HR software prices are rarely comparable at a glance. One vendor charges per employee, another a flat fee per headcount band, a third quotes privately. This guide explains the models and gives real price ranges, read from vendor pricing pages on 9 November 2026.
The four common pricing models
Per employee per month
You pay a fixed amount for each active employee. Cost grows smoothly with headcount, which makes it easy to forecast. In the UK, published per-employee prices for HR software typically sit around £3–6 per employee per month, for example Factorial from £5.40. Products that bundle HR advice, such as BrightHR, charge more.
Flat fee by headcount band
You pay one monthly price for a range of employees. Breathe, for example, charges £24 a month for 1–10 employees and £99 for 21–50, and CharlieHR £47 for 5–14 and £323 for 50–99. Bands are good value at the top of a band and can jump sharply at the next one.
Base fee plus per payslip
Common for payroll products. IRIS Staffology, for example, charges £43 a month for up to 20 payslips and £2.15 per payslip from 21 to 50. Xero bundles a small number of payroll employees into its accounting plans.
Price on request
Larger suites such as Personio, HiBob and, in Nigeria, SeamlessHR quote individually. Expect annual contracts and an implementation fee in some cases.
Typical ranges
| Market | HR software | Payroll |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | £3–6 per employee per month, or roughly £2–10 per employee on band pricing, depending on where you sit in the band | £5–43 base fee plus about £1–2 per employee or payslip |
| Nigeria | ₦500–₦5,000 per employee per month, or ₦20,000–₦180,000 a month by band | Usually included in the HR price |
Costs that are easy to miss
- Add-ons: rotas, recruitment, performance, learning and expenses are often extra.
- Minimums: a minimum number of seats or a minimum monthly fee.
- Contract term: some vendors require 24–60 month contracts.
- Implementation and training fees on larger plans.
- Payroll extras: charges per pay run, per payslip, or for year-end forms.
- Price changes at renewal; ask how much notice you get.
Monthly or annual?
Annual billing usually saves 10–20%. It is worth it once you are confident the product fits; pay monthly during the first months if the vendor allows it.
How RinHR is priced
RinHR, our product, charges per employee per month: £4 in the UK, ₦1,500 in Nigeria and $5 elsewhere, with a minimum of five employees and a 30-day free trial. Payroll for the UK and Nigeria is an add-on, currently in early access. Annual billing charges ten months for twelve. Full details are on the pricing page.