15Five vs Culture Amp: which should you choose?
Quick answer: 15Five is built for performance-management, while Culture Amp suits employee-engagement. For most users Culture Amp is the stronger default, but 15Five can be the better fit depending on your budget and use case. 15Five has the lower entry price.
15Five and Culture Amp look similar on the surface; the differences show up in practice. Below we compare them on pricing, strengths and the use cases each one fits, then give a clear verdict.
Side-by-side
| 15Five | Culture Amp | |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Performance | Engagement |
| What it's known for | Continuous performance-management platform built around weekly check-ins, 1:1s, OKRs and engagement surveys to drive manager effectiveness. | Employee-experience platform specializing in engagement surveys and people analytics, with performance and development modules. |
| Pricing | Custom/per-user; modular pricing across performance, engagement and other products, comparable to Lattice for similar configurations; quote-based by headcount | Custom quote, annual; estimates from ~$4,500/yr for small teams, ~$5-9/employee/mo for the engagement module, $36,000-$45,000+/yr for 1,000+ employees |
| Best audience | Companies focused on manager effectiveness and continuous performance, not just annual reviews. | Companies that lead with employee engagement and want strong people analytics and benchmarks. |
| Best for | performance-management, manager-enablement | employee-engagement, people-analytics |
| Entry price | ~$4/user/mo | from ~$4,500/yr (small teams) |
| Biggest strength | Built around manager effectiveness and continuous check-ins. | Best-known specialist for engagement surveys and people analytics with strong benchmarking. |
| Main caveat | Compensation is a separate +$9/user/mo add-on. | No public pricing; quote-only and annual. |
Features compared
Where they really diverge is in the day-to-day feature set:
15Five key features
- Weekly check-ins with customizable questions
- 1-on-1 meeting agendas and talking points
- OKR and goal management with alignment visualization
- 360-degree feedback and performance reviews
Culture Amp key features
- Engage: employee engagement, pulse, onboarding and exit surveys
- People analytics dashboards and benchmarking
- Perform: performance reviews, continuous feedback, goals and 1:1s
- Develop: learning, skills tracking, development planning and career pathing
Pricing tiers side by side
15Five plans
| Plan | Price | What's included |
|---|---|---|
| Engage | ~$4/user/mo | Pulse surveys and engagement tracking |
| Perform | ~$11/user/mo | Performance reviews, OKRs, 360 feedback, check-ins |
| Total Platform | ~$16/user/mo | Engage + Perform plus HR Outcomes Dashboard, Manager Effectiveness Indicator, Transform microlearning |
Culture Amp plans
| Plan | Price | What's included |
|---|---|---|
| Engage (entry) | from ~$4,500/yr (small teams) | ~$5-9/employee/mo for the engagement module |
| Multi-module | quote-based | Engage + Perform + Develop; bundling lowers per-employee rate |
| Enterprise (1,000+ emp.) | ~$36,000-$45,000+/yr | Custom |
Tiers compiled from the vendors' published plans and independent reviews; prices are approximate and change often, so confirm current figures (and your region's taxes) on each vendor's site.
Strengths compared
Where 15Five wins
Manager-enablement performance platform centered on weekly check-ins and 1:1s.
- Built around manager effectiveness and continuous check-ins.
- Clear, published per-user tiers (Engage / Perform / Total Platform).
That makes it the stronger pick for companies focused on manager effectiveness and continuous performance, not just annual reviews.
Where Culture Amp wins
The category specialist for engagement surveys and people analytics with deep benchmarking.
- Best-known specialist for engagement surveys and people analytics with strong benchmarking.
- Modular (Engage / Perform / Develop) so you can start with surveys only.
That makes it the stronger pick for companies that lead with employee engagement and want strong people analytics and benchmarks.
Verdict: choose by fit
Pick by fit rather than by an overall score.
- Choose 15Five if you fit its core audience — companies focused on manager effectiveness and continuous performance, not just annual reviews.
- Choose Culture Amp if you fit its core audience — companies that lead with employee engagement and want strong people analytics and benchmarks.
FAQ
Is 15Five better than Culture Amp?
Culture Amp is the stronger default for most users, but 15Five can be the better fit depending on your budget and use case.
What is the main difference between 15Five and Culture Amp?
15Five is manager-enablement performance platform centered on weekly check-ins and 1:1s. Culture Amp is the category specialist for engagement surveys and people analytics with deep benchmarking.
Which is cheaper, 15Five or Culture Amp?
Entry pricing differs: 15Five starts at ~$4/user/mo, while Culture Amp starts at from ~$4,500/yr (small teams). Compare the tiers above against your usage.
Sources
Facts above are drawn from these independent reviews and the vendors' own pages for 15Five and Culture Amp: