A talent review is the meeting where leaders place people on a nine-box grid, argue about ratings and name successors for key roles. Most companies still run it in a spreadsheet.
This guide ranks twelve products on whether the talent review is a working feature or a chart, how ratings are calibrated before the meeting, and which plan holds succession planning. Treams leads for companies that want the review tied to the one-to-ones that feed it.
Vendors can pay for more visibility on this website, for example a higher place in a ranking or more room on a page. Commercial relationships can also affect which products we feature and how prominently. Every vendor link is marked the same, whatever the arrangement behind it. How that works.
In short
What talent review software does
Talent review software places employees on a performance and potential grid, supports calibration of ratings across managers, and records succession plans and development actions for key roles.
We ranked the 12 talent review tools on setup effort first, then total cost, then data export, then exit, then fit for the buyer. One rule overrides the order: smaller vendors take the first three places when the category offers them, and the best-known brands start at four. Why those five, and why there is no score out of ten, is on the how we work page.
Talent review with succession and grids, built on manager conversations
Ranked #1 of 12 in Best Talent Review Software in 2026.
Published pricingEurope
Treams holds its talent review in the top pack, Compound, which is priced on request: a live talent review, succession planning for key roles, several talent grids with calibration, and AI suggestions for skill matching and development plans.
The lower packs cover the one-to-ones, goals and reviews that supply the evidence. Its development pages describe replacing the annual nine-box pasted together in Excel. Flow at €6.50 and Momentum at €9 per employee per month do not include it.
What stands out
Published price
EU hosting
AFAS integration
Where it costs you
The talent review itself needs the Compound pack, which has no published price
Trial access is a demo plus a tailored test environment, not a free trial
Right for
Companies that want grids and succession plans built from manager conversations during the year
Wrong for
Buyers who want a talent review at the entry price
NetherlandsPer-employee monthly packs, Flow and Momentum published and Compound on request; demo, no free trial
Reviews with calibration and a nine-box Talent Box, set up in days
Ranked #2 of 12 in Best Talent Review Software in 2026.
Published pricingEurope
Small Improvements adds calibration reviews, which let HR hold ratings before release, and a Talent Box that gives the nine-box view. That covers more talent ground than its size suggests.
It has no succession or compensation module, and goals stay simple. The vendor describes itself as designed for companies of 50 to 750, with published prices and a 20-user minimum. Beyond a thousand staff, most buyers outgrow it.
What stands out
Published price
EU vendor
Fast setup
Where it costs you
No succession planning or compensation module
A 20-user minimum rules out the smallest teams
Right for
Mid-sized companies wanting calibrated ratings and a nine-box without a long project
Wrong for
Talent teams that must plan succession in the same tool
Weekly check-ins feeding a 9-box talent matrix and succession plans
Ranked #3 of 12 in Best Talent Review Software in 2026.
Published pricingNorth America
15Five's Growth Studio has an Explore workspace that shows people on a customisable 9-box Talent Matrix, from which a leader can launch development plans, performance improvement plans and succession plans.
The grid draws on the weekly check-ins that managers write, which is the product's main idea. Calibration exists, and the features sold in the demo often sit a tier above the quoted price.
What stands out
Published price
Weekly check-ins
Manager coaching
Where it costs you
Talent features sit in higher tiers than the entry quote
The whole product assumes managers write something every week
Right for
Companies whose managers already keep a weekly check-in and want the grid to use it
Wrong for
Companies where managers will not write a short weekly note
United StatesPublished per-user monthly prices by product, billed annually
Configurable reviews with nine-box and calibration views in reporting
Ranked #4 of 12 in Best Talent Review Software in 2026.
Published pricingNorth America
PerformYard lists nine-box and calibration views among its reporting, next to rating distributions and trend lines, and adds competencies, skills and merit cycles tied to performance.
Its forms and approval chains bend to an existing process, and the support team configures them. The design looks dated next to newer rivals. Prices are a published range per person per month, billed annually.
What stands out
Flexible forms
Published range
Hands-on support
Where it costs you
The interface looks dated beside newer products
Succession planning is not named among its features on the pages we read
Right for
HR teams with an existing review and calibration process that must not change
Wrong for
Buyers wanting a modern employee experience or a succession module
United StatesPublished range per person per month by product, annual billing
Survey and review suite with talent reviews and succession planning
Ranked #5 of 12 in Best Talent Review Software in 2026.
