# BerniePortal Reviews 2026. Verified Reviews, Pros & Cons | Capterra > Is BerniePortal the right Benefits Administration solution for you? Explore 130 verified user reviews from people in industries like yours to make a confident choice. Source: https://www.capterra.com/p/147193/BerniePortal/reviews --- BerniePortal 4.3 (130) [View alternatives](https://www.capterra.com/p/147193/BerniePortal/alternatives/) Provider data verified by our Software Research team, and reviews moderated by our Reviews Verification team. [Learn more](https://www.capterra.com/our-story/) * * * Last updated March 13th, 2026 # Reviews of BerniePortal Ease of use 4.2 Customer Service 4.4 ## Pros and Cons in Reviews SF Shanel F HRReal Estate, 11 - 50 employeesUsed the software for: I used a free trial. “I like that they give free resources & templates for an array of HR topics“ October 27, 2024 PO Patricia O Accounting ManagerConstruction, 51 - 200 employeesUsed the software for: More than 2 years. “Some people don't use computers making it difficult to on board 100%.“ June 22, 2022 RA RODERICK A Vice PresidentEntertainment, 11 - 50 employeesUsed the software for: 1-2 years. “Good portal for HR but needs to offer more features like payroll.“ March 18, 2025 AM Alec M Director of Human ResourcesGovernment Administration, 51 - 200 employeesUsed the software for: More than 2 years. “Rolka Loube is very happy with BerniePortal and is excited to keep using the portal/new services for years to come.“ July 6, 2021 CS Casandra S Human Resources DirectorEducation Management, 51 - 200 employeesUsed the software for: Less than 6 months. “Really makes my job easier.“ July 13, 2021 ## Showing most helpful reviews Showing 1-25 of 130 Reviews Sort by: Most Helpful Rating Company Size Reviewer's Role Length of Use Frequency of Use Angela H. Office/Purchasing Manager Computer & Network Security Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "very easy to use" January 23, 2019 5.0 We are using it just benefit elections right now Pros This made it alot easier to manage people's elections for health/dental/vision/life insurance with the company. It was great to not have to track down forms from individuals. Cons setting up a new employee wasn't as intitutive as I would have liked. but our insurance agent was able to walk me through it Review Source VR Verified Reviewer Director of Operations Non-Profit Organization Management Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Eases the burden and keeps things simple" January 22, 2019 5.0 BerniePortal has fulfilled our needs for managing benefits, particularly enrollment for health, dental, and vision insurance and related documentation. We are testing out the PTO module, hoping to replace our basic spreadsheets and email approval system. We've been very pleased with the portal, and recommend you at least check it out to see if it will meet your needs. Pros The bernieportal leverages technology to handle the communication and paperwork/documentation necessary for managing benefits. The process is seamless, and employees have easy access to information about their benefits. Each month a webinar is offered, which covers new releases and reminders about the tools available. Cons If you have complex benefits, this may not be the best system...but make sure you test it out first. There are some customizations available. Their wheelhouse is probably small to mid-size businesses. Review Source AO Amanda O. Human Resources Manager Government Relations Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "It could be better" January 22, 2019 1.0 Created more work for HR during open enrollment. In the past, when employees did not make changes to their health insurance plans, we didn't have to update anything. Now that we utilize the Bernie Portal and it does not reflect the correct information, HR is essentially stuck doing every single employee's open enrollment (so that the employee does not assume they pay $0 when they do contribute). Very time consuming. Changes are not always reflected. I have also encountered employees who information was not reflected correctly even though entered with the previous elections - i.e. dependents deleted for no reason. I also feel like it could have more functionality and tools that are useful to the HR professional. I don't understand why it includes new employee forms - feels a little disjointed. Pros I think the system has potential. It's pretty user-friendly for the most part. I think it could be valuable to an organization but not every single employee will understand how to make sure they are putting in the proper elections for health insurance. Cons Not fully functional. Our costs do not show up appropriately. Employees are supposed to see how much they pay towards their insurance and it says $0. Since it says this, they can not use the software which results in HR having to do all of the leg work during open enrollment and through out the year. I see they offer 1094/1095C assistance. It is not a functionality on my end. I questioned our third party and have yet to hear back on how this could be implemented. Review Source Response from Bernard Health February 27, 2019 To improve your BerniePortal experience, I'd like to provide insight into a few of your statements. 