Softwr

HR · head to head

CharlieHR vs People HR

CharlieHR logo

CharlieHR

HR

HR software built for small businesses

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
People HR logo

People HR

HR

HR software that does the HR hard work

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: CharlieHR starter plan price increases to £20/month after 6-month promotional period; People HR pro and Elite+ HR plans require contacting sales; exact features unclear
  • They diverge on capability: CharlieHR covers Time Off Management, People HR covers Absence Management.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which CharlieHR and People HR actually diverge.

Attributes where CharlieHR and People HR differ
AttributeCharlieHRPeople HR
PlatformsWeb, Mobile (iOS/Android)Web, iOS, Android
Founded20152012

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (subscription), free tier (Yes), 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

  • Time Off Management
  • Onboarding
  • Performance Reviews
  • Team Engagement
  • Company Directory
  • Zapier

Only in People HR

  • Absence Management
  • Document Management
  • Performance
  • Recruitment
  • Self-Service Portal
  • Xero
  • Sage

Both cover

  • Employee Database
  • 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 People HR
  • Employee onboarding and time off managementnot People HR
  • Performance reviews and employee engagementnot People HR

People HR

  • HR management for startups and growing teamsnot CharlieHR
  • Integrated payroll and HR operationsnot CharlieHR
  • Employee management with compliance featuresnot 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

People HR

  • Pro and Elite+ HR plans require contacting sales; exact features unclear
  • Payroll SaaS Pro and Elite+ pricing not published
  • Combined plans mark no distinction between HR and payroll components

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

People HR

Free
  • Starter$3/month
    • per-employee pricing
    • ideal for startups
  • Core$5.5/month
    • per-employee pricing
    • growing teams
  • Pro$8/month
    • per-employee pricing
    • larger companies
  • Elite+$9.5/month
    • per-employee pricing
    • advanced HR

Which should you pick?

Choose CharlieHR if

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

Choose People HR if

  • You need absence management.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want document management.
People HR review

Questions people ask

Is CharlieHR or People HR better?
Neither clearly leads. CharlieHR starts at Free and People HR at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, CharlieHR or People HR?
CharlieHR starts at Free and People HR at Free.
Does CharlieHR or People HR run on more platforms?
CharlieHR runs on Web, Mobile (iOS/Android). People HR runs on Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use CharlieHR for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
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 People HR is typically brought in for.
What can CharlieHR do that People HR cannot?
CharlieHR covers Time Off Management, Onboarding, Performance Reviews, Team Engagement. People HR covers Absence Management, Document Management, Performance, Recruitment. Both handle Employee Database, Slack, Google Workspace, Microsoft 365.

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
People HR: How is PeopleHR pricing calculated?

Pricing is per employee per month (PEPM). Starter: £3, Core: £5.50, Pro: £8, Elite+: £9.50. Users can add/remove employees as needed.

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
People HR: Do I get a discount for annual billing?

Yes, annual customers receive discounts compared to monthly billing. Exact discount percentages not specified on the pricing page.

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
People HR: What add-ons are available?

Optional add-ons cost £1.50-£2 PEPM for most features. Specific add-ons not listed on the pricing page.

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
People HR: Can I combine HR and Payroll services?

Yes, combined HR + Payroll plans are available: Core+ (£7 PEPM), Pro+ (£9.50 PEPM), Ultimate+ (£11 PEPM). Support and implementation included.

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
Share

Related pages

More on CharlieHR

More on People HR

Keep looking

Other head to heads