Zoho People Pricing in India: Plans and Alternatives

Short answer: in India, Zoho People costs ₹48 to ₹192 per user per month when billed yearly, or ₹60 to ₹240 billed monthly, plus GST. There is also a free plan for up to 5 users. Attendance tracking starts on the Professional plan (₹96 per user per month billed yearly), and payroll is not included. You add it with Zoho Payroll, or move up to Zoho People Plus. For a 25-person team that needs attendance and payroll, Zoho comes to about ₹3,400 a month. Aajar covers attendance, leave and payslips for ₹500 to ₹875 a month for the same team.

This guide explains each Zoho People plan, what you pay at different team sizes once payroll is added, and the alternatives worth comparing. Prices were checked on Zoho's Zoho People pricing page, plan comparison and Zoho Payroll India pricing in October 2026.

Zoho People plans and prices in India

GST is charged on top. Organizations with more than 500 users get a custom quote. Every paid plan has a 30-day free trial, after which the account moves to the Free plan.

Three things the price list doesn't make obvious

1. Attendance isn't in Essential HR. Check-in from web and mobile, facial recognition, kiosk mode, biometric integrations, overtime and shifts start on Professional. For most small businesses, ₹96 per user per month is the real starting price.
2. Payroll is a separate product. Zoho People handles HR, leave and attendance. Salaries, payslips, PF, ESI and TDS run in Zoho Payroll, which has its own subscription (see below), or in the Zoho People Plus bundle.
3. Yearly billing saves 20%. The monthly price is 25% higher than the yearly one, so a 25-person team on Professional pays ₹3,000 a month on monthly billing against ₹2,400 on yearly billing.

What Zoho People costs at your team size

Our calculation: price per user × users. Excludes GST and add-ons.

Adding payroll: Zoho Payroll prices

If you pay salaries through the same system, budget for Zoho Payroll as well. Its India plans, billed yearly:

Zoho Payroll's statutory features are strong: even the free plan covers EPF, ESI, PT and LWF. If you have 10 or fewer employees, Zoho People plus free Zoho Payroll is a capable combination.

Zoho People Plus: the all-in-one bundle

Zoho People Plus bundles People, Payroll, Recruit, Expense and other Zoho apps. It costs ₹192 per user per month (Premium) or ₹350 per user per month (Enterprise), billed yearly, with a minimum of 5 users (People Plus pricing). That suits companies that want hiring, expenses and payroll from one vendor. It is a big step up for a team that mainly needs attendance.

Total cost: Zoho vs Aajar for attendance and payroll

Here is what each setup costs a month when you need attendance, leave and payroll. Zoho prices are billed yearly. Aajar Growth adds shifts and geofencing, comparable to Zoho People Professional's roster management.

Monthly cost excluding GST. Zoho People Professional at ₹96 per user, plus Zoho Payroll Free (up to 10 employees) or Standard (₹1,000 for 25 employees + ₹40 each above). Aajar prices from Aajar pricing; every Aajar plan is free for the first 3 months for teams of up to 50 users.

Zoho People alternatives in India

1. Aajar: lowest cost for attendance, leave and payslips

Aajar puts attendance, leave and payroll in one app from ₹20 per user per month. Late grace, half-day rules, weekly offs, the sandwich leave rule, permission requests, salary structures, payslips and income-tax declarations are all on the Starter plan. Shifts, geofencing, comp-off and overtime come with Growth (₹35), and eSSL biometric sync with Business (₹50).

The trade-off: Aajar records PF, ESI and other deductions as named deduction types on payslips, but it doesn't generate statutory returns or challans. If your CA files these, that is usually fine. If you want the software to do it, Zoho Payroll or greytHR is the better fit.

2. Zoho Payroll Premium on its own

If statutory payroll matters most, Zoho Payroll Premium includes leave and attendance for ₹4,000 a month for up to 50 employees. From about 30 employees it costs less than Zoho People Professional plus a separate payroll plan.

3. greytHR

greytHR's Growth plan includes attendance and payroll for ₹4,495 a month for up to 50 employees, with automated PF, ESI and TDS filings. Read our breakdown of greytHR pricing.

4. Free attendance-only apps

If you only need check-ins and do payroll in Excel, free apps such as Jibble cover attendance for unlimited users. See our comparison of free attendance apps in India.

Which should you choose?

• Choose Zoho People if you already use Zoho apps or need performance reviews, learning or an HR help desk. It also fits if you have 10 or fewer employees and can use free Zoho Payroll.
• Choose Aajar if you want attendance, leave and payslips for the lowest monthly cost, with no per-organization minimums. It also fits if you want to keep an eSSL biometric machine, or if your accountant handles statutory filings.

Still comparing? Our guide to choosing an employee attendance app includes a checklist for any demo.

Frequently asked questions

How much does Zoho People cost per user in India?

Billed yearly, ₹48 (Essential HR), ₹96 (Professional), ₹144 (Premium) or ₹192 (Enterprise) per user per month. Billed monthly, ₹60, ₹120, ₹180 or ₹240. GST is extra.

Is Zoho People free?

Zoho People has a free plan for up to 5 users, covering the employee database, leave and documents. It doesn't include attendance tracking.

Which Zoho People plan includes attendance?

Professional and above. Professional costs ₹96 per user per month billed yearly and adds attendance, timesheets and shift rosters.

Does Zoho People include payroll?

No. Payroll is in Zoho Payroll, which is free for up to 10 employees and starts at ₹1,000 a month for 25 employees on the Standard plan. Zoho People Plus bundles both.

What is a cheaper alternative to Zoho People?

For small teams that need attendance, leave and payslips, Aajar costs ₹20 to ₹50 per user per month with payroll included. A 25-person team pays ₹500 to ₹1,250 a month. Try Aajar free for 3 months.