Help · FAQ
Answers to the questions we’re asked most.
Pricing, getting started, payroll and compliance, and your data. Can’t find yours? Email support@hivepayroll.co.in.
Frequently asked questions
Pricing
Is HivePayroll really free?
Yes. HivePayroll is free for up to 10 employees, with no time limit and no credit card. Free includes payroll with PF, ESI, PT, LWF and TDS, payslips and Form 16 (now Form 130), leave, the employee self-service app, loans, expenses and reimbursements, flexible benefits, letters, salary revisions and statutory reports.
What’s the difference between Free and paid plans?
Paid plans add phone check-in with selfie and location, biometric machine integration, shifts and shift rotation, and attendance corrections (regularisation). Everything else is in Free. On Free you mark attendance yourself, or upload it from Excel.
How much do paid plans cost?
By team size, with every feature on every paid plan: ₹6,000 a year for up to 10 employees, ₹12,000 for 11–25, ₹18,000 for 26–50 and ₹30,000 for 51–100. Above 100 it’s ₹30,000 a year plus ₹25 per extra employee per month. Prices exclude 18% GST.
Can I pay monthly?
Yes. Monthly billing costs about 20% more over a year: ₹600, ₹1,200, ₹1,800 or ₹3,000 a month for the four bands.
What happens when I add an 11th employee on the Free plan?
You get 15 days to choose a paid plan, and nothing stops working in that time.
Is there a setup or data migration fee?
No. There’s no setup fee and no charge for moving your employee and salary data into HivePayroll.
Getting started
How do I start?
Sign up at setup.hivepayroll.in/signup. No credit card is needed, and your account comes with sample data so you can try a payroll run straight away. You can also book a free online demo.
Can I move from spreadsheets or another payroll system mid-year?
Yes. Import employee details and salary structures, and carry over year-to-date earnings and tax so the annual TDS certificate (Form 130, earlier Form 16) comes out right at year end.
Is there a mobile app?
Yes. Employees can use the HivePayroll app on Android and iOS for payslips, leave and attendance.
I’m a CA or payroll consultant. Can I manage several companies?
Yes. CA firms can manage all their client companies from one login. See payroll software for CA firms and the partner program.
Payroll & compliance
Which statutory deductions does HivePayroll handle?
PF (including the ₹25,000 wage ceiling from 17 September 2026), ESI, Professional Tax and Labour Welfare Fund for your state, NPS, and TDS on salary under both the new and old regimes, with the PF ECR file and the reports for each return.
Is HivePayroll updated for the new Income-tax Act and the Labour Codes?
Yes. It uses the new form names (Form 130 for the annual certificate, Form 138 for the quarterly salary TDS return, Form 124 for investment declarations) and the PF wage ceiling of ₹25,000 from 17 September 2026. For exits, it warns you when wages are due within two working days. See our guide to the new Labour Codes.
Does it work for companies in more than one state?
Yes. Professional Tax and Labour Welfare Fund are applied by each employee’s work location, and returns can be filtered by state.
Data & security
Where is my data stored?
In India, on AWS servers in Mumbai.
How do I get support?
Email support@hivepayroll.co.in. We reply by email.
Still have a question?Email support@hivepayroll.co.in, or see HivePayroll for yourself in a free demo.
