CharlieHR vs Notion
A detailed, side-by-side comparison of CharlieHR and Notion. We compare features, pricing, ease of use, and value for money to help you make the right choice in 2026.
Reviewed by the Ikaroa team · Last updated: March 2026
Quick Verdict
Notion edges ahead overall with a rating of 4.4/5. However, CharlieHR (4.1/5) may be the better fit if you prioritise UK small businesses and startups wanting simple, affordable HR software. Read on for the full breakdown.
CharlieHR vs Notion at a Glance
CharlieHR
★ 4.1CharlieHR is a UK-built HR platform designed specifically for small businesses. It handles onboarding, time off, performance reviews, and employee engagement with a focus on being simple and delightful to use. Popular with UK startups and small teams for its affordable pricing and genuinely useful features.
Starting from: £4/employee/month
Best for: UK small businesses and startups wanting simple, affordable HR software
Read full review →Notion
★ 4.4Notion is a flexible workspace for notes, wikis, and databases. While not a traditional CRM, many teams build custom CRM systems using its database features.
Starting from: £0/month
Best for: Teams wanting a flexible workspace that can be moulded into a custom CRM
Read full review →CharlieHR vs Notion Feature Comparison
Here is how CharlieHR and Notion compare across the features that matter most. We have tested both platforms extensively across client implementations.
| Feature | CharlieHR | Notion |
|---|---|---|
| Free Plan Available | No | Yes |
| Starting Price | £4/employee/month | £0/month |
| Best For | UK small businesses and startups wanting simple, affordable HR software | Teams wanting a flexible workspace that can be moulded into a custom CRM |
| Our Rating | 4.1/5 | 4.4/5 |
| Mobile App | Yes | Yes |
| Email Marketing | No | No |
| Automation | Limited | Limited |
| Reporting | Yes | Basic |
| Integrations | Extensive | Extensive |
| API Access | Limited | Yes |
| Ikaroa Exclusive Discount | N/A | N/A |
CharlieHR vs Notion Pricing
Pricing is often the deciding factor. Here is a full breakdown of what each platform charges at every tier:
CharlieHR Pricing
Team
£4/employee/month
- ✓Onboarding
- ✓Time off
- ✓Company directory
- ✓Document storage
Perform
£6.50/employee/month
- ✓Everything in Team
- ✓Performance reviews
- ✓Goals & OKRs
- ✓1-to-1s
Engage
£8/employee/month
- ✓Everything in Perform
- ✓Engagement surveys
- ✓Pulse checks
- ✓eNPS tracking
Notion Pricing
Free
£0/month
- ✓Unlimited pages
- ✓7-day page history
- ✓10 guests
Plus
£7/user/month
- ✓Everything in Free
- ✓Unlimited file uploads
- ✓30-day page history
- ✓100 guests
Business
£12/user/month
- ✓Everything in Plus
- ✓SAML SSO
- ✓90-day page history
- ✓250 guests
Enterprise
Custom
- ✓Everything in Business
- ✓Advanced security
- ✓Audit log
- ✓Unlimited page history
Not sure which to pick?
Our team has implemented both CharlieHR and Notion for clients. We can help you decide based on your specific needs.
CharlieHR Pros and Cons
✓Pros
- •Built specifically for UK small businesses
- •Very affordable pricing
- •Genuinely simple and easy to use
- •Good onboarding workflows
- •Responsive UK-based customer support
✗Cons
- •Limited features for larger companies
- •No payroll included
- •Fewer integrations than larger platforms
- •Reporting is basic
- •No recruitment tools
Notion Pros and Cons
✓Pros
- •Extremely flexible and customisable
- •Beautiful, clean interface
- •Combine docs, databases, and wikis
- •Active template community
- •Good free plan
✗Cons
- •Not a dedicated CRM (requires building your own)
- •No automation without third-party tools
- •No email integration by default
- •Can become slow with large databases
- •Learning curve for advanced features
Our Verdict: CharlieHR vs Notion
Both CharlieHR and Notion are solid options, but they serve different needs. Having implemented both for multiple clients, here is our recommendation:
Choose CharlieHR if you need UK small businesses and startups wanting simple, affordable HR software. With a starting price of £4/employee/month and a rating of 4.1/5, it offers built specifically for uk small businesses.
Choose Notion if you need Teams wanting a flexible workspace that can be moulded into a custom CRM. Starting at £0/month with a 4.4/5 rating, it excels at extremely flexible and customisable.
Still not sure? Talk to the Ikaroa team. We have helped hundreds of businesses make this exact decision, and we are happy to point you in the right direction.
🎁 Get either product at a discount through Ikaroa Partners
Consider Open Doors Instead
Why choose between CharlieHR and Notion? Open Doors gives you the best features of both in one platform, for less. It is an all-in-one CRM with email marketing, SMS, funnels, booking, invoicing, automation, and more, starting at just £97/month with unlimited contacts.
Need implementation help?
Ikaroa can set up CharlieHR or Notion for your business, migrate your data, and train your team. We have done it dozens of times.
Free consultation. No obligation.