Keka Does Payroll.
You Just Need Attendance.
Keka is a full HR platform starting at ₹99 per employee per month. AttendFirst does attendance and leave at ₹4,485/year for 25 employees. If payroll is not your primary problem, you're paying for a solution you don't need.
Free forever for up to 10 employees. All features included: GPS, selfie, QR, leave management, reports. No add-ons.
The short answer
Keka is a full HR platform with payroll at its centre. AttendFirst is an attendance and leave tool. They're different products for different problems.
- Choose Keka if: You need payroll, PF/ESI filing, compliance automation, and want everything in one platform. You have a team that processes payroll monthly.
- Choose AttendFirst if: You only need attendance tracking and leave management. Your accountant handles payroll separately or you use a payroll tool. You want GPS + selfie verification on the free plan.
The Honest Cost Comparison
Keka's pricing is not fully transparent — their site shows "₹99/employee/month" as a starting rate but requires talking to sales for most configurations. Here's what we know.
| Cost item (25 employees) | Keka (est.) | AttendFirst |
|---|---|---|
| Annual subscription | ₹29,700+ (₹99x25x12) | ₹4,485/year |
| Setup/implementation fee | ₹?? (sales only) | ₹0 |
| GPS check-in | Strength plan+ | Included (free) |
| Selfie verification | Strength plan+ | Included (free) |
| QR code check-in | Not listed | Included (free) |
| Leave management depth | Full (with payroll) | Full (all plans) |
| Estimated year 1 total | ₹29,700+ | ₹4,485 |
Keka pricing: estimated at ₹99/employee/month based on publicly stated starting rate. Actual cost may be higher depending on plan tier and add-ons. Keka requires talking to sales for confirmed pricing.
You save ₹25,000+ every year.
Free for the first 10 employees. No payment, no contract, no payroll complexity.
What Each Product Actually Does
Attendance Tracking
Keka
Selfie clock-in and GPS on Strength plan and above. Mobile app available. Shift management basic on Foundation, advanced on higher tiers.
- ✓ GPS/geofencing (Strength+)
- ✓ Selfie clock-in (Strength+)
- △ QR code (not listed)
- ✓ Mobile app (all plans)
AttendFirst
GPS, selfie, and QR code on the free plan. Works in any phone browser, no app download needed.
- ✓ GPS check-in (free)
- ✓ Selfie verification (free)
- ✓ QR code check-in (free)
- ✓ Works on any phone browser
Leave Management
Keka
Leave management is integrated with payroll. Automated leave encashment, carry-forward, and compliance calculations. Requires payroll module to be active.
- ✓ Leave + payroll integration
- ✓ Automated encashment
- ✓ PF/ESI compliant
- △ Requires payroll module
AttendFirst
Unlimited leave types, half-day leaves, pro-rated quotas, manager approval workflow — all on the free plan. Not integrated with payroll.
- ✓ Unlimited leave types (free)
- ✓ Half-day leaves (free)
- ✓ Pro-rated mid-year joiners (free)
- ✓ No payroll needed
Payroll
Keka
Full payroll automation with statutory compliance (PF, ESI, TDS, LWF). Salary calculation, payslip generation, bank file export. This is Keka's core product.
- ✓ Full payroll (all plans)
- ✓ PF/ESI/TDS compliance
- ✓ Payslip generation
- ✓ Bank file export
AttendFirst
No payroll. Never. We give you clean attendance data in Excel. Your CA or payroll tool uses that. If payroll is your primary need, Keka is the right choice.
- ✗ No payroll (by design)
- ✓ Excel export with attendance data
- ✓ Clean data for your CA
- — PF/ESI not applicable
Reports & Analytics
Keka
Reports basic on Foundation, advanced analytics and custom reports on Strength+. People analytics, workforce insights on higher plans.
- △ Basic reports (Foundation)
- ✓ Advanced reports (Strength+)
- ✓ Custom reports builder (Growth+)
- ✓ People analytics
AttendFirst
Daily attendance, monthly summary, late arrivals, absent count — all included on free plan. Excel export with one click. No data retention limits.
