Compare · India · Alternatives

Keka alternatives in India (2026)

The main Keka alternatives in India are Peoplo.ai, our pick, and 13 others. Peoplo.ai suits teams that want AI agents with hiring in the plan, from ₹1,975 a month. Other fits: greytHR if price decides it, HROne for named AI agents at published prices, Darwinbox for a large enterprise, and RazorpayX Payroll if you want salary payouts in the same product.

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: AI agents and a price you can see: Peoplo.ai
Lowest published price for 50: greytHR
Named AI agents, published prices: HROne
Large enterprise, many countries: Darwinbox
Payroll with salary payouts: RazorpayX Payroll
Start free, up to 10 employees: Zoho Payroll

Before you switch

You want to see the price first. Keka’s pricing page does not publish plan prices. Plans are quoted by sales, and a setup fee applies. Source
You want hiring in the same plan. Keka sells hiring as separate plans (Pro and Advanced), apart from its HRMS and payroll plans. Source
You want AI that starts the work. Keka AI is described as an assistant that answers, drafts and recommends. The pages we checked don’t describe named agents. Source
If you switch mid-year, the new system needs each person's salary and TDS so far this year, and the PF wage ceiling of ₹25,000 a month from 17 September 2026 must be set up from day one. Source
Your employee records are personal data under the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023, so plan how they are exported from the old system, moved and deleted once you are live. Source

At a glance

The 14 alternatives side by side

Product	Best for	AI	Statutory payroll	Cost for 100 employees	Free trial	Price	Checked
1.Peoplo.ai	Companies that want a check on every payroll run, with HR, hiring and exits in the same product.	Payroll check agent before every run	Designed to support PF, ESI, PT, LWF and TDS	₹7,900 (per employee)	Free trial	₹79 per employee a month before GST, for at least 25 employees	3 November 2026
2.Zoho Payroll	Small teams that want to start free, or already use Zoho apps, and want payroll on its own.	Zia or your own AI tool, within roles you set	EPF, ESI, state-wise PT, LWF and TDS	₹4,000 (Standard, yearly)	14 days; free up to 10 employees	Free up to 10; Standard ₹1,000 a month for 25 employees, billed yearly	3 November 2026
3.greytHR	Price is the deciding factor and you mainly need Indian payroll, leave and attendance.	NAVOS, an "execution-first" assistant on all plans	PF, ESI, PT, LWF and TDS across 28 states	₹4,745 (Essential)	7 days	Essential ₹2,495 or Growth ₹4,495 a month for up to 50 employees	22 October 2026
4.RazorpayX Payroll	Startups that want salary payouts and compliance payments from the same product as their business banking.	Not described on the pages we checked	"Compliance payments, calculation and filing" on all plans	Not worked out: Elite is shown at two prices	Not described	Prime ₹3,499 a month for up to 20 employees; 18% GST extra	23 October 2026
5.HROne	Companies with frontline staff that want selfie attendance feeding payroll, and a WhatsApp assistant.	One AI: Employee, HR and Recruiter AI agents	Payroll included from Basic	₹9,900 (Basic)	Not described	Basic ₹4,950 or Professional ₹6,500 a month for 50 users	23 October 2026
6.Pocket HRMS	Companies of 50 or more employees that want a low per-employee price with PF, ESIC, PT and TDS automation.	smHRty chatbot, AI face recognition and fraud checks	PF, ESIC, PT and TDS automation, and eTDS	₹5,995 (Standard)	Free demo	Standard ₹2,995 a month for 50 employees, billed yearly	3 November 2026
7.Savvy HRMS	Companies that want PF, ESI, TDS, LWF and PT challans and minimum wages compliance in the entry plan.	AI face recognition and AI email triggers (add-ons)	PF, ESIC, TDS, LWF and PT challans	Not worked out from the page	Demo	Core ₹4,500 a month, from ₹90 per employee	3 November 2026
8.Asanify	Teams that want per-employee prices, Form 24Q filing and an employer of record option.	"Agentic AI" on VIP, and a WhatsApp HR bot	TDS, EPF, ESI, PT in 28 states and LWF, per its FAQ	₹9,900 (Essential)	14 days	Essential ₹99 or VIP ₹199 per employee a month	3 November 2026
9.factoHR	Small teams that want to start free, or companies with field staff on geo-fenced attendance.	Fia chatbot (add-on), Factobot and AI face recognition	Statutory compliance from Core; deductions not listed	₹9,949 (Core)	Free plan up to 20 employees	Core ₹4,999 a month for up to 50 employees, billed quarterly	3 November 2026
10.Zimyo	Companies of 50 or more employees that want a payroll AI agent and per-user prices.	Zim AI, with payroll, helpdesk and onboarding AI agents	Payroll with compliance; deductions not listed	₹8,000 (Basic)	14 days, limited features	₹80, ₹160 or ₹240 per user a month; 50-user minimum	3 November 2026
11.sumHR	Small teams that want one simple per-employee price, with payroll outsourcing on offer.	Not described on the page we checked	Salary structures and IT declarations; deductions not listed	₹11,900 (₹1,428 a year each)	Demo	₹1,428 a year per employee (about ₹119 a month)	3 November 2026
12.Quikchex	Companies that want payroll run for them, with labour compliance and audits from the same provider.	Not described on the page we checked	Outsourcing includes TDS, PF, ESI, PT and LWF	Not shown on the pages we checked	Demo	Not shown on the pages we checked	3 November 2026
13.ZingHR	Large shift-based workforces that want "zero-touch payroll" with heavy attendance rules.	AI chatbot, AI screening with "robotic interviews", analytics	"Zero-touch payroll" with taxes and full and final settlements	Quoted by sales	Demo	Quoted by sales	23 October 2026
14.Darwinbox	Large enterprises and multinationals that want payroll inside a global HCM suite.	More than 30 agents and a Super Agent, reported	Part of its HCM suite; check states with Darwinbox	Quoted by sales	Demo	Quoted by sales	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. Cost for 100 uses each entry plan's published formula, before GST.

