From onboarding new hires to managing time-off requests, performance reviews and compliance, manual processes can distract from more critical tasks.

At the same time, if you can’t scale your HR processes in line with business growth, you risk damaging employee morale or losing vital talent. 

That’s where HR software comes in. Modern cloud-based platforms help business owners simplify people management, boost engagement, and stay compliant — all while saving hours each week and having scaleability baked in.

Whether you’re a ten-person startup or scaling past 200 employees, the right HR system can help you stay organised, support your team’s growth, and keep your focus on what matters most: building your business.

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What to look for in an HR platform

The best HR software for your business depends on your size, structure and plans. When comparing providers, consider:

• Ease of use – can your team pick it up quickly without extensive training? A clear, intuitive interface is essential.
  
• Scalability – look for systems that let you add features as you grow – such as payroll, performance management or recruitment tools. Modular platforms like Sage are a great example, though not always the best for every business.
  
• Self-service apps – so employees can manage their own data, book holidays or submit expenses without needing HR’s input.
  
• Integrations – your HR software should work smoothly with payroll, accounting and collaboration tools like Slack or Microsoft Teams.
  
• Compliance and security – especially for UK businesses, GDPR compliance and ISO-certified data protection are a non-negotiable.
  

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How much does HR software cost?

Pricing varies widely depending on the platform and features you need. Many providers, like Breathe and Staffology, offer affordable entry-level plans starting from under £1 per employee per month, while more comprehensive systems like Rippling and HiBob provide custom pricing for larger or international teams.

Most HR platforms operate on flexible monthly subscriptions with no long-term contracts, and several – including Sage HR and Charlie – offer free trials so you can check whether they’re suitable for your needs before committing.

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Here are the top HR platforms for growing businesses

From Sage HR to Charlie HR, here are the nine HR platforms you should consider for your business:

• Sage HR
• Bright HR
• Breathe HR
• Employment Hero
• HiBob
• BambooHR
• Rippling
• Staffology HR
• Charlie

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Sage HR

With automated workflows, customisable modules and secure cloud access, Sage HR makes it easy to scale your HR operations as your business grows, all while reducing complexity. 

Suitable for growing businesses with up to 250 employees, it offers you and your HR managers a clearer view of your people and the flexibility to adapt as your business needs change.

Key features

• Core HR and leave management – keep employee data, documents and absence records in one secure place, automate time-off requests and approvals, and manage calendars.
• Mobile app – managers and employees can request leave, approve absences, submit expenses and view shared calendars anytime, anywhere.
• Performance management – set company, team and individual goals; schedule one-to-ones; gather feedback and measure engagement to keep your teams aligned with business objectives.
• Timesheets – employees can log hours on desktop or mobile, and managers can approve and run reports for visibility on time and costs.
• Shift scheduling – a drag-and-drop scheduling tool that lets you create, edit and share staff rotas with live updates.
• Expenses – snap receipts, submit claims, and approve expenses through the Sage HR app.
• Recruitment – manage job postings, automate hiring workflows and organise candidate information in one place.
• Connected Payroll – integrates with Sage Payroll or Sage 50 Payroll to deliver digital payslips and P60s directly to employees.

Pricing

Sage HR’s core HR and leave management costs £4.60 per employee per month. Then you can pay to enhance your system with additional modules depending on your needs:

• Performance management – £2.30 per employee per month
• Timesheets – £2.30 per employee per month
• Shift scheduling – £2.30 per employee per month
• Expenses – £1.15 per employee per month
• Recruitment – £170 per month

Sage HR offers a 30-day free trial.

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Bright HR

BrightHR is an all-in-one people management and compliance platform built for growing businesses. It combines HR, payroll and health and safety tools in one place, making it easy to stay organised, compliant, and efficient. 

From tracking annual leave to managing shifts, storing documents and handling payroll, BrightHR saves you time on admin so you can focus on growth.

Key features

• HR software – manage annual leave, track absences, plan shifts and rotas, and store unlimited HR documents securely in the cloud
  
• Blip clock-in app – staff can clock in and out with ease, and you can record attendance and overtime
  
• PoP expense app – capture and approve expenses quickly, keeping budgets under control and paperwork to a minimum
  
• Performance management – set goals, monitor progress and keep teams aligned with simple, built-in review tools
  
• Payroll – sync HR data directly with payroll, manage pay run changes, stay compliant with HMRC rules and access support from qualified experts
  
• Health and safety software – conduct risk assessments, track incidents, manage tasks and access more than 600 templates to meet compliance standards
  
• Employee wellbeing – access 24/7 wellbeing support for staff and their immediate families to boost morale and productivity
  
• Employee recognition and perks – reward and motivate your team through built-in recognition tools and a global online marketplace of discounts

Pricing

BrightHR offers tiered, per-employee pricing that scales with your business size. Prices below are based on 10 employees (excluding VAT). All plans come with unlimited cloud storage and can be customised with additional modules for payroll or health & safety support. Pricing per employee decreases as your team grows.

