HR Brew
Worth it
Confidence: High
HR Brew is a free twice-weekly newsletter, not HR software . HR pros who want quick industry news should subscribe.
New check
Comparison
HR Brew vs SHRM
HR Brew lands on Worth it, and SHRM lands on Depends.
SHRM
Depends
Confidence: Medium
Buy only if you're an HR professional whose employers value the SHRM-CP/SCP credential; it's the de facto HR certification with real recognition.
| Compare | ||
|---|---|---|
| Verdict | Worth it | Depends |
| Best for | HR pros tracking industry news | HR professionals seeking CP/SCP credentials |
| Who it's not for | Anyone shopping for HRIS, payroll, or recruiting software | Teams shopping for HR or payroll software . this is not a tool |
| Privacy | No known public vulnerabilities found in the sources reviewed.⁹ | No known public vulnerabilities found in the sources reviewed. |
| Support quality | No support model evidence; it's media | BBB complaints over trial handling |
| Public sentiment | Reddit HR communities recommend HR Brew as a quick, free way to stay current on HR news.⁶ | Users credit the credential with career value, but many report exam difficulty, costly retakes, and complaints that prep materials and pricing fall short.13 |
| Biggest gotcha | Advertiser-funded: some coverage is sponsored or labeled 'paid non-client'⁸ | Exam fees repeat on every retake; one candidate reported a fifth attempt |
Pick HR Brew when
- HR pros tracking industry news
- People-ops leaders watching compliance shifts
- Recruiters scanning hiring and comp trends
When HR Brew is not a fit
- Anyone shopping for HRIS, payroll, or recruiting software
- Teams wanting actionable tools . it informs, doesn't execute
- Deep legal-compliance needs . it's news, not counsel
- Non-HR readers; coverage assumes HR context
Pick SHRM when
- HR professionals seeking CP/SCP credentials
- Employers funding HR team development
- HR teams needing toolkits and research
- Job seekers signaling HR competency
When SHRM is not a fit
- Teams shopping for HR or payroll software . this is not a tool
- Anyone wanting a cheap or fast credential
- Non-HR professionals . little value outside HR roles
- Budget-sensitive buyers: membership, exam, prep, and retakes stack up
Sources
- HR Brew homepagehr-brew.comofficial
- HR Brew subscribe page (170K+ readers)hr-brew.comofficial
- HR Brew topics coveragehr-brew.comofficial
- Morning Brew brand pagemorningbrewinc.comofficial
review
review
- HR Brew issue with 'Paid non-client' labelhr-brew.comnews
- HR Brew security page checkhr-brew.comsecurity
official
- 2022 SHRM Certification Handbooklearnhrm.shrm.orgofficial
- SHRM is a blatant money grab . Redditreddit.comreview
- I failed the SHRM-CP exam today . Redditreddit.comreview
review
- 7 SHRM Alternatives . AIHRaihr.comnews