Payroll software in India calculates salaries, PF, ESI, professional tax and TDS, then files the returns, so your team is paid correctly and on time. The right tool depends on whether you run your own Indian company or hire through a provider.
That split is what separates the eleven tools below. EOR platforms employ people for you, while payroll software runs payroll for your own entity. We checked prices on each vendor’s site in October 2026 and scored every tool on the same eight parameters.
Price vs Score: What 50 Employees Cost Each Month
Each dot shows the monthly cost of a 50-person team in India against our overall score, so you can see what a higher fee buys.
- Ring shows the pricing model
- Per employee (EOR)
- Flat fee for 50 employees
Monthly cost for a 50-person team, excluding GST
The score axis starts at 3.6. Costs use ₹95 to the dollar, and Multiplier uses annual billing at $459 per employee. EOR fees cover employing the person, while software fees cover payroll tools only, so the two groups are not like for like. Rippling, Keka and Darwinbox are not plotted because they publish no price. FactoHR sits in the secondary tier and is not plotted.
What the chart shows
Best Payroll Software in India 2026: Quick Summary
Ten providers are ranked below, and one more follows the detailed reviews. Sort by price or score, or open a review for the full breakdown.
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- From
- $599
- Route
- EOR
- Price unit
- Per employee
- Free trial
- Not listed
Watch for: Deposit terms are not published, so ask for the amount and refund timeline in writing.
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- From
- $199
- Route
- EOR
- Price unit
- Per employee
- Free trial
- No
Watch for: Works through local partners in India and publishes no deposit terms.
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- From
- $459
- Route
- EOR
- Price unit
- Per employee
- Free trial
- No
Watch for: Annual order forms cannot be ended early, and unbilled fees for the rest of the term fall due on exit.
-
- From
- $599
- Route
- EOR
- Price unit
- Per employee
- Free trial
- Not listed
Watch for: A reserve or standby letter of credit can be requested, and no amount is published.
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- From
- Quote only
- Route
- Your entity
- Price unit
- Per user
- Free trial
- Not listed
Watch for: Payroll pricing is not published, and standard support runs on business hours only.
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- From
- ₹4,950 for 50 users
- Route
- Your entity
- Price unit
- Flat, then per user
- Free trial
- Yes
Watch for: Talent management and other modules are bought separately, and enterprise pricing is quote only.
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- From
- $499
- Route
- EOR
- Price unit
- Per employee
- Free trial
- Not listed
Watch for: The FX fee and implementation costs are not published, and India coverage should be confirmed with Papaya.
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- From
- Quote only
- Route
- Your entity
- Price unit
- Per user
- Free trial
- Yes
Watch for: Prices are not shown on the vendor site, so budgeting needs a quote.
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- From
- Quote only
- Route
- Your entity
- Price unit
- Quote based
- Free trial
- No
Watch for: Pricing is quote only, and there is no free trial.
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- From
- ₹2,495 for 50 employees
- Route
- Your entity
- Price unit
- Flat, by headcount
- Free trial
- Yes
Watch for: The interface feels dated in places.
The order reflects editorial judgement on fit for a company hiring in India, not the score column, so use Highest score sorting to see the scores alone. Prices are as published on each provider’s own site in October 2026. Lowest price sorts on the monthly cost of a 50-person team at ₹95 to the dollar, excluding GST, with Multiplier on annual billing. EOR fees cover employing the person while software fees cover payroll tools only. Providers with no published price sort last. Deposits and surcharges are covered in the full reviews, and sorting changes the order only.
Detailed reviews of the best payroll software in India
Start with the “Watch for” line on each card, because that is where the real cost or limit sits. Prices come from each vendor’s own pricing page in October 2026.
Deel
Why we picked Deel
Deel employs your people in India through its own Indian entity, so you do not need a company of your own. Its India material says it handles PF, ESI, gratuity, bonus and local filings.
Public reviews across three platforms total 26,891, the largest base of any provider here. The fee starts at $599 per employee a month, which puts 50 people at about ₹28,45,250 monthly at ₹95 to the dollar.
Deposit terms are not published, and the review lists costs outside the list price as its main caution. Ask for the deposit amount and refund timeline before you sign.
