Softwr

HR · head to head

People HR vs Personio

People HR logo

People HR

HR

HR software that does the HR hard work

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Personio logo

Personio

HR

All-in-one HR software for SMEs

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

The short version

  • Only People HR has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: People HR pro and Elite+ HR plans require contacting sales; exact features unclear; Personio payroll processing only available in Germany, UK, and Ireland, limiting multi-country deployment
  • They diverge on capability: People HR covers Employee Database, Personio covers HR Management.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where People HR and Personio differ
AttributePeople HRPersonio
Starting priceFree$5/employee-per-month
Pricing modelsubscriptionUnknown
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidWeb, Mobile (iOS, Android)
Founded20122015

Identical on both: 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 People HR

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

Only in Personio

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

Both cover

  • Slack
  • Microsoft 365
  • Google Workspace
  • Web support
  • Ios support
  • Android support

What people use each for

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

People HR

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

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

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

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

Personio

$5/employee-per-month

No published plan breakdown. See the Personio review.

Which should you pick?

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.
People HR 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 People HR or Personio better?
Neither clearly leads. People HR 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, People HR or Personio?
People HR has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for People HR and $5/employee-per-month for Personio.
Does People HR or Personio run on more platforms?
People HR runs on Web, iOS, Android. Personio runs on Web, Mobile (iOS, Android).
Can I use People HR for free?
Yes. People HR has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Personio starts at $5/employee-per-month.
What is People HR best used for?
People HR is most often used for hr management for startups and growing teams, integrated payroll and hr operations, employee management with compliance features. Of those, hr management for startups and growing teams and integrated payroll and hr operations are not what Personio is typically brought in for.
What can People HR do that Personio cannot?
People HR covers Employee Database, Absence Management, Document Management, Performance. Personio covers HR Management, Recruiting, Payroll, Time Tracking. Both handle Slack, Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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