CharlieHR
HR software for UK small businesses, priced by team-size bracket
CharlieHR report card
Fair · out of 4.0 · graded Oct 18, 2026
Best for a UK small business's first HR system
Charlie is HR software for UK small businesses, with records, onboarding, time off, reviews, surveys and perks on every plan, priced by headcount. A ten-person team pays £47 a month. But it runs in a browser only, it doesn't do payroll, and the trial lasts just 7 days.
Who CharlieHR is for
- Great if this is your first proper HR system
- Handy when you want HR advice alongside the software, through Charlie Grow
- Good for teams that like new hires filling in their own details
Who CharlieHR is not for
- 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
- Skip it if you're outside the UK, as it's priced and built for UK businesses
Why CharlieHR gets a 2.4
Five grades, each with its reason. The GPA is their average: an A is 4 points, an F is none.
- CValue for moneyTen people fall in the 5 to 14 bracket at £47 a month, in pounds before VAT. That buys records, onboarding, time off, reviews, surveys and perks. It sits between this category's cheaper quarter and its middle, and HR advice with Charlie Grow starts at £200 a month on top.
- CFree plan and trialNo free plan, but a 7-day trial with no card. A week is short, and the add-ons aren't in it.
- BFeaturesRecords and documents with e-signatures, self-service onboarding, time off with Slack showing who's out, scheduled reviews, engagement surveys and perks. The whole job for a small team, with payroll left to Xero or PayCaptain.
- CEase of useNo App Store rating on record. New hires fill in their own details, but you'll still set up leave types and review cycles.
- BPlatforms and integrationsWeb only, linked to Xero, PayCaptain, Workable, Teamtailor, Spendesk, Hofy, Ravio and Pave. No phone or desktop app on record.
What these grades rest on. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Charlie's own pages on 18 October 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews. How we review and grade.
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<a href="https://toolgpa.com/tools/charliehr#review"><img src="https://toolgpa.com/badge/charliehr.svg" alt="CharlieHR: 2.4 GPA on ToolGPA" width="196" height="56"></a>Where CharlieHR stands among HR software
CharlieHR's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 5 of the 9 other HR software we grade, and level with 3.
It stands best on features (B, above 1 of 9) and worst on ease of use (C, above 0).
Its paid plans start at about $27.76 a month, against a middle price of $9 for the category: 5 of the 6 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.7 out of 4. 1 tool scores higher and costs less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 10 HR software we grade, cut by the letter each got. CharlieHR’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 1 of 9, level with 7
- CFree plan and trialAbove 5 of 9, level with 4
- BFeaturesAbove 1 of 9, level with 8
- CEase of useAbove 0 of 9, level with 8
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 0 of 9, level with 9
Keep CharlieHR, or make your own?
Keep it
The plain part of CharlieHR you could make: employee records, time off, applicant tracking and surveys. What surrounds it you could not. The 2 things listed below take a company, not a weekend.
It costs $333.15 a year.
What you could make
- Employee records, time off, applicant tracking and surveys: an app builder makes these well.
What you could not
- It plugs into other products, Xero, PayCaptain and Workable among them.
- The depth: we grade its features B, which means it covers the whole job.
What this rests on. CharlieHR’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
What is CharlieHR?
CharlieHR, sold as Charlie, is HR software made for UK small businesses. Every plan includes employee records and documents, onboarding, time-off tracking, performance reviews, engagement surveys and staff perks, and the price is a monthly fee set by headcount bracket. Charlie Recruit, an applicant tracker, and Charlie Grow, which adds a dedicated HR adviser and the AskCharlie AI, cost extra.
CharlieHR is a paid product with a free trial, starting at £21 per month for up to 4 team members (pounds, excluding VAT). See every plan
Good for
- UK small businesses hiring their first HR system
- Founders who want HR advice alongside the software
- Teams that want a fixed monthly price for their size bracket
Worth knowing
- 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.
Key features
- 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.
CharlieHR pricing
- Starts at
- £21 per month for up to 4 team members (pounds, excluding VAT)
- Free plan
- None
- Free trial
- 7-day free trial, no credit card required (add-ons not included)
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| 1-4 team members | £21per 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 | £47per 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 | £108per month for up to 29 team members | Core Charlie for teams of 15 to 29. |
| 30-49 team members | £185per month for up to 49 team members | Core Charlie for teams of 30 to 49. |
| 50-99 team members | £323per month for up to 99 team members | Core Charlie for teams of 50 to 99. |
| 100+ team members | £431per 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. |
Read from charliehr.com on Oct 18, 2026. Prices change, so confirm with CharlieHR before you buy.
Works with
- Xero
- PayCaptain
- Workable
- Teamtailor
- Spendesk
- Hofy
- Ravio
- Pave
CharlieHR alternatives
- CharlieHR vs Breathe
Free trial · from £24/mo
- CharlieHR vs BambooHR
Free trial · from $250/mo
- CharlieHR vs Zoho People
Free plan · from $3/mo
Common questions
Is CharlieHR free?
No, CharlieHR is a paid product, but you can try it first. 7-day free trial, no credit card required (add-ons not included).
How much does CharlieHR cost?
CharlieHR lists 6 plans. 1-4 team members: £21 per month for up to 4 team members. 5-14 team members: £47 per month for up to 14 team members. 15-29 team members: £108 per month for up to 29 team members. 30-49 team members: £185 per month for up to 49 team members. 50-99 team members: £323 per month for up to 99 team members. 100+ team members: £431 per month for up to 149 team members. Prices were read from charliehr.com on Oct 18, 2026.
What platforms does CharlieHR work on?
CharlieHR is available on Web.
Does CharlieHR have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 18, 2026. CharlieHR is listed for Web.
Does CharlieHR have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 18, 2026. CharlieHR is listed for Web.
Is CharlieHR open source?
CharlieHR is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 18, 2026.
What does CharlieHR integrate with?
CharlieHR's listing names Xero, PayCaptain, Workable, Teamtailor, Spendesk, Hofy, Ravio and Pave. A listing names up to eight integrations, so it may connect to more.
Who makes CharlieHR?
CharlieHR is made by Charlie OS Limited. It dates from 2016.
What are the alternatives to CharlieHR?
The closest alternatives to CharlieHR in our directory are Breathe, Humaans, Personio, BambooHR and Zoho People. Each one has a side-by-side comparison with CharlieHR.
How does CharlieHR compare with other HR software?
CharlieHR's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 5 of the 9 other HR software we grade, and level with 3. It stands best on features (B, above 1 of 9) and worst on ease of use (C, above 0).
Is CharlieHR good value for money?
ToolGPA grades CharlieHR C for value for money. Its paid plans start at about $27.76 a month, against a middle price of $9 for the category: 5 of the 6 others that charge start lower. On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.7 out of 4. 1 tool scores higher and costs less.
Could I make my own version of CharlieHR?
The plain part of CharlieHR you could make: employee records, time off, applicant tracking and surveys. What surrounds it you could not. The 2 things listed below take a company, not a weekend. It costs $333.15 a year. What you could not make: It plugs into other products, Xero, PayCaptain and Workable among them. The depth: we grade its features B, which means it covers the whole job. This is a judgement from its listing. We have not built one.
Sources for this page
The prices, plans, platforms and features above were read from these pages on Oct 18, 2026.