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HR · head to head

People HR vs Zoho People

People HR logo

People HR

HR

HR software that does the HR hard work

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Zoho People logo

Zoho People

HR

Cloud HR software for growing businesses

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: People HR pro and Elite+ HR plans require contacting sales; exact features unclear; Zoho People slow response times and slow loading on the platform affecting user efficiency
  • They diverge on capability: People HR covers Absence Management, Zoho People covers Time Off.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where People HR and Zoho People differ
AttributePeople HRZoho People
Pricing modelsubscriptionUnknown
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidWeb
Founded20121996

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (HR).

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 People HR

  • Absence Management
  • Document Management
  • Recruitment
  • Self-Service Portal
  • Xero
  • Sage

Only in Zoho People

  • Time Off
  • Time Tracking
  • Attendance
  • Onboarding
  • Self-Service
  • Zoho CRM
  • Zoho Books

Both cover

  • Employee Database
  • Performance
  • Slack
  • Microsoft 365
  • Google Workspace
  • Web support
  • Ios support
  • Android support

What people use each for

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

People HR

  • HR management for startups and growing teamsnot Zoho People
  • Integrated payroll and HR operationsnot Zoho People
  • Employee management with compliance featuresnot Zoho People

Zoho People

  • Automating recruitment workflows from application through onboardingnot People HR
  • Managing performance evaluations and compensation decisions centrallynot People HR
  • Tracking employee time, attendance, and leave in real-timenot People HR
  • Generating HR analytics to measure employee satisfaction and retentionnot People HR

Where each one falls short

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

People HR

  • Pro and Elite+ HR plans require contacting sales; exact features unclear
  • Payroll SaaS Pro and Elite+ pricing not published
  • Combined plans mark no distinction between HR and payroll components

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

People HR

Free
  • Starter$3/month
    • per-employee pricing
    • ideal for startups
  • Core$5.5/month
    • per-employee pricing
    • growing teams
  • Pro$8/month
    • per-employee pricing
    • larger companies
  • Elite+$9.5/month
    • per-employee pricing
    • advanced HR

Zoho People

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Zoho People review.

Which should you pick?

Choose People HR if

  • You need absence management.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want document management.
People HR review

Choose Zoho People if

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

Questions people ask

Is People HR or Zoho People better?
Neither clearly leads. People HR starts at Free and Zoho People at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, People HR or Zoho People?
People HR starts at Free and Zoho People at Free.
Does People HR or Zoho People run on more platforms?
People HR runs on Web, iOS, Android. Zoho People runs on Web.
Can I use People HR for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is People HR best used for?
People HR is most often used for hr management for startups and growing teams, integrated payroll and hr operations, employee management with compliance features. Of those, hr management for startups and growing teams and integrated payroll and hr operations are not what Zoho People is typically brought in for.
What can People HR do that Zoho People cannot?
People HR covers Absence Management, Document Management, Recruitment, Self-Service Portal. Zoho People covers Time Off, Time Tracking, Attendance, Onboarding. Both handle Employee Database, Performance, Slack, Microsoft 365.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

People HR: How is PeopleHR pricing calculated?

Pricing is per employee per month (PEPM). Starter: £3, Core: £5.50, Pro: £8, Elite+: £9.50. Users can add/remove employees as needed.

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
People HR: Do I get a discount for annual billing?

Yes, annual customers receive discounts compared to monthly billing. Exact discount percentages not specified on the pricing page.

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
People HR: What add-ons are available?

Optional add-ons cost £1.50-£2 PEPM for most features. Specific add-ons not listed on the pricing page.

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
People HR: Can I combine HR and Payroll services?

Yes, combined HR + Payroll plans are available: Core+ (£7 PEPM), Pro+ (£9.50 PEPM), Ultimate+ (£11 PEPM). Support and implementation included.

Source
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