Sage HR
VERIFIEDby CakeHR • Founded 2012
What is Sage HR?
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Sage HR Features
Employee database
Leave management
Performance management
Timesheets
Shift scheduling
Expense management
View All 234 Features
Sage HR Pricing Plans
Core HR + Leave Management
- Employee records and document storage
- Holiday and absence management
- Organisational chart
- Employee self-service
- Mobile app access
- Standard support
Performance Module
- Goal management
- 1-to-1 meetings
- 360 feedback
- Performance reviews
- Continuous performance
Shift Scheduling Module
- Drag-and-drop rota builder
- Shift planning
- Shift swaps
- Mobile shift notifications
- Time-off request integration
Timesheets Module
- Time tracking
- Overtime monitoring
- Project time allocation
- Billable hours
- Approval workflows
Expenses Module
- Expense submission
- Receipt capture
- Approval workflows
- Multi-currency expense reporting
- Reimbursement tracking
Recruitment Module
- Applicant tracking
- Candidate pipelines
- Careers page
- Hiring workflows
- Job posting
- Standalone recruitment add-on
Sage HR Resources
Description
Sage HR at a Glance
| Best fit for | Global SMB and lower-mid-market businesses (5 to 500 employees) wanting modular HR with transparent per-employee pricing |
|---|---|
| Industries | Professional services, technology, retail, hospitality, manufacturing, healthcare, nonprofits, construction, financial services, education |
| Core platform | Cloud HR with Core HR + Leave, Performance, Shift Scheduling, Timesheets, Expenses, and Recruitment modules |
| Pricing model | Per-user-per-month or quote-based |
| Indicative pricing | Modular per-employee-per-month pricing from $5.50 (Core HR + Leave) plus per-module add-ons; transparent published pricing aimed at SMB and global accessibility |
| Mobile apps | iOS and Android (Sage HR mobile app) |
| Trust signals | Originally CakeHR in Latvia, acquired by Sage and rebranded to Sage HR in November 2019, used by SMB businesses across 1,200+ regions in 50+ countries, ISO 27001 certified, GDPR aligned, SOC 2 |
| Vendor headquarters | Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom (Sage Group plc parent) |
| Compliance | GDPR (UK and EU), ISO 27001, SOC 2 Type II, multi-region data residency, regional payroll integrations across 50+ countries |
| Geographic focus | Global (50+ countries) with transparent published pricing; strongest UK, US, EU, Africa, and APAC presence |
Sage HR Pros and Cons in 2026
Where Sage HR Stands Out
- Modular published pricing: $5.50 Core HR + Leave plus transparent per-module add-ons (Performance $2, Shift Scheduling $3, Timesheets $3, Expenses $1) lets SMBs pay only for what they use
- Sage Group brand and stability: backed by Sage Group plc, a publicly listed UK accounting and business software company with 30+ years of SMB software heritage
- Strong global accessibility: SMB-friendly pricing in 50+ countries makes Sage HR one of the few HR platforms truly accessible globally without enterprise sales cycles
- Sage 50/200/Intacct integration: native integration with Sage accounting and ERP products is meaningful for the 6M+ Sage business customers globally
- Recruitment as separate add-on: built-in applicant tracking module priced separately means SMBs can add recruiting only when they need it without bundle bloat
Where Sage HR Falls Short
- Mid-market organisations above 500 employees often outgrow Sage HR and migrate to Personio or HiBob
- Reporting and analytics depth less feature-rich than dedicated mid-market HRIS competitors
- No native payroll module; integrates with Sage Payroll and other regional payroll providers rather than running payroll directly
- Performance management module is functional but less feature-rich than dedicated platforms like Lattice or 15Five
- Module-by-module pricing model can become expensive when adding multiple modules for larger SMBs
Who Should Use Sage HR?
Global SMB and lower-mid-market businesses (5 to 500 employees) wanting modular HR with transparent published per-employee pricing across 50+ countries. Particularly well-matched for existing Sage accounting customers and SMBs wanting global accessibility without enterprise sales cycles. For UK-only SMEs wanting flat per-business pricing, see Breathe. For UK and global mid-market with native payroll, consider Cezanne HR. For US-focused SMB HR with native payroll, see BambooHR or Gusto.
