greytHR vs factoHR (2026) - Which HR & Payroll Software Is Best for Indian SMBs?

Indian SMBs evaluating HR and payroll software in 2026 frequently shortlist greytHR and factoHR. Both are India-built platforms that promise end-to-end HRMS capabilities — from payroll and statutory compliance to attendance, talent management, and mobile self-service.

greytHR, founded in 1994, is the pioneer in HR tech — known for solution depth, a 30,000+ customer base, and an ecosystem that includes India's largest HR community, a dedicated Academy, and a Compliance Wiki covering 100+ Acts. factoHR, founded in 2005 and headquartered in Navi Mumbai, is the bootstrapped challenger — recognised for its deep retirement-benefit DNA (PF trust, superannuation, and gratuity fund management), an enterprise client roster, and a growing AI-powered feature set.

This comparison evaluates both platforms across dimensions that matter most to India SMB buyers: pricing, core solution, compliance capability, retirement benefits, product depth, support quality, integrations, mobile experience, customer reviews, and organisational trust signals.

Quick Comparison: greytHR vs factoHR

Quick Verdict

greytHR holds decisive advantages in SMB solution depth, compliance, customer scale, pricing transparency, and ecosystem breadth. factoHR differentiates on retirement-benefit depth (PF trust, superannuation, and gratuity fund administration), enterprise client pedigree, and a growing AI-powered feature set. For India SMBs where statutory compliance, payroll reliability, and support depth are primary criteria, greytHR is the stronger all-round choice. factoHR is better suited to mid-market and enterprise buyers (typically 750–2,000 employees) and organisations that need to administer their own retirement benefit trusts.

greytHR vs factoHR Scorecard

Pricing Comparison

greytHR Pricing

greytHR follows a transparent pricing model designed for Indian SMBs.

Key highlights: 7-day unconditional free trial with no credit card required; no setup fee on any paid plan; payroll included in all paid plans; monthly, quarterly, or annual billing options; scales from 10 to 750+ employees without re-implementation.

factoHR Pricing

factoHR follows an enterprise-oriented pricing model.

Key notes: Add-on modules (Recruitment, AI Face Recognition, Chatbot) priced separately; purpose-built for enterprise but available to SMBs; implementation costs may apply for mid-market and enterprise deployments.

Pricing Verdict

greytHR offers more transparent and accessible pricing for India SMBs. At the 50-employee mark, greytHR Essential at ₹2,495/month is meaningfully lower than factoHR's entry paid plan at ₹4,999/month — roughly half the cost. greytHR's unconditional 7-day free trial removes commitment risk. factoHR offers a free starter plan up to 20 employees, but its per-employee add-on charges (₹69–₹119) and separately-priced modules raise the effective total cost of ownership for growing SMBs. For cost-sensitive SMBs, greytHR is the stronger value proposition at equivalent core capability.

Features Comparison: greytHR vs factoHR

Core HR & Employee Lifecycle

greytHR

• Employee Information, Documents, Letters — all native, no add-ons
• Onboarding and Offboarding with full and final settlement
• Employee Lifecycle: confirmation, transfer, promotion in workflow
• Asset tracking, checklists, digital letter generation
• Multi-level approval workflows, escalations, and monitoring
• LMS and many more functionalities available via the Unite Marketplace

factoHR

• Onboarding, HRIS, ESS, Payroll, Leave, Attendance modules
• Built-in LMS (Learning Management System)
• Employee engagement tracking, surveys, and performance management
• Travel Desk — useful for field-heavy businesses
• Custom forms and checklist configurations

Verdict

Both platforms cover the full core HR lifecycle. greytHR's strength lies in native depth across every module without add-ons, and 31 years of workflow refinement at SMB scale. factoHR's strength is its modular design — with a built-in travel desk that suits phased rollouts and field-heavy businesses. For native feature completeness, greytHR leads; for modular, enterprise-style deployment, factoHR is competitive.

