Choosing between Offrd and Zoho People HR software is a critical decision for Indian startups and MSMEs. Both are cloud-based HRMS platforms designed for businesses, but they serve different market segments with distinct pricing models and feature sets.
Quick Comparison Overview
Here's a snapshot of how Offrd and Zoho People compare:
Offrd is best for startups with 5-200 employees, uses a pay-per-use pricing model, takes 2 minutes to set up or charges ₹50 per active employee per month, has zero setup fees, serves 4,000+ companies, and was founded in 2023.
Zoho People is best for companies with 20-1000+ employees, uses a per-user monthly subscription model, takes 1-2 weeks to implement, starts at $1 per user per month (approximately ₹83 per user per month), offers a free plan for up to 5 users, serves companies globally, and is part of Zoho Corporation founded in 1996.
Understanding the Pricing Models
Offrd: Pay-Per-Use HR Software
Offrd operates on a pay-per-use model where you only pay when you use a feature or a simple: ₹50 per active employee per month. There are no monthly subscription fees in pay per use model, no setup costs, and no payments for capacity you barely use. This makes it ideal for bootstrapped startups with unpredictable hiring patterns.
The key advantages of this model include zero fixed costs during slow hiring months, budget-friendly pricing for early-stage startups, no vendor lock-in, costs that scale with actual usage, and perfect flexibility for seasonal hiring patterns.
Zoho People: Per-User Subscription Model
Zoho People follows a tiered subscription pricing structure. It starts at approximately $1 per user per month (around ₹83 per user per month) for up to 50 users on the Basic plan, with volume discounts applying at certain user count thresholds. There are also discounts available for annual contracts compared to monthly billing.
The platform offers three editions: Basic (includes core HR features like employee records, leave and time tracking, organizational chart), Standard (adds recruitment, onboarding, training, and performance management), and Professional (includes all features plus compensation planning, succession planning, and analytics). There's also a free plan available for up to 5 users.
A 30-day free trial is available on all paid plans, and there's also a 15-day trial period mentioned in some sources.
Setup and Implementation
Getting Started with Offrd
Offrd takes just 2 minutes to go live. There's no setup needed, no training required, and you get human support without pushy sales tactics. Activation is instant, there are no onboarding calls needed, and it's perfect for founders handling HR themselves.
Getting Started with Zoho People
Zoho People takes an average of 1-2 weeks to implement depending on complexity. The platform offers a 30-day free trial allowing users to test all plan features before committing. Once the trial expires, the account moves to the free plan if you don't subscribe. The system is designed to be straightforward with an intuitive interface that requires little to no training for new hires. However, some users report that initial setup can be complex for smaller businesses without dedicated IT support.
User Experience Comparison
Offrd's Simplicity-First Approach
Offrd is designed for people with no HR experience. CEOs and small teams can use it effortlessly. It features AI-powered document generation, has a minimal learning curve, and can generate offer letters in under 2 minutes. The interface is intuitive for non-HR professionals.
Zoho People's Comprehensive Interface
Zoho People offers a cloud-based interface accessible via web browser on any device, including desktops, laptops, tablets, and smartphones running Windows, Mac, Android, or iOS. The platform has mobile apps available for both Android (Lollipop 5.0 and above) and iOS (version 11.0 and above).
Users frequently praise the user-friendly and intuitive interface. However, there are common complaints about the interface being dated and clunky in certain areas, with difficulty navigating some sections. Some users mention a confusing number of menu items, problems with scrolling functionality, and sections that are not intuitive requiring time to understand fully. The interface is described as less user-friendly for administrators, which can lead to a steeper learning curve during implementation.
The mobile app has been noted to have glitches and bugs, with some users experiencing issues when using it on mobile devices. The mobile app also lacks full functionality compared to the web version.
Who Should Use Which Platform?
Offrd is Ideal For:
Companies with 5-200 employees in the seed to Series A startup stage. It's perfect for founder-led HR teams or companies with just one HR person. If you're hiring 5-15 people per quarter and have a budget under ₹15,000/month for HR software, Offrd is a strong choice. Your priority is speed, simplicity, and cost savings.
