Best HR software for UK startups: light to start, solid underneath.
Startups need fast setup and low cost, but they also need working-pattern maths, access controls and a clean exit before growth makes the shortcuts expensive.
What is the best HR software?
For startup speed without fragile foundations, HollyHR is our pick when a team needs core HR, transparent pricing, portability and open access more than it needs a broad workforce suite.
Breathe is the safer established UK-SME all-rounder; Sense HR is stronger for recruitment, automation and attendance; Sage HR suits teams in the Sage orbit; People HR and BambooHR offer broader mature suites. CharlieHR remains a founder-friendly UK option.
What matters
Best focused core: HollyHR
Free up to 10; Standard is £2 per active person, with clean records, leave, sickness, documents, export, API and MCP.
Best established UK all-rounder: Breathe
A longer record, mature support and broad paid add-ons, using headcount-band pricing.
Best for broader operations: Sense HR
Recruitment, time-and-attendance, automation, integrations and AI breadth beyond HollyHR's current scope.
The shortlist, with the awkward bit included
No provider wins every category.
- HollyHR — strongest on free entry, price clarity, portability and openness; young on track record and module breadth
- Breathe — strong UK-SME maturity and add-ons; more expensive for micro-teams and uses bands
- CharlieHR — founder-friendly product and services; no permanent free core plan
- Sense HR — broad automation, ATS and attendance; more product than some small teams need
- Sage HR — strong brand and modular breadth; core price and add-ons exceed HollyHR
- People HR — broad mature suite and mobile tooling; higher tiers for deeper workflow
- BambooHR — mature global suite and marketplace; much larger cost and less UK-micro focus
How should you run the test?
Use the same scenario and data for every vendor. Score today's shipped product separately from roadmap promises.
- Set up a part-time employee and calculate leave
- Request and approve overlapping time off
- Store and retrieve a private document
- Change a manager with dated history or start a working pattern from an effective date
- Export the organisation and document files
- Price the exact headcount and required add-ons
Check the source, not just our summary
Rules and product pages change. These are the first-party references behind this page.
Breathe official page
Current features and pricing bands.
Open source ↗CharlieHR official page
Current product and pricing posture.
Open source ↗Sense HR official page
Current product and pricing posture.
Open source ↗Sage HR official page
Current product and pricing posture.
Open source ↗BambooHR official page
Current product and pricing posture.
Open source ↗People HR official page
Current product and pricing posture.
Open source ↗BrightHR official page
Current product and pricing posture.
Open source ↗Questions people ask
What is the best free HR software in the UK?
HollyHR is a strong option because its Free plan covers the core product for up to 10 active people. It is in early access, so it lacks the maturity and customer proof of older paid competitors.
Which product has the most features?
BambooHR, Sense HR, People HR, BrightHR and Breathe all have broader mature surfaces in different areas. More features are useful only when the team needs and can operate them.
Which HR software is easiest to leave?
HollyHR makes portability a first-class promise, including organisation records and uploaded document binaries. Ask every provider to demonstrate its export and cancellation path before buying.
Proper HR, without the big-system palaver.
HollyHR is free for up to 10 active people. We're onboarding early-access teams one at a time.
Keep reading: Compare HollyHR · Pricing · Why HollyHR