10 Best HR Software in India for 2026

Why Indian Businesses Need HR Software in 2026

Managing a workforce manually is exhausting. Ask any HR manager juggling attendance sheets, payroll calculations, and compliance deadlines and they’ll tell you the same thing: there aren’t enough hours in the day.

That’s exactly why HR software in India has become a must-have, not a nice-to-have, for businesses of every size.

The Growing Demand for HR Management Software in India

India’s workforce is massive, and it’s growing. Startups, mid-size companies, and large enterprises are all dealing with the same pressures: tighter compliance rules, remote and hybrid teams, and employees who expect a better digital experience.

HR management software in India helps companies handle all of this without burning out their HR teams. From automating payroll to tracking leaves and managing performance reviews, the right tool changes everything, and the numbers back it up. The HR tech market in India is expanding fast in 2026, with thousands of companies switching from spreadsheets to proper platforms every month.

What to Look for Before You Buy

Not all HR software is built the same. Here’s what actually matters:

• Payroll compliance with Indian tax laws (TDS, PF, ESI)
• Attendance and leave tracking
• Employee self-service portal
• Performance management tools
• Integration with your existing tools
• Mobile app support
• Customer support quality

Keep these in mind as you go through our list below.

Top 10 HR Software in India for 2026

We’ve put together this list based on features, pricing, user reviews, and how well each tool actually serves Indian businesses in 2026. Let’s get into it.

1. HROne

Best for: Businesses that want a full-stack HR platform built specifically for India

HROne is our top pick, and for good reason. It’s one of the most complete HR management software options in India right now, built from the ground up for Indian compliance requirements.

What makes HROne stand out is its inbox-first approach. Your HR team gets a central hub where every task, approval, and alert lands, so nothing slips through the cracks. It covers the entire employee lifecycle, from onboarding to exit.

Key features:

• Automated payroll with full Indian compliance (PF, ESI, TDS, PT)
• AI-powered attendance and leave management
• 360-degree performance management
• Employee self-service app
• HR analytics and real-time dashboards
• Recruitment and onboarding automation
• Expense and travel management

Pricing starts at around ₹85 per employee per month, making it a strong value for growing businesses.

Honestly, if you’re looking for HR software in India that covers everything without needing five different tools, HROne is the one to start with.

2. Keka HR

Best for: Mid-size companies focused on payroll accuracy

Keka is a popular HR management software in India, especially among companies with 100 to 1,000 employees. Its payroll engine is well-regarded, and the UI is clean and easy to use.

Key features:

• Payroll processing with statutory compliance
• Leave and attendance management
• Performance reviews and OKR tracking
• Recruitment module

Pricing starts at ₹6,999 per month for up to 100 employees. Suitable for companies that prioritize a polished user experience.

3. greytHR

Best for: Small businesses and startups needing affordable payroll software

greytHR has been around for a while and has a solid reputation in the Indian market. It’s particularly strong on payroll and statutory compliance, which is why many small companies stick with it.

Key features:

• Payroll automation with all Indian statutory deductions
• Leave management
• Employee document management
• Basic HR analytics

Pricing starts at ₹3,495 per month for up to 25 employees. Great entry-level option.

4. Zoho People

Best for: Companies already using the Zoho ecosystem

Zoho People is a flexible HR management tool that works best when you’re already using other Zoho products like Zoho CRM or Zoho Books. The integration between them is smooth, and the pricing is competitive.

Key features:

• Leave and attendance tracking
• Performance management
• Learning management system
• Workflow automation

Pricing starts at ₹48 per employee per month. Good for businesses that want a modular approach.

5. sumHR

Best for: Startups and early-stage companies

sumHR is built with Indian startups in mind. It’s lightweight, easy to set up, and handles the basics well without overwhelming a small HR team.

Key features:

• Attendance and leave management
• Payroll processing
• Employee database management
• Shift scheduling

Pricing starts at ₹50 per employee per month. A solid pick for teams under 50 people.

6. Darwinbox

Best for: Large enterprises with complex HR needs

Darwinbox is an enterprise-grade HR software built in India and used by some of the country’s biggest companies. It’s feature-rich, but that also means it takes more time to set up and configure.

Key features:

• Full HRMS suite including recruitment, payroll, and performance
• AI-driven workforce analytics
• Mobile-first design
• Highly configurable workflows

Pricing is custom-quoted. Best suited for companies with 500+ employees.

7. BambooHR

Best for: Companies with international teams or US-India operations

BambooHR is a well-known global HR platform. It works for Indian businesses that have international operations or use global hiring practices. That said, its Indian payroll compliance features aren’t as deep as local alternatives.

Key features:

• Applicant tracking system
• Employee records management
• Performance management
• Onboarding workflows

Pricing depends on your team size and is typically quoted in USD, though Indian billing arrangements are available.

8. Spine HR Suite

Best for: Manufacturing and blue-collar workforce management

Spine HR Suite is a strong option for industries with large field or factory workforces. It handles complex shift patterns, overtime calculations, and site-level attendance well.

Key features:

• Biometric integration for attendance
• Payroll with statutory compliance
• Shift and roster management
• Contract worker management

Pricing is available on request. Typically used by manufacturing, logistics, and retail companies.

9. PeopleStrong

Best for: Large Indian enterprises going through digital transformation

PeopleStrong is a mature HR management software platform that’s been serving Indian enterprises for years. It has a wide range of modules and strong analytics capabilities.

Key features:

• Talent acquisition and management
• Payroll and compliance
• Workforce analytics
• Employee engagement tools

Pricing is custom and typically geared toward larger businesses with 1,000+ employees.

