Keka Alternatives for Indian Companies (2026)

Keka alternatives · India · 2026

For a team under 100, the cheapest Keka alternatives are free up to 10 employees. Keka is still the better pick if you want performance, hiring and payroll in one suite.

Seven payroll and HR options for Indian companies, compared on published prices checked on 2 October 2026, including where Keka is still the better choice.

Start freeSee pricing

7alternatives compared on their own pricing pages
₹0up to 10 employees on HivePayroll and Zoho Payroll
QuoteKeka does not publish prices on its pricing page
100employees covered by the base fee third parties report for Keka
Disclosure: HivePayroll is our product, and it is one of the seven options below. We have tried to be fair: every competitor price comes from the vendor’s own pricing page, checked on 2 October 2026, and we say plainly where Keka or another product is the better choice.

Why companies look for Keka alternatives

Keka is a well-built HR and payroll platform, and its own pricing page says it is chosen by more than 12,500 companies. Most teams that look elsewhere are not unhappy with the product. They have one of three problems.

The price is hard to justify for a small team

Keka does not show prices on its pricing page; its Foundation, Strength and Growth plans start with a free trial and a sales conversation. Third-party review sites report a base fee of ₹9,999 a month for Foundation, ₹12,999 for Strength and ₹15,999 for Growth, each covering up to 100 employees (hr.software, updated 15 September 2026). Keka has not confirmed these figures, so get a quote. But if they are close, a 15-person company pays the same base fee as a 100-person one.

Per-employee charges above the base

The same third-party sources report ₹90, ₹120 and ₹150 per additional employee a month above 100, depending on the plan. For a growing company, the bill rises with every hire, so budget at next year’s headcount, not today’s.

More HRMS than you need

Keka’s plans add asset tracking, travel desk, pulse surveys, OKRs, performance reviews and calibration, and its Hiring and Project Services (PSA) products are priced separately. For a company that mainly needs payroll, PF, ESI, PT, TDS, leave and attendance done correctly every month, much of that goes unused.

Keka alternatives compared

Starting prices as each vendor’s pricing page states them, checked 2 October 2026. Monthly unless noted.

Product Best for Starting price (as published) Free plan Pricing model
HivePayroll Teams up to 100 wanting payroll, leave and attendance at a flat price Free up to 10 employees; ₹500 billed yearly with every feature (excl. 18% GST) Yes, up to 10 employees Flat price by team-size band; ₹25 per extra employee above 100
Zoho Payroll Companies on Zoho Books or Zoho One Standard ₹1,000 for 25 employees, billed annually (excl. GST) Yes, up to 10 employees Base fee per organisation + ₹40 per extra employee
greytHR Teams of about 50 wanting a long-established vendor Essential ₹2,495, 50 employees included Not on pricing page; 7-day free trial Base fee for 50 + ₹45 per extra employee
RazorpayX Payroll Companies banking with RazorpayX Prime ₹3,499 for up to 20 employees (+18% GST) None listed Base fee + ₹150 per extra employee
HROne Startups and mid-market firms wanting a broad HRMS Launchpad ₹2,900 for 25 users; Basic ₹4,950 for 50 users No; free trial Base fee + ₹75–130 per extra user
Pocket HRMS Teams of 50+ wanting a mobile-friendly HRMS Standard ₹2,995 for 50 employees, billed annually No; free demo Base fee + ₹60 per extra employee; one-time implementation fee
Saral PayPack CA firms and companies that want desktop software Standard ₹53,700 a year, single user, 2 companies (+18% GST) No; limited free trial Annual licence by edition and number of users
Keka (for reference) 100–2,000 employees wanting HR, performance and payroll in one suite Not published; quoted on request No; free trial Third parties report a base fee for 100 employees + per extra employee

Seven Keka alternatives

1. HivePayroll

  • Best forIndian companies up to about 100 employees
  • PriceFree up to 10; ₹500–₹2,500 a month billed yearly
  • Free planYes, no time limit, no credit card

Strengths: Free covers payroll with PF, ESI, PT, LWF and TDS, payslips and Form 16 (Form 130), leave, the employee self-service app, loans, expenses and reimbursements, flexible benefits, letters, salary revisions and statutory reports. Paid plans add phone check-in with selfie and location, biometric machine integration, shifts and attendance corrections, and every paid plan includes every feature: ₹500 a month for up to 10 employees, ₹1,000 for 11–25, ₹1,500 for 26–50 and ₹2,500 for 51–100, billed yearly. Above 100 it is ₹30,000 a year plus ₹25 per extra employee a month. Monthly billing is about 20% more. Prices exclude 18% GST, and there is no setup fee.