How we chose

Six things to check before you switch

We started from the fifteen payroll products in our India ranking, removed Keka, and read each alternative's own pages for price, AI, hiring and statutory payroll. We did not test competitors' software, and we do not take payment for a place on this list.

A price you can see

Is the price published, and what does it come to for your headcount, including add-ons?

Indian statutory payroll

PF, ESI, professional tax and LWF for every state, and TDS under both regimes.

Hiring in the plan

Are hiring, onboarding and exits included, or sold separately?

AI that does the work

Do agents prepare the payroll check and settlements, or does the AI only answer?

A safe switch

Can you import your data, run a month in parallel and get help with the cutover?

When to stay

Is there a reason to stay that no alternative matches?

Peoplo.ai is first because it is our product, and we say so. The others follow the order of our payroll ranking; we did not score them against each other. Each card says what that vendor's own pages show, and when we checked.

The alternatives

The 14 alternatives, one by one

1 · Our pick
Peoplo.ai
An agentic HRMS with payroll designed to support PF, ESI, professional tax and LWF for every state, and TDS under both regimes. The payroll check agent compares every payslip with the month before and flags gaps before anyone locks the run.
Best for: Companies that want a check on every payroll run, with HR, hiring and exits in the same product.
What stands out
- The payroll check reads salaries, components and revisions, checks PF, ESI, PT and TDS for each work state, compares every payslip with last month and flags anything unusual. It never locks or pays a run.
- Tax declarations and proofs, gratuity, and full and final settlements prepared by the exit agent for a person to approve.
- One published price per employee: ₹79 per employee a month before GST, for at least 25 employees, with AI agents, hiring and exits in the plan.
Worth checking
- Published prices go up to 2,000 employees; above that, talk to us.
- Salary payouts from a bank account are not part of the product; you pay through your own bank.
- A newer product, so there are fewer published customer stories than for long-established vendors.
Price
₹79 per employee a month before GST, for at least 25 employees
Free trial
Free trial
Statutory payroll
Designed to support PF, ESI, PT, LWF and TDS
Cost for 100 employees
₹7,900 (per employee)
Request a demo See pricing
2
Zoho Payroll
Zoho's payroll product for India, free for up to 10 employees, with PF, ESI, LWF, state-wise PT and income tax, and Zia or your own AI tool for payroll tasks.
Best for: Small teams that want to start free, or already use Zoho apps, and want payroll on its own.
What stands out
- Free forever for up to 10 employees, with payroll calculation, payslips and 40+ reports.
- Published prices billed yearly: Standard ₹1,000 for 25 employees plus ₹40 each, Professional ₹3,000 and Premium ₹4,000 for 50 plus ₹60 or ₹80 each.
- Bank advice with partner banks, payslips over WhatsApp, and an employee app on iOS and Android.
Worth checking
- Payroll only; HR is Zoho People, a separate product.
- Form 16 and 24Q filing are not named on the pricing page; its product page lists Form 130 and Form 138.
Price
Free up to 10; Standard ₹1,000 a month for 25 employees, billed yearly
Free trial
14 days; free up to 10 employees
Statutory payroll
EPF, ESI, state-wise PT, LWF and TDS
Cost for 100 employees
₹4,000 (Standard, yearly)
Zoho Payroll India pricing Zoho Payroll IndiaFrom Zoho Payroll's public pages, checked 3 November 2026.
3
greytHR
A long-running Indian payroll and HR product, used by 33,000+ companies by its own account, with PF, ESI, PT, LWF and TDS across 28 states.
Best for: Price is the deciding factor and you mainly need Indian payroll, leave and attendance.
What stands out
- Low published prices: Essential ₹2,495 and Growth ₹4,495 a month for up to 50 employees, then ₹45 or ₹85 per extra employee.
- PF, ESI, PT, LWF and TDS across 28 states.
- NAVOS, an assistant on all plans that takes actions such as pulling reports and updating records within the user's permissions.
Worth checking
- Hiring and expenses are paid add-ons.
- Premium is quoted by sales.
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
Cost for 100 employees
₹4,745 (Essential)
greytHR vs Peoplo.ai greytHR pricing page greytHR home pageFrom greytHR's public pages, checked 22 October 2026.
4
RazorpayX Payroll
A payroll product from Razorpay with payslips, direct salary payment, and "compliance payments, calculation and filing" on all plans.
Best for: Startups that want salary payouts and compliance payments from the same product as their business banking.
What stands out
- Pays salaries and compliance dues directly, from the same product as Razorpay business banking.
- Published prices: Prime ₹3,499 a month for up to 20 employees, 18% GST extra.
- Expense management, limited on Prime and Elite.
Worth checking
- Which deductions are covered is not listed on the pages we checked.
- Elite is shown at two prices on its pricing page (₹6,499 and ₹9,499 a month).
Price
Prime ₹3,499 a month for up to 20 employees; 18% GST extra
Free trial
Not described
Statutory payroll
"Compliance payments, calculation and filing" on all plans
Cost for 100 employees
Not worked out: Elite is shown at two prices
RazorpayX Payroll vs Peoplo.ai RazorpayX Payroll pricing RazorpayX Payroll plans (docs)From RazorpayX Payroll's public pages, checked 23 October 2026.
5
HROne
An Indian HRMS that says 2,000+ HR teams use it, with payroll included from its Basic plan and One AI agents for employees, HR and recruiters.
Best for: Companies with frontline staff that want selfie attendance feeding payroll, and a WhatsApp assistant.
What stands out
- Published prices: Basic ₹4,950 and Professional ₹6,500 a month for 50 users, then ₹99 or ₹130 per extra user.
- Selfie and geo-fenced attendance into payroll.
- One AI agents, a receipt parser and a WhatsApp assistant.
Worth checking
- Which statutory deductions are covered is not listed on the pricing page we checked.
- Expense, asset and helpdesk modules need Enterprise.
Price
Basic ₹4,950 or Professional ₹6,500 a month for 50 users
Free trial
Not described
Statutory payroll
Payroll included from Basic
Cost for 100 employees
₹9,900 (Basic)
HROne vs Peoplo.ai HROne plans and pricing HROne One AIFrom HROne's public pages, checked 23 October 2026.
6
Pocket HRMS
An Indian HRMS that calls itself "Agentic AI-powered", with Standard and Professional plans for a minimum of 50 employees and statutory compliance automation for PF, ESIC, PT and TDS.
Best for: Companies of 50 or more employees that want a low per-employee price with PF, ESIC, PT and TDS automation.
What stands out
- Published prices billed yearly: Standard ₹2,995 and Professional ₹4,495 a month for 50 employees, then ₹60 or ₹90 per extra employee.
- PF, ESIC, PT and TDS automation, eTDS generation, and payslips and Form 16 in the mobile app.
