HR · head to head
Databox vs People HR
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Databox data sources are the billing unit, so cost tracks the number of tools you connect rather than the value you get from them; People HR pro and Elite+ HR plans require contacting sales; exact features unclear
- They diverge on capability: Databox covers Pre-built dashboards, People HR covers Employee Database.
- Prices and features above were last checked on 25 September 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Databox and People HR actually diverge.
Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (subscription), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), founded (2012).
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 Databox
- Pre-built dashboards
- Dashboard designer
- Metric library
- Goal tracking
- Scorecards
- Alerts
- Scheduled reports
- Client reporting
Only in People HR
- Employee Database
- Absence Management
- Document Management
- Performance
- Recruitment
- Self-Service Portal
- Slack
- Microsoft 365
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Databox
- Watching marketing, sales and finance KPIs from separate SaaS tools on one shared dashboardnot People HR
- Agencies reporting campaign performance to many clients without rebuilding a report per accountnot People HR
- Putting a live KPI board on an office TV or a recurring email to a leadership teamnot People HR
- Replacing a manually maintained spreadsheet that someone updates from tool exports each weeknot People HR
- Tracking goals and getting alerted when a metric moves past a thresholdnot People HR
People HR
- HR management for startups and growing teamsnot Databox
- Integrated payroll and HR operationsnot Databox
- Employee management with compliance featuresnot Databox
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Databox
- Data sources are the billing unit, so cost tracks the number of tools you connect rather than the value you get from them
- The $71 Analyst plan is a single seat: adding even a second person means the $199 Core plan, a 2.8x jump
- AI credits are metered monthly, from 50 on Free to 1,000 on Scale, so heavier AI use pushes you up a tier
- Every published price assumes annual billing; monthly billing forfeits the advertised 20% saving
- Free and Analyst plans sync daily and hourly respectively, so neither suits anything close to real-time monitoring
- It is a dashboarding layer, not a warehouse: there is no transformation or modelling step for messy source data
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
Databox
Free- FreeFree
- 3 data sources
- 1 user
- 50 AI credits per month
- Analyst$71/month
- 5 data sources
- 1 user
- 150 AI credits per month
- Team - Core$199/month
- 10 data sources
- 3 users
- 500 AI credits per month
- Team - Scale$319/month
- 30 data sources
- 10 users
- 1,000 AI credits per month
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 Databox if
- You need pre-built dashboards.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, Mobile, Tv.
- You also want dashboard designer.
Choose People HR if
- You need employee database.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, iOS, Android.
- You also want absence management.
Questions people ask
- Is Databox or People HR better?
- Neither clearly leads. Databox 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, Databox or People HR?
- Databox starts at Free and People HR at Free.
- Does Databox or People HR run on more platforms?
- Databox runs on Web, Mobile, Tv. People HR runs on Web, iOS, Android.
- Can I use Databox for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Databox best used for?
- Databox is most often used for watching marketing, sales and finance kpis from separate saas tools on one shared dashboard, agencies reporting campaign performance to many clients without rebuilding a report per account, putting a live kpi board on an office tv or a recurring email to a leadership team, replacing a manually maintained spreadsheet that someone updates from tool exports each week. Of those, watching marketing, sales and finance kpis from separate saas tools on one shared dashboard and agencies reporting campaign performance to many clients without rebuilding a report per account are not what People HR is typically brought in for.
- What can Databox do that People HR cannot?
- Databox covers Pre-built dashboards, Dashboard designer, Metric library, Goal tracking. People HR covers Employee Database, Absence Management, Document Management, Performance.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Databox: How much does Databox cost?
Databox has a free forever plan with 3 data sources and 1 user. Paid plans are Analyst at $71 per month, Team Core at $199 per month and Team Scale at $319 per month, with an Agency plan from $79 per month plus $20 client packs and a Custom tier on request. All prices are billed annually; monthly billing forfeits the 20% annual saving.
SourcePeople 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.
SourceDatabox: Does Databox have a free plan or a free trial?
Both. The Free plan is free forever and covers 3 data sources, 1 user, 50 AI credits a month and daily syncing. Paid plans also offer a 14-day free trial with no credit card required.
SourcePeople 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.
SourceDatabox: How many users does each Databox plan include?
Free and Analyst are single-user. Team Core includes 3 users and Team Scale includes 10. The Agency and Custom plans include unlimited users.
SourcePeople 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.
SourceDatabox: How many tools does Databox integrate with?
Databox connects to more than 130 tools, spreadsheets, databases and APIs, including HubSpot, Salesforce, Google Analytics, Google and Facebook Ads, Shopify, Stripe, QuickBooks, Google Sheets and custom API sources.
SourcePeople 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.
SourceDatabox: How often does Databox refresh its data?
The Free plan syncs daily. Analyst, Team Core, Team Scale, Agency and Custom plans all sync hourly.
SourceDatabox: Who makes Databox?
Databox, Inc., founded in 2012 by Davorin Gabrovec, who is now President and Chief Product Officer. Pete Caputa became CEO in 2017 after a decade at HubSpot. The company is headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, with its product and engineering team based in Ptuj, Slovenia.
SourceRelated pages
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