Zoho People alternatives: 5 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Oct 25, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rank

Common reasons people leave Zoho People: setup takes effort to get right, and interface less polished than newer HR tools. We ranked 5 alternatives by how directly each one replaces Zoho People, then by reviews, real visits and how recently each app's facts were checked against its own website. BambooHR currently ranks first.

Quick comparison

#	App	Pricing	Open source	Platforms	Verified facts	Score
1	OrangeHRM	Open source	Yes	Web, Self-hosted, iOS +1	3 of 3	59.6
2	Frappe HR	Open source	Yes	Web, Self-hosted, iOS +1	4 of 4	57.2

1. OrangeHRMTop pick
Best for: Organisations with IT staff that want a free, self-hosted HRIS
Open sourceSelf-hostableWeb, Self-hosted, iOS, Android
59.6
score / 100
Why switch from Zoho People
Open-source HRIS with a free self-hosted edition.
Pros
Free open-source Starter edition
Covers leave, time, recruiting and performance
Paid hosted edition available when needed
Cons
No payroll in the free edition
Community-only support for Starter
Interface lags behind commercial HRIS tools
Visit OrangeHRM Details and reviews
How this score is calculated
Editorial fit ×0.377
Reviews ×0.363
Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
Freshness ×0.1585
Votes ×0.150
0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula
Is OrangeHRM a good Zoho People alternative?
Verified facts
3 of 3 verified
Open-source edition
Starter, free
Checked Oct 25, 2026orangehrm.com(opens source in a new tab)
Free trial
30 days (Advanced)
Checked Oct 25, 2026orangehrm.com(opens source in a new tab)
API
Yes
Checked Oct 25, 2026orangehrm.com(opens source in a new tab)
2. Frappe HR
Best for: Companies, especially in India, that want free open-source HR and payroll they can host
Open sourceSelf-hostableWeb, Self-hosted, iOS, Android
57.2
score / 100
Why switch from Zoho People
Free, open-source HR and payroll you can self-host.
Pros
Free and open source, including payroll
Strong Indian payroll localisation
Pairs with ERPNext for accounting
Cons
Setup and localisation take effort
Functional rather than polished interface
Support through partners or community
Visit Frappe HR Details and reviews
How this score is calculated
Editorial fit ×0.369
Reviews ×0.363
Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
Freshness ×0.1585
Votes ×0.150
0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula
Is Frappe HR a good Zoho People alternative?
Verified facts
4 of 4 verified
Open source
100% open source
Checked Oct 25, 2026frappe.io(opens source in a new tab)
Self-hosting
Yes, or managed cloud
Checked Oct 25, 2026frappe.io(opens source in a new tab)
India payroll
Supported
Checked Oct 25, 2026frappe.io(opens source in a new tab)
License
GPL-3.0
Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)

The best Zoho People alternative for…

The highest-ranked app in this list for each need.

Best Zoho People alternative for most people

BambooHR

Easier HRIS with a large integration ecosystem.

Best Zoho People alternative for a free option

OrangeHRM

Open-source HRIS with a free self-hosted edition.

Best Zoho People alternative for open source

Frappe HR

Free, open-source HR and payroll you can self-host.

Best Zoho People alternative for self-hosting

OrangeHRM

Open-source HRIS with a free self-hosted edition.

Best Zoho People alternative for iPhone and Android

Factorial

Affordable all-in-one HR with strong time tracking.

Best Zoho People alternative for working in the browser

Sesame HR

Inexpensive HR focused on time, absence and people data.

Zoho People alternatives: common questions

What is the best alternative to Zoho People?

BambooHR ranks first right now. Easier HRIS with a large integration ecosystem. Factorial and OrangeHRM follow it in our ranking.

Is there a free alternative to Zoho People?

Yes. OrangeHRM (open source) and Frappe HR (open source) have a free option. Check each app's verified facts for current plan limits.

Is there an open-source alternative to Zoho People?

Yes: OrangeHRM and Frappe HR. OrangeHRM and Frappe HR can also be self-hosted.

Why do people switch from Zoho People?

The complaints we hear most: setup takes effort to get right; interface less polished than newer HR tools; payroll depends on Zoho Payroll coverage.

How is this list ranked?

Every app is scored with the same published formula: how directly it replaces Zoho People, reviews (weighted by verification), visits from AppBreakup, how recently its facts were checked against its own website, and reader votes.