15Five

15Five is an AI-powered performance management platform for organizations working on employee performance, engagement and retention. Its tools span reviews, goals and alignment, feedback, engagement surveys, manager enablement, compensation signals and AI-supported insights. Perform includes AI-assisted reviews, OKRs and goals, 360° feedback, a talent matrix, career paths and plans, 1-on-1s and weekly check-ins. Engage provides surveys, targeted assessments, action planning, heat maps, data breakdowns and benchmarking. The platform also describes an AI thought partner, Focus Briefs and 15Five Agents. Its mobile app supports check-ins, 1-on-1s and surveys, and the service is available on Android, iOS, web and through an API. Integrations include ADP, BambooHR, Google Calendar, Jira, Slack, Salesforce and Workday. 15Five says it encrypts communications with SSL/TLS and stores encrypted customer data in ISO 27001-compliant US data centers. It also reports an independent audit for compliance with the SOC 2 framework. Pricing starts at $4/user/mo billed annually; there is no free plan. The company was founded in 2011.

15Five brings performance and engagement tools together, with mobile access and a range of listed integrations. It is a paid platform aimed at mid-market and enterprise organizations.

15Five is aimed at mid-market and enterprise organizations seeking tools for performance reviews, engagement, manager insights and retention.

15Five is a broad performance and employee-engagement platform for organizations that want reviews, surveys, goals and manager support connected. It suits mid-market and enterprise HR teams more than small teams seeking a single focused workflow. The main decision is whether its modular paid plans match the programs and budget you actually need.

Overview

15Five brings together performance reviews, engagement surveys, feedback, goals and alignment, compensation signals, manager enablement and AI-powered insights. It supports goal frameworks, one-on-ones, review cycles, review calibration and competency frameworks, giving HR teams a common structure for formal evaluations and continuous conversations.

Connections to ADP, BambooHR, Google Calendar, Jira, Slack, Salesforce and Workday can help fit the platform into an existing people and work stack, while an API supports custom integrations. Security controls include SSL/TLS communication encryption, encrypted customer data in ISO 27001-compliant US data centers, multi-factor authentication, SAML single sign-on, SCIM 2.0 user management and a public API. 15Five says an independent firm audited its SOC 2 compliance; a report copy can be requested through support under an NDA.

Key features

Performance and engagement

Perform combines AI-assisted performance reviews, OKRs and goals, 360-degree feedback, a talent matrix, career paths and plans, one-on-ones and weekly check-ins. That mix is useful when review cycles must connect to goal alignment, career development and regular manager contact. Engage adds employee surveys, targeted assessments, action planning, heat maps, data breakdowns and benchmarking, helping larger organizations move from sentiment measurement to follow-up work rather than collecting survey results alone.

AI and manager support

AI-assisted reviews, an AI thought partner, Focus Briefs and 15Five Agents are designed to support performance and management workflows. Kona Coach adds AI coaching, targeted skill development and in-workflow nudges. Manager enablement also includes assignable learning content and coaching credits, so organizations can choose structured self-service development or paid human sessions.

Mobile access covers check-ins, one-on-ones and surveys. Every customer receives dedicated human support, office hours and training resources, with an account manager aligned to the plan level.

Pricing

15Five has no free plan. Entry pricing starts at $4/user/mo when billed annually, but the catalog is modular and several capabilities carry separate charges.

• Kona Meeting Assistant: $24.00 per employee per year, billed annually ($2.00 per employee/month), with meeting notes, performance snapshots, summaries and action items. It fits teams wanting meeting support without the broader platform.
• Engage: $48.00 per user per year, billed annually ($4.00 per user/month), for surveys, targeted assessments, action planning, heat maps, data breakdowns and benchmarking. It is the focused choice for engagement programs, but does not include Perform's performance suite.
• Manager Products — Content: $49.00 per manager per month, billed annually, for an on-demand learning library, courses and tailored, assignable content.
• Compensation Base Package: $108.00 per user per year, billed annually ($9.00 per user/month), covering compensation review, baseline benchmarking, pay ranges, total-rewards dashboards and HRIS integration.
• Perform: $132.00 per user per year, billed annually ($11.00 per user/month), with AI-assisted reviews, OKRs and goals, 360-degree feedback, a talent matrix and career paths and plans.
• Compensation + Salary Benchmarking: $132.00 per user per year, billed annually ($11.00 per user/month), adding Mercer's real-time salary benchmarking to the base compensation package.
• Total Platform: $192.00 per user per year, billed annually ($16.00 per user/month), combining Engage and Perform with manager-training microlearnings.
• Kona Coach: $228.00 per manager per year, billed annually ($19.00 per manager/month), for AI coaching, targeted skill development and workflow nudges.
• Manager Products — Coaching: $399.00 per credit, purchased once. A one-to-one coaching session uses one credit; a group session uses five credits and supports up to 10 people.

The lower-priced products are sensible for a defined need, while Total Platform is the clearer fit when engagement and performance must operate together. The separate manager, compensation and coaching charges can make a full rollout materially more expensive than the entry rate.

Platforms

15Five runs on web, iOS and Android, with API access. The mobile app supports check-ins, one-on-ones and surveys, useful for managers and employees who do not work exclusively at a desk.

Who it's for

15Five is a strong match for mid-market and enterprise organizations building connected review, engagement, manager-development and retention programs. It is less compelling for a small business that needs only surveys, basic goals or a lightweight review tool, because there is no free tier and the broader modules are sold separately.

Pros and cons

• Pro: Performance, engagement, feedback, goals, career planning and compensation signals can be coordinated in one system.
• Pro: Perform covers both structured reviews and ongoing one-on-ones, check-ins and goal alignment.
• Pro: Mobile apps, API access, SSO, SCIM and major HR and work-tool integrations support larger deployments.
• Pro: Dedicated human support, office hours and training resources are included for customers.
• Con: There is no free plan, so even smaller deployments require paid access.
• Con: The modular catalog means compensation, coaching, manager content and AI coaching can add separate per-user, per-manager or credit costs.

Alternatives

Choose Workday Human Capital Management instead when you want a broad paid HCM platform and are prepared to contact sales for pricing.

BenefitConnect is another paid option available on web, iOS, Android and API.

Choose CozyHR if a free early-access offer, free trial and a Starter plan for up to 75 employees are more important than 15Five's performance-and-engagement breadth.

Engagedly is worth considering for a performance suite priced at $5–$8 per user per month when billed annually, with a $7,500 yearly minimum.

Choose Leapsome if you want a paid platform with a free trial and a compensation plan priced at €3 per employee per month.

ServiceNow HR Service Delivery, LMS365 and SAP SuccessFactors HCM are paid alternatives with pricing handled by request or contract.

For narrower buying research, compare Job Architecture Software, Career Pathing Software and Performance Management Software.

Verdict

Choose 15Five when your organization wants performance reviews, engagement measurement and manager development tied together, with mobile access and enterprise controls. Look elsewhere if you need a free starting point, a single-purpose tool or simpler pricing without separate module and coaching charges.