Compare · India · AI
Best AI HRMS software in India (2026)
Our pick is Peoplo.ai: AI agents prepare payroll checks, onboarding, exits and claims, changes to pay, tax, people records and money wait for a person, and prices start at ₹1,975 a month. Darwinbox and PeopleStrong suit large enterprises, HROne and Zimyo growing teams that want named agents, and greytHR an assistant at a low price.
Written by the Peoplo.ai team · Last updated 4 November 2026. Peoplo.ai wrote this page and lists its own product first. Facts about other products come from their public pages, with the date we checked them.
Quick picks
- Our pick: agents that prepare, people decide
- Peoplo.ai
- Agents across HR, IT and Finance
- Darwinbox
- Named agents at published prices
- HROne
- A chatbot that hands work to agents
- PeopleStrong
- An assistant that acts, at a low price
- greytHR
- Already on Zoho
- Zoho People
Why the details matter in India
- The PF wage ceiling rose from ₹15,000 to ₹25,000 a month from 17 September 2026. An AI payroll check should catch every employee whose PF changed: at a basic of ₹30,000, employee PF is now ₹3,000 a month. Source
- Employee data is personal data under the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023, so ask each vendor where its AI processes your data, whether it trains models on it and who can see the results. Source
- Under the Code on Wages, 2019, wages due to someone who leaves must be paid within two working days of the last day, so an AI that prepares full and final settlements saves the most time at exits. Source
- ESI applies up to gross wages of ₹21,000 a month, at 0.75% from the employee and 3.25% from the employer, so a payroll check should flag anyone who crosses the line. Source
- Under the new tax regime, income up to ₹12 lakh pays no tax after the rebate, and the standard deduction is ₹75,000. An AI that projects TDS has to apply the regime each employee chose. Source
At a glance
The fifteen products side by side
| Product | Best for | How the AI works | Statutory payroll | Approval and record | Free trial | Price | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.Peoplo.ai | Companies that want AI agents to prepare payroll checks, onboarding, exits and claims, with a person deciding on pay and money. | Agents set off by events; Kili answers questions | Designed to support PF, ESI, PT, LWF and TDS | A person approves pay, tax, records and money; important changes go to the audit log | Free trial | ₹79 per employee a month before GST, for at least 25 employees, with AI included under fair use | 3 November 2026 |
| 2.Darwinbox | Large enterprises that want a broad catalogue of agents across HR, IT and Finance. | Cortex; 30+ agents and a Super Agent, reported | Part of its HCM suite; check states with Darwinbox | Not described on the pages we checked | Demo | Quoted by sales | 23 October 2026 |
| 3.HROne | Growing companies that want AI agents for employees, HR and recruiters, at published prices. | One AI: Employee, HR and Recruiter agents; 110+ HR actions | Payroll included from Basic | Calls itself "an HR co-pilot, not a replacement"; approvals not described | Not described | Basic ₹4,950 or Professional ₹6,500 a month for 50 users | 4 November 2026 |
| 4.PeopleStrong | Large enterprises across Asia that want a chatbot that can hand work to specialised agents. | Jinie super-agent over MAAX agents (AI Co-Recruiter, ER agent) | Payroll in the suite; Indian deductions not listed on the page we checked | Not described on the pages we checked | Demo | Not published | 4 November 2026 |
| 5.Pocket HRMS | Companies of 50 or more employees that want a chatbot backed by payroll, leave and attendance agents, at a low per-employee price. | smHRty chatbot and HRMS Copilot over specialist agents | PF, ESIC, PT and TDS automation, and eTDS | Not described on the page we checked | Free demo | Standard ₹2,995 a month for 50 employees, billed yearly | 4 November 2026 |
| 6.Zimyo | Companies of 50 or more employees that want named AI agents for payroll, the helpdesk and onboarding. | Zim AI, with payroll, helpdesk and onboarding agents | Payroll with compliance; deductions not listed | Not described on the page we checked | 14 days, limited features | ₹80, ₹160 or ₹240 per user a month; 50-user minimum | 3 November 2026 |
| 7.Keka | Companies that bill clients for project time and want an assistant that answers with the record behind each number. | Keka AI: answers, drafts workflow steps, flags payroll anomalies | TDS, PF, ESI and PT across all states and union territories | Cites the record behind each number; approval of changes not described | Not described | Quoted by sales; a setup fee applies | 22 October 2026 |
| 8.greytHR | Small and mid-sized companies that want an assistant that carries out typed requests, at low published prices. | NAVOS, an "execution-first" assistant on all plans | PF, ESI, PT, LWF and TDS across 28 states | Acts within the user's permissions; confirmation not described | 7 days | Essential ₹2,495 or Growth ₹4,495 a month for up to 50 employees | 22 October 2026 |
