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HR · head to head

CharlieHR vs Motivosity

CharlieHR logo

CharlieHR

HR

HR software built for small businesses

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Motivosity logo

Motivosity

HR

Recognition that actually matters

From
$3000/year
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only CharlieHR has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: CharlieHR starter plan price increases to £20/month after 6-month promotional period; Motivosity no published per-seat pricing; only broad ranges provided by company size
  • They diverge on capability: CharlieHR covers Employee Database, Motivosity covers Peer-to-peer recognition.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which CharlieHR and Motivosity actually diverge.

Attributes where CharlieHR and Motivosity differ
AttributeCharlieHRMotivosity
Starting priceFree$3000/year
Pricing modelsubscriptionquote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Mobile (iOS/Android)Web, Ios, Android, Api
Founded20152013

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

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
  • Google Workspace
  • Microsoft 365

Only in Motivosity

  • Peer-to-peer recognition
  • Spot bonuses
  • Social recognition feed
  • Manager insights
  • 1-on-1 meetings
  • Pulse surveys
  • Rewards marketplace
  • Company values alignment

Both cover

  • Slack

What people use each for

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

CharlieHR

  • HR management for small to large teamsnot Motivosity
  • Employee onboarding and time off managementnot Motivosity
  • Performance reviews and employee engagementnot Motivosity

Motivosity

  • Peer-to-peer recognition and spot bonusesnot CharlieHR
  • Service milestones and work anniversariesnot CharlieHR
  • Pulse surveys on employee sentimentnot CharlieHR
  • Rewards and lifestyle spending accountsnot CharlieHR
  • Nominations and awards programmesnot CharlieHR

Where each one falls short

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

CharlieHR

  • Starter plan price increases to £20/month after 6-month promotional period
  • Pricing based on team headcount brackets, not per-user
  • Add-ons (Charlie Recruit, Charlie Advice) cannot be purchased standalone
  • Charlie Advice and Recruit require base Charlie subscription
  • Prices shown exclude 20% UK VAT

Motivosity

  • No published per-seat pricing; only broad ranges provided by company size
  • Minimum annual spend of 3,000 USD for small business plans; no monthly options available
  • Custom module pricing starts around 1 USD PEPM with no published rate cards

Pricing, plan by plan

CharlieHR

Free
  • Starter (1-4 team members)$5/month
    • Introductory rate for first 6 months
    • Then £20/month
  • Small (5-14 team members)$45/month
    • Covers 5-14 employees
  • Medium (15-29 team members)$105/month
    • Covers 15-29 employees
  • Large (30-99 team members)$180/month
    • Covers 30-99 employees

Motivosity

$3000/year
  • Small Business$3000/year
    • 20-250 employees
    • Annual investment range 3,000-10,000 USD
    • Platform fee approximately 0-2 USD PEPM
  • Mid-Market$7500/year
    • 250-5,000 employees
    • Annual investment range 7,500-75,000 USD
  • Enterprise$40000/year
    • 5,000+ employees
    • Annual investment range 40,000-300,000+ USD

Which should you pick?

Choose CharlieHR if

  • You need employee database.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Mobile (iOS/Android).
  • You also want time off management.
CharlieHR review

Choose Motivosity if

  • You need peer-to-peer recognition.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
  • You also want spot bonuses.
Motivosity review

Questions people ask

Is CharlieHR or Motivosity better?
Neither clearly leads. CharlieHR starts at Free and Motivosity at $3000/year, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, CharlieHR or Motivosity?
CharlieHR has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for CharlieHR and $3000/year for Motivosity.
Does CharlieHR or Motivosity run on more platforms?
CharlieHR runs on Web, Mobile (iOS/Android). Motivosity runs on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
Can I use CharlieHR for free?
Yes. CharlieHR has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Motivosity starts at $3000/year.
What is CharlieHR best used for?
CharlieHR is most often used for hr management for small to large teams, employee onboarding and time off management, performance reviews and employee engagement. Of those, hr management for small to large teams and employee onboarding and time off management are not what Motivosity is typically brought in for.
What can CharlieHR do that Motivosity cannot?
CharlieHR covers Employee Database, Time Off Management, Onboarding, Performance Reviews. Motivosity covers Peer-to-peer recognition, Spot bonuses, Social recognition feed, Manager insights. Both handle Slack.

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
Motivosity: How much does Motivosity cost?

Motivosity uses custom per-employee pricing (PEPM) model. Small businesses (20-250 employees) invest 3,000-10,000 USD/year; mid-market (250-5,000) invests 7,500-75,000 USD/year; enterprise (5,000+) invests 40,000-300,000+ USD/year.

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
Motivosity: What is the platform fee per employee?

Motivosity charges approximately 0-2 USD per employee per month (PEPM) as a platform fee, with additional module costs starting around 1 USD PEPM.

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
Motivosity: Is there a minimum contract?

Yes, Motivosity requires a minimum annual investment of 3,000 USD for small business plans with annual contract terms.

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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