Ascent HR Cloud vs Keka (2026): The Brutal Indian HR Comparison
India-first comparison using listing signals: pricing visibility, compliance coverage, integrations, and verification freshness.
Brutal Truth (data-backed)
- 🏆 Where Ascent HR Cloud wins: Ascent HR Cloud holds a balanced profile for India teams; final call depends on your implementation reality.
- 🏆 Where Keka wins: Keka shows stronger statutory compliance depth for Indian payroll ops.
- ⚠️ The Brutal Truth: If statutory confidence and execution reliability are your top priority, bias toward Keka. If you optimize for UI modernity and broader ecosystem flexibility, validate Ascent HR Cloud deeply before finalizing.
| Metric | Ascent HR Cloud | Keka |
|---|---|---|
| HRSuggest Readiness Score™ | 68/100 | 79/100 |
| Vendor | Ascent HR | Keka |
| Pricing snapshot (India) | Estimated: quote-based (request vendor pricing by headcount, modules, and compliance scope). | Estimated: â‚ą10,000 base + â‚ą80/user/month (typical payroll + HRMS packaging) |
| India compliance depth | 4 tags: PF, ESI, PT, TDS | 9 tags: PF, ESI, PT, LWF, TDS, Form16, 24Q, Leave, Shifts |
| Integrations listed | 1 | 2 |
⚠️ Ascent HR Cloud dealbreakers
- • Pricing clarity is low (ask for base fee, per-user fee, and implementation fee in writing).
🛑 Keka dealbreakers
- • Can become expensive for teams under 50 employees if you need full suite modules.
- • Pricing clarity is low (ask for base fee, per-user fee, and implementation fee in writing).
Related comparisons
Still confused?
Tell us your headcount and compliance needs — we’ll map the mathematical winner across payroll, HRMS, attendance, ATS, and performance workflows.