Payroll & Attendance

greytHR

• GeoMark+ map-based attendance with GPS live tracking
• Visage AI face recognition for attendance
• India's broadest biometric device integration coverage in SMB HRMS
• Leave/attendance auto-flows into payroll run natively
• Shift management, permissions, split shift scenarios and complex attendance logic
• IT declaration, Form 16, ESS payslip access all native
• Arrears, increments, loans, advances — all processed natively

factoHR

• Guided payroll wizard — step-by-step run praised for accuracy
• Face Recognition (touchless) and Selfie Punch (mobile selfie + GPS)
• Offline punch-ins stored locally and auto-synced when reconnected
• Shift planning, roster management, multi-timezone, policy configuration
• Timesheet module for task tracking and productivity analysis
• Retirement benefits processed in payroll (Gratuity, GPF, Superannuation)

Verdict

Both platforms offer strong attendance, geo-tracking, and biometric capabilities. greytHR leads on device integration breadth and native flow of pay components. factoHR adds retirement-benefit processing within payroll (GPF, superannuation, gratuity funds) and an offline-first attendance model for field teams.

Talent Management

greytHR

• greytHR Recruit: ATS integrated with Naukri, IIM Jobs and more
• Goal setting (KRA), appraisal cycles, performance history
• 360-degree feedback: self, peer, and manager reviews
• HR dashboards, ready-to-use reports, and custom report builder
• Learning Management via marketplace app integration
• Navos AI — agentic built-in AI for HR workflows

factoHR

• Recruitment software with integrations offered
• Basic performance management and multi-level reviews
• Learning management system and employee engagement
• Fia / facto bot AI mentioned (limited public detail available)
• Custom forms for performance reviews

Verdict

greytHR offers a more mature talent stack — an integrated, AI-enabled Recruit with established job-board feeds, comprehensive PMS, 360-degree reviews, and agentic Navos AI. factoHR covers core recruitment and multi-level performance reviews with a built-in LMS, but its AI capabilities are early-stage with limited public documentation. For talent management depth and AI-assisted workflows, greytHR leads.

Mobile Experience

greytHR

• Android and iOS — full ESS: leave, payslips, attendance, approvals, expenses
• Manager approvals, team views, expense claims on mobile
• GeoMark+ mobile attendance with biometric GPS live tracking
• 1 lakh+ user reviews — India's highest review volume for an HR payroll app
• 4.5★ rating across Android and iOS platforms

factoHR

• Mobile-first design philosophy — field-ready
• Offline punch-in syncs automatically when reconnected
• ESS on mobile: leave, payslips, attendance correction, expenses
• Selfie Punch and face recognition available on mobile
• 19,500+ reviews; 4.4★ Android, 3.9★ iOS

Verdict

greytHR leads on mobile adoption at scale (1 lakh+ reviews vs 19,500+) with a higher and more consistent rating across platforms. factoHR's mobile-first, offline-first design is well-suited to field and distributed teams, but its iOS rating (3.9★) and reported performance lag are weaker points.

Payroll Capability & Compliance Comparison

greytHR — Payroll & Compliance

greytHR processes payroll for 30,000+ businesses, handling 3M+ employees and ₹12,500 Cr+ in monthly salary value. The compliance engine covers 100+ Acts and 500+ compliances across all Indian states.

Automation

• PF, ESI, PT, TDS, LWF, and Gratuity — automated calculation, filing, and challan generation across all states
• Form 16, Form 24Q, ECR, and challan files — auto-generated and e-signed
• New Labour Codes 2025 (effective November 2025) proactively integrated
• Compliance updates pushed automatically with each Budget or ordinance
• Shops & Establishment Act: state-wise, inspection-ready registers
• Factory Act: muster rolls, hazardous process tracking, overtime
• Labour Welfare Fund automated across all applicable Indian states

Differentiators

• Compliance Wiki: 100+ Acts, 500+ compliances — free, public, searchable — no equivalent in India SMB HRMS
• PIVault: dedicated encrypted vault for employee personal data (DPDP Act ready)
• ISO 27001 certified + AICPA SOC compliant + GDPR compliant
• 31 years of continuous payroll processing — unmatched uptime track record

factoHR — Payroll & Compliance

factoHR supports payroll for 3,500+ customers and 2.6M employees. Core statutory acts are automated, and the platform carries deep retirement-benefit DNA from its origins in HR & retirement-benefit outsourcing.