Pricing on requestNorth America
Quantum Workplace lists Talent Reviews and Succession Planning under its development menu, next to growth tools, and joins them to engagement survey results and reviews. A buyer who wants survey data and a talent grid on one contract gets that without a second vendor.
It is a quoted product with an annual minimum, and the review cycle is less configurable than PerformYard's. European buyers should check hosting and works council material early.
What stands out
Engagement surveys
Reviews and goals
Quoted
Where it costs you
Quoted pricing with an annual minimum
Less configurable than PerformYard's review cycle
Right for
US mid-sized companies wanting engagement data and talent reviews from one vendor
Wrong for
European employers who need works council approval first
United StatesQuoted by headcount, with a $15,000 annual minimum
Talent suite with 9-box, succession and skill gap analysis
Ranked #6 of 12 in Best Talent Review Software in 2026.
Published pricingNorth America
Engagedly lists 9-box assessments, succession planning, talent mobility and skill gap analysis in its talent suite, beside reviews, goals and learning. Marissa is its AI assistant.
Prices are published as ranges with a $7,500 annual minimum, and the full platform is quoted. Individual modules are shallower than the specialists, so test the talent review on your own ratings before treating the bundle as a saving.
What stands out
Wide feature set
Published price
Mid-market
Where it costs you
Individual modules are shallower than specialist products
A $7,500 annual minimum before the full platform is quoted
Right for
Mid-market buyers wanting talent review, learning and goals on one contract
Wrong for
Teams that need the talent review done in unusual depth
United StatesPublished ranges per user per month by suite; $7,500 annual minimum
Succession and development plans inside Microsoft Teams
Ranked #7 of 12 in Best Talent Review Software in 2026.
Free tierPublished pricingEurope
Teamflect runs inside Microsoft Teams and lists succession planning and individual development plans next to reviews, 360 feedback and OKRs. We did not find a nine-box grid on its pages, so confirm that view in a demo if your leaders expect one.
The Starter plan is free for up to ten users, and paid plans carry a 30-day trial. The pricing page shows two sets of paid prices, so ask which applies.
What stands out
Free plan
Microsoft Teams
Published price
Where it costs you
A nine-box grid was not found on the pages we read
Two different price lists appear for the paid plans
Right for
Microsoft 365 companies that want succession and development plans next to reviews
Wrong for
Companies whose staff mostly work outside Microsoft Teams
United KingdomPublished per-user monthly prices; free Starter plan up to 10 users; 30-day trial on paid plans
Calibration, succession and talent profiles for large organisations
Ranked #8 of 12 in Best Talent Review Software in 2026.
Published pricingNorth America
Betterworks lists calibration, succession planning, talent intelligence and unified talent profiles in its product menu, aimed at organisations where ratings must hold up under challenge.
Calibration sits in a higher plan tier, and the Enterprise plan brings a change management workstream. Expect a programme rather than a quick start, with an owner in HR through cycle season. Under a thousand staff, the rollout can cost more than the licence.
What stands out
Enterprise scale
Goal alignment
Calibration
Where it costs you
Calibration is held for a higher tier
Implementation is a programme with its own owner
Right for
Large organisations where ratings must survive a formal challenge
Wrong for
Companies under a thousand staff without an HR operations team
United StatesPublished per-user monthly plans, annual; Enterprise quoted
Review cycles with a 9-box grid from a UK applicant tracking vendor
Ranked #9 of 12 in Best Talent Review Software in 2026.
Pricing on requestEurope
Talos Perform, formerly Appraisd, lists a 9-box grid and development plans beside review cycles, 360 feedback and OKRs. Calibration is an optional add-on, and so is an AI notetaker.
The vendor's pricing page shows a £4,750 yearly minimum for up to 50 employees on a two-year contract, while the older site shows tiered prices, so ask which applies. The Talos Perform name is new.
What stands out
Review cycles
AI notetaker
UK vendor
Where it costs you
Calibration is a paid add-on
A two-year contract and two price lists on the vendor's sites
Right for
Companies of 50 to 5,000 employees wanting a 9-box beside reviews from a UK vendor
Wrong for
Teams wanting a monthly contract or a long record under the current name
United KingdomFrom £95 per employee a year; £4,750 yearly minimum; two-year minimum contract, billed annually
A first nine-box and 360 cycle for companies of about forty
Ranked #10 of 12 in Best Talent Review Software in 2026.
Pricing on requestNorth America
Primalogik shows a nine-box grid and bias flags, but our earlier review found no calibration workflow, which leaves leaders exporting ratings to a spreadsheet to compare managers.
