Schools, colleges and education trusts run a workforce that office HR software never planned for. You employ teaching and non-teaching staff side by side, pay runs on an academic-year rhythm with vacation months and increment cycles, visiting and substitute faculty are paid by the lecture, and a single trust can run many campuses. Budgets are tight and compliance still has to be clean. This guide grades nine education-ready HR and payroll platforms on what a school, college or trust actually needs, with real positioning, so you can shortlist fast.
Short Answer
factoHR India and HROne are strong all-round picks for Indian education, with campus attendance and multi-entity trust payroll. greytHR, Pocket HRMS, sumHR and Saral PayPack suit single schools and cost-sensitive institutions, while Keka, Zoho People and Zimyo fit colleges and edtech teams.
Key Takeaways
- Education needs HR software built for teaching and non-teaching staff, academic-year payroll, substitute faculty and multi-campus trusts, not a generic office HRMS.
- factoHR India and HROne lead for all-round education fit; greytHR, Pocket HRMS, sumHR and Saral PayPack suit single schools and tight budgets; Keka, Zoho People and Zimyo fit colleges and edtech.
- The non-negotiables are campus biometric attendance, academic-year increment and vacation payroll, lecture-based pay for visiting faculty, and multi-entity trust rollup.
- Support staff like peons, drivers and housekeeping often earn under the Rs 21,000 ESI ceiling, so ESI applies to a large share, while teachers usually sit above it on PF, PT and TDS.
- Budget roughly Rs 40 to Rs 120 per employee per month, with free and low-cost tiers from greytHR, sumHR and factoHR India for small schools.
- A trust running several schools or colleges should insist on unlimited legal entities in one instance, so each campus rolls up without extra cost.
- Shortlist two or three, pilot an academic-year payroll run and campus attendance on one school, then roll out.
Why Generic HR Software Breaks in Education
Most HR tools assume a single office with one kind of salaried staff. A school or college is nothing like that. Before you compare products, know the seven places an office HRMS fails on campus:
- Teaching and non-teaching split. Faculty, administrative staff, lab assistants, drivers, security and housekeeping all have different pay, attendance and leave rules in one payroll.
- Academic-year payroll. Increments and appraisals follow the academic calendar, vacation-month payroll and pay-revision arrears are routine, and the system must handle all of it.
- Substitute and visiting faculty. Guest lecturers and substitute teachers are paid per lecture or per day, so payroll needs flexible, non-salaried pay rules.
- Campus and multi-location attendance. Period or lecture-based attendance, biometric at the gate and across blocks, and multiple campuses under one trust.
- Multi-entity trusts. One society or trust often runs several schools or colleges as separate entities that still roll up to the trust for reporting and compliance.
- Credential and qualification tracking. Teacher qualifications, certifications and renewals matter for CBSE, UGC or AICTE norms and inspections.
- Statutory on a modest, cost-sensitive base. ESI for support staff, PF, PT and TDS across the institution, all on budgets that leave no room for waste.
Score every shortlisted tool against these seven. A platform that nails five or more is education-ready. One that handles only office basics will cost you in attendance gaps, vacation-payroll errors and manual substitute-pay workarounds every term.
How We Graded These Platforms
Each tool below is weighed on six education criteria, not generic feature counts:
- Campus attendance (most weight): biometric and period-based attendance across blocks and campuses, with a staff and management view.
- Academic-year payroll: increment cycles, vacation-month pay, arrears and lecture-based pay for visiting faculty.
- Multi-entity trust support: several schools or colleges rolling up to one trust, ideally with unlimited entities.
- Affordability: free and low-cost tiers that fit education budgets.
- Compliance: ESI, PF, PT and TDS across teaching and non-teaching staff.
- Implementation and support: go-live time, data migration and India-based help.
