PayrollHero vs Pocket HRMS (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, PayrollHero and Pocket HRMS share a 2.2 GPA, neither has a free plan and their prices can't be set side by side, so the choice depends on which platforms you need.
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.
PayrollHero
Time clock, scheduling and HR records, with payroll in two countries
Pocket HRMS
Indian HR and payroll software with statutory compliance
Which one is for you
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
Pick Pocket HRMS if
- Fits if you run an Indian company of around 50 people or more
- Works for employers who want field staff to mark attendance by phone
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you have fewer than 50 employees, as the pricing FAQ sets that minimum
- Watch out: a one-time implementation fee is quoted on request
- Pricey if you need more than payroll, because expense, recruitment and learning are paid add-ons
- Not for you if you pay staff outside India, as the compliance is built for India
- Watch out: geo-fencing and a custom payslip designer need Professional at ₹4,495
How we grade them
| 2.2GPAPayrollHeroFair | 2.2GPAPocket HRMSFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | 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. | CStandard is ₹2,995 a month for up to 50 employees, about $35, and the 50-employee minimum means a small firm pays that floor. That is between the middle and dearer quarter of payroll tools. |
| Free plan and trial | C30 days free, and the card terms are not stated. No free plan. | CA free trial is offered through a request form; its length is not stated and the listing does not say a card is needed. |
| Features | CSelfie clock-in, scheduling, attendance and an HR directory. Payroll is a paid add-on for two countries only. | CPayroll with PF, ESIC, professional tax and TDS, plus attendance and leave. Expenses, timesheets, recruitment and performance are add-ons with no published price. |
| Ease of use | CNo store rating on record. You set up worksites, schedules and thresholds, so it is a C. | CNo store rating on record. A set-up fee is quoted on request, so there is work before you start. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWeb, iPhone, Android and a browser extension. No integrations are listed, and the iPhone and iPad apps need a paid account. | BWeb plus iOS and Android apps, but no desktop app or integrations list. |
| Best for | time clocking, with payroll in two countries | Indian payroll for 50 or more staff |
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: PayrollHero and Pocket HRMS. How we grade
Price against what you get
PayrollHero starts at $3.50 a month for each person and scores 2.3 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. Pocket HRMS starts at about $31.54 a month and scores 2.3.
They score the same, and PayrollHero starts $28.04 a month lower. Of the other payroll services on the chart, none scores higher than PayrollHero for less, and 5 score higher than Pocket HRMS 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
- PayrollHero also covers shift scheduling.
- Pocket HRMS also covers chatbots.
At a glance
| PayrollHero | Pocket HRMS | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free trial | Free trial |
| Starts at | $3.50 per employee / month | ₹2,995 per month for 50 employees, billed annually |
| Free plan | None | None |
| Free trial | 30 days free, then month to month, per the pricing page | Free trial offered through a request form; its length is not stated |
| Web | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Browser extension | ||
| Made by | Red Cape HR Software Corp. | Pocket smHRt Tech Pvt. Ltd. |
| Price read from | payrollhero.com | pockethrms.com |
| Checked | Nov 12, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
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.
Pocket HRMS
- A minimum of 50 employees is required, per the pricing FAQ.
- A one-time implementation fee applies and is quoted on request.
- Prices are in Indian rupees and the compliance features are built for India.
- Expense, timesheet, recruitment, learning and performance are add-ons, with prices not published.
Key features
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.
Pocket HRMS
- Payroll processing
- The smHRt payroll engine runs salaries for the whole company in a few clicks and automates PF, ESIC, professional tax and TDS under Indian rules.
- Attendance and leave
- Attendance supports biometric devices and geo-tagging, and leave follows configurable policies. Geo-fencing needs the Professional plan.
- Self-service portal and mobile app
- Employees see payslips, raise requests and get approvals through a portal and an Android and iOS app.
- HR chatbot
- A conversational assistant answers employee questions without an HR person stepping in, according to the vendor.
- Add-on modules
- Paid add-ons include expense and travel desk, timesheets, recruitment, learning, performance, helpdesk, surveys and WhatsApp approvals.
Plans
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.
Pocket HRMS
Standard₹2,995
per month for up to 50 employees, billed annually
Payroll, leave, attendance with geo-tagging, self-service portal and statutory compliance. ₹60 per additional employee.
Professional₹4,495
per month for up to 50 employees, billed annually
Adds geo-fencing, custom payslip designer, confirmation, transfer, asset and exit modules. ₹90 per additional employee.
PremiumCustom
Quote-based, for 100 or more employees. Adds payroll JV integration, shift automation, API webhooks and an audit trail.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, PayrollHero or Pocket HRMS?
As of Nov 13, 2026, PayrollHero starts at $3.50 per employee / month, and Pocket HRMS starts at ₹2,995 per month for 50 employees, billed annually. 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, PayrollHero or Pocket HRMS?
As of Nov 13, 2026, neither PayrollHero nor Pocket HRMS has a free plan. Both have a free trial.
Which platforms do PayrollHero and Pocket HRMS 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.