- Selfie attendance with AI face recognition, and attendance fraud detection on Premium.
Worth checking
- A minimum of 50 employees, and a one-time implementation fee with no amount given.
- LWF is not mentioned on the pricing page we checked.
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
Cost for 100 employees
₹5,995 (Standard)
Pocket HRMS pricingFrom Pocket HRMS's public pages, checked 3 November 2026.
7
Savvy HRMS
An Indian HRMS that says it is trusted by 1,000+ clients, whose Core plan includes PF, ESIC, TDS, LWF and PT challans and UAN management.
Best for: Companies that want PF, ESI, TDS, LWF and PT challans and minimum wages compliance in the entry plan.
What stands out
- Core includes minimum wages compliance, PF, ESIC and UAN management, and PF, ESIC, TDS, LWF and PT challans.
- Published prices: Core ₹4,500 and Edge ₹6,000 a month, from ₹90 and ₹120 per employee.
- Geo-fencing on Core and selfie attendance on Edge.
Worth checking
- Implementation fees depend on scope and are not listed.
- AI is limited to face recognition and email triggers, as add-ons.
Price
Core ₹4,500 a month, from ₹90 per employee
Free trial
Demo
Statutory payroll
PF, ESIC, TDS, LWF and PT challans
Cost for 100 employees
Not worked out from the page
Savvy HRMS pricingFrom Savvy HRMS's public pages, checked 3 November 2026.
8
Asanify
An Indian HRMS and employer of record provider whose FAQ lists TDS, EPF, ESI, PT in 28 states, LWF, bonus, gratuity and quarterly Form 24Q filing.
Best for: Teams that want per-employee prices, Form 24Q filing and an employer of record option.
What stands out
- Published per-employee prices: Essential ₹99 and VIP ₹199 a month, with two months free on annual plans.
- Its FAQ lists quarterly Form 24Q filing alongside TDS, EPF, ESI, PT and LWF.
- An employer of record service for paying people in India without your own entity.
Worth checking
- Its FAQ does not say whether compliance filing is part of the HRMS plans or only the EOR service.
- Agentic AI is listed on VIP only.
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
Cost for 100 employees
₹9,900 (Essential)
Asanify pricingFrom Asanify's public pages, checked 3 November 2026.
9
factoHR
An Indian HR and payroll product that says it has helped 4,000+ businesses, with statutory compliance from its Core plan and a free plan for up to 20 employees.
Best for: Small teams that want to start free, or companies with field staff on geo-fenced attendance.
What stands out
- A free plan for up to 20 employees, with employee data, letters and payslips.
- Published prices: Core ₹4,999, Premium ₹5,999 and Ultimate ₹6,999 a month for up to 50 employees, billed quarterly.
- Geo-fencing and face recognition in the higher plans.
Worth checking
- Its INR and USD plan cards differ on whether Core includes payroll.
- Which deductions are covered is not listed on the pricing page.
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
Cost for 100 employees
₹9,949 (Core)
factoHR pricingFrom factoHR's public pages, checked 3 November 2026.
10
Zimyo
An Indian HR and payroll platform, "powered by Zim AI", with a named payroll AI agent and multi-entity, multi-country payroll on its Enterprise plan.
Best for: Companies of 50 or more employees that want a payroll AI agent and per-user prices.
What stands out
- A named AI agent for payroll, plus helpdesk and onboarding agents.
- 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
- Minimum billing of 50 users, and AI tokens are bought separately (₹20,000 for 10 million).
- PF, ESI, PT, LWF and TDS are not listed by name on its pricing page.
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
Cost for 100 employees
₹8,000 (Basic)
Zimyo pricingFrom Zimyo's public pages, checked 3 November 2026.
11
sumHR
An Indian HRMS with one published price, ₹1,428 a year per employee, unlimited salary structures and IT declarations.
Best for: Small teams that want one simple per-employee price, with payroll outsourcing on offer.
What stands out
- One published price: ₹1,428 a year per employee.
- Unlimited salary structures, flexible benefits and IT declarations.
- Payroll outsourcing is offered.
Worth checking
- PF, ESI, PT, LWF and TDS are not listed by name on the page we checked.
- AI is not described on the page we checked.
Price
₹1,428 a year per employee (about ₹119 a month)
Free trial
Demo
Statutory payroll
Salary structures and IT declarations; deductions not listed
Cost for 100 employees
₹11,900 (₹1,428 a year each)
sumHR pricingFrom sumHR's public pages, checked 3 November 2026.
12
Quikchex
An Indian payroll and compliance provider whose payroll outsourcing includes TDS, PF, ESI, PT and LWF, with licences, registers and a monthly compliance audit report.
Best for: Companies that want payroll run for them, with labour compliance and audits from the same provider.
What stands out
- Payroll outsourcing that includes TDS, PF, ESI, PT and LWF.
- Labour compliance: licences, registers and notices, plus a monthly compliance audit report.
- State-specific tax calculations for multi-state payroll.
Worth checking
- Prices were not shown on the pages we checked.
- AI is not described on the page we checked.
Price
Not shown on the pages we checked
Free trial
Demo
Statutory payroll
Outsourcing includes TDS, PF, ESI, PT and LWF
Cost for 100 employees
Not shown on the pages we checked
Quikchex home pageFrom Quikchex's public pages, checked 3 November 2026.
13
ZingHR
An Indian enterprise HRMS, trusted by 1,200+ enterprises by its own account, with "zero-touch payroll" including taxes and full and final settlements.
Best for: Large shift-based workforces that want "zero-touch payroll" with heavy attendance rules.
What stands out
- Payroll with taxes and full and final settlements for large, shift-based workforces.
- Strong attendance and shift management for BFSI, manufacturing, retail and logistics.
- Also sold in the Middle East.
Worth checking
- Prices are not published.
- Indian deductions are not listed on the pages we checked.
Price
Quoted by sales
Free trial
Demo
Statutory payroll
"Zero-touch payroll" with taxes and full and final settlements
Cost for 100 employees
Quoted by sales
ZingHR vs Peoplo.ai ZingHR: enterprise HRMS (Middle East)ZingHR: best HR softwareFrom ZingHR's public pages, checked 23 October 2026.
14
Darwinbox
An Indian HCM platform reported to serve around 1,000 enterprise customers in about 130 countries, with payroll as part of its suite and a growing set of AI agents.
Best for: Large enterprises and multinationals that want payroll inside a global HCM suite.
What stands out
- Payroll inside a broad HCM suite built for large, multi-country workforces.
- Super Agent takes plain-language requests across HR, IT and Finance.
- An MCP server announced in May 2025.
Worth checking
- Prices are not published.
- Statutory coverage by state is not listed on the pages we checked.
Price
Quoted by sales
Free trial
Demo
Statutory payroll
Part of its HCM suite; check states with Darwinbox
Cost for 100 employees
Quoted by sales
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.

