Comparing providers

BrightHR vs Croner vs a local HR consultant: which suits a small business?

Based in Caterham, Surrey, and working across London, the South East and the UK.

The short answer. BrightHR and Croner are both part of the Peninsula Group. BrightHR is HR software first, with a 24/7 advice line and optional insurance on its higher packages, sold on fixed terms of 24, 36 or 60 months. Croner sells HR, employment law and health and safety support with a 24/7 advice line, tribunal representation and BrightHR software included. A local HR consultant such as What If HR gives you one named person who knows your team, with prices on the website from £150 a month + VAT and Advisory that runs month to month. If you want advice at 2am, software or insurance, one of the first two suits you better. If you want the same person every time and no multi-year contract, a consultant does.

Book a free 20-minute call See the side by side

Written by Elena Suhova, MSc HRM, founder of What If HR, with a CIPD qualified team. Facts checked on 7 November 2026.

Side by side

BrightHRCronerWhat If HR

What it isHR software, with HR advice added on its Enhanced and Full packagesHR, employment law and health and safety support, with software includedA small HR consultancy in Caterham, Surrey: advice, and the HR work done with you or for you

Price on the websiteFrom £16.67 per employee a month for the software alone, or from £21.20 with HR advice, plus tax. For 5 employees that showed as £83.35 and £106.00 a month. Insurance is quoted separatelyFrom £34.06 per employee a month for HR and employment law support, or £54.58 with health and safety, as its pricing page showed for 5 employees. The page does not say whether VAT is includedAdvisory from £150 a month + VAT for under 5 staff and £295 for 5 to 10. Pay as you go at £135 an hour + VAT, with no retainer

Contract lengthFixed terms of 24, 36 or 60 months. Only the 36-month term can be bought onlineNot published on its website. Ask for the first term, how it renews and the notice period in writing before you signAdvisory runs month to month, ending at the end of the month after you give notice; the Outsourced HR team runs for 6 or 12 months. You can start with a trial, set out in your plan confirmation

Who you speak toA 24/7 HR and employment law advice line on Enhanced and Full. Core is software only, with no advice lineUnlimited 24/7 HR advice, plus a commercial legal helplineOne named consultant who knows your business and your team. Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm, by phone, email and video. Advice is on a fair-usage basis, not unlimited

HR softwareIts own app: holidays, rotas, absence, performance, time and expenses, documentsBrightHR software is included in its HR packagesNone of our own. We can set up a system such as BreatheHR for you (HR Systems Setup, from £695 + VAT)

Insurance against claimsOptional BrightHR Insure, which it says covers unfair dismissal and indirect discrimination claims up to £1 million. Quoted separately, not in the online pricesOptional legal expenses insuranceNo. We are HR specialists, not an insurer or a law firm, and we tell you when you need a solicitor

TribunalsNot listed on its pricing page. Ask what help you get if a claim is madeTribunal representation is listed in its HR packagesWe handle everything up to an Acas notification. If a claim follows, we stay with you and deal with Acas, a vetted tribunal specialist drafts your response and a solicitor we refer you to represents you

In personNot listed on its pricing pageOffers on-site "Face2Face" HR supportYes: on-site visits in London and Surrey at £100 each, further afield agreed in advance

SizeSays 120,000+ businesses worldwide use itSays it has worked with 14,000+ businesses over 80 years30+ businesses helped since 2020

BrightHR's and Croner's sides are taken from their own websites, checked on 7 November 2026. Both pricing pages change the price with the number of employees you enter; the figures here are what each page showed for 5 employees. Terms change, so ask for the current version before you sign. Sources are listed at the end of this page.

Who owns them. BrightHR and Croner are separate brands in the same group. Companies House lists Peninsula Business Services Group Limited as the person with significant control of both Bright HR Limited and Croner Limited. Peninsula bought Croner in December 2015, and the Competition and Markets Authority cleared the deal in 2016. Croner includes BrightHR software in its packages.

Which one suits you

BrightHR may suit you better if

You mainly want software for holidays, rotas and absence, with a phone line for questions.
You want a low monthly fee and are happy to commit for two to five years.
You want insurance cover for unfair dismissal claims.

Croner may suit you better if

You want HR, employment law and health and safety from one supplier, with representation if a claim reaches a tribunal.
You want advice at any hour, including nights and weekends.
You want legal expenses insurance as part of the package.

A local consultant like What If HR suits you if

You want the same named person every time, who knows your team.
You want to see the price before the first call, and no multi-year contract.
You want help doing the work: letters drafted, meetings attended, your HR inbox answered.
You are in Surrey or London and want someone who can come to you.

See the plans and prices

For a team of 1 to 20 people

At this size the choice comes down to two questions. When do your HR questions come up, and do you want advice or the work done? A 24/7 line helps when the question comes in the evening or at the weekend. A consultant helps when the answer is a letter, a meeting or a conversation someone has to have.

If you only need help now and then, you don't need a contract at all. Pay as you go is £135 an hour + VAT, with no retainer. When questions come every month, Advisory starts at £150 a month + VAT for under 5 staff and runs month to month.

Pay As You Go HR All services and prices

Six questions to ask any HR provider before you sign

Whoever you choose, get the answers in writing. They matter more than the monthly fee.

Ask us all six on a free 20-minute call

How long is the first term, and does it renew automatically?
How much notice do I need to give, and by when?
How and when can the price go up?
What does it cost to leave early?
Will I speak to the same person each time?
What is included, and what is charged on top, such as insurance?

Straight answers

Questions owners ask us

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Are BrightHR and Croner the same company?

They are separate brands with the same owner. Companies House lists Peninsula Business Services Group Limited as the person with significant control of both, and Croner includes BrightHR software in its packages.

Is BrightHR cheaper than an HR consultant?

For 5 employees, yes, per month. On 7 November 2026 BrightHR's pricing page showed £106.00 a month plus tax for 5 employees with HR advice, and its contracts are fixed for 24, 36 or 60 months. What If HR Advisory for 5 to 10 staff is £295 a month + VAT, month to month. Compare the total over the full term, and what each one does for you.

Can I keep BrightHR software and use What If HR for advice?

Yes. BrightHR sells its software on its own as the Core package. We give the advice and do the HR work alongside whatever system you use.

Do you offer a 24/7 advice line?

No. We work Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm, and we aim to reply within one working day. If you need advice at night or at weekends as a matter of course, BrightHR or Croner may suit you better.

Do you provide insurance for tribunal claims?

No. We are HR specialists, not an insurer or a law firm. We help you get the process right so claims are less likely, stay with you through Acas and a claim and tell you when you need a solicitor.

Can I switch while I am still in a contract?

Yes, but check your notice date first. Some contracts need notice months before the end of the term. Send us the dates and we will plan the handover around them, so you are not paying twice for longer than you need to.