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HR · head to head

CharlieHR vs Namely

CharlieHR logo

CharlieHR

HR

HR software built for small businesses

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Namely logo

Namely

Payroll

The HR platform that employees love

From
$18/employee/month
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; 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.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which CharlieHR and Namely actually diverge.

Attributes where CharlieHR and Namely differ
AttributeCharlieHRNamely
Starting priceFree$18/employee/month
Pricing modelsubscriptionUnknown
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Mobile (iOS/Android)Web
CategoryHRPayroll
Founded20152012

Identical on both: 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

What people use each for

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

CharlieHR

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

Namely

  • Processing payroll for employees across multiple states with different tax rulesnot CharlieHR
  • Collecting 360-degree feedback and managing performance reviewsnot CharlieHR
  • Automating onboarding workflows and document e-signature collectionnot CharlieHR
  • Managing benefits enrollment and annual open enrollment periodsnot 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

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

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

Namely

$18/employee/month

No published plan breakdown. See the Namely review.

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 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 Free 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 has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for CharlieHR and $18/employee/month for Namely.
Does CharlieHR or Namely run on more platforms?
CharlieHR runs on Web, Mobile (iOS/Android). Namely runs on Web.
Can I use CharlieHR for free?
Yes. CharlieHR has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Namely starts at $18/employee/month.
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 Namely is typically brought in for.
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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