UK BUYER’S GUIDE · 5 PRODUCTS
HR software
Can managers complete real employee changes without exposing sensitive records or relying on spreadsheets?
Compare employee records, leave, onboarding and the management controls behind day-to-day HR.
YOUR SHORTLIST STARTS HERE
Compare the options.
Highest documented score first. Fit adds up the 20 feature checks below, including AI, across documented plans. Entry prices may exclude scored capabilities. The upper end of a range represents unverified points.
5 of 5 products · Highest documented score first
| Product / good fit for | Pricing context | Documented fit | Next step |
|---|---|---|---|
Breathe Breathe Small teams replacing employee and leave spreadsheets. | £24.00organisation/month, 1–10 employees VAT basis not stated monthly | 70–100/100 documented fit70% evidence coverage | Details ↗ |
Access PeopleHR Access PeopleHR SMEs seeking HR records with a documented policy-answering assistant. | £4.00employee/month, advertised starting rate VAT basis not stated monthly | 50–100/100 documented fit50% evidence coverage | Details ↗ |
Employment Hero UK Employment Hero UK UK employers wanting joiner-to-leaver administration and performance processes together. | Request pricingOrganisation-specific quote VAT basis not stated quote | 50–100/100 documented fit50% evidence coverage | Details ↗ |
CharlieHR CharlieHR Growing small employers wanting straightforward HR with advisory options. | £21.00organisation/month, 1–4 team members excl. VAT monthly | 45–100/100 documented fit45% evidence coverage | Details ↗ |
BrightHR BrightHR Small employers prioritising leave, staff records and connected support. | Request pricingOrganisation-specific quote VAT basis not stated quote | 25–100/100 documented fit25% evidence coverage | Details ↗ |
Prices retain their original currency, billing basis and VAT status. Check the evidence and plan requirements before buying.
| Capability & demo question | Breathe70–100/100 documented fit | Access PeopleHR50–100/100 documented fit | Employment Hero UK50–100/100 documented fit | CharlieHR45–100/100 documented fit | BrightHR25–100/100 documented fit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Core workflowEmployee records and documents5.0 points availableAsk in the demoCreate an employee with contract, contact details and a protected salary field. | ✓ Supported Employee records and document storage. 5.0 / 5.0 pointsEvidence ↗ | ✓ Supported Employee database and documents. 5.0 / 5.0 pointsEvidence ↗ | ✓ Supported Employee records and contracts. 5.0 / 5.0 pointsEvidence ↗ | ✓ Supported Employee data and document records. 5.0 / 5.0 pointsEvidence ↗ | ✓ Supported Employee document storage. 5.0 / 5.0 pointsEvidence ↗ |
Core workflowLeave requests and approvals5.0 points availableAsk in the demoRequest annual leave, approve it and show the changed balance. | ✓ Supported Holiday requests and approval rules. 5.0 / 5.0 pointsEvidence ↗ | ✓ Supported Absence and leave management. 5.0 / 5.0 pointsEvidence ↗ | ✓ Supported Employee leave requests and manager approvals. 5.0 / 5.0 pointsEvidence ↗ | ✓ Supported Manager-approved time-off requests. 5.0 / 5.0 pointsEvidence ↗ | ✓ Supported Holiday requests and approvals. 5.0 / 5.0 pointsEvidence ↗ |
Core workflowSickness and absence records5.0 points availableAsk in the demoRecord sickness separately from holiday and produce an absence report. | ✓ Supported Sickness records and triggers. 5.0 / 5.0 pointsEvidence ↗ | ✓ Supported Absence records and reporting. 5.0 / 5.0 pointsEvidence ↗ | ✓ Supported Leave and absence administration. 5.0 / 5.0 pointsEvidence ↗ | ✓ Supported Sickness and other leave types. 5.0 / 5.0 pointsEvidence ↗ | ✓ Supported Absence tracking. 5.0 / 5.0 pointsEvidence ↗ |
