For startups, scale-ups, and SMEs, HR software is more than a place to store employee data. You need a system that handles onboarding, leave balances, salary runs, and compliance while staying light on the wallet and easy for a small team to run. With limited budgets and lean ops teams, founders and finance leads turn to tools like HRMantra to cut overhead and keep people processes moving.
In theory, adopting HRMantra should replace scattered spreadsheets with one dashboard for leave approvals, payroll calculations, and attendance tracking. Yet reviews on G2 and Capterra reveal that many users hit snags such as slow load times, unanswered support tickets, and an interface that can be hard to navigate.
If those headaches sound familiar, it is worth exploring a few alternatives before locking in a long-term contract. This blog walks you through the best HRMantra competitors on the market so you can make a confident choice for your next growth phase. Let’s dive in.
HRMantra is a comprehensive HRMS platform that was introduced around 1999-2000. Ever since, it has worked with hundreds of clients, including Kurl-on, Posco, Jockey, Century Ply, and more.
HRMantra offers the following core products:
Human resource management: Automate HR processes like onboarding and offboarding, plan rewards, etc.
Attendance management: Capture attendance, track late check-ins and overtime, and manage shift scheduling
Compliant payroll: Manage employee payroll, taxes, and FFS processing globally
Before discussing the top HRMantra alternatives, here's why HRMantra users want to switch based on G2 and Capterra reviews:
Unresponsive customer support
“Their support was not good take so munch time for revert” - source
Slow software with data inconsistencies during peak usage
“The application lags a lot during high usage. And the data is inconsistent in case of high usage.” - source
Confusing leave management features
“Every time I got Confusion on Leave Balance and History, Sometimes it will not update my swipe details, when I open the Leave Application page it will take time to load the page.” - source
Here’s a list of Pocket HRMS Alternatives:
Craze- Best for Indian startups and growing businesses looking for all-in-one HR, Payroll and IT software in one place
GreytHR - Best for Medium to large enterprises with basic HR needs
Kredily - Best for Small to medium businesses looking to streamline HR functions
Zoho People - Best for Small to medium businesses with limited customisation needs
Keka - Best for Large enterprises with high budgets
HROne - Best for Small to medium businesses looking for customisable HR software
BambooHR - Best for Large enterprises looking for comprehensive HR solutions
Qandle - Best for Mid-sized businesses with advanced HR needs and high budgets
ZingHR - Best for Large enterprises looking for robust HR software
FactoHR - Best for Medium and large enterprises focused on building high-performing teams
Craze – Integrated HR suite for startups, scaling companies, and large enterprises
Craze is the top HRmantra alternative that replaces spreadsheets and scattered tools with one connected workspace that manages everything from onboarding to payroll. Founders and HR leads like its transparent pay-per-employee pricing, five-minute setup, and support team that hops on WhatsApp when you need help.
Core HR gives you a single source of truth for employee data, while plug-in modules handle payroll automation, leave and attendance tracking, IT assets, engagement, and performance reviews. All features are unlocked from day one, and there are no surprise add-ons when your processes become more complex.
Key features
Multi-entity Core HR with department hierarchy, role-based permissions, and editable HR letter templates
One-click payroll covering taxes, PF, ESIC, reimbursements, loans, and contractor payouts
Leave dashboards for employees and managers, plus custom policies and automated approvals
Attendance module with geo-fencing, biometric integrations, bulk timesheet uploads, and overtime rules
Goals, OKRs, and configurable performance cycles with custom questions and ratings
Engagement surveys (pulse, anonymous) to monitor team sentiment
Asset tracking that assigns and monitors hardware through its full lifecycle
A report builder that exports real-time data from any module for quick analysis
Pricing
Growth: Pricing starts at ₹60/month/employee for Core (with no feature gating). You can add other modules like payroll, leave & attendance, IT asset management, engagement, and performance with additional charges.
Custom: Appropriate for enterprises with 500+ employees.
GreytHR – Good software for businesses with basic HR needs
GreytHR simplifies HR functions and helps drive employee experience. It automates routine tasks and centralises employee information to remove inconsistencies and redundancy.