Quick Comparison: HR Software for Education
| Tool | Best for | Standout strength | Watch-out | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| factoHR India | Trusts wanting attendance plus academic payroll | Campus attendance and multi-entity payroll | Advanced modules are add-ons | Around Rs 4,999/mo (up to 50 staff) |
| HROne | Multi-campus school and college trusts | Unlimited legal entities in one instance | Enterprise tier is quote-based | Around Rs 85 to 130 per emp/mo |
| greytHR | Single schools, statutory accuracy | State-wise ESI, PT and TDS accuracy | Campus attendance depth is lighter | Free up to 25; paid from Rs 1,495/mo |
| Keka | Colleges and edtech teams | Clean UX, payroll and performance | Pricier for small schools | Around Rs 6,999/mo (up to 100) |
| Pocket HRMS | Schools wanting simple payroll | Facial and geo attendance for campuses | Thin for large multi-campus trusts | Around Rs 2,495/mo (up to 50) |
| Zoho People | Edtech and colleges on Zoho | Low per-head price, integrations | Payroll is a separate add-on | Around Rs 48 to 230 per emp/mo |
| Zimyo | Growing colleges and groups | Modern features at a low price | Smaller partner network | Around Rs 60 to 160 per emp/mo |
| sumHR | Small schools on a tight budget | Simple, affordable core HR and payroll | Lighter on enterprise depth | Low per-employee pricing |
| Saral PayPack | Institutions wanting compliance payroll | Reliable statutory payroll | Interface is more traditional | Custom, licence-based |
Prices are indicative for 2026 and depend on headcount, modules and contract term. Treat them as a starting point and confirm a live quote. Because campus attendance drives academic payroll, pair your shortlist with a capable attendance management system.
The 9 Best HR Software for Education in India (2026)
1. factoHR India
factoHR India is a biometric-first HR and payroll platform built for distributed, multi-location teams, which fits a multi-campus school or college trust well. It pairs campus attendance with academic-year payroll, so a teacher or support staff member punching in flows straight into the right pay, leave and compliance, across every campus under the trust. It is a strong all-round fit for an institution that wants attendance, academic payroll and statutory compliance in one system, which is why it tops this list. See the full payroll software breakdown for module detail.
Key features:
- Campus biometric, AI face and geo attendance across blocks and sites
- Academic-year increment, vacation and arrears payroll
- Flexible pay rules for visiting and substitute faculty
- Multi-entity trust structure that rolls up each campus
- ESI, PF, PT and TDS automated across teaching and non-teaching staff
- Already updated for the Rs 25,000 EPF ceiling and the Labour Codes
- Credential and document tracking for staff records
- Employee mobile app with payslips, leave and self-service
Best suited for: school and college trusts that want campus attendance, academic payroll and compliance on one platform.
Watch-out: some advanced analytics and recruitment modules are priced as add-ons.
Pricing: transparent plans starting around Rs 4,999 a month for up to 50 employees, with a free tier for up to 20.
2. HROne
HROne is a hire-to-retire suite that suits school and college trusts, with a standout claim of unlimited legal entities in a single instance at no extra charge. That fits a society running several schools or colleges that each need their own compliance but one rollup.
Key features:
- Unlimited legal entities in one instance for multi-campus trusts
- Campus and field attendance with geo-tagging
- Per-entity compliance with group-level rollup
- Payroll with increments, arrears and final settlements
- Automated ESI, PF, PT and TDS across states
- Well-adopted staff mobile app
Best suited for: trusts running multiple schools or colleges as separate entities.
Watch-out: published per-head pricing covers core tiers; the top enterprise tier is quote-based.
Pricing: roughly Rs 85 to Rs 130 per employee per month by tier.
3. greytHR
greytHR is a compliance-first payroll platform trusted by thousands of Indian SMEs, including many schools and institutes. For a single school, its standout is statutory accuracy and a free tier that covers a small campus.
Key features:
- State-wise statutory compliance calendar for ESI, PF, PT and TDS
- Reliable core payroll with high accuracy
- Free tier for very small schools
- Attendance and leave management included
- Multi-state payroll support
- Large partner and support network in India
Best suited for: single schools and institutes that prioritise clean, compliant payroll.
Watch-out: campus and period-based attendance depth is lighter than purpose-built tools.
Pricing: free up to 25 employees; paid plans from about Rs 1,495 a month.
4. Keka
Keka is a modern HRMS that suits colleges and edtech teams moving off spreadsheets. Its clean interface, payroll and performance modules make it easy to roll out across teaching and administrative staff.
Key features:
- Clean, modern interface with high staff adoption
- Biometric and geo attendance with scheduling
- Payroll with increments and expense integration
- Automated ESI, PF, PT and TDS filing
- Performance and goal management for faculty and staff
- Good core HR and hiring modules
Best suited for: colleges, universities and edtech teams that value usability.
Watch-out: cost per head is higher for a small school, and it is not built around academic-ERP needs.
Pricing: plans start around Rs 6,999 a month for up to 100 employees.
