Zoho Payroll is free for up to 10 employees. Paid plans in India start at ₹1,000 per month on annual billing (₹1,250 month-to-month) for the Standard plan covering 25 employees, then rise to ₹3,000 and ₹4,000 per month (annual) for the Professional and Premium plans covering 50 employees. Extra employees cost ₹40 to ₹100 each per month depending on plan and billing cycle, and all prices exclude GST.
All figures below come from Zoho Payroll's official India pricing page. For the product overview, see our Zoho Payroll profile.
Zoho Payroll subscription plans at a glance
| Plan | Monthly billing | Annual billing (per month) | Employees included | Extra employee (monthly / annual) | Support |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free | ₹0 | ₹0 | Up to 10 | Not applicable | |
| Standard | ₹1,250 | ₹1,000 | 25 | ₹50 / ₹40 | Voice and email |
| Professional | ₹3,750 | ₹3,000 | 50 | ₹75 / ₹60 | Voice and email |
| Premium | ₹5,000 | ₹4,000 | 50 | ₹100 / ₹80 | Voice and email |
Prices are per organisation and exclude GST. Zoho also offers a 14-day free trial of paid features.
Is Zoho Payroll free?
Yes, for small teams. The Free plan is described as free forever and supports up to 10 employees. According to Zoho's pricing page it includes:
- Automatic payroll calculation and payslip generation
- Salary payments through HSBC
- Compliance for income tax, EPF, ESI, Professional Tax and LWF
- TDS worksheets
- 40+ reports
- Integrations with Zoho Books, Zoho People and Zoho Expense
- Email support
What you do not get on Free: salary templates, loans and advances, ICICI Bank payments, custom salary components, contractor payroll, user roles and phone support, which start on Standard. Once you cross 10 employees you must move to a paid plan.
What each paid plan adds
Standard
Standard is the entry paid plan at ₹1,000/month (annual) for 25 employees. It adds salary templates, loans and advances, ICICI Bank payments, custom salary components, Forms 130 and 138 (the new income-tax forms), statutory bonus, user roles and contractor payroll. This is enough for most small companies with straightforward salary structures.
Professional
Professional costs ₹3,000/month (annual) for 50 employees. It adds bonus and off-cycle pay runs, advanced salary components, salary hold, custom fields, a giving module and payroll documents. Choose it if you run incentives, arrears or mid-month settlements often.
Premium
Premium costs ₹4,000/month (annual) for 50 employees. It adds leave and attendance management plus automation: workflow rules, custom functions, webhooks, custom modules and validation rules. It suits companies that want attendance-linked payroll without buying a separate HR tool, or that need to customise processes.
Zoho Payroll cost examples
Using published annual rates, excluding 18% GST:
| Team size | Plan | Calculation | Monthly cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 employees | Free | Within free limit | ₹0 |
| 20 employees | Standard | Base covers 25 | ₹1,000 |
| 40 employees | Standard | ₹1,000 + 15 × ₹40 | ₹1,600 |
| 40 employees | Professional | Base covers 50 | ₹3,000 |
| 80 employees | Premium | ₹4,000 + 30 × ₹80 | ₹6,400 |
On monthly billing the same 40-employee Standard setup would be ₹1,250 + 15 × ₹50 = ₹2,000. Annual billing saves 20% on these figures.
How to choose the right Zoho Payroll plan
- Up to 10 employees, simple salaries: stay on Free.
- 11 to about 50 employees, fixed monthly salaries: Standard is usually enough and is the cheapest paid option even beyond 25 employees, since the extra-employee charge is low.
- Frequent bonuses, arrears or off-cycle payments: Professional.
- Need leave and attendance inside payroll, or custom workflows: Premium.
- Need a full HRMS with appraisals and onboarding: combine Zoho Payroll with Zoho People or Zoho People Plus, or look at an all-in-one HRMS software.
Also check your stack. If your accounts are in Zoho Books, payroll journals flow across without re-entry, which is one of Zoho Payroll's main advantages.
Zoho Payroll price vs alternatives
How does Zoho Payroll compare on published prices with other Indian payroll tools?
| Tool | Free option | Entry paid plan | Base coverage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zoho Payroll | Up to 10 employees | ₹1,000/month (annual) | 25 employees |
| Kredily | Free Forever, unlimited employees | ₹1,249/month (Payroll OS) | 25 employees |
| greytHR | 7-day trial only | ₹2,495/month (Essential) | 50 employees |
| RazorpayX Payroll | Trial offer | Price on request | Not published |
| Keka | Free trial | From ₹90 per additional employee | Base on signup |
Sources: Kredily pricing and greytHR pricing. Kredily's free plan has no employee cap, while greytHR bundles HR modules into its payroll plans. Zoho is the cheapest paid option at 25 employees among those with published prices. For the full picture, see our top payroll software list and HRMS pricing in India.
Who Zoho Payroll suits
- Startups and small companies that want compliant payroll at zero or low cost. See payroll software for startups.
- IT and services firms with monthly salaried staff. See payroll software for IT companies.
- Existing Zoho users who want payroll to post into their books automatically.
It may be less suitable for factories with complex shift and overtime rules, where HRMS tools focused on attendance are often a better fit. See payroll software for manufacturers.
Hidden costs to watch
- GST: add 18% to every listed price.
- Headcount growth: the extra-employee fee applies once you exceed the base.
- Plan jumps: moving from Standard to Professional more than doubles the base price, so buy only the features you will use.
- Monthly billing: costs 25% more than annual for the same plan.
FAQ
Is Zoho Payroll free?
Yes. Zoho Payroll's Free plan supports up to 10 employees at no cost, with payroll processing, payslips and statutory compliance included, according to Zoho's India pricing page.
How much does Zoho Payroll cost per employee?
Paid plans charge a base fee that includes 25 or 50 employees, then ₹40 to ₹80 per extra employee per month on annual billing, or ₹50 to ₹100 on monthly billing, depending on plan.
What are the Zoho Payroll subscription plans?
Free, Standard, Professional and Premium. Standard includes 25 employees; Professional and Premium include 50 employees.
Does Zoho Payroll pricing include GST?
No. Zoho states that prices exclude GST, so add 18% to the listed amounts.
Is there a Zoho Payroll free trial?
Yes. Zoho offers a 14-day free trial with access to paid features, and you can drop to the Free plan afterwards if you have 10 or fewer employees.
Does Zoho Payroll include attendance?
Leave and attendance management is included in the Premium plan. On lower plans you can integrate Zoho People for attendance.
