Head to head

Keka vs ZingHR

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

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

ZingHR

Sales-quoted

Enterprise HCM for India, MEA, and SEA covering hire-to-retire on one codebase. Public pricing is a sales quote.

Where ZingHR fits

  • India-headquartered enterprises that need payroll plus talent on one HCM
  • MEA and SEA employers who want the same codebase across countries
  • HR teams replacing a patchwork of attendance, payroll, and ATS tools
  • Buyers comparing Darwinbox, Keka, and a full enterprise HCM quote

At a glance

DetailKekaZingHR
Starting priceSales-quotedSales-quoted
Free tier–No–No
Free trialYesNot on record
MCP server–No–No
Public API–No–No
Listed underATS, HRIS, Payroll, PerformanceATS, HRIS, Learning, Payroll, Performance
Capterra4.4 from 91 reviews3.7 from 19 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

ZingHR

Stands out: Single-codebase HCM from recruitment through alumni rehire, with facial-recognition attendance and India payroll compliance in the same suite.

Watch out: The vendor does not publish a rate card. Implementation for a full HCM in India/MEA/SEA is a project, not a credit-card signup.

Not the right fit for

  • US SMBs that want Gusto-style DIY payroll with a printed dollar rate
  • Startups that need a free ATS, not a hire-to-retire implementation

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

ZingHR

  • Hire-to-retire on one codebase, including alumni rehire
  • Built for India/MEA/SEA compliance rather than bolted-on country packs
  • Facial-recognition attendance and mobile self-service for deskless staff
  • No public rate card
  • Implementation is a project, not a same-week rollout
  • US and EU buyers are not the core market

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

ZingHR

Sales-quoted

ZingHR does not publish a self-serve rate card. Licenses, implementation, and country payroll are quoted from the vendor. There is no permanent free plan on the public site. Confirm current terms on the vendor site.

Checked 19 Sep 2026

Common questions

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