Payroll-specific details
Editor scores: 8 parameters
Strengths and limitations
Support channels
Remofirst
Why we picked Remofirst
Remofirst has the lowest published EOR fee on this list at $199 per employee a month, about ₹9,45,250 for 50 people. It bills monthly with no annual contract and no minimum headcount.
It has no Indian entity of its own and works through local partners, and its India page promises onboarding in as little as 24 hours. Payroll reliability scores 3.6 on its review, so ask how late payments are handled as you add people.
Payroll-specific details
Editor scores: 8 parameters
Strengths and limitations
Support channels
Multiplier
Why we picked Multiplier
Multiplier’s entry EOR plan costs $459 per employee on annual billing and $499 monthly, and the deposit is refundable within 60 days. India is one of 17 Asian entities it lists, and its review credits it with own entities across Asia.
Annual order forms cannot be cancelled early for convenience, so unbilled fees for the rest of the term fall due if you leave.
Payroll-specific details
Editor scores: 8 parameters
Strengths and limitations
Support channels
Remote.com
Why we picked Remote.com
Remote runs India through an owned entity, one of 100+ it operates across 90+ countries, which gives you a direct employer of record rather than a partner chain. The fee starts at $599 per employee a month.
The initial term is 12 months and renews automatically, with 30 days’ written notice to exit. A reserve or standby letter of credit can be requested, and neither the amount nor the trigger is published.
Payroll-specific details
Editor scores: 8 parameters
Strengths and limitations
Support channels
Rippling
Why we picked Rippling
Rippling treats India as native payroll for your own entity rather than an EOR hire, so it suits companies that already run Rippling elsewhere. The platform fee is $8 per user a month, and payroll pricing is quote only.
Its 3.2 pricing score and 3.3 support score pull the overall down to 3.8. Support runs on business hours and is gated behind a chatbot for standard customers, so ask who answers when a PF return is due.
Payroll-specific details
Editor scores: 8 parameters
Strengths and limitations
Support channels
HRone
Why we picked HRone
HRone prices by headcount band. Basic is ₹4,950 a month for up to 50 users with each extra user at ₹99, and Professional is ₹6,500 for 50 users with ₹130 per extra user.
Payroll, core HR, time office and the mobile app sit in Basic. Statutory compliance, returns and challans, income tax declarations and full and final settlements are marked included in all three plans.
Billing starts at go-live and there is no fixed lock-in, though exit needs two months’ notice. A named support expert is assigned after implementation and promises a reply within 24 hours.
Payroll-specific details
Editor scores: 8 parameters
Strengths and limitations
Support channels
Papaya Global
Why we picked Papaya Global
Papaya is built for finance-led teams that pay staff and contractors in many countries. EOR starts at $499 per employee a month, $100 below Deel and Remote.com, and Payroll Plus is $29 per employee for companies that own their entity.
Its review page does not describe India coverage, and the FX processing fee and implementation costs are unpublished, so confirm India support in writing before you commit.
Payroll-specific details
Editor scores: 8 parameters
Strengths and limitations
Support channels
Keka
Why we picked Keka
Keka is an Indian HRMS that runs payroll, attendance and leave in one system, with 150+ integrations and SOC 2 and ISO 27001 listed on its review page. Ease of use and payroll run both score 4.3.
Pricing is not shown on Keka’s own site, and the figures on its review page could not be matched there, so we list it as quote only. Support is described as inconsistent on complex issues.
Payroll-specific details
Editor scores: 8 parameters
Strengths and limitations
Support channels
Darwinbox
Why we picked Darwinbox
Darwinbox is an enterprise HRMS from Hyderabad with payroll localised for India and Southeast Asia, Android and iOS apps, and ISO 27001. Pricing is quote only and there is no free trial.
Advanced reporting needs heavy configuration, so plan implementation time for it.
Payroll-specific details
Editor scores: 8 parameters
Strengths and limitations
Support channels
greytHR
Why we picked greytHR
greytHR lists ₹2,495 a month for 50 employees on its own pricing page, the lowest figure in this ranking.
Its pages name PF, ESI, professional tax, TDS and labour welfare fund support, and it scores 4.3 on payroll run. A client success manager is mentioned in its FAQ.
Older listings show different plan prices, so confirm which tier covers your headcount before you buy.