Buyer's guide

Which alternative fits your size

Under 50 employees

Look for a published price, payroll with PF, ESI, PT and TDS in the base plan, and no setup fee. A free plan or a short trial lets you run one month in parallel before you switch.

Shortlist

Peoplo.ai
greytHR
Zoho Payroll
factoHR

50 to 250 employees

Teams this size often leave for hiring in the same plan and AI that prepares the monthly payroll check. Compare the total for your headcount, including hiring and expenses.

Shortlist

Peoplo.ai
HROne
Pocket HRMS
Zimyo
greytHR

250 to 1,000 employees

Several states, entities and approval chains. Ask for a migration plan with a parallel run, and check how each product handles PT and LWF for every state you employ people in.

Shortlist

Peoplo.ai
Darwinbox
ZingHR
HROne

You bill clients for project time

Keka's project services suite (timesheets, resourcing, billing and invoicing) is a real reason to stay. If you move, plan where timesheets and invoicing will live.

Shortlist

Keka (stay)
Peoplo.ai
Darwinbox

Switching checklist

What to move when you leave Keka

What to move when you leave Keka, in the order most teams do it. Do the move at the start of a month, ideally the start of a quarter, and run one payroll in both systems before you switch off the old one.

1
Employee master
Names, joining dates, departments, managers, bank accounts, PAN and Aadhaar, from an export of the old system.
2
PF and ESI numbers
Each person's UAN and ESI IP number, and your establishment codes, so challans continue without a break.
3
Salary structures
Pay components, CTC breakdowns, revisions and arrears still to pay.
4
This year so far
Each person's gross salary, deductions and TDS from 1 April to the last payroll in the old system, so TDS projections and Form 16 stay right.
5
Tax declarations
Each person's chosen regime, declarations and proofs submitted so far.
6
Leave balances
Opening balances by leave type, and the leave policy and holiday calendar for each location.
7
Documents and letters
Offer letters, appointment letters and ID documents, with consent recorded as the DPDP Act requires.
8
The parallel run
Run one month in both systems, compare every payslip, then lock payroll in the new system only.

Sources · checked 22 October 2026

Why teams look around

Why do companies look for Keka alternatives?

Keka is a large Indian HR and payroll platform with suites for payroll, HR, talent and project services. Teams that compare it with other products usually want one of these. From Keka's public pages, checked 22 October 2026.

You want to see the price first

Keka’s pricing page does not publish plan prices. Plans are quoted by sales, and a setup fee applies.

You want hiring in the same plan

Keka sells hiring as separate plans (Pro and Advanced), apart from its HRMS and payroll plans.

