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CharlieHR vs Cron Calendar

CharlieHR logo

CharlieHR

Software

HR software built for small businesses

From
£5/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Cron Calendar logo

Cron Calendar

Software

The next-generation calendar for professionals

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Cron Calendar has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: CharlieHR limited payroll integration capabilities compared to dedicated payroll platforms; Cron Calendar no longer sold as Cron. Notion acquired it and renamed it Notion Calendar, and cron.com now carries that banner
  • They diverge on capability: CharlieHR covers Employee Database, Cron Calendar covers Keyboard shortcuts.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which CharlieHR and Cron Calendar actually diverge.

Attributes where CharlieHR and Cron Calendar differ
AttributeCharlieHRCron Calendar
Starting price£5/monthFree
Pricing modelUnknownfree
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, Mobile (iOS/Android)Macos, Windows, Ios, Android, Web
Founded20152016

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in CharlieHR

  • Employee Database
  • Time Off Management
  • Onboarding
  • Performance Reviews
  • Team Engagement
  • Company Directory
  • Slack
  • Google Workspace

Only in Cron Calendar

  • Keyboard shortcuts
  • Multi-timezone
  • Scheduling links
  • Team availability
  • Menu bar access
  • Google Calendar
  • Notion
  • Zoom

Both cover

  • Web support
  • Ios support
  • Android support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

CharlieHR

No use cases recorded yet. See the CharlieHR review.

Cron Calendar

  • Keyboard-driven calendar for people living in their schedulenot CharlieHR
  • Managing several Google calendars in one viewnot CharlieHR
  • Scheduling links for meeting availabilitynot CharlieHR
  • Joining video calls from the menu barnot CharlieHR

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

CharlieHR

  • Limited payroll integration capabilities compared to dedicated payroll platforms
  • Pricing structure geared toward UK and Europe, with limited localization for other regions
  • Add-on services like Charlie Recruit and Charlie Advice incur additional costs
  • Smaller employee base (approximately 30 people) compared to enterprise HR competitors

Cron Calendar

  • No longer sold as Cron. Notion acquired it and renamed it Notion Calendar, and cron.com now carries that banner
  • Tied to the Notion account system rather than standing alone

Pricing, plan by plan

CharlieHR

£5/month
  • Core HR (Teams 1-4)$5/month
    • Employee onboarding
    • Time off management
    • Document storage

Cron Calendar

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Calendar sync
    • Scheduling links
    • Keyboard shortcuts

Which should you pick?

Choose CharlieHR if

  • You need employee database.
  • You work on Web, Mobile (iOS/Android).
  • You also want time off management.
CharlieHR review

Choose Cron Calendar if

  • You need keyboard shortcuts.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Macos, Windows, Ios, Android, Web.
  • You also want multi-timezone.
Cron Calendar review

Questions people ask

Is CharlieHR or Cron Calendar better?
Neither clearly leads. CharlieHR starts at £5/month and Cron Calendar at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, CharlieHR or Cron Calendar?
Cron Calendar has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at £5/month for CharlieHR and Free for Cron Calendar.
Does CharlieHR or Cron Calendar run on more platforms?
CharlieHR runs on Web, Mobile (iOS/Android). Cron Calendar runs on Macos, Windows, Ios, Android, Web.
Can I use Cron Calendar for free?
Yes. Cron Calendar has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. CharlieHR starts at £5/month.
What can CharlieHR do that Cron Calendar cannot?
CharlieHR covers Employee Database, Time Off Management, Onboarding, Performance Reviews. Cron Calendar covers Keyboard shortcuts, Multi-timezone, Scheduling links, Team availability. Both handle Web support, Ios support, Android support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

CharlieHR: Does CharlieHR offer a free plan?

CharlieHR does not have a free plan, but offers a 7-day free trial without requiring a credit card. Pricing starts at £5/month for teams of 1-4 employees.

Source
CharlieHR: What are CharlieHR's core features?

Core features include employee onboarding, time off tracking, performance reviews, document storage, employee engagement tools, and benefits management with access to 30,000+ discounts.

Source
CharlieHR: Does CharlieHR integrate with payroll systems?

CharlieHR integrates with major HR tech stacks and offers add-on services like Charlie Recruit for hiring automation. Payroll integration capabilities depend on the specific payroll provider you use.

Source
CharlieHR: Is CharlieHR GDPR compliant?

Yes. CharlieHR is GDPR-compliant and ISO 27001-certified, providing strong data security and privacy compliance for European businesses.

Source
CharlieHR: Does CharlieHR support multi-currency?

CharlieHR's pricing is primarily in GBP (British Pounds). International users can access the platform but currency and localization options may be limited.

Source
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Related pages

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