5. Pocket HRMS
Pocket HRMS markets school-focused payroll with facial recognition attendance and geo-tracking, which suits a single campus or small group wanting simple, reliable payroll without complexity.
Key features:
- Facial, selfie and geofenced campus attendance
- Multi-shift scheduling for teaching and support staff
- Automated ESI, PF, PT and TDS
- Bulk processing for large staff uploads
- Mobile ESS for staff
- Straightforward, quick rollout
Best suited for: single schools and small groups wanting simple, reliable payroll.
Watch-out: thinner for large multi-campus trusts than HROne or factoHR India.
Pricing: plans start around Rs 2,495 a month for up to 50 employees.
6. Zoho People
Zoho People is a low-cost, flexible HRMS that fits edtech companies and colleges already using the Zoho ecosystem. It covers core HR, attendance and leave, and connects to the wider Zoho suite.
Key features:
- Core HR, attendance and leave management
- Geo and mobile attendance for campuses
- Low per-employee pricing on annual plans
- Tight integration with the wider Zoho suite
- Customisable workflows and forms
- Employee self-service on web and mobile
Best suited for: edtech teams and colleges already on Zoho.
Watch-out: Indian statutory payroll needs the separate Zoho Payroll add-on, so budget for both.
Pricing: around Rs 48 to Rs 230 per employee per month, payroll add-on extra.
7. Zimyo
Zimyo is a modern, value-focused HRMS that suits growing colleges and education groups. It offers a broad feature set, including attendance, payroll and performance, at a competitive per-head price.
Key features:
- Geo and biometric attendance with scheduling
- Statutory payroll for ESI, PF, PT and TDS
- Core HR, onboarding and performance modules
- Employee self-service and mobile app
- Competitive per-employee pricing
- Good fit for growing education groups
Best suited for: growing colleges and groups wanting modern features at a fair price.
Watch-out: smaller partner network than the larger names.
Pricing: around Rs 60 to Rs 160 per employee per month by plan.
8. sumHR
sumHR is a simple, affordable cloud HR and payroll tool that suits small schools and institutes on a tight budget. It covers core HR, attendance, leave and payroll without the weight or cost of an enterprise suite.
Key features:
- Core HR, attendance and leave management
- Payroll with ESI, PF, PT and TDS
- Employee self-service and mobile access
- Simple onboarding and document management
- Affordable per-employee pricing
- Quick, low-effort setup
Best suited for: small schools and institutes wanting affordable, no-fuss HR and payroll.
Watch-out: lighter on multi-campus and enterprise depth.
Pricing: low per-employee pricing; confirm current plans with the vendor.
9. Saral PayPack
Saral PayPack is a long-standing payroll and compliance tool popular with cost-conscious institutions that want reliable statutory payroll. It focuses on accurate payroll, ESI, PF, PT and TDS rather than a modern all-in-one experience.
Key features:
- Reliable payroll with ESI, PF, PT and TDS
- Statutory reports and challans
- Attendance and leave tracking
- Full-and-final settlement
- On-premise and cloud options
- Established India support base
Best suited for: institutions that want dependable compliance payroll at low cost.
Watch-out: the interface is more traditional than the modern cloud suites.
Pricing: custom, licence-based; confirm with the vendor.
What Education Payroll Really Costs in 2026
In education, teachers and lecturers usually earn above the Rs 21,000 ESI ceiling, so PF, Professional Tax and TDS drive their cost, while support staff such as peons, drivers and housekeeping often earn under it, so ESI applies on top. The EPF wage ceiling rose to Rs 25,000 from 17 September 2026, and the new Labour Codes require defined wages to be at least 50 percent of total pay.
Here is a worked example for a school support staff member earning Rs 14,000 gross a month (under the ESI ceiling, basic Rs 7,000), showing employer statutory cost:
| Item (per staff) | Rate | Monthly |
|---|---|---|
| Employer EPF plus EPS | 12% of basic | Rs 840 |
| Employer ESI | 3.25% of gross | Rs 455 |
| EDLI plus admin | ~1% of basic | Rs 70 |
| Professional Tax | State slab | Rs 150 |
| Employer statutory outgo | Total of the above | Rs 1,515 |
| For 100 such staff | Total × 100 | Rs 1,51,500 a month |
Teachers above the ceiling drop ESI but carry higher PF and TDS, and vacation-month and arrears payroll add their own complexity. Across several campuses under one trust, a single wrong ESI flag or missed PT slab compounds fast, which is why automated, multi-entity compliance matters. Track every change on the India payroll compliance hub.