Core HR Software – from £10.70 per employee/month

Enhanced HR Support – from £20.30 per employee/month

Full HR, Health & Safety & Wellbeing Support – from £27.10 per employee/month

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Breathe HR

Breathe HR’s intuitive platform is designed for small and medium-sized businesses with up to 250 employees. 

Breathe helps you to simplify your day-to-day HR admin while remaining compliant. The platform combines leave, performance, and recruitment processes while keeping employee data secure and accessible – and you can manage everything from a single interface. 

Like Sage, the platform is modular, allowing you to select the specific functionality you require and only pay for what you need. 

Key features

• Leave management – employees can request holidays, while managers can approve and track leave. You can get instant visibility of who’s off and when via shared calendars
  
• Recruitment – post vacancies and send offers within one workflow using Breathe’s built-in recruitment tool
  
• Absence tracking – monitor sickness and unplanned absences, uncover trends, and manage all absence data in one place
  
• Performance management – record goals, one-to-ones, and achievements, and use the ‘Kudos’ feature recognise hard work
  
• Shift scheduling – build templates, drag and drop shifts, and share rotas across teams
  
• E-signatures – Breathe’s new e-signature features allows you to send, sign, and manage employment contracts and offer letters directly, and is available across all plans.
  
• Integrations & marketplace – onnect Breathe with compatible tools and apps to save even more time on HR admin.
  
• Support – the platform is designed to be self-service, but you can access dedicated help whenever you need it

Pricing

Breathe HR keeps things simple with flexible, business-based pricing and optional add-ons that scale as you grow.

Core HR software – £22 per month (per business, for up to 10 people)

Optional add-ons:

• Rota, Time & Attendance – from £10 per month / business
• Learn (training and development) – from £12 per month per business
• Recruitment tracking – from £21 per month per business
• Expenses management – from £12 per month per business

All prices exclude VAT.

A 14-day free trial is available.

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Employment Hero

Employment Hero is a cloud-based HR and payroll platform that unites every aspect of people management in one place. It has branded itself as the world’s first Employment Operating System (EmploymentOS). Why? Because it helps businesses streamline hiring, onboarding, payroll, compliance, learning and engagement all from a single, secure system.

Employment Hero automates your everyday HR processes and delivers actionable insights through reporting and AI, saving you time, money and effort as you scale.

Key features

• Employee management – centralise staff data, documents and records in a secure, cloud-based employee database
  
• Time and attendance – track employee hours, manage time-off requests and simplify scheduling through automated workflows.
  
• Payroll – integrated payroll tools ensure accuracy, compliance and timely payments, with optional dedicated payroll support
  
• Onboarding and offboarding – automate paperwork, streamline contracts and deliver a seamless experience for new hires and departing employees
  
• Hero AI – Get instant HR insights and automated answers to employee queries to reduce admin time
  
• Learning Management System (LMS) – a comprehensive library of interactive and video-based learning modules that supports employee development
  
• Performance and expenses management (Plus plan and above) – set goals, track progress, manage reimbursements and generate reports
  
• HR advisory (Plus and Unlimited plans) – access expert employment law and HR advice

Pricing

Employment Hero offers three scalable plans to suit businesses at different growth stages:

• Lite – includes core HR features such as applicant tracking, rota and time-off management, onboarding/offboarding, and payroll.
• Plus – adds performance management, expenses, learning management, and advanced reporting, plus the first five SmartMatch hires.
• Unlimited – the most comprehensive plan, including all Plus features along with telephone support, HR advisory, Employee Assistance Programme, Single Sign-On, representation in claims, an allocated payroll partner, and full learning bundle access.

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HiBob

HiBob is an AI-powered people platform designed to bring every part of the employee lifecycle together – from hiring and onboarding through to payroll, learning and performance. 

Built for fast-scaling organisations, your HR team can use it to automate routine tasks, centralise data and make smarter, faster decisions with real-time analytics. HiBob blends power and simplicity to make complex HR processes easy to manage across teams, countries and systems.

Key features

• Core HR – a central system of record for all employee data, with smart workflows, automated approvals, document management and built-in e-signatures.
  
• Payroll – manage UK and US payroll from one platform, integrate with existing payroll providers, and handle time-tracking and benefits administration with accuracy and compliance.
  
• Talent management – recruit, onboard and develop employees with performance reviews, calibration tools and AI-powered engagement surveys.
  
• Learning and development – personalised learning programs that align skills with company goals to encourage continuous growth.
  
