It’s never been harder to motivate and engage employees, and align them with company goals in today’s fast-paced work environment. Performance reviews are a large part of motivation, but traditional performance reviews are often unwieldy and subjective. Using performance review software is a great new way to handle performance reviews that will streamline the process. Employees and managers can track development, give coaching, and establish a path to meaningfully prepare for performance review conversations.
This article will focus on the top ten performance review software applications in 2025, including the best performance review software for small business again. We will also share what makes the solutions unique, key features to think about, and how to make a thoughtful decision with the right software for you and your team. Let’s get going!
Key Takeaways:
- What Is Performance Review Software
- Why Business Needs Performance Review Software
- Key Features to Look for in Performance Review Software
- Top Performance Review Software
- How to Choose the Right Software for Your Team
- Benefits of Using the Right Performance Review Software
What Is Performance Review Software?
In its simplest terms, performance review software is a digital tool for organizing, handling, and administering performance evaluations, feedback, and employee goals. Unlike manual processes and paper-based reviews, performance review software organizes and automates the data, making it more effective and actionable.
These applications have many common features:
Setting and communicating employee goals:
It allows organizations to explicitly define objectives and clearly identify performance over time. This guarantees all employees are collaborating to focus on priorities that are significant to the area of focus.
360 feedback from colleagues and supervisors:
Feedback is provided by the entire team that worked alongside the subject employee, and has observed their work. Feedback is received through multiple individuals who may include supervisors, peers as well as customers on occasion.
Reports and analysis on performance trends:
Performance management software organizes the information and produces reports that will help leaders in understanding strong and weak performance, what needs to be improved, and what work has improved.
Timetable and automatic review cycle:
It schedules a reminder and plans the next review, taking care of all aspects of timing and organizing the review without any human intervention.
With a fully developed performance management software, organizations can cease the use of cumbersome spreadsheets, manual notes, and let Human Resources employees and managers focus on value-added work like talent development and productivity.
Why Business Needs Performance Review Software
Performance reviews can be a real challenge for any manager. Without the necessary tools in place, the preparation can take days and still not feel fair or right. Here are some reasons why your business needs to purchase performance review software:
Save Time and Reduce Bias
Automated tracking and standardized evaluation templates helps to reduce the time spent on your reviews and helps you to avoid unconscious bias; Reviews that create consistency lead to fairness and transparency.
Increase Conversations
Most performance review software platforms facilitate constant feedback, closing the feedback loop between managers and employees, allowing for clear paths of dialogue rather than solely the annual review.
Encourage Employee Development
Regular and constructive feedback leads to a more engaged employee; the software makes goal-setting easier and helps employees understand their expectations and be able to track their progress.
Scale Your Business
For small and growing companies, managing employees’ performance can become difficult if it is managed manually. The best performance review software for small businesses will offer scalable software that will grow your business without breaking the bank.
Key Features to Look for in Performance Review Software
Not all performance review software is the same, and not all software will fit your needs when it comes to a performance review system. Here are some key characteristics of performance review software to look for:
- Customizable Review Templates: Company has specific goals and values. Find software that allows you to change review forms to align with your culture.
- 360-Degree Feedback: Input on employee performance from multiple perspectives (peers, managers and direct reports) will enable you to provide an integrated assessment.
- Real-Time Performance Tracking: Instead of waiting months to provide input on performance, tools with real-time tracking make sure employees and managers are aligned and staying consistent year-round.
- Integration with HR Tools: If the performance review tool also integrates with your payroll, attendance, or project management tool, it will streamline a lot of your administrative tracking.
- AI and Data-Driven Insights: The software that uses AI to identify trends, or make recommendations on development plans adds a data-driven touch to reviews.
- Mobile Accessibility: With remote or hybrid work being more commonplace, mobile accessibility will be a feature you require for accessing reviews and receiving feedback.
Top 10 Performance Review Software
Let’s break down the best tools on the market, highlighting what makes each one a strong contender.