Core workflowAssigned onboarding tasks5.0 points availableAsk in the demoCreate a joiner and assign induction actions to different owners. | ✓ Supported Assigned onboarding workflows. 5.0 / 5.0 pointsEvidence ↗ | ✓ Supported Employee onboarding. 5.0 / 5.0 pointsEvidence ↗ | ✓ Supported Automated induction tasks. 5.0 / 5.0 pointsEvidence ↗ | ✓ Supported Delegated onboarding checklists. 5.0 / 5.0 pointsEvidence ↗ | ? Not verified Not verified in the reviewed official material; ask for a demonstration. 0.0–5.0 / 5.0 points |
Core workflowEmployee self-service changes5.0 points availableAsk in the demoHave an employee submit a personal-detail change without administrator access. | ✓ Supported Employee record self-service. 5.0 / 5.0 pointsEvidence ↗ | ✓ Supported Employee self-service. 5.0 / 5.0 pointsEvidence ↗ | ✓ Supported Employee bank-detail and personal-data updates. 5.0 / 5.0 pointsEvidence ↗ | ? Not verified Not verified in the reviewed official material; ask for a demonstration. 0.0–5.0 / 5.0 points | ? Not verified Not verified in the reviewed official material; ask for a demonstration. 0.0–5.0 / 5.0 points |
Core workflowPerformance review cycles5.0 points availableAsk in the demoLaunch a review, collect feedback and retrieve an earlier cycle. | ✓ Supported Appraisals and objectives. 5.0 / 5.0 pointsEvidence ↗ | ? Not verified Not verified in the reviewed official material; ask for a demonstration. 0.0–5.0 / 5.0 points | ✓ Supported Performance and one-to-one processes. 5.0 / 5.0 pointsEvidence ↗ | ✓ Supported Recurring reviews and 360 feedback. 5.0 / 5.0 pointsEvidence ↗ | ✓ Supported Performance management module listed. 5.0 / 5.0 pointsEvidence ↗ |
Core workflowWorkforce reporting5.0 points availableAsk in the demoFilter a headcount or absence report and export the result. | ✓ Supported HR report library and payroll exports. 5.0 / 5.0 pointsEvidence ↗ | ✓ Supported HR reporting. 5.0 / 5.0 pointsEvidence ↗ | ✓ Supported Custom report builder. 5.0 / 5.0 pointsEvidence ↗ | ✓ Supported Custom headcount and retention reports. 5.0 / 5.0 pointsEvidence ↗ | ? Not verified Not verified in the reviewed official material; ask for a demonstration. 0.0–5.0 / 5.0 points |
Workflow depthProrated and carry-over leave rules5.0 points availableAsk in the demoDemonstrate a part-time mid-year joiner with carry-over expiry. | ? Not verified Allowance and approval rules documented; carry-over expiry not verified. 0.0–5.0 / 5.0 pointsEvidence ↗ | ? Not verified Not verified in the reviewed official material; ask for a demonstration. 0.0–5.0 / 5.0 points | ? Not verified Not verified in the reviewed official material; ask for a demonstration. 0.0–5.0 / 5.0 points | ✓ Supported Proration, carry-over and expiry controls. 5.0 / 5.0 pointsEvidence ↗ | ? Not verified Not verified in the reviewed official material; ask for a demonstration. 0.0–5.0 / 5.0 points |
Workflow depthConfigurable HR workflow steps5.0 points availableAsk in the demoConfigure a dated employee change with tasks for HR and a manager. | ✓ Supported Automated assigned workflows. 5.0 / 5.0 pointsEvidence ↗ | ? Not verified Not verified in the reviewed official material; ask for a demonstration. 0.0–5.0 / 5.0 points | ✓ Supported Onboarding to offboarding workflows. 5.0 / 5.0 pointsEvidence ↗ | ✓ Supported Custom onboarding task flows. 5.0 / 5.0 pointsEvidence ↗ | ? Not verified Not verified in the reviewed official material; ask for a demonstration. 0.0–5.0 / 5.0 points |
Workflow depthManager actions on mobile5.0 points availableAsk in the demoAs a manager, approve leave and open a permitted team record on a phone. | ? Not verified Not verified in the reviewed official material; ask for a demonstration. 0.0–5.0 / 5.0 points | ? Not verified Not verified in the reviewed official material; ask for a demonstration. 0.0–5.0 / 5.0 points | ? Not verified Mobile approvals documented; full team administration needs confirmation. 0.0–5.0 / 5.0 pointsEvidence ↗ | ? Not verified Not verified in the reviewed official material; ask for a demonstration. 0.0–5.0 / 5.0 points | ? Not verified Mobile holiday approvals documented; permitted team-record workflow needs demonstration. 0.0–5.0 / 5.0 pointsEvidence ↗ |
