Choosing the right HR and payroll platform can be overwhelming when you're running a fast-moving startup or SME. HROne may be on every comparison list, yet user reviews mention slow reports, limited mobile features, and rigid pricing. If those pain points sound familiar, it's time to explore other options that fit lean budgets and growing headcounts.
This guide lines up the top ten HROne alternatives available to Indian businesses in 2025. For each tool, we highlight key modules, pricing, common use cases, and the drawbacks current users flag most often. Read on to see which platform delivers the automation, transparency, and support your team needs without the extra headaches.
Let’s get started.
HROne is an HR and payroll software that automates operations to free managers of their workload. Serving 1500+ companies in India, the system simplifies workforce management and ensures streamlined business processes.
The core products by HROne include:
Core HR: Simplify HR with features like employee database and automated workflows
Attendance: Manage attendance and leaves—mark them from mobile or WhatsApp
Payroll: Reduce payroll errors and ensure timely payouts
Performance management: Set performance goals and review employee performances with 360-degree feedback
While several companies like HROne, a few users report struggling with certain aspects. Here’s what we found in HROne G2 and Capterra reviews.
No HR desk functionality in the mobile version
“ 1. Auto shift rotation feature dont work properly. Profile section is non customizable. HR desk not supported in the mobile version, need to access through web application every time.” Source
Limited customisation and inaccurate overtime calculation
“ No customization allowed in report formating. Overtime calculation formula dont work properly. Leave clubbing rule with weekly off not feasible.” Source
Slow and inaccurate reporting
Vinita K. - “1. Report downloads are little bit slow. This section needs improvement. Shift roaster dont work properly. No module is self customizable. HR desk feature not available in mobile version.” Source
Before we get into the details, here’s an at-a-glance list of the top HROne competitors and 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 looking to centralise HR, payroll, and performance management
Keka - Best for Large enterprises with advanced HR needs and no budget constraints
Kredily - Best for Mid-market to large enterprises looking for custom HR and payroll solutions
Zoho Payroll - Best for Small to medium businesses using the Zoho suite tools with basic HR needs
BambooHR - Best for Large enterprises looking for comprehensive HR and payroll solutions
FactoHR - Best for Medium and large companies with performance management needs
ZingHR - Best for Mid-sized to large businesses looking to automate workforce management processes
Qandle - Best for Medium to large enterprises looking for basic HR and payroll needs
HRMantra - Best for Medium to large enterprises seeking HR, performance, and travel management features in one platform
Craze – An integrated, advanced, and affordable HRMS for Indian startups and SMEs
Craze replaces spreadsheets and fragmented HR tools with one connected platform that handles everything from onboarding to payroll and software access. Startups and growing companies like it for clear per-employee pricing, quick setup, and a support team that replies in minutes rather than days.
Core HR stores every employee record in one place, while optional modules plug in for payroll, leave, attendance, IT assets, engagement, and performance reviews. All features are live from day one, there are no surprise paywalls, and rates fall as headcount climbs, so you never pay for seats or functions you do not use.
Key features
Core HR with department hierarchy, role-based permissions, and editable HR letter templates
One-click payroll that covers compliances around PT, PF, ESIC, reimbursements, custom salary structures, and contractor payouts
Dashboards for leave balances, team calendars, and automated approval flows with custom holiday and weekend rules
Attendance tracking with geo-fencing, biometric device integration, overtime and penalisation rules, and bulk timesheet upload
Goals, OKRs, performance cycles, and pulse or anonymous engagement surveys
Built-in asset tracking to assign hardware during onboarding and monitor its life cycle
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 – A full-suite HRMS for people management
GreytHR streamlines people processes. It focuses on automating HR and payroll so businesses can operate efficiently.
Key features
Bella, the chatbot to address employee queries and grievances
Task management and checklists
Mass email and SMS for targeted communication
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
🔖Looking for advanced features at an affordable price? Try these top 10 GreytHR alternatives
Keka – Robust software for companies with higher budgets
Keka is one of the best HROne alternatives for large businesses. It offers comprehensive features to streamline people and payroll processes.
Key features
People data and analytics to track the workforce
Automatic and compliant payroll
Performance management with goals and OKR settings
Pricing
Foundation: ₹9,999/month (up to 100 employees) and ₹90/employee/month for extra employees. Doesn’t include people analytics, attendance features, and advanced employee onboarding
Strength: ₹12,999/month (up to 100 employees) and ₹120/employee/month for extra employees. No access to workflow automation, report builder, and employee performance
Growth: ₹15,999/month (up to 100 employees) and ₹150/employee/month for extra employees. Helpdesk and shift management are available as add-ons
🔖Looking for a more affordable option? Try these top Keka alternatives.
