Sage HR vs UKG — Pricing, Plans, and Verified Costs (2026)
Sage HR starts at $5.5/mo. UKG uses custom pricing — request a quote to compare.
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
| Tier role | Plan | Sage HR monthly | Sage HR annual | UKG monthly | UKG annual |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entry paid | + Expenses / UKG Ready | $1.5 | $1.5 | $21 | $21 |
| Mid tier 1 | + Performance / — | $3 | $3 | — | — |
| Mid tier 2 | + Shift Scheduling / — | $3 | $3 | — | — |
| Mid tier 3 | + Timesheets / — | $3 | $3 | — | — |
| Mid tier 4 | Core HR + Leave Management / — | $5.5 | $5.5 | — | — |
| Mid tier 5 | + HR Advice Essentials / — | $100 | $100 | — | — |
| Pro / power | + Recruitment / UKG Pro | $200 | $200 | $27 | $27 |
| Enterprise | — / UKG Pro Enterprise | — | — | Custom | Custom |
Tier names differ across vendors. Rows are aligned by tier role, not name. Full tier structures on each tool's page.
What each is best for
Sage HR is worth it if… Sage HR is ideal for UK/EU small-to-mid businesses (5-200 employees) that want modular HR without US-heavy pricing tiers.
UKG is worth it if… mid-market to enterprise companies (500-50,000+ employees) with shift-based workforces — particularly retail, healthcare, manufacturing, hospitality where time-tracking accuracy and labor-forecasting matter as much as HR. UKG Ready covers SMB-mid (50-500 employees); UKG Pro for mid-large (500-5K); UKG Pro Enterprise for 5K+.
Bottom line: Similar positioning, closer to a preference call than a strategic one.
Choose Sage HR over UKG if…
Choose Sage HR if…
- You want fixed-price predictability (per seat, from $5.5/mo).
- You match the profile Sage HR is built for: ideal for UK/EU small-to-mid businesses (5-200 employees) that want modular HR without US-heavy pricing tiers.
- You need a general-purpose hr & people option rather than a vertical-specific one.
Choose UKG if…
- You're comfortable with UKG's a free entry tier entry point.
- You match the profile UKG is built for: mid-market to enterprise companies (500-50,000+ employees) with shift-based workforces — particularly retail, healthcare, manufacturing, hospitality where time-tracking accuracy and labor-forecasting matter as much as HR.
- You're building for healthcare and hospitality.
At a glance
| Sage HR | UKG | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | No | No |
| Entry price | $5.5/mo | Custom pricing |
| Enterprise available | Yes | Yes |
| Pricing model | Per Seat | — |
| Verification | Pricing under review | Pricing under review |
| Full pricing | View full pricing | View full pricing |
Pricing last verified September 27, 2026. Tracked daily.