TraitLab Pro vs. Plum: Personality Depth vs. Job-Fit Scores
Plum takes a Big Five personality assessment, combines it with problem-solving and social intelligence measures, and turns the results into a predictive job-fit score. Managers complete an 8-minute Role Analysis, candidates complete a 25-minute assessment, and Plum generates a match percentage. That is a hiring tool. TraitLab Pro measures personality across six frameworks — Big Five, Enneagram, Jungian typology, strengths, working style, and interpersonal style — and delivers the results directly to the person assessed. There is no role-matching algorithm, no candidate ranking, no ATS integration. These platforms exist to answer different questions: Plum asks "does this candidate fit this role?" and TraitLab Pro asks "who is this person?"
Quick Verdict
Choose TraitLab Pro if you want deep, multi-framework personality insights for coaching, team development, or employee self-understanding — not candidate screening.
Choose Plum if you need a data-driven hiring tool that predicts role fit by combining personality, cognitive, and social intelligence into a single match score.
These platforms serve different purposes
Plum is a hiring-focused assessment platform built around predictive role-matching. Its Big Five-based personality data feeds into job-fit scores, not standalone personality reports for development. TraitLab Pro is built for employee development and coaching, with no hiring workflow features. Plum offers ATS integrations with Greenhouse, iCIMS, and SAP SuccessFactors. TraitLab Pro offers none. If you are evaluating job candidates, Plum was designed for that. If you are developing existing employees, it was not.
Side-by-Side Comparison
Assessment
| TraitLab Pro | Plum | |
|---|---|---|
| Personality Model | Big Five + established frameworks (Enneagram, Jungian, RIASEC) | Big Five adapted into 10 "Plum Talents" (e.g., assertiveness, compassion, openness, stability, industriousness) |
| Traits/Dimensions Measured | Customizable: Personality Traits, Strengths, Working Style, Interpersonal Style, Jungian Typology, Enneagram Typology | 10 personality traits + problem-solving (fluid intelligence) + social intelligence; combined into role-match scores |
| Scientific Basis | Peer-reviewed, research-validated instruments | I/O psychology foundation; Big Five model; forced-choice methodology to prevent faking; claims 4X more predictive than resumes |
| Customizability | Mix-and-match assessment areas; compact 20-min option | Fixed 25-minute assessment; role-matching criteria customizable via 8-minute manager Role Analysis survey |
Personality Model
TraitLab Pro
Big Five + established frameworks (Enneagram, Jungian, RIASEC)
Plum
Big Five adapted into 10 "Plum Talents" (e.g., assertiveness, compassion, openness, stability, industriousness)
Traits/Dimensions Measured
TraitLab Pro
Customizable: Personality Traits, Strengths, Working Style, Interpersonal Style, Jungian Typology, Enneagram Typology
Plum
10 personality traits + problem-solving (fluid intelligence) + social intelligence; combined into role-match scores
Scientific Basis
TraitLab Pro
Peer-reviewed, research-validated instruments
Plum
I/O psychology foundation; Big Five model; forced-choice methodology to prevent faking; claims 4X more predictive than resumes
Customizability
TraitLab Pro
Mix-and-match assessment areas; compact 20-min option
Plum
Fixed 25-minute assessment; role-matching criteria customizable via 8-minute manager Role Analysis survey
Implementation
| TraitLab Pro | Plum | |
|---|---|---|
| Setup Model | Fully self-serve; free account creation | Demo-based sales; subscription model |
| Certification/Training Required | None | None required; customer support and training included |
| Time to First Assessment | Minutes (sign up, purchase credits, send link) | After subscription setup and Role Analysis completion |
| ATS/HR System Integration | No | Yes — Ashby, iCIMS, Greenhouse, SAP SuccessFactors, Paylocity; API available |
| Scalability | Any scale; credit-based, no minimums | Designed for enterprise scale; hiring limits per plan |
Setup Model
TraitLab Pro
Fully self-serve; free account creation
Plum
Demo-based sales; subscription model
Certification/Training Required
TraitLab Pro
None
Plum
None required; customer support and training included
Time to First Assessment
TraitLab Pro
Minutes (sign up, purchase credits, send link)
Plum
After subscription setup and Role Analysis completion
ATS/HR System Integration
TraitLab Pro
No
Plum
Yes — Ashby, iCIMS, Greenhouse, SAP SuccessFactors, Paylocity; API available
Scalability
TraitLab Pro
Any scale; credit-based, no minimums
Plum
Designed for enterprise scale; hiring limits per plan
User Experience
| TraitLab Pro | Plum | |
|---|---|---|
| Assessment Duration | 10-60 min (customizable); 20 min compact option | 25 minutes (single assessment covering all areas) |
| Device Support | Mobile and desktop | Mobile and desktop |
| Question Format | Short multiple choice | Forced-choice personality items + problem-solving questions + social intelligence scenarios |
| Results Delivery | Instant, digital, self-serve for both test taker and admin | Candidates receive free Plum Profile; hiring managers see role-match scores |
| Admin Portal | Yes — view, compare, manage all results | Yes — candidate ranking, match scores, interview prep guides, coaching insights |
