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HR & Recruiting · head to head

CharlieHR vs Namely

CharlieHR logo

CharlieHR

HR & Recruiting

HR software built for small businesses

From
£5/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Namely logo

Namely

Payroll & Benefits

The HR platform that employees love

From
$18/employee/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: CharlieHR limited payroll integration capabilities compared to dedicated payroll platforms; Namely limited customization for complex HR processes: workflows and customization options are limited compared to enterprise solutions
  • They diverge on capability: CharlieHR covers Employee Database, Namely covers HR Management.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which CharlieHR and Namely actually diverge.

Attributes where CharlieHR and Namely differ
AttributeCharlieHRNamely
Starting price£5/month$18/employee/month
PlatformsWeb, Mobile (iOS/Android)Web
CategoryHR & RecruitingPayroll & Benefits
Founded20152012

Identical on both: pricing model (Unknown), free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated).

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
  • Performance Reviews
  • Team Engagement
  • Company Directory
  • Zapier

Only in Namely

  • HR Management
  • Payroll
  • Benefits Administration
  • Performance Management
  • Greenhouse
  • LinkedIn

Both cover

  • Time Off Management
  • Onboarding
  • Slack
  • Google Workspace
  • Microsoft 365
  • Web support
  • Ios support
  • Android support

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

Namely

  • Limited customization for complex HR processes: workflows and customization options are limited compared to enterprise solutions
  • Payroll limitations: better served for less complex organizations and struggles with complex time-and-attendance or multi-FEIN scenarios
  • Missing ATS and surveys: lacks built-in applicant tracking system and pulse survey capabilities
  • Slow support response times: pod-based support model has led to slow response times for customers
  • Designed for specific market segment: best fit is mid-sized companies with 50-350 employees

Pricing, plan by plan

CharlieHR

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

Namely

$18/employee/month

No published plan breakdown. See the Namely review.

Which should you pick?

Choose CharlieHR if

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

Choose Namely if

  • You need hr management.
  • You also want payroll.
Namely review

Questions people ask

Is CharlieHR or Namely better?
Neither clearly leads. CharlieHR starts at £5/month and Namely at $18/employee/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, CharlieHR or Namely?
CharlieHR starts at £5/month and Namely at $18/employee/month.
Does CharlieHR or Namely run on more platforms?
CharlieHR runs on Web, Mobile (iOS/Android). Namely runs on Web.
What can CharlieHR do that Namely cannot?
CharlieHR covers Employee Database, Performance Reviews, Team Engagement, Company Directory. Namely covers HR Management, Payroll, Benefits Administration, Performance Management. Both handle Time Off Management, Onboarding, Slack, Google Workspace.

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
Namely: Does Namely support global payroll?

Namely primarily focuses on mid-sized US-based companies with 50-350 employees. While it can handle complex payroll scenarios, it is better served for less complex organizations and does not have extensive global payroll capabilities compared to enterprise platforms.

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
Namely: What is included in Namely's Premium pricing?

Premium plans cost $18-24 per employee per month plus implementation fees of 10-25% of annual software costs. Plans include payroll, HR, benefits administration, time management, and talent management features.

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
Namely: Does Namely include performance management features?

Yes, Namely offers customizable performance review modules enabling dynamic, ongoing feedback rather than traditional annual-only reviews. This is one of Namely's standout features.

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
Namely: How long does Namely implementation typically take?

Namely is designed for mid-sized companies and implementation timelines vary based on complexity. The platform includes implementation fees of 10-25% of annual software costs in addition to monthly per-employee pricing.

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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