Compare/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.

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

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 4 Nov 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 4 Nov 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.

Not the pair you wanted?

All Keka alternatives All Zoho People alternatives Every ATS tool

Editorial listings, never paid rankings. Prices checked 4 Nov 2026. Confirm current terms on the vendor site. Spot an error?