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HR · head to head

Breathe HR vs Freshteam

Breathe HR logo

Breathe HR

HR

Simple HR software for SMEs

From
£13/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Freshteam logo

Freshteam

HR

Smart HR software for growing businesses

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Freshteam has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Breathe HR pricing is banded by headcount, starting at £24 per month for 1 to 10 people, £44 per month for 11 to 20 and £99 per month for 21 to 50; Freshteam no pricing information published on the website
  • They diverge on capability: Breathe HR covers Employee Database, Freshteam covers Applicant Tracking.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Breathe HR and Freshteam actually diverge.

Attributes where Breathe HR and Freshteam differ
AttributeBreathe HRFreshteam
Starting price£13/monthFree
Free tierNoYes
Founded20122010

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), platforms (Web, Ios, Android), 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 Breathe HR

  • Employee Database
  • Absence Management
  • Document Storage
  • HR Reporting
  • Performance Management
  • Training
  • Xero
  • QuickBooks

Only in Freshteam

  • Applicant Tracking
  • Onboarding
  • Time Off
  • Employee Directory
  • Time Tracking
  • Documents
  • Org Chart
  • Freshdesk

Both cover

  • 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.

Breathe HR

  • Holiday, absence and sickness tracking for a UK small businessnot Freshteam
  • Storing HR documents, contracts and e-signaturesnot Freshteam
  • Performance reviews and onboarding workflows for small teamsnot Freshteam

Freshteam

  • Onboarding new hires through automated employee lifecycle workflowsnot Breathe HR
  • Processing expense and procurement approvals without manual email routingnot Breathe HR
  • Managing maintenance requests with centralized tracking and approval trailsnot Breathe HR
  • Automating contract reviews and document request handlingnot Breathe HR
  • Routing HR, Finance, Facilities, Legal requests through structured catalogsnot Breathe HR

Where each one falls short

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

Breathe HR

  • Pricing is banded by headcount, starting at £24 per month for 1 to 10 people, £44 per month for 11 to 20 and £99 per month for 21 to 50
  • Plans are capped by band up to 151 to 200 people, so it is not sold to organisations above that range on the published ladder
  • The free trial is 14 days
  • Health and safety, e-learning and other modules are sold as add-ons on top of the core HR plan
  • Pricing is quoted in pounds and the product is marketed to UK SMEs

Freshteam

  • No pricing information published on the website
  • Requires contacting sales or requesting a demo for pricing details

Pricing, plan by plan

Breathe HR

£13/month
  • Core$13/month
    • Employee Database
    • Absence Management
    • Documents
  • People Management$18/month
    • All Core features
    • Performance
    • Goals

Freshteam

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 50 Employees
    • Basic ATS
    • Time Off
  • Growth$1.2/month
    • All Free features
    • Onboarding
    • Time Tracking
  • Pro$2.4/month
    • All Growth features
    • Custom Reports
    • Advanced Workflows

Which should you pick?

Choose Breathe HR if

  • You need employee database.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want absence management.
Breathe HR review

Choose Freshteam if

  • You need applicant tracking.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want onboarding.
Freshteam review

Questions people ask

Is Breathe HR or Freshteam better?
Neither clearly leads. Breathe HR starts at £13/month and Freshteam at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Breathe HR or Freshteam?
Freshteam has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at £13/month for Breathe HR and Free for Freshteam.
Does Breathe HR or Freshteam run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, Ios, Android, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Freshteam for free?
Yes. Freshteam has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Breathe HR starts at £13/month.
What is Breathe HR best used for?
Breathe HR is most often used for holiday, absence and sickness tracking for a uk small business, storing hr documents, contracts and e-signatures, performance reviews and onboarding workflows for small teams. Of those, holiday, absence and sickness tracking for a uk small business and storing hr documents, contracts and e-signatures are not what Freshteam is typically brought in for.
What can Breathe HR do that Freshteam cannot?
Breathe HR covers Employee Database, Absence Management, Document Storage, HR Reporting. Freshteam covers Applicant Tracking, Onboarding, Time Off, Employee Directory. Both handle Slack, Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Breathe HR: Is there a free trial available?

Yes, Breathe HR offers a free trial with no credit card required to get started.

Source
Freshteam: How much does Freshteam cost?

Freshteam (formerly Freshservice HRMS) does not publish specific pricing information. The vendor focuses on describing product features and benefits across HR, Finance, Facilities, and Legal departments on their public website.

Source
Breathe HR: Are there long-term contracts required?

No. Breathe HR explicitly states there are no long-term contracts, no hidden costs, and you have the freedom to cancel anytime.

Source
Freshteam: Does Freshteam offer a free version?

Freshteam includes a 'Start for free' call-to-action on their website, suggesting a freemium model or free trial option. However, specific details about free tier capabilities or duration are not published.

Source
Breathe HR: What company sizes does Breathe HR support?

The software is designed to support businesses with up to 250 employees. Organization size options mentioned include 1-10, 11-50, and 51-250 employees.

Source
Breathe HR: Are there different features for different plans?

Yes, flexible subscription-based plans exist with some features like Polls & Surveys available only for regular and above plans. The page does not specify plan names or detailed feature breakdowns.

Source
Breathe HR: What happens if I want to cancel my subscription?

You can cancel anytime without worrying about hidden costs. Breathe HR emphasizes no long-term commitment and the freedom to leave whenever your needs change.

Source
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