| 9.Zoho People | Teams already on Zoho that want an AI layer that answers questions and runs tasks. | Zia: answers questions, executes tasks, pulls reports | Through Zoho Payroll, a separate product | Zoho Payroll: AI works within roles you set | 30 days | Per-user plans, published | 23 October 2026 |
| 10.Asanify | Teams that want per-employee prices, a WhatsApp HR bot and an employer of record option in India. | "Agentic AI" on VIP, and a WhatsApp HR bot | TDS, EPF, ESI, PT in 28 states and LWF, per its FAQ | Not described on the page we checked | 14 days | Essential ₹99 or VIP ₹199 per employee a month | 3 November 2026 |
| 11.factoHR | Small teams that want to start free, or field teams that need face recognition attendance. | Fia chatbot (add-on), Factobot and AI face recognition | Statutory compliance from Core; deductions not listed | Not described on the page we checked | Free plan up to 20 employees | Core ₹4,999 a month for up to 50 employees, billed quarterly | 3 November 2026 |
| 12.Qandle | Companies of 50 or more employees that want an HR chatbot, AI resume screening and face recognition attendance. | HR chatbot, AI resume screening, AI face recognition | Automated tax and compliance; its FAQ names PF, ESI and TDS help | Not described on the pages we checked | Free trial, no credit card | Per employee, with a 50-user minimum | 4 November 2026 |
| 13.ZingHR | Large shift-based workforces that want AI in hiring and an employee chatbot. | AI chatbot, AI screening with "robotic interviews", analytics | "Zero-touch payroll" with taxes and full and final settlements | Not described on the pages we checked | Demo | Quoted by sales | 23 October 2026 |
| 14.Savvy HRMS | Companies that want statutory challans in the entry plan and AI face recognition attendance as an add-on. | AI face recognition and AI email triggers (add-ons) | PF, ESIC, TDS, LWF and PT challans | Not described on the page we checked | Demo | Core ₹4,500 a month, from ₹90 per employee | 3 November 2026 |
| 15.Odoo | Companies on Odoo that want general-purpose AI agents across the whole suite. | General AI agents and an assistant across the suite | India localisation; Odoo 20 reported to add TDS, EPF and F&F reports | Not described on the pages we checked | Free trial; one app free | Per user for the whole suite, published | 23 October 2026 |
From each vendor's own public pages, on the date shown. "Not described" means we did not find it on the pages we checked, not that the product lacks it.
How we chose
Six questions that separate real AI from AI on a slide
We picked HR and payroll products sold in India whose own pages describe AI, and read what each says its AI does, who approves it and what is recorded. Where a vendor's pages were thin, we used its own announcements or news reports, and say so on the card. We did not test competitors' software, and we do not take payment for a place on this list.
AI that does real work
Do agents prepare work, such as a payroll check or a settlement, or does the AI only answer questions?
Who approves
Which changes wait for a person, and which happen on their own?
A record
Are important changes written to an audit log: who did what, and when?
Control
Can admins turn each agent on or off, and does the HRMS work without it?
Bring your own AI
Can you connect Claude, ChatGPT or another assistant to your HR data, with the same permissions?
Indian payroll
PF, ESI, professional tax, LWF and TDS, so the AI works on correct payroll.
Peoplo.ai is first because it is our product, and we say so. The others follow, grouped by how their AI works, from agents to assistants to AI features; we did not score them against each other. Each card says what that vendor's own pages show, and when we checked.
The list
The fifteen products, one by one
1 · Our pick
Peoplo.ai
An agentic HRMS. AI agents with one job each start work when something happens, such as a payroll run, an accepted offer or a resignation, prepare it, and wait for a person on changes to pay, tax, people records and money.
Best for: Companies that want AI agents to prepare payroll checks, onboarding, exits and claims, with a person deciding on pay and money.
What stands out
- Each agent has one job and a clear limit: the payroll check never locks or pays a run, and the exit coordinator never pays a settlement on its own.
- Admins turn each agent on or off, and Peoplo.ai works as a normal HRMS without them.
- Connect Claude or ChatGPT over MCP with a personal API key and the same permissions as in the app.
Worth checking
- AI is included with fair use: about 5 AI runs per employee a month, shared across the company.
- Published prices go up to 2,000 employees; above that, talk to us.
- Built for SOC 2 and GDPR, with no SOC 2 certificate yet.