Automation

• PF, ESI, PT, TDS, LWF, Bonus, and Gratuity — all automated
• Form 16, Form 24Q, ECR, and PF/ESI challans auto-generated for filing
• New India Labour Codes 2025 guide published; compliance updates automated
• Guided, step-by-step payroll wizard with one-click run praised for accuracy
• Loan management and EMI deductions integrated with payroll

Differentiators

• Deepest retirement-benefits suite in India HRMS — a genuine differentiator
• Provident Fund Trust Management — full digital workflow for PF trusts
• Superannuation Fund management — digital fund lifecycle management
• Gratuity Fund management — actuarial and fund administration built in

Compliance Verdict

greytHR holds an advantage in compliance breadth. The Compliance Wiki (100+ Acts, publicly searchable), Factory Act coverage, S&E Act integration, and proactive Labour Code 2025 preparation represent capabilities with no published factoHR equivalent. factoHR, however, holds a genuine and decisive advantage in retirement-benefit depth — PF trust, superannuation, and gratuity fund administration — areas greytHR does not cover. For mainstream India SMB statutory compliance, greytHR leads.

Support & Implementation Comparison

greytHR Support & Onboarding

• In-house implementation team — no setup fees
• Average SMB go-live: 2-3 weeks with a dedicated onboarding manager
• 250+ cities served; regional language support available
• AI-powered conversational assistant for HR and payroll queries
• Phone, email, chat, and ticketed support across all plans
• Dedicated Customer Success Manager at Enterprise tier
• greytribe: India's largest HR peer community for peer-to-peer support
• greytHR Academy: India's only HR & Payroll professional certification programme
• Parichay expert webinar series — free, year-round attendance
• greytFM: award-winning HR and payroll podcast

factoHR Support & Onboarding

• Dedicated onboarding team with in-person training; typical go-live 2-4 weeks
• Implementation costs apply for mid-market and enterprise deployments
• AI-powered chatbot answers employee queries
• Online support, phone, and ticket system available
• Users note delays in ticket responses for smaller clients
• No dedicated India HR peer community equivalent to greytribe
• No standalone India HR or payroll certification programme

Support Verdict

greytHR offers a broader and more structured support ecosystem. The combination of AI support, multi-channel human support, the greytribe community, greytHR Academy certification, and the Parichay webinar series creates a depth of ongoing support and professional development that factoHR does not match. For long-term support depth and HR professional development, greytHR is the stronger choice.

Reviews & Ratings Comparison

greytHR Review Themes

Common Positives

• Onboarding documentation and knowledge base quality
• Platform stability and uptime — 30+ years of processing reliability
• Payroll reliability and accuracy — consistently cited across review platforms
• Compliance depth — users value automatic statutory updates
• greytribe community as a peer support and knowledge resource

Common Concerns

• UI cited as functional but can feel dated relative to newer platforms
• Mobile app feedback mixed among some user segments

factoHR Review Themes

Common Positives

• Payroll accuracy and ease of use — payroll workforce reduced by half; efficiency up 50%
• One-click payroll, arrear calculations, and offline punch sync praised
• Onboarding experience — team exactly understood requirement
• Retirement-benefit and PF trust handling valued by enterprise users

Common Concerns

• Slow loading and performance lag reported (G2)
• System speed fluctuates during updates — intermittent workflow interruptions
• Low review volume — roughly 5.5x fewer reviews than greytHR; iOS app poorly rated (3.9★)

Reviews Verdict

greytHR leads decisively on review volume — 1,17,600+ total reviews vs factoHR's 19,990+ — reflecting its far larger installed base. factoHR posts strong per-review satisfaction scores on some marketplaces, but several of these rest on very low review counts. greytHR's volume provides statistically broader evidence; factoHR's high scores reflect strong satisfaction within a smaller, more concentrated customer set.

greytHR vs factoHR: Which Software Should You Choose?

