22% of employee turnover happens within the first 45 days. Most of those decisions are made during onboarding.

Yet most onboarding software focuses on paperwork—tax forms, I-9s, compliance documents. That's necessary, but it doesn't prevent early attrition.

The best onboarding platforms go beyond paperwork to create engagement, connection, and clarity that keep new hires from quitting in Month One.

Here's which onboarding platforms actually improve retention (and which ones just digitize forms).

What Good Onboarding Software Actually Does

Digitizing paperwork is table stakes. Every platform does that. What separates retention-driving platforms from document management tools:

Pre-boarding: Engage new hires between offer acceptance and Day One Culture integration: Help new hires understand company values and meet their team Task management: Structured onboarding plans with accountability Manager enablement: Tools that help managers run better onboarding experiences Analytics: Measure engagement and identify at-risk new hires

If your onboarding platform just handles forms, you're missing the retention opportunity.

Click Boarding: The Enterprise Standard

Click Boarding (formerly SilkRoad) is one of the most established onboarding platforms serving large enterprises.

Pricing: Custom enterprise pricing. Expect $10K-$50K+ annually.

What it does well:

Compliance-focused: Strong I-9, E-Verify, and tax document workflows. Federal contractors and regulated industries appreciate the compliance rigor.

Customizable workflows: Build multi-step onboarding processes tailored to different roles, locations, and business units.

Integrations: Connects with major HRIS platforms (Workday, SAP, Oracle).

Reporting: Track completion rates, time-to-productivity, and compliance metrics.

What to consider:

Paperwork-heavy: Click Boarding excels at compliance and documentation but lighter on engagement and culture-building features.

Enterprise complexity: Setup requires configuration and IT involvement. Not plug-and-play.

Dated interface: Functional but not modern compared to newer platforms.

Best for: Large enterprises (1,000+ employees) in regulated industries needing robust compliance and customization.

Skip if: You're a small company, need simple setup, or want engagement-focused onboarding.

Sources: Click Boarding website, G2 reviews

WorkBright: The Remote/Deskless Worker Specialist

WorkBright is designed specifically for onboarding remote and deskless workers (retail, hospitality, field services).

Pricing: Starts around $3-$5 per new hire. Volume discounts available.

What it does well:

Mobile-first: Employees complete onboarding entirely on smartphones. No desktop required.

Simple I-9/E-Verify: Simplified workflows for remote I-9 completion with video verification.

Fast setup: New hires can complete paperwork in under 15 minutes.

Affordable: Pay-per-hire pricing accessible for small and mid-size companies.

What to consider:

Limited engagement features: Focuses on paperwork efficiency, not culture-building or retention.

Basic integrations: Works with major HRIS but integration depth varies.

Best for: Companies hiring remote or deskless workers at scale (retail, hospitality, field services).

Skip if: You want comprehensive onboarding with engagement tools beyond paperwork.

Sources: WorkBright website, Capterra reviews

BambooHR: The All-In-One HR + Onboarding

BambooHR is an HRIS that includes onboarding as part of its platform.

Pricing: $6-$8 per employee per month (includes full HRIS, not just onboarding).

What it does well:

All-in-one platform: HRIS + onboarding + performance management + time tracking. No integration needed.

User-friendly: Clean interface, easy for HR admins and new hires.

Pre-boarding: Engage new hires before Day One with welcome messages, team introductions, and company info.

Task assignments: Create onboarding checklists for managers and new hires.

What to consider:

Onboarding is one feature of many: If you only need onboarding, paying for full HRIS might be overkill.

Limited customization: Workflows are simpler than enterprise platforms. Good for straightforward onboarding, less flexible for complex scenarios.

Best for: Small to mid-size companies (50-500 employees) who need HRIS + onboarding in one affordable platform.

Skip if: You already have an HRIS or need highly customized onboarding workflows.

Sources: BambooHR website, G2 reviews

Enboarder: The Experience-Focused Platform

Enboarder emphasizes engagement and experience over paperwork.

Pricing: Custom pricing. Mid-range between SMB and enterprise platforms.

What it does well:

Experience-driven: Focuses on creating meaningful onboarding journeys, not just completing forms.

Pre-boarding campaigns: Automated messages, team introductions, and company culture content delivered before Day One.

Manager enablement: Prompts and reminders help managers run better onboarding (1:1 schedules, check-ins, feedback).

Social integration: Facilitates connections between new hires and existing employees.

Analytics: Track engagement, identify drop-off points, and measure new hire sentiment.

What to consider:

Less compliance-focused: Enboarder handles paperwork but isn't as robust for complex compliance needs as Click Boarding.

Requires cultural buy-in: Works best when managers actively participate. If managers ignore prompts, value diminishes.

Best for: Companies prioritizing employee experience and retention over pure compliance efficiency.

Skip if: You're in a heavily regulated industry needing deep compliance features.

Sources: Enboarder website, TrustRadius reviews

The Bottom Line

Choose based on your priorities:

For compliance and enterprise customization: Click Boarding For mobile-first deskless worker onboarding: WorkBright For all-in-one HRIS + onboarding: BambooHR For experience and engagement focus: Enboarder

And remember: software alone doesn't create good onboarding. Managers, culture, and intentional process matter more than the tool.

Sources:

• Click Boarding platform
• WorkBright solutions
• BambooHR onboarding features
• Enboarder product overview
• SHRM onboarding research