Limits: no performance management, OKRs or recruitment; we are payroll-first. Live GPS tracking, multiple companies, REST API access and SSO are add-ons priced separately. On Free, attendance is marked by you or uploaded from Excel. And we are a much smaller company than Keka.

Source: hivepayroll.co.in/pricing, checked 2 October 2026.

2. Zoho Payroll

  • Best forCompanies already on Zoho Books or Zoho One
  • PriceStandard ₹1,000 a month billed annually, 25 employees
  • Free planYes, up to 10 employees

Strengths: very low cost for small teams and a tight fit with Zoho’s accounting. Standard is ₹1,000 a month per organisation billed annually (₹1,250 monthly), then ₹40 per extra employee; Professional is ₹3,000 and Premium ₹4,000, each for 50 employees. Prices exclude GST.

Limits: performance management and wider HR sit in Zoho People, a separate subscription, so price both if you are replacing Keka’s HR modules too.

Source: zoho.com/in/payroll/pricing, checked 2 October 2026.

3. greytHR

  • Best forTeams near 50 wanting a long-established Indian vendor
  • PriceEssential ₹2,495 a month, 50 employees included
  • Free planNot on pricing page; 7-day free trial

Strengths: deep Indian payroll and compliance experience. Essential is ₹2,495 and Growth ₹4,495 a month, each including 50 employees, then ₹45 or ₹85 per extra employee. Premium is custom-priced.

Limits: companies well under 50 still pay for 50 employees. The pricing page does not say whether GST is included.

Source: greythr.com/pricing, checked 2 October 2026. More in our greytHR alternatives guide.

4. RazorpayX Payroll

  • Best forCompanies that bank with RazorpayX
  • PricePrime ₹3,499 a month, up to 20 employees
  • Free planNone listed

Strengths: salary payouts and compliance payments from the same business account. Elite is ₹6,499 a month for 50 employees (billed annually) and supports up to 100; Enterprise above 100 is quoted.

Limits: ₹150 per extra employee a month is the highest published overage here, and 18% GST is added.

Source: razorpay.com/payroll/pricing, checked 2 October 2026.

5. HROne

  • Best forCompanies wanting a broad HRMS, as with Keka
  • PriceLaunchpad ₹2,900 a month for 25 users
  • Free planNo; free trial

Strengths: the closest like-for-like HRMS here. Launchpad, for startups under 50, covers core HR, time office, payroll and self-service at ₹2,900 for 25 users plus ₹75 per extra user. Basic is ₹4,950 and Professional ₹6,500 for 50 users. Its custom-priced Enterprise plan lists recruitment, performance, engagement, expense and helpdesk modules.

Limits: performance and recruitment sit in the quote-only Enterprise plan, and the pricing page does not state GST or billing frequency.

Sources: hrone.cloud/pricing and hrone.cloud/startup-launchpad, checked 2 October 2026.

6. Pocket HRMS

  • Best forTeams of 50 or more who want a mobile app
  • PriceStandard ₹2,995 a month billed annually, 50 employees
  • Free planNo; free demo

Strengths: clear published prices and a mobile app for employees. Professional is ₹4,495 for 50, then ₹90 per extra employee; Premium for 100+ is quoted.

Limits: plans start at 50 employees, and the page says a one-time implementation fee applies, varying with customisation.

Source: pockethrms.com/pricing, checked 2 October 2026.

7. Saral PayPack

  • Best forCA firms and teams that want installed desktop software
  • PriceStandard ₹53,700 a year, single user
  • Free planNo; free trial with limits

Strengths: a different model from Keka’s cloud suite. Standard covers 2 companies with up to 300 employees each (₹81,600 multi-user); Corporate is ₹1,15,800 for 3 companies and 2,000 employees each. The price is an annual subscription including AMC and support, plus 18% GST.

Limits: employee self-service, the mobile app and biometric integration are listed under the custom-quoted Premium edition. The free trial “saves only 5 details at a time”.

