greytHR vs Keka – which one should your business pick in 2026? If you’re an Indian business owner or decision-maker comparing these two tools, you’re asking the right question. Both are popular choices in the hr & payroll software space, but they’re built for very different users, budgets, and workflows.
This isn’t a generic “both are great” comparison. We’ve gone feature-by-feature, plan-by-plan, and rupee-by-rupee to give you a clear verdict based on your specific situation. Whether you’re a solo professional, a 10-person team, or a growing business with 50+ employees – you’ll know exactly which tool to pick by the end of this guide.
We’ll cover: a side-by-side feature comparison table, detailed pricing breakdown (with INR costs where available), pros and cons of each, specific scenarios where one beats the other, and a final verdict. Let’s get into it.
⚡ Quick Verdict
| Best for budget / value | greytHR |
| Best for features / scale | Keka |
| Best for Indian businesses | greytHR |
| Free plan available | greytHR |
What Is greytHR?
| Category | HR & Payroll Software |
| Made by | Greytip Software (India) |
| Website | greythr.com |
| Starting Price | Free |
India’s most popular HRMS for payroll processing, leave management, and statutory compliance.
What Is Keka?
| Category | HR & Payroll Software |
| Made by | Keka Technologies (India) |
| Website | keka.com |
| Starting Price | Rs.6,999/month |
Modern HRMS platform for payroll, performance, and hiring with employee-first design.
greytHR vs Keka – Feature-by-Feature Comparison
This is the comparison that matters. Below is a detailed feature matrix covering everything from pricing to specific capabilities. Green checkmarks mean the feature is available; red crosses mean it’s not.
| Feature | greytHR | Keka |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | Free | Rs.6,999/month |
| Free Plan | ✓ Yes | ✗ No |
| INR Pricing | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Pricing Model | Freemium + Subscription | Subscription |
| Users (Entry Plan) | 25 employees | 100 employees |
| Payroll processing with PF/ESI/PT | ✓ | ✓ |
| Leave & attendance management | ✓ | ✓ |
| Employee self-service portal | ✓ | ✓ |
| Statutory compliance (Form 16, PF ECR) | ✓ | ✓ |
| Expense management | ✓ | ✓ |
| Performance management | ✓ | ✓ |
| Geo-fencing attendance | ✓ | ✓ |
| Custom reports | ✓ | ✓ |
| Integration with biometric devices | ✓ | ✓ |
| Mobile app | ✓ | ✓ |
greytHR vs Keka – Pricing Comparison
Pricing is often the deciding factor for Indian businesses. Here’s a detailed plan-by-plan comparison of what you’ll actually pay for each tool. Remember to add 18% GST to all Indian prices.
greytHR Pricing
| Plan | Price | Billing | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | Free | Forever (25 employees) | Startups with under 25 employees |
| Growth | Rs.2,988/month | Monthly | Growing SMBs needing full payroll + leave management |
| Enterprise | Custom | Custom | Large companies with 200+ employees |
Check greytHR Latest Pricing →
Keka Pricing
| Plan | Price | Billing | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Foundation | Rs.6,999/month | Monthly (up to 100 employees) | SMBs wanting modern HRMS with payroll |
| Strength | Rs.9,999/month | Monthly (up to 100 employees) | Growing companies needing performance management |
| Growth | Rs.13,999/month | Monthly (up to 100 employees) | Companies wanting full HRMS + recruitment + analytics |
Check Keka Latest Pricing →
💰 Pricing Verdict: greytHR has a free plan while Keka doesn’t, making it the obvious choice if you want to start without any investment. However, compare the paid plans carefully – the cheapest option isn’t always the best value when you factor in the features you actually need.