Payroll-specific details
Editor scores: 8 parameters
Strengths and limitations
Support channels
More payroll software providers in India (11)
FactoHR is built around PF and ESIC filing for manufacturing and services firms, so it is listed here instead of carded. The fields match the ten above, and prices are as published on each vendor’s own site.
The cards above score each provider on its own. The sections below help you decide which route and which provider fit your company, using the same eight-parameter weights set out in the methodology.
Ten providers are carded and FactoHR sits in the secondary tier. Use the sections to settle three things: whether you need an Indian entity, which statutory filings the provider must handle, and what the headline fee leaves out.
How to choose payroll software in India
Four factors separate these providers more than any feature list does.
Your route
Five providers act as employer of record, so you need no Indian company. The other five run payroll for an entity you already hold. Settle this first, because it removes half the list.
Best equipped: Deel, Remote.com
Your own entity or an employer of record
An Indian entity lets you buy payroll software. Without one, an EOR employs your people and runs payroll on your behalf.
Where the line sits: no provider publishes a headcount at which your own entity becomes cheaper than an EOR, so ask each one for an entity setup quote. For the HR side of the same choice, see our HR software in India ranking and the India hiring guide.
What Indian payroll has to file in 2026
These are the filings a provider must prepare or hand to you. Three of them changed in the last twelve months.
| Filing | Rule in 2026 | When it falls due |
|---|---|---|
| EPF and EPS | 12% employee and 12% employer on wages up to ₹25,000, plus 0.5% EDLI and 0.5% admin charges | 15th of the following month |
| ESI | 0.75% employee and 3.25% employer on wages up to ₹21,000 | 21st of the following month |
| Professional tax | Set by each state and capped at ₹2,500 a year, not levied everywhere | Per state schedule |
| TDS on salary | Deducted monthly, with Form 130 as the employee certificate and Form 24Q renamed Form 138 | Form 130 by 15 June after the tax year |
| Gratuity | Fixed-term staff qualify after one year under the labour codes | On exit |
| Labour welfare fund | State level, paid where the state levies it | Per state schedule |
Provider pages differ in how much of this they spell out. This table lists the statutory items each one names on the pages we checked.
| Provider | Statutory items named |
|---|---|
| greytHR | PF, ESI, professional tax, TDS, labour welfare fund |
| Deel | PF, ESI, gratuity, bonus, local filings |
| HRone | Statutory compliance, returns and challans, tax declarations, final settlements |
| FactoHR | PF and ESIC calculations and filings |
| Rippling | Employer taxes and statutory contributions, items not named |
| Keka | Generic statutory filings, items not named |
| Remofirst | Benefits and tax compliance, items not named |
| Multiplier | Not published |
| Remote.com | Not published |
| Papaya Global | Not named |
| Darwinbox | Not named |
The EPF ceiling change
From 17 September 2026, employees earning ₹15,001 to ₹25,000 in basic pay plus DA come under mandatory EPF cover. At the ₹25,000 ceiling the employee pays ₹3,000, the employer EPF and EPS shares total ₹3,000, and EDLI and admin charges add ₹250. Ask how the provider handled the September part month.
Labour codes and the 50% wage rule
The four labour codes took effect on 21 November 2025. Wages must be at least 50% of total pay, so allowance-heavy salary structures raise the PF and gratuity base, and fixed-term staff now qualify for gratuity after one year. Check that the provider can restructure pay components without breaking past payslips.
Form 130 replaces Form 16
Form 130 replaces Form 16 from 1 April 2026 under the new Income Tax Act, and the first ones for tax year 2026 to 27 are due by 15 June 2027. Employees still receive Form 16 for the year that ended in March 2026.
What the headline fee leaves out
The table shows the fee for 50 people over twelve months, with the deposit and exit terms that sit outside the headline price.
| Provider | 12-month fee for 50 people | Deposit or reserve | Term and exit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deel | About ₹3,41,43,000 | Not published | Month to month |
| Remofirst | About ₹1,13,43,000 | Not published | No annual contract, exit terms unpublished |
| Multiplier | About ₹2,61,63,000 on annual billing | Refundable within 60 days | Annual order form, no early exit for convenience |
| Remote.com | About ₹3,41,43,000 | Reserve possible, amount unpublished | 12 months, renews, 30 days notice |
| Rippling | Quote only | Not published | Not published |
| HRone | ₹59,400 on Basic | None stated | No lock-in, two months notice |
| Papaya Global | About ₹2,84,43,000 | Not published | Minimum term not published |
| Keka | Quote only | Not published | Not published |
| Darwinbox | Quote only | Not published | Not published |
| greytHR | ₹29,940 | Not published | Not published |
Read the figures carefully: EOR fees exclude salary and employer contributions, which you pay on top, and software fees exclude implementation work. Costs use ₹95 to the dollar and exclude GST.
