Head to head

Darwinbox vs Keka

Same facts, side by side: starting price, free tier, MCP, API and what each one is actually built for.

Darwinbox

Sales-quoted

Mobile-first enterprise HCM (core HR, ATS, payroll, performance, LMS) with a first-party MCP. Pricing is sales-quoted.

Where Darwinbox fits

  • Enterprises replacing a patchwork of HRIS + ATS + payroll
  • APAC and MEA multi-country workforces
  • Teams that want MCP access to HR data
  • Companies that need attendance, payroll, and recruiting in one suite

Keka

Sales-quoted Free trial

Cloud HRMS bundling core HR, payroll, attendance, performance, and recruiting. US commercial terms are quoted. A free trial is the public entry.

Where Keka fits

  • Growing SMBs that want HR, payroll, attendance, and recruiting in one login
  • India-origin companies expanding to US payroll on the same PeopleOS
  • Teams that want a free trial before a Foundation vs Strength vs Growth quote
  • Buyers comparing a mid-market HRMS against BambooHR or Zoho People

At a glance

DetailDarwinboxKeka
Starting priceSales-quotedSales-quoted
Free tier–No–No
Free trialNot on recordYes
MCP server✓Yes–No
Public API–No–No
Listed underATS, Engagement, HRIS, Learning, Payroll, Performance, Time & attendanceATS, HRIS, Payroll, Performance
Capterra4.2 from 45 reviews4.4 from 91 reviews

Where they pull apart

Darwinbox

Stands out: An APAC-and-MEA-strong HCM that ships a native ATS and a documented MCP, so the HR suite and the agent loop can share one vendor.

Watch out: This is an enterprise HCM replacement, not a $15 ATS. Implementation, country payroll scope, and a sales quote are the real cost.

Not the right fit for

  • US SMBs looking for a cheap ATS
  • Buyers who need a public per-employee price
  • Desks that only want recruiting and will not touch core HR

Keka

Stands out: Keka sells Foundation, Strength, and Growth HR/payroll bands plus Hire Pro recruiting, with a US site at keka.com/us and native multi-state payroll.

Watch out: Keka publishes no US dollar amounts. Do not budget from India rupee cards if you are buying US payroll.

Not the right fit for

  • US buyers who need a printed per-employee USD rate before a sales call
  • Enterprises standardizing on Workday or UKG as the system of record

Pros and cons

Darwinbox

  • HCM plus native ATS, payroll, and LMS in one suite
  • Documented first-party MCP
  • Multi-country payroll with APAC/MEA depth
  • Quote-only, with implementation on top
  • Too large for an ATS-only brief
  • US-first mid-market buyers may prefer a local HRIS

Keka

  • HR, payroll, attendance, performance, and recruiting in one suite
  • US site with multi-state payroll and a free trial path
  • Foundation / Strength / Growth bands so you are not forced into a mega-suite on day one
  • No published US list prices
  • Recruiting (Hire Pro) is a separate add-on conversation
  • API access is not on the entry band

What each one costs

Darwinbox

Sales-quoted

Sales-led PEPM and module quotes only; no public list prices. Implementation scoped separately. Cortex early access is via the vendor program.

Checked 17 Sep 2026

Keka

Sales-quoted

US plans (Foundation, Strength, Growth, and Hire Pro) are quoted. A free trial is available. The US pricing page is the commercial path for US payroll buyers. India rupee cards on other regional pages are a different rate card and are not the US list. Confirm current terms on the vendor site.

Checked 19 Sep 2026

Common questions

Can you try Darwinbox or Keka for free?
Neither carries a free tier on our listing. Keka offers a free trial.
Does Darwinbox or Keka have an MCP server?
Darwinbox ships a first party MCP server, so an AI assistant can work the product directly.

Not the pair you wanted?

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Editorial listings, never paid rankings. Prices checked 17 Sep 2026. Confirm current terms on the vendor site. Spot an error?