RazorpayX Payroll vs Zoho Payroll vs greytHR vs Keka

Zoho Payroll, RazorpayX Payroll, greytHR and Keka are among the most searched payroll products in India, and buyers often shortlist two or three of them. This guide compares the four head to head on what matters for Indian payroll: statutory compliance, pricing model, free options, HR features, integrations and who each suits. It does not rank them: the right choice depends on your size, existing software and needs. For a wider list of products, see our top payroll software in India, and for how to evaluate any payroll system, our payroll management system guide.

At a glance

Prices are those published or reported in November 2026 and exclude GST unless stated. Vendors change plans and offers often; always confirm the current price for your headcount.

Zoho Payroll

Zoho Payroll is the payroll product of Zoho, the Chennai-based software company. In India it offers a free plan for up to 10 employees; paid plans start with Standard at ₹1,000 a month including 25 employees and ₹40 for each additional employee, with Professional and Premium plans above it (Zoho Payroll FAQ).

• Compliance: PF with ECR generation, ESI, state professional tax and TDS, with payslips and tax declarations.
• Integrations: works closely with Zoho People (HR, attendance, leave) and Zoho Books (accounting).
• Suits: businesses already on Zoho, and very small teams that can stay within the free plan.
• Watch: HR features such as performance or hiring sit in other Zoho apps, which add cost.

Why is Zoho often cheaper? Zoho says it has never raised outside capital and spends less on sales and marketing than most software companies, which leaves room for lower prices. A lower price is not a weakness in itself, but compare features and support on your own data.

RazorpayX Payroll

RazorpayX Payroll comes from Razorpay, the Bengaluru payments company. Its main difference is that payroll is tied to payments: it calculates pay, disburses salaries, and automates statutory payments and return filings for TDS, PF, ESI and professional tax (RazorpayX Payroll; pricing on its pricing page).

• Pricing: the Prime plan is listed at ₹3,499 a month for up to 20 employees and Elite at ₹6,499 a month including 50 employees (up to 100), with ₹150 per extra employee, all plus 18% GST.
• Features: payroll, salary disbursement, contractor payments, leave and attendance, reimbursements and an employee dashboard and app.
• Suits: startups and small to mid-size firms that want as much of payroll compliance automated as possible.
• Watch: some features work best with a RazorpayX business banking account; check how it fits your existing bank.

greytHR

greytHR is the product of Greytip Software, a Bengaluru company founded in 1994. Its India plans are Essential at ₹2,495 a month including 50 employees (₹45 for each extra), Growth at ₹4,495 (₹85 per extra) and a custom-priced Premium plan, with a 7-day free trial (greytHR pricing). A free Starter plan for up to 25 employees has been offered, including through some bank partnerships, but it was not listed on the main pricing page in November 2026.

• Compliance: payroll with PF, ESI, PT, LWF and TDS, statutory reports and employee tax declarations.
• HR features: leave, attendance and shifts, onboarding and exits, helpdesk, with performance, expenses and recruitment as higher-plan features or add-ons.
• Suits: small and mid-size employers wanting HR and payroll together, including those with shift-based workforces.
• Watch: add-ons can raise the total cost; compare the full bundle you need.

Keka

Keka is a Hyderabad-based HR platform founded by Vijay Yalamanchili, which bootstrapped for years before raising a 57 million dollar Series A from WestBridge Capital in 2022. Its HRMS and payroll plans (Foundation, Strength and Growth) are sold on quote, with a free trial and a nominal setup fee (Keka pricing).

• Compliance: PF, ESI, LWF and TDS reports, employee tax declarations and proofs, tax forms and returns data, and gratuity management.
• HR features: core HR, attendance, leave, expenses, onboarding, performance and OKRs, analytics, hiring and project tools.
• Suits: growing companies that want one platform for HR, payroll and performance.
• Watch: pricing is not published, and a full HRMS may be more than a very small team needs. Whether Keka is "good" for you depends on whether you will use its wider HR modules.

Pricing example: 30 and 80 employees

Published prices only tell part of the story, because each vendor bundles a different number of employees into its base fee. Using the published November 2026 rates (before GST and add-ons):

These are the entry plans; features differ between them, and higher plans cost more. Zoho lists these as monthly rates; ask whether your quote assumes annual billing. Add GST, setup or implementation fees, and the add-ons you need (attendance devices, performance, expenses, recruitment) before comparing. Our payroll outsourcing guide covers the alternative of paying a provider to run payroll for you.

Statutory compliance compared

All four vendors advertise PF, ESI, PT and TDS support. The differences are in automation (RazorpayX goes furthest on paying and filing), multi-state depth, and how quickly each applied 2026 changes such as the new PF ceiling, the Labour Code wage rules and the new income tax forms. Ask each to show these on your own sample employees.

Razorpay Payroll vs Zoho Payroll

This is the most common head-to-head search. In short:

• Choose Zoho Payroll if you use Zoho Books or Zoho People, have up to 10 employees (free plan), or want low per-employee pricing.
• Choose RazorpayX Payroll if you want salary payments and statutory payments and filings automated in one place, and are comfortable with Razorpay's banking.
• Either way, run a parallel payroll for one month and compare every figure with your current payroll.

greytHR vs Keka

Both are HR suites with payroll rather than payroll-only tools. greytHR publishes its prices and suits SMEs, including shift and attendance-heavy workforces. Keka is quote-based and leans towards growing companies that want performance management, OKRs, analytics and hiring in the same platform. Compare the modules you actually need, not the full feature lists.

