Sage HR vs UKG: Pricing Comparison (2026)
Sage HR starts at $5.5/mo. UKG starts at $8/mo. Sage HR is $2.5/mo cheaper on the entry tier than UKG.
Sage HR (formerly CakeHR) is Sage's cloud HR platform for SMBs. Core HR ~$5.50/employee/mo; add-on modules (Leave, Performance, Timesheets, Shift Scheduling, Recruitment, Expenses) priced separately per employee. 30-day free trial. UK-headquartered.
The Workforce Operating Platform formed from the 2020 merger of Kronos and Ultimate Software ($22B combined). Positioned as the workforce-management-first alternative to Workday for shift-heavy industries (retail, healthcare, manufacturing) where time tracking + labor forecasting matter as much as HRIS. Distinctive for combining Kronos's deep time-and-labor engine with Ultimate's people-first HRIS. Priced quote-based (~$8-$15/employee/mo reference) across UKG Ready (SMB-mid), UKG Pro (mid-large), and UKG Pro Enterprise. Private-equity owned by Hellman & Friedman + Blackstone. Serves 80K+ organizations globally.
All plans compared
| # | Plan | Sage HR monthly | Sage HR annual | UKG monthly | UKG annual |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Core HR / UKG Ready | 5.5 | 5.5 | 8 | 8 |
| 2 | + Leave Management / UKG Pro | ~1.50 | ~1.50 | 15 | 15 |
| 3 | + Performance / UKG Pro Enterprise | ~3 | ~3 | custom | custom |
| 4 | + Recruitment / Timesheets / Shift Scheduling / Expenses | varies | varies | — | — |
What each is best for
Sage HR (formerly CakeHR) is Sage's cloud HR platform for SMBs. Core HR ~$5.50/employee/mo; add-on modules (Leave, Performance, Timesheets, Shift Scheduling, Recruitment, Expenses) priced separately per employee. 30-day free trial. UK-headquartered.
The Workforce Operating Platform formed from the 2020 merger of Kronos and Ultimate Software ($22B combined). Positioned as the workforce-management-first alternative to Workday for shift-heavy industries (retail, healthcare, manufacturing) where time tracking + labor forecasting matter as much as HRIS. Distinctive for combining Kronos's deep time-and-labor engine with Ultimate's people-first HRIS. Priced quote-based (~$8-$15/employee/mo reference) across UKG Ready (SMB-mid), UKG Pro (mid-large), and UKG Pro Enterprise. Private-equity owned by Hellman & Friedman + Blackstone. Serves 80K+ organizations globally.
At a glance
| Sage HR | UKG | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | — | — |
| Entry price | $5.5/mo | $8/mo |
| Enterprise available | Yes | Yes |
| Pricing model | Per Seat | — |
| Last verified | August 18, 2026 | August 12, 2026 |
| Full pricing | View full pricing | View full pricing |
Pricing last verified August 18, 2026. Tracked daily.