VS
KekaINDPayroll vs Keka: The Keka alternative built for Indian SMEs and CA firms
Keka is a full HR suite for growing enterprises. INDPayroll is payroll-and-compliance first, with published per-employee pricing and a free plan for up to 10 employees. Here's an honest side-by-side, with a calculator for what you'd actually pay.
Last checked: 30 September 2026 · Based on each vendor's public website
Choose INDPayroll if you…
- Have 5–200 employees and payroll + compliance is the main job
- Want prices you can see: ₹0 up to 10 employees, then ₹52–75 per employee
- Are a CA firm or consultant running payroll for several clients
- Want to go live this month without an implementation project
Choose Keka if you…
- Need deep performance management: OKRs, calibration, PIPs
- Want a full recruitment suite (Keka Hire) in the same vendor
- Have a large HR team investing in engagement and L&D
- Are comfortable with sales-led, quote-based pricing
Cost calculator
What would you pay each year?
Move the slider to your headcount. INDPayroll's prices are public. Keka no longer lists prices on its website, so enter the quote you received. We've pre-filled the last publicly listed Foundation price.
Per employee per month, billed annually. Up to 10 employees can use the Free plan.
Pre-filled with Keka's last publicly listed Foundation price (₹9,999/month for up to 100 employees). Replace it with your actual quote, including setup fees spread over 12 months.
That's 87% less than your Keka quote for 25 employees (₹52 vs ₹400 per employee per month).
Book a 20-minute demoFeature-by-feature comparison
Both products cover Indian statutory payroll. The differences are in pricing, who each is built for, and how far each goes beyond payroll.
| Capability | INDPayroll | Keka |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing & commercial | ||
| Starting price | ₹0Free forever up to 10 employees | On requestPlan tiers; prices not listed publicly |
| Pricing published on website | Yes₹52 / ₹75 per employee (annual) | No |
| Free-forever plan | Up to 10 employees | Free trial only |
| Monthly billing option | Yes₹62 / ₹89 per employee | Check with Keka |
| Setup / implementation fee | None | Mentioned on pricing page |
| Credit card to start | Not required | Trial via sales/demo |
| Payroll | ||
| Automated monthly payroll run | Yes | Yes |
| Import existing payroll (Excel) | YesImport Payroll wizard | Yes |
| Digital payslips | Yes | Yes |
| Bank advice / salary statement | Yes | Yes |
| F&F settlement & gratuity | Yes | Yes |
| Loans & advances | Via payroll adjustments | Yes |
| Statutory compliance | ||
| PF calculation & ECR file | YesPF challan generator | Yes |
| ESI calculation & challan | YesESI challan generator | Yes |
| Professional Tax (state-wise) | Yes | Yes |
| LWF | YesEssentials and above | Yes |
| TDS on salary, Form 16 | YesEssentials and above | Yes |
| Statutory rate updates | Automatic | Automatic |
| Time, attendance & HR | ||
| Attendance & leave | Yes | Yes |
| Shift roster & overtime | Yes | Yes |
| Geo-tagged / face / biometric attendance | YesUltimate; biometric sync add-on | YesSelfie clock-in on Strength |
| Expense management | Yes | Yes |
| Employee self-service & mobile app | Yes | Yes |
| Performance management (OKRs, reviews) | Core module | AdvancedGrowth plan |
| Recruitment / ATS | Core module | AdvancedKeka Hire, sold separately |
| Engagement, surveys, L&D | Not a focus | Yes |
| Built for | ||
| Multi-client dashboard for CA firms | YesCA Firms & Consultants plan, per-client billing | Not listed |
| Free payroll tools (PF, ESI, TDS, CTC calculators) | 14 free tools | Some |
| Typical customer | SMEs, 5–200 employees, and CA firms | Growing mid-size to large companies |
Keka information comes from keka.com/pricing and product pages as of 30 September 2026. Features vary by plan and may change, so confirm with each vendor before you buy. Spotted something out of date? Tell us and we'll fix it.
Switch from Keka in a day
You don't need an implementation project. Most teams move over between two payroll cycles.
- 1Export from Keka
Download the employee master, salary structures and year-to-date payroll reports.
- 2Import into INDPayroll
Upload them through Import Payroll. Components, PF and ESI settings map automatically.
- 3Run one parallel month
Process the same month in both systems and compare payslips and challans line by line.
- 4Go live
Switch off Keka at your renewal date. YTD figures carry over, so Form 16 stays correct.
The real difference
Who Keka is for
Keka is a modern HR and payroll platform for growing enterprises. Beyond payroll, attendance and leave, it goes deep on recruitment, performance management, engagement and learning.
It suits mid-to-large companies that want one platform for the whole employee lifecycle. Pricing is tiered (Foundation, Strength, Growth) and quote-based, with recruitment and project modules sold separately.
Who INDPayroll is for
INDPayroll suits Indian SMEs and CA/accounting firms whose main job is getting payroll and statutory compliance right every month: PF, ESI, PT, LWF and TDS, with challans and reports ready to file.
Pricing is per employee and published: free up to 10 employees, then ₹52–75 per employee per month. A 10-person company pays ₹0, and a 40-person company pays about ₹25,000 a year on Essentials.
Bottom line
Both handle Indian payroll compliance. If you need enterprise-grade performance and recruitment, Keka's depth is worth paying for. If payroll and compliance are what you need, INDPayroll gives you that without an enterprise-sized bill.
Frequently Asked Questions
Same payroll and compliance, free to start
Trusted by 1,000+ Indian businesses to run compliant payroll, automatically.
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