What HRMS & Payroll Software Costs in India, by Team Size
"Which HRMS is cheapest?" has no fixed answer in India, because tools are priced two incompatible ways — per employee or a flat monthly fee. One scales with your headcount; the other barely moves. We computed the real monthly cost of 7 verified tools across team sizes to show exactly where the cheaper choice flips. Updated June 2026.
The short answer
For a small team, per-employee pricing wins: Zoho People is about Rs.500/month for 10 people. The lines cross around 50 employees (~Rs.2,500/mo either way). Beyond that, a flat-fee tool pulls ahead fast — by 200 employees RazorpayX Payroll at ~Rs.2,499/month beats a Rs.50/employee tool's Rs.10,000 by roughly 4×. Figures exclude 18% GST.
Key findings
- Two pricing models. 3 tools price per employee (~Rs.50–Rs.100 each); 4 charge a flat monthly base (~Rs.2,500–Rs.5,000).
- The cheapest tool flips with headcount. Per-employee wins for small teams; flat-fee wins for large teams.
- The crossover is ~50 employees at a Rs.50/employee rate — that is where per-employee cost catches up to a typical flat base fee.
- Free-forever options exist (Zoho People, Kredily, factoHR) for tiny teams or core payroll — useful below the paid crossover.
Monthly cost by team size
Verified entry-tier cost for each tool at three team sizes. Per-employee tools scale linearly; flat tools hold steady until their included headcount is exceeded. Excludes 18% GST. "—" means beyond the tool's published tier.
| Tool | Model | 10 employees | 50 employees | 200 employees |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| KredilyFree-forever core payroll for unlimited employees; paid Payroll OS ~Rs.999/mo. | Flat fee | Free | Free | Free |
| Zoho PeopleEssential Rs.50/employee/mo (free up to 5 employees). | Per employee | Rs.500 | Rs.2,500 | Rs.10,000 |
| ZimyoHRMS Basic ~Rs.50/employee/mo; min-seat bundles may apply. | Per employee | Rs.500 | Rs.2,500 | Rs.10,000 |
| Keka~Rs.100/employee/mo on Foundation (up to ~Rs.160 on higher tiers). | Per employee | Rs.1,000 | Rs.5,000 | Rs.20,000 |
| greytHREssential Rs.2,495/mo (base 50 employees) + Rs.45 per extra employee. | Flat fee | Rs.2,495 | Rs.2,495 | Rs.9,245 |
| RazorpayX PayrollPrime ~Rs.2,499/mo flat; possible per-employee add-ons — confirm for large teams. | Flat fee | Rs.2,499 | Rs.2,499 | Rs.2,499 |
| factoHRFree up to 20 employees; Core Rs.4,999/mo up to 50 (higher tiers above). | Flat fee | Rs.4,999 | Rs.4,999 | — |
Cheapest paid option at each size
The pattern is the whole point: match the pricing model to your headcount. A growing team that picks a per-employee tool early can quietly cross into paying far more than a flat-fee tool would charge — re-check the math every time you scale.
Methodology
Each tool's per-employee rate or flat base fee is the verified entry/representative paid tier from the FindThatSoftware catalog, confirmed on the vendor's own pricing page (June 2026) — a curated sample, not a market census. Per-employee costs are the rate × headcount; flat costs add published per-extra-employee overage where the vendor lists it and are left blank beyond the published tier rather than estimated. Tiers vary by module (payroll, attendance, performance) and figures exclude 18% GST. Enterprise/ contact-sales HCM tools are out of scope. Cite as "FindThatSoftware HRMS & Payroll Pricing Study (India, 2026)."
Related reading
Frequently asked questions
- How is HRMS and payroll software priced in India?
- Two ways. Per-employee-per-month (PEPM) tools charge a small amount for each employee (around Rs.50–Rs.100/employee) so the bill scales with headcount. Flat-fee tools charge a fixed monthly base (around Rs.2,500–Rs.5,000) that barely changes as you grow. Because of this, the cheapest option depends entirely on your team size — there is no single answer.
- What is the cheapest HRMS for a small team in India?
- For a 10-person team, a per-employee tool wins: Zoho People works out to about Rs.500/month, far below a flat-fee tool's ~Rs.2,495 base. Free-forever options (Zoho People, Kredily, factoHR) can cover a tiny team at Rs.0 for core features.
- At what team size does a flat-fee HRMS become cheaper?
- Around 50 employees. At Rs.50/employee, a per-employee tool costs about Rs.2,500/month for 50 people — roughly the same as a flat tool's base fee. Below that, per-employee wins; above it, flat-fee pulls ahead fast. By 200 employees, a flat tool can be ~Rs.2,499/month versus Rs.10,000 for a Rs.50 PEPM tool — about 4× cheaper.
- Are there free HRMS and payroll tools in India?
- Yes. Zoho People (essential rs.50/employee/mo (free up to 5 employees).); Kredily (free-forever core payroll for unlimited employees; paid payroll os ~rs.999/mo.); factoHR (free up to 20 employees; core rs.4,999/mo up to 50 (higher tiers above).). Free plans usually cover core payroll/attendance for a capped headcount or with limited modules — confirm the limits before relying on them.
- Do these prices include GST?
- No. HRMS/payroll prices are quoted exclusive of 18% GST. Per-employee tiers also vary by module (payroll, attendance, performance), and flat tools may add per-employee overage beyond their included headcount — always confirm on the vendor's pricing page.
Source: FindThatSoftware catalog analysis, June 2026. Pricing changes; figures reflect verified vendor pricing at time of writing. Cite as "FindThatSoftware HRMS & Payroll Pricing Study (India, 2026)".