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Software · head to head

CharlieHR vs Zeplin

CharlieHR logo

CharlieHR

Software

HR software built for small businesses

From
£5/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Zeplin logo

Zeplin

Software

Design handoff and developer collaboration

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Zeplin has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: CharlieHR limited payroll integration capabilities compared to dedicated payroll platforms; Zeplin the free plan is limited to 1 project and 100 screens and works only in a personal workspace
  • They diverge on capability: CharlieHR covers Employee Database, Zeplin covers Design specs.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which CharlieHR and Zeplin actually diverge.

Attributes where CharlieHR and Zeplin differ
AttributeCharlieHRZeplin
Starting price£5/monthFree
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, Mobile (iOS/Android)Web, Desktop, Mobile
Founded20152014

Identical on both: 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
  • Google Workspace
  • Microsoft 365

Only in Zeplin

  • Design specs
  • Asset export
  • Code snippets
  • Design tokens
  • Comments
  • Version control
  • Handoff workflow
  • Accessibility checks

Both cover

  • Slack

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.

Zeplin

  • Handing off design specs from Figma or Sketch to developersnot CharlieHR
  • Sharing screens, assets and style guides with an engineering teamnot CharlieHR
  • Reviewing and commenting on design versionsnot 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

Zeplin

  • The free plan is limited to 1 project and 100 screens and works only in a personal workspace
  • Free plan AI reviews are capped at 3 per week
  • Role based permissions require the Advanced plan or higher
  • Single sign on, multi factor authentication, activity logs and invoiced billing are Enterprise only
  • Priority 24 hour support is Enterprise only
  • Basic plan caps screens at 1,000 per project and is priced per project rather than per seat
  • Enterprise pricing is by quote with no published rate

Pricing, plan by plan

CharlieHR

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

Zeplin

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 1 project
    • 1 workspace
    • Basic specs
  • Starter$19/month
    • Unlimited projects
    • Multiple workspaces
    • Advanced specs
  • Professional$49/month
    • Everything in Starter
    • Team collaboration
    • Admin controls

Which should you pick?

Choose CharlieHR if

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

Choose Zeplin if

  • You need design specs.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Desktop, Mobile.
  • You also want asset export.
Zeplin review

Questions people ask

Is CharlieHR or Zeplin better?
Neither clearly leads. CharlieHR starts at £5/month and Zeplin at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, CharlieHR or Zeplin?
Zeplin has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at £5/month for CharlieHR and Free for Zeplin.
Does CharlieHR or Zeplin run on more platforms?
CharlieHR runs on Web, Mobile (iOS/Android). Zeplin runs on Web, Desktop, Mobile.
Can I use Zeplin for free?
Yes. Zeplin has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. CharlieHR starts at £5/month.
What can CharlieHR do that Zeplin cannot?
CharlieHR covers Employee Database, Time Off Management, Onboarding, Performance Reviews. Zeplin covers Design specs, Asset export, Code snippets, Design tokens. 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
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
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