billed annually.
1-on-1 Coaching, Copilot, & Content: This top-tier plan costs $750 per manager per month, billed annually.
This plan is extremely expensive relative to all the alternatives.
With all those pricing details out of the way, the big question is - does 15Five deliver enough value to justify the investment?
Must read: What is Agile HR and How Can it Benefit Your Team?
After thoroughly evaluating 15Five, I'm somewhat mixed. It has strengths, but also areas of concern.
The Good: ✅
👉 Robust performance review/feedback capabilities
👉 Goal tracking aligns teams effectively
👉 User-friendly for managers and employees
The Not-so-Good: ❌
👉 High pricing
👉 Tech issues and poor customer support
👉 Limited engagement tools beyond surveys
So is it worth investing in?
Here's my unbiased take after considering the alternatives:
15Five shines for formal review processes. The 360s, OKRs, and competency frameworks are solid offerings.
However, its engagement tools feel quite basic. The pulse surveys seem one-dimensional long-term.
❌ No real-time recognition or celebration capabilities.
❌ Insights lack depth beyond canned survey data.
❌ Lacks sense of vibrancy and human connection.
Alternative like Wrenly elevates engagement further:
✅ Full-featured recognition, surveys, kudos, badges, whistleblower and more.
✅ Anonymous feedback channels build psychological safety.
✅ AI powered progress visualization sustains motivation better.
So factoring in the pros/cons and alternatives, here's my verdict on 15Five's value:
Alternatively,
Ultimately, prioritize your biggest needs upfront. 15Five brings order to reviews robustly if that's priority #1. But Wrenly arguably fosters deeper motivation and connection long-term.
Here’s what Wrenly has to offer:
Wrenly offers comprehensive features designed to foster a positive work culture.
You can use Wrenly with Slack or Microsoft Teams.
Unlike 15Five, Wrenly provides tools for recognitions, rewards, and private suggestion boxes.
Recognitions and Rewards: Wrenly has a built-in system for peer recognition and rewards.
This boosts morale and motivation, something 15Five lacks in depth.
Here’s a quick one-minute video explaining how Wrenly’s anonymous suggestion box works in Slack. 👇
Private Suggestion Boxes: Wrenly allows both private and public suggestions.
This encourages honest feedback and open communication, unlike 15Five's limited options.
AI-Powered Reporting: Wrenly uses AI to analyze employee feedback.
This provides deep insights into company health and trends, surpassing 15Five’s Spark AI.
Celebrating Milestones: Wrenly tracks birthdays and work anniversaries.
It reminds leadership of important dates, fostering a culture of recognition that 15Five doesn't offer.
Secure Whistleblower Portal: Wrenly includes a secure portal for reporting sensitive issues confidentially.
This supports a transparent and ethical workplace, a feature missing in 15Five.
Wrenly outshines 15Five pretty handily as a more comprehensive engagement solution. It delivers all the core survey/feedback functionality 15Five does, plus a ton of robust extras.
Wrenly provides a more reliable and stable platform.
Here's a quick comparison table highlighting some of the major differences between 15Five and Wrenly:
At the end of the day, there's no one-size-fits-all when it comes to performance and engagement platforms. Every company has unique priorities to weigh.
Wrenly offers a more comprehensive and cost-effective solution for driving long-term engagement.
With robust features like pulse surveys, kudos, OKR tracking, and AI-driven insights, it caters to teams focused on fostering a healthy, motivated culture.
While 15Five may work for larger enterprises with bigger budgets, its pricing makes it impractical for smaller teams.
But why take my word for it?
Try Wrenly for free and experience how Wrenly's all-in-one platform seamlessly blends the engagement drivers that matter most.
