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Software · head to head

Northbeam vs Zoho People

Northbeam logo

Northbeam

Software

Marketing intelligence for growth brands

From
$1500/month
Rated
-
Zoho People logo

Zoho People

Software

Cloud HR software for growing businesses

From
Free
Rated
-

The short version

  • Only Zoho People has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Northbeam limited creative-level reporting focused on campaign and ad set rather than individual ad performance; Zoho People slow response times and slow loading on the platform affecting user efficiency
  • They diverge on capability: Northbeam covers Cross-platform attribution, Zoho People covers Employee Database.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Northbeam and Zoho People differ
AttributeNorthbeamZoho People
Starting price$1500/monthFree
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, APIWeb
Founded20201996

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

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 Northbeam

  • Cross-platform attribution
  • Media mix modeling
  • Creative analytics
  • Real-time dashboards
  • Incrementality testing
  • Customer journey
  • Cohort analysis
  • LTV predictions

Only in Zoho People

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

Both cover

  • Web support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Northbeam

  • Marketing attributionnot Zoho People
  • Media optimizationnot Zoho People
  • Creative testingnot Zoho People
  • Budget allocationnot Zoho People

Zoho People

No use cases recorded yet. See the Zoho People review.

Where each one falls short

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

Northbeam

  • Limited creative-level reporting focused on campaign and ad set rather than individual ad performance
  • Lack of transparency in attribution modeling methodology and how credit is assigned
  • Pageview-based pricing that can scale faster than perceived value for high-traffic, lower-conversion brands
  • Slower reporting cadence limits real-time feedback for teams requiring immediate performance data

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

Northbeam

$1500/month
  • Starter$1500/month
    • Multi-touch attribution
    • Media mix modeling
    • Up to 1M monthly pageviews
  • Professional$2500/month
    • All Starter features
    • Creative analytics
    • Export API access

Zoho People

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Zoho People review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Northbeam if

  • You need cross-platform attribution.
  • You work on Web, API.
  • You also want media mix modeling.

Choose Zoho People if

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

Questions people ask

Is Northbeam or Zoho People better?
Neither clearly leads. Northbeam starts at $1500/month and Zoho People at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Northbeam or Zoho People?
Zoho People has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $1500/month for Northbeam and Free for Zoho People.
Does Northbeam or Zoho People run on more platforms?
Northbeam runs on Web, API. Zoho People runs on Web.
Can I use Zoho People for free?
Yes. Zoho People has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Northbeam starts at $1500/month.
What is Northbeam best used for?
Northbeam is most often used for marketing attribution, media optimization, creative testing, budget allocation. Of those, marketing attribution and media optimization are not what Zoho People is typically brought in for.
What can Northbeam do that Zoho People cannot?
Northbeam covers Cross-platform attribution, Media mix modeling, Creative analytics, Real-time dashboards. Zoho People covers Employee Database, Time Off, Time Tracking, Attendance. Both handle Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Northbeam: How is Northbeam priced?

Northbeam offers three tiers: Starter ($1,500/month), Professional ($2,500/month), and Enterprise (custom quote). Pricing is based on monthly pageviews and refreshed data frequency. There are no setup fees, free plan, or free trial.

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
Northbeam: What platforms does Northbeam integrate with?

Northbeam integrates with Shopify, Meta Ads, Google Ads, TikTok, Pinterest, Snapchat, YouTube, Klaviyo, Recharge, and others. It pushes attribution data to Meta CAPI, Google Conversion API, GA4, and TikTok Events API.

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
Northbeam: What does Northbeam measure?

Northbeam uses multi-touch attribution (MTA), media mix modeling (MMM), and Northbeam Apex to measure how paid media spend translates to revenue. Apex sends attribution data directly back to ad platforms for algorithm optimization.

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
Northbeam: Who should use Northbeam?

Northbeam is ideal for intermediate to advanced ecommerce operators at Shopify-based DTC brands generating $1M+ annual revenue and spending at least $1.5M yearly on paid media across multiple channels.

Source
Northbeam: What are Northbeam's main limitations?

Key limitations include a steep learning curve and complex interface, shallow creative-level reporting, lack of model transparency, pricing that can scale faster than value for high-traffic brands, and slower reporting cadence compared to real-time dashboards.

Source

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