greytHR – Pros & Cons
✅ Pros
• Free plan for 25 employees – rare in HRMS
• Deep Indian statutory compliance built in
• Clean employee self-service portal
• Trusted by 20,000+ Indian companies
• Easy payroll processing
❌ Cons
• UI can feel basic compared to Keka
• Customization options are limited on lower plans
• Customer support has mixed reviews
• Performance management module is basic
• No recruitment/ATS module
Keka – Pros & Cons
✅ Pros
• Modern, beautiful UI – best-looking Indian HRMS
• Full suite: payroll + performance + recruitment
• OKR-based performance management
• Employee engagement features
• API access for custom integrations
❌ Cons
• No free plan – Rs.6,999 minimum is steep for small startups
• Per-employee pricing above 100 adds up
• Payroll compliance updates occasionally lag
• Some features feel half-baked in newer modules
• Limited customization on Foundation plan
Who Should Pick greytHR?
greytHR is the better choice if any of the following describe your situation:
🎯 Indian startups with under 25 employees (free plan)
🎯 SMBs needing payroll compliance without hiring HR consultant
🎯 Companies wanting employee self-service portal
🎯 Startups with under 25 employees
🎯 Growing SMBs needing full payroll + leave management
Get Started with greytHR →
Who Should Pick Keka?
Keka is the better choice if any of the following describe your situation:
🎯 Companies with 50-500 employees wanting modern HRMS
🎯 Startups that value employee experience and modern UI
🎯 Companies needing payroll + performance + hiring in one tool
🎯 SMBs wanting modern HRMS with payroll
🎯 Growing companies needing performance management
Get Started with Keka →
Frequently Asked Questions – greytHR vs Keka
Common questions Indian businesses ask when choosing between greytHR and Keka:
Which is cheaper – greytHR or Keka?
It depends on your team size and plan. GreytHR starts at Free (Forever (25 employees)) while Keka starts at Rs.6,999/month (Monthly (up to 100 employees)). GreytHR has a free plan, making it cheaper to start with. Always factor in 18% GST for Indian pricing.
Can I migrate data from greytHR to Keka (or vice versa)?
Most hr & payroll software tools support CSV/Excel import-export. You can typically export your data from greytHR and import it into Keka. However, the migration is not always 1:1 – custom fields, transaction history, and integrations may need manual setup. Plan for 2-4 weeks of parallel usage during migration.
Which is better for small Indian businesses?
Both tools cater to Indian businesses. The right choice depends on whether you prioritize free plan for 25 employees – rare in hrms (greytHR) or modern, beautiful ui – best-looking indian hrms (Keka).
Which has better customer support?
greytHR and Keka both offer support, but quality varies by plan tier. Paid plans generally get faster response times. For Indian businesses, tools with local support teams (Indian company, IST business hours) tend to resolve issues faster. Check recent reviews on G2 or Capterra for the latest support quality feedback.
Is greytHR better than Keka for GST compliance?
Both tools offer GST compliance features since they are built for the Indian market.
Can I use both greytHR and Keka together?
In most cases, you’d pick one over the other since they solve similar problems. However, some businesses use both – for example, using greytHR for startups with under 25 employees and Keka for companies wanting full hrms + recruitment + analytics. Check integration compatibility before committing to a dual-tool setup.
greytHR vs Keka – which is more popular in India?
Popularity varies by industry and company size. Both tools have strong adoption in India. Check Google Trends for the latest search volume data in your specific niche.
What are alternatives to both greytHR and Keka?
If neither tool fits your needs, check our alternatives guides: greytHR Alternatives India and Keka Alternatives India for comprehensive comparisons with other tools in the hr & payroll software category.
Related Guides on aidukan.in
Explore detailed pricing breakdowns and alternatives for both tools:
📖 greytHR Price India 2026 – Plans, Hidden Costs & Which to Pick
📖 Keka Price India 2026 – Plans, Hidden Costs & Which to Pick
📖 Best greytHR Alternatives India 2026
📖 Best Keka Alternatives India 2026
📋 Final Verdict – greytHR vs Keka India 2026
There is no universal winner in the greytHR vs Keka debate – it comes down to your specific business needs. greytHR excels at free plan for 25 employees – rare in hrms, while Keka shines at modern, beautiful ui – best-looking indian hrms.
Our recommendation: try greytHR’s free plan first, then compare it against Keka with a trial or entry-level plan.
Try greytHR
Visit greytHR →
Try Keka
Visit Keka →