• People analytics – access real-time dashboards and reports on everything from headcount and performance to engagement across the business.
  
• Compensation and planning – manage pay cycles, create custom pay bands, and model workforce scenarios using AI-driven insights.
  
• Bob AI Companion – a built-in AI assistant that summarises reviews, drafts feedback, analyses data and guides you through the platform

Pricing

HiBob provides customised pricing based on company size and requirements, with packages tailored for:

• Growth – up to 200 employees
• Scale – 200 – 1,000 employees
• Enterprise – 1,000+ employees

All plans include core HR and people analytics features, with optional modules for payroll, talent management, compensation planning and learning.

HiBob offers free demos and interactive tours that allow you to explore pricing and see the platform in action.

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Monday.com

Monday.com is a versatile employee management and HR workflow platform built to simplify and connect every stage of the employee journey, from recruitment to development and wellbeing. Designed for modern HR teams, it helps you track your talent pipeline, manage onboarding, and engage employees within one central workspace. 

With its highly visual interface and automation tools, Monday.com gives you full visibility of your HR operations while freeing up time for vital business tasks.

Key features

• Recruitment pipeline – build and manage candidate pipelines, track applicants through every stage, and automate follow-ups with hiring managers.
  
• Onboarding – coordinate onboarding plans, assign tasks, and ensure new hires have everything they need to succeed from their very first day.
  
• Employee development – gain insights into employee performance, record progress, and enable confidential communication between managers and their teams.
  
• Employee wellbeing – track engagement and feedback to instil a supportive and positive workplace culture.
  
• Performance reviews and feedback tracking – centralise reviews, goals and performance data, and streamline feedback collection across teams.
  
• Leave and attendance management – manage holiday requests and attendance tracking using customisable HR templates.
  
• Automation tools – reduce manual admin with built-in automations that handle repetitive tasks, reminders and updates automatically.
  
• Dashboards & views – Use multiple view options, from calendars to maps, to visualise HR data and performance metrics at a glance.

Pricing

Monday.com offers custom pricing based on team size and feature requirements. Plans typically scale by user count, with options for HR-specific templates and integrations included in higher tiers.

A free trial and demo are available.

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BambooHR

BambooHR is an all-in-one HR software solution built to simplify people management and empower your growth. 

Bamboo brings together every HR process — from hiring and onboarding to performance, compensation, and analytics — in one easy-to-use platform. Designed with both people and data in mind, BambooHR gives HR teams the tools and insights they need to make confident, strategic decisions while creating a great employee experience.

Key features

• Hiring and onboarding – attract, hire and onboard talent with an integrated applicant tracking system and automated onboarding workflows.
  
• HR data and reporting – centralise employee data with instant, pre-built reports, automated workflows, and an AI-powered HR assistant for insights and analytics.
  
• Time and attendance – track hours, manage multi-rate pay and handle time-off requests.
  
• Employee experience and performance – build engagement and growth with feedback tools, performance reviews, and employee satisfaction tracking.
  
• Compensation management – simplify pay processes with benchmarking data, salary bands, planning tools and approval workflows to support fair, transparent pay.
  
• HR insights and dashboards – use custom dashboards, analytics and HR benchmarks to understand trends and make data-led decisions.
  
• Global hiring (Employer of Record) – hire and pay employees worldwide with full compliance and integrated payroll through BambooHR’s remote-powered EOR solution.
  
• Integrations – connect with over 150 apps to streamline workflows and expand your HR toolkit.

Pricing

BambooHR offers flexible plans based on business needs and company size, starting at £8.10 per employee/month, with discounts for volume and non-profit organisations.

Plan options:

• Core – foundational HR automation and insights, including HR data management, hiring & onboarding, time-off tracking, employee experience tools and an AI assistant.
• Pro – adds performance management, employee community features and extended compliance training (15 courses).
• Elite – includes all Pro features plus compensation management, advanced analytics and dashboards, HR benchmarks, premium services and 300+ compliance courses.

Add-ons:

• Time Tracking – Mobile and desktop clock-ins, project tracking and automated overtime calculations.
• Employer of Record (EOR) – Hire globally with managed payroll, benefits and compliance support.

BambooHR offers free demos and tailored quotes to match your organisation’s scale and requirements.

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Rippling

Rippling is a unified HR, payroll and workforce management platform designed to automate tasks and simplify complexity for growing businesses. Built as a true end-to-end Human Capital Management (HCM) system, it connects every part of the employee lifecycle — from recruitment and onboarding to compliance, payroll, learning and performance — all within one platform.

Unlike modular HR systems, Rippling claims its unified platform allowing data to flow seamlessly between apps and departments. This results in less manual work, fewer compliance risks, and faster, smarter decision-making for HR teams and leaders alike.