Assessment Duration
TraitLab Pro
10-60 min (customizable); 20 min compact option
Plum
25 minutes (single assessment covering all areas)
Device Support
TraitLab Pro
Mobile and desktop
Plum
Mobile and desktop
Question Format
TraitLab Pro
Short multiple choice
Plum
Forced-choice personality items + problem-solving questions + social intelligence scenarios
Results Delivery
TraitLab Pro
Instant, digital, self-serve for both test taker and admin
Plum
Candidates receive free Plum Profile; hiring managers see role-match scores
Admin Portal
TraitLab Pro
Yes — view, compare, manage all results
Plum
Yes — candidate ranking, match scores, interview prep guides, coaching insights
Pricing
| TraitLab Pro | Plum | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing Model | Per-assessment credits; transparent, published pricing | Subscription starting at $750/year; scales with volume |
| Entry Price | $49/assessment (1 credit) | $750/year (starting point) |
| Volume Price | $24/assessment (100+ credits) | Custom pricing for enterprise; contact sales |
| Annual Minimums/Subscriptions | None | Annual subscription required |
| Hidden Costs | None (no training, certification, or consulting fees) | Hiring limits per plan; changing candidate status to "hired" counts against limit |
| Free Tier/Trial | Free account; credits required for assessments | No free tier; demo available |
Pricing Model
TraitLab Pro
Per-assessment credits; transparent, published pricing
Plum
Subscription starting at $750/year; scales with volume
Entry Price
TraitLab Pro
$49/assessment (1 credit)
Plum
$750/year (starting point)
Volume Price
TraitLab Pro
$24/assessment (100+ credits)
Plum
Custom pricing for enterprise; contact sales
Annual Minimums/Subscriptions
TraitLab Pro
None
Plum
Annual subscription required
Hidden Costs
TraitLab Pro
None (no training, certification, or consulting fees)
Plum
Hiring limits per plan; changing candidate status to "hired" counts against limit
Free Tier/Trial
TraitLab Pro
Free account; credits required for assessments
Plum
No free tier; demo available
Use Case Fit
| TraitLab Pro | Plum | |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-employment Screening & Hiring | Not supported | Primary |
| Employee Development & Team Building | Primary | Secondary (coaching insights, internal mobility) |
| Leadership Development & Succession Planning | Secondary | Secondary (succession planning features) |
| Coaching & Professional Development | Primary | Not supported |
Pre-employment Screening & Hiring
TraitLab Pro
Not supported
Plum
Primary
Employee Development & Team Building
TraitLab Pro
Primary
Plum
Secondary (coaching insights, internal mobility)
Leadership Development & Succession Planning
TraitLab Pro
Secondary
Plum
Secondary (succession planning features)
Coaching & Professional Development
TraitLab Pro
Primary
Plum
Not supported
Key Differences
Plum's Advantages
-
Predictive role-matching: combines personality + cognitive + social intelligence into a single job-fit score
-
ATS integrations for streamlined hiring workflows
-
Candidates receive a free Plum Profile — good candidate experience
-
NYC Local Law 144 bias audit compliant
-
Problem-solving and social intelligence assessments beyond personality
-
Interview prep guides generated from assessment results
TraitLab Pro's Advantages
-
Six distinct assessment frameworks vs. one combined assessment
-
Transparent, published per-assessment pricing; no annual subscription
-
Fully self-serve with no sales calls or demos required
-
Designed for development and coaching, not just hiring decisions
-
Results shared instantly with both test takers and administrators
-
No hiring limits or status-tracking gotchas
-
Accessible to coaches, consultants, and small teams — not just enterprise
Plum
Strengths
-
Combines personality, cognitive, and social intelligence in one assessment
-
Role-matching algorithm provides clear, actionable hiring recommendations
-
Bias-reduction focus with forced-choice methodology and compliance audits
-
Candidates receive their own profile, improving the assessment experience
-
Strong I/O psychology foundation
Weaknesses
-
Annual subscription required; pricing not fully transparent
-
Some users report rude customer support and punitive hiring-limit enforcement
-
Reporting and analytics described as "light" by some reviewers
-
Menu system described as unintuitive
-
Primarily a hiring tool — development and coaching features are secondary
-
Only shows top 5 of 10 talents; methodology transparency questioned by users
The Bottom Line
Plum and TraitLab Pro both use the Big Five as a foundation, but they build very different products on top of it. Plum translates personality into hiring decisions — role-fit percentages, candidate rankings, interview prep guides. TraitLab Pro translates personality into development insights — six framework reports delivered directly to the person for coaching and self-understanding. Plum starts at $750/year with annual subscriptions and hiring limits. TraitLab Pro is $24-49 per assessment with no subscriptions. Both have legitimate strengths for their intended use cases, but those use cases barely overlap.
See What TraitLab Pro Measures
Six validated personality frameworks from a single 20-minute assessment. No certification required.