- Price
- ₹79 per employee a month before GST, for at least 25 employees, with AI included under fair use
- Free trial
- Free trial
- Statutory payroll
- Designed to support PF, ESI, PT, LWF and TDS
- Approval and record
- A person approves pay, tax, records and money; important changes go to the audit log
2
Darwinbox
Calls its AI Darwinbox Cortex and is reported to have more than 30 agents and a Super Agent that takes requests in plain language. An MCP server for connecting AI tools was announced in May 2025.
Best for: Large enterprises that want a broad catalogue of agents across HR, IT and Finance.
What stands out
- A Super Agent takes plain-language requests across HR, IT and Finance.
- An MCP server for connecting AI tools was announced in May 2025.
- Built for large, multi-country workforces.
Worth checking
- Prices are not published.
- Approval rules for agents are not described on the pages we checked.
- Price
- Quoted by sales
- Free trial
- Demo
- Statutory payroll
- Part of its HCM suite; check states with Darwinbox
- Approval and record
- Not described on the pages we checked
Darwinbox vs Peoplo.ai People Matters: Darwinbox launches Super Agent (18 Sep 2025)People Matters: Darwinbox MCP server (12 May 2025)From Darwinbox's public pages, checked 23 October 2026.
3
HROne
Markets One AI, which it says handles 110+ HR actions from natural-language commands, with an Employee AI Agent, receipt parsing for expenses, interview questions, candidate profiles, job descriptions and resume parsing.
Best for: Growing companies that want AI agents for employees, HR and recruiters, at published prices.
What stands out
- An Employee AI Agent takes leave requests and questions by voice.
- An expense receipt parser fills in reports from bulk uploads, and a job description writer works from 5 to 7 inputs.
- Says payroll pre-run audits reduce rework after the run.
Worth checking
- Its page says "this AI just takes over" and describes autonomous workflows; which steps wait for a person is not described.
- Recruitment and helpdesk modules need the quoted Enterprise plan.
- Price
- Basic ₹4,950 or Professional ₹6,500 a month for 50 users
- Free trial
- Not described
- Statutory payroll
- Payroll included from Basic
- Approval and record
- Calls itself "an HR co-pilot, not a replacement"; approvals not described
HROne vs Peoplo.ai HROne One AIHROne plans and pricingFrom HROne's public pages, checked 4 November 2026.
4
PeopleStrong
An HCM platform for large enterprises across Asia, which says it serves 500+ enterprises and 2 million+ users in 10 countries. Its MAAX multi-agent architecture puts Jinie, its HR chatbot, in front of agents such as the AI Co-Recruiter and an ER agent.
Best for: Large enterprises across Asia that want a chatbot that can hand work to specialised agents.
What stands out
- Jinie, launched as an HR chatbot, now acts as a super-agent that triggers a selected agent to do a task, such as starting onboarding for a candidate.
- Named agents for hiring (AI Co-Recruiter) and employee relations, plus analytics across modules.
- Built for large employers in India, the Middle East and South-East Asia.
Worth checking
- Its 2024 announcement says agents "can even execute tasks autonomously"; who approves them is not described.
- Prices are not published.
- Price
- Not published
- Free trial
- Demo
- Statutory payroll
- Payroll in the suite; Indian deductions not listed on the page we checked
- Approval and record
- Not described on the pages we checked
PeopleStrong home pagePeopleStrong: about us (offices and regions, checked 4 November 2026)PeopleStrong: AI agents unveiled at TechHR 2024 (13 Aug 2024)From PeopleStrong's public pages, checked 4 November 2026.
5
Pocket HRMS
Says its smHRty chatbot and HRMS Copilot are powered by agentic AI: an Employee Management Agent talks to the user in plain English and hands tasks to payroll, leave, attendance and employee records agents.
Best for: Companies of 50 or more employees that want a chatbot backed by payroll, leave and attendance agents, at a low per-employee price.
What stands out
- Agents flag data discrepancies before payroll, such as payroll errors or mismatched attendance.
- Reminders for statutory deadlines such as PF returns and TDS.
- Published prices: Standard ₹2,995 a month for 50 employees, then ₹60 each.
Worth checking
- Human approval and a record of what agents did are not described on the page we checked.
- Plans start at a minimum of 50 employees.
- Price
- Standard ₹2,995 a month for 50 employees, billed yearly
- Free trial
- Free demo
- Statutory payroll
- PF, ESIC, PT and TDS automation, and eTDS
- Approval and record
- Not described on the page we checked
Pocket HRMS: India's first smHRt agentic HR solutionPocket HRMS pricingFrom Pocket HRMS's public pages, checked 4 November 2026.
6
Zimyo
Zimyo 3.0 is described as "powered by Zim AI", with AI agents for payroll, the helpdesk and onboarding, and per-user prices.
Best for: Companies of 50 or more employees that want named AI agents for payroll, the helpdesk and onboarding.
