PayrollHero vs sumHR (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, PayrollHero grades higher than sumHR: 2.2 against 2.0 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
PayrollHero grades higher on the free plan. sumHR grades higher on value for money. They get the same grade on features, ease of use and platforms.
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
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 sumHR if
- Fits if you are a small Indian firm that wants to pay per user
- Works for teams that are happy to use Jupiter Salary Accounts
Look elsewhere if
- Watch out: the prices are marked exclusive with Jupiter Salary Accounts, so rates may differ without them
- Tight if you want to try it first, as there is no free plan or trial
- Watch out: a one-time set-up fee by employee count applies, and biometric integration has its own fee
- Pricey if you add recruitment at ₹999 per user a month or GPS clock-in at ₹25
- Watch out: some Advanced items are marked coming soon
How we grade them
| 2.2GPAPayrollHeroFair | 2.0GPAsumHRFair | |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | B₹49 per user a month, about $0.60, well under the payroll cheaper quarter, but a one-time set-up fee and the Jupiter Salary Accounts condition keep this at B. |
| Free plan and trial | C30 days free, and the card terms are not stated. No free plan. | FNo free plan and no trial on record. There is no refund for unused time either. |
| Features | CSelfie clock-in, scheduling, attendance and an HR directory. Payroll is a paid add-on for two countries only. | CStartup covers self-service, records, attendance, leave, payroll and the app; expenses, HR letters and biometrics are on Basic and helpdesk and reviews on Advanced, some marked coming soon. |
| 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. Setup is quoted by headcount and biometric integration is separate. |
| 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. No desktop app and no integrations list. |
| Best for | time clocking, with payroll in two countries | cheap per-user HR and payroll in India |
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 sumHR. 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. sumHR starts at about $0.52 a month for each person and scores 2.3.
They score the same, and sumHR starts $2.98 a month lower. Of the other payroll services on the chart, none scores higher than PayrollHero for less, and none scores higher than sumHR 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.
- sumHR also covers expense tracking and applicant tracking.
At a glance
| PayrollHero | sumHR | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free trial | Paid |
| Starts at | $3.50 per employee / month | ₹49 per user / month, billed annually |
| Free plan | None | None |
| Free trial | 30 days free, then month to month, per the pricing page | None listed |
| Web | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Browser extension | ||
| Made by | Red Cape HR Software Corp. | sumHR |
| Price read from | payrollhero.com | sumhr.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.
sumHR
- A one-time setup fee based on employee count applies, and biometric integration has its own one-time fee.
- The page marks the prices as exclusive pricing with Jupiter Salary Accounts, so rates may differ without them.
- The recruitment add-on is ₹999 per user a month and GPS clock-in ₹25 per user a month.
- No refund for unused time if you cancel mid-subscription, and there is no minimum commitment.
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.
sumHR
- Payroll
- Online payroll for India is in every plan, with expense claims added from the Basic plan.
- Attendance and leave
- Web attendance, GPS clock-in with geo-fencing, biometric device integration and leave tracking.
- Employee records
- An employee database with self-service, onboarding and exit, HR letters and approval workflows.
- Payroll outsourcing
- For India and UAE customers the vendor offers end-to-end payroll outsourcing and statutory compliance services such as PF, ESI and TDS.
- Performance and recruitment
- The Advanced plan covers OKRs and 360-degree reviews; an applicant tracking add-on is priced separately.
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.
sumHR
Startup₹49
per user / month, billed annually
Self-service, onboarding, employee database, attendance and leave, automated payroll and the mobile app.
Basic₹69
per user / month, billed annually
Adds expense claims, policy center, HR letters, biometric attendance integration and automatic MIS reports.
Advanced₹119
per user / month, billed annually
Adds helpdesks, OKRs and goals, asset manager and 360-degree reviews. Some items are marked coming soon.
EnterpriseCustom
For 250 or more employees or custom configuration and integrations.
Ways to pay less
PayrollHero
No public discounts listed.
sumHR
- Other savings
Volume discounts above 100 employees
The pricing FAQ says slab-based volume discounts are available when employee count is above 100.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, PayrollHero or sumHR?
As of Nov 13, 2026, sumHR is cheaper to start with: about $0.52 a month for each person, against $3.50 a month for each person for PayrollHero. PayrollHero starts at $3.50 per employee / month, and sumHR starts at ₹49 per user / month, billed annually.
Which has a free plan, PayrollHero or sumHR?
As of Nov 13, 2026, neither PayrollHero nor sumHR has a free plan. PayrollHero has a free trial.
Which platforms do PayrollHero and sumHR 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.