Specific use cases include bootstrapped startups, first-time founders, companies without dedicated HR departments, businesses with seasonal hiring patterns, and remote-first teams.
Zoho People is Ideal For:
Companies with 20-1000+ employees from small businesses to large enterprises across all industries. It's designed for organizations looking to streamline HR processes with comprehensive features. The platform is particularly strong for businesses already using other Zoho applications due to seamless integration across the Zoho ecosystem (Zoho CRM, Zoho Projects, Zoho Payroll, Zoho Expense, Zoho Recruit, Zoho Analytics).
Your budget is flexible, starting from a free plan for very small teams (up to 5 users) to approximately ₹4,000-8,000+ per month for 50-100 employees, and your priority is comprehensive HR features with strong integration capabilities.
Specific use cases include small to large businesses needing all-in-one HR suite, companies requiring extensive customization options, organizations using multiple Zoho products, businesses needing performance management and learning systems, and companies with remote or hybrid teams needing mobile accessibility.
Feature Comparison
What Offrd Offers
Offrd covers essential document management including offer letters, probation letters, increment letters, and separation letters. It features AI-powered document generation with compliance checks, onboarding workflows, and payslip generation.
For attendance and leave management, Offrd provides real-time attendance tracking with QR check-ins and geofencing, leave management, shift updates, and remote work support.
The AI features include intelligent document generation, a policy generator, and automated compliance tools.
What Zoho People Offers
Zoho People provides a comprehensive set of HR services including:
Core HR features with a centralized employee database, organizational chart, employee self-service portal (web and mobile), document management, and customizable workflows.
Time and attendance management with multiple clock-in options (daily check-in/check-out feature, geo-marking, geo-tagging, web-based sign-in), flexible shift scheduling customizable to business needs, automated shift rotations, shift-based allowances and reminders, and integration with biometric devices.
Leave management with automated leave requests with managerial approval workflows, configurable leave policies with 50+ customizable parameters, leave balance tracking, and holiday calendar management.
Performance management including goal setting (KRAs), competencies and skill sets tracking, 360-degree feedback, continuous performance reviews, and performance appraisals.
Learning management system for training management, course creation and publishing, and professional development tracking.
Recruitment and onboarding with integration to Zoho Recruit, personalized onboarding workflows, and task management.
Cases management with an intuitive tool to categorize frequently-asked queries and create automated replies.
Employee engagement features including engagement surveys to gather employee feedback about their work and organization.
Reporting and analytics with precise reports on every HR metric, advanced analytics for data visualization, pattern identification, and trend analysis.
Integration capabilities with native Zoho apps (Zoho Payroll, Zoho Expense, Zoho Projects, Zoho CRM, Zoho Analytics) and third-party applications (copyright, Zapier, AdobeSign, G-Suite).
Zia, Zoho's AI chatbot assistant to help with daily HR tasks.
However, Zoho People does not have native payroll functionality and requires integration with Zoho Payroll for comprehensive payroll processing. Some users note limited advanced payroll systems within Zoho People itself.
Customer Reviews and Feedback
Offrd Customer Experiences
Users have praised Offrd's platform for being user-friendly with no training needed, significantly cutting costs for onboarding. It's been described as a perfect fit for hybrid teams with accurate attendance capture. The pay-per-use model has been noted as perfect for scaling gradually. The platform is trusted by over 4,000 companies across India with a focus on MSMEs.
Zoho People Customer Experiences
Zoho People is part of Zoho Corporation with over 30 years of experience in software development. Based on over 150 customer reviews on popular software review sites like G2 Crowd, Capterra and GetApp, Zoho People receives very positive feedback overall.
Users frequently praise several aspects:
The daily check-in and check-out feature for tracking working time is highly appreciated. Leave management showing remaining leave balances and employee details is valued. The user-friendly interface is consistently mentioned as easy to use and navigate. The software is praised for simplifying HR tasks with features for attendance, salaries, payslips, and seamless integrations. Users appreciate the extensive customization options to meet specific business needs. The employee self-service portal is highlighted for empowering employees to update personal information and communicate with managers. Integration with other Zoho applications and third-party software is frequently praised. The pricing with no hidden costs and flexible options is mentioned positively. Good value for money matching the feature set at a relatively low price point.