Key features
The employee self-service (ESS) portal requests and tracks leaves, views IDs, taxes, etc.
Bella AI to address queries and grievances
Automatic policy enforcement with customisable approval and escalation levels
Pricing
Starter: ₹0/month for 25 employees with limited features
Essential: ₹3495/month for 50 employees and ₹35/month/employee for extra employees
Growth: ₹5495/month for 50 employees and ₹65/month for each extra employee. Add-on pricing for business expense claims management
Enterprise: ₹7495/month for 50 employees and ₹105/month/employee for extra employees
Kredily – Good software for businesses looking to streamline HR processes
Kredily is one of the known HRMantra competitors. It automates internal HR processes, including onboarding, attendance and leave, and payroll management.
Key features
Attendance management to track attendance, leaves, request and process time-offs, etc.
Reports and analytics for visibility into employee data and performance
Automate payroll and benefits administration
Pricing
Free forever: ₹0 /Month
Professional: ₹1499/Month for up to 25 employees and ₹60/extra employee
Enterprise: Custom pricing
Zoho People – Affordable software for businesses with limited customisation needs
Zoho People is a cloud-based HR software that simplifies HR operations with smart HR workflows. The tool focuses on employee experience and helps retain talent through process automation.
Key features
An employee database is used to centralise employee documentation like ID proofs, salary slips, etc.
Schedule shifts with time and attendance management
Continuous reviews and performance appraisals
Pricing
Essential HR: ₹60/user with no time tracking, overtime calculation, etc.
Professional: ₹120/user with no employee engagement, advanced HR analytics, etc.
Premium: ₹180/user with no Helpdesk & Learning management system etc.
Enterprise: ₹240/user without access to Zoho Recruit, Zoho Payroll, etc.
People Plus: ₹450/user, includes Zoho Recruit and Zoho Payroll
Keka – Advanced HR software for businesses with no budget constraints
Keka is an employee-centric HRM system. It streamlines HR operations with automated workflows and employee management. It offers performance management and analytics features to boost employee productivity.
Key features
HR workflows to automate people processes like onboarding, probation, confirmation, etc.
HR analytics to gain insights into employee performance
ESS portal to update profiles, apply leaves, track attendance, and more
Pricing
Foundation: ₹9,999/month for up to 100 employees and ₹90/month for each extra employee. No access to people analytics, surveys, employee self-service
Strength: ₹12,999/month for up to 100 employees and ₹120/month for each extra employee. No workflow automation and custom report builder
Growth: ₹15,999/month for up to 100 employees and ₹150/month for each extra employee. Helpdesk and shift management are available as add-ons
HROne – Mobile-first software for businesses with customisation needs
HROne simplifies complex HR functions. It offers customisable workflows to streamline routine HR operations.
Key features
Create multiple job roles and access levels
Real-time tracking of policy changes
Automatic tax calculation and attendance management
Pricing
Basic: ₹ 4950 /Month for 50 users and ₹99/month for each extra employee
Professional: ₹ 6500 /Month for 50 users and ₹130/month for each extra employee
Enterprise: Custom pricing for 50+ Teams
BambooHR – Good software for businesses looking for comprehensive hiring and recruitment features
BambooHR brings all HR functions under one roof. It streamlines employee processes and simplifies payroll and benefits management.
Key features
Automate payroll and work hours tracking
Reporting and analytics to measure employee performance
Applicant tracking system to help you hire top talents
Pricing
Undisclosed
Qandle – Good software for businesses with comprehensive HR needs and high budgets
Qandle’s HR software solution is among the top HRMantra competitors. It streamlines HR operations, including hiring and onboarding, pay, employee engagement, and development.
Key features
Digital Record Management system to streamline employee and business records
Automated payroll management with real-time data access
HR dashboards to simplify hiring and onboarding processes
Pricing
Foundation: ₹2950/month for up to 50 employees and ₹59/month per extra employee
Regular: ₹4950/month for up to 50 employees and ₹99/month per extra employee
Plus: ₹6200/month for up to 50 employees and ₹124/month per extra employee
Premium: ₹8000/month for up to 50 employees and ₹160/month per extra employee
Enterprise: Custom pricing
ZingHR – Enterprise HR software for businesses looking for robust HRM systems
ZingHR is an enterprise HR software that helps companies streamline their business operations. It offers dynamic, configurable workflows that allow users to tailor the tool to their needs.
