Zoho People
Cloud HRMS for core HR, attendance, performance, and learning.
From $1.25/user/mo 30-day free trial MCP server API
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Bottom line
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.
Stands out for: Low per-user pricing: Essential HR $1.25, Professional $2, Premium $3, and Enterprise $4.50 per user per month billed yearly.
Watch out for: 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.
Overview
Zoho People is Zoho's HRIS: employee database, leave, documents, onboarding, attendance, timesheets, performance, compensation, LMS, and an HR help desk. The Free edition covers the employee database, time off, and files for up to five users. Essential HR adds onboarding, HR reports, and the Zia bot at $1.25 per user per month billed annually. Professional at $2 adds attendance, timesheets, and rosters. Premium at $3 adds performance, compensation, and engagement. Enterprise at $4.50 adds help desk, LMS, and a sandbox.
Teams pick it for a low-cost HRIS that fits alongside other Zoho apps. Yearly billing saves more than 20% versus monthly. A 30-day trial of any paid plan drops back to Free when it ends. Paid plans have a five-user minimum. Integrations include Google, Microsoft 365, Zoho Projects, Cliq, Connect, Sign, Analytics, and QuickBooks. Zoho's MCP service and a REST API let other tools read and update People data.
Who it's for
Best for
- 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
Not ideal for
- US payroll-first buyers (payroll is a separate Zoho product)
- Teams that need attendance tracking on the $1.25 plan
Key features
Core HR. Employee database, documents, and HR helpdesk in one cloud HRMS.
Attendance. Time and attendance tracking with mobile access.
Performance. Reviews, appraisals, and compensation workflows.
LMS. Training management and learning programs.
Onboarding. Custom onboarding workflows and offer-letter e-sign.
Screenshots
Employee org tree
Candidate matching
Candidate onboarding
Performance evaluation
Integrated payroll
HR analytics reports
Images: Zoho People's own website. Select an image to see it full size.
MCP server
The vendor runs its own MCP server but does not publish one public address, so connect through the vendor's own setup steps. Zoho MCP at mcp.zoho.com issues a unique server URL per configured People server.
Setup steps and live status MCP Directory Check your stack in the MCP readiness checker
Pricing
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | Up to five users |
| Essential HR | $1.25/user/mo | Billed annually, five-user minimum |
| Professional | $2/user/mo | Billed annually |
| Premium | $3/user/mo | Billed annually |
| Enterprise | $4.50/user/mo | Billed annually |
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. Vendors change prices without notice.
Is Zoho People expensive?
Zoho People does not publish a price. It is one of 32 quote-based tools among the 54 HRIS tools in our directory. 3 have a free tier, and those with a public price typically start around $9 a month.
- 32 quote-based
- 3 free tier
- 18 public price
Worked out automatically from every HRIS listing, so it updates as the directory changes.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Free edition for up to five users
- Essential HR $1.25/user/mo billed yearly
- 30-day trial, then you keep Free
Cons
- Five-user minimum on paid plans
- Attendance is not on Essential HR
- Payroll is a separate Zoho SKU
Integrations
Google Microsoft 365 Zoho Projects Zoho Cliq Zoho Connect Zoho Sign Zoho Analytics QuickBooks
What's new at Zoho People
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How Zoho People compares
See all Zoho People alternatives, with what each one does differently and a head to head for every pairing.
| Tool | Free tier | From | MCP | API | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | – | $1.25/user/mo | ✓ | ✓ | |
| | – | $250/mo | ✓ | ✓ | Compare |
| | – | Sales-quoted | ✓ | ✓ | Compare |
| | – | $49/mo | ✓ | ✓ | Compare |
| | – | $8/employee/mo | ✓ | ✓ | Compare |
$250/mo MCP API
US-centric HRIS if you want a simpler people database and ATS add-on.
Sales-quoted MCP API
Culture-led HRIS if engagement and org charts matter more than a $1.25 seat.
$49/mo MCP API
Payroll plus HR if US payroll, not leave tracking, is the first buy.
$8/employee/mo MCP API
HR, IT, and payroll in one quote if you will outgrow a low-cost HRIS.
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