That is fine at forty employees and tiresome at four hundred. It runs 360 surveys and appraisals with a 25-user minimum, and the price now comes by request. Treat it as a tool for the first formal cycles.
What stands out
Quoted
360 feedback
Small team friendly
Where it costs you
No calibration workflow, so ratings are compared outside the tool
Reporting is descriptive and HR integrations are limited
Right for
Small employers running a first nine-box with 360 feedback and appraisals
Wrong for
Enterprises needing calibration and succession planning
CanadaTwo plans quoted on request, with a 25-user minimum
Talent, salary and performance reviews on a skills repository
Ranked #11 of 12 in Best Talent Review Software in 2026.
Pricing on requestEurope
Cegid builds talent management on a skills repository that HR processes keep current, and runs performance, salary and talent reviews, where the talent review maps people to roles.
A reference customer reports saving ten days on a salary review for 2,000 staff in 40 countries. Cegid announced an intention to merge with Silae on 9 September 2026, so ask what that means for the roadmap. No price is shown.
What stands out
Skills repository
Talent review
Salary review
Where it costs you
A merger with Silae was announced on 9 September 2026
No price is shown and a demo is required
Right for
Mid-caps in France and Europe wanting performance, salary and talent reviews in one tool
Wrong for
Buyers who expect a public price list and a fast start
Succession simulation and readiness inside a full HR suite
Ranked #12 of 12 in Best Talent Review Software in 2026.
Pricing on requestNorth America
Oracle's succession planning identifies successors, evaluates readiness and runs scenario simulation, and its AI helpers for managers include a calibration and review workspace.
Everything rests on one data model across skills, performance, compensation and succession. That helps reporting and raises the cost of leaving. It suits enterprises already on Fusion Cloud HCM, not buyers who want a standalone talent review.
What stands out
Dynamic Skills
Succession Planning
Opportunity Marketplace
Where it costs you
It needs the Fusion Cloud HCM suite, which raises the exit cost
No prices are shown
Right for
Enterprises already on Fusion that want succession and pay in one data model
Wrong for
Smaller companies and anyone shopping for a stand-alone tool
United StatesQuoted per organisation; demo request
Talent review software places employees on a performance and potential grid, supports calibration of ratings across managers, and records succession plans and development actions for key roles. Differences that change the outcome seldom sit in the features. Here is the sequence we would follow.
01
Decide whether you need a published price
Only 7 of the 12 print a price; 5 quote per organisation. Comparable without a sales call: Treams, Small Improvements, 15Five, PerformYard, Engagedly, Teamflect, Betterworks.
02
Weigh the vendor's home jurisdiction
Where a company is established decides which courts and regulators can reach it. Here that means 6 countries: North America 7, Europe 5.
A grid is not a talent review
Several products on this list draw a nine-box, and they do different work. Small Improvements has a Talent Box, 15Five a 9-box Talent Matrix in its Growth Studio, and PerformYard offers nine-box views inside reporting. Treams, Betterworks and Oracle add succession planning and the structure around the meeting.
A chart tells you where people sit. A talent review also records who decided that, on what evidence, and what happens next. Ask each vendor to show the action that follows a placement, such as a development plan or a named successor.
Ask to see what happens after a person is placed in a box.
Check who can see the grid and who can change a placement.
Find out whether succession plans link to named key roles.
Calibration before the meeting
Placement on a grid is only as fair as the ratings behind it. One manager gives everyone a four and another nobody above three. Betterworks, Small Improvements, PerformYard and 15Five offer calibration, Talos Perform sells it as an add-on, and Primalogik shows a grid and bias flags with no calibration workflow.
Without it, HR exports to a spreadsheet and the talent meeting becomes an argument about scales. Count your managers: above thirty, manual calibration stops being viable. Ask whether ratings can still change after calibration and who is told. Also ask whether the product shows rating distributions by manager before the session starts.
Run a calibration session in the product with a distribution chart.
Check whether ratings can change afterwards and who is notified.
Count managers before deciding on a manual spreadsheet process.
Which plan holds the talent features
Talent review is often the top rung. At Treams it sits in the Compound pack, which is quoted, while Flow and Momentum are published at lower prices. Betterworks holds calibration in a higher tier, and Talos Perform sells calibration separately. Quantum Workplace and Engagedly bundle talent reviews into wider suites.