How to Choose by Institution Type
The right tool depends on size and structure:
- Single school or institute, under 100 staff: prioritise affordability and clean payroll. greytHR, sumHR, Pocket HRMS or factoHR India fit well.
- College or growing group, 100 to 500 staff: you need campus attendance, academic payroll and performance. factoHR India, Keka, Zimyo or Zoho People are the sweet spot.
- Multi-campus trust, 500-plus staff: you need multi-entity rollup, scale and strong attendance. factoHR India, HROne or a larger enterprise suite are built for this.
Whatever the type, weight campus attendance, academic-year payroll and multi-entity rollup above nice-to-have features. Read the deeper buyer checklist on our HR software for education page.
Implementation: What to Expect
Rollout in education is mostly about campus attendance, academic-year setup and data, not the software UI. Plan for four things:
- Campus attendance: confirm biometric, facial or geo punch across blocks and campuses, and your existing devices, or budget for new ones.
- Data migration: clean your staff master, entity list, salary structures and opening ESI, PF and leave balances before import.
- Academic-year setup: map increment cycles, vacation-month rules, arrears and visiting-faculty pay. Get one campus exactly right before copying.
- Pilot then scale: run one full academic-year payroll cycle and campus attendance on one school in parallel, reconcile, then roll out. Expect one to three weeks for a single school and longer for a trust.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which HR Software Is Best for Schools and Colleges in India?
For most Indian institutions, factoHR India and HROne are strong all-round choices because they combine campus attendance, academic-year payroll and multi-entity trust rollup with clean compliance. greytHR, Pocket HRMS, sumHR and Saral PayPack suit single schools and tight budgets, while Keka, Zoho People and Zimyo fit colleges and edtech teams. The best pick depends on size and structure.
Does HR Software Handle Teaching and Non-teaching Staff Together?
Yes. Education-ready tools run teaching and non-teaching staff in one payroll with different pay, attendance and leave rules. factoHR India, HROne, greytHR and Pocket HRMS all handle faculty, administrative and support staff in a single system.
Can It Manage Substitute and Visiting Faculty Pay?
The stronger platforms do. factoHR India, HROne and Keka support flexible, non-salaried pay rules, so guest lecturers and substitute teachers can be paid by lecture or by day alongside regular payroll.
Does It Support Multi-campus Trusts?
Yes, the better tools do. HROne offers unlimited legal entities in one instance, and factoHR India supports a multi-entity trust structure, so each school or college rolls up to the trust for reporting and compliance without extra systems.
How Much Does Education HR Software Cost in India?
Expect roughly Rs 40 to Rs 120 per employee per month. greytHR is free up to 25 staff and paid from about Rs 1,495 a month, Pocket HRMS from about Rs 2,495 and factoHR India from about Rs 4,999, while Zoho People, Zimyo and sumHR are priced per head. Larger multi-campus trusts move to per-employee enterprise plans.
Is There Free HR Software for a Small School?
greytHR offers a free tier for up to 25 employees and factoHR India for up to 20, which covers core HR and payroll for a small campus. As a school adds staff, campuses and academic-payroll complexity, a paid plan becomes necessary.
How Does ESI Apply to School Staff?
ESI applies to any employee earning gross wages up to Rs 21,000 a month, at 3.25 percent from the employer and 0.75 percent from the employee. Support staff like peons, drivers and housekeeping often earn under this ceiling, so ESI covers a large share, while teachers above the ceiling carry PF, PT and TDS instead.
How Long Does It Take to Go Live?
A single school typically goes live in one to three weeks, mostly spent on campus-device setup and cleaning staff data. A multi-campus trust takes longer because each entity needs its own statutory setup. Running one parallel payroll cycle on one campus before full cutover is the safest approach.
Final Word
Education HR software earns its keep on campus attendance, academic-year payroll, substitute-faculty pay and multi-entity trust rollup, not on brochure features. factoHR India and HROne lead for all-round fit, with greytHR, Pocket HRMS, sumHR and Saral PayPack for single schools and tight budgets and Keka, Zoho People and Zimyo for colleges and edtech. Shortlist two or three, pilot on one campus, and roll out once a full cycle reconciles clean. Want to see campus attendance and academic payroll work for your institution? Book a free factoHR India demo.
