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Payroll & Benefits · head to head

Namely vs Zoho People

Namely logo

Namely

Payroll & Benefits

The HR platform that employees love

From
$18/employee/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Zoho People logo

Zoho People

HR & Recruiting

Cloud HR software for growing businesses

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Zoho People has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Namely limited customization for complex HR processes: workflows and customization options are limited compared to enterprise solutions; Zoho People slow response times and slow loading on the platform affecting user efficiency
  • They diverge on capability: Namely covers HR Management, Zoho People covers Employee Database.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Namely and Zoho People actually diverge.

Attributes where Namely and Zoho People differ
AttributeNamelyZoho People
Starting price$18/employee/monthFree
Free tierNoYes
CategoryPayroll & BenefitsHR & Recruiting
Founded20121996

Identical on both: pricing model (Unknown), platforms (Web), user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Namely

  • HR Management
  • Payroll
  • Benefits Administration
  • Time Off Management
  • Performance Management
  • Greenhouse
  • LinkedIn

Only in Zoho People

  • Employee Database
  • Time Off
  • Time Tracking
  • Attendance
  • Performance
  • Self-Service
  • Zoho CRM
  • Zoho Books

Both cover

  • Onboarding
  • Slack
  • Google Workspace
  • Microsoft 365
  • Web support
  • Ios support
  • Android support

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Namely

  • Limited customization for complex HR processes: workflows and customization options are limited compared to enterprise solutions
  • Payroll limitations: better served for less complex organizations and struggles with complex time-and-attendance or multi-FEIN scenarios
  • Missing ATS and surveys: lacks built-in applicant tracking system and pulse survey capabilities
  • Slow support response times: pod-based support model has led to slow response times for customers
  • Designed for specific market segment: best fit is mid-sized companies with 50-350 employees

Zoho People

  • Slow response times and slow loading on the platform affecting user efficiency
  • Limited customization options for leave and performance management workflows
  • Mobile app is missing key features available in desktop version, like timesheets and reporting
  • Customer support is ticket-based only with no live chat unless on premium plan

Pricing, plan by plan

Namely

$18/employee/month

No published plan breakdown. See the Namely review.

Zoho People

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Zoho People review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Namely if

  • You need hr management.
  • You also want payroll.
Namely review

Choose Zoho People if

  • You need employee database.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want time off.
Zoho People review

Questions people ask

Is Namely or Zoho People better?
Neither clearly leads. Namely starts at $18/employee/month and Zoho People at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Namely or Zoho People?
Zoho People has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $18/employee/month for Namely and Free for Zoho People.
Does Namely or Zoho People run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Zoho People for free?
Yes. Zoho People has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Namely starts at $18/employee/month.
What can Namely do that Zoho People cannot?
Namely covers HR Management, Payroll, Benefits Administration, Time Off Management. Zoho People covers Employee Database, Time Off, Time Tracking, Attendance. Both handle Onboarding, Slack, Google Workspace, Microsoft 365.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Namely: Does Namely support global payroll?

Namely primarily focuses on mid-sized US-based companies with 50-350 employees. While it can handle complex payroll scenarios, it is better served for less complex organizations and does not have extensive global payroll capabilities compared to enterprise platforms.

Source
Zoho People: Does Zoho People have a free tier?

Yes, the Free plan supports up to 5-10 users with essential HR tools, email support, and 30-day free trial available on all paid plans with no credit card required.

Source
Namely: What is included in Namely's Premium pricing?

Premium plans cost $18-24 per employee per month plus implementation fees of 10-25% of annual software costs. Plans include payroll, HR, benefits administration, time management, and talent management features.

Source
Zoho People: What is the pricing for Zoho People?

Pricing starts at $1.25 per user per month when billed annually. The Essential HR plan costs $1.50 monthly per user, dropping to $1.25 annually with five tiers available: Free, Essential HR, Professional, Premium, and Enterprise.

Source
Namely: Does Namely include performance management features?

Yes, Namely offers customizable performance review modules enabling dynamic, ongoing feedback rather than traditional annual-only reviews. This is one of Namely's standout features.

Source
Zoho People: Does Zoho People work with other Zoho applications?

Yes, Zoho People integrates with the Zoho ecosystem including Zoho CRM, Zoho Books, and other Zoho applications for unified business management.

Source
Namely: How long does Namely implementation typically take?

Namely is designed for mid-sized companies and implementation timelines vary based on complexity. The platform includes implementation fees of 10-25% of annual software costs in addition to monthly per-employee pricing.

Source
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Related pages

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