Most HR platforms do not include payroll, and most payroll products are not HR systems, which leaves a great many UK businesses running two subscriptions and keying the same starter into both. Combined platforms exist to close that gap, and when they work the saving is not really the licence fee, it is the elimination of a duplicate employee record that was always drifting out of step.
We have ranked the genuinely combined options on how well each half stands up on its own, because a platform whose payroll is an afterthought creates a worse problem than the one it solves. We are also clear about where two specialists that integrate properly remain the better answer.
Combined platform or two specialists?
The case for combining is a single employee record. When HR and payroll share one record, a new starter is entered once, a leaver is processed once, a pay rise or an address change updates everywhere, and the reconciliation between the two systems simply stops existing. That last point is worth more than it sounds: most businesses running separate systems discover, eventually, that the two disagree about something, and finding out which is right is nobody's favourite afternoon. The bundle usually costs less than two subscriptions too, though that is the smaller half of the argument.
The case against is depth. A combined platform is normally strong on one side and adequate on the other, and if your payroll is genuinely complex, with multiple pay frequencies, unusual statutory cases or a bureau relationship, an adequate payroll engine will cost you more in workarounds than the integration saves. The honest test is to judge each half as though you were buying it alone: would you choose this payroll on its own merits, and would you choose this HR system on its own merits? If the answer to either is clearly no, buy two specialists and spend the effort on a good integration instead. Also check the integration you would be replacing, because the leading HR and payroll products already connect to each other reasonably well, and a mature integration between two strong tools can beat a weak bundle.
How we assessed these tools
Every product here was judged on the things that actually decide whether software works for a UK business: the real published price excluding VAT, how it handles HMRC obligations such as Making Tax Digital, RTI or CIS where relevant, the depth of the core job it is bought for, how quickly a non specialist can get productive, and the quality of UK support. We read each vendor's own pricing pages rather than repeating third party figures, and we weight verified user ratings from people who run these tools day to day.
We also try to be honest about fit rather than crowning a single winner, because the right tool for a ten person business is rarely the right tool for a two hundred person one. Each entry below carries its real starting price, its current Assaylist rating and a clear note on who it suits and where it falls short, so you can match the software to your own situation rather than to an average. Where we earn a commission from an outbound link we say so, and it never changes the order of this list.
The best options ranked
1. Employment Hero
Employment Hero is the most complete single platform here, covering hiring, onboarding, HR records, leave and payroll on one employee record with a free entry point for the smallest businesses. For a growing company that wants to stop running two systems, it is the most direct route.
What you get: An Australian built platform that has grown fast in the UK, bundling HR, payroll and employee benefits. Notable for a free payroll option and per employee pricing. It holds a 4.1 out of 5 rating across 273 reviews on Assaylist.
Pricing: The plans run Free Payroll at free, Core Payroll at £3, HR Essentials at £4 and HR Engage at £7 per user per month, excluding VAT.
Why we rate it:
- Genuinely free payroll tier
- HR, payroll and benefits in one
- Well built employee app
- Per employee pricing that starts low
Bear in mind: the breadth means neither half is the deepest product in its category, so complex payroll will find it light.
Read our full Employment Hero review →
2. PayFit
PayFit approaches the combination from the payroll side and is the stronger choice where pay is the more demanding half of your requirement. The employee self service is genuinely good, which means staff answer their own questions about payslips and leave instead of asking someone.
What you get: A modern European payroll and HR platform popular with growing UK companies, combining automated payroll with light HR features. Per employee pricing on top of a base fee. It holds a 4.2 out of 5 rating across 245 reviews on Assaylist.
Pricing: The plans run Light at £29, Standard at £59 and Premium at £119 per month, excluding VAT.
Why we rate it:
- Heavy payroll automation
- Light HR bundled alongside
- Modern, clear interface
- Employee self service
Bear in mind: the HR side is lighter than a dedicated HR platform, so a people team with real process needs will notice the ceiling.
Read our full PayFit review →
3. Sage HR
Sage HR pairs naturally with Sage Payroll to give you HR and pay from one supplier without buying one monolithic platform, and the modular structure means you switch on leave, performance or recruitment only as you need them. For a business already in the Sage ecosystem it is the path of least resistance.
What you get: Sage's mid range HR platform, priced from £5 per employee per month for core leave management with paid modules added on top. It holds a 4.1 out of 5 rating across 296 reviews on Assaylist.
Pricing: The plans run Core Sage HR and Leave Management at £5, Performance management at £2.5, Timesheets at £2.5, Shift scheduling at £2.5, Expenses at £1.25 and Recruitment at £184.45 per user per month, excluding VAT.
Why we rate it:
- Modular pricing you can start small on
- Leave management that replaces the spreadsheet
- Properly built mobile app
- Connects to Sage Payroll
Bear in mind: the modules add up quickly, so a full configuration costs considerably more than the headline module price.
Read our full Sage HR review →
4. Breathe
Breathe is the value pick for the HR half, with flat per company pricing that stays predictable as you hire rather than climbing with every new starter. Paired with an inexpensive payroll product it is frequently cheaper than a combined platform and stronger on the HR side.
What you get: A UK built HR platform aimed squarely at small businesses, with flat per company pricing by headcount band. Popular for replacing the holiday spreadsheet without a big commitment. It holds a 4.0 out of 5 rating across 235 reviews on Assaylist.