1. Tivazo – Best Overall Performance Review Software
Tivazo has established itself as an authority in performance review software with very refined software and robust analytics capabilities. Tivazo’s software is available to organizations of all sizes but will provide the best value for small to medium sized organizations. Tivazo offers software that is relatively low-cost, and designed to be simple. Tivazo’s software allow organizations to tailor their review cycles, get 360 feedback, and can visualize progress in real-time. However, the real power of Tivazo lies not only in the analytics, displayed in well-defined charts and graphs, but in its ability for managers to apply data to the development plans, improvement plans and ultimately development, Ultimately Tivazo operates smoothly with many other business software systems. Additionally, in a world of remote and hybrid working, mobility and access across devices is important, and Tivazo also has a fully operational mobile application that is capable, user-friendly and integrates with other applications in mobile mode.
2. Lattice – For Modern Team Collaboration
Lattice is a different software application that promotes and builds continuous conversations and opportunities to connect and engage across team members and managers. Lattice’s mission is to provide continuous feedback opportunities with managers and team members, rather then performance reviews based on annual or semi-annual time periods. Lattice is particularly useful for organizations that commit to employee development and team culture, while also providing tools that support two-way communication with employees such as pulse surveys, goal-setting capability, and management of one-one-meetings. Lattice software develops connections and encourages shared manager engagement and accountability while keeping employees and managers aligned and engaged throughout the year.
3. Culture Amp – Focused on Employee Engagement
Culture Amp is well known for combining employee engagement surveys with performance management processes. The service helps leaders understand how their teams feel and what motivates their employees. This knowledge of employee sentiment ultimately allows managers to create personalized development plans and enhance workplace culture; therefore, Culture Amp is a valid option for organizations wishing to prioritize both performance and employee well-being.
4. BambooHR – HR Integration & Simplicity
BambooHR is different than the others because it combines human resource management core functions with performance review functionality. This is useful for organizations that want to use one HR software tool that incorporates everything related to HR including employee records, time-off tracking, performance management, and more. BambooHR prides itself on its simple interface or ease of use so HR teams and managers will benefit from a minimized learning curve.
5. 15Five – Real-Time Feedback Powerhouse
15Five focuses on consistent, real-time feedback between employees and management. The tone of the service is to support check-ins each week, goal tracking, employee shout-outs, and others to encourage conversation and feedback that doesn’t get trapped in formal reviews. By normalizing weekly conversations, issues can be discovered quickly, and accomplishments can be celebrated on a regular basis, which is likely to improve engagement and ultimately productivity.
6. Leapsome – Customizable Performance Cycles
Leapsome promotes flexibility which lets companies align performance review cycles with specific schedules and workflows. Moreover, Leapsome’s integrated learning management system (LMS) is what makes this platform stand out. The LMS is there to support employee learning and development engagement, not just facilitating performance evaluative conversations. Leapsome is ideal for companies looking for a comprehensive platform to manage coaching, feedback, and growth.
7. Trakstar – Streamlined Reporting and Feedback
Trakstar is designed to make the performance review process simple by providing a clean interface and strong reporting features. This vendor works well with small organizations, as well as larger organizations wanting to collect feedback and track employee progress without the administrative burden. By managing the administrative burden, Trakstar allows managers to assign more time to help their teams develop.
8. Zoho People – Affordable for Startups
Zoho People is a great option for startups and small businesses needing a low-cost, scalable performance review software. Zoho People provides customizable review workflows and goal tracking features and can be integrated with other Zoho productivity tools. This makes Zoho an adaptable option for businesses using other Zoho tools and/or if they want a low-cost solution that is not lacking in functionality.
9. Reflektive – Feedback-First Approach
Reflektive’s primary focus is around real-time feedback and employee recognition. Its core principle is that ongoing conversations between managers and employees will foster an engaging and motivating work culture. This software is created to encourage a goal-setting, performance management process that is continuous and dynamic vs annual and stagnant; contributing to relationship building and boosting morale!
10. Workday – Enterprise-Level Solution
Workday provides a complete, integrated human resources system that includes robust performance review software. Workday was designed for larger organizations that require flexibility in performance review software tracking along with a suite of HR solutions like payroll, talent management, and performance review software in one platform, due to its extensive capabilities. It often makes sense for enterprises to use Workday compared to companies seeking to integrate a complete HR suite, even though it’s feature set may not be practical.