Key features
Employee Dossier to manage employee personal details, skills, training, IDs, employment history, etc.
AI-enabled interviews to automate recruitment
Pre-built reports with access rights and event alerts
Pricing
Undisclosed
FactoHR – Mobile-first all-in-one HCM solution
FactoHR is a cloud-based HCM solution. The tool automates HR tasks and helps build a high-performing workforce. It enhances the employee experience and retains top talents.
Key features
HR dashboard to view demographics, diversity, workforce strength, etc. at a glance
Automate onboarding with employee-self onboarding portal
Payroll management with custom salary components and many salary structures
Pricing
Core: ₹4,999 /Month for 50 users and ₹69/month for each extra employee
Premium: ₹5,999 /Month for 50 users and ₹89/month for each extra employee
There's no one-size-fits-all approach to choosing the best HRMantra alternative. The features to look for in an HR tool depend on your business needs. But, we researched user reviews to curate a list of must-haves. Here's the list:
Employee database management: Check if the tool centralises all employee records and documentation
Compliant payroll processing: Look for tools that automate payouts, tax deductions, etc.
Leave and attendance tracking: Pick a tool that lets you track leave and attendance and automates approvals
ESS portal: Pick a tool that offers a portal to access employee personal info, payslips, leaves, etc.
Onboarding and offboarding: Choose a tool that automates onboarding and exit management systems
Customer support: Choose a software vendor that has a responsive support team
User experience: Choose a tool that's easy to use, fast, and efficient, especially during peak usage
By now, you know about all the best HRMantra alternatives out there, and you probably know which of these tools would be perfect for your use cases.
Give us 30 seconds to explain why you should give Craze a shot (if you haven’t decided to go for it already). We might sound biased, but Craze would be a great fit for you if:
You are building people functions from scratch and are looking for an all-in-one HR, Payroll and IT dashboard.
An end-to-end admin system that scales effortlessly with headcount.
You are frustrated with legacy tools that hide essential features behind pricey add-ons and surprise fees.
You want a support team that responds in minutes, understands Indian compliance, and solves issues without long ticket back-and-forth.
Want to know how Craze can help?
Q1. Which HRMantra alternative offers the shortest implementation time for a growing team?
HR software like Craze gets most companies set up in a few hours. A guided setup wizard, pre-built templates, and white-glove data import mean you can roll out core HR, payroll, and attendance without a long project plan or external consultants.
Q2. Do the listed alternatives support multi-entity payroll processing for companies with offices in multiple states?
Yes. Platforms like Craze let you add every legal entity and location, apply state-specific PF and PT rules, and run separate or consolidated payroll cycles from one dashboard.
Q3. Can I integrate these HRMS platforms with popular accounting software like Tally or Zoho Books?
Most modern HRMS platforms like Craze provide ready connectors or export formats for Zoho Books, Tally and other accounting suites, so salary journals and reimbursement entries flow straight into your ledgers.
Q4. How easy is it to migrate historical payroll and leave data from HRMantra to another platform?
HRMS like Craze offers a white-glove service: you fill a simple Excel sheet, the team imports it into the backend, and employees log in with the history intact. Keka, GreytHR, and FactoHR provide migration utilities that map Zoho fields and let you schedule a cut-over on a weekend. Tools like RazorpayX Payroll or Kredily expect you to prep CSV files yourself, so plan extra time for validation. In most cases, a clean migration takes three to five working days if you have your data organised.
Q5. Which alternative provides the most flexible approval workflows for reimbursements and leave requests?
Craze lets you build multi-step, role-based workflows with conditional rules for amounts, departments, employee levels or any other combination based on AND, OR operators. If you need a fallback option, Qandle and Zoho People also offer a single-dimensional approval chain, though setup can take a bit longer.
