Buyer’s guide · 2026
The best HR software
for UK SMEs
Seven HR systems that UK small and medium-sized businesses shortlist most often, compared on price, contracts, what is included and who each one suits.
The short answer
For most UK SMEs, the best HR software covers people records, holiday, absence and timesheets in one plan at a price you can predict. Jamie HR does that for £5 per active user a month with no long contract. Breathe suits very small teams that want a fixed monthly fee, BrightHR suits businesses that want an employment-law advice line, and Access PeopleHR suits teams that want HR and payroll from one supplier.
- Jamie HR: £5 per active user a month, every feature in one plan, cancel any time
- Breathe: from £24 a month for 1 to 10 employees, add-ons extra
- BrightHR: from £16.67 per employee a month, on a fixed-term contract
- Access PeopleHR: from £4 per employee a month, with its own payroll
Last checked 11 November 2026
Before you choose
What a UK SME should look for
Most HR systems do the basics. What separates them for a UK business is how they handle UK rules, what costs extra, and how easy they are to leave.
UK holiday and absence rules
Holiday entitlement, accrual and carry-over, bank holidays, sickness records and absence patterns. Check how a system handles part-time and irregular-hours workers before you buy.
Jamie HR: accruals and carry-over calculated for you, sickness recorded on the same record, and Bradford Factor scores with a twelve-month trend.
Payroll: built in or connected
Some providers sell their own payroll; most SMEs keep their payroll provider or accountant and need HR data to reach it cleanly: starters, leavers, salary changes and absence.
Jamie HR: HR software rather than a payroll bureau. It prepares starters, leavers, salary changes and absence for your payroll provider through integrations.
Self-service and a mobile app
Staff booking their own leave, checking balances and updating details is where most of the admin time is saved, and most of it now happens on a phone.
Jamie HR: a secure iOS and Android app with two-factor authentication for time off, timesheets, policies, tasks and training.
A price you can predict
Compare the price for your headcount with the features you actually need. Timesheets, recruitment, training and performance are often paid add-ons.
Jamie HR: £5 per active user a month plus VAT, with every feature in one plan and no setup fees.
Contract length and leaving
Contract terms range from monthly rolling to five years. Check the minimum term, and that you can export your data if you leave.
Jamie HR: monthly rolling, cancel any time, and your data can be exported.
Room to grow, and UK GDPR
Pick a system that still fits if you double your headcount, and check where your data is hosted, who can see it and whether changes are logged.
Jamie HR: one plan from 1 to 500 people, hosted in the UK and EU, encrypted, with role-based access and audit logs.
The shortlist
HR software for UK SMEs, compared
Ordered by how well each fits a typical UK SME of 1 to 250 people. Jamie HR is our own product, so we have kept every other provider's entry to what they publish themselves.
- 1. Best all-in-one for UK SMEs
Jamie HR
£5 per active user a monthOur own product- Best for
- UK businesses of 1 to 500 people who want every HR feature in one plan, without a long contract.
- Pricing
- One plan, £5 per active user a month plus VAT. No tiers, no add-ons and no setup fees.
- Strengths
- Records and documents, onboarding, time off, timesheets, training, performance reviews, reporting and a mobile app all included. Free help to switch, and optional HR consultancy.
- Worth knowing
- HR software, not payroll: it works alongside your payroll provider rather than running pay itself.
- 2. Best for micro teams on a fixed fee
Breathe
From £24 a month (1 to 10 employees)- Best for
- Small businesses that mainly need core HR records and holiday tracking at a fixed monthly fee.
- Pricing
- A monthly fee by headcount band: £24 for 1 to 10, £44 for 11 to 20, £99 for 21 to 50, with paid add-ons on top.
- Strengths
- Simple core HR, a mobile app, a Xero payroll integration, and monthly or yearly billing.
- Worth knowing
- Rota, time and attendance is a paid add-on (£11 a month), as are learning, recruitment and expenses.
- 3. Best for a built-in advice line
BrightHR
From £16.67 per employee a month- Best for
- Businesses that want HR software bundled with an employment-law advice service, especially shift-based teams.
- Pricing
- Per employee, three plans: Core HR software (from £16.67), Enhanced HR support with a 24/7 advice line (from £21.20), and Full HR, health and safety support (from £31.30).
- Strengths
- Shifts, rotas, clocking in and absence management included; health and safety software and advice available.
- Worth knowing
- Fixed-term contracts of 24, 36 or 60 months, and a free demo rather than a free trial.
- 4. Best for HR and payroll from one supplier
Access PeopleHR
From £4 per employee a month- Best for
- Teams that want to buy HR software and payroll from the same provider.
- Pricing
- Per employee, tiered plans: Starter £4, Core £6.25, Pro £9.25 and Elite £11, with payroll sold separately or in bundles.
- Strengths
- Its own payroll product, right-to-work alerts, a mobile app, and monthly or yearly plans with no long-term contract.
- Worth knowing
- Timesheets come in the higher plans, and clock-in tracking and several other features are paid add-ons.
- 5. Best for picking your own modules
Sage HR
From £4.60 per employee a month- Best for
- Businesses that want to start with core HR and leave, and add modules one at a time.
