Sage HR vs Workday: Pricing Comparison (2026)
Sage HR starts at $5.5/mo. Workday 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 dominant enterprise HR + Finance ERP, publicly traded (WDAY), ~$70B market cap. Positioned as the alternative to Oracle HCM Cloud and SAP SuccessFactors for large enterprises. Distinctive for its all-in-one HCM + Finance suite (Workday Financial Management) that few competitors match at scale. Pricing opaque, quote-only, typically $100-$400/employee/year with $500K-$5M+ implementation fees. Best fit for 1000+ employee organizations; overkill for anyone smaller.
All plans compared
| # | Plan | Sage HR monthly | Sage HR annual | Workday monthly | Workday annual |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Core HR | 5.5 | 5.5 | — | — |
| 2 | + Leave Management | ~1.50 | ~1.50 | — | — |
| 3 | + Performance | ~3 | ~3 | — | — |
| 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 dominant enterprise HR + Finance ERP, publicly traded (WDAY), ~$70B market cap. Positioned as the alternative to Oracle HCM Cloud and SAP SuccessFactors for large enterprises. Distinctive for its all-in-one HCM + Finance suite (Workday Financial Management) that few competitors match at scale. Pricing opaque, quote-only, typically $100-$400/employee/year with $500K-$5M+ implementation fees. Best fit for 1000+ employee organizations; overkill for anyone smaller.
At a glance
| Sage HR | Workday | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | — | — |
| Entry price | $5.5/mo | Custom |
| Enterprise available | Yes | Yes |
| Pricing model | Per Seat | Per Usage |
| Last verified | August 28, 2026 | August 26, 2026 |
| Full pricing | View full pricing | View full pricing |
Pricing last verified August 28, 2026. Tracked daily.