What stands out
- Named AI agents for payroll, the helpdesk and onboarding.
- Published per-user prices: Basic ₹80, Standard ₹160 and Enterprise ₹240 a month.
- Multi-entity, multi-country and multi-currency payroll on Enterprise.
Worth checking
- AI tokens are bought separately: ₹20,000 for 10 million.
- Minimum billing of 50 users.
- Price
- ₹80, ₹160 or ₹240 per user a month; 50-user minimum
- Free trial
- 14 days, limited features
- Statutory payroll
- Payroll with compliance; deductions not listed
- Approval and record
- Not described on the page we checked
Zimyo pricingFrom Zimyo's public pages, checked 3 November 2026.
7
Keka
Keka AI answers questions with the record behind each number, drafts steps inside workflows, and flags payroll anomalies and attrition risk with a recommended action.
Best for: Companies that bill clients for project time and want an assistant that answers with the record behind each number.
What stands out
- Answers across payroll, attendance, hiring and performance, citing the record behind each number.
- Flags payroll anomalies and attrition risk with a recommended action.
- An AI Helpdesk in the HR suite.
Worth checking
- Named agents are not described on the pages we checked.
- Prices are quoted by sales, and a setup fee applies.
- Price
- Quoted by sales; a setup fee applies
- Free trial
- Not described
- Statutory payroll
- TDS, PF, ESI and PT across all states and union territories
- Approval and record
- Cites the record behind each number; approval of changes not described
Keka vs Peoplo.ai Keka pricing pageKeka home pageFrom Keka's public pages, checked 22 October 2026.
8
greytHR
NAVOS, which greytHR calls an "execution-first" agentic AI assistant, is on all paid plans and takes actions such as granting leave, pulling reports and updating records, within the user's permissions.
Best for: Small and mid-sized companies that want an assistant that carries out typed requests, at low published prices.
What stands out
- NAVOS grants leave, pulls reports and updates records from typed requests.
- Included on all paid plans, not an add-on.
- Published prices from ₹2,495 a month for up to 50 employees, with a seven-day trial.
Worth checking
- Its page does not say whether NAVOS asks for confirmation before a change.
- Hiring and expenses are add-ons.
- Price
- Essential ₹2,495 or Growth ₹4,495 a month for up to 50 employees
- Free trial
- 7 days
- Statutory payroll
- PF, ESI, PT, LWF and TDS across 28 states
- Approval and record
- Acts within the user's permissions; confirmation not described
greytHR vs Peoplo.ai greytHR pricing pagegreytHR home pageFrom greytHR's public pages, checked 22 October 2026.
9
Zoho People
Zia is described as "the AI layer built into Zoho People that answers questions, executes tasks, and pulls reports". Payroll is a separate product, Zoho Payroll, which lets you use Zia or your own AI tool within roles you set.
Best for: Teams already on Zoho that want an AI layer that answers questions and runs tasks.
What stands out
- Zia answers questions, executes tasks and pulls reports in Zoho People.
- Zoho Payroll lets you use Zia or your own AI tool for payroll tasks, within roles you set.
- Published per-user prices and a 30-day trial.
Worth checking
- Agents are not described on its Zia page.
- HR and payroll are separate products.
- Price
- Per-user plans, published
- Free trial
- 30 days
- Statutory payroll
- Through Zoho Payroll, a separate product
- Approval and record
- Zoho Payroll: AI works within roles you set
Zoho People vs Peoplo.ai Zoho People home pageZoho People: ZiaFrom Zoho People's public pages, checked 23 October 2026.
10
Asanify
Lists "Agentic AI" on its VIP plan and a WhatsApp HR bot, alongside per-employee HRMS plans and an employer of record service.
Best for: Teams that want per-employee prices, a WhatsApp HR bot and an employer of record option in India.
What stands out
- A WhatsApp HR bot for employees.
- Published per-employee prices: Essential ₹99 and VIP ₹199 a month, with a 14-day trial.
- An employer of record service for hiring in India without your own entity.
Worth checking
- Agentic AI is listed on VIP only, and what it does is not described on the pricing page.
- Approvals for AI actions are not described on the page we checked.
- Price
- Essential ₹99 or VIP ₹199 per employee a month
- Free trial
- 14 days
- Statutory payroll
- TDS, EPF, ESI, PT in 28 states and LWF, per its FAQ
- Approval and record
- Not described on the page we checked
Asanify pricingFrom Asanify's public pages, checked 3 November 2026.
11
factoHR
Lists Fia, a chatbot add-on, Factobot and AI face recognition attendance, with a free plan for up to 20 employees.
Best for: Small teams that want to start free, or field teams that need face recognition attendance.
