BrightHR vs CharlieHR (2026): which should you pick?

Pick BrightHR if

• Fits if you run a small UK firm and want an employment-law advice line with the software
• Works for shift-based teams that need rotas and holiday cover on one screen

Look elsewhere if

• Skip it if you are in the US, as no US edition was found
• Pricey if you add support: £21.20 for the advice line, £31.30 with health and safety
• Watch out: prices exclude tax, and insurance is quoted separately
• Watch out: contract length isn't stated beyond 'fixed-term', and the FAQ says quotes come from a demo

Pick CharlieHR if

• Fits if this is your first HR system and your team is in the UK
• Works for teams that want new hires filling in their own details

Look elsewhere if

• Not for you if staff expect a phone app, as it runs in a browser
• Pricey if you add recruiting and HR advice, from £55 and £200 a month, and Recruit isn't sold on its own
• Skip it if you're outside the UK, as it's priced and built for UK businesses
• Tight if you want a proper look before paying, as the trial is 7 days and leaves out the add-ons
• Watch out: it stores payroll details but doesn't run payroll, so you'll need Xero or PayCaptain too

BrightHR

• Prices are in pounds, excluding tax, and the site is aimed at UK, Ireland, Canada, Australia and New Zealand; no US edition was found.
• The FAQ says prices start from £3.00 per person depending on business size and that quotes come from a demo.
• The pricing page does not state the contract length beyond calling them fixed-term contracts.
• Insurance is not in the online prices; it is quoted separately.

CharlieHR

• Made for UK businesses: prices are in pounds and exclude 20% UK VAT, and no other countries are named.
• Charlie Recruit costs £55 to £150 a month extra and cannot be bought on its own; Charlie Grow starts at £200 a month for up to 4 people.
• It does not run payroll; it stores payroll details and links to tools such as Xero and PayCaptain.
• No app-store app is listed on its site; Charlie is used in a browser.

BrightHR

Holiday and absence management

A staff holiday planner with booking and approvals, plus tools for recording sick leave and lateness across the team.

Shifts and rotas

Create and edit shifts across any working pattern, including an open shifts feature, and let staff clock in and out from the Blip app.

Expenses, documents and reporting

Expense tracking, HR document storage and a custom reporting system sit in the core package.

Advice lines and templates

Higher packages add a 24/7 HR and employment law advice line and a library of HR document templates.

Health and safety software

Accident and near-miss reporting, 600+ risk assessment templates, task reminders and hazardous substances management.

Payroll navigator and payroll service

A payroll navigator is in the core package, and a separate payroll software and managed payroll service is sold on its own pages.

CharlieHR

Employee records and documents

Stores contracts, policies, tax codes and other records on each profile, sends contracts for e-signature and files them once signed.

Onboarding

New hires submit their own details through a self-service onboarding flow, with checklists to track tasks and contracts sent for e-signature.

Time-off management

Leave requests go to the right manager, public holidays sync to the calendar, custom leave types fit company policy, and Slack shows who is off.

Performance reviews and engagement

Run structured reviews and appraisals on a schedule, and send engagement surveys to the team.

Charlie Recruit

An add-on applicant tracker with interview scheduling, e-signed contracts, best-fit analysis, blind hiring and a custom careers site.

Charlie Grow

An add-on with a dedicated HR adviser, the AskCharlie AI assistant, urgent support and help with compliance and policies.

BrightHR

• Core HR software£16.67

  per employee / month, excluding tax

  Holiday planner, rotas, absence, performance, overtime and expense tools, reporting, and a payroll navigator. £83.35 a month at 5 employees.

• Enhanced HR support£21.20

  per employee / month, excluding tax

  Core package plus a 24/7 HR and employment law advice line and document templates. Insurance is quoted separately. £106 a month at 5 employees.

• Full HR, health and safety support£31.30

  per employee / month, excluding tax

  Enhanced package plus health and safety software and advice and a wellbeing portal. £156.50 a month at 5 employees.

CharlieHR

• 1-4 team members£21

  per month for up to 4 team members

  Core Charlie: records and documents, onboarding, time off, performance reviews, engagement surveys and perks.

• 5-14 team members£47

  per month for up to 14 team members

  Core Charlie for teams of 5 to 14; the page lists 5-9 and 10-14 as separate brackets at the same price.

• 15-29 team members£108

  per month for up to 29 team members

  Core Charlie for teams of 15 to 29.

• 30-49 team members£185

  per month for up to 49 team members

  Core Charlie for teams of 30 to 49.

• 50-99 team members£323

  per month for up to 99 team members

  Core Charlie for teams of 50 to 99.

• 100+ team members£431

  per month for up to 149 team members

  Core Charlie for 100 to 149 people; then £539 for 150-199, £646 for 200-249 and £754 a month for 250 or more.