Pricing: The plans run Micro at £24, Starter at £44, Regular at £99 and Pro at £175 per month, excluding VAT.
Why we rate it:
- Flat per company pricing, not per employee
- Simple enough for a non specialist
- UK built for UK small businesses
- Predictable band based cost
Bear in mind: payroll is not included, so this is the two specialists route rather than a true bundle.
Read our full Breathe review →
5. Access PeopleHR
Access PeopleHR brings performance management, applicant tracking and analytics that the lighter tools do not, and sits inside a wider Access suite that includes payroll. For a company growing past the point where leave management is the whole job, it has room to grow into.
What you get: Part of the Access Group, aimed at small and mid sized UK businesses that have outgrown the simplest tools. Per employee pricing across four tiers. It holds a 4.0 out of 5 rating across 236 reviews on Assaylist.
Pricing: The plans run Starter at £3, Core at £5.5, Pro at £8 and Elite at £9.5 per user per month, excluding VAT.
Why we rate it:
- Graduated tiers with room to grow
- Applicant tracking and performance built in
- Backed by the Access Group
- Per employee pricing from £3
Bear in mind: per employee pricing overtakes flat per company rivals as you scale, so model the cost at your expected size.
Read our full Access PeopleHR review →Comparison at a glance
Here is how the shortlist compares on what it is best for, the starting price excluding VAT and the current Assaylist rating.
| Software | Best for | Starting price | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Employment Hero | Best all in one | From £3 per user / month | 4.1 |
| PayFit | Best payroll first platform | From £29 / month | 4.2 |
| Sage HR | Best modular route | From £5 per user / month | 4.1 |
| Breathe | Best HR half on a budget | From £24 / month | 4.0 |
| Access PeopleHR | Best for growing teams | From £3 per user / month | 4.0 |
How much should you budget?
Compare like with like by building both totals. A combined platform typically lands between six and fifteen pounds per employee per month excluding VAT depending on the modules switched on. Two specialists means an HR subscription, which is either flat per company from around twenty four pounds a month or roughly three to ten pounds per employee, plus payroll at twelve to thirty five pounds a month with an employee allowance. At small headcounts the two specialists route is often cheaper; the combined platform tends to win on total cost somewhere around thirty to fifty employees, though where exactly depends on the pricing models involved.
The number that is genuinely hard to put in a spreadsheet is the administrative time. Every duplicated starter, every leaver processed twice and every disagreement between two systems is real time from someone, and in a business hiring steadily that quietly exceeds the licence difference. Weigh it, but weigh it honestly rather than using it to justify a bundle whose payroll you would not otherwise buy.
Our verdict
For a growing UK business that wants to stop running two systems, Employment Hero is the most complete single platform and the free entry point makes it easy to start. PayFit is the better choice where payroll is the harder half of your requirement, and its employee self service removes a genuine volume of internal questions.
If you are already in the Sage ecosystem, Sage HR alongside Sage Payroll gets you there modularly from one supplier. And be open to the answer that combining is not right for you: Breathe paired with an inexpensive payroll product is often cheaper and stronger on the HR side, and Access PeopleHR gives a growing team performance and recruitment depth that no bundle here matches.
The bottom line
Judge each half as though you were buying it alone. If you would not choose this payroll on its own merits, the single employee record is not worth what the workarounds will cost you. For most growing UK businesses Employment Hero is the strongest true bundle, with PayFit better where pay is the demanding side. But two specialists with a mature integration remains a perfectly good answer, and at smaller headcounts it is usually the cheaper one too, so build both totals before you decide.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best combined HR and payroll software in the UK?
Employment Hero is the most complete single platform for UK businesses, covering hiring, onboarding, HR records, leave and payroll on one employee record. PayFit is the stronger choice where payroll is the more demanding half, and Sage HR with Sage Payroll suits businesses already using Sage.
Is combined HR and payroll cheaper than separate systems?
Not always. At smaller headcounts two specialists are often cheaper, and the combined platform tends to win on total cost somewhere around thirty to fifty employees depending on the pricing models. The larger saving is usually administrative rather than financial: one employee record means no duplicate entry and no reconciliation between two systems.
Do HR platforms usually include payroll?
Most do not. Breathe, BambooHR, Personio and HiBob are HR platforms that integrate with payroll rather than performing it, so you would run a separate payroll subscription alongside. Employment Hero and PayFit are among the genuine exceptions that do both on one record.
When should I keep HR and payroll separate?
When your payroll is genuinely complex, with multiple pay frequencies, unusual statutory cases or a bureau relationship, an adequate bundled payroll engine will cost more in workarounds than the integration saves. Also keep them separate if your HR requirements go well beyond leave and records, since combined platforms tend to be lighter on performance and recruitment.
How much does combined HR and payroll software cost in the UK?
Typically six to fifteen pounds per employee per month excluding VAT depending on which modules are switched on. Compare that against the two specialists route of an HR subscription, either flat per company from about twenty four pounds a month or three to ten pounds per employee, plus payroll from twelve to thirty five pounds a month.
Prices were checked against each vendor's UK pricing on 7 August 2026 and exclude VAT unless stated. Vendors change pricing, so confirm the current figure on the vendor's own site before you buy. Some links are commercial; where we earn a commission it never affects our ratings or the order of this list.