You want AI that starts the work

Keka AI is described as an assistant that answers, drafts and recommends. The pages we checked don’t describe named agents.

Fair to both

When is Keka still the right choice?

Switching HR software takes a month or two of work. These are good reasons to stay.

Reason 1 to stay

You bill clients for project time and want timesheets, resourcing and invoicing in your HR system.

Reason 2 to stay

You prefer a large, long-established vendor with a big customer base in India.

Keka at a glance

What Keka offers today

From Keka's own pages, checked 22 October 2026, so you can compare like for like.

Price

Not published on its pricing page. Plans are quoted by sales, and a setup fee applies.

AI

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.

Hiring and add-ons

Sold as separate hiring plans (Pro and Advanced), apart from the HRMS and payroll plans.

Indian statutory payroll

TDS, PF, ESI and PT, across all states and union territories.

Beyond HR

Expenses, plus a project services suite: timesheets, resource management, billing and invoicing.

Outside India

Regional sites for the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, the US and the Philippines.

Cost

What 100 employees cost each month

On each entry plan's published formula, before GST and add-ons. Products that quote are not shown.

Zoho Payroll

₹4,000 a month for 100 employees.

greytHR

₹4,745 a month for 100 employees.

Pocket HRMS

₹5,995 a month for 100 employees.

Peoplo.ai

₹7,900 a month for 100 employees.

Zimyo

₹8,000 a month for 100 employees.

HROne

₹9,900 a month for 100 employees.

Asanify

₹9,900 a month for 100 employees.

factoHR

₹9,949 a month for 100 employees.

sumHR

₹11,900 a month for 100 employees.

Keka

Keka quotes, so its cost for 100 employees is not on its site; ask for a written quote including the setup fee.

Cost by headcount

What each published plan costs as you grow

Monthly cost before GST on each entry plan's published formula, cheapest first. Peoplo.ai is priced per employee, for at least 25 employees. Keka is shown separately below.

25 employees

Zoho Payroll ₹1,000, Peoplo.ai ₹1,975, Asanify ₹2,475, greytHR ₹2,495, sumHR ₹2,975, Pocket HRMS ₹2,995, Zimyo ₹4,000, HROne ₹4,950, factoHR ₹4,999.

50 employees

Zoho Payroll ₹2,000, greytHR ₹2,495, Pocket HRMS ₹2,995, Peoplo.ai ₹3,950, Zimyo ₹4,000, HROne ₹4,950, Asanify ₹4,950, factoHR ₹4,999, sumHR ₹5,950.

100 employees

Zoho Payroll ₹4,000, greytHR ₹4,745, Pocket HRMS ₹5,995, Peoplo.ai ₹7,900, Zimyo ₹8,000, HROne ₹9,900, Asanify ₹9,900, factoHR ₹9,949, sumHR ₹11,900.

200 employees

Zoho Payroll ₹8,000, greytHR ₹9,245, Pocket HRMS ₹11,995, Peoplo.ai ₹15,800, Zimyo ₹16,000, HROne ₹19,800, Asanify ₹19,800, factoHR ₹19,849, sumHR ₹23,800.

500 employees

Zoho Payroll ₹20,000, greytHR ₹22,745, Pocket HRMS ₹29,995, Peoplo.ai ₹39,500, Zimyo ₹40,000, HROne ₹49,500, Asanify ₹49,500, factoHR ₹49,549, sumHR ₹59,500.

Keka at the same sizes

Keka quotes, so its cost at each size is not on its site. Ask for a written quote at your headcount, with the setup fee and any hiring plan shown separately.

Feature by feature

How the alternatives compare with Keka, topic by topic

From each product's own pages, as recorded on our comparison pages. Keka first, then the others we compare in detail.

Hiring

Keka: sold as separate hiring plans (Pro and Advanced). greytHR: recruit add-on at ₹2,500 per recruiter a month. Darwinbox: recruiting is part of the suite, with recruiting agents reported. Zoho People: hiring and onboarding, with candidate matching in Zoho Recruit. RazorpayX Payroll: not described on the pricing page. HROne: recruitment on Enterprise. ZingHR: talent acquisition with an applicant tracking system, video eKYC and digital onboarding. Odoo: recruitment app.

Claims, expenses and more

Keka: expenses, plus a project services suite: timesheets, resource management, billing and invoicing. greytHR: expense management as an add-on (₹35 per user a month on Essential and Growth). Darwinbox: super Agent is described as working across HR, IT and Finance requests, and Darwinbox Studio connects other systems. Zoho People: expenses through a separate product, Zoho Expense. HR helpdesk, documents and learning in Zoho People. RazorpayX Payroll: expense management, limited on Prime and Elite. HROne: expense and asset modules on Enterprise. ZingHR: rewards, surveys and feedback. The pages we checked don’t cover expenses or assets. Odoo: a full ERP: accounting, sales, inventory, manufacturing and more.

Outside India

Keka: regional sites for the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, the US and the Philippines. greytHR: says it is present in 30+ countries. Statutory detail on its site is for India. Darwinbox: customers in about 130 countries. Zoho People: used in 165+ countries. RazorpayX Payroll: india payroll. HROne: india-focused. ZingHR: india, the Middle East and South East Asia, with a Dubai office. Odoo: localisations for many countries.

AI

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. greytHR: nAVOS, an "execution-first" assistant on all plans, takes actions such as granting leave, pulling reports and updating records, within the user’s permissions. Darwinbox: not described on the pages we checked. Zoho People: not described on the pages we checked. RazorpayX Payroll: not described on the pages we checked. HROne: not described on the pages we checked. ZingHR: not described on the pages we checked. Odoo: not described on the pages we checked.

