factoHR vs PayrollHero (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, factoHR and PayrollHero share a 2.2 GPA, and only factoHR has a free plan.
Checked Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
They get the same grade on all five counts.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
factoHR
HR and payroll software for Indian employers, with a free tier
PayrollHero
Time clock, scheduling and HR records, with payroll in two countries
Which one is for you
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
Pick PayrollHero if
- Fits if you need staff to clock in from a phone and manage shifts
- Works for firms in the Philippines or Singapore that want payroll too
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if you need payroll elsewhere: it is offered only in the Philippines and Singapore
- Watch out: the pricing page says month to month, but the FAQ states a one-year contract billed ahead
- Pricey if you add payroll and leave: $3.50 plus $3 plus $2, so $8.50 a person
- Watch out: payment is by PayPal or HSBC Singapore wire, per the FAQ
How we grade them
| 2.2GPAfactoHRFair | 2.2GPAPayrollHeroFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | CCore is ₹4,999 a month for up to 50 employees, about $59, which is above the dearer-quarter mark of $49 for payroll tools, though below the dearest tenth. | C$3.50 an employee a month, or $6.50 with payroll, so about $32 a month for five people, between the category's $20 and $49 marks. |
| Free plan and trial | CFree for up to 20 employees with records, letters and payslip generation, but no payroll run, so you will hit the cap on the job that matters. | C30 days free, and the card terms are not stated. No free plan. |
| Features | CCore adds attendance, leave, payroll, helpdesk and the app. Expenses and performance are on dearer plans and recruitment is a dollar add-on. | CSelfie clock-in, scheduling, attendance and an HR directory. Payroll is a paid add-on for two countries only. |
| Ease of use | CNo store rating on record. Modules, onboarding and statutory settings need setting up. | CNo store rating on record. You set up worksites, schedules and thresholds, so it is a C. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWeb plus iOS and Android apps, with no desktop app or integrations list. | BWeb, iPhone, Android and a browser extension. No integrations are listed, and the iPhone and iPad apps need a paid account. |
| Best for | small Indian firms wanting a free start | time clocking, with payroll in two countries |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: factoHR and PayrollHero. How we grade
Price against what you get
factoHR starts at about $52.65 a month and scores 2.3 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. PayrollHero starts at $3.50 a month for each person and scores 2.3.
They score the same, and PayrollHero starts $49.15 a month lower. Of the other payroll services on the chart, 12 score higher than factoHR for less, and none scores higher than PayrollHero for less.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Where they differ
- factoHR also covers chatbots.
- PayrollHero also covers shift scheduling.
At a glance
| factoHR | PayrollHero | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free trial |
| Starts at | ₹4,999 per month for 50 employees, billed quarterly | $3.50 per employee / month |
| Free plan | Free plan for up to 20 employees: employee data, letter generation and payslip generation. No card required. | None |
| Free trial | Free trial on the paid plans, requested through a form; length not stated | 30 days free, then month to month, per the pricing page |
| Web | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Browser extension | ||
| Made by | Version Systems Pvt. Ltd. | Red Cape HR Software Corp. |
| Price read from | factohr.com | payrollhero.com |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 12, 2026 |
Worth knowing
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.
PayrollHero
- Payroll is offered only in the Philippines and Singapore; elsewhere it is time and attendance only.
- The pricing page says month to month, but the FAQ states a one-year initial contract billed a year ahead.
- Prices are shown in dollars without naming a currency or country; the FAQ takes payment by PayPal or HSBC Singapore wire.
- The home page says the iPhone and iPad apps work only with paid PayrollHero accounts.
Key features
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.
PayrollHero
- Selfie clock-in
- Employees clock in and out with a photo, and facial recognition and geolocation are used to confirm the right person is at the right worksite.
- Scheduling and attendance
- Build schedules, set thresholds, resolve attendance exceptions and export attendance data.
- Payroll add-on
- For companies in the Philippines or Singapore, PayrollHero can act as the payroll provider; employees see paystubs on a personal dashboard.
- HR information system
- Employee records, an organizational chart and a place to request and store documents such as contracts and government ID.
- Leave management
- A separate add-on for leave requests and tracking.
- Analytics
- Business intelligence and attendance reports, which companies outside the payroll markets can use with another payroll provider.
Plans
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.
PayrollHero
Full edition$3.50
per employee / month
HRIS, timekeeping, attendance and scheduling. Payroll and Leave Management are priced as add-ons.
Payroll add-on$3.00
per employee / month
Adds payroll to the Full edition; the vendor says it provides payroll in the Philippines and Singapore only.
Leave Management add-on$2.00
per employee / month
Adds leave management to the Full edition.
Ways to pay less
factoHR
- Annual discount
15% off with annual billing
The plans page has an Annual toggle labeled Save 15%; the prices shown are billed quarterly.
PayrollHero
No public discounts listed.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, factoHR or PayrollHero?
As of Nov 13, 2026, factoHR starts at ₹4,999 per month for 50 employees, billed quarterly, and PayrollHero starts at $3.50 per employee / month. One is priced for each person and the other is not, so which costs less depends on how many of you use it.
Which has a free plan, factoHR or PayrollHero?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only factoHR has a free plan. PayrollHero does not, though it has a free trial.
Which platforms do factoHR and PayrollHero run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only PayrollHero lists a browser extension. Both list a web app and iOS and Android apps. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.