Skip to content
SPECIFICTION
Get listed

HollyHR

hollyhr.com

From £1/mo Free plan WebAPI
Visit hollyhr.com
Spec score 8.5 #24 of 233 in HR Software

What it is

HollyHR is core HR software for small UK teams, bringing people records, working patterns, leave, documents, starter processes and reports together. Teams can manage leave requests and approvals, balances, sickness records and UK public holidays, with a shared Who’s Away calendar. Reusable onboarding packs create individual journeys with due dates and owners; private files, right-to-work evidence and policy acknowledgements stay with employee records. Built-in headcount, turnover and time-off reports export as CSV or PDF. Organisation export includes CSV data, available uploaded files and a manifest. HollyHR connects with services including Zapier, Make, Slack, Microsoft Teams, Claude, Google Calendar, Outlook and Xero Payroll UK, with differing capabilities and availability. Approved leave can be sent to Xero after employees and leave types are matched, but salary, tax, bank, pay-run and employee-creation data do not sync. API reads and signed webhooks are available on every plan; creating records through the API or integrations requires Standard and System Admin permission. A free plan covers up to 10 active employees; Standard starts at £2/user/mo. The service runs on web and through an API.

Spec sheet

What it does
HollyHR is UK-focused core HR software for small teams covering employee records, leave, sickness, documents and onboarding.Read 15 Oct 2026 · hollyhr.com
Product
HollyHR is core HR software for small UK teams, bringing people records, working patterns, leave, documents, starters and standard reports together.Read 30 Sep 2026 · hollyhr.com
Free plan
YesRead 22 Sep 2026 · hollyhr.com
API
The developer platform provides scoped REST API access, generated OpenAPI contracts, webhooks and a TypeScript SDK.Read 15 Oct 2026 · hollyhr.com
Integrations
Official connection options include Zapier, Make, Slack, Microsoft Teams, Claude, Google Calendar, Outlook, Xero Payroll UK and a Staffology Payroll preview.Read 15 Oct 2026 · hollyhr.com
Support
Free users receive the help centre and email support; Standard adds priority support with a one-UK-business-day target.Read 15 Oct 2026 · hollyhr.com
Headquarters
The registered office is 71-75 Shelton Street, Covent Garden, London, United Kingdom.Read 15 Oct 2026 · hollyhr.com
Maker
HollyHR says founder-operator Paul Gould started it after more than 25 years running small businesses; its about page names Holly Software Limited.Read 30 Sep 2026 · hollyhr.com
API and MCP
API reads and signed webhooks are available on every plan, while creating records through Zapier, Make or the API requires Standard and System Admin permission.Read 30 Sep 2026 · hollyhr.com
API availability
API and MCP reads are included on every plan, while governed writes require Standard, explicit scopes and administrator approval.Read 15 Oct 2026 · hollyhr.com
Calendar integration
Google Calendar and Outlook receive one-way subscriptions of approved time away without private absence reasons.Read 15 Oct 2026 · hollyhr.com
Data locations
The security page lists primary HR records in the EU and uploaded documents and database backup copies in the UK, and notes that supporting providers have their own locations and transfer terms.Read 30 Sep 2026 · hollyhr.com
Documentation depth
Public developer documentation includes quickstarts, authentication and scopes, endpoint reference, OpenAPI schema, webhook verification, examples, recipes, changelog and service status links.Read 15 Oct 2026 · hollyhr.com
Documents
Private employee files, compliance requirements, expiry visibility and policy acknowledgements are attached to records.Read 15 Oct 2026 · hollyhr.com
Hosting locations
Primary HR records run in AWS eu-central-1, while uploaded documents and database backups use AWS eu-west-2 in London.Read 15 Oct 2026 · hollyhr.com
Import and export
CSV and Excel imports support field mapping and preview, while organisation export includes CSV data, eligible files and a manifest.Read 15 Oct 2026 · hollyhr.com
Independent description
The HR Review describes HollyHR as a founder-led UK platform combining employee records, leave, sickness, documents and onboarding for small teams.Read 15 Oct 2026 · thehrreview.com
Independent feature listing
Software Advice lists access controls, onboarding, employee management, sick-leave tracking, time-off management, reporting, API and data import/export among HollyHR capabilities.Read 15 Oct 2026 · softwareadvice.com