Moving payroll without breaking the tax year
Switching mid-year is where most payroll errors appear. Work through these before the first live run.
Five questions to ask every provider
Put these to each shortlisted provider and keep the answers in writing.
“Which PF, ESI, professional tax and TDS filings do you prepare and submit, and who signs them?”
“When did you apply the EPF ceiling change of 17 September 2026 and Form 130?”
“What deposit or reserve do you require per hire, and when is it returned?”
“What are the term, notice period and exit costs, and how do I export payroll data?”
“Who answers when a return is due, and how fast?”
Narrow it down
Pick the line that matches your situation and read that card first.
Your route decides the shortlist before price does.
You have no Indian entity
Deel employs through its own Indian entity, from $599 per employee.
You are hiring one to five people in India
Remofirst has the lowest published EOR fee at $199 per employee.
You are building a team across Asia
Multiplier starts at $459 per employee on annual billing and lists 17 Asian entities.
You want an owned entity and can commit to a year
Remote.com runs India through an owned entity on a 12-month initial term.
You have an entity and about 50 staff
greytHR lists ₹2,495 a month for 50 employees on its pricing page.
You want HR, time and payroll at a fixed fee
HRone charges ₹4,950 a month for up to 50 users with returns and challans included.
Source: HRStacks editorial scores and vendor pricing
Payroll Software in India FAQs
Short answers to what buyers ask most, with the same figures used across the page.
How we scored payroll software in India
Every provider gets the same eight-part score, from the same evidence, on the same 1 to 5 scale, so you can check it against the cards.
Eight parameters, weighted for payroll in India
Weights add up to 100%
Pricing & Value
The published fee for a 50-person team, what the fee leaves out, and whether the price can be checked on the vendor’s own site.
Platform & Integrations
Integrations, mobile access and how payroll connects to HR, attendance and accounting.
Customer Support
Channels, stated hours and how the provider helps when a filing date is close.
Ease of Use
How easily HR teams and employees run payslips, leave and tax declarations without help.
Statutory Compliance
Named handling of PF, ESI, professional tax and TDS, and how current the provider is on the 2025 and 2026 rule changes.
Payroll Run & Filings
How reliably payroll runs and how the returns, challans and payments are produced and delivered on time.
Onboarding & Migration
Time to a first live payroll and the help available when moving from a previous system.
Entity Model Fit
How clearly the provider’s route, its own entity or an EOR, fits the buyer it targets in India.
What the score colours mean
Applies to every parameter bar on the cards
Weak spot
Below 3.5
Workable
3.5 to 3.9
Strong
4.0 and up
What counts
Prices on each provider’s own pricing page in October 2026, vendor product and help pages, and the public reviews summarised on our review pages.
What never counts
Vendor testimonials, prices found only on third-party sites, and claims we could not verify. Unpublished rates stay marked “Quote only”.
How the ranking works
The order is an editorial call on fit for a company hiring in India, with each score shown beside it. Ten providers are carded and FactoHR is listed in the secondary tier.
Some links are affiliate links. A commission never changes a score or a ranking, and no vendor can pay to move up. Prices and key facts are rechecked when vendors change them, and the date at the top shows the last update.
Conclusion
Decide first whether you need to employ people or to pay people you already employ. An EOR employs for you and costs lakhs of rupees a month at 50 people, while payroll software costs a few thousand and needs your own Indian entity.
The common mistake is comparing those two fees directly. greytHR at ₹2,495 and Deel at about ₹28,45,250 for 50 people are not rivals, because one runs payroll and the other becomes the employer.
Write down your headcount and whether an entity exists, then put the five questions in the guide to the two providers that fit. Ask for the answers in writing before any trial begins.