Choose greytHR if you need:

• A platform with 31 years of continuous payroll processing reliability and a 30,000+ SMB customer base
• Deep India statutory payroll compliance — PF, ESI, PT, TDS, S&E, Factory Act across all states
• Transparent, affordable pricing starting at ₹2,495/month for 50 employees with a free 7-day trial
• A comprehensive support ecosystem: AI support, multi-channel human support, greytribe community, Academy certification
• Access to India's only HR & Payroll professional certification (greytHR Academy)
• A Compliance Wiki covering 100+ Acts — a free, public resource updated with every Budget
• 50+ marketplace integrations including native accounting and biometric device coverage
• A platform that scales from 10 to 750+ employees without re-implementation

Choose factoHR if you need:

• Deep retirement-benefit administration — PF trust management, superannuation fund, and actuarial gratuity fund handling
• A platform proven with mid-market and enterprise marquee names, best fit at 750-2,000 employees
• SAP partnership for retirement benefit solutions and an open API for custom builds
• A modular suite with built-in basic talent management including LMS and travel desk

Pros and Cons

greytHR Pros

• 31-year track record in India HR and payroll — deepest institutional knowledge
• 100+ Acts compliance engine — broadest statutory coverage in India SMB HRMS
• Compliance Wiki: free, public, searchable — unique in the market
• Most affordable SMB pricing (₹45 PEPM) with unconditional 7-day free trial
• 30,000+ customer base — largest deployed SMB base; most validated at scale
• 50+ marketplace integrations including native accounting and biometric devices
• greytHR Academy: India's only HR & Payroll certification programme
• greytribe: India's largest HR peer community
• ISO 27001 + AICPA SOC + PIVault + DPDP Act readiness
• Middle East presence — deployable beyond India

greytHR Cons

• Does not cover GPF, benevolent, or superannuation retirement funds
• Some user feedback flags a mixed mobile app experience

factoHR Pros

• Purpose made for enterprises
• Deepest retirement-benefits suite (PF trust, superannuation, gratuity fund) — a genuine differentiator
• Offline-first, field-ready mobile attendance
• SAP partnership for retirement benefits; open API for custom integrations
• Azure-hosted; ISO 27001 + SOC Type 2 certified
• Built-in LMS, travel desk, and timesheet modules

factoHR Cons

• 3,500+ customers vs greytHR's 30,000+ — narrower SMB validation; best fit 750-2,000 employees
• Paid plans from ₹4,999/month plus per-employee add-ons and separately-priced modules — higher SMB TCO
• S&E and Factory Act depth less documented; no public Compliance Wiki
• No India HR community, certification, HR podcast, or annual research publication
• AI features (Fia/facto bot) early-stage with limited public detail
• iOS app poorly rated (3.9★); performance lag and limited customisation noted
• DPDP Act readiness not explicitly documented; no PIVault equivalent
• India-only operations — no documented Middle East or international deployment

Frequently Asked Questions

Is greytHR or factoHR more affordable for a 50-employee Indian company?

greytHR is more affordable. The greytHR Essential plan costs ₹2,495/month (₹45 PEPM) for 50 employees, compared to factoHR's entry paid plan at ₹4,999/month. greytHR also offers a 7-day unconditional free trial with no credit card required and no setup fee.