Quick decision

Which Keka alternative fits what you need?

Start from the one thing that matters most to you.

AI that prepares the work

Peoplo.ai: agents start on events and wait for a person on pay, tax, records and money. HROne, Zimyo and Pocket HRMS also describe agents.

The lowest monthly bill

Zoho Payroll and greytHR have the lowest published formulas at 100 employees (₹4,000 and ₹4,745), before GST and add-ons.

Start free

Zoho Payroll is free for up to 10 employees and factoHR has a free plan for up to 20.

Hiring in the same plan

Peoplo.ai includes hiring, onboarding and exits in the plan.

Salary payouts from the same product

RazorpayX Payroll pays salaries and compliance payments from Razorpay business banking.

A large enterprise

Darwinbox and ZingHR suit large, multi-location workforces and quote their prices.

Field and shift staff

HROne has selfie and geo-fenced attendance, and factoHR and Savvy HRMS face recognition.

India and the UAE

Peoplo.ai runs both in one account, each with its own payroll rules.

Head to head

Each alternative against Keka, in one line

Who each product suits, and what it costs for 100 employees where a formula is published, set against Keka, which quotes.

Peoplo.ai

Companies that want a check on every payroll run, with HR, hiring and exits in the same product. For 100 employees: ₹7,900 a month before GST. AI: payroll check agent before every run.

Zoho Payroll

Small teams that want to start free, or already use Zoho apps, and want payroll on its own. For 100 employees: ₹4,000 a month before GST. AI: zia or your own AI tool, within roles you set.

greytHR

Price is the deciding factor and you mainly need Indian payroll, leave and attendance. For 100 employees: ₹4,745 a month before GST. AI: nAVOS, an "execution-first" assistant on all plans.

RazorpayX Payroll

Startups that want salary payouts and compliance payments from the same product as their business banking. Price: prime ₹3,499 a month for up to 20 employees; 18% GST extra. AI: not described on the pages we checked.

HROne

Companies with frontline staff that want selfie attendance feeding payroll, and a WhatsApp assistant. For 100 employees: ₹9,900 a month before GST. AI: one AI: Employee, HR and Recruiter AI agents.

Pocket HRMS

Companies of 50 or more employees that want a low per-employee price with PF, ESIC, PT and TDS automation. For 100 employees: ₹5,995 a month before GST. AI: smHRty chatbot, AI face recognition and fraud checks.

Savvy HRMS

Companies that want PF, ESI, TDS, LWF and PT challans and minimum wages compliance in the entry plan. Price: core ₹4,500 a month, from ₹90 per employee. AI: aI face recognition and AI email triggers (add-ons).

Asanify

Teams that want per-employee prices, Form 24Q filing and an employer of record option. For 100 employees: ₹9,900 a month before GST. AI: "Agentic AI" on VIP, and a WhatsApp HR bot.

factoHR

Small teams that want to start free, or companies with field staff on geo-fenced attendance. For 100 employees: ₹9,949 a month before GST. AI: fia chatbot (add-on), Factobot and AI face recognition.

Zimyo

Companies of 50 or more employees that want a payroll AI agent and per-user prices. For 100 employees: ₹8,000 a month before GST. AI: zim AI, with payroll, helpdesk and onboarding AI agents.

sumHR

Small teams that want one simple per-employee price, with payroll outsourcing on offer. For 100 employees: ₹11,900 a month before GST. AI: not described on the page we checked.

Quikchex

Companies that want payroll run for them, with labour compliance and audits from the same provider. Price: not shown on the pages we checked. AI: not described on the page we checked.

ZingHR

Large shift-based workforces that want "zero-touch payroll" with heavy attendance rules. Price: quoted by sales. AI: aI chatbot, AI screening with "robotic interviews", analytics.

Darwinbox

Large enterprises and multinationals that want payroll inside a global HCM suite. Price: quoted by sales. AI: more than 30 agents and a Super Agent, reported.

In the demo

Eight questions to ask any Keka alternative

Bring your own data to the demo and ask these. The answers tell you more than a feature list.

Show me our payroll

Run one month of our payroll, with our salary structures and states, and show PF, ESI, PT, LWF and TDS for three people we pick.

What does it cost for us?

The total for our headcount, with every add-on, setup fee and GST, for this year and next.

How do we move?

Who imports our data from Keka, how long it takes, and whether a parallel month is included.

What does the AI do alone?

Which actions the AI takes without a person, and which wait for approval.

What is recorded?

Whether important changes are written to an audit log: who did what, and when.

Settlements

Show a full and final settlement with final wages, leave encashment and recoveries ready inside two working days, and gratuity within 30 days.

Our states

Professional tax and LWF for every state we employ people in, with due dates.

Leaving later

How we export all our data if we leave, and in what format.

The switch

How to move from Keka in eight steps

A typical plan for a company of 50 to 500 people. Most of the work is in steps 2 to 5.

1. Pick a cutover date

The first day of a month, ideally of a quarter, so each quarterly TDS return comes from one system.

2. Export everything

Employee master, salary structures, payroll registers for this financial year, leave balances and documents from Keka.

3. Set up the company

Entities, locations, states for PT and LWF, PF and ESI establishment codes, bank accounts and approval chains.

4. Import people and pay

Load employees, UAN and ESI numbers, salary structures, and each person's salary and TDS so far this year.

5. Set up leave and attendance

Leave types, opening balances, holiday calendars and shifts for each location.

6. Run a parallel month

Process one payroll in both systems and compare every payslip, PF, ESI and PT line, and TDS.