1) "Employees are supposed to see how much they pay towards their insurance and it says $0:" This sounds like a configuration problem that can be easily fixed on the back end. I recommend contacting your broker to make the proper back-end adjustments. This way you won't have to do enrollment manually! 2) "I see they offer 1094/1095C assistance. It is not a functionality on my end." BerniePortal has a 1094-C/1095-C reporting functionality that can be activated simply by requesting it from your broker. Our team also offers additional mailing and e-filing services, which can also be arranged if you contact your broker. Overall, we recommend increasing communication with your broker so that BerniePortal functions optimally for your organization. Hopefully this helps! VR Verified Reviewer Account Administrator Insurance Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Bernie Review" December 19, 2018 5.0 Great Pros The software is super simple! I could list a dozen things that I love about the portal. Cons I wish we could customize the portal more. I do not like the date feature for new employees.. I wish you could type the date. I also wish their was a button for a passive enrollment. Review Source VR Verified Reviewer Human Resources Manager Logistics and Supply Chain Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "Good Fit for Mid-Size Company" January 22, 2019 4.0 Pros Easy to register with and navigate as a user as well as an administrator. Also customized to what our business needed it for which was a place to house our company's benefits plans and summaries and manage open enrollment and new hire enrollments. The BP helped automate a once manual and paper-only process. Cons Some delays when navigating to different areas the site, or employee to employee. Review Source VR Verified Reviewer Grants Program Coordinator Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Use for selecting/adjusting/tracking benefits received through work" April 13, 2018 2.0 Pros You can view your current benefit selections at any time, even if the HR team is off the clock at work. Cons The portal doesn't save all entered data so medical insurance benefits get inputted incorrectly, doctors get assigned incorrectly, and life insurance gets selected at incorrect amounts. It's also difficult to access different parts of the site without getting a direct link from HR, which is tedious. Review Source Response from Bernard Health April 27, 2018 Thank you for your feedback - We would like to help resolve any issues by clarifying a few points on BerniePortal functionality stated in your review: "the portal doesn't save all entered data so the medical insurance benefits get inputted incorrectly" - BerniePortal captures and saves exactly what the user enters into the system, so your medical information reflects an entry error rather than a system error. "Doctors get assigned incorrectly" - BerniePortal doesn¿t natively assign doctors or store doctor information. "Life insurance gets selected at incorrect amounts" - When an employee selects life insurance they use a slider bar to elect a coverage amount. If the requested amount is incorrect, it means the user selected a different amount of coverage than desired. BerniePortal guides employee enrollment with customizable content to help. If you continue to have questions, our Knowledge Base provides in-depth instructions. We hope that this explanation was helpful! VR Verified Reviewer Vice President of Human Resources Aviation & Aerospace Used the software for: Less than 6 months ### "New BerniePortal User" January 23, 2019 2.0 I would not recommend the BerniePortal and will be looking for a new solution. It may work for smaller employers with less employees, but it is not the solution for larger employers with more active enrollment needs. Pros We just used this software for our recent open enrollment period. Employees were able to enroll easily in their benefits and see their options. Cons The biggest problems are on the back side. There is no provision for passive enrollment years. The reports are very difficult to get to and are not well written for the benefit professional. The report request is processed and then you are supposed to be emailed a report, but they don't always come through and then they expire if they get caught in your spam filter. We had major issues with getting accurate change report information to report to the carriers - it was not clear what exactly changed from last year to the new year. There is a very nice dashboard, but it can't be used to pull enrollment data for the plans. Review Source Response from Bernard Health February 27, 2019 Thank you for your feedback. You mentioned that, "The report request is processed and then you are supposed to be emailed a report, but they don't always come through and then they expire if they get caught in your spam filter." This problem can be resolved by adjusting the settings in your email inbox. I recommend adjusting these settings so that you will receive the email reports sent by BerniePortal. If you continue to have problems, I recommend contacting your broker or looking at the BerniePortal Knowledge Base. Both of these are excellent resources that may provide insight into the