Softwr

HR · head to head

People HR vs Pleo

People HR logo

People HR

HR

HR software that does the HR hard work

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Pleo logo

Pleo

Accounting

Smart company cards for forward-thinking teams

From
£9.5/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; Pleo card delays and transaction limits impact usability, with limited regional acceptance in some areas
  • They diverge on capability: People HR covers Employee Database, Pleo covers Company cards.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where People HR and Pleo differ
AttributePeople HRPleo
Starting priceFree£9.5/month
Pricing modelsubscriptionUnknown
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidiOS, Android, Web
CategoryHRAccounting
Founded20122015

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated).

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
  • Slack
  • Microsoft 365

Only in Pleo

  • Company cards
  • Receipt capture
  • Expense categorization
  • Spend limits
  • Accounting sync
  • QuickBooks
  • NetSuite
  • PCI DSS

Both cover

  • Xero
  • Sage
  • 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 Pleo
  • Integrated payroll and HR operationsnot Pleo
  • Employee management with compliance featuresnot Pleo

Pleo

  • Employee expensesnot People HR
  • Spending autonomynot People HR
  • Expense automationnot People HR

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

Pleo

  • Card delays and transaction limits impact usability, with limited regional acceptance in some areas
  • Receipt capture OCR inaccuracies and upload lag/glitches complicate expense categorization
  • Limited expense categories and tags reduce flexibility for complex accounting structures
  • Transaction approval workflows have minimal customization options
  • Lacks in-built forecasting tools and reporting is basic, providing limited insights into trends

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

Pleo

£9.5/month
  • Starter$9.5/month
    • Company cards
    • Real-time expense tracking
    • Automated reports
  • Essential$39/month
    • Reimbursements
    • Mileage and per diem
    • Vendor cards
  • Advanced$89/month
    • Cashback
    • Budgets
    • Multi-entity management
  • Beyond$179/month
    • Spending insights
    • Sub-wallets
    • Dedicated success manager

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 Pleo if

  • You need company cards.
  • You work on iOS, Android, Web.
  • You also want receipt capture.
Pleo review

Questions people ask

Is People HR or Pleo better?
Neither clearly leads. People HR starts at Free and Pleo at £9.5/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, People HR or Pleo?
People HR has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for People HR and £9.5/month for Pleo.
Does People HR or Pleo run on more platforms?
People HR runs on Web, iOS, Android. Pleo runs on iOS, Android, Web.
Can I use People HR for free?
Yes. People HR has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Pleo starts at £9.5/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 Pleo is typically brought in for.
What can People HR do that Pleo cannot?
People HR covers Employee Database, Absence Management, Document Management, Performance. Pleo covers Company cards, Receipt capture, Expense categorization, Spend limits. Both handle Xero, Sage, Web support, Ios 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
Pleo: What are Pleo's pricing tiers?

Pleo offers four pricing tiers: Starter (GBP 9.50/month), Essential (GBP 39.00/month), Advanced (GBP 89.00/month), and Beyond (GBP 179.00/month). Annual billing provides equivalent of two free months.

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
Pleo: Does Pleo have a free tier?

No, Pleo does not offer a free tier or permanent free plan. All plans require payment with a free trial available for evaluation.

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
Pleo: What integrations does Pleo support for accounting?

Pleo integrates directly with Xero and QuickBooks, plus Sage 200, Sage 50, Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, Datev, and Visma e-conomic. Zapier integrations are also available.

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
Pleo: What platforms can access Pleo?

Pleo is accessible via iOS and Android mobile apps, and through a web interface. Physical and virtual cards are issued for spending.

Source
Pleo: Does Pleo support multiple currencies?

Yes, Pleo supports multi-currency spending and transactions. The platform is particularly strong for European teams with local payment methods.

Source
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