Comparison

Sage HR vs CharlieHR

A data-driven, side-by-side comparison for UK businesses. Provider data is verified by our research team and every review is moderated before publishing.

Updated 5 July 2026

We may earn a commission if you buy via links on this page. It never affects how we rate software — how we make money.

Sage HR logo
Sage HR
4.2(110 reviews)

Starting price

£5/mo

CharlieHR logo
CharlieHR
4.5(48 reviews)

Starting price

£4/user/month

At a glance

Who wins, category by category

Category-by-category winners based on verified user ratings, each scored out of 5.

Sage HR logo
vs
CharlieHR logo
4.2
Overall RatingCharlieHR
4.5
4.4
Ease of UseCharlieHR
4.6
3.9
Value for MoneyCharlieHR
4.4
3.9
Customer ServiceCharlieHR
4.5
4.0
FunctionalityCharlieHR
4.2

Analytics

Ratings, visualised

The four dimensions every reviewer rates, shown two ways — bars for side-by-side magnitude, gauges for the head-to-head on each.

Rating by category

Head to head by category

Sage HRCharlieHR
Ease of Use4.4/4.6
Value for Money3.9/4.4
Customer Service3.9/4.5
Functionality4.0/4.2
012345

Sentiment

How reviewers feel

Positive (4 to 5 stars), neutral (3 stars) and negative (1 to 2 stars) sentiment across all verified reviews.

79%

Positive sentiment

  • Positive79%
  • Neutral16%
  • Negative5%
CharlieHR logoCharlieHR
48 reviews
90%

Positive sentiment

  • Positive90%
  • Neutral6%
  • Negative4%

Pricing

Pricing compared

Entry price, free plans and trials at a glance. A lower starting price is not everything, but it is where most UK businesses begin.

Sage HR

Free trial

Cloud HR software for small and mid sized businesses, priced per employee per month around a Core HR base with optional modules for leave, timesheets, performance, shift scheduling and recruitment.

£5/ month
  • Leave and absence management
  • Employee self service portal
  • Modular per employee pricing

CharlieHR

Free trial

London-built HR platform for startups and small teams, covering onboarding, time off, documents and reviews, with a free tier for very small teams.

£4/ user/month
  • Simple onboarding
  • Free tier for small teams
  • Built in London for UK teams

Features

Full feature comparison

Every data point we track for Sage HR and CharlieHR, side by side.

Sage HR logoSage HR
4.2/5
110 reviews
CharlieHR logoCharlieHR
4.5/5
48 reviews
User ratings
Overall rating
4.2
4.5
Ease of Use
4.4
4.6
Value for Money
3.9
4.4
Customer Service
3.9
4.5
Functionality
4.0
4.2
Pricing & plans
Starting price
£5/mo
£4/user/month
Free trial
Free version
Pricing plans
2
2
Top features
Standout capabilities
  • Leave and absence management
  • Employee self service portal
  • Modular per employee pricing
  • Simple onboarding
  • Free tier for small teams
  • Built in London for UK teams
Best for
Ideal customer
Cloud HR software for small and mid sized businesses, priced per employee per month around a Core HR base with optional modules for leave, timesheets, performance, shift scheduling and recruitment.
London-built HR platform for startups and small teams, covering onboarding, time off, documents and reviews, with a free tier for very small teams.

Voices

What real users say

The strongest praise and the most common complaint, pulled from verified reviews of each product.

Sage HR logoSage HR
J

Julie Fairhurst

HR Officer, 2-10 employees

The Sage Payroll integration removes double entry and the errors it caused.

N

Nadia Farrukh

HR Business Partner, 51-200 employees

At our current size the reporting cannot answer the questions our board asks without exports. Per employee module costs across a larger headcount add up considerably. We are evaluating a heavier platform, which honestly means Sage People or a competitor.

CharlieHR logoCharlieHR
J

Jessica P.

Managing Director, 11-50 employees

Quick to set up with no training needed.

J

Jodie Rahman

Operations Manager, 1 employees

Reporting was too basic.

Our verdict

CharlieHR leads 5/5

Which should you choose?

On the data we track, CharlieHR leads in 5 of 5 categories. Weigh that against your budget and the features that matter most to your team.