1. Paybooks
Paybooks · Bengaluru · HRMS software · 4.7/5
Payroll and HR software with compliance services.
₹1,800/mo
Free trial
Compared with BrightHR
- Built in India (Bengaluru)
HRMS software · Alternatives
Best BrightHR alternatives in India (2026)
BrightHR is a hrms software product from Bright HR Limited, Manchester, priced at On request. We compared 20 alternatives on published price, free plan, platforms and made-in-India support: 0 have a free plan, 12 are built in India.
Quick answer
The closest alternatives to BrightHR are Paybooks (₹1,800/mo), uKnowva HRMS (₹100/mo), Zoho People Plus (₹300/mo), Saral PayPack (₹6,000/mo) and Marg Payroll (₹5,400/mo). Published prices in this list start at ₹40/month.
Why businesses look for a BrightHR alternative
Indian support and GST
BrightHR is built in United Kingdom. 12 alternatives are made in India, where GST, TDS and UPI are usually handled natively and support runs on IST.
BrightHR alternatives compared
Ranked by how closely each product matches BrightHR's category, pricing model, platforms and business size, then by rating. Prices exclude GST.
| # | Software | Starting price | Free plan | Platforms | Made in India | Rating | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | BrightHR (current) | On request | No | Web | No | 3.9/5 | — |
| 1 | Paybooks | ₹1,800/mo | No | Web | Yes | 4.7/5 | |
| 2 |  uKnowva HRMS | ₹100/mo | No | Web | Yes | 4.6/5 | |
| 3 |  Zoho People Plus | ₹300/mo | No | Web | Yes | 4.7/5 | |
| 4 |  Saral PayPack | ₹6,000/mo | No | Web | Yes | 4.6/5 | |
| 5 |  Marg Payroll | ₹5,400/mo | No | Web | Yes | 4.6/5 | |
| 6 |  Keka Payroll | ₹6,999/mo | No | Web | Yes | 4.5/5 | |
| 7 |  sumHR Payroll | ₹49/mo | No | Web | Yes | 4.5/5 | |
| 8 |  Gusto | ₹3,000/mo | No | Web | No | 4.4/5 | |
| 9 |  Paybooks Payroll | ₹1,800/mo | No | Web | Yes | 4.5/5 | |
| 10 |  Zimyo Payroll | ₹60/mo | No | Web | Yes | 4.5/5 | |
| 11 |  Rippling | ₹700/mo | No | Web | No | 4.4/5 | |
| 12 |  Deel | ₹4,000/mo | No | Web | No | 4.4/5 | |
| 13 |  Remote | ₹2,400/mo | No | Web | No | 4.4/5 | |
| 14 |  HRAPP | ₹50/mo | No | Web | Yes | 4.4/5 | |
| 15 |  Nitso HRMS | ₹40/mo | No | Web | Yes | 4.5/5 | |
| 16 |  OnPay | ₹3,000/mo | No | Web | No | 4.4/5 | |
| 17 |  Patriot Payroll | ₹1,500/mo | No | Web | No | 4.4/5 | |
| 18 |  QuickBooks Payroll | ₹3,500/mo | No | Web | No | 4.4/5 | |
| 19 |  Ubihrm | ₹40/mo | No | Web | Yes | 4.4/5 | |
| 20 |  Xero Payroll | ₹1,000/mo | No | Web | No | 4.4/5 |
Top 10 BrightHR alternatives in detail
2. uKnowva HRMS
Convergence Services · Mumbai · HRMS software · 4.6/5
HRMS with social intranet and payroll.
₹100/mo
Free trial
Compared with BrightHR
- Built in India (Mumbai)
3. Zoho People Plus
Zoho Corporation · Chennai · HRMS software · 4.7/5
Bundled HR suite with recruit, payroll and expense.
₹300/mo
Free trial
Compared with BrightHR
- Built in India (Chennai)
Key features
- Job requisitions
- Candidate management
- Recruitment automation and analytics (Enterprise)
- Employee records
- Onboarding and offboarding
4. Saral PayPack
Relyon Softech · Bengaluru · HRMS software · 4.6/5
Payroll software with statutory compliance.
₹6,000/mo
Free trial
Compared with BrightHR
- Built in India (Bengaluru)
₹5,400/mo
Free trial
Compared with BrightHR
- Built in India (New Delhi)
₹6,999/mo
Free trial
Compared with BrightHR
- Built in India (Hyderabad)
₹49/mo
Free trial
Compared with BrightHR
- Built in India (Mumbai)
₹3,000/mo
Free trial
Key features
- Unlimited payroll runs per month with no charge for off-cycle payrolls
- Federal, state and local tax filings and payments
- Payroll on AutoPilot for recurring runs
- Multiple pay rates and pay schedules
- Direct deposit or printable checks
9. Paybooks Payroll
Paybooks · Bengaluru · HRMS software · 4.5/5
Payroll software plus managed payroll services.
₹1,800/mo
Free trial
Compared with BrightHR
- Built in India (Bengaluru)
10. Zimyo Payroll
Zimyo · Gurugram · HRMS software · 4.5/5
Payroll processing with compliance in Zimyo.
₹60/mo
Free trial
Compared with BrightHR
- Built in India (Gurugram)
BrightHR alternatives by what you need
How to choose a BrightHR alternative
- Start with payroll. If the statutory side is wrong, nothing else matters — ask the vendor to run a live payroll for a sample employee in your state and show you the PF, ESI and PT calculations.
- Next, check how attendance actually reaches the system. Biometric device integration, geo-tagged mobile check-in and shift rostering are three very different problems, and most vendors are strong at one and weak at the others.
- Finally, look at what happens at scale. Many Indian HRMS products are priced per employee per month with a floor of fifty or a hundred employees, which makes them expensive for a twenty-person team and cheap for a five-hundred-person one.
BrightHR alternatives — FAQs
What is the best alternative to BrightHR in 2026?+
The closest matches to BrightHR on App Advisor are Paybooks (₹1,800/mo), uKnowva HRMS (₹100/mo), Zoho People Plus (₹300/mo). They are ranked by how closely their category, pricing model, platforms and target business size match BrightHR, then by rating. The best choice depends on your team size and budget.
Is there a free alternative to BrightHR?+
None of the 20 closest alternatives to BrightHR has a free plan. Most offer a free trial instead, so ask for one before you commit.
What is the cheapest alternative to BrightHR?+
Among alternatives that publish a price, Nitso HRMS starts lowest at ₹40/mo. Prices are read from each vendor's website and exclude GST.
Is there an Indian alternative to BrightHR?+
Yes. 12 alternatives are built in India, including Paybooks (₹1,800/mo), uKnowva HRMS (₹100/mo), Zoho People Plus (₹300/mo). Indian products usually handle GST, TDS and UPI natively and bill in rupees.
BrightHR vs Paybooks: which is better?+
Paybooks is the closest match to BrightHR in our catalogue. Key differences: Built in India (Bengaluru). Compare them side by side before you book a demo.
How were these BrightHR alternatives chosen?+
Every product listed sits in hrms software or a category BrightHR also covers, and Bright HR Limited's own products are excluded. Prices, free plans and platforms come from each vendor's official website. App Advisor does not sell any of this software.
Free shortlist
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