10. SAP SuccessFactors

Best for: Global enterprises with India operations

SAP SuccessFactors is a global HR platform used by multinationals worldwide. If your company operates across countries and needs a single platform to manage everything, this is the big-league option.

Key features:

• Global payroll and compliance
• Talent management suite
• Workforce planning and analytics
• Learning and development

Pricing is enterprise-level and quoted based on scope. Not the right fit for SMBs.

HR Software Comparison Table for 2026

Here’s a quick side-by-side look at how these platforms stack up. This should help you narrow things down fast.

Software	Best For	Starting Price (INR)	Indian Payroll Compliance	Mobile App	Free Trial
HROne	All business sizes	₹85/employee/month	Yes (Full)	Yes	Yes
Keka HR	Mid-size companies	₹6,999/month (100 emp)	Yes	Yes	Yes
greytHR	Small businesses	₹3,495/month (25 emp)	Yes	Yes	Yes
Zoho People	Zoho ecosystem users	₹48/employee/month	Partial	Yes	Yes
sumHR	Startups	₹50/employee/month	Yes	Yes	Yes
Darwinbox	Large enterprises	Custom pricing	Yes	Yes	On request
BambooHR	Global/hybrid teams	Custom pricing	Limited	Yes	Yes
Spine HR Suite	Manufacturing/field	On request	Yes	Yes	On request
PeopleStrong	Large Indian enterprises	Custom pricing	Yes	Yes	On request
SAP SuccessFactors	Multinationals	Enterprise pricing	Yes (Global)	Yes	On request

Bottom line: HROne gives you the best combination of full Indian compliance, transparent pricing, and features that work for businesses at every stage of growth.

How to Choose the Right HR Software for Your Business

Picking the wrong HR tool is an expensive mistake. You’ll waste time migrating data, retraining your team, and dealing with workarounds. So get this decision right from the start.

Consider Your Company Size

This one matters more than most people think. A tool built for 5,000-employee enterprises will overwhelm a 50-person startup, and a basic tool designed for small teams will hit its limits fast once you scale.

Here’s a rough guide:

• 1-50 employees:sumHR, greytHR, or HROne’s starter plan
• 50-500 employees:HROne, Keka HR, or Zoho People
• 500+ employees:HROne, Darwinbox, or PeopleStrong
• Global enterprises:SAP SuccessFactors or BambooHR

HROne, to its credit, scales well across all these categories. That’s rare.

Check Compliance Features

Indian labor law is complex. You’ve got PF, ESI, TDS, Professional Tax, Gratuity, and a bunch of state-specific rules on top of that. Your HR software needs to handle all of it automatically.

Don’t assume every platform does this well. Some global tools treat Indian compliance as an afterthought. That can lead to errors, penalties, and a lot of headaches during tax season.

Tools like HROne and greytHR are built specifically for the Indian compliance environment. That’s a big deal.

Evaluate Pricing and ROI

The cheapest option isn’t always the best value. Think about what you’re actually getting for the price.

Ask yourself:

• Does the price include all the modules you need, or are they add-ons?
• Is there a setup fee or implementation cost?
• What does customer support look like at this price point?
• How long does onboarding take, and is it included?

HROne, for instance, offers transparent per-employee pricing with no surprise add-ons, which makes budgeting a lot easier. Many enterprise tools go the custom-quote route, which can drag out your buying decision by weeks.

Pro tip: always ask for a free trial or demo before committing. Any serious HR software vendor will offer one.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is HR software and why do Indian businesses need it?

HR software is a digital tool that helps companies manage employee data, payroll, attendance, compliance, and other HR processes. Indian businesses need it to stay compliant with local labor laws, reduce manual errors, and save time on repetitive tasks.

2. Which is the best HR software in India for 2026?

HROne is the top-rated HR software in India for 2026 for most businesses. It covers the full employee lifecycle, has strong Indian compliance support, and offers transparent pricing starting at ₹85 per employee per month.

3. Is there free HR software available in India?

Most serious HR platforms don’t offer a completely free version, but many, including HROne, offer free trials. Some tools like Zoho People have freemium tiers with limited features.

4. What is the difference between HRMS and HR software?

HRMS stands for Human Resource Management System. It’s essentially the same as HR software but usually implies a broader set of features including payroll, attendance, recruitment, and performance management all in one platform.

5. How much does HR software cost in India?

Pricing varies widely. You can find options starting as low as ₹48 per employee per month for basic tools, while full-featured platforms like HROne start at ₹85 per employee per month. Enterprise solutions like SAP SuccessFactors are custom-priced.

6. Can small businesses in India use HR software?

Absolutely. Tools like greytHR, sumHR, and HROne’s starter plans are designed with small businesses in mind. You don’t need a big team to benefit from HR automation.

7. Does HR software in India handle PF and ESI compliance?

The best ones do, yes. HROne, greytHR, Keka HR, and Darwinbox all handle PF, ESI, TDS, and other statutory deductions automatically as part of their payroll modules.

8. What’s the difference between cloud-based and on-premise HR software?

Cloud-based HR software is hosted online and accessible from anywhere. On-premise software is installed on your own servers. Most Indian businesses in 2026 are moving to cloud-based solutions because they’re easier to maintain and more cost-effective.

9. How long does it take to implement HR software?

It depends on the platform and your company size. A tool like HROne can be up and running in a few days for smaller teams. Larger enterprise implementations with lots of customization can take a few weeks to a couple of months.

10. Why should I choose HROne over other HR management software in India?

HROne is built specifically for Indian businesses, which means compliance is handled deeply, not as an add-on. It covers the full HR lifecycle in one platform, has an intuitive inbox-first interface, strong mobile support, and honest per-employee pricing. Plus, there’s a free trial so you can see it in action before you commit.