What stands out
- AI face recognition with geo-fencing for field staff.
- A free plan for up to 20 employees.
- Published prices from ₹4,999 a month for up to 50 employees, billed quarterly.
Worth checking
- Fia is a chatbot add-on; AI agents are not described.
- Its INR and USD plan cards differ on whether Core includes payroll.
- Price
- Core ₹4,999 a month for up to 50 employees, billed quarterly
- Free trial
- Free plan up to 20 employees
- Statutory payroll
- Statutory compliance from Core; deductions not listed
- Approval and record
- Not described on the page we checked
factoHR pricingFrom factoHR's public pages, checked 3 November 2026.
12
Qandle
An Indian HRMS whose home page describes an HR chatbot that "answers questions, shares documents, and initiates HR requests", AI-powered resume screening and AI-powered face recognition attendance.
Best for: Companies of 50 or more employees that want an HR chatbot, AI resume screening and face recognition attendance.
What stands out
- An HR chatbot that answers questions, shares documents and starts HR requests.
- AI-powered resume screening in hiring.
- A free trial with no credit card, and no lock-in period.
Worth checking
- Prices did not show on its pricing page when we checked, and billing starts at 50 users.
- AI agents are not described on the pages we checked.
- Price
- Per employee, with a 50-user minimum
- Free trial
- Free trial, no credit card
- Statutory payroll
- Automated tax and compliance; its FAQ names PF, ESI and TDS help
- Approval and record
- Not described on the pages we checked
Qandle home pageQandle pricingFrom Qandle's public pages, checked 4 November 2026.
13
ZingHR
Calls itself an "AI-Powered HRMS Built for Enterprise Accuracy", with an AI chatbot, AI screening with "robotic interviews" and analytics.
Best for: Large shift-based workforces that want AI in hiring and an employee chatbot.
What stands out
- AI screening with what it calls robotic interviews.
- An AI chatbot for employees.
- Payroll and attendance for large, shift-based workforces.
Worth checking
- Its AI is described for hiring and the helpdesk, not payroll checks.
- Prices are not published.
- Price
- Quoted by sales
- Free trial
- Demo
- Statutory payroll
- "Zero-touch payroll" with taxes and full and final settlements
- Approval and record
- Not described on the pages we checked
ZingHR vs Peoplo.ai ZingHR: enterprise HRMS (Middle East)ZingHR: best HR softwareFrom ZingHR's public pages, checked 23 October 2026.
14
Savvy HRMS
Lists AI face recognition and AI email triggers as add-ons, with PF, ESI, TDS, LWF and PT challans in its Core plan.
Best for: Companies that want statutory challans in the entry plan and AI face recognition attendance as an add-on.
What stands out
- AI face recognition attendance as an add-on.
- AI email triggers as an add-on.
- PF, ESIC, TDS, LWF and PT challans in the published Core plan.
Worth checking
- AI agents and assistants are not described on the page we checked.
- Recruitment and performance need the quoted Pulse plan.
- Price
- Core ₹4,500 a month, from ₹90 per employee
- Free trial
- Demo
- Statutory payroll
- PF, ESIC, TDS, LWF and PT challans
- Approval and record
- Not described on the page we checked
Savvy HRMS pricingFrom Savvy HRMS's public pages, checked 3 November 2026.
15
Odoo
Odoo 19 added AI agents and an assistant that can query the database and trigger actions, across accounting, sales, inventory and HR.
Best for: Companies on Odoo that want general-purpose AI agents across the whole suite.
What stands out
- AI agents and an assistant that query the database and trigger actions.
- The same AI across accounting, sales, inventory and HR.
- One app is free for unlimited users.
Worth checking
- HR-specific agents are not described on the pages we checked.
- Implementation is often done by a paid partner.
- Price
- Per user for the whole suite, published
- Free trial
- Free trial; one app free
- Statutory payroll
- India localisation; Odoo 20 reported to add TDS, EPF and F&F reports
- Approval and record
- Not described on the pages we checked
Odoo vs Peoplo.ai Chittorgarh: Odoo 20 India compliance features (13 Oct 2026)Ksolves: Odoo 19 guideFrom Odoo's public pages, checked 23 October 2026.
Buyer's guide
What to look for at your size
Under 50 employees
Look for AI included in the price rather than tokens or add-ons, and a product that also runs payroll. Ask how many AI actions the plan includes.
Shortlist
- Peoplo.ai
- greytHR
- Zoho People
- factoHR
50 to 250 employees
This is where AI saves the most time: payroll checks after the PF ceiling change, onboarding with PAN and UAN, and settlements within two working days. Ask who approves each one.