However, there are common complaints:
Interface issues are website frequently mentioned. Users report a dated and clunky interface in certain sections, difficulty navigating the application, confusing number of menu items, and problems with scrolling functionality. The interface is described as less user-friendly for administrators. Some sections are not intuitive and require time to understand fully. The initial setup can be overwhelming for new users due to the extensive number of features and options.
Mobile app limitations are a significant complaint. The mobile app has glitches and bugs. Users face issues when using it with mobile devices. Check-in and check-out functionality is sometimes hectic and won't pick up correct locations accurately. When internet is slow, users get logged out frequently. The mobile app lacks full functionality compared to the web version.
Customer support issues include slow response times on queries from the support team. Response times can be slow and support quality varies. Some users report that support documentation is extensive but often lacks information on specific issues or features.
Integration and customization challenges exist. Users mention poor backend integration capability in some cases. While customization is available, it can be complex requiring technical skills. The free version has limitations restricting access to certain features. Some reviewers feel pricing can be steep for smaller businesses or startups with limited budgets, though others find it affordable.
Reporting limitations are noted. Users mention enhancement needed in reporting capabilities. Basic reporting tools lack advanced analytics capabilities. Standard reports don't always fit requirements and it's difficult to find relevant fields when creating custom reports. Automated workflows have restrictions on conditional logic and approval levels.
Other issues include document management lacking strong version control and audit trails. Sometimes clocking in and out in the HR portal does not work properly. There's no approved leave forms PDF printing option available in some versions.
Real Cost Analysis: A 50-Employee Startup
Let's look at a realistic scenario for a 50-employee startup with standard HR operations and regular payroll and attendance needs.
With Offrd, you would pay 50 employees times ₹50 per month, which equals ₹2,500/month or ₹30,000/year.
With Zoho People, assuming the Basic plan at approximately $1 per user per month (₹83 per user), you would pay 50 employees times ₹83 per month, which equals ₹4,150/month or ₹49,800/year. This assumes you can get the lower per-user rate for 50 users.
This means Offrd saves you ₹19,800 per year, representing a 40% lower cost.
However, if you need Standard or Professional editions with advanced features, Zoho People's costs would increase further. The cost comparison becomes more favorable for Zoho People at very small scales (5-10 employees where their free plan applies) or potentially at very large scales (200+ employees) depending on volume discounts.
What These Savings Mean
With the money saved using Offrd for a 50-employee company, you could invest in employee training programs, cover recruiting and hiring costs, add additional HR tools or benefits, or build a contingency fund.
When Does Zoho People Make Financial Sense?
Zoho People makes sense financially when you have a very small team of 5 or fewer employees where their free plan provides value, when you're already invested in the Zoho ecosystem and can leverage cross-product integrations, when you need comprehensive performance management and learning management systems that justify the higher cost, when you require extensive customization and don't mind the technical complexity, or when you need features beyond basic HR that Offrd doesn't offer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is better for startups: Offrd or Zoho People?
Offrd is better for early-stage startups under 100 employees due to its pay-per-use pricing model, 2-minute setup, and no monthly commitments. For companies needing comprehensive HR features with strong integration to other business tools, Zoho People offers more extensive capabilities but at a higher cost.
What is the main difference between Offrd and Zoho People pricing?
Offrd charges ₹50 per active employee per month with no minimum commitment, while Zoho People charges approximately ₹83 per user per month (around $1 per user) with a free plan for up to 5 users and tiered pricing for larger teams.
How long does it take to set up Offrd vs Zoho People?
Offrd takes 2 minutes with no setup fees, while Zoho People takes 1-2 weeks depending on complexity with a 30-day free trial period.
Which HR software is better for 50-100 employees?
For 50-100 employees, Offrd is more cost-effective at ₹2,500-5,000/month (₹30,000-60,000/year) compared to Zoho People at approximately ₹4,150-8,300/month (₹49,800-99,600/year) for the Basic plan. However, if you need advanced features like performance management and learning systems, Zoho People offers more comprehensive capabilities.
Does Offrd have performance management features like Zoho People?