challenges you are experiencing. VR Verified Reviewer Chief Operating Officer Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Gets you organized" June 21, 2018 4.0 Pros Moving us from paper to digital. The best thing was how simple it was to use. I have employees that varies in age and computer knowledge and it was so easy! They were able to log in, fill out the form with ease and submit. Accessing the information after the fact was simple and the staff was just so happy that we went digital. On the back end as the administrator, it has all the reports I need and more. It was easy to go back and review files. Cons They have several additional features that you can use. However, they need more updates for it to be worthwhile. Review Source Response from Bernard Health January 8, 2019 We are thrilled that BerniePortal has been a valuable organizational tool for you! In regards to your comment on our additional HR features, we would love to hear your feedback on how to improve our product. We are continually developing our product and especially value our users' input. If you have any recommendations, please contact your Client Success representative. VR Verified Reviewer Senior Benefit Consultant Insurance Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Definitely a little bit of a learning curve, but we're coming around" March 7, 2018 5.0 Pros Lots of useful tools that we are able to utilize as a broker. Love the 1095 build outs and quick reports. Cons Can be a little difficult for a new person to navigate. Would love to see a help feature similar to something you might see on a Microsoft Office programs. Review Source Crystal M. Executive Assistant Restaurants Used the software for: Less than 6 months ### "An all in one HR software " April 15, 2019 5.0 Pros Great software for employee onboarding, eliminates all the typical paperwork and saves time! Cons Would be great to use with other software, such as for scheduling Review Source BP Bunny P. Office Manager Insurance Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Highly Engaged" August 22, 2017 5.0 Efficiency and continuity of information delivery of insurance benefits in addition to legible enrollment forms with complete information. Pros The toggle inputs make setting up the portal easy, and, if you have all the pieces (census, subgroup designations, rates, and benefit summaries), a portal can be setup in a day, versus 6-8 weeks on other systems. We utilize the portal mainly during open enrollment since it provides an easy way to post age rates or composite rates and provides a delivery mechanism for ACA required Summary of Benefits and Coverage. It leverages much of the data held in the system to pre-populate enrollment forms and collect actual signatures (via touchscreen or mouse).  It also offers Onboarding capabilities (I-9, W-4, Handbook receipts, etc.) for those companies who want to go paperless.  We launched the portal with our 50+ clients first in order for them to capitalize on the 1095 reporting capabilities with BerniePortal then rolled out portals for smaller clients at their renewal. The system is compatible with any device that can connect to the internet so even field employees can enroll using their phone. We have monthly support calls with our BerniePortal Account Manager to discuss newly released features and provide feedback on cases in progress. Cons The system architecture is updated frequently and changes are not always announced, so sometimes we find feature changes that we did not know were happening. Many times these are minor, and improvements, but there have been features removed that we appreciated using. Most rating methods can be accommodated like age rates and composite rates for standard lines of coverage. Disability rate tables can be challenging to setup yourself, but the BerniePortal team is available to handle some or all benefit setups. They have a Defined Employer Contribution mechanism, but currently do not have a Defined Employee Contribution mechanism. Adoption and use by the HR administrator is ultimately needed to gain the most value and utility from the system. Standard client data reports are available for download, but custom reports cannot currently be generated. Review Source TB Tammy B. Account Manager Insurance Used the software for: 2+ years ### "BerniePortal Review" December 11, 2018 5.0 Our overall experience with BerniePortal is great. Our customers are coming around to using it and those that do, love it. I've been able to get Open Enrollments done quicker, processing is quicker since we are not continually tracking down employees to receive needed information from paper apps and in some cases with small groups, the need for employee meetings has reduced. Pros I like the clean, easy to read look of the software. It's not a "busy" website where you get lost in knowing what to do next. This software is the most user friendly I've seen from an online enrollment site. Cons Sometimes I just don't know how Bernie "thinks". LOL. Sometimes the questions asked can be perceived in different ways. For example, Salary updates: "Effective with first paycheck after this date". Answering this question can be complicated since, we as the broker, are often assisting with this question to make