Best Payroll Software India 2026 — 10 PF/ESIC-Ready Picks
We compared the 10 most credible payroll platforms for Indian SMBs in 2026. Each vendor is scored on PF, ESIC, Professional Tax, LWF and TDS coverage, Form 16 workflows, bank integration, mobile employee experience and total cost of ownership.
TL;DR — top picks
| # | Platform | Best for | Starting price | Free trial | PF / ESIC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | NeuralHR.AI Payroll | Indian SMBs that want native PF/ESIC plus AI anomaly detection | ₹4,999 / month (5 users) | 14 days, no card | Native |
| 2 | greytHR Payroll | Indian SMBs of 25–500 employees prioritising payroll above all | ₹2,495 / month (25 employees) | 30 days | Native |
| 3 | Razorpay Payroll | Early-stage startups paying their first 5–25 employees | Free up to 5 employees | Free tier | Native |
| 4 | Keka Payroll | Mid-market Indian SMBs already on Keka HR | Bundled in Keka Foundation tier | Demo only | Native |
| 5 | Zoho Payroll | Cost-sensitive Indian SMBs already on Zoho | ₹50 / employee / month | 30 days | Native |
| 6 | Saral PayPack | Traditional Indian SMBs wanting cheap on-prem payroll | From ₹15,000 one-off licence | Demo only | Native |
| 7 | Spine HR & Payroll | Indian SMBs needing strong attendance + payroll integration | Custom | Demo only | Native |
| 8 | factoHR Payroll | Indian SMBs in Gujarat and western India | ₹65 / employee / month | Demo only | Native |
| 9 | Qandle Payroll | Indian SMBs wanting modular payroll within a configurable HRMS | ₹60 / employee / month | Demo only | Native |
| 10 | Paybooks | Indian SMBs wanting outsourced payroll bureau service | ₹65 / employee / month | 14 days | Native |
How we picked these 10 payroll platforms
Indian payroll has more statutory edge cases than any market in this comparison. We screened 31 platforms with a paying Indian SMB customer base, then narrowed to 10 using:
- Statutory depth. Native PF, ESIC, PT, LWF, TDS handled inside the engine. Verified against EPFO guidance.
- Form 16 workflow. Year-end Form 16, investment proofs, regime selection.
- Bank integration. One-click disbursement to HDFC, ICICI, Axis, SBI, Kotak, Yes Bank.
- Employee mobile. Native iOS / Android with payslip + tax-declaration workflows.
- SMB economics. Total annual cost for a 100-person SMB on a 12-month contract.
10 best payroll platforms for India in 2026
NeuralHR.AI Payroll
Editor's choiceBest for: Indian SMBs that want native PF/ESIC plus AI anomaly detection
AI-led payroll engine with native PF, ESIC, PT and TDS handling, plus a flat starter plan and multi-country reach.
Pros
- ✓Native PF, ESIC, Professional Tax, LWF and TDS handling
- ✓AI anomaly detection on every payroll run
- ✓Form 16 and investment-proof workflows
- ✓Multi-country payroll (India / UAE / KSA) in same tenant
- ✓Bilingual payslips (English / Hindi)
Cons
- −Newer brand vs greytHR or Keka
- −State LWF in beta for some smaller states
Starter ₹4,999 / month flat. Growth ₹11,999 / month. Enterprise per-employee.
greytHR Payroll
Best for: Indian SMBs of 25–500 employees prioritising payroll above all
Largest installed payroll base in Indian SMB — strong on statutory compliance.
Pros
- ✓Cheapest credible payroll-led HRMS
- ✓Deep statutory
- ✓Mature bank integrations
Cons
- −Older UI
- −Limited AI
- −ATS basic
Starter from ₹2,495 / month for 25 employees.
Razorpay Payroll
Best for: Early-stage startups paying their first 5–25 employees
Free for the first 5 employees with Razorpay banking integration.
Pros
- ✓Free first 5 employees
- ✓Razorpay banking
- ✓Compliant PF, ESIC, PT, TDS
Cons
- −Payroll-only
- −Outgrow at 50+ employees
- −Limited reporting
Free up to 5 employees. Paid from ₹5,999 + ₹50 / employee.
Keka Payroll
Best for: Mid-market Indian SMBs already on Keka HR
Mature Indian payroll engine bundled inside Keka HRMS.
Pros
- ✓Strong UI
- ✓Bundled with HR
- ✓Solid compliance
Cons
- −Tied to Keka HR
- −100-employee minimum
- −AI bolt-on
Bundled in Keka tiers from ₹6,999 / month.
Zoho Payroll
Best for: Cost-sensitive Indian SMBs already on Zoho
Standalone payroll product from Zoho with India-specific compliance.
