CoDash vs Charlie HR
CharlieHR is a London-built HR platform for small companies and startups, and under 20 people it is cheaper than we are. Here is where the two cross, and the things Charlie itself says it is not.
CharlieHR is built for small UK companies, with onboarding, time off, performance reviews and engagement in a flat monthly price by headcount band. CoDash covers the same ground and adds rotas, time clocking, expenses, learning and hiring in one plan. Charlie is cheaper below 20 people; CoDash is cheaper from 30 upwards. Charlie says plainly that it is "not a timesheet tool, and it's not a clock-in or rota system", and that it has no mobile app. Its HR advice service, Charlie Grow, is something CoDash does not offer.
Where is Charlie HR strong?
- Small teams, small price. £47 a month covers 5 to 14 people, with a promotional £5 for teams of 1 to 4 in their first six months (£21 after). CoDash starts at £99.
- Performance and engagement in the base price. Reviews, peer feedback, goals and OKRs, polls and a suggestion box are part of core Charlie, not add-ons.
- A human HR adviser if you want one. Charlie Grow adds a dedicated, CIPD-qualified adviser. Charlie is clear that its advisers "aren't employment lawyers". CoDash has no advice service.
- No lock-in on the core plan. Charlie's help centre says it is "a monthly rolling subscription, with no minimum contract", with no setup or implementation fees.
- Security certification. Charlie states that it is Cyber Essentials and ISO 27001 certified, with data held within the EU.
Charlie describes itself as "built specifically for companies with 10 to 49 people". If that is you, and you do not run shifts, it deserves a place on your shortlist.
Where is CoDash different?
- Rotas, clock-in and timesheets. Charlie's own time off page says: "It's not a timesheet tool, and it's not a clock-in or rota system." CoDash includes rotas, clock-in, timesheets, overtime and TOIL in every plan.
- Hiring in the price. Charlie Recruit is an add-on from £55 a month, "billed monthly, for a minimum of 12 months and auto-renews". Hiring is part of CoDash Core.
- Expenses and learning. Both are in CoDash Core. We could not find either listed as a Charlie feature.
- Price from 30 people up. Charlie's bands step from £185 at 30-49 to £323 at 50-99 and £431 at 100-149. CoDash is £124 at 30, £174 at 50 and £299 at 100.
- Anonymity enforced by design. Charlie's suggestion box can be anonymous or not, at the company's choice. In CoDash anonymous suggestions are stored with no author column, and manager-facing mood and survey figures are gated by k-anonymity.
How do the prices compare?
| Team size | CoDash Core | CharlieHR | Charlie + Recruit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 people | £99 | £47 | £102 |
| 20 people | £99 | £108 | £193 |
| 30 people | £124 | £185 | £270 |
| 50 people | £174 | £323 | £423 |
| 100 people | £299 | £431 | £531 |
Charlie Grow, the advice service, is priced as a total that includes core Charlie: £407 a month at 15-29 people and £484 at 30-49. Compare that with an HR consultant's retainer, not with software. The full table for every band is on our CharlieHR pricing page.
How do the features compare?
| CoDash | CharlieHR | |
|---|---|---|
| Onboarding, time off, documents | Every plan | Core |
| Performance reviews and peer feedback | Every plan | Core |
| Goals and OKRs | Every plan | Core |
| Polls and surveys | Every plan, with eNPS | Core |
| Rotas, clock-in, timesheets | Every plan | No, by its own description |
| Expenses | Every plan | Not listed |
| Learning | Every plan | Not listed |
| Recruitment | Every plan | Add-on, 12-month minimum |
| HR advice from a person | No | Add-on (Charlie Grow) |
| Perks marketplace | Benefits module | Free with the subscription |
| Payroll | No | No; Xero and PayCaptain integrations |
| Mobile app | Installable web app (PWA) | No; mobile-optimised website |
| Single sign-on | OIDC, on Pro | Google and Microsoft |
What are the contract terms?
Core Charlie is monthly with no minimum term; its terms allow either side to end the agreement on 30 days' written notice, and its help centre says cancellation needs "a 30-day notice in line with your billing date". Charlie Recruit carries a 12-month minimum. CoDash monthly plans can be cancelled at any time and end at the close of the billing period. Both contracts are governed by the law of England and Wales.
Who should pick which?
Choose Charlie HR if you are under 20 people, office-based or remote, and want a friendly core HR tool at the lowest price, or you want a named HR adviser bundled in.
Choose CoDash if you have 20 or more people, run rotas or shifts, want expenses, learning and hiring without add-ons, or expect to keep growing. Our guide to choosing HR software covers the questions to ask either of us.
Frequently asked questions
Is CoDash a good Charlie HR alternative for UK companies?
Yes for companies of 20 or more people, and for any team that runs rotas or shifts: CoDash includes rotas, clock-in, expenses, learning and hiring in one plan. Under 20 people, CharlieHR is cheaper.
How does CoDash pricing compare with Charlie HR?
At 10 people CharlieHR is 47 pounds a month against 99 pounds for CoDash. At 20 people CoDash is 99 pounds against 108. At 50 people CoDash is 174 pounds against 323. List prices excluding VAT and add-ons, checked 5 October 2026.
Does Charlie HR do rotas or time clocking?
No. CharlieHR's time off page says it is not a timesheet tool and not a clock-in or rota system. It offers an integration with a rota product instead.
Does Charlie HR have a mobile app?
No. CharlieHR's own comparison pages say it does not have a mobile app, but that its website is optimised for mobile devices.
What is Charlie Grow?
Charlie Grow is CharlieHR's HR advice add-on, which includes a dedicated CIPD-qualified adviser. It starts at 200 pounds a month including core Charlie and rises with headcount. CoDash does not offer an advice service.
Sources
Every figure about the other product was read from its own website on 5 October 2026.
- CharlieHR: pricing - the headcount table, Recruit and Grow
- CharlieHR help: how billing works - monthly rolling subscription and no setup fees
- CharlieHR: time off - not a timesheet, clock-in or rota system
- CharlieHR: Charlie Recruit - prices and the 12-month minimum
- CharlieHR: Charlie Grow - what the advice service includes
- CharlieHR: terms - termination notice and governing law
- CharlieHR: security by design - certifications
Prices and features move. Everything here was checked on the date shown against each vendor's own published pricing, and we link to it so you can confirm rather than take our word for it. If we have a detail wrong, tell us and we will correct it.
Check it yourself: CharlieHR publishes its own terms - see their pricing page. Checked 5 October 2026. Prices and packaging move, and theirs are theirs to state, so confirm before you decide.
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