sure that Disability rates calculate correctly during renewal. Review Source DC Daniel C. Director of Human Resources and Administration Non-Profit Organization Management Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Helpful product that can use some improvements." January 22, 2019 3.0 Pros Once everything is entered (see what I like least), the software is pretty intuitive and user-friendly. Getting there is part of the battle. Cons Data importation. We utilize this software through our broker, and support for the software is only accessible through the broker; the end user/client cannot contact someone for help. If you're not ready to pull the trigger right away, some data becomes outdated and the only efficient way (and I use that term very loosely) is to scrap all of the data and re-import. Review Source Response from Bernard Health February 25, 2019 We're glad to hear that you've had a positive experience operating BerniePortal once it's been set up. I see that data importation has been difficult for you, and I'd like to offer a few tips. 1) For HR features such as Applicant Tracking, PTO, Time & Attendance, and Compliance, I'm happy to let you know that we have a readily-available Employer Success team that you can directly contact for support. 2) If you would like to edit employee information, this is possible without uploading a new census. If you would like to have your employee update their onboarding documents such as the W-4, you can request an edit from your employee directly in the portal. The employer admin also has the ability to adjust employee information one-by-one if necessary. If you have further questions, I'd recommend working with your health insurance broker to find a solution. We appreciate your feedback! JW Julie W. Client Information Specialist Insurance Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "Client Information Specialist" December 11, 2018 3.0 Not that we are working with support team on a regular basis, it has been great! Very prompt for service issues. Pros I have found that it is pretty easy to set up portals for our clients. That is nice. Cons Not as much flexibility. Need to be able to fix enrollment on one item without having to re-do everything. For open enrollment, it would be great to be able to do a passive enrollment if the group had no benefit changes vs. making everyone enroll again (this has been a huge sore subject with clients). Review Source Response from Bernard Health February 27, 2019 We're glad to hear that you've had a positive support team experience! In regards to your comment, "For open enrollment, it would be great to be able to do a passive enrollment:" We appreciate this feedback¿we'll take it into consideration as we build out our product development calendar. While BerniePortal currently does not permit passive enrollment, it does remember past employee elections so that employees can easily move through open enrollment without re-evaluating each benefit option. Hopefully this can simplify your processes as we continue to invest in our product! KB Kelly B. VP Client Services Insurance Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Great HRIS system for small employers" March 27, 2019 5.0 This improves the employee experience from on boarding to benefit renewal. Pros The system is easy to use. It does a nice job on ACA reporting and benefit administration. The applicant tracking software with indeed is a nice feature. Cons The reporting is improving but still needs improvement. Review Source JC Joan C. Account Manager Insurance Used the software for: 2+ years ### "The support team is fantastic" August 25, 2017 4.0 The ease of online enrollment so that we do not have to travel to all the work sites or rely on other agents to enroll core at the same time they enroll supplemental products Pros functionality and ability to work with it and the development team really listens to your requests for improvement Cons Some of our plans are not easily integrated because of the carrier requirements. We have several plans that have specific needs that do not fit the standard plans. Review Source MM Megan M. Broker Insurance Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Highly Recommend" December 11, 2018 5.0 Overall experience is great! Support team is easy to work with and responsive. The system is customizable and simple to navigate. Even if employees don't have computer access, the masquerade feature overcomes this issue. Pros The system is very user friendly and customizable. Cons The system exports various reports and any SSN's that begin with 0 do not reflect 0 at the start. No major dislikes. Review Source vS victoria S. staff accountant assisting hr Banking Used the software for: Less than 6 months ### "difficult to pull information" January 22, 2019 3.0 difficult, slow, and not intuitive to users needs, many issues with items that required varying amounts of coverage Pros less paper electronic, quicker turnaround time for employees Cons slow to find employees, reports are not customize-able. many steps just to find a small piece of information Review Source Response from Bernard Health February 27, 2019 Thank you for your feedback. I'd like to address a few things so as to improve your BerniePortal experience. 