What is the best HR software for small businesses in the UK?

For UK small businesses, BrightHR and Breathe HR are the most popular choices — both are built specifically for UK employment law, easy to set up, and affordably priced. Sage HR and Moorepay are strong options if you also need payroll and HR in one platform.

How much does HR software cost in the UK?

UK HR software typically costs between £4 and £20 per employee per month. BrightHR starts from around £6/month for small teams. Sage HR starts from £4 PEPM on a modular basis. Moorepay ranges from £6–£20 PEPM depending on features required.

Does Sage HR include payroll?

Sage HR offers payroll as an add-on module. The core HR platform covers employee records, leave management, and performance tracking. For full HMRC-compliant payroll, you can add the payroll module or integrate with Sage Payroll — making it one of the most complete HR and payroll solutions for UK businesses.

What is the difference between HR software and HRIS?

HR software typically covers day-to-day people management — leave, documents, performance. An HRIS (Human Resource Information System) is a broader platform that also includes payroll, compliance reporting, and workforce analytics. Tools like Sage HR and Moorepay function as full HRIS platforms, while BrightHR and Breathe HR focus on core HR management.

Which UK HR software has the best compliance features?

Moorepay is considered best-in-class for UK compliance, with over 50 years of payroll and HR expertise and full HMRC and RTI reporting built in. Sage HR also has strong compliance credentials. BrightHR includes a 24/7 employment law advice line on higher-tier plans, which is valuable for SMEs without an in-house HR team.

Is there a free HR software for UK businesses?

Most UK HR software providers offer free trials rather than a permanently free tier. BrightHR and Breathe HR both offer free trials. Sage HR and Moorepay offer free demos. For very small teams, these trials are often enough to evaluate before committing.

Best HR Software UK 2026 — Compare Top HR Systems

Select Top HR Software for your company in UK.

Written by Raj

Last updated: 26 August, 2026

Sage HR

Flexible HR & Payroll for UK SMEs

Excellent

9.8

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Moorepay

Trusted HR & Payroll for UK Businesses

Exceptional

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Detailed Review of the Best HR Software

Expert Pick

Sage HR

Flexible HR Software for UK SMEs with Strong Payroll & Compliance Tools

4.9

(25700)

Top features

HR & payroll management
Employee self-service portal
Shift scheduling & timesheets
Performance & leave tracking

Pricing

Free trial not available. Starting at £4–£12 per employee/month

Sage HR features: HR & payroll management

Employee self-service portal

Shift scheduling & timesheets

Performance & leave tracking

Sage HR pricing: Free trial not available. Starting at £4–£12 per employee/month

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"Sage HR makes managing people processes much easier. Payroll, time-off, and performance reviews are all streamlined in one platform."

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Expert Pick

Moorepay

Trusted HR & Payroll Software for UK Businesses with End-to-End Compliance

4.9

(25700)

Top features

Payroll & HR automation
Employee self-service portal
UK compliance & tax-ready
Advanced workforce reporting

Pricing

Free trial not available. Pricing starts at £10–£20 per employee/month

Moorepay features: Payroll & HR automation

Employee self-service portal

UK compliance & tax-ready

Advanced workforce reporting

Moorepay pricing: Free trial not available. Pricing starts at £10–£20 per employee/month

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"Moorepay takes the headache out of payroll and compliance. It’s a huge relief knowing everything is HMRC-ready and employees can access their payslips anytime."

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Breathe HR

Great HRIS for UK-Based Teams.

4.5

(18450)

Top features

Cloud-based HR & compliance management.
Automated leave & absence tracking.
Employee self-service portal.
24/7 HR support & advice.

Pricing

Free trial available. 14 Days Free Trial available.

Breathe HR features: Cloud-based HR & compliance management.

Automated leave & absence tracking.

Employee self-service portal.

24/7 HR support & advice.

Breathe HR pricing: Free trial available. 14 Days Free Trial available.

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"Breathe HR is incredibly easy to navigate, allowing quick onboarding with minimal training. Their fantastic support includes weekly sessions for setup, while BrightBase and e-learning tools make policy management seamless."

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Popular in UK

BrightHR

Simple, Award-Winning HR Software for UK SMEs

4.6

(18300)

Top features

Holiday & absence tracking
Employee scheduling & rotas
Digital HR documents storage
24/7 UK employment law advice

Pricing

Free trial available. Free trial available. Paid plans from £6/month

BrightHR features: Holiday & absence tracking

Employee scheduling & rotas

Digital HR documents storage

24/7 UK employment law advice

BrightHR pricing: Free trial available. Free trial available. Paid plans from £6/month

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"BrightHR is incredibly easy to navigate, allowing quick onboarding with minimal training. The employment law support is invaluable for a small business like ours."

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Frequently Asked Questions

Disclaimer: This research has been collated from a variety of authoritative sources. We welcome your feedback at [email protected].

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Best HR Software in UK 2026

Frequently Asked Questions