Sage HR Product Suite in 2026
Sage HR Modules
- Core HR + Leave Management: employee records, document storage, organisational chart, holiday and absence tracking, employee self-service ($5.50 per employee per month base)
- Performance: goal management, 1-to-1 meetings, 360 feedback, reviews, continuous performance ($2 per employee per month add-on)
- Shift Scheduling: shift planning, drag-and-drop rota builder, shift swaps, mobile shift notifications ($3 per employee per month add-on)
- Timesheets: time tracking, overtime monitoring, project time allocation, billable hours ($3 per employee per month add-on)
- Expenses: expense submission, receipt capture, approval workflows, multi-currency expense reporting ($1 per employee per month add-on)
- Recruitment: applicant tracking, candidate pipelines, careers page, hiring workflows (priced separately at flat monthly fees)
- Sage Accounting Integration: native integration with Sage 50, Sage 200, and Sage Intacct for joined-up SMB finance and HR data
- Mobile App: iOS and Android employee app for leave, timesheets, expenses, and document access
Sage HR Customer Success and Global Implementation
Sage HR customer-facing team is based in Newcastle (UK) and Riga (Latvia) with regional support across the 70+ supported countries. The Sage Group plc backing provides operational stability and continued product investment since the 2018 CakeHR acquisition and rebrand. The 6M+ Sage business customer base globally provides cross-sell pathways and integration opportunities for Sage accounting customers adding HR.
How Much Does Sage HR Cost in 2026?
Sage HR uses transparent published modular per-employee-per-month pricing. Core HR + Leave Management is the base module at $5.50 per employee per month. Add-on modules are priced separately: Performance $2, Shift Scheduling $3, Timesheets $3, Expenses $1, all per employee per month. Recruitment is priced at flat monthly fees rather than per-employee.
Sage HR 2026 Pricing Tiers (Modular)
- Core HR + Leave Management - $5.50 per employee per month (base module, employee records, holiday and absence)
- Performance Module - $2 per employee per month (goals, reviews, 1-to-1, 360 feedback)
- Shift Scheduling Module - $3 per employee per month (rota builder, shift swaps, mobile notifications)
- Timesheets Module - $3 per employee per month (time tracking, overtime, project time)
- Expenses Module - $1 per employee per month (expense submission, approval workflows)
- Recruitment Module - Flat monthly fee (applicant tracking, candidate pipelines, careers page)
Hidden Costs and Contract Gotchas to Watch For
- Per-employee fees compound across modules; an organisation using Core + Performance + Shift + Timesheets + Expenses pays $14.50 per employee per month
- Recruitment module is priced separately at flat monthly fees rather than per-employee, which scales differently than the other modules
- Annual contracts are standard with monthly billing typically a 10 to 15 percent premium
- Implementation is largely self-service; bespoke onboarding services are billed separately for larger SMB customers
- Custom integrations beyond the standard Sage ecosystem and payroll partners typically require professional services
Sage HR Implementation Path
Sage HR implementation is largely self-service through guided onboarding wizard. Most SMB businesses launch within 2 to 4 weeks for Core HR + Leave. Adding Performance, Shift Scheduling, Timesheets, Expenses, and Recruitment modules extends launch to 4 to 8 weeks. The Newcastle and Riga customer success teams support configuration, payroll provider integration, and module-by-module roll-out across the 70+ supported countries.
Sage HR vs the Alternatives
Sage HR versus Breathe: Breathe is UK SME-focused with flat per-business pricing for organisations under 250 employees. Sage HR is global with modular per-employee pricing in 50+ countries; better for SMBs needing international scope or modular cost control.
Sage HR versus BambooHR: BambooHR is US-focused SMB and mid-market HRIS with deeper feature ecosystem. Sage HR is global with modular pricing and Sage accounting integration; better for global SMB or Sage-customer organisations.
Sage HR versus Cezanne HR: Cezanne HR is UK and EU mid-market with native UK and Ireland payroll. Sage HR is global SMB-focused without native payroll; better for smaller businesses globally vs Cezanne for UK/EU mid-market.
What Real Buyers Report About Sage HR
SMB business owners and HR managers speak well of Sage HR for the modular pricing flexibility, depth of leave management features, and accessibility in 50+ countries. Positive feedback clusters around responsive customer success across regions, useful Sage accounting integration for existing Sage customers, and intuitive interface that requires minimal HR training. The pushback tends to be about lighter reporting depth than mid-market competitors, no native payroll, and module-by-module pricing that compounds for organisations using the full feature set. Buyers running 5 to 500 employees globally in professional services, technology, retail, hospitality, and manufacturing tend to score Sage HR above generic SMB HR competitors for the combination of modular pricing and global accessibility.
Bottom Line: Is Sage HR Right for You?
Sage HR suits global SMB and lower-mid-market businesses (5 to 500 employees) wanting modular HR with transparent published per-employee pricing across 50+ countries. The Sage Group brand, modular pricing flexibility, and global accessibility separate it from US-led SMB HR competitors. The trade-offs are no native payroll, lighter reporting depth than mid-market competitors, and module-by-module pricing that compounds for full-suite users. For global SMB buyers and existing Sage accounting customers wanting SMB HR, Sage HR warrants a place on the shortlist alongside BambooHR and Personio.
Frequently Asked Questions
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