Shortlist
- Peoplo.ai
- HROne
- Zimyo
- Pocket HRMS
- Keka
250 to 1,000 employees
Several states and entities, AI that respects each person's permissions, and a record your auditors can follow. Peoplo.ai publishes prices up to 2,000 employees.
Shortlist
- Peoplo.ai
- Keka
- Darwinbox
- ZingHR
- Qandle
1,000+ employees
Agents across HR, IT and Finance, many countries and a partner for the rollout. Ask which agents are live today and which are on a roadmap.
Shortlist
- Darwinbox
- PeopleStrong
- ZingHR
- Odoo
Questions to ask
Eight questions about the AI
Eight questions to ask about the AI before you sign. They matter more than the number of AI features on a pricing page.
- 1
What it does alone
Which actions does the AI take without a person, and can you see that list?
- 2
Approvals
Do changes to pay, tax, people records and money always wait for a person?
- 3
A record
Are important changes written to an audit log, with who did what and when, that you can show an auditor?
- 4
Permissions
Does the AI see only what the person it works for can see?
- 5
Control
Can admins turn each agent on or off, and does the HRMS still work without AI?
- 6
Your data
Is employee data used to train AI models, and where is it processed? Check the answers against the DPDP Act, 2023.
- 7
Your own AI
Can you connect your own assistant over MCP, with a personal key you can revoke?
- 8
Payroll
Does the AI check PF at the new ₹25,000 ceiling, ESI, PT for each state and TDS under both regimes before the run is locked?
Sources · checked 22 October 2026
Task by task
What each Peoplo.ai agent does
Every agent starts on an event, prepares one piece of work and stops at a clear line.
Payroll anomaly check
Starts when: every payroll run. Prepares: a comparison with last month that flags big changes, missing attendance, unpaid leave, joiners and leavers, and negative pay. You approve: locking the run. It never: lock or pay a payroll run.
Onboarding coordinator
Starts when: an accepted offer. Prepares: a day-one plan, the document list and the IT request. You approve: the plan, before it goes out. It never: send anything to a new joiner without approval.
Exit coordinator
Starts when: a resignation or last day. Prepares: the full and final settlement, asset returns and letters. You approve: the settlement. It never: pay a settlement or revoke access on its own.
Receipt reader
Starts when: a new claim or bill. Prepares: merchant, amount and category, read from the receipt. You approve: the claim. It never: approve or pay a claim.
Policy assistant
Starts when: a question from an employee. Prepares: an answer from your own policies, with the source. You approve: nothing. It answers, it never changes data. It never: change any record. It only answers.
Weekly brief
Starts when: monday morning. Prepares: a summary of leave, joiners, leavers and open approvals. You approve: nothing. It only reports. It never: act on what it finds. It only reports.
On Indian data
What an agent run looks like
Sample runs with Indian examples: what starts each agent, what it does, and the step it hands back to you.
October payroll calculated for 48 employees
Payroll anomaly check: Read salaries, pay components and revisions. Compared every payslip with September. Checked PF, ESI, PT and TDS for each work state. Found 1 person with no salary set. Flagged an overtime amount twice the usual. Then it waits for you: review and lock.
Arjun Mehta accepted the offer
Onboarding coordinator: Picked the Design onboarding template. Set due dates from the joining date, Mon 2 Nov. Assigned tasks to Arjun, his manager and HR. Drafted the laptop and email request for IT. Chose a buddy from the same team. Then it waits for you: approve and send.
Sara Khan’s last day set to Wed 25 Nov
Exit coordinator: Read monthly gross from payroll. Counted 6 days of encashable leave. Checked IT assets: laptop and ID card still assigned. Worked out the full and final settlement. Drafted the relieving and experience letters. Then it waits for you: approve settlement.
Neha Iyer attached a receipt to a claim
Receipt reader: Read the merchant, date and amount. Matched the category to Travel. Checked the amount against the travel policy. Converted at October’s rate. Filled in the claim line. Then it waits for you: approve claim.
An employee asked about carrying leave forward
Policy assistant: Found the Leave policy 2026. Read the carry-over section. Looked up the employee’s own balance. Worked out what lapses on 31 Dec. Answered with the source. Then it waits for you: answered.
Monday morning, week of 26 Oct
Weekly brief: Counted leave, joiners and leavers. Listed approvals waiting more than 3 days. Checked statutory due dates. Summarised the week for HR and managers. Sent the brief. Then it waits for you: read.
Know the difference
Chatbot, assistant or AI agents?
Most HR products in India now say they have AI. What matters is what it does, and who decides.
A chatbot
Answers questions from your policies, payslips and leave balances, and may start a request. Useful for employees, but it does not prepare work. factoHR's Fia and Qandle's HR chatbot are described this way.