Mobile apps

All four offer employee mobile apps for payslips, tax declarations, leave and attendance, and manager approvals. The greytHR app, the Keka app and the RazorpayX Payroll app are free to download, but employees can use them only if their employer subscribes to the product; the app itself does not run payroll for a business. Zoho's payroll and HR apps work the same way, with Zoho People handling much of the employee-facing side. Check whether the app supports features you need, such as geo-fenced attendance or selfie clock-in, which are often limited to higher plans.

Integrations with accounting and attendance

Payroll should post to your books and take attendance without re-keying. Zoho Payroll links natively with Zoho Books, Zoho People and Zoho Expense, and offers APIs. RazorpayX Payroll links payroll to payouts and integrates with common accounting tools, though integrations are more limited on the entry plan. greytHR and Keka integrate with biometric attendance devices and offer accounting exports and APIs, with API access on some plans only. If you use TallyPrime or another accounting system, ask each vendor for a sample journal export and check it maps to your ledgers; our salary journal entry guide shows what the posting should look like.

Switching between these products

Moving from one of these products to another is common as companies grow. Plan the switch for the start of a quarter or financial year, export year-to-date earnings, deductions, tax declarations and leave balances from the old system, and load them into the new one before the first run. Keep statutory registrations and portal logins in your own name so the switch does not depend on either vendor. Run at least one month in parallel, and keep access to the old system until the first quarterly TDS return has been filed correctly from the new one.

Trust, security and support

All four are established, widely used Indian vendors. For any of them, ask for security certifications (greytHR, for example, cites ISO 27001 and SOC 2 Type 2), where data is stored, access controls, and how they will support your duties under India's data protection law as its main obligations take effect. Check support hours and response times during payroll week, and read recent user reviews for support quality, which varies more than features do.

Which suits which business

This is a starting point, not a verdict. Several other Indian products compete in the same space, and the best fit depends on how your payroll actually runs. Whichever you pick, keep an in-house owner who understands PF, ESI, professional tax and TDS well enough to check the software's output each month; our monthly payroll checklist helps.

How to choose between them

1. List your needs: headcount, states, pay groups, shift and overtime rules, and integrations with accounting and attendance.
2. Shortlist two: based on the fit described above.
3. Get written quotes: for your headcount, including add-ons, setup fees and GST.
4. Test compliance: PF ECR, ESI file, PT for your states and TDS under both regimes on your own data.
5. Run a parallel month: and reconcile every difference before switching.
6. Check exit terms: how you export your data if you move later.

If none of these fits a very small team yet, a well-built Excel payroll may be enough for now; see our guide to payroll software for small business.

Frequently asked questions

Is Zoho Payroll free?

Zoho Payroll in India has a free plan for up to 10 employees. Paid plans are priced per organisation per month with a set number of employees included and a charge for each extra employee. Check Zoho's current India pricing before deciding.

Is Razorpay Payroll free?

RazorpayX Payroll is mainly a paid product, with plans priced per month for a band of employees plus GST. Promotional free periods and trials are offered from time to time, so check Razorpay's current pricing page.

What is Keka payroll?

Keka is a Hyderabad-based HR and payroll platform. Its payroll covers salary processing with statutory compliance, including PF, ESI, labour welfare fund and TDS reports, employee tax declarations and proofs, and gratuity, as part of a wider HRMS with attendance, leave, performance and hiring modules.

Is Keka an ERP?

No. Keka is an HRMS (human resource management system) with payroll, not an ERP. An ERP covers finance, inventory, sales and other functions across a business; Keka focuses on HR, payroll and related workflows, and can integrate with accounting systems.

Who founded Keka?

Keka was founded in Hyderabad by Vijay Yalamanchili, who is its CEO. Company records date it to 2014; it entered the market around 2015 to 2016 and raised a 57 million dollar Series A round from WestBridge Capital in 2022 after years of bootstrapping.

Can Zoho run payroll?

Yes. Zoho Payroll is Zoho's payroll product for India and some other countries. It handles salary processing, PF, ESI, professional tax and TDS, and integrates with Zoho People for HR and Zoho Books for accounting.

Is Zoho HR free?

Zoho's HR product, Zoho People, has a free plan for up to 5 users covering the employee database and leave management. Larger teams need a paid plan priced per user. Payroll is a separate product, Zoho Payroll, with its own free plan for up to 10 employees.

Is Keka a startup?

Keka is a privately held, venture-backed company. It grew without outside funding for several years and raised a 57 million dollar Series A from WestBridge Capital in 2022, described at the time as one of India's largest Series A rounds for a SaaS company.

Is the Keka app free?

The Keka mobile app is free to download, but employees can use it only if their employer subscribes to Keka. It gives access to payslips, leave, attendance and tax declarations; the app does not run payroll on its own.

Which is better, Razorpay Payroll or Zoho Payroll?

Neither is better for everyone. RazorpayX Payroll suits businesses that want salary payments and statutory payments and filings automated together. Zoho Payroll suits businesses already using Zoho Books or Zoho People, and very small teams that can use its free plan. Test both on your own payroll before choosing.

Position as of 15 November 2026. Product features and prices are as published or reported by the vendors in November 2026 and change often; confirm with each vendor. hrcalcy.in has no commercial relationship with the vendors named. General information, not a product recommendation.