Workflow depthRestricted manager and administrator access5.0 points availableAsk in the demoShow that a team manager cannot open another team's confidential data. | ✓ Supported Separate manager and finance permissions. 5.0 / 5.0 pointsEvidence ↗ | ✓ Supported Role-based data access. 5.0 / 5.0 pointsEvidence ↗ | ? Not verified Not verified in the reviewed official material; ask for a demonstration. 0.0–5.0 / 5.0 points | ? Not verified Not verified in the reviewed official material; ask for a demonstration. 0.0–5.0 / 5.0 points | ? Not verified Not verified in the reviewed official material; ask for a demonstration. 0.0–5.0 / 5.0 points |
Workflow depthPayroll change transfer5.0 points availableAsk in the demoTransfer a salary or starter change into the named UK payroll connection. | ✓ Supported Documented Xero payroll-data synchronisation. 5.0 / 5.0 pointsEvidence ↗ | ✓ Supported Starter, leaver and salary payroll connections. 5.0 / 5.0 pointsEvidence ↗ | ? Not verified Not verified in the reviewed official material; ask for a demonstration. 0.0–5.0 / 5.0 points | ✓ Supported Xero and PayCaptain connections. 5.0 / 5.0 pointsEvidence ↗ | ? Not verified Not verified in the reviewed official material; ask for a demonstration. 0.0–5.0 / 5.0 points |
Workflow depthSigned-document workflow5.0 points availableAsk in the demoIssue a contract for signature and retrieve its signed copy. | ✓ Supported Electronic signatures and read tracking. 5.0 / 5.0 pointsEvidence ↗ | ? Not verified Not verified in the reviewed official material; ask for a demonstration. 0.0–5.0 / 5.0 points | ✓ Supported Electronic contract signatures. 5.0 / 5.0 pointsEvidence ↗ | ? Not verified Not verified in the reviewed official material; ask for a demonstration. 0.0–5.0 / 5.0 points | ? Not verified Not verified in the reviewed official material; ask for a demonstration. 0.0–5.0 / 5.0 points |
Workflow depthCustom employee fields5.0 points availableAsk in the demoAdd a field, populate it and include it in an employee report. | ✓ Supported Custom employee fields. 5.0 / 5.0 pointsEvidence ↗ | ? Not verified Not verified in the reviewed official material; ask for a demonstration. 0.0–5.0 / 5.0 points | ? Not verified Not verified in the reviewed official material; ask for a demonstration. 0.0–5.0 / 5.0 points | ? Not verified Custom reports are verified, but custom employee fields were not confirmed. 0.0–5.0 / 5.0 pointsEvidence ↗ | ? Not verified Not verified in the reviewed official material; ask for a demonstration. 0.0–5.0 / 5.0 points |
Workflow depthProbation or certificate expiry reminders5.0 points availableAsk in the demoSchedule an expiry reminder with a named owner and show the pending action. | ✓ Supported Qualification-expiry tracking. 5.0 / 5.0 pointsEvidence ↗ | ? Not verified Not verified in the reviewed official material; ask for a demonstration. 0.0–5.0 / 5.0 points | ✓ Supported Probation and certificate reminders. 5.0 / 5.0 pointsEvidence ↗ | ? Not verified Not verified in the reviewed official material; ask for a demonstration. 0.0–5.0 / 5.0 points | ? Not verified Not verified in the reviewed official material; ask for a demonstration. 0.0–5.0 / 5.0 points |
Workflow depthDocumented HR data API5.0 points availableAsk in the demoRead or update an employee through the documented API and inspect permission scope. | ✓ Supported API available. 5.0 / 5.0 pointsEvidence ↗ | ? Not verified Not verified in the reviewed official material; ask for a demonstration. 0.0–5.0 / 5.0 points | ? Not verified Not verified in the reviewed official material; ask for a demonstration. 0.0–5.0 / 5.0 points | ? Not verified Not verified in the reviewed official material; ask for a demonstration. 0.0–5.0 / 5.0 points | ✓ Supported Customer API listed. 5.0 / 5.0 pointsEvidence ↗ |