7. Go live

Lock the first payroll in the new system, and tell employees where to find payslips and apply for leave.

8. Close Keka

Download final reports and Form 16 data you may need, then close the account and make sure the old copies of employee data are deleted.

Avoid these

Six mistakes teams make when they switch HR software

Each of these turns a four-step move into a month of fixes.

Switching in the middle of a month

Attendance, leave and payroll for one month end up split across two systems. Go live on the first day of a month, after the last payroll in the old system is locked.

Skipping the year-to-date import

Without each person's salary and TDS since 1 April, the new system projects tax from zero, TDS jumps or drops for the rest of the year, and Form 16 is wrong.

Forgetting state rules

Professional tax and LWF differ by state and change. Check every state you employ people in during setup, not after the first challan.

Moving leave without the policy

Opening balances alone are not enough: carry-forward limits, encashment rules and holiday calendars have to match, or balances drift in the first month.

No parallel month

Comparing one payroll in both systems catches most setup errors before employees see them on a payslip.

Leaving data behind

Download payroll registers, Form 16 data and letters before the old account closes, and delete stray copies of the export once you are live.

Peoplo.ai

What changes if you move from Keka to Peoplo.ai

What you get on day one, and what to plan for.

AI agents

A payroll check on every run, an onboarding coordinator, an exit coordinator for full and final settlements, a receipt reader, a policy assistant and a weekly brief. Changes to pay, tax, people records and money always wait for a person.

One price per employee

₹79 per employee a month before GST, for at least 25 employees, with AI included under fair use. Hiring, onboarding, exits, claims and IT assets are in the plan.

Indian payroll

Designed to support PF, ESI, professional tax and LWF for every state, and TDS under both regimes, with full and final settlements prepared for a person to approve.

India and the UAE

Indian and UAE companies in one account, each with its own payroll under its own rules.

What to plan for

Published prices go up to 2,000 employees, salary payouts go through your own bank, and project billing is not part of the product.

Is it hard to switch from Keka?

The work in a switch is in the data: employee records, salary structures, each person's salary and TDS so far this year, leave balances, and PF and ESI numbers. Export it from Keka early, before you give notice.

Run one payroll in both systems and compare every payslip before you switch off Keka. Wages due to anyone who leaves during the switch still have to be paid within two working days of their last day under the Code on Wages, so keep exits in one system until you are live.

Compare the total cost, not the headline. Add every add-on you use today (hiring, expenses, attendance devices), the setup fee if there is one, and GST, for this year and next, at the headcount you expect in a year. A product that looks cheaper at 50 employees can cost more at 200 once per-employee charges and add-ons are counted.

Moving from Keka? See Peoplo.ai on your data

A 30-minute demo with your pay structure: the payroll check, an onboarding plan and a full and final settlement, each waiting for your approval, plus a plan for your move.

Request a demo See pricing

Questions

Frequently asked questions

Straight answers for Indian companies thinking of leaving Keka.

What are the best Keka alternatives in India?

Our pick is Peoplo.ai, an agentic HRMS where AI agents prepare payroll, onboarding, exits and claims and people decide on pay, tax, records and money, from ₹1,975 a month for up to 25 employees. Other alternatives: greytHR if price decides it, HROne for named AI agents at published prices, Darwinbox for a large enterprise, and RazorpayX Payroll if you want salary payouts in the same product.

Is Keka free?

No. Keka's pricing page does not publish plan prices: plans are quoted by sales, and a setup fee applies. If you want to start free, Zoho Payroll is free for up to 10 employees and factoHR has a free plan for up to 20.

How much does Keka cost?

Keka does not publish its prices; they are quoted by sales, with a setup fee. For comparison, published prices for 100 employees start from about ₹4,000 a month (Zoho Payroll Standard) and ₹4,745 (greytHR Essential). Peoplo.ai is ₹7,900 a month for 100 employees, before GST, with hiring and AI agents included.

Does Keka include hiring?

Keka sells hiring as separate plans (Pro and Advanced), apart from its HRMS and payroll plans. Peoplo.ai includes hiring, onboarding and exits in the plan.

Does Keka have AI agents?

Keka AI is described as answering questions with the record behind each number, drafting steps inside workflows and flagging payroll anomalies with a recommended action. Named agents are not described on the pages we checked. Peoplo.ai has AI agents that start on events and wait for a person on pay, tax, records and money.

Is Keka better than greytHR?

They suit different buyers. greytHR publishes low prices (Essential ₹2,495 a month for up to 50 employees) and includes its NAVOS assistant on all plans. Keka quotes its prices and adds a project services suite for teams that bill clients for time. Both handle Indian statutory payroll.

Does Keka work outside India?

Keka has regional sites for the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, the US and the Philippines. Peoplo.ai runs Indian and UAE companies in one account, each with its own payroll under its own rules, with HR for Europe coming soon.

What is Keka PSA?

Keka's project services suite: timesheets, resource management, billing and invoicing, sold alongside its HR and payroll plans. It is the main reason project-based companies stay with Keka.

What is the best Keka alternative for project-based companies?

If you bill clients for project time, Keka's timesheets, resourcing and invoicing are a real reason to stay. If you move, plan where timesheets and invoicing will live; Darwinbox suits large enterprises, and Peoplo.ai covers HR, payroll, claims and IT assets on one employee record.

Which Keka alternatives publish their prices?

Peoplo.ai publishes its price (₹79 per employee a month before GST, for at least 25 employees). Of the others, Zoho Payroll, greytHR, Pocket HRMS, Zimyo, HROne, Asanify, factoHR and sumHR publish a formula you can work out for 100 employees. Quikchex, ZingHR and Darwinbox quote or do not show prices.

