Between Leapsome and our new Comp Engine application, there are many options out there for compensation analytics and benchmarking tools that could help your talent acquisition team determine competitive rates for new hires. However, while some HR and payroll systems offer these as additional features, not all salary management software is created equal. For hiring managers in the tech startup world, Leapsome can feel bloated and overpriced for trying to keep up with changes in pay bands for go-to-market (GTM) roles, while Comp Engine curates tailored insights for these titles for free.
Here is a breakdown of how these two systems stack up against each other:
Leapsome
Leapsome is an HR-focused people management platform offering a suite of tools, including performance reviews, employee engagement, and compensation management. The latter module also connects with Mercer’s database to provide quarterly benchmarks across various industries. While this broad functionality serves general HR purposes well, it lacks more reporting depth in several feature categories, including for salary analytics.
Many users report that while the platform is feature-rich, its user interface (UI) and navigation can be clunky, leading to a steep learning curve. Additionally, the compensation management module lacks flexibility in customizing performance review templates and integrating data between its different modules. Some users also note that while Leapsome leverages Mercer for benchmarking, deeper analytics and external data integration options remain limited.
Key features of this salary management module include:
- Access to Mercer benchmarking covering 250+ jobs
- Review workflows and templates
- Integration with broader HR functions like performance reviews
- Multi-currency support and global location data
- Percentile breakdowns for various pay components
Comp Engine
Comp Engine builds off of our Betts Connect platform’s visibility into the tech talent pool and our insights into the top trends around GTM roles to deliver a new level of truth into compensation dynamics in the SaaS startup space. Unlike general HR and payroll software, this specialized tool focuses specifically on go-to-market roles in tech – such as Account Executives, SDRs, Content Marketing Managers, Demand Generation Managers and Customer Success Managers – and delivers current market data based on actual placements by Betts recruiters..
By leveraging real-time data from actual placements made through our team, hiring managers can access real and evolving compensation rates rather than outdated or self-reported survey data. Comp Engine also provides deeper insights into total on-target earnings (OTE), variable pay structures, and predictive analytics to help startups make informed hiring decisions.
Key features that our platform delivers :
- Real-time market data from active tech industry placements
- Detailed filtering by job title, experience, vertical industry, and location
- Specific focus on GTM roles like Sales, Marketing, and Customer Success
- Equity rate analysis and available talent pool metrics
- Target recommendations based on Time-to-Hire goals
Comp Engine vs Leapsome Comparison
When comparing Comp Engine versus a general HR and payroll system like Leapsome, it is most important to consider what you need in a compensation management tool and what characteristics align best with your hiring needs. Here is a more comprehensive breakdown of how these solutions stack up against each for tech startup talent acquisition:
Pricing
Leapsome follows a paid subscription model, with pricing depending on the number of users per system, which can become expensive the more you add to your account and as your organization grows your team. The compensation benchmarking module also comes with additional costs to be able to use its various features and for access to the external Mercer data, meaning that it could only ever be cost-effective if your team is already using Leapsome frequently and depending on what else you use it for.
Comp Engine is completely free to use after registering, whether you have an existing Betts Connect account or not. There is no subscription required for usage, giving you access to the latest compensation data from our network collected and curated by our team. You can also still pair this data with your sourcing in Connect, allowing your hiring managers to make more informed recruitment decisions without blowing up your budget.
Data Sourcing
Leapsome sources its external salary benchmarks from Mercer in order to provide a more complete set of data and not be limited to only internally-sourced figures, as many other HR and payroll systems trying to deliver compensation management do. However, this data is only updated once every quarter, meaning that by the time you get a chance to review rates for a role you are hiring for, you may already be behind the latest trends.
Comp Engine pulls live compensation insights directly from Betts Recruiting’s placement data, offering more accurate rates at a considerably faster rate with our team able to validate these figures in real-time. We also account for factors that impact hiring demand, making our platform a more precise tool for when you are looking to build competitive offers for your org’s unicorn seller.
Purpose
Leapsome is primarily an HR tool designed for broader talent management, with compensation analytics being just one minor aspect of its portfolio. It integrates with additional performance management, engagement tracking and career development modules to create a jack-of-all-trades ecosystem for human resource management, at the expense of not mastering salary benchmarking or related functions. The partnership with Mercer reflects how ultimately Leapsome is not a one-stop-shop solution by itself, but requires buying into an entire ecosystem just to acquire broad functionality for different use cases.
Comp Engine is focused on one job, and on doing this job well with access to the key metrics you need as a hiring manager in a tech startup environment. Our platform provides detailed insights on compensation variables when it comes to GTM roles, ensuring that you have all the information you need to align your salary offers with current market realities and availability in the talent pool.
Integration
Leapsome integrates with certain other HRIS and payroll systems, but its compensation module lacks flexibility when syncing with either external or even native integrations in its own ecosystem according to some reviews. Users report that passing information between databases can be tedious and challenging, and not always successful. Given that the platform relies on a third-party connection to supply salary benchmarking data, this means that your team will likely have to spend more time sourcing information to piece together the right benchmarks for current rates using Leapsome.
Comp Engine works seamlessly with existing Betts Connect accounts, allowing hiring managers to transition from compensation planning to candidate sourcing without having to feel you are reinventing the wheel just to sync data. Both systems utilize similar architecture and retain similar feature sets, such as being able to filter through KPIs (key performance indicators) and quantify the available talent pool for a given title. Additionally, with Connect’s native integrations for ATS (applicant tracking system) solutions like Lever and Greenhouse, you can create a unified pipeline from salary benchmarking to onboarding applicants.
Functionality
Leapsome’s compensation module offers standard salary benchmarking but lacks deeper, performance-based analytics for hiring managers. Customer feedback highlights challenges with customization, particularly in adapting performance review templates and integrating pay benchmarking with career path management tools. Additionally, while Leapsome provides additional insights via Mercer, some users note limitations in the granularity and flexibility of its reporting features.
Comp Engine provides hiring managers with real-time, placement-driven compensation insights, capturing trends in variable pay structures, commission expectations and market fluctuations. It allows for granular filtering by job title, industry, location and experience level, ensuring data aligns with actual hiring trends rather than self-reported or survey-based benchmarks.
Unlock Real-Time Compensation Insights with Comp Engine
While Leapsome is a strong HR tool for overall employee management, its compensation benchmarking falls short when it comes to real-time salary insights for startup hiring managers. Comp Engine, powered by Betts Recruiting, provides a specialized solution tailored to GTM hiring needs, offering real-world compensation data that helps you make confident, competitive offers.
Sign up for Comp Engine here and get access to real-time salary and OTE data tailored for your industry.