Workflow depthEmployee-change audit history5.0 points availableAsk in the demoChange a sensitive field and retrieve old value, new value, actor and time. | ? Not verified Not verified in the reviewed official material; ask for a demonstration. 0.0–5.0 / 5.0 points | ? Not verified Not verified in the reviewed official material; ask for a demonstration. 0.0–5.0 / 5.0 points | ? Not verified Not verified in the reviewed official material; ask for a demonstration. 0.0–5.0 / 5.0 points | ? Not verified Not verified in the reviewed official material; ask for a demonstration. 0.0–5.0 / 5.0 points | ? Not verified Not verified in the reviewed official material; ask for a demonstration. 0.0–5.0 / 5.0 points |
AIAI HR policy or employee-data answers5.0 points availableAsk in the demoAsk a policy question and inspect the information the assistant used. | ? Not verified Not verified in the reviewed official material; ask for a demonstration. 0.0–5.0 / 5.0 points | ✓ Supported Copilot retrieves permitted HR information. 5.0 / 5.0 pointsEvidence ↗ | ? Not verified Not verified in the reviewed official material; ask for a demonstration. 0.0–5.0 / 5.0 points | ? Not verified Not verified in the reviewed official material; ask for a demonstration. 0.0–5.0 / 5.0 points | ? Not verified Support-centre search is not verified company-policy or employee-data answering. 0.0–5.0 / 5.0 pointsEvidence ↗ |
AIAI HR document or review drafting5.0 points availableAsk in the demoGenerate a draft and edit it before it is sent or saved. | ? Not verified Not verified in the reviewed official material; ask for a demonstration. 0.0–5.0 / 5.0 points | ✓ Supported Generative policy and job-description drafts. 5.0 / 5.0 pointsEvidence ↗ | ? Not verified Not verified in the reviewed official material; ask for a demonstration. 0.0–5.0 / 5.0 points | ? Not verified Not verified in the reviewed official material; ask for a demonstration. 0.0–5.0 / 5.0 points | ? Not verified Not verified in the reviewed official material; ask for a demonstration. 0.0–5.0 / 5.0 points |
AIAI workforce analysis5.0 points availableAsk in the demoAsk for a workforce trend and reconcile the answer with underlying records. | ? Not verified Not verified in the reviewed official material; ask for a demonstration. 0.0–5.0 / 5.0 points | ? Not verified Not verified in the reviewed official material; ask for a demonstration. 0.0–5.0 / 5.0 points | ? Not verified Not verified in the reviewed official material; ask for a demonstration. 0.0–5.0 / 5.0 points | ? Not verified Not verified in the reviewed official material; ask for a demonstration. 0.0–5.0 / 5.0 points | ? Not verified Not verified in the reviewed official material; ask for a demonstration. 0.0–5.0 / 5.0 points |
“Not verified” means the recorded evidence does not settle this specific check. It does not mean the feature is absent. Read the scoring method.
Focus on up to three products →ASK BETTER QUESTIONS
Before you buy hr software software.
What to look for
- Demonstrate a joiner, a manager transfer and a leaver with different access rights.
- Ask a line manager to approve leave and manage staff using the mobile interface.
- Agree which system owns salary, contracted hours and payroll-effective dates.
What changes the cost
- Employee bands, minimum fees and advisor packages.
- Recruitment, expenses, rota and payroll modules.
- Migration, custom connections and identity-management tiers.
What to watch out for
- An employee mobile app does not establish a manager mobile workflow.
- A payroll export is not necessarily a two-way payroll integration.
- General AI branding does not establish employee-data access or policy accuracy.
Common questions
Is an HR system also UK payroll?
Only where the UK payroll product and its scope are explicitly documented. Compare the payroll module separately.
Why score mobile manager access?
Approvals and employee administration are distinct from employees viewing payslips; demonstrate the actual manager tasks.
Does an unknown feature mean it is missing?
No. It means the available evidence has not verified it. Request a demonstration before excluding a supplier.