UK · 75-person example · Keep your current payroll
7 best HR systems for a lean UK team
Breathe is our first choice for a lean UK HR team supporting around 75 employees: its £175 monthly core subscription covers routine records and leave. Charlie ranks second for onboarding and reviews; Sense HR Elite ranks third when custom fields and reporting matter.
PeopleHR, Cezanne, Personio and HiBob complete our seven-platform shortlist. Move Personio up for multiple legal entities, or HiBob for a wider HR transformation. Prices exclude VAT; required add-ons and the next headcount band can change the winner. Choose the best fit for your current work.
The ranking at a glance
Seven researched products, ordered for this UK brief.
- 01
Best for everyday HR
Employee records, leave, documents and routine HR reports for a fixed headcount band
Choose another option if: compare the total after required add-ons and your next headcount band
Price basis · GBP
£175/month for 51–100 employees; VAT and optional products extra. Product evidence
Read assessment →Request demo - 02
Best for onboarding and reviews
Employee records, onboarding, leave and regular performance reviews
Choose another option if: at 75 people, core costs £148 more per month than Breathe, before VAT; compare the onboarding and review features you need.
Price basis · GBP
£323/month for 50–99 employees; VAT and separate products extra. Product evidence
Read assessment →Request demo - 03
Best for custom fields and reporting
Sense HR Elite
Custom employee fields and screens, Report Writer, payroll connections and access roles
Choose another option if: requires someone on your team to maintain the custom fields, reports and access settings
Price basis · GBP
Elite: £6/employee/month paid annually or £7.20 billed monthly; VAT extra. Product evidence
Read assessment →Request demo - 04
Best for buying in stages
Onboarding and e-signatures in Core; performance reviews and timesheets in Pro
Choose another option if: performance reviews, custom reports and single sign-on are available in different editions; confirm the features in your quote
Price basis · GBP
Price the edition that includes the required performance, workflow and access features. Product evidence
Read assessment →Request demo - 05
Best for modular scope
Cezanne
HR modules priced for changing headcount, with setup and data upload advertised as included
Choose another option if: compare the minimum subscription with the cost of a simpler records-and-leave system
Price basis · GBP
Module and average-headcount quote; minimum monthly fee must be confirmed. Product evidence
Read assessment →Request demo - 06
Best for multiple entities
HR records for several legal entities or custom system connections
Choose another option if: you need only one legal entity and do not need Core Pro’s custom-integration API
Price basis · GBP
Quote Core or Core Pro, Apps and the one-time setup fee together. Product evidence
Read assessment →Request demo - 07
Best for a wider HR transformation
Compensation, headcount planning or payroll alongside core HR.
Choose another option if: selected modules and setup require a tailored quote; compare a simpler tool if you only need records and leave.
Price basis · GBP
Core HR and selected modules by quote; US and UK payroll scoped separately. Product evidence
Read assessment →Request demo
Which two should you demo?
For records and leave, compare Breathe and Charlie. If custom fields and reports are essential, replace one with Sense HR Elite. Bring Personio into the first round when a second legal entity is a current requirement.
Ask each supplier to demonstrate the same starter, leave correction and payroll handoff in the edition you would buy. Compare the work left for your team and the complete quote.
See how the 50th or 101st employee changes the cost comparison →How we ranked the seven platforms
Seven researched products for a lean team supporting around 75 people in one UK operation, with payroll already in place. This is a shortlist for that task, rather than a survey of every UK HR system.
- Records and leave first
- Breathe leads for routine HR in one UK operation. Charlie and Sense follow when onboarding, reviews or custom reporting justify a different configuration.
- Cost at today’s size and the next band
- Compare the required subscription and add-ons at 75 people, then at the next likely headcount band. A public entry price does not establish the full first-year cost.
- Broader scope changes the order
- PeopleHR and Cezanne offer staged or modular purchases. Personio moves up for multiple entities; HiBob moves up for a funded talent or planning project. Those needs change this everyday-HR brief.
Based on published product scope and pricing, not hands-on tests or numerical scores. A demo and complete quote can change the recommendation. Sponsorship does not buy a ranking position. Commercial policy.
Sources behind this ranking
Official pricing and plan pages revisited 5 October 2026. Headcount-band calculations were checked on 1 October. Sense’s disputed plan inclusions are explained in its assessment.
- Breathe pricing and live calculatorCore bands verified in live calculator; selected 51–100 add-on cost checked separately.
- Charlie pricing and billing bandsCore bands, separate products, VAT exclusion and next-invoice adjustment.
- Sense HR editions and pricingElite rates and matrix. FAQ/matrix conflict affects some other inclusions; no assumed resolution.
- PeopleHR edition comparisonCore, Pro and Elite+ boundaries; payroll services separate.
- Cezanne pricing and setup scopeModule/average-headcount model, advertised included setup and undisclosed minimum fee.
- Personio plansCore/Core Pro entity and custom-integration boundaries; Apps and setup.
- HiBob pricing and modulesTailored subscription; Core and separate module scope.