Darwinbox vs factoHR (2026): which should you pick?

Pick Darwinbox if

• Fits if you run a large company that wants HR and payroll from one vendor
• Works for firms that need payroll across several countries

Look elsewhere if

• Skip it if you are a small business, as it is aimed at 1,000-plus employees
• Watch out: no prices are published
• Skip it if you want a free plan or a trial, as neither is listed
• Watch out: only the Philippines page was readable, and other country sites may list different modules

Pick factoHR if

• Fits if you have under 20 staff and only need records and payslips
• Makes sense if you are an Indian firm of 50 and want attendance and payroll together

Look elsewhere if

• Skip it if you want payroll on the free plan, as payroll starts on Core
• Pricey if you need expenses or geo-fence, which are on Premium at ₹5,999
• Watch out: prices are billed quarterly and an Annual toggle shows 15% off
• Watch out: the page also shows dollar prices ($125, $175, $225) where payroll starts on Premium
• Watch out: unused annual credit is not refunded if you leave

Darwinbox

• No prices are published; buyers request a quote or a demo.
• The vendor positions the suite at enterprises, with its analyst citation covering HCM suites for 1,000+ employee companies.
• The Philippines page was the one readable; its country sites (UAE, Malaysia, Singapore and others) may list different modules.

factoHR

• The free plan has no payroll run; payroll starts on Core.
• The plans page also shows a US dollar set of prices ($125, $175, $225) in which payroll starts on Premium.
• Per the FAQ, remaining credit on an annual plan is not refunded if you leave.
• Add-ons such as recruitment are listed in US dollars, for example USD 75 a month per recruiter.

Darwinbox

Core HR and employee records

Employee data, org structures and workflows are kept in one place from hire to exit.

Multi-country payroll

The site lists end-to-end, compliant payroll, taxes and settlements across multiple countries as one of its core modules.

Time, leave and shifts

Tracks time, leave and shifts with policy and compliance controls.

Talent management

Goals, performance reviews, development and succession planning sit in the same suite as payroll.

Analytics and AI

Prebuilt dashboards and custom HR reports, plus the Cortex AI-native HCM launch, with early access offered.

factoHR

Payroll

Payroll sits in the Core plan and up, alongside payslip generation, which the free plan also includes.

Attendance and leave

Attendance with AI face recognition, plus leave management, come with the Core plan. Geo-fence is on Premium.

Employee records

A central employee database with letter generation is available even on the free plan for up to 20 employees.

Mobile app and self-service

Employee self-service and a mobile app are listed on the Core plan, with Android and iOS apps linked from the site.

Add-ons

Selfie punch, recruitment, timesheet and an AI chatbot called Fia are sold separately, with prices listed on the plans page.

Darwinbox

Pricing could not be confirmed. See darwinbox.com.

factoHR

• Free₹0

  Up to 20 employees with employee data, letter generation and payslip generation.

• Core₹4,999

  per month for up to 50 employees, billed quarterly

  Onboarding, core HR, attendance and leave, payroll, helpdesk and mobile app. ₹99 per additional employee.

• Premium₹5,999

  per month for up to 50 employees, billed quarterly

  Adds travel, expense and reimbursement and geo-fence. ₹119 per additional employee.

• Ultimate₹6,999

  per month for up to 50 employees, billed quarterly

  Adds performance, survey and acknowledgment. ₹139 per additional employee.

Darwinbox

No public discounts listed.

factoHR

• Annual discount

  15% off with annual billing

  The plans page has an Annual toggle labeled Save 15%; the prices shown are billed quarterly.