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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

#AppPricingOpen sourcePlatformsVerified factsScore
1BambooHR logoBambooHRPaidNoWeb, iOS, Android5 of 566.5
2Factorial logoFactorialPaidNoWeb, iOS, Android3 of 362.6
3OrangeHRM logoOrangeHRMOpen sourceYesWeb, Self-hosted, iOS +13 of 359.6
4Frappe HR logoFrappe HROpen sourceYesWeb, Self-hosted, iOS +14 of 457.2
5Sesame HR logoSesame HRPaidNoWeb, iOS, Android3 of 355.3
  1. BambooHR logo

    1. BambooHRTop pick

    Best for: Small and mid-sized companies that want an easy, central HR system employees will actually use

    PaidWeb, iOS, Android

    66.5

    score / 100

    Why switch from Zoho People

    Easier HRIS with a large integration ecosystem.

    Pros

    • Easy for employees and managers to use
    • Large integration marketplace
    • Hiring, onboarding and time off in one system

    Cons

    • Native payroll is US-only
    • Reporting and workflows are limited for complex organisations
    • Performance tools need a higher tier
    Visit BambooHR Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.3100
    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 BambooHR a good Zoho People alternative?

    Verified facts

    5 of 5 verified
    Starting price
    $10.25 USD per employee/month (Core, 25+ employees)
    Checked Oct 25, 2026bamboohr.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Small-company pricing
    $250 USD/month flat (Core, up to 25 employees)
    Checked Oct 25, 2026bamboohr.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Customers
    30,000+ companies
    Checked Oct 25, 2026bamboohr.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Countries
    150+
    Checked Oct 25, 2026bamboohr.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Support
    In-house
    Checked Oct 25, 2026bamboohr.com(opens source in a new tab)
  2. Factorial logo

    2. Factorial

    Best for: Small and mid-sized businesses that want affordable all-in-one HR with time tracking

    PaidWeb, iOS, Android

    62.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from Zoho People

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

    Pros

    • Low starting price per user
    • Strong time tracking and shift planning
    • Expenses and IT tools alongside HR

    Cons

    • Some modules thinner than specialist tools
    • Payroll depth varies by country
    • Pricing tailored by quote
    Visit Factorial Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.387
    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 Factorial a good Zoho People alternative?

    Verified facts

    3 of 3 verified
    Starting price
    $8 per user/month
    Checked Oct 25, 2026factorialhr.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Customers
    17,000+ companies
    Checked Oct 25, 2026factorialhr.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Headquarters
    Barcelona
    Checked Oct 25, 2026factorialhr.com(opens source in a new tab)
  3. OrangeHRM logo

    3. OrangeHRM

    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)
  4. Frappe HR logo

    4. 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)
  5. Sesame HR logo

    5. Sesame HR

    Best for: SMBs in Spain and Latin America that need compliant time tracking and simple HR

    PaidWeb, iOS, Android

    55.3

    score / 100

    Why switch from Zoho People

    Inexpensive HR focused on time, absence and people data.

    Pros

    • Very low per-employee pricing
    • Strong clock-in, absence and shift tools
    • Easy rollout for hourly staff

    Cons

    • Minimum spend applies on each plan
    • Lighter reporting and integrations
    • Best fit in Spanish-speaking markets
    Visit Sesame HR Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.363
    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 Sesame HR a good Zoho People alternative?

    Verified facts

    3 of 3 verified
    Starting price
    $3.75 per employee/month (Essential)
    Checked Oct 25, 2026sesamehr.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Growth plan
    $6.25 per employee/month
    Checked Oct 25, 2026sesamehr.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Annual discount
    20%
    Checked Oct 25, 2026sesamehr.com(opens source in a new tab)

The best Zoho People alternative for…

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

BambooHR logo

Best Zoho People alternative for most people

BambooHR

Easier HRIS with a large integration ecosystem.

OrangeHRM logo

Best Zoho People alternative for a free option

OrangeHRM

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

Frappe HR logo

Best Zoho People alternative for open source

Frappe HR

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

OrangeHRM logo

Best Zoho People alternative for self-hosting

OrangeHRM

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

Factorial logo

Best Zoho People alternative for iPhone and Android

Factorial

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

Sesame HR logo

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.