HR and payroll platform with a free tier for small teams and statutory compliance built in.
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Startup · HR & Payroll
Best payroll software for startups in India
Payroll software calculates salaries, deductions and statutory contributions, and generates the returns and challans you have to file. This is the least forgiving category in the catalogue — errors surface as compliance notices, not inconvenience. For startups specifically, every rupee of software spend competes with runway.
What startups need from payroll software
- Every rupee of software spend competes with runway
- Compliance (GST, PF, ESI, TDS) starts on day one whether or not there is a finance team
- Tools must scale from a founding team to a hundred people without migration
- Investor reporting needs clean books and metrics
- Hiring and onboarding remote talent is continuous
Products that deliver it
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Free HR and payroll software for small businesses.
Made in IndiaFree plan
Starts at
Free plan
Indian payroll with statutory compliance, priced per organisation.
Made in IndiaFree plan
Starts at
Free plan
Modern HRMS with payroll, attendance and performance for growing Indian companies.
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₹6,999/mo
Payroll engine of greytHR.
Made in IndiaFree plan
Starts at
Free plan
Attendance, payroll and HRMS.
Made in IndiaBest value
Starts at
₹40/mo
Cloud accounting, inventory and payroll for SMEs.
Starts at
₹1,500/mo
US payroll and HR for small businesses.
Starts at
₹3,000/mo
Timesheets for payroll and billing.
Best value
Starts at
₹400/mo
HR, IT and finance platform with global payroll.
Starts at
₹700/mo
Global hiring, EOR and payroll.
Starts at
₹4,000/mo
Global EOR and payroll.
Starts at
₹2,400/mo
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Frequently asked questions
Which payroll software is best for startups?+
For most startups, greytHR, Kredily, Zoho Payroll are the strongest starting points — they handle every rupee of software spend competes with runway. Use the advisor with your budget for a precise ranking.
What should startups check in a payroll software demo?+
Every rupee of software spend competes with runway. Compliance (GST, PF, ESI, TDS) starts on day one whether or not there is a finance team. Tools must scale from a founding team to a hundred people without migration. Ask the vendor to run a live payroll for a sample employee in your state and show the PF, ESI and PT working. If they cannot, move on.
How much does payroll software cost in India?+
Typically ₹30–₹120 per employee per month, with many vendors setting a minimum monthly bill. Some offer a free tier for very small teams.
Does payroll software file PF and ESI returns?+
Most Indian payroll products generate the ECR and ESI files and challans; a few file directly through integrations. Global products almost never handle Indian statutory payroll natively.
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