Darwinbox vs SalaryBox (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 Darwinbox wins: Darwinbox shows stronger statutory compliance depth for Indian payroll ops.
- 🏆 Where SalaryBox wins: SalaryBox holds a balanced profile for India teams; final call depends on your implementation reality.
- ⚠️ The Brutal Truth: If statutory confidence and execution reliability are your top priority, bias toward Darwinbox. If you optimize for UI modernity and broader ecosystem flexibility, validate SalaryBox deeply before finalizing.
| Metric | Darwinbox | SalaryBox |
|---|---|---|
| HRSuggest Readiness Score™ | 78/100 | 38/100 |
| Vendor | Darwinbox | SalaryBox |
| Pricing snapshot (India) | Estimated: enterprise quote-based (often annual contract + implementation) | Estimated: quote-based (request vendor pricing by headcount, modules, and compliance scope). |
| India compliance depth | 9 tags: PF, ESI, PT, LWF, TDS, Form16, 24Q, Leave, Shifts | 3 tags: PF, ESI, PT |
| Integrations listed | 3 | Not listed |
⚠️ Darwinbox dealbreakers
- • Enterprise-first rollout can feel heavy for small teams with tight implementation bandwidth.
- • Pricing clarity is low (ask for base fee, per-user fee, and implementation fee in writing).
🛑 SalaryBox dealbreakers
- • Pricing clarity is low (ask for base fee, per-user fee, and implementation fee in writing).
- • Integration visibility is weak (confirm attendance/accounting connectors and API limits).
- • Recent verification signal is missing (ask for latest product + compliance evidence).
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