Independent pricing listing
Software Advice lists a free plan, Standard at £2 per user per month and eligible charity Standard at £1 per user per month.Read 15 Oct 2026 · softwareadvice.com
Intended customers
HollyHR describes its product as core HR software for small UK teams and provides pages for founders, HR managers, office managers, finance managers, managers and employees.Read 30 Sep 2026 · hollyhr.com
Leave management
Employees can request leave while managers review balances, overlaps and approvals through a shared absence calendar.Read 15 Oct 2026 · hollyhr.com
Legal entity
HollyHR trades as Holly Software Limited, a private company registered in England and Wales under number 17312193.Read 15 Oct 2026 · hollyhr.com
Limit: young product
The HR Review reports that HollyHR has limited customer history and lacks the assurance certifications of established HR suppliers.Read 15 Oct 2026 · thehrreview.com
Maker and founder
HollyHR identifies Paul Gould as its founder-operator and describes the company as founder-led and young.Read 15 Oct 2026 · hollyhr.com
MCP
HollyHR offers a hosted MCP endpoint for approved AI assistants with permission-scoped tools and confirmation for writes.Read 15 Oct 2026 · hollyhr.com
Missing modules
Native rota, time tracking, expenses, recruitment, performance, learning, mobile apps and enterprise SSO/SCIM are not shipped features.Read 15 Oct 2026 · hollyhr.com
Notable limits
The features page says native payroll, rota and time tracking, expenses, recruitment, performance and learning modules, a native mobile app, and Enterprise SSO/SCIM are not shipped features.Read 30 Sep 2026 · hollyhr.com
Onboarding
Reusable onboarding packs create person-specific journeys with owners, relative due dates and right-to-work evidence.Read 15 Oct 2026 · hollyhr.com
Onboarding and documents
Reusable onboarding packs create person-specific journeys with due dates and owners, while private files, right-to-work evidence and policy acknowledgements stay with the employee record.Read 30 Sep 2026 · hollyhr.com
Payroll boundary
HollyHR does not run payroll, submit RTI or issue payslips; it offers payroll-readiness exports instead.Read 15 Oct 2026 · hollyhr.com
People records
The product stores employment history, departments, locations, reporting lines, working patterns and custom fields in one employee record.Read 15 Oct 2026 · hollyhr.com
Praise: data portability
The HR Review notes that customers can prepare a structured organisation export themselves before leaving.Read 15 Oct 2026 · thehrreview.com
Praise: transparent pricing
The HR Review highlights the free allowance for up to 10 employees and publicly stated per-person pricing as a differentiator for small businesses.Read 15 Oct 2026 · thehrreview.com
Rating on Software Advice
No rating shown from 0 reviewsRead 15 Oct 2026 · softwareadvice.com
Recovery limitation
Public SLA, recovery-point and recovery-time targets are not currently published.Read 15 Oct 2026 · hollyhr.com
Reporting
Built-in reports cover headcount, turnover and time off, with CSV and PDF export plus a read-only organisation chart.Read 15 Oct 2026 · hollyhr.com
Reporting and portability
Built-in headcount, turnover and time-off reports export as CSV or PDF, and organisation export includes CSV data, available uploaded files and a manifest.Read 30 Sep 2026 · hollyhr.com
Security assurance
HollyHR says it is not currently certified to ISO 27001, SOC 2 or Cyber Essentials and does not publish an external penetration-test claim.Read 30 Sep 2026 · hollyhr.com
Security controls
The service applies organisation and permission checks, encrypted transport and storage, extra encryption for selected sensitive fields, private short-lived document links and audit records.Read 15 Oct 2026 · hollyhr.com
Security limitation
HollyHR states that it currently has no ISO 27001, SOC 2 or Cyber Essentials certification and no published external penetration-test claim.Read 15 Oct 2026 · hollyhr.com
Sickness tracking
Sickness is recorded separately from holiday absence.Read 15 Oct 2026 · hollyhr.com
Time off
The product supports leave requests and approvals, balances, sickness records, working patterns, UK public holidays and a shared Who’s Away calendar.Read 30 Sep 2026 · hollyhr.com
Working patterns
Working patterns support part-time schedules, contracted-hours FTE calculations and UK public-holiday sets.Read 15 Oct 2026 · hollyhr.com

