Compare Salstead
Pick the platform that runs the whole care home, not just one corner of it.
Most UK care homes run 2 or 3 systems stitched together. Salstead replaces them with one platform priced per bed. Here is how we compare to the three you have probably already shortlisted.
Comparing Salstead against
Feature comparison
Every cell is checked against the vendor's public documentation and customer interviews. Where a competitor genuinely wins, we say so.
| Feature | Salstead | Access | PCS | Nourish |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing & commercial | ||||
| Pricing transparency | Per-bed from £4/mo, no per-seat fees | Multi-module licensing, per-seat | Per-user or per-resident, plus add-ons | Per-resident, multiple tiers |
| Migration support | 6-week guided migration, free | Paid migration service | Available, often paid | Available, paid |
| Customer support | UK team, direct line to product | Tiered ticket system | - | - |
| Workforce | ||||
| PAYE payroll built-in | Yes, with full transparency | Add-on via separate Access People module | Not offered | Not offered |
| Roster & shift management | Yes, native | - | Limited; needs separate tool | Not offered |
| AI workforce insights | Predictive forecasting included | Premium AI add-on | Not offered | Some analytics, limited workforce |
| Care delivery | ||||
| Care plans & eMAR | Yes, native | - | Yes, strong (their core product) | Yes, strong |
| Mobile-first care app | Designed mobile-first, offline-tolerant | Mobile feels like a port of the desktop | Mobile-first (their strength) | Mobile-first (their strength) |
| Family portal | Included on Standard plan | Separate Engage module | Relatives Gateway add-on | Nourish Connect add-on |
| Compliance & NHS | ||||
| CQC evidence packs | One-click, auto-built from live data | Manual report builder | Reports for care evidence only | Reports limited to care domain |
| NHS integrations | On Enterprise plan | Yes (mature) | GP Connect, mature | GP Connect, NHS App |
When to choose what
We are not the right choice for everyone. Here is when each platform is the better fit.
Pick Salstead if
You want one platform
- You are stitching together a rota tool, a care planning tool, and a payroll bureau
- You want transparent per-bed pricing with no per-seat upsell
- PAYE compliance, CQC evidence and family communication all need to live in one place
- You want AI workforce forecasting from day one
Pick Access if
Built for care homes, not bolted onto an HR suite.
Access Workspace for Care is a long-established product suite, but it shows its age.
Read the full vs pagePick PCS if
Care planning is great. The rest of the stack is missing.
Person-Centred Software (PCS) is a strong care planning and eMAR product, but operators tell us it leaves them piecing together rota, payroll and compliance from other systems.
Read the full vs pagePick Nourish if
Great mobile experience. Now extend it to the whole operation.
Nourish nails the mobile care planning experience.
Read the full vs pageAlready on another platform? Switch in 6 weeks.
We have a dedicated migration team for operators moving from Access Group, PCS, Nourish and spreadsheets. No vendor-lock-in fees, no per-bed migration charge.
Week 1
Data export
Week 2
Compliance & user import
Week 3
Manager training
Week 4
Soft-launch one site
Week 5
Full cutover
Week 6
Optimise & launch family portal
Want a real demo, not a sales pitch?
30 minutes. We will load your data, walk you through your roster, your compliance position, and your CQC evidence pack. You decide if it is worth a pilot.
Book a 30-minute demo