Key features

• All-in-one HCM system – manage your HR, payroll, benefits and compliance needs across one integrated platform.
  
• Powerful automation – automate onboarding, offboarding, policy updates and compliance training without any coding. With custom workflows, you can tailor automations to your business needs.
  
• Compliance management – stay compliant across more than 180 countries with automated alerts and guidance covering employment laws, training and termination rules.
  
• Data and analytics – run real-time reports across HR, payroll, benefits, time tracking and recruitment.
  
• Performance and talent management – recruit, evaluate and grow talent with built-in applicant tracking, performance reviews, surveys and learning management tools.
  
• Time and attendance – Track hours, scheduling and leave management, with full integration into payroll.
  
• Document management – securely store, automate and track all HR documents, from offer letters to P60s.
  
• Integrations – Rippling connects with more than 600 business apps, including Slack, Microsoft Teams, Salesforce and Google Workspace, for seamless data syncing. across your tech stack

Pricing

Rippling provides custom pricing based on company size, location and required modules. Pricing scales depending on the features selected – from HR and compliance to payroll, benefits and device management.

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Staffology HR

Staffology is a flexible, cloud-based people management system designed to simplify HR for growing companies. From recruitment and onboarding to learning, performance, and payroll integration, it delivers an end-to-end experience that scales with your business.

With an intuitive interface and mobile app, Staffology helps you reduce admin by automating things like absence tracking, expenses, and approvals. Whether you’re just starting to formalise HR or managing a growing workforce, Staffology gives you the tools to stay compliant, connected and efficient.

Key features

• Core HR – centralise employee data, automate HR processes and enable self-service access for staff and managers.
  
• Absence and time tracking – log working hours and overtime, approve leave requests and manage absences quickly and accurately.
  
• Performance management – set goals, manage appraisals and create development plans that link performance to business objectives.
  
• Employee engagement – gather insights through custom engagement surveys and boost morale with kudos and recognition features.
  
• Expenses management – submit and approve expenses with automatic currency conversion and configurable expense codes.
  
• Payroll integration – with Staffology Payroll or integrate with IRIS Recruitment for a connected HR and finance workflow.
  
• Customisation and automation – build custom forms, automate multi-stage approvals and design workflows that fit your business structure.
  
• Mobile app – employees can manage absences, log expenses and access documents at any time and from anywhere.
  
• Advanced reporting – generate tailored reports and analytics for better oversight and compliance tracking.

Pricing

Staffology offers four flexible plans, designed to grow with your business. All prices exclude VAT and start at a minimum of 10 users.

• Foundation – £0.70 per employee/month
• Essential – £2.00 per employee/month
• Professional – £3.90 per employee/month
• Ultimate – Custom pricing

Staffology HR offers a free trial across all plans, allowing businesses to explore its features before committing.

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Charlie

Charlie is an intuitive HR platform that helps small teams automate admin, stay compliant and build a more engaged workforce. Designed specifically for UK startups and growing businesses, its streamlined system helps you manage people, performance and company culture.

With Charlie, HR busywork turns into automated workflows — from onboarding and time-off tracking to performance reviews and perks. The result: fewer manual tasks, better insights, and more time to focus on building a high-performing, motivated team.

Key features

• Onboarding – quickly collect new hire information with one-click onboarding and automatic document management.
  
• Time off management – automate holiday requests, approvals and tracking without relying on manual spreadsheets.
  
• Performance reviews – run structured appraisals and encourage continuous development with easy-to-use review tools.
  
• Employee engagement – use polls and surveys to understand team morale and drive engagement.
  
• Perks & benefits – give your employees access to over 30,000 deals and discounts.
  
• Policies and compliance – stay legally compliant with built-in policy templates, annual reviews and HR advice from experts.
  
• Integrations and marketplace – Charlie connects with a range of essential business tools. You can also access discounted partner services through the integrated marketplace.
  
• Data security and support – gold-standard security and rapid customer support.

Pricing

Charlie keeps pricing simple and transparent:

• For teams of 1–4 employees, it is £5 per employee/month, with a 75% discount for the first six months. The price increases in tiers the more employees you have.

Add-ons:

• Charlie Concierge – from £20/month
• Charlie Recruit – from £55/month
• Charlie Advice – from £179/month

All plans include a free one-week trial, with no commitment required.

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Next steps

If you’re business is growing fast and you’re already struggling to scale your HR processes to keep pace with your expanding employee count, don’t delay in investing in a suitable HR platform – you’ll wonder why you didn’t do it sooner. 

Still struggling to decide which is right for your business? Aside from researching how each platform’s features and pricing model align with your business needs, make use of the free trial periods of those platforms that have them – it’s a practical and risk-free way to compare and contrast before subscribing.