Source: saralpaypack.com/desktop-pricing, checked 2 October 2026.

What 20 to 150 employees could cost

Keka figures are the Foundation rates third parties report, not prices Keka publishes. HivePayroll is billed yearly, excluding GST.

Headcount Keka Foundation (as reported) HivePayroll
20 ₹9,999 ₹1,000
50 ₹9,999 ₹1,500
100 ₹9,999 ₹2,500
150 ₹14,499 (₹9,999 + 50 × ₹90) ₹3,750 (₹2,500 + 50 × ₹25)

These are not like-for-like: Keka Foundation includes modules HivePayroll does not offer. Compare against the features you will actually use.

When Keka is still the better choice

Any comparison that says Keka loses on everything is not worth reading. Based on Keka’s own pricing and product pages, it is the stronger pick when:

Performance
You want performance management and OKRsKeka’s Growth plan lists company OKRs, goal alignment, continuous feedback, one-on-ones, performance reviews, calibration and improvement plans. Most alternatives here, HivePayroll included, do not offer this.
Suite
You want one HR suite end to endKeka covers HR, payroll, hiring (requisitions, interview scheduling, scorecards, offer letters) and a Project Services suite with timesheets, resource management and project billing.
Integrations
You rely on other toolsKeka’s marketplace lists 100+ integrations, its Foundation plan includes accounting integration, and single sign-on comes with Strength and above.
Multi-country
You have staff outside IndiaKeka publishes separate pricing for the USA and EU, and for Asia Pacific and GCC countries.
Scale
You are past 100 employees and growing fastThe reported base fee covers 100 employees, so the cost per head falls as you approach that size.

How to choose a Keka alternative

  1. Write down what you actually use in Keka today. If it is payroll, leave and attendance, a payroll-first product will do. If your managers run OKRs and review cycles in Keka, shortlist HROne or stay.
  2. Price at next year’s headcount. Base fees that include 25, 50 or 100 employees and per-employee charges above them change the ranking as you grow.
  3. Check what the quoted price includes. GST, implementation fees, extra companies and add-ons all change the total. Ask each vendor in writing.
  4. Test your hardest rule in the demo. A mid-year joiner’s pro-rated leave or a full and final settlement shows more than a standard monthly run.
  5. Time the switch. April is the clean cut-over. Mid-year, carry year-to-date earnings and TDS across so Form 16 and the quarterly TDS returns reconcile.

Frequently asked questions

Does Keka publish its prices?

No. As of 2 October 2026, Keka’s pricing page lists its Foundation, Strength and Growth plans with a free trial but no prices. Third-party sites such as hr.software report ₹9,999, ₹12,999 and ₹15,999 a month for up to 100 employees, which Keka has not confirmed. Ask Keka for a quote at your headcount.

What is the cheapest Keka alternative in India?

For up to 10 employees, HivePayroll and Zoho Payroll both have free plans. From 11 to 100 employees, HivePayroll is ₹1,000–2,500 a month billed yearly and Zoho Payroll Standard starts at ₹1,000 for 25 employees, both excluding GST. Compare what each includes, not only the price.

Which Keka alternative has performance management?

HROne’s custom-priced Enterprise plan lists performance and recruitment modules. If performance reviews and OKRs are central to how you work, Keka may still be the better choice; HivePayroll does not include them.

What is the best Keka alternative for a company under 50 employees?

If you mainly need payroll, statutory compliance, leave and attendance, a product priced for small teams usually fits better: HivePayroll, Zoho Payroll or HROne Launchpad. greytHR and Pocket HRMS plans start with 50 employees included.

Can I move from Keka to another payroll software mid-year?

Yes. Carry across employee details, salary structures, year-to-date earnings and deductions, tax declarations and leave balances so Form 16 reconciles. HivePayroll does not charge for setup or moving your data.

Do these prices include GST?

HivePayroll, Zoho Payroll, RazorpayX Payroll and Saral PayPack state their prices exclude GST. greytHR’s and HROne’s pricing pages do not say either way, and Keka does not publish prices.

Sources

All vendor pages checked 2 October 2026. Vendors change pricing often; confirm current figures directly before deciding.

Try HivePayroll freeFree for up to 10 employees, then one flat price by team size. Questions? Email support@hivepayroll.co.in.

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