Softwr

Software · head to head

CharlieHR vs ExpressVPN

CharlieHR logo

CharlieHR

Software

HR software built for small businesses

From
£5/month
Rated
-
ExpressVPN logo

ExpressVPN

Software

High-speed, secure, and anonymous VPN service

From
$6.67/month
Rated
-

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: CharlieHR limited payroll integration capabilities compared to dedicated payroll platforms; ExpressVPN the App Store listing (seller Expressco Services, LLC) states subscriptions renew automatically unless canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the billing period, and that any unused portion of a free trial is forfeited on purchase
  • They diverge on capability: CharlieHR covers Employee Database, ExpressVPN covers Lightway protocol.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which CharlieHR and ExpressVPN actually diverge.

Attributes where CharlieHR and ExpressVPN differ
AttributeCharlieHRExpressVPN
Starting price£5/month$6.67/month
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
PlatformsWeb, Mobile (iOS/Android)Web, Desktop, Mobile, Api
Founded20152009

Identical on both: free tier (No), 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 ExpressVPN

  • Lightway protocol
  • TrustedServer technology
  • Network Lock kill switch
  • Split tunneling
  • No activity logs
  • Private DNS
  • Speed test
  • MediaStreamer

Both cover

  • Web 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.

ExpressVPN

  • Vpnnot CharlieHR
  • Privacynot CharlieHR
  • Streamingnot 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

ExpressVPN

  • The App Store listing (seller Expressco Services, LLC) states subscriptions renew automatically unless canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the billing period, and that any unused portion of a free trial is forfeited on purchase
  • The same listing caps a single ExpressVPN subscription at 14 simultaneous device connections

Pricing, plan by plan

CharlieHR

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

ExpressVPN

$6.67/month
  • 1 Month$12.95/month
    • 8 devices
    • 94 countries
    • Unlimited bandwidth
  • 12 Months$6.67/month
    • All features
    • 3 months free
    • Best value
  • 6 Months$9.99/month
    • All features
    • 30-day guarantee

Which should you pick?

Choose CharlieHR if

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

Choose ExpressVPN if

  • You need lightway protocol.
  • You work on Web, Desktop, Mobile, Api.
  • You also want trustedserver technology.

Questions people ask

Is CharlieHR or ExpressVPN better?
Neither clearly leads. CharlieHR starts at £5/month and ExpressVPN at $6.67/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, CharlieHR or ExpressVPN?
CharlieHR starts at £5/month and ExpressVPN at $6.67/month.
Does CharlieHR or ExpressVPN run on more platforms?
CharlieHR runs on Web, Mobile (iOS/Android). ExpressVPN runs on Web, Desktop, Mobile, Api.
What can CharlieHR do that ExpressVPN cannot?
CharlieHR covers Employee Database, Time Off Management, Onboarding, Performance Reviews. ExpressVPN covers Lightway protocol, TrustedServer technology, Network Lock kill switch, Split tunneling. Both handle Web 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

Related pages

Other head to heads