Plans and prices

Free Free Up to 10 active employees · everyday HR · API/MCP reads and signed webhooks Read 30 Sep 2026 · hollyhr.com
Standard £2 a month £2 per active employee/month Unlimited employees · Ask Holly · priority support · custom domain · approved API/MCP writes Read 15 Oct 2026 · hollyhr.com
Plus £4 a month £4 per active employee/month when launched Rotas · attendance · timesheets · expenses · hiring · training · performance · safety · surveys · employee cases · benefits Read 15 Oct 2026 · hollyhr.com
Free Free £0/month Up to 10 active employees · core HR · API/MCP reads · signed webhooks Read 15 Oct 2026 · hollyhr.com
Charity Standard £1 a month £1 per active employee/month Eligible charities and approved non-profits · Standard features Read 15 Oct 2026 · hollyhr.com
Charity Plus £2 a month £2 per active employee/month when Plus launches Eligible charities and approved non-profits · Plus features Read 15 Oct 2026 · hollyhr.com
Plus (coming soon) £4 a month Planned annual price: £40 per active employee per year Not available to buy today · rotas, attendance, timesheets, expenses, hiring, training management, goals, reviews, safety, surveys, employee cases and benefit administration Read 30 Sep 2026 · hollyhr.com
Standard annual £20 a year £20 per active employee/year Unlimited employees · two months free compared with monthly billing Read 15 Oct 2026 · hollyhr.com
Enterprise Priced on request Talk to HollyHR for custom commercial terms For procurement or multi-organisation needs Read 30 Sep 2026 · hollyhr.com

Every HollyHR plan and price →

Strong points and limits

Strong points

  • Free plan covers up to 10 active employees.
  • Leave tools include approvals, balances and sickness records.
  • Onboarding packs assign owners and due dates.
  • Reports export as CSV or PDF.
  • API reads and signed webhooks are on every plan.

Limits

  • Native payroll and time tracking are not shipped features.
  • No native mobile app is listed.
  • Not certified to ISO 27001, SOC 2 or Cyber Essentials.
  • Creating records through integrations requires Standard and System Admin permission.

Who it suits

It suits small UK teams managing employee records, leave, onboarding documents and standard HR reports. Founders, HR, office, finance managers, managers and employees are among its intended users.

HollyHR in depth

Read the full write-up

HollyHR is a core HR system for small UK teams that need a shared place for employee records, leave and onboarding. It suits businesses with straightforward people processes more than employers looking for a full workforce suite. The key trade-off is clear: everyday HR is covered, but payroll and several operational modules are not.

Overview

HollyHR brings employee records, working patterns, documents, starter journeys and standard reports into one system. That can replace scattered spreadsheets and joining paperwork for a small team, while keeping the product focused on core administration rather than the full employee lifecycle.

Its UK orientation shows in support for public holidays and right-to-work evidence, and in its Xero Payroll UK connection. However, that connection passes approved leave only after employees and leave types are matched; it does not transfer salary, tax, bank, pay-run or employee-creation data. Teams expecting an HR system to handle payroll should look elsewhere.

Key features

Leave and employee records

Employees can request leave and managers can approve it, with balances, sickness records, working patterns and UK public holidays alongside a shared Who’s Away calendar. This is a useful foundation for routine absence administration and team coordination. It is not a substitute for rota planning or time capture, neither of which is a shipped feature.

Onboarding and documents

Reusable onboarding packs create individual journeys with named owners and due dates, helping managers track starter tasks rather than rely on informal reminders. Private files, right-to-work evidence and policy acknowledgements stay attached to the employee record, making the system more useful than a leave-only tool for teams consolidating basic HR administration.

Reports, connections and data controls

Headcount, turnover and time-off reports export as CSV or PDF. Organisation export includes CSV data, available uploaded files and a manifest, which gives teams a practical route to take their records with them.

Connections include Zapier, Make, Slack, Microsoft Teams, Claude, Google Calendar, Outlook and Xero Payroll UK; Staffology Payroll is in private preview. Capabilities and availability differ by connection. API reads and signed webhooks are available on every plan, but creating records through Zapier, Make or the API requires Standard and System Admin permission.