How to Choose the Right Software for Your Team
Selecting the right performance review software is more than just checking off a list of features. It is finding a solution that fits your team’s needs and helps you develop.
- Size and Budget of the Team: Typically smaller teams benefit from affordable, simple tools to use versus larger companies needing advanced analytics and configuration due to the number of departments being evaluated.
- Integration Needs: Find a platform that works well with your HR and existing project management tools so there will be no friction like switching platforms multiple times.
- Automation and Workflow: Utilize software that provides automatic reminders, review cycles, and goal tracking, simplifies the process for your team members and saves time and effort by reducing administration.
- Support and Reviews: Ensure there is customer support available when your team needs it, and see what others who have used the product say. Be sure to do a demo or a free trial to help evaluate or test the software for your current workflow.
With the right performance review software the whole performance review process will be easier, will mean more to you and your team, and will align with your company goals.
Benefits of Using the Right Performance Review Software
With a quality performance review tool, the advantage of not only being able to run a performance review quickly and efficiently include:
- Improved Goal Alignment: Employees understand the expectations placed on them and where they are with respect to that vision during the review process.
- More Meaningful Conversations: Everyone is having open conversations about management and talent that is meaningful and actionable.
- Better Employee Retention: Engaged employees maintain their engagement with their roles and workplace and are much less likely to leave over a long period.
- Easier Data Collection and Tracking: HR teams can track specific workforce performance data and derives insights on areas of improvement for training and development.
- Higher ROI: When companies effectively develop talent, they are improving overall productivity and profitability.
Final Thoughts
Performance reviews are very important when it comes to developing an engaged and productive workforce, but this doesn’t need to be complicated. Using the right performance review software can turn your reviews into insightful and valuable conversations that lead to growth.
This list has performance review software for everyone, whether you are a small business looking for the best performance review software for small business, or a larger company needing advanced analytics. Of the software we reviewed, Tivazo was the best choice overall due to its ease-of-use, impressive features, and affordability.
If you appreciate the importance in improving your employee performance management process, check out Tivazo, and the other tools in this list. Many of them have free trials to help you find out what works best for your team.
FAQs:
What is the best performance management software?
Although "best" can mean different things for different companies based on their size and needs, Tivazo has repeatedly been considered the best overall performance review software in 2025. It is user-friendly, has flexible periods for evaluations, and provides great insights making it an excellent option for small teams and large. Lattice, Culture Amp, and BambooHR are other top brands, with different advantages depending on people and organization management goals.
What are four performance tools?
While there are many different tools involved in performance management, here are well-known four:
- Performance Review Software – like Tivazo or Lattice, helps organize and automated performance evaluations.
- 360-degree Feedback – allows users to gather feedback from managers, peers and subordinates to view performance from all angles.
- Goal-setting Frameworks – using OKRs or SMART goals, performance goals align with the organizational goals you have with the employee.
- Employee recognition tools – gathers all the recognition for employee' achievements, and that can provide motivation and recognition in an array of forms (monetary and praises).
Combining the tools used to overview employee performance and support employee's longer-term growth.
What is employee performance in management?
In management, employee performance is the measure of an individual’s contribution to their role and the overall organizational goals. Employee performance includes, but is not limited to, the persons abilities to meet objectives, positively contribute to team expectations, adjust to changing environments, and improve performance. Using employee performance review software, allows managers to measure progress more objectively, regularly document feedback, and facilitate development in a way that is structured and meaningful.
What are the 5 stages of performance management?
The typical performance management cycle follows five main stages:
- Planning - determining clear expectations, goals and objectives at the start of the performance management cycle
- Monitoring - managing employees progress and removing barriers
- Development - coaching, training, support and feedback to help employees grow
- Rating - Evaluating overall performance at a scheduled review point
- Rewarding - recognizing performance, establishing correlation between pay or career development
Modern employee performance review software supports every stage in the performance management cycle by enhancing the transparency and efficiency of the process while engaging employees and managers in employee performance.
