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Software · head to head

Folk vs Personio

Folk logo

Folk

Software

The CRM that works for you, not the other way around

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Personio logo

Personio

Software

All-in-one HR software for SMEs

From
$5/employee-per-month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Folk has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Folk no native mobile app, only works through mobile browser which is not optimized for phones; Personio payroll processing only available in Germany, UK, and Ireland, limiting multi-country deployment
  • They diverge on capability: Folk covers Contact management, Personio covers HR Management.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Folk and Personio actually diverge.

Attributes where Folk and Personio differ
AttributeFolkPersonio
Starting priceFree$5/employee-per-month
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWebWeb, Mobile (iOS, Android)
Founded20202015

Identical on both: pricing model (Unknown), 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 Folk

  • Contact management
  • Email tracking
  • Mail merge
  • Chrome extension
  • Tags & groups
  • Notes & activities
  • Import/export
  • Search & filters

Only in Personio

  • HR Management
  • Recruiting
  • Payroll
  • Time Tracking
  • Performance Management
  • Onboarding
  • Offboarding
  • Slack

Both cover

  • LinkedIn
  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Folk

  • Contact managementnot Personio
  • Sales outreachnot Personio
  • Networkingnot Personio
  • Recruitmentnot Personio
  • Investor relationsnot Personio

Personio

No use cases recorded yet. See the Personio review.

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Folk

  • No native mobile app, only works through mobile browser which is not optimized for phones
  • Limited workflow automation capabilities compared to enterprise CRMs
  • No automatic phone call tracking, requires manual entry
  • Limited reporting and analytics features
  • Monthly caps on email sends and enrichment credits on lower tiers
  • LinkedIn Chrome extension sometimes has synchronization problems
  • Email sent through Folk sometimes doesn't appear as sent in user's Outlook account

Personio

  • Payroll processing only available in Germany, UK, and Ireland, limiting multi-country deployment
  • Recruiting module lacks advanced reporting and LinkedIn integration functionality
  • Limited reporting customization requires manual exports and workarounds
  • Mobile app has reduced capabilities compared to desktop experience

Pricing, plan by plan

Folk

Free
  • Standard$24/month
    • Pipeline management
    • Email campaigns
    • Contact enrichment
  • Premium$48/month
    • Custom objects
    • Email sequences
    • Dashboards
  • Enterprise$80/month
    • Dedicated account manager
    • Custom integrations
    • Priority support

Personio

$5/employee-per-month

No published plan breakdown. See the Personio review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Folk if

  • You need contact management.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want email tracking.
Folk review

Choose Personio if

  • You need hr management.
  • You work on Web, Mobile (iOS, Android).
  • You also want recruiting.
Personio review

Questions people ask

Is Folk or Personio better?
Neither clearly leads. Folk starts at Free and Personio at $5/employee-per-month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Folk or Personio?
Folk has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Folk and $5/employee-per-month for Personio.
Does Folk or Personio run on more platforms?
Folk runs on Web. Personio runs on Web, Mobile (iOS, Android).
Can I use Folk for free?
Yes. Folk has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Personio starts at $5/employee-per-month.
What is Folk best used for?
Folk is most often used for contact management, sales outreach, networking, recruitment. Of those, contact management and sales outreach are not what Personio is typically brought in for.
What can Folk do that Personio cannot?
Folk covers Contact management, Email tracking, Mail merge, Chrome extension. Personio covers HR Management, Recruiting, Payroll, Time Tracking. Both handle LinkedIn, Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Folk: What are Folk's pricing plans?

Folk offers three plans: Standard at $24/month per member (billed annually), Premium at $48/month with custom objects and email sequences, and Enterprise from $80/month with advanced security and dedicated support. New workspaces get a 2-week free trial with all Premium features.

Source
Personio: Does Personio offer payroll processing in my country?

Personio provides native payroll support in Germany, UK, and Ireland, with limited support in other European markets through integrations. Coverage varies by country.

Source
Folk: Does Folk offer a mobile app?

Folk does not have native iOS or Android apps. The web interface technically works on mobile browsers but is built primarily for desktop use.

Source
Personio: What is Personio's pricing model?

Personio uses a per-employee-per-month (PEPM) model starting at $5-15/employee/month depending on the plan and features. There is no public pricing page, and exact pricing requires a sales consultation.

Source
Folk: Does Folk track phone calls automatically?

No, Folk does not automatically track phone calls. All call interactions must be manually entered into the system.

Source
Personio: Can Personio integrate with other tools?

Yes. Personio provides a public API and maintains a marketplace of pre-built integrations. The Core Pro plan is required for API access and custom integrations.

Source
Folk: What integrations does Folk support?

Folk supports over 5,000 integrations through platforms like Zapier and Make. It includes native email, calendar, and WhatsApp sync, LinkedIn extension, and can enrich contact data using its built-in enrichment tool.

Source
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Related pages

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