15Five alternatives: 12 tools compared (October 2026)

Culture Amp is an Australian employee experience platform for companies of most sizes, combining engagement surveys, performance tools and people analytics with AI features built into the workflow rather than a separate add-on.

Key functions

• AI Coach with instant, data-based suggestions for managers
• Automatic summarization of open-text survey comments
• AI-based recommendations for HR teams from survey data

Compared with 15Five

• Can store data in the EU; 15Five states no EU option.
• Targets companies under 50 employees, which 15Five does not.
• Has a German interface; 15Five does not list one.
• Names 4 security certificates, 15Five 1.

Check before buying: Before rollout, ask which modules (Engage, Perform, Develop) the quote includes, since pricing depends on employee count, the products chosen and the service tier. If the MCP connector is enabled, agree with IT which external AI tools may query workforce data. Survey and performance data on California staff falls under the CCPA, which covers employees like consumers. In Australia, a new AI system that significantly affects staff can trigger the consultation clause every enterprise agreement must include.

Lattice is a US-headquartered performance management platform for small, midsize and large employers, built around goal setting, feedback, one-on-ones and engagement surveys, with an AI agent that coaches employees, analyzes people data and drafts reviews.

Key functions

• AI agent coaches employees and managers on conversations, performance and growth
• AI-assisted analysis of engagement surveys
• Automatic summarization of feedback and reviews

Compared with 15Five

• Can store data in the EU; 15Five states no EU option.
• Targets companies under 50 employees, which 15Five does not.
• Has a German interface; 15Five does not list one.
• Single sign-on in all plans; at 15Five as an add-on.

Check before buying: Because Lattice's AI summarizes performance reviews, analyzes engagement surveys and tracks goals, check how its output feeds promotion decisions, since Illinois bans AI that discriminates by protected class. Lattice states it is SOC 2 Type II certified and lets customers choose US or EU data hosting under matching security standards. According to its trust FAQ, EU hosting (Frankfurt, backup in Dublin) is available to new customers only, and data is still processed outside the EU. OpenAI is a subprocessor for the AI features.

Betterworks is a real-time performance management platform that connects goals, feedback and skills data with AI built in, aimed at midsize and large employers moving away from once-a-year reviews toward continuous performance conversations.

Key functions

• AI suggests goals matched to strategy and role
• Automatic summaries from 1:1s and check-ins
• Skill inference from goals and feedback

Compared with 15Five

• Can store data in the EU; 15Five states no EU option.
• Names 3 security certificates, 15Five 1.
• Starts higher: from $8 per user/month, 15Five from $4 per user/month.
• Single sign-on in all plans; at 15Five as an add-on.

Check before buying: Before buying, confirm whether you need the EU hosting option in Ireland or the default US hosting, and check integration with your existing HR system. Betterworks lists per-user pricing from $8 a month, but the Talent Intelligence add-on and Enterprise tier cost more. Because the platform infers skills from goals and feedback, check whether those profiles feed promotion decisions, which in New York City can trigger Local Law 144's bias audit.

Lemonbase is a South Korean performance management platform that pulls feedback, goals and 1:1 notes into one system, with AI built in at no extra cost to summarize meetings and collect review evidence automatically.

Key functions

• AI automatically summarizes meeting notes
• Automatic collection of performance evidence for reviews
• AI assistance writing review text

Compared with 15Five

• Targets companies under 50 employees, which 15Five does not.
• Strongest elsewhere: South Korea.

Check before buying: Lemonbase's interface and support are oriented toward Korean-speaking teams, so confirm whether an English-language rollout works for any international staff. Clarify the exact AWS hosting region for your data. Because the platform collects performance evidence tied to individuals, PIPA lets employees demand an explanation of fully automated decisions that significantly affect them and refuse ones without meaningful human involvement. Workplaces with 30 or more employees must have a Labor-Management Council, a standing forum to raise concerns about new systems.

Leapsome is a Berlin-founded HR platform for performance management, engagement, learning and core HR data, used by companies from about 20 to more than 2,000 employees, with AI agents that draft reviews, automate onboarding steps and answer policy questions.

Key functions

• AI Development Coach prepares managers for one-to-ones and reviews using goal and feedback history
• AI PeopleOps Partner runs onboarding, role changes and offboarding as automated end-to-end workflows
• AI HR Helpdesk answers policy questions in Slack or the app and can execute authorized actions

Compared with 15Five

• Offers a free trial; we found none for 15Five.
• Can store data in the EU; 15Five states no EU option.
• Headquartered in Germany, 15Five in United States.
• Targets companies under 50 employees, which 15Five does not.

Check before buying: Before adopting Leapsome, check the per-employee prices for the modules you need and ask sales about multi-module and volume discounts, since contracts run for at least one year, and decide which AI features to enable, because the subprocessor list also allows AI processing outside the EU, for example by OpenAI in the US. Because the AI agents draw on performance and engagement data, German works councils typically hold co-determination rights under Section 87 (1) BetrVG, and using them for performance evaluation falls under the EU AI Act's high-risk category from December 2027.

Engagedly is a US talent management suite covering performance, learning, engagement and recognition for midsize and large employers, built around the Marissa AI assistant for skills tracking and engagement analysis.

Key functions

• Marissa AI assistant
• AI-assisted skill tracking and mapping
• Automated sentiment analysis in engagement surveys

Compared with 15Five

• Starts lower: from $2 per user/month, 15Five from $4 per user/month.
• Strong in the same markets as 15Five: United States.

Check before buying: Before buying, work out which modules you need, since Engagedly prices and licenses them separately, and confirm the $7,500 annual minimum fits your budget. No data hosting region is published, so ask directly and get the answer in writing; the privacy policy states an annual SOC 2 Type 2 audit by third-party auditors. Where the suite scores skills or engagement sentiment tied to individuals, check how those scores feed promotion decisions, since Illinois bans AI that discriminates by protected class.

Small Improvements is a Berlin-based performance management platform for growing companies of 50 to 750 staff, covering reviews, goals, 1:1s and feedback, with AI that turns feedback into goal suggestions and flags training needs.

Key functions

• AI turns 360 and anytime feedback into suggested objectives (Objectives Assistant)
• Objectives Coach suggests improvements to existing goals using the SMART method
• AI summarizes feedback and drafts manager summaries for reviews

Compared with 15Five

• Offers a free trial; we found none for 15Five.
• Can store data in the EU; 15Five states no EU option.
• Headquartered in Germany, 15Five in United States.
• Targets companies under 50 employees, which 15Five does not.

Check before buying: Before signing up, use the 30-day free trial to check whether the review, goals and survey workflows match how your teams work. The privacy policy names Google Ireland in Dublin as hosting provider, and the data processing agreement under Article 28 GDPR can be signed online via DocuSign. As the platform evaluates individual feedback and review content, German employers should involve the works council under Section 87(1) no. 6 BetrVG.

360 degree feedback tool that replaces rating surveys with voice conversations.

Key functions

• An AI coach holds voice conversations with feedback providers, asks follow up questions and synthesizes the results into a live debrief.

Compared with 15Five

• Strong in the same markets as 15Five: United States.