Keka vs SmartOffice Payroll On-Prem (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 Keka wins: Keka shows stronger statutory compliance depth for Indian payroll ops.
- 🏆 Where SmartOffice Payroll On-Prem wins: SmartOffice Payroll On-Prem 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 Keka. If you optimize for UI modernity and broader ecosystem flexibility, validate SmartOffice Payroll On-Prem deeply before finalizing.
| Metric | Keka | SmartOffice Payroll On-Prem |
|---|---|---|
| HRSuggest Readiness Score™ | 79/100 | 72/100 |
| Vendor | Keka | SmartOffice Payroll |
| Pricing snapshot (India) | Estimated: â‚ą10,000 base + â‚ą80/user/month (typical payroll + HRMS packaging) | 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 | 4 tags: PF, ESI, PT, TDS |
| Integrations listed | 2 | 1 |
⚠️ 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).
🛑 SmartOffice Payroll On-Prem dealbreakers
- • Pricing clarity is low (ask for base fee, per-user fee, and implementation fee in writing).
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