Best BreatheHR Alternatives
BreatheHR is a popular UK HR platform for small businesses, known for its clean interface and affordable pricing. However, it lacks key modules that growing teams need — there is no recruitment or ATS, no training management, no Bradford Factor calculator, and onboarding workflows are limited. If your team has outgrown BreatheHR's basics, these five alternatives offer more without breaking the budget.
The best BreatheHR alternatives for UK businesses
Each platform reviewed for pricing, features, and UK compliance. Updated for 2026.
Grove HR
Our top pickA UK-built HR platform that includes everything BreatheHR offers plus recruitment, training management, Bradford Factor, SSP calculator, and comprehensive onboarding workflows. Purpose-built for UK employment law with GDPR-compliant hosting in Finland.
From £2.40 per employee per month (annual billing)
UK SMEs (10-250 employees) wanting a complete HR platform that scales with them
All-in-one platform with recruitment, training, and Bradford Factor included at a lower price than BreatheHR
CharlieHR
A modern, culture-focused UK HR platform with strong onboarding, engagement surveys, and a clean interface. Good for startups and culture-first companies, though it lacks recruitment and training modules.
From £5 per employee per month
Startups and culture-first teams prioritising employee engagement
Built-in engagement surveys and pulse checks that BreatheHR does not offer
BrightHR
Backed by Peninsula Group, BrightHR bundles HR software with 24/7 employment law advice. Strong on compliance documentation and shift scheduling, though contracts can include early exit penalties.
From £4 per employee per month (typically requires annual contract)
Businesses wanting HR software bundled with employment law advisory
24/7 employment law advice line included via Peninsula Group
Sage HR
Part of the Sage ecosystem, offering leave management, performance reviews, and shift scheduling. Best value if you already use Sage for accounting or payroll, though it lacks recruitment and training modules as a standalone product.
From £4.50 per employee per month
Businesses already using Sage accounting or payroll products
Seamless integration with Sage payroll and accounting software
PeopleHR
Now part of the Access Group, PeopleHR offers core HR, recruitment, and performance management. It benefits from Access Group resources but can involve enterprise-level sales processes and complexity for smaller teams.
From £3 per employee per month
Companies already using Access Group products wanting an integrated suite
Part of the wider Access Group ecosystem with cross-product integrations
Grove HR vs BreatheHR
How our top pick compares to BreatheHR on the features that matter most.
Pricing comparison
BreatheHR starts around £2.50 per employee per month for basic core HR. Grove HR starts at £2.40 per employee per month but includes significantly more — recruitment, training management, Bradford Factor, and onboarding workflows are all included in the base plan. CharlieHR and BrightHR both start higher at £4-5 per employee per month.
Frequently asked questions
Is BreatheHR any good?
BreatheHR is a solid choice for very small businesses that only need basic HR — employee records, holiday tracking, and document storage. It is well-designed and affordable. However, it lacks recruitment, training management, Bradford Factor, and advanced onboarding, which means growing teams often need to add separate tools.
Why do people switch from BreatheHR?
The most common reasons are outgrowing its feature set. Teams that start hiring regularly need a recruitment module. Companies tracking absence patterns want Bradford Factor. Businesses with compliance training requirements need a training management system. BreatheHR does not offer any of these, so teams switch to platforms like Grove HR that include them.
What is the best alternative to BreatheHR in the UK?
Grove HR is the strongest alternative for UK SMEs. It matches BreatheHR's price point (£2.40 vs £2.50 per employee per month) while including recruitment, training management, Bradford Factor, SSP calculator, and comprehensive onboarding — features BreatheHR charges extra for or does not offer at all.
Is BreatheHR cheaper than the alternatives?
BreatheHR's base price of around £2.50 per employee per month is competitive, but it only covers core HR. Once you factor in the cost of separate tools for recruitment, training, and absence analytics, the total cost often exceeds an all-in-one platform like Grove HR at £2.40 per employee per month.
Can I migrate from BreatheHR to Grove HR?
Yes, Grove HR offers migration support to help you transfer employee records, leave balances, and organisational structure from BreatheHR. The process is typically completed within a few working days.
Our Verdict
BreatheHR is a good starting point for very small teams that only need basic HR. But once your business grows beyond 10-15 employees and you need recruitment, training, or absence analytics, you will outgrow it. Grove HR offers all of these at a comparable price, making it the strongest alternative for growing UK SMEs.
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