Why Pingboard Customers Are Switching to Steegle.One After Workleap Acquisition
How a 400% price increase is driving Google Workspace organizations to seek alternatives
In this post:
•Why Workleap's Pingboard acquisition led to dramatic price increases for existing customers
•How forced bundling creates redundant costs for Google Workspace organizations
•What Steegle.One's native integration eliminates: HRIS sync complexity and duplicate data management
•The Steegle guarantee: predictable pricing and purposeful simplicity
•What to expect when switching from Pingboard to Steegle.One
Thinking of switching from Pingboard? Schedule a demo to see how Steegle.One compares to your current costs—with guaranteed pricing.
The Price Shock That Started It All
When the HR Director at a mid-sized technology consultancy opened her Pingboard renewal notice in late 2025, she had to read it twice. The price had jumped from $4,800 annually to over $19,000—a nearly 400% increase for essentially the same org chart and employee directory features her team had been using for three years.
"We weren't even using half the new features they'd bundled in after the Workleap acquisition," she told us during a recent consultation. "We just needed a clean org chart that our employees could actually use to find people and understand reporting structures. Suddenly we were being charged for engagement surveys, performance review tools, and a whole suite of HR modules we never asked for."
Note: While this customer has agreed to share their experience to help other organizations evaluate their options, we're keeping their details confidential as they complete their transition to Steegle.One.
This story isn't unique. Over the past six months, we've heard from dozens of organizations facing similar sticker shock when their Pingboard subscriptions come up for renewal.
What Happened to Pingboard?
In December 2023, Workleap acquired Pingboard, the Austin-based org chart and employee directory platform that had built a loyal following among mid-market companies. At the time, Pingboard served approximately 2,000 customers with straightforward features: dynamic org charts syncing with HRIS systems, employee directories, basic onboarding workflows, and pulse surveys.
The acquisition seemed logical—Workleap wanted to expand its employee experience platform, and Pingboard's org chart capabilities filled a gap in their product suite. For existing Pingboard customers, however, the integration has meant significant changes:
•Forced bundling: What was once a standalone org chart tool is now positioned as part of Workleap's broader employee experience suite
•Dramatic price increases: Multiple customers report 3-5x price hikes at renewal, with the justification being "added value" from features they didn't request
•Integration complexity: Some customers report new bugs and sync issues as Pingboard's codebase merged with Workleap's platform
•Loss of product focus: The simple, purpose-built tool many chose for its straightforward approach is becoming a more complex, multi-module platform
The Hidden Cost of "More Features"
"They kept telling us we were getting more value," the HR Director explained. "But we're a Google Workspace shop. We already use Google Forms for surveys. We already have performance management processes. We didn't need—or want—to learn another set of tools, train our managers on new systems, or pay for redundant functionality."
This is a pattern we've seen repeatedly in the SaaS world. An independent tool with focused functionality gets acquired by a larger platform company. The acquirer needs to justify the purchase price and integrate the product into their ecosystem. Customers who chose the original tool specifically for its simplicity suddenly find themselves paying for an enterprise suite.
For organizations already committed to Google Workspace, this creates a particularly painful disconnect. You've already invested in the Google ecosystem. Your employee data lives in Google Workspace. Your teams collaborate in Google Chat, Meet, and Drive. Why would you want to sync that data to a third-party HRIS system, then sync it again to an org chart tool, just to display organizational structure?
Why Google Workspace Organizations Are Different
This organization made the switch to Steegle.One within two weeks of receiving their renewal notice. The decision came down to three key factors:
Native Integration
"The biggest revelation was that we didn't need to sync anything," the HR Director said. "Steegle People—the org chart and directory component of Steegle.One—pulls directly from Google Workspace, our actual source of truth. No duplicate databases, no sync delays, no wondering if the org chart reflects someone's current role after a promotion."
This native Google Workspace integration eliminates the entire category of problems that come with HRIS-synced solutions. Your org chart updates automatically when you make changes in Google Workspace. No export, import, mapping, or troubleshooting required.