HollyHR says it checks organisation membership, permissions and scope for data operations, and adds encryption to selected sensitive values. Primary HR records are in the EU; uploaded documents and database backup copies are in the UK, while supporting providers have their own locations and transfer terms. It is not currently certified to ISO 27001, SOC 2 or Cyber Essentials and does not publish an external penetration-test claim. That may matter to buyers with formal assurance requirements.

Pricing

The freemium model gives small teams a way to start without a subscription, while Standard is priced per active employee. The trade-off is that the free tier has a firm headcount ceiling and some integrations writes require a paid plan.

Free: free. It includes everyday HR and API/MCP reads and signed webhooks, capped at 10 active employees. It suits very small teams testing a basic HR process, but not a business already beyond that employee count.

Standard: £2 a month, billed Monthly; also £20 per active employee per year. It supports any team size and adds Ask Holly, priority support, a custom domain and approved API/MCP writes. This is the practical paid option for a growing team that needs broader access or write-enabled workflows. Paid Standard support cases have a one UK business day first-response target.

Plus: £4 a month, billed Coming soon, and not currently available to buy. Its planned modules include rotas, attendance, timesheets, expenses, hiring, training management, goals, reviews, safety, surveys, employee cases and benefit administration. The planned annual price is £40 per active employee per year. Since it cannot be purchased today, teams needing those capabilities now should not treat it as an available upgrade.

Enterprise: custom pricing, with commercial terms discussed for procurement or multi-organisation needs.

A 30-day trial is offered. The Free plan is also available, so teams can assess the core product before deciding whether Standard’s per-employee pricing fits.

Platforms

HollyHR runs on the web and offers an API. It does not have a shipped native mobile app, so teams that require a dedicated phone app should factor that limitation into their choice.

Who it's for

HollyHR is aimed at small UK teams and provides workflows for founders, HR and office managers, finance managers, managers and employees. It is a sensible fit where one system for records, leave, starter tasks and standard reporting matters more than payroll, shift scheduling or specialist talent modules. It is less suitable for organisations that need those capabilities built into their HR platform or require established third-party security certifications.

Pros and cons

Pros: The free plan covers everyday HR for up to 10 active employees, making it a credible starting point for a very small team.

Pros: Onboarding journeys, employee documents, leave and core reports sit together, reducing the need to split basic administration across separate processes.

Pros: CSV/PDF reports and an organisation export with available files support routine analysis and data portability.

Cons: There is no native payroll, rota, time tracking, expenses, recruitment, performance or learning module in the shipped product, limiting its fit as an all-in-one workforce system.

Cons: The Xero Payroll UK connection handles approved leave, not payroll data or employee creation, so it does not remove the need for a separate payroll workflow.

Cons: The mobile app is not shipped, and the company is not currently certified to ISO 27001, SOC 2 or Cyber Essentials; buyers requiring either may need another option.

Alternatives

For a different onboarding or HR shortlist, compare Employee Onboarding Software and HR Software.

Among the named products, 50skills Offboarding is the relevant alternative when the priority is offboarding rather than HollyHR’s broader core HR scope. Choose Whale when a free knowledge and playbook tool is a closer fit: its free plan allows 10 members, one creator, 20 Playbook items and 20 AI credits. EmployeeConnect is worth considering when payroll is central, since its Payroll Standard plan includes automated payroll management, Single Touch Payroll, timesheets, leave management and superannuation processing.

OnboardSwift is another onboarding-focused option, with a Starter plan at $2.80 a month billed annually per employee and a five-employee minimum. Workelo is an alternative with a free trial and a demo-request buying route. Boardon offers a free plan and web/API access for teams considering an onboarding-focused product. NEOGOV Insight is an alternative for buyers prepared for customized pricing based on products selected and agency size. Kriatix Lead Qualification Chatbot is another listed alternative.

Verdict

Choose HollyHR if a small UK team wants affordable, joined-up employee records, leave and onboarding, with a free tier for up to 10 active employees and a modestly priced Standard plan beyond that. Its strongest case is practical core HR with usable exports and straightforward UK leave workflows. Look elsewhere if payroll, rotas, time tracking, a native mobile app or formal security certification is a requirement rather than a future possibility.

Verdict

HollyHR covers core employee records, leave, onboarding and reporting for small UK teams. Its free plan is capped at 10 active employees, and several modules—including native payroll and time tracking—are not shipped features.

Where Specifiction places it

Alternatives to HollyHRAll alternatives →