Compare/Head to head

Keka vs Qandle

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

Starting price

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

Qandle

$5/employee/mo Free trial

All-in-one HRMS covering core HR, payroll, attendance, leave, performance and a built-in ATS, aimed at mid-size and enterprise employers with shift-based or field workforces. Plans are billed per employee with a 50-user minimum plus a one-time implementation fee. Best for India-based or India-heavy teams that want statutory payroll and hiring in one system, not US companies shopping for a standalone recruiting tool.

Where Qandle fits

  • Indian employers that need PF, ESI and TDS handled inside payroll
  • Manufacturing, retail and field teams tracking shifts by biometric or GPS
  • Mid-size companies replacing separate HR, payroll and hiring tools
  • HR teams that want to pick modules rather than buy a fixed bundle

At a glance

DetailKekaQandle
Starting priceSales-quoted$5/employee/mo
Free tier–No–No
Free trialYesYes
MCP server–No–No
Public API–No–No
Listed underATS, HRIS, Payroll, PerformanceHRIS, ATS, Leave management, Onboarding, Payroll, Time & attendance
Capterra4.4 from 91 reviewsNot enough reviews

Where they pull apart

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

Qandle

Stands out: Qandle puts 40+ HR modules, including a recruitment module with AI resume matching and posting to 75+ job boards, into one modular platform where modules can be added or dropped at any time. Attendance supports biometric devices at no extra charge plus GPS, geo-fencing and face recognition, and payroll handles Indian statutory rules such as PF, ESI and TDS, backed by in-house payroll and compliance experts.

Watch out: The 50-user billing minimum means small teams pay for seats they do not use, and the implementation fee is only quoted during the demo. Payroll and compliance tooling is built around Indian rules, and the listed offices are in Gurugram, Hong Kong and London. Since the MYND acquisition the site also pushes MYND's outsourcing services, so expect that pitch alongside the software.

Not the right fit for

  • Teams under 50 employees, given the 50-user billing minimum
  • US companies that need US payroll tax filing
  • Recruiting teams that only want a standalone ATS or sourcing tool

Pros and cons

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

Qandle

  • Recruitment, payroll and attendance in one modular system
  • Biometric device integration at no extra charge
  • No lock-in or minimum commitment period
  • 50-user billing minimum
  • One-time implementation fee quoted only in the demo
  • Payroll compliance is built around Indian rules

What each one costs

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

Qandle

$5/employee/mo

Qandle's US pricing has three plans, each a $38/mo base price per company plus a per-employee rate. Billed monthly, Regular is $5/employee/mo, Plus (most popular) $9 and Premium $11.50; billed yearly they drop to $4.50, $8.10 and $10.40. Billing has a 50-user minimum, so Regular works out to at least $288/mo billed monthly, and there is a one-time implementation fee based on users and modules. Remote screen tracking is an add-on at $2.50/employee/mo ($2.25 yearly). There is no lock-in period, although unused annual credit is not refunded, and companies with more than 1,000 employees get an Enterprise quote. Confirm current terms on the vendor site.

Checked 8 Oct 2026

Common questions

Can you try Keka or Qandle for free?
Neither carries a free tier on our listing. Keka offers a free trial. Qandle offers a free trial.

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Editorial listings, never paid rankings. Prices checked 19 Sep 2026. Confirm current terms on the vendor site. Spot an error?