Purposeful Simplicity
Rather than bolting on features to justify higher prices, Steegle.One focuses on what Google Workspace organizations actually need: a powerful intranet with integrated people directory, org charts, and people analytics. Everything works together naturally because it's purpose-built for Google Workspace—not retrofitted from a generic HRIS platform.
Guaranteed Price Predictability
Unlike Pingboard's post-acquisition uncertainty, Steegle.One comes with transparent, guaranteed pricing. "Steegle is a specialized Google Cloud Build Partner that's been around since 2008. They're not going to get acquired by Microsoft or absorbed into some mega-platform. And they guarantee their prices—no surprise renewals, no forced feature bundles."
The Real Cost of the Wrong Platform
Beyond the obvious price increase, the team identified several hidden costs in their Pingboard renewal:
•Time spent managing HRIS sync: 4-6 hours monthly troubleshooting data discrepancies
•Training overhead: New employees needed separate onboarding for yet another platform
•Duplicate data entry: HR team updating information in multiple systems
•Low adoption: Employees defaulted to searching in Google Workspace anyway, making the expensive directory underutilized
•Security complexity: Another third-party system requiring access reviews, compliance audits, and vendor management
"When we calculated the true total cost of ownership—not just the subscription fee—the Pingboard renewal would have cost us significantly more than the sticker price suggested."
Making the Switch
The organization completed their migration to Steegle.One in less than two weeks. Because Steegle People works directly with Google Workspace data as a core component of the platform, there was no complex data migration, no CSV exports and imports, no mapping fields between systems.
"Day one, our org chart was live and accurate. Every employee could immediately search for colleagues, see reporting structures, find contact information, view office locations—all pulling from the Google Workspace data we were already maintaining. And because it's integrated with our Steegle.One intranet, people find the org chart naturally where they're already working."
Similar experiences have been reported by other organizations that switched to Steegle.One. Wyyerd Fiber found that native Google Workspace integration meant their team directory stayed current without manual intervention. Mauldin & Jenkins appreciated how Steegle.One consolidated multiple tools into a single, integrated platform. And Baptist Hospitals of Southeast Texas saw immediate improvements in employee communication and information access.
Three months into their Steegle.One deployment, the team reports:
•90% reduction in 'who reports to whom' questions to HR
•Zero hours spent on system synchronization
•100% adoption because employees access it directly within their Google Workspace environment
•Significant cost savings compared to the Pingboard renewal quote—with guaranteed pricing for the future
Steegle.One vs. Pingboard: A Detailed Comparison
For organizations evaluating their options, we've created a comprehensive comparison of Steegle.One and Pingboard that highlights the key differences:
| Feature Category | Pingboard | Steegle.One |
|---|---|---|
| Automatic Updates | Requires manual HRIS sync or API setup. | ✔ Real-time sync with Google Directory. |
| Enhanced Profiles | ✔ Deep custom bios and badges. | ✔ Native Google Workspace profiles. |
| Cost-Effectiveness | High monthly per-user subscription. | ✔ Flat-fee or low-cost for GW users. |
| Integrated Platform | External standalone application. | ✔ Built directly into Google Sites. |
| HRIS Sync Requirements | Needs external connectors/integrations. | ✔ Uses existing Google Directory data. |
| Google Workspace Native | Third-party integration via API. | ✔ 100% Google-native environment. |
| Custom Fields | ✔ Flexible in-app fields. | ✔ Maps to Google Custom Schemas. |
For a detailed feature-by-feature comparison, visit our Pingboard alternative page.
The Steegle Difference: Simplicity and Certainty
What distinguishes Steegle.One from platforms like Pingboard/Workleap isn't just the native Google Workspace integration—it's our commitment to simplicity and price predictability.
We guarantee our pricing. When you sign with Steegle.One, you know exactly what you'll pay not just this year, but in future renewals. No surprise 400% increases. No forced feature bundles. No acquisition risk driving sudden price changes.