An assistant that acts on requests
Carries out what you type, such as granting leave or pulling a report, within your permissions. greytHR's NAVOS, Keka AI and Zoho's Zia are described this way.
AI agents
Start on their own when something happens, such as a payroll run or a resignation, prepare the work and hand it to a person. Peoplo.ai, Darwinbox, HROne, PeopleStrong, Pocket HRMS and Zimyo describe agents.
AI features
Face recognition attendance, resume screening and email triggers. Useful, but narrow. Savvy HRMS, factoHR and Qandle list these.
How to test it
Ask for a demo on your own data: a payroll run with one deliberate mistake, a resignation and a receipt. Watch what the AI prepares, who approves it and what is recorded.
Cost
What AI costs in an Indian HRMS
Vendors price AI in very different ways, so compare the total for your headcount, not the headline.
Included in the plan
Peoplo.ai includes AI agents in the plan, with fair use of about 5 AI runs per employee a month (₹79 per employee a month before GST, for at least 25 employees). greytHR includes NAVOS on all paid plans.
Tokens or higher tiers
Zimyo sells AI tokens separately (₹20,000 for 10 million), and Asanify lists agentic AI on its VIP plan at ₹199 per employee a month.
Add-ons
factoHR sells its Fia chatbot as an add-on, and Savvy HRMS lists AI face recognition and AI email triggers as add-ons.
Quoted
Darwinbox, PeopleStrong, Keka and ZingHR give prices after a demo or quote. HROne's recruiting and helpdesk modules are on its quoted Enterprise plan.
Where AI helps most
Five HR jobs in India where AI saves real time
The best uses are repetitive, rule-based and easy to check: exactly where a person should still sign off.
The monthly payroll check
Compare every payslip with last month, flag PF changes at the ₹25,000 ceiling, ESI crossings, missing attendance and negative pay, before the run is locked.
Full and final settlements
Work out salary to the last day, leave encashment and recoveries so final wages can be paid within two working days, and gratuity after five years, due within 30 days.
Onboarding
Build the day-one plan, collect PAN, Aadhaar and UAN, and raise the laptop and email request as soon as the offer is accepted.
Expense claims
Read the merchant, date, amount and GST from a receipt, check it against the policy and fill in the claim for a manager to approve.
Employee questions
Answer leave balances, payslip lines and policy questions from company records, so HR handles only the exceptions.
Can AI run payroll in India?
AI can do most of the preparation: compare the run with last month, flag PF changes after the ceiling moved to ₹25,000, catch anyone who crosses the ESI line, and check professional tax for each state and TDS under each person's regime. The employer is still responsible for paying wages and deposits on time, so someone in your company should review and lock the run.
The same goes for exits. An agent can work out the full and final settlement, leave encashment, gratuity and the assets to collect, but the settlement is money leaving the company, so a person approves it. Look for products that say clearly which steps the AI takes alone and which it hands back.
More on AI and HR in India
See Peoplo.ai's agents work on an Indian payroll
A 30-minute demo with your pay structure: the payroll check after the PF ceiling change, an onboarding plan with PAN and UAN, and a full and final settlement, each waiting for your approval.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Straight answers for Indian companies choosing an HRMS with AI.
What is the best AI HRMS software in India?
Our pick is Peoplo.ai: AI agents prepare payroll checks, onboarding, exits and claims, and changes to pay, tax, people records and money wait for a person. Prices are published (₹79 per employee a month before GST, for at least 25 employees). Darwinbox and PeopleStrong suit large enterprises, HROne and Zimyo growing teams that want named agents, and greytHR an assistant at a low price.
Is there HR software in India that uses AI agents to do payroll and onboarding, not just a chatbot?
Yes. Peoplo.ai's payroll anomaly check reviews every run against last month, and its onboarding coordinator prepares a day-one plan when an offer is accepted; a person approves both. Darwinbox is reported to have more than 30 agents, HROne markets Employee, HR and Recruiter agents, Zimyo names payroll, helpdesk and onboarding agents, and Pocket HRMS describes payroll, leave and attendance agents.
What are AI agents in HR software?
AI agents start work on their own when something happens, such as a payroll run, an accepted offer or a resignation. They gather the data, prepare the work, such as a payroll check or a settlement, and hand it to a person. A chatbot, by contrast, only answers questions.
What is the difference between an AI assistant and an AI agent?
An assistant waits for you to ask, then answers or carries out the request. greytHR's NAVOS and Zoho's Zia work this way. An agent starts on its own when something happens and prepares a piece of work for a person to approve.
What makes an HRMS AI-native rather than AI added on?