- ✓ Daily + monthly reports (free)
- ✓ Late/absent/present tracking (free)
- ✓ Excel export one-click (free)
- ✓ No data limits (free)
Which One Is Right for You
Choose Keka if:
- → Payroll is your primary monthly task
- → You need PF/ESI/TDS compliance automation
- → You want one platform for HR + payroll + attendance
- → You have a team dedicated to HR operations
- → You're already using Keka and it works for you
Keka starts at ₹99/employee/month. For 50 employees, that's ₹59,400+/year before add-ons.
Choose AttendFirst if:
- → You only need attendance tracking and leave management
- → Your accountant handles payroll separately
- → You want all features on the free plan: GPS + selfie + QR
- → You have field workers, multiple locations, or retail stores
- → You want to pay 85% less for exactly what you need
AttendFirst is ₹4,485/year for 25 employees. Free for 10. GPS + selfie + QR on every plan.
Common Scenarios
"I have 20 employees, my CA does payroll monthly"
Use AttendFirst. ₹2,990/year for attendance + leave. Your CA continues with payroll. Keka at ₹99/employee/month would cost ₹23,760/year for something your CA already handles.
"I have 35 employees and need automated payroll"
Use Keka. You need payroll automation and Keka does it well. PF/ESI compliance alone is worth the price if you have 20+ employees on payroll.
"I have 12 employees across 3 retail stores"
Use AttendFirst. Free for 12 employees. GPS tells you which store each employee checked in from. Multi-location visibility on the free plan.
"I'm using Keka for payroll, want better attendance"
Keep Keka for payroll, add AttendFirst for attendance. Export AttendFirst attendance as CSV, import into Keka. Best of both worlds, simpler attendance.
Switching from Keka
The switch is straightforward. No technical migration needed.
- 1
Export your data from Keka
Download attendance records as CSV. Most businesses start fresh in AttendFirst from the switch date — no import needed.
- 2
Sign up for AttendFirst
30 seconds at app.attendfirst.com/register. Free for the first 10 employees.
- 3
Add your employees
Add them manually or share the self-join link on WhatsApp. Employees sign up themselves, you approve in one tap.
- 4
Start tracking
Print your QR codes, share the link with your team. They're checking in by afternoon. Continue payroll through your CA as before.
Average switchover time: half a day. No consultants, no data migration project, no downtime.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Keka better than AttendFirst? +
It depends on what you need. Keka is a full HR platform built around payroll. AttendFirst focuses only on attendance and leave. If you need salary calculation, PF/ESI, and payroll runs, Keka is built for that. If you only need attendance tracking and leave management, AttendFirst is ₹25,000 cheaper per year.
Can I use AttendFirst if I already use Keka for payroll? +
Yes. Many businesses use AttendFirst for attendance tracking and a separate tool for payroll. Export attendance data as CSV from AttendFirst and import it into Keka or any payroll tool. This keeps attendance simple without disrupting your existing payroll workflow.
What's the real cost of Keka for 25 employees? +
Keka's pricing is not publicly transparent. Reports suggest ₹99/employee/month starting, which puts 25 employees at approximately ₹29,700/year. But Keka's strength is payroll, and getting attendance features may require higher tiers. AttendFirst is ₹4,485/year with all attendance + leave features included.
Does AttendFirst do payroll? +
No. AttendFirst will never do payroll. This is a deliberate product decision. We give you clean attendance data (present days, late count, leave taken) in Excel. Your accountant or payroll software uses that. If payroll is your primary need, Keka is the right choice.
How does Keka's selfie attendance compare to AttendFirst's? +
Keka offers selfie clock-in on its Strength plan and above. AttendFirst offers selfie + GPS + QR on its free plan. For field teams or multi-location businesses, getting all three verification methods on the free tier covers more ground than Keka's entry-level selfie-only option.
Also comparing AttendFirst to:
Most teams look at a few tools before deciding. Here are the closest.
Ready to Simplify?
If you only need attendance and leave, pay a fraction of what Keka costs. Free for 10 employees, forever.