Charthop vs. Pingboard: Which Org Chart Software Should You Use?
Need help picking an org chart tool? Read through the different use cases, features, benefits and drawbacks of two popular paid org chart makers: Charthop and Pingboard.
An organizational chart can bring benefits for any company. With an org chart in place, you can:
- Improve your hiring process
- Enhance the structure of your organization
- Boost productivity throughout your company
There are a number of org chart tools on the market, each with its own strengths and weaknesses. Two of the most popular options are ChartHop and Pingboard. In this guide, we’ll go over the pros and cons of each to help you decide which is best for your company.
Pingboard
The Pingboard team boldly describes this product as an “org chart with superpowers.” That may not be an empty claim, either.
Pingboard is renowned for its detailed employee profiles. Each member of the company can display a wide range of information about themselves, transforming a basic org chart into a comprehensive staff directory.
Pingboard pros
- Templates: Pingboard’s library of 32,000 org chart templates help companies of every shape and size find the perfect design.
- Rich profiles: Employee profiles act as a kind of internal social media platform, with ample details for colleagues to learn more about each other.
- Automation: Pingboard can integrate with an existing HR system and auto-generate an org chart in minutes. Then, it will automatically update the chart based on any changes made to the HR database.
- Complexity: Pingboard is popular with large companies that need a complex or rapidly changing org chart.
- Integrations: Pingboard integrates with other software, such as Google Workspace, ADP and Slack.
- Work calendar: Pingboard syncs with your Google Calendar to add milestones from employee profiles, such as work anniversaries and birthdays. This helps keep the whole team informed about important events.
- Mobile apps: Users can download Pingboard applications for both iOS and Android.
Pingboard cons:
- Poor UI: Some users feel that Pingboard has a clunky interface that makes navigation difficult.
- Reduced mobile features: Pingboard’s mobile apps lack certain features found in the desktop version.
- No desktop app: While mobile apps are available, Pingboard has no desktop app. This platform must be accessed through a browser with an internet connection.
- Delayed updates: Users note that Pingboard’s auto-update feature can sometimes run on a delay. In some cases, an org chart may not reflect changes made to an HR database until days or even weeks later.
- Expense: Pingboard has no free plan. To use this software, companies must pay a monthly or annual subscription fee.
Pingboard pricing:
- Team: $119 per month
- Company: $249 per month (for up to 100 users, then there’s an additional $1.50 per user above that limit)
Both plans offer a 14-day free trial.
ChartHop
Launched in 2020, ChartHop is a newcomer to the world of org chart software. Despite its youth, however, ChartHop is already regarded as one of the best options on the market.
ChartHop’s claim to fame is its powerful analytical capabilities. This tool will automatically analyze the details of an organization and generate reports to help companies improve their structure.
ChartHop pros
- Dashboard: Many users praise ChartHop’s simple, user-friendly dashboard.
- Analytics: Companies can use ChartHop to analyze their data and generate informative reports.
- Automation: Most of ChartHop’s functions can be automated, such as updating an org chart, collecting data and creating reports.
- Tracking: Companies can see past versions of an org chart to review how the organization has changed over time.
- Projection: Companies can also generate hypothetical org charts to project future growth or test out an alternate reporting structure.
- Integrations: ChartHop can be integrated with various HR management systems and other apps, such as Lever, BambooHR and Slack.
ChartHop cons
- Poor UI: As with Pingboard, some users view ChartHop’s interface as outdated and difficult to navigate.
- Expense: ChartHop offers a free plan, but users must pay the subscription fee to unlock the full features. Because ChartHop’s pricing is based on the number of employees included in the chart, the costs can add up quickly.
ChartHop pricing:
- Basic: Free for the first 150 employees ($2 per month per employee after that)
- Standard: $8 per employee per month + one-time implementation fee
- Premium: $12 per employee per month + one-time implementation fee
Which org chart maker should you use: ChartHop or Pingboard?
Should you opt for ChartHop or Pingboard? That depends on the unique details of your company. There’s no one-size-fits-all solution. Ultimately, only you and your team can decide what’s right for your organization.
ChartHop and Pingboard aren’t your only options, either. There are many other org chart tools to choose from, like The Org.
The Org is a public platform that lets companies create a public org chart and share it with the world — for free. The detailed profiles employees can create help them show off their talents and engage with their colleagues.
And because The Org is a public platform, you can browse the org charts of thousands of other companies, including global brands such as:
Plus, The Org features a job board. Companies can add open positions to their org charts and advertise them on The Org’s job’s page. This lets candidates see exactly how your company is structured and who they’d be working with. If interested, they can even apply directly through The Org.
Best of all, The Org is completely free — with no paid plans or hidden fees.