Is there a Keka alternative with AI agents?

Yes. Peoplo.ai has AI agents, each with one job: payroll anomaly check, onboarding coordinator, exit coordinator, receipt reader, policy assistant and weekly brief. They start when something happens, prepare the work and wait for a person on pay, tax, records and money. HROne, Zimyo and Pocket HRMS also describe AI agents, and Darwinbox is reported to have more than 30.

Which Keka alternative is cheapest for 100 employees?

On each entry plan's published formula, before GST: Zoho Payroll ₹4,000, greytHR ₹4,745, Pocket HRMS ₹5,995, Peoplo.ai ₹7,900 a month. Peoplo.ai is ₹7,900 for 100 employees, with hiring and AI agents included.

Which Keka alternative has a free plan?

Zoho Payroll is free for up to 10 employees and factoHR has a free plan for up to 20. Asanify and Zoho Payroll have 14-day trials, and Peoplo.ai has a free trial.

Which Keka alternative includes hiring?

Peoplo.ai includes hiring, onboarding and exits in the plan. Elsewhere hiring is often separate: greytHR sells Recruit as an add-on, Keka sells hiring plans, Zimyo a Recruit add-on and factoHR a recruitment add-on.

How long does it take to switch from Keka?

It depends mostly on how clean your data is. The steps are the same at any size: export the data, set up the company, import people and pay, run one payroll in both systems, then go live at the start of a month. Plan the parallel run before your cutover date.

What data should I export from Keka before I switch?

The employee master with bank, PAN and Aadhaar details, UAN and ESI numbers, salary structures, payroll registers and TDS for this financial year, tax declarations, leave balances, and documents and letters.

Can I switch HR software in the middle of the financial year?

Yes. Import each person's salary, deductions and TDS from 1 April to your last payroll in the old system, so the new system projects TDS correctly and Form 16 covers the whole year. Switching at the start of a quarter keeps each quarterly TDS return in one system.

Will employees lose their PF or ESI history if we switch?

No. PF is tied to each person's UAN and ESI to their insurance number, not to the software. Move those numbers to the new system and the next challan continues as before.

When should we stay with Keka?

Keka may still be the better fit if you bill clients for project time and want timesheets, resourcing and invoicing in your HR system, or if you prefer a large, long-established vendor with a big customer base in India.

Which Keka alternative covers India and the UAE?

Peoplo.ai runs Indian and UAE companies in one account, each with its own payroll under its own rules. Darwinbox, Zimyo, greytHR and ZingHR also sell in the Middle East.

Do we need to issue Form 16 from both systems if we switch mid-year?

Form 16 covers the whole financial year, so the new system needs each person's salary and TDS from the old one. Import the year-to-date figures before your first payroll, and keep the old system's registers until the year's returns are filed.

What happens to gratuity and leave encashment when we switch?

Nothing changes for employees: gratuity depends on years of service with your company, not with the software. Move each person's joining date and leave balances, and the new system works out gratuity and encashment from them.

Can we keep our attendance devices when we switch?

Often, yes. Ask each vendor which biometric devices and file formats it accepts, and test one location during the parallel month.

How do we tell employees about the switch?

Tell them a week or two before go-live where payslips, leave and claims will be, and that their PF, ESI and tax details move across. Keep old payslips available for the year.

Is our data safe while we move it?

Treat the export as personal data under the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023: share files only with the people doing the move, use the new vendor's import tools rather than email, and delete the copies once you are live.

Should we run Keka and the new system together?

For one payroll, yes. Process the same month in both and compare every payslip, PF, ESI, PT and TDS line. Once they match, lock payroll in the new system and switch the old one off.

Can we move in the middle of a quarter?

You can, but each quarterly TDS return (Form 24Q) will then draw on two systems. Switching on the first day of a quarter keeps each return in one place, which makes corrections easier.

Do we need a new PF or ESI registration when we change software?

No. Your establishment codes and each person's UAN and ESI number stay the same. The new system uses them to prepare challans and returns.

Who should own the switch inside our company?

One person from HR who knows payroll, with someone from finance for the bank file and year-to-date figures. The vendor's implementation team does the setup with them.

Can Peoplo.ai import our data from Keka?

Peoplo.ai imports employees from a CSV file, up to 500 rows at a time, with each row checked before it is saved, so an employee export from Keka is the starting point. Ask in the demo how salary structures, year-to-date payroll and leave balances come across for your company.

Why do companies look for Keka alternatives?

From Keka's own pages, the usual reasons are: you want to see the price first (keka’s pricing page does not publish plan prices. Plans are quoted by sales, and a setup fee applies); you want hiring in the same plan (keka sells hiring as separate plans (Pro and Advanced), apart from its HRMS and payroll plans); you want AI that starts the work (keka AI is described as an assistant that answers, drafts and recommends. The pages we checked don’t describe named agents). None of these means Keka is a poor product; it means another one may fit better.

What should we look for in a Keka alternative?

Statutory payroll for every state you employ people in, a price you can work out for your headcount with add-ons, hiring and exits in the plan if you need them, AI that prepares work with a person approving pay and money, and help moving your data with a parallel month.

Is it worth switching HR software just for AI?

Only if the AI does real work. An assistant that answers questions saves minutes; agents that check every payroll run, prepare onboarding and settle exits save days each month. Ask for a demo on your own data and count the steps the AI takes off your plate.

How did you choose these alternatives?

We started from the fifteen payroll products in our India ranking, removed Keka, and read each one's own pages for price, AI, hiring and statutory 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.