- Pricing
- Per employee, by module: Core HR and Leave Management £4.60, then Timesheets, Performance and Shift Scheduling £2.30 each, Expenses £1.15, Recruitment £170 a month.
- Strengths
- Pay only for the modules you use, priced on active employees, with a 30-day free trial and the wider Sage accounting family alongside.
- Worth knowing
- Each module adds to the per-employee price, so core HR with timesheets and performance comes to £9.20 per employee a month.
- 6. Best for founder-led small teams
CharlieHR
From £21 a month (1 to 4 people)- Best for
- Founders and managers of small UK companies who want onboarding, time off and performance reviews in one simple tool.
- Pricing
- A monthly fee by team-size band (£47 for 5 to 14, £108 for 15 to 29, £185 for 30 to 49), with recruitment and HR advice as paid add-ons.
- Strengths
- Onboarding, time off, performance reviews, engagement surveys and employee perks in every plan.
- Worth knowing
- Timesheets are not listed on its pricing page, and its managed payroll is shown as coming soon.
- 7. Best for larger, international teams
Personio
Price on request- Best for
- Companies of 10 to 10,000 employees, especially those with staff in more than one country.
- Pricing
- A custom quote based on employee numbers and apps, across Core, Core Pro and Core Enterprise plans, plus a one-time setup fee.
- Strengths
- Time tracking, workflow automation, international teams, and more than 200 integrations including Xero.
- Worth knowing
- A yearly subscription with a 12-month minimum term, and no published price.
At a glance
Prices and plans, side by side
| Provider | Best for | Starting price (ex VAT) | How you are charged | Free trial |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jamie HR | All-in-one HR for UK SMEs | £5 per active user a month | Per active user, monthly rolling | 14 days, no card |
| Breathe | Micro and small teams | From £24 a month (1 to 10 employees) | Per business, by headcount band | 14 days, no card |
| BrightHR | Software plus HR advice | From £16.67 per employee a month | Per employee, fixed-term contract | Free demo |
| Access PeopleHR | HR and payroll together | From £4 per employee a month | Per employee, tiered plans | 14 days, no card |
| Sage HR | Build-your-own modules | From £4.60 per employee a month | Per active employee, per module | 30 days |
| CharlieHR | Founder-led small teams | From £21 a month (1 to 4 people) | Per business, by team-size band | 7 days, no card |
| Personio | Larger and international teams | Price on request | Custom quote, yearly subscription | Free demo |
Scroll sideways to see every column.
Jamie HR is our own product. Information about other providers is taken from their own websites on 11 November 2026. Prices are as each provider publishes them, excluding VAT where the provider says so. Plans and offers change, so check each provider’s website for current details. All trademarks belong to their owners. Sources: Breathe. BrightHR. CharlieHR. Personio. Sage HR. Access PeopleHR.
What is the best HR software for a small business in the UK?
For most UK SMEs, the best HR software covers people records, holiday, absence and timesheets in one plan at a predictable price. Jamie HR does that for £5 per active user a month with no long contract. Breathe suits very small teams wanting a fixed monthly fee, BrightHR suits businesses wanting an employment-law advice line, and Access PeopleHR suits teams wanting HR and payroll from one supplier.
How much does HR software cost for a UK SME?
Published prices start at about £4 to £5 per employee a month: Access PeopleHR from £4, Sage HR from £4.60 for core HR and leave, and Jamie HR £5 per active user with everything included. Others charge a fixed monthly fee by headcount, such as Breathe from £24 a month for 1 to 10 employees and CharlieHR from £21 for 1 to 4. Check what costs extra: timesheets, recruitment and payroll are often add-ons.
Do I need HR software that includes payroll?
Not necessarily. Many SMEs keep their payroll provider or accountant and use HR software that passes starters, leavers, salary changes and absence to payroll. Jamie HR works that way. If you want both from one supplier, Access PeopleHR sells its own payroll alongside its HR software.
What should HR software do for UK employment law?
Look for holiday entitlement, accrual and carry-over, including for part-time and irregular-hours workers; sickness absence records; secure storage of contracts and right-to-work documents; policies employees can read and sign; an audit trail of changes; and UK GDPR-compliant hosting and access controls.
Which HR software is best for a company with under 50 employees?
Choose a system built for small teams with a simple plan and no long contract. Jamie HR, Breathe and CharlieHR are all designed for small UK teams. Personio says it is built for companies of 10 to 10,000 employees and sells on yearly terms, so it suits larger or international businesses better.
Is there HR software with no long contract?
Yes. Jamie HR is monthly rolling and you can cancel any time. Breathe and Access PeopleHR offer monthly or yearly billing. BrightHR uses fixed-term contracts of 24, 36 or 60 months, and Personio's yearly subscription has a 12-month minimum term.
How hard is it to switch HR software?
Usually easier than people expect. With Jamie HR you import your people data from a CSV or Excel template, and we give free, unlimited help moving across from tools like Breathe, BambooHR and Personio. Most teams are live within a day.
Moving from another system?
We will help you switch, for free
Unlimited support while you move your data across, a personalised walkthrough and a free 14-day trial with no credit card.