Head to head

Keka vs Zoho People

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

Zoho People

$1.25/user/mo 30 day free trial

Cloud HRIS from Zoho with a free plan for small teams. Paid Essential HR is $1.25/user/mo billed annually, with a five-user minimum.

Where Zoho People fits

Small HR teams already in the Zoho suite
Orgs that can start on the free five-user edition
Companies that need leave and files before attendance
HR ops that will add performance on Premium

At a glance

Detail	Keka	Zoho People
Starting price	Sales-quoted	$1.25/user/mo
Free tier	–No	–No
Free trial	Yes	30 day free trial
MCP server	–No	✓Yes
Public API	–No	✓Yes
Listed under	ATS, HRIS, Payroll, Performance	HRIS, Learning, Onboarding, Performance
Capterra	4.4 from 91 reviews	4.4 from 362 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

Zoho People

Stands out: Low per-user pricing: Essential HR $1.25, Professional $2, Premium $3, and Enterprise $4.50 per user per month billed yearly.

Watch out: Paid plans require five users, so Essential HR costs at least $6.25/mo. Attendance starts on Professional, and performance, LMS, and help desk sit higher.

Not the right fit for

US payroll-first buyers (payroll is a separate Zoho product)
Teams that need attendance tracking on the $1.25 plan

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

Zoho People

Free edition for up to five users
Essential HR $1.25/user/mo billed yearly
30-day trial, then you keep Free

Five-user minimum on paid plans
Attendance is not on Essential HR
Payroll is a separate Zoho SKU

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

Zoho People

$1.25/user/mo

The Free edition covers up to five users. Essential HR is $1.25, Professional $2, Premium $3, and Enterprise $4.50 per user per month billed annually, with a five-user minimum; monthly billing costs more. Paid plans include a 30-day free trial. Confirm current terms on the vendor site.

Checked 19 Sep 2026

Common questions

Can you try Keka or Zoho People for free?

Neither carries a free tier on our listing. Keka offers a free trial. Zoho People offers a 30 day free trial.

Does Keka or Zoho People have an MCP server?

Zoho People ships a first party MCP server, so an AI assistant can work the product directly.

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