1) "difficult, slow:" BerniePortal is cloud-based, which means that it requires internet to connect. I recommend checking your internet speed to see if this is the problem. 2) "not intuitive to users needs:" BerniePortal prioritizes development based on user feedback and works to provide a simple user interface. Do you have any specific suggestions for improving BerniePortal user experience? 3)"many issues with items that required varying amounts of coverage:" Many of our clients are able to do this successfully, which makes me hopeful that we can find a solution to your troubles. Your broker has undergone extensive BerniePortal training and should be able to help you with this request. Hopefully this helps! KG Kristen G. Acct Mgr Insurance Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Best Benefits Admin System" January 22, 2019 5.0 Very great experience. Would highly recommend. Pros Creates a PDF of the enrollment form for carriers that don't take smaller groups' EDI feed. 1095 forms. Cons A little difficult to navigate at times and have to ask for help. Review Source TM Teresa M. Senior Account Manager Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "We use Bernie Portal for about 50 groups, almost all without a hitch." March 9, 2018 5.0 It makes employee benefit open enrollment and carrier updates so much faster and smoother. Pros The customer support is amazing. My questions are answered promptly, and they are responsive to suggestions and ideas. Cons The reporting functions are pretty basic. There is a spreadsheet of data that is useful, but I have to sort through it all to get what I want. Review Source BC Brandi C. Payroll and Benefits Coordinator Human Resources Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Bernie Portal Review" January 22, 2019 5.0 The Bernie Portal has been great for us. It has helped eliminate the amount of paperwork required. I work with our rep from The Hatcher Agency and he has been super helpful. He helps me with any problems. Pros I love the ease of the software. I am hoping to use more of the features. Cons The one con would be during open enrollment, employees are to choose each of their benefits again. Is there a way to list all of their benefits and then if they wanted to change, give them that option. Review Source HR Heather R. HR Coordinator Non-Profit Organization Management Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Why would you not use Bernie Portal?" January 22, 2019 4.0 BP partnered with our insurance agents from Buckman Mitchel makes the hard job of an HR professional much easier. Pros Automating the onboarding process and including benefit elections into the onboarding ensures that an employee will not be forgotten when they become eligible for benefits. BP gives employees the opportunity to complete new hire documents prior to their first day, giving them more hands on time. I find employees read the handbook since they have the time to and it is provided online through BP. Cons I do with there was an E-Verify option, for the fact I still need to see the work eligibility documents on the first day. Review Source JF Janis F. Controller/HR Automotive Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Not very user friendly" January 22, 2019 4.0 Overall I like the system, it has made my job easier to sign employees up for benefits. However, it is not very user friendly and can sometimes be frustrating to navigate. Pros When it works right employees are able to easily click on a link in an email and sign up for all our benefits. Cons Quite often employees don't recognize the sender and never read the email so I have to chase them down and try to manually get them enrolled. And it's 50/50 as to whether BerniePortal will let me sign them up manually. Sometimes I have to delete them and reload them without an email address. And I can never talk to them directly, I have to contact my broker to get answers. Most employees, when they see the name "BerniePortal" think it's some kind of spam and deletes it. Review Source KP Kelly P. Human Resource Director Government Administration Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Awesome" January 22, 2019 5.0 Since day 1 I have loved this system. I love the fact that it automatically sends you updates as personnel make changes, and that it sends a clear accounting of all elections for enrollment periods. Pros This program is perfect for staff who are not computer literate. I have many field technicians who have great difficulty maneuvering through systems, but they are very quick to get through BerniePortal with little to no assistance. Cons Would like a component that allows us to process our payroll internally and not sending information to a payroll vendor. Review Source SK Susan K. HR Benefits Coordinaotr Human Resources Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "HR Benefits Coordinator" January 22, 2019 5.0 It s a great experience Pros Easy to use, fast, to the point. It isn't difficult to use Cons Nothing. I have experienced great things with this program Review Source Similar Products Featured ## Send me user reviews about this product ### Fill out the form and we'll send a list of the top-rated software based on real user reviews directly to your inbox.