Which platform has deeper statutory compliance coverage for India?

greytHR has broader statutory compliance coverage. Its compliance engine covers 100+ Acts and 500+ compliances across all Indian states, including PF, ESI, PT, TDS, LWF, Gratuity, Shops & Establishment Act, and Factory Act, plus a free, publicly accessible Compliance Wiki. factoHR covers core payroll statutory acts and is uniquely deep on retirement benefits, but does not publish equivalent S&E or Factory Act coverage or a Compliance Wiki.

How do greytHR and factoHR compare on mobile app quality?

Both offer Android and iOS apps with employee and manager self-service. greytHR leads on adoption volume — over 1 lakh reviews at 4.5★. factoHR has 19,500+ reviews at 4.4★ on Android but a lower 3.9★ on iOS.

Which platform is better for payroll compliance in 2026?

greytHR. The platform has proactively integrated New Labour Codes 2025, automatically pushes compliance updates with each Budget or ordinance, and maintains a dedicated in-house compliance team tracking 100+ Acts. factoHR has published a New Labour Codes 2025 guide and automates core compliance updates, but lacks a publicly accessible Compliance Wiki.

Can both platforms handle companies growing from 50 to 500 employees?

Both platforms can serve this range, but with different sweet spots. greytHR is specifically designed for 10-750 employee India SMBs, with 30,000+ companies at this scale as live proof, and scales without re-implementation. factoHR's average customer runs around 700 employees and the platform is best suited to the 750-2,000 range.

How do support models differ between greytHR and factoHR?

greytHR offers a broader long-term support ecosystem: an AI-powered assistant; phone/email/chat/ticketed support; a dedicated Customer Success Manager at enterprise tier; the greytribe peer community; and greytHR Academy for ongoing certification. factoHR lacks an equivalent community platform or certification programme.

Is greytHR or factoHR suitable for companies in the Middle East?

greytHR has documented presence and deployment capability in both India and the Middle East, supported by a cross-border partner network. factoHR, based on information available, operates in India only, with no documented Middle East or international deployment track record.

Final Verdict: greytHR vs factoHR (2026)

greytHR and factoHR are both credible, India-built HR and payroll platforms. Both offer end-to-end HRMS capability, mobile apps, statutory payroll compliance, and modern workflow tooling. The comparison reveals meaningfully different strengths rather than a simple winner-take-all outcome.

greytHR is better suited for organizations prioritising payroll compliance, pricing accessibility, ecosystem breadth, and long-term support. With 31 years of HR solution experience, a 100+ Acts compliance engine, the only public Compliance Wiki in the India SMB HRMS segment, and pricing starting at ₹45 PEPM with an unconditional free trial, greytHR reduces compliance risk and total cost of ownership more effectively than comparable platforms.

factoHR is the recommended alternative for mid-market and enterprise buyers (typically 750-2,000 employees), organisations needing deep retirement-benefit and PF-trust administration, or field/offline-first workforces.

For the typical Indian SMB — a company between 10 and 500 employees that needs reliable statutory payroll compliance, a scalable full-suite HRMS, transparent pricing, and long-term vendor stability — greytHR is the better-evidenced choice.

Ready to Explore greytHR?

greytHR offers an unconditional 7-day free trial — no credit card required. Here is what you get from day one:

• Full access to core HR modules, payroll, compliance, attendance, talent management and more
• Onboarding support from greytHR's in-house implementation team at no setup cost
• Access to the Compliance Wiki — 100+ Acts, 500+ compliances, fully searchable
• Guided product walkthrough, expert webinars, rich quick video help
• greytHR Academy learning resources and certifications

Legal Disclaimer

This comparison document is produced for informational purposes only. All data, ratings, pricing, and feature information is sourced exclusively from the system of record provided for this analysis. Data was accurate as of the SOR publication date (sourced from Gartner Digimarkets, G2, Play/App Store, Tracxn, public vendor pages; latest: May 2026). Pricing, features, and product capabilities may have changed. Readers are advised to independently verify all information with the respective vendors before making purchasing decisions. This document does not constitute financial, legal, or procurement advice. The publisher accepts no liability for decisions made on the basis of this comparison.