Alternatives · HR
Ciphr alternatives
As of Nov 13, 2026, the best Ciphr alternative for most people is BambooHR (2.4 GPA), second in our ranking of HR software.
Ciphr compared with 8 alternatives: Cezanne HR, BrightHR, Breathe, Personio, BambooHR and 3 more.
Ciphr is a paid product, starting at £5 per employee / month and up (125 employees, three-year term). None of the alternatives has a free plan. 3 more offer a free trial.
Listings checked up to Nov 12, 2026 · Where the facts come from
Black Friday: is there a Ciphr sale?
At a glance
| Tool | Price | Free plan | Runs on |
|---|---|---|---|
| CiphrThis tool | From £5/mo | No | Web |
| Cezanne HR | Paid | No | Web, iOS, Android |
| BrightHR | From £16.67/mo | No | Web, iOS, Android |
| Breathe | Free trial · from £24/mo | Trial only | Web, iOS, Android |
| Personio | Paid | No | Web, iOS, Android |
| BambooHR | Free trial · from $250/mo | Trial only | Web, iOS, Android |
| Cornerstone OnDemand | Paid | No | Web |
| People HR | Free trial · from £4/mo | Trial only | Web, iOS, Android |
| SAP SuccessFactors | Paid | No | Web |
Price against what you get
Ciphr starts at about $6.70 a month for each person and scores 2.3 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. None of the 4 alternatives on this chart both scores higher and starts lower.
BrightHR, Breathe and BambooHR score higher without starting lower. People HR starts lower without scoring higher.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
How each one differs from Ciphr
Cezanne HR
Modular HR system for mid-sized organisations, quoted by headcount
- Cezanne HR also lists iOS and Android apps.
- Cezanne HR also covers time tracking and surveys.
- Cezanne HR does not cover reports, which Ciphr does.
Suits: Mid-sized organisations of about 50 to 3,000 employees
BrightHR
HR software with holiday, rota and absence tools and advice lines
- BrightHR starts at £16.67 per employee / month (£83.35 a month at the smallest size shown).
- BrightHR also lists iOS and Android apps.
- BrightHR also covers shift scheduling and time clock.
- BrightHR does not cover applicant tracking, which Ciphr does.
Suits: Small UK or Irish businesses that want HR tools and an advice line from one vendor
Breathe
UK HR software for small firms, priced per business, not per person
- Breathe starts at £24 per month for up to 10 employees, billed monthly (pounds, excluding VAT).
- Breathe also lists iOS and Android apps.
- Breathe also covers expense tracking, shift scheduling and time clock.
- Breathe does not cover payroll, which Ciphr does.
Suits: UK small businesses with up to 200 staff
Personio
European HR platform for records, absences, time and recruiting
- Personio also lists iOS and Android apps.
- Personio also covers time tracking.
- Personio does not cover reports and payroll, which Ciphr does.
Suits: Companies in Europe wanting core HR, payroll and recruiting together
BambooHR
HR records, hiring, time off and reviews, with US payroll as an add-on
- BambooHR starts at $250 per month for up to 25 employees, then $10 per employee / month.
- BambooHR also lists iOS and Android apps.
Suits: Small and mid-sized US companies replacing spreadsheets for HR
Cornerstone OnDemand
Enterprise learning and talent platform sold by package
- Cornerstone OnDemand does not cover payroll, applicant tracking, employee records and time off, which Ciphr does.
Suits: Large organizations running compliance and frontline training programs
People HR
Cloud HR software for UK businesses, from the Access Group
- People HR starts at £4 per employee / month (Starter).
- People HR also lists iOS and Android apps.
- People HR also covers workflow automation.
- People HR does not cover payroll and applicant tracking, which Ciphr does.
Suits: UK small and mid-size businesses that want per-employee pricing shown up front
SAP SuccessFactors
Enterprise human capital management suite from SAP
- SAP SuccessFactors does not cover reports and time off, which Ciphr does.
Suits: Large organizations that already run SAP software
Limits worth knowing in Ciphr
- No plan prices are published; the vendor quotes by modules, headcount and support level.
- The 'from £5' figure assumes 125 employees on a three-year minimum term.
- It is built for UK compliance and for organisations of 200 or more staff, so small teams are outside its stated range.
- Implementation is scoped inside the quote, so setup is not a separate published price.
Common questions
What are the alternatives to Ciphr?
The alternatives to Ciphr in this directory are Cezanne HR, BrightHR, Breathe, Personio, BambooHR, Cornerstone OnDemand, People HR and SAP SuccessFactors. Each one has a side-by-side comparison with Ciphr.
Is there a free alternative to Ciphr?
None of the alternatives listed here has a free plan. Breathe, BambooHR and People HR offer a free trial.
Which Ciphr alternatives work on Android?
The Ciphr listing does not include an Android app. Cezanne HR, BrightHR, Breathe, Personio, BambooHR and People HR list one.
Which Ciphr alternatives work on iOS?
The Ciphr listing does not include an iOS app. Cezanne HR, BrightHR, Breathe, Personio, BambooHR and People HR list one.
When were these prices checked?
Each listing shows its own date. On this page they run from Oct 18, 2026 to Nov 12, 2026. Vendors change prices without notice, so confirm on their site before you buy.