Head-to-head · Employee Onboarding Software
Eli vs Whale
Eli leads on 0 checks, Whale on 1, and 6 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 7 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.
Our verdict
- Highest scoreEli · 7.9/10
- Free planonly Whale
- Most featuresEli · 6 of 6
Eli scores higher on our rubric for employee onboarding software: 7.9 against 5.4 out of 10; our editors rank them #9 and #33.
Whale offers free plan; Eli doesn't.
Eli is the better fit for structured, personalized employee onboarding. Whale is the better fit for teams combining SOP training with onboarding.
- Eli fits best
Structured, personalized employee onboarding
- Whale fits best
Teams combining SOP training with onboarding
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Side by side
| Feature | Eli 7.9/10 Visit ↗ | Whale 5.4/10 Visit ↗ |
|---|---|---|
| At a glance | ||
| Editor score | 7.9 | 5.4 |
| Ranking | #9 in Employee Onboarding Software | #33 in Employee Onboarding Software |
| Best for | Structured, personalized employee onboarding | Teams combining SOP training with onboarding |
| Pricing model | Paid | Free plan + paid |
| Starting price | £15/user/mo | $249/mo |
| Free plan | — | ✓ (best) |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Deployment | Cloud | Cloud, Mobile, Browser extension |
| Platforms | Web | Web, iOS, Android, Chrome extension |
| Integrations | 17 integrations | 17 integrations |
| Features Eli 6/6 · Whale 5/6 | ||
| Workflow automation | ✓ | ✓ |
| Document collection | ✓ (best) | Not checked yet |
| Training content | ✓ | ✓ |
| Progress reporting | ✓ | ✓ |
| HRIS integrations | ✓ | ✓ |
| Mobile access | ✓ | ✓ |
| Our review | ||
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| Our verdict | Eli is a SaaS platform for employee pre-boarding and onboarding, designed for HR and talent teams supporting new hires, managers and buddies. It covers the journey from offer acceptance through the first 90 days and beyond, with… Read the review → |
Whale is a web-based platform for documenting standard operating procedures, organizing company knowledge, and training employees. It suits teams that want onboarding to combine process guidance with structured learning. Teams can create… Read the review → |
Strengths and trade-offs
Eli — where it wins
- Personalised journeys by role, hire type, location and language
- Checklists, forms, signatures, training and timed notifications
- Integrates with Workday, SAP, Oracle, Slack and DocuSign
Where it doesn't
- No free plan is available
- Eli Go requires a minimum of 20 users per month
- The full Eli plan uses bespoke pricing
Whale — where it wins
- Free plan includes documentation tools, Step Recorder, and checklists
- Training flows, quizzes, assignments, and completion tracking support onboarding
- HRIS integrations, mobile apps, AI search, and e-signatures extend its reach
Where it doesn't
- Paid workspace pricing starts at $249 per month billed annually
- Advanced capabilities are divided across Scale, Advance, and Enterprise tiers
- Its focus is SOPs and training rather than new-hire paperwork collection
- Eli7.9/10 · Paid
A structured onboarding platform with tailored journeys, HR integrations and clear Go pricing.
Visit EliFull verdict → - Whale5.4/10 · Free plan
Whale combines SOPs, structured training, quizzes, and onboarding progress tracking.
Visit WhaleFull verdict →
All employee onboarding software comparisons → · Full ranking →
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Last updated · How we research and update