We keep it simple. Steegle People isn't trying to be your HRIS, your performance management system, your engagement survey tool, and your org chart. It's a powerful people directory and org chart that does exactly what you need—and integrates seamlessly with the Google Workspace tools you've already chosen for everything else.
We're Google specialists. Since 2008, we've been focused exclusively on helping organizations maximize their Google Workspace investment. We're a Google Cloud Build Partner, not a general-purpose HR platform trying to support every ecosystem. This specialization means we solve Google Workspace challenges better—and we're not going anywhere.
Is This Your Story?
If you're facing a Pingboard renewal notice with sticker shock, or if you're currently evaluating org chart solutions for your Google Workspace organization, consider these questions:
•Do you really need another HR platform, or do you just need a great org chart integrated with your intranet?
•Is syncing employee data to a third-party HRIS system (and then to an org chart tool ) really simpler than pulling directly from Google Workspace?
•Are you paying for features you'll never use because they duplicate capabilities you already have in Google Workspace?
•What's the true total cost of ownership—including time spent managing integrations, training users, and maintaining duplicate data?
•Do you have any guarantee that next year's renewal won't bring another massive price increase?
Learn More
Steegle.One is purpose-built for organizations that have chosen Google Workspace as their productivity and collaboration platform. Steegle People, as a major component of the platform, delivers the org chart and directory functionality you need—integrated with your intranet, without the bloat, complexity, or unpredictable pricing of general-purpose HR suites.
We'd be happy to show you how organizations are getting better results at guaranteed, predictable costs by working with their Google Workspace data as the source of truth, rather than against it.
Schedule a demo to see how Steegle.One compares to your current Pingboard costs—and discover what you could accomplish with the time and budget you'll save, with the peace of mind that comes from guaranteed pricing.
Or explore our detailed Pingboard comparison page to see a feature-by-feature breakdown.
About Steegle
We're a Google Cloud Build Partner specializing in Google Workspace solutions. Since 2008, we've helped hundreds of organizations get more value from their Google Workspace investment through our Steegle.One intranet platform, consulting services, and purpose-built apps. We guarantee our pricing and keep our solutions simple, focused, and integrated with Google Workspace.
Disclaimer
Pingboard® and Workleap® are registered trademarks of their respective holders. Steegle.One is not affiliated with or endorsed by these entities. The cost comparisons and feature descriptions in this article are based on customer reports and available data as of late 2025. Competitor pricing and packaging may vary by region or contract terms and are subject to change without notice.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Following Workleap’s acquisition of Pingboard in late 2023, the platform transitioned from a standalone org chart tool into a bundled "employee experience" suite. This forced bundling includes features many Google Workspace users already have (like surveys and performance tools), resulting in reported price hikes of 300% to 400% at renewal.
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Unlike Pingboard, which often requires syncing with a third-party HRIS or manual CSV imports, Steegle.One is native to Google Workspace. It pulls data directly from your Google Directory, meaning your org chart and directory update automatically the moment you make a change in the Google Admin Console. This eliminates sync delays and the need for duplicate data management.
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While you may lose the "bloat" of unnecessary HR modules, you gain a more powerful directory. Steegle People (the directory component) allows for up to 9 photographs per profile, 16 custom fields, social media links, and embedded documents. Furthermore, Steegle.One offers a full intranet platform—including news feeds and file libraries—that Pingboard’s standalone tool does not.
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Yes. One of the primary drivers for the switch is the Steegle Guarantee. Unlike the post-acquisition uncertainty of Pingboard, Steegle.One provides transparent, guaranteed pricing. They do not use forced feature bundles to inflate costs and offer a price-beat guarantee against major competitors to ensure long-term affordability.
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The migration is remarkably fast—often completed in less than two weeks. Because Steegle.One uses your existing Google Workspace data as the "source of truth," there is no complex data mapping or migration required. Once connected, your live org chart is generated immediately based on your current Google reporting structures.