Offrd focuses on core HR essentials including documents, attendance, and payroll. Zoho People offers comprehensive performance management with goal setting, 360-degree feedback, competency tracking, and learning management systems. If performance management is critical, Zoho People is stronger in this area.
What are the main complaints about Zoho People?
Common Zoho People complaints include dated and clunky interface in certain sections, mobile app glitches and bugs with location accuracy issues, slow customer support response times, complex initial setup for new users, lack of native payroll functionality (requires Zoho Payroll integration), and basic reporting tools lacking advanced analytics.
Is Offrd suitable for remote teams?
Yes, Offrd supports remote work with QR check-ins, geofencing, and real-time attendance tracking, making it perfect for hybrid and remote teams.
Which software is more user-friendly?
Offrd is designed for people with no HR experience and requires no training, making it extremely user-friendly for basic HR needs. Zoho People has a user-friendly interface for core functions but can be complex and overwhelming for new users due to extensive features. The mobile app experience is better on Offrd based on user feedback.
Can I switch from Zoho People to Offrd?
Yes, since Offrd has no lock-in contracts and no setup fees, switching is simple and cost-effective. However, consider whether you're using Zoho People's advanced features (performance management, learning management) before switching, as Offrd focuses on core HR essentials.
Which HR software has better integration capabilities?
Zoho People has superior integration capabilities with seamless connectivity across the entire Zoho ecosystem (Zoho CRM, Zoho Payroll, Zoho Projects, Zoho Analytics, Zoho Expense, Zoho Recruit) plus third-party applications like copyright, Zapier, and AdobeSign. Offrd offers focused integrations for its core features.
Final Verdict: Which Should You Choose?
Choose Offrd If You:
Have 5-200 employees, are a bootstrapped startup or early-stage MSME, want to save 40% or more on HR software costs, need to start using HR software TODAY with a 2-minute setup, hire sporadically or seasonally, don't have a dedicated HR team or have just one HR person, want pay-per-use flexibility with no lock-in, value AI-powered automation and simplicity over comprehensive features, are budget-conscious and want straightforward pricing, prefer modern, streamlined HR tools focused on essentials, or don't need performance management and learning systems.
Choose Zoho People If You:
Have 5-1000+ employees across various company sizes, need comprehensive HR features including performance management and learning systems, are already using other Zoho products and want seamless integration, require extensive customization options and don't mind technical complexity, have a dedicated HR team that can manage initial setup, can invest ₹4,000-10,000+ per month in HRMS (for 50-100+ employees), need advanced reporting and analytics capabilities, want a proven platform from a company with 30+ years of software experience, or require integration with multiple third-party applications beyond HR.
The Bottom Line
For early-stage startups and small businesses under 100 employees, Offrd is the smarter choice because:
First, cost efficiency. You save 40% or more compared to Zoho People with simple ₹50 per active employee pricing.
Second, speed. Start in 2 minutes versus 1-2 weeks.
Third, simplicity. No HR experience needed and no overwhelming feature complexity.
Fourth, flexibility. Pay only when you need it with no minimum user requirements.
Fifth, modern technology. AI-powered automation built specifically for Indian startups.
For companies needing comprehensive HR capabilities beyond core essentials, Zoho People makes sense because:
First, extensive features. Performance management, learning management, advanced analytics, and comprehensive employee engagement tools.
Second, integration power. Seamless connectivity across the entire Zoho ecosystem and third-party applications.
Third, proven platform. Over 30 years of software development experience from Zoho Corporation.
Fourth, scalability. Works for teams from 5 to 1000+ employees.
Fifth, customization. Highly customizable workflows and approval systems, though requiring technical expertise.
However, be prepared for Zoho People's challenges: complex initial setup, dated interface in some sections, mobile app issues, higher costs for small teams, and need for technical knowledge for customization.
Getting Started
If you're an early-stage startup with under 100 employees needing core HR essentials, try Offrd. There's no credit card required, you can start in 2 minutes, you pay only ₹50 per active employee per month, and there are no setup fees.
If you need comprehensive HR features with performance management and learning systems, or you're already in the Zoho ecosystem, try Zoho People. A 30-day free trial is available on all paid plans. The free plan supports up to 5 users. Pricing starts at approximately ₹83 per user per month for the Basic plan.