In an AI-native HRMS the AI is part of how work gets done: agents watch for events and prepare the next step. In an HRMS with AI added on, the AI usually sits beside the product as a chatbot or report writer. Ask a vendor what the AI does without being asked, and who approves it.
Does Peoplo.ai run payroll on its own?
No. The payroll anomaly check compares the run with last month and flags what looks wrong, such as missing attendance or a salary that changed a lot. A person locks and pays the run. The agent never does.
Can AI check PF after the wage ceiling change?
Yes. The PF wage ceiling rose to ₹25,000 a month from 17 September 2026. Peoplo.ai's payroll check compares each payslip with the month before, so the PF increase for everyone with a basic above ₹15,000 shows up as a change for a person to review before the run is locked.
Does AI approve payroll or leave on its own?
It depends on the product. In Peoplo.ai, changes to pay, tax, people records and money always wait for a person. greytHR's NAVOS acts on typed requests within the user's permissions, and HROne's One AI page says "this AI just takes over". Many vendors do not say which steps wait for a person, so ask.
Can I connect ChatGPT or Claude to my HR software?
With Peoplo.ai, yes. Each person can connect Claude Desktop, Claude Code or ChatGPT over MCP with their own API key, and the assistant sees only what their role allows. Darwinbox announced an MCP server in May 2025, and Zoho Payroll lets you use your own AI tool within roles you set.
How much does an AI HRMS cost in India?
Peoplo.ai includes AI agents in the plan: ₹79 per employee a month before GST, for at least 25 employees. greytHR starts at ₹2,495 a month for up to 50 employees with NAVOS, Pocket HRMS at ₹2,995 for 50, and HROne at ₹4,950 for 50 users. Zimyo charges ₹80 to ₹240 per user plus AI tokens. Darwinbox, PeopleStrong, Keka and ZingHR quote.
Which AI HRMS suits small businesses in India?
Peoplo.ai is ₹1,975 a month for up to 25 employees with AI included under fair use. greytHR includes NAVOS from ₹2,495 a month, factoHR has a free plan for up to 20 employees, and Zoho Payroll is free for up to 10.
Which AI HRMS suits large enterprises in India?
Darwinbox is reported to have more than 30 agents and a Super Agent across HR, IT and Finance, PeopleStrong puts its Jinie super-agent over named agents for hiring and employee relations, and ZingHR focuses on large shift-based workforces. All three quote prices.
Can AI prepare a full and final settlement?
Yes. Peoplo.ai's exit coordinator prepares the settlement, leave encashment, gratuity and asset returns when a last day is set, so final wages can be paid within the two working days the Code on Wages requires; gratuity is due within 30 days under the Code on Social Security. A person approves it; the agent never pays it.
Can AI read receipts for expense claims?
Yes. Peoplo.ai's receipt reader reads the merchant, date, amount and category, checks the claim against your policy and fills it in for a manager to approve. HROne also lists an expense receipt parser for bulk uploads.
Which Indian HR software uses AI in hiring?
HROne writes job descriptions, interview questions and candidate profiles, PeopleStrong has an AI Co-Recruiter, ZingHR AI screening with robotic interviews, Qandle AI resume screening, and Darwinbox reported recruiting agents. In Peoplo.ai, hiring is in the plan, and the onboarding coordinator starts as soon as an offer is accepted.
Is employee data safe with an AI HRMS?
Ask each vendor where its AI processes data, whether it trains models on your data and who can see the results, and check the answers against the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023. Peoplo.ai runs in one Microsoft Azure region, East US, and assistants connected over MCP get the same permissions as the user has in the app.
What is Kili?
Kili is the AI assistant in Peoplo.ai. It answers questions from your company's records and suggests changes in cards you confirm or cancel, alongside the AI agents.
Can I turn the AI off?
In Peoplo.ai, admins turn each agent on or off, and the product works as a normal HRMS without them. Most other vendors do not say on their pages whether each AI feature can be switched off, so ask in the demo.
Which AI HRMS covers India and the UAE?
Peoplo.ai runs Indian and UAE companies in one account, each with its own payroll under its country's rules, and the same agents. Darwinbox, Zimyo, greytHR, ZingHR and PeopleStrong also sell in the Middle East.
How do I test an AI HRMS before buying?
Ask for a demo on your own data: a payroll run with one deliberate mistake, a resignation and a receipt. Watch what the AI prepares, who has to approve it, whether important changes are recorded and whether an admin can turn the AI off.
How did you compare the AI in these products?
We read each company's public pages and, where those were thin, its own announcements or news reports, and checked them against six criteria: AI that does real work, who approves, a record, control, bringing your own AI and Indian payroll. Peoplo.ai wrote this page and lists its own product first. Facts about other products come from their public pages, with the date we checked them.