Write down the three features your leaders need in the meeting, find the plan where the last one appears, and compare vendors at that plan, not at the entry price. The gap between the entry price and the plan with the talent features can be several times the headline figure.
Map your three must-have meeting features against each plan.
Ask which feature is an add-on even on the highest plan.
Get the price for the plan that holds the last feature.
Who sees the grid
A nine-box is sensitive. Treated carelessly it becomes a record that employees feel they never agreed to, and in some countries it triggers works council or privacy questions. Ask who can see a person's placement, whether employees can see their own, and how long the record is kept.
Oracle and Cegid build talent reviews into wider HR suites with their own permission models, while Teamflect and Small Improvements are lighter. Decide the visibility rules before configuring the product, then ask the vendor to demonstrate them. Also check whether notes written in the meeting stay attached to the person's record.
Decide who may see a placement before the pilot starts.
Ask whether employees can see their own result.
Confirm the retention period for talent records.
What goes wrong most often when buying talent review software
Buying a product because it draws a nine-box, without asking what the review records and does next.
Skipping calibration and finding out in the first meeting that managers use different scales.
Comparing entry prices when the talent features sit in a quoted top plan.
Configuring who sees the grid after launch, when employees have already heard about it.
07
Frequently asked questions
11 answers
What is the best talent review software in 2026?
Treams leads our ranking of 12. A Dutch product that holds its talent review in the top pack: a live review, succession planning for key roles and several talent grids with calibration.
The lower packs supply the conversations and goals behind it. The top pack has no published price, and there is no free trial, only a demo and a test environment.
Which talent review tools publish their pricing?
7 out of 12 state a price model on their own site:
Treams: Per-employee monthly packs, Flow and Momentum published and Compound on request; demo, no free trial.
Small Improvements: Published per-user monthly plans billed annually; 20-user minimum.
15Five: Published per-user monthly prices by product, billed annually.
PerformYard: Published range per person per month by product, annual billing.
Engagedly: Published ranges per user per month by suite; $7,500 annual minimum.
Teamflect: Published per-user monthly prices; free Starter plan up to 10 users; 30-day trial on paid plans.
Betterworks: Published per-user monthly plans, annual; Enterprise quoted.
5 vendors do not print a price.
Is there a free talent review tool?
Teamflect can be used for free, either as a free plan or a self-hosted edition.
Where are these talent review software vendors established?
Vendor countries on this page, North America 7, Europe 5:
Treams: Netherlands.
Small Improvements: Germany.
15Five: United States.
PerformYard: United States.
Quantum Workplace: United States.
Engagedly: United States.
Teamflect: United Kingdom.
Betterworks: United States.
Talos Perform (Talos360): United Kingdom.
Primalogik: Canada.
Cegid HR Talent Management: France.
Oracle Talent Management: United States.
What should you use instead of Treams?
Look at Small Improvements (made for Mid-sized companies wanting calibrated ratings and a nine-box without a long project) and 15Five (made for companies whose managers already keep a weekly check-in and want the grid to use it), which hold places two and three.
Who should not buy Treams?
Buyers who want a talent review at the entry price. The talent review itself needs the Compound pack, which has no published price.
Which talent review software has a nine-box grid?
Small Improvements has a Talent Box, 15Five a 9-box Talent Matrix, PerformYard nine-box views, Talos Perform a 9-box grid, Primalogik a nine-box grid and Engagedly 9-box assessments.
Treams offers it with its talent review in the Compound pack. We did not find a nine-box on Teamflect's pages.
Which products include succession planning?
Treams, 15Five, Teamflect, Quantum Workplace, Engagedly, Betterworks and Oracle Fusion HCM list succession planning. Small Improvements says it has no succession module, and Primalogik names none.
What does Treams charge for talent review?
Talent review, succession planning and calibration sit in the Compound pack, which is priced on request.
Flow is €6.50 and Momentum €9 per employee per month, and neither includes the talent review. Treams offers a demo and a tailored test environment instead of a free trial.
Do I need calibration to run a talent review?
You need some way to compare ratings across managers. Betterworks, Small Improvements, PerformYard and 15Five include calibration, and Talos Perform sells it as an add-on. Above about thirty managers, a spreadsheet becomes hard to run.
Is talent review software the same as performance management software?
No. Performance management collects goals, feedback and reviews. Talent review uses that evidence to place people on a grid and plan succession. Some products do both, and some only the first.
Do you make a talent review software product that is not listed here? Describe what it does and who buys it. We decide on inclusion, a listing cannot be bought, and the details are under software advice.
