Breathe is popular, simple HR software for small UK businesses, with rotas, recruitment and expenses as paid add-ons. If you want those in the price, with the law checked every night and sponsor duties built in, here is how KivoHR compares. Still tied to Breathe? We charge half price until your contract ends.
What we say about Breathe comes from its own published pages, last checked 20 October 2026. Prices exclude VAT. If something has changed, tell us and we’ll correct it.
14 days free · no card needed
Bringing your data over
ExamplePeople412 of 412
Holiday balances412 of 412
Absence history (3 years)6,208 of 6,208
Right-to-work checks398 of 398
Everything matches your file. Undo is available for 30 days.
Prices exclude VAT. Breathe’s price at 25 people is taken from its published prices, sourced below.
KivoHR
One flat price for your organisation’s size, from £29 a month, with every feature included.
Breathe
A flat price by headcount: £24 a month for up to 10 people, £44 to 20, £99 to 50, £175 to 100, £419 to 150 and £579 to 200.
Source · checked 20 October 2026
KivoHR
None. Rotas, clocking, recruitment, expenses and training are on every plan.
Breathe
Priced by company size since 1 April 2026, each a month: rota, time and attendance from £11 for up to 10 people (£17 to 20, £34 to 50), recruitment from £16, expenses from £14, Learn from £15 and health and safety from £12, each rising with headcount.
Source · checked 30 October 2026
KivoHR
Monthly or yearly, cancel any time. 14-day free trial, no card.
Breathe
Cancel at any time with no cancellation fees. A 14-day free trial, no card.
Source · checked 20 October 2026
KivoHR
Right-to-work checks with follow-ups, and sponsor duties with their deadlines, on every plan.
Breathe
No sponsor licence reporting found. Document expiry notifications are listed.
Source · checked 31 October 2026
KivoHR
A checked, signed-off file each period for BrightPay, Sage 50 Payroll or Staffology, and payslips in the app.
Breathe
A payroll export of four files: personal, salary, benefits and additional payments.
Source · checked 16 October 2026
KivoHR
An account owner exports the records and files at any time, and for 90 days after the plan ends.
Breathe
A people data export to Excel, and absence and sickness reports.
Source · checked 16 October 2026
It would not be a fair comparison without this. If one of these matters most to you, Breathe may suit you better.
The short version, from the comparison above. Try KivoHR free with your own people before you decide.
Switching from Breathe
Export what Breathe lets you download, upload it, and see every change before anything is saved. Each kind of record is counted against your file, and you can undo the import within 30 days. Our team will match the files with you, free.
Columns · export.csv
From Breathe · 412 rows · nothing saved yet
Employee Name First and last nameTemplate
NI No National Insurance numberTemplate
Holiday Remaining Holiday balanceAlias
Start Start dateSaved
Shoe size Your choice: a custom field, or leave it
No. Rotas, clocking, recruitment, expenses and training are on every plan.
It depends on your size and the add-ons you use. Breathe’s smallest plan costs less; KivoHR includes rotas, clocking, recruitment and expenses, which Breathe sells as add-ons.
Yes. Upload Breathe’s people data export and absence reports, and check every change before it’s saved.
14 days free, no card needed.
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