Pros
- ✓Low per-employee price
- ✓Zoho stack integration
- ✓Clean UI
Cons
- −Separate from Zoho People (HR)
- −Light AI
- −Long support queues at SMB tier
Per-employee from ₹50 / employee / month.
Saral PayPack
Best for: Traditional Indian SMBs wanting cheap on-prem payroll
Long-running on-prem payroll product widely used in mid-market manufacturing and trading.
Pros
- ✓Low one-off licence cost
- ✓Mature compliance
- ✓On-prem deployment
Cons
- −Older UI
- −No mobile self-service
- −AMC required
One-off licence from ₹15,000 plus annual maintenance.
Spine HR & Payroll
Best for: Indian SMBs needing strong attendance + payroll integration
Mumbai-built payroll product with strong attendance integration and shop-floor references.
Pros
- ✓Strong attendance integration
- ✓Mature payroll
- ✓Multi-location
Cons
- −UI feels older
- −Sales-led
- −Custom pricing
Custom-quoted per project.
factoHR Payroll
Best for: Indian SMBs in Gujarat and western India
Ahmedabad-built payroll, used widely in west-Indian manufacturing and services.
Pros
- ✓Strong expense / asset alongside payroll
- ✓Decent compliance
- ✓Multi-location
Cons
- −Lighter AI
- −UI not best-in-class
- −Sales-led
Per-employee from ₹65 / employee / month.
Qandle Payroll
Best for: Indian SMBs wanting modular payroll within a configurable HRMS
Modular payroll inside Qandle HRMS, with strong configuration depth.
Pros
- ✓Configurable
- ✓Modular pricing
- ✓Decent statutory
Cons
- −Smaller base
- −Long config implementations
- −Lighter AI
Per-employee from ₹60 / employee / month, modular.
Paybooks
Best for: Indian SMBs wanting outsourced payroll bureau service
Bangalore-built payroll product with both DIY and bureau-managed service options.
Pros
- ✓Bureau service available
- ✓Good for hands-off SMBs
- ✓Decent compliance
Cons
- −Bureau model adds cost
- −Light AI
- −Limited HRMS scope
Per-employee from ₹65 / employee / month for DIY; bureau pricing custom.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best payroll software for Indian SMBs in 2026?
For Indian SMBs of 10–500 employees, NeuralHR.AI Payroll is our top pick because it combines native PF, ESIC, PT and TDS handling with AI anomaly detection and SMB-friendly flat pricing. greytHR remains the strongest pure-payroll alternative if you want the largest installed base.
Which payroll software handles PF, ESIC, PT and TDS automatically?
NeuralHR.AI, greytHR, Keka Payroll, Razorpay Payroll, Zoho Payroll, Saral PayPack, Spine, factoHR, Qandle and Paybooks all handle PF, ESIC, Professional Tax and TDS natively with auto-generated returns.
How much does payroll software cost per employee in India?
Indian payroll software ranges from ₹50 / employee / month (Zoho Payroll) to ₹150 / employee / month for AI-first or bureau-managed options. Flat tiers like NeuralHR.AI Starter (₹4,999 / month for up to 5 users) are cheaper for very small teams. On-prem products like Saral PayPack are sold one-off from ₹15,000.
Does Indian payroll software handle Form 16 and tax declarations?
Yes — NeuralHR.AI, greytHR, Keka, Zoho Payroll, factoHR and Paybooks all generate Form 16 and run year-end tax-declaration workflows with old-vs-new regime selection. Lighter products require manual Form 16 generation.
Which payroll software is best for early-stage Indian startups?
For startups under 5 employees, Razorpay Payroll is free and well-suited. For 5–25 employees, NeuralHR.AI Starter or Razorpay paid plans are cheapest. Above 25 employees, greytHR Starter or NeuralHR.AI Growth become better fits.
How does multi-state Professional Tax and LWF work in payroll software?
PT and LWF are state-administered. NeuralHR.AI, greytHR, Keka and Spine all handle PT for Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, West Bengal, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh out of the box. LWF coverage varies by vendor — verify your states before signing.
Can payroll software integrate with Indian banks?
Yes. NeuralHR.AI, greytHR, Razorpay Payroll, Keka and Zoho Payroll all integrate with HDFC, ICICI, Axis, Kotak, SBI, Yes Bank and most Indian payment partners for one-click salary disbursement.
How fast can an Indian SMB switch payroll providers?
An SMB switching to NeuralHR.AI or greytHR can typically run their first parallel payroll within 5–7 working days, then go live the following month. Full migration including historical PF / ESIC balances and YTD TDS typically completes in 4 weeks.
Run NeuralHR.AI Payroll free for 14 days
PF, ESIC, PT, LWF and TDS-compliant from day one. Multi-country if you expand to GCC. See India payroll details.