Softwr

Payroll · head to head

Zenefits vs Zoho People

Zenefits logo

Zenefits

Payroll

All-in-one HR platform for growing companies

From
$8/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Zoho People logo

Zoho People

HR

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: Zenefits product discontinued by parent company TriNet; Zoho People slow response times and slow loading on the platform affecting user efficiency
  • They diverge on capability: Zenefits covers HR Administration, Zoho People covers Employee Database.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Zenefits and Zoho People differ
AttributeZenefitsZoho People
Starting price$8/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionUnknown
Free tierNoYes
CategoryPayrollHR
Founded20131996

Identical on both: 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 Zenefits

  • HR Administration
  • Benefits Management
  • Payroll
  • Time and Scheduling
  • Compliance
  • Performance Management
  • QuickBooks
  • Xero

Only in Zoho People

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

Both cover

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

What people use each for

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

Zenefits

No use cases recorded yet. See the Zenefits review.

Zoho People

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

Where each one falls short

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

Zenefits

  • Product discontinued by parent company TriNet
  • Remaining customers forced to migrate to more expensive TriNet products

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

Zenefits

$8/month
  • Essentials$8/month
    • HR Administration
    • Time Off Tracking
    • Scheduling
  • Growth$16/month
    • All Essentials features
    • Compensation Management
    • Performance Management

Zoho People

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Zoho People review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Zenefits if

  • You need hr administration.
  • You also want benefits management.
Zenefits 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 Zenefits or Zoho People better?
Neither clearly leads. Zenefits starts at $8/month and Zoho People at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Zenefits or Zoho People?
Zoho People has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $8/month for Zenefits and Free for Zoho People.
Does Zenefits 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. Zenefits starts at $8/month.
What can Zenefits do that Zoho People cannot?
Zenefits covers HR Administration, Benefits Management, Payroll, Time and Scheduling. Zoho People covers Employee Database, Time Off, Time Tracking, Attendance. Both handle Slack, Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Zenefits: Is Zenefits still available as a standalone product?

No. Zenefits was discontinued as a standalone product after TriNet's acquisition in 2022. Existing customers are being migrated to TriNet HR Plus (ASO) or TriNet PEO at higher costs.

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
Zenefits: What were Zenefits' main features before discontinuation?

Zenefits provided HR, benefits management, payroll as optional add-on, time and attendance tracking, and compliance tools for small to mid-sized businesses with 10-200 employees.

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
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
Share

Related pages

More on Zenefits

More on Zoho People

Keep looking

Other head to heads