Kredily – Good software for managing payroll and HR processes
Kredily is an HR and payroll platform that automates repetitive HR tasks. It streamlines payroll processes and ensures timely salary disbursements.
Key features
Consolidated view of investment declarations
Automated payslip generator
Automatic onboarding, leave, and attendance management
Pricing
Free forever: ₹0 /Month
Professional: ₹1499/Month for up to 25 employees and ₹60/extra employee
Enterprise: Custom pricing
Zoho People – Good software for managing HR operations
Zoho People is a HROne competitor that streamlines HR processes and practices. The software helps you simplify employee management, ensuring a high-performing workforce.
Key features
Employee case management
Timesheets to track billable hours
Hiring reports and analytics
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
BambooHR – Good software for streamlining employee management processes
BambooHR simplifies HR operations with automation—from hire to exit. It streamlines hiring and onboarding and enhances employee management.
Key features
Employee database and reporting
Taxes and benefits administration for US-based employees
Approval workflow automation
Pricing
Undisclosed
FactoHR – Mobile-first HCM solution for HR process automation and reporting
FactoHR is an HCM platform that automates HR tasks and helps make data-driven decisions. It makes companies future-ready with smart HR features.
Key features
Custom dashboards to view HR, payroll, and attendance data
Mobile app and self-serve portals to view employee earnings, net income, etc.
Custom report-builder
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
Ultimate: ₹6,999 /Month for 50 users and ₹119/month for each extra employee
ZingHR – Good software for companies seeking advanced workforce management features
ZingHR is an intelligent workforce management solution. It streamlines HR operations and ensures faster payroll processing.
Key features
Snapshot of status, payday, existing employees, etc.
Real-time dashboards to capture attendance
Customised shift scheduling
Pricing
Undisclosed
Qandle – Good software for automating strategic HR and payroll processes
Qandle is a smart HR software with automatic onboarding and recruitment features. It streamlines payroll processing and workforce management effectively.
Key features
Applicant tracking for hassle-free recruitment
Self-service candidate portals
Predictive workforce analytics and custom dashboards
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
HRMantra – Good software for centralising HR, payroll, and travel management
HRMantra is an HR and payroll software that streamlines employee management. It automates onboarding and payroll processes.
Key features
Workflow automation for transfers, resignations, etc.
Generate organisation charts and employee positioning reports
Custom policies, salary period, and payslip format
Pricing
Undisclosed
The features of your HR tool depend on your needs and specific use cases. However, there’s a standard list of features you must look for in an HROne alternative.
ESS portal: Choose tools with ESS portals or dashboards to view earnings, request leaves, mark attendance, etc.
Time tracking: Look for tools that generate timesheets to track billable hours
Compliant tax management: Pick HR software that automates compliance handling and tax filing
Speed and accuracy: Look for tools that instantly generate accurate reports and payslips and ensure timely payouts
Mobile view/app: Make sure the tool you choose has a functional mobile-view browser or app to work on the go
Customisation: Choose tools that offer custom rules, policies, and reports based on business needs
Dedicated support: Make sure the software vendor offers support at all times on both desktop and mobile versions
Out of all the HROne alternatives mentioned here, we strongly recommend Craze. Be it pricing or the connected, all-in-one admin dashboard experience it creates, it is tailor-made for Indian startups and growing businesses.
You are a perfect fit for Craze if:
You are a startup or scale-up building people operations from the ground up and need an all-in-one HR, Payroll and IT dashboard
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.
Sounds like a perfect match?
Which HROne alternative is the most affordable for budget-conscious Indian startups?
Craze is one of the best and affordable HROne alternatives. Its pricing starts at ₹60/employee/month for its Core HR module. You can add on other modules like payroll, leave-attendance, performance, and engagement on top of the Core HR. You only pay for the modules you choose and not for the features you don’t use. Other affordable options include Kredily & GreytHR, which have free plans with limited features.
Which competitors offer deeper custom rules and report builders than HROne?
Craze - lets admins define unlimited salary components, leave policies and multi-step approval chains, then build ad-hoc reports or export raw data directly.
FactoHR - includes a formula-driven rule engine and a drag-and-drop report designer (available from the Premium plan upward).
Qandle - ships with predictive analytics and user-defined dashboards; exports can be scheduled or pushed via API.
What customer-support response times can I expect from HROne versus its rivals?
Reviews on G2 and Capterra indicate that HROne support often takes a business day or more to close basic tickets, with phone assistance limited to higher plans. Craze offers in-app chat and WhatsApp escalation, targeting first responses within one hour (mostly within minutes) during business hours. GreytHR and Keka sit in the middle: both provide phone or chat support on paid tiers, usually responding the same day, but without a formal SLA for starter plans.
Can I migrate historical HR and payroll data from HROne to another platform without downtime?
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.
