PagarBook Has Payroll.
You Just Need Attendance.
PagarBook has 8 million+ registered SMEs, a native Android app, and salary disbursement. AttendFirst has GPS, selfie, QR, and full leave management at 3-8x lower cost. If your CA handles payroll, you don't need the rest.
Free forever for up to 10 employees. All features included: GPS, selfie, QR, leave management, reports. No add-ons, no tier-gating.
The short answer
PagarBook is an attendance + payroll app with a native Android app and Hindi language support. AttendFirst is an attendance + leave tool with no payroll and no native app. Different products for different needs.
- Choose PagarBook if: You need payroll + attendance in one app, you want a Play Store app, or your workforce prefers Hindi interface.
- Choose AttendFirst if: You only need attendance tracking and leave management. Your CA handles payroll. You want GPS + selfie + QR on the free plan.
The Real Cost for 25 Employees
PagarBook's pricing is spread across tiers. Here's what 25 employees actually costs on each plan.
| Line item (25 employees) | PagarBook (GPS) | PagarBook (Selfie+GPS) | AttendFirst |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual cost | ₹12,475/year | ₹34,950/year | ₹4,485/year |
| GPS check-in | Included | Included | Included |
| Selfie verification | — | Included | Included |
| QR code check-in | — | — | Included |
| Leave management | — | — | Full (all plans) |
| Payroll | Basic | Yes | — |
PagarBook pricing from publicly available sources as of May 2026. ₹499/user/year for GPS, ₹1,398/user/year for AI face + GPS.
You save ₹7,990-30,465 every year.
Free for the first 10 employees. GPS + selfie + QR + leave management all included.
What Each Product Actually Does
Attendance Tracking
PagarBook
GPS tracking on ₹499/user/year plan. AI face recognition on ₹1,398/user/year plan. No QR code check-in on any tier. Native Android app.
- ✓ GPS (₹499/user/year)
- ✓ AI face recognition (₹1,398/user/year)
- ✗ No QR code
- ✓ Native Android app
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
PagarBook
No leave management on any plan. PL/SL/CL tracking requires a separate tool. No half-day leave, no manager approval workflow.
- ✗ No leave management
- ✗ No PL/SL/CL tracking
- ✗ No manager approval
- — Track in WhatsApp/Excel separately
AttendFirst
Unlimited leave types, half-day leaves, pro-rated quotas, manager approval workflow — all on the free plan.
- ✓ Unlimited leave types (free)
- ✓ Half-day leaves (free)
- ✓ Pro-rated mid-year joiners (free)
- ✓ Manager approval workflow (free)
Payroll
PagarBook
Basic payroll on free plan. Full salary calculation and bank transfer on higher tiers. Salary disbursement to employee bank accounts.
- ✓ Basic payroll (free plan)
- ✓ Salary calculation + bank transfer (paid)
- ✓ Payroll reports
AttendFirst
No payroll. Ever. We give you clean attendance data in Excel. Your CA or payroll tool uses that. If payroll is your primary need, PagarBook has it.
- ✗ No payroll (by design)
- ✓ Excel export with attendance data
- ✓ Clean data for your CA
Free Plan Comparison
PagarBook (Entry Tier)
₹499/staff/year for the App plan. GPS + selfie on mobile. No leave management. No web dashboard on entry tier. No free plan available.
- ✗ No free plan
- ✓ GPS check-in (₹499/staff/yr)
- ✓ Selfie (₹499/staff/yr)
- ✗ No leave management
- ✗ No QR code
AttendFirst Free
10 employees, all features included. GPS, selfie, QR, full leave management, reports, Excel export, Indian holiday calendar. Every feature, not a stripped version.
- ✓ 10 employees, all features
- ✓ GPS check-in
- ✓ Selfie verification
- ✓ Full leave management
Which One Is Right for You
Choose PagarBook if:
- → You need payroll + attendance in one app
- → You want a native Android app from the Play Store
- → Your workforce prefers Hindi language interface
- → You want geofencing (auto check-in/out) — requires App+Web plan
- → You have a large team and need salary disbursement built in
PagarBook starts at ₹499/user/year for GPS. Add payroll at higher tiers.
Choose AttendFirst if:
- → You only need attendance tracking and leave management
- → Your CA handles payroll separately
- → You want all features on the free plan (GPS + selfie + QR + leave)
- → You have field workers, multiple locations, or retail stores
- → You want to pay 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 run a retail shop with 8 employees, my CA does payroll"
Use AttendFirst. Free for 8 employees with GPS + selfie + QR + leave management. No point paying PagarBook for payroll features your CA already handles.
"I have 30 employees and need payroll + attendance in one app"
Use PagarBook. Salary calculation and bank transfer in one app. AttendFirst doesn't do payroll, so if you need that built in, PagarBook is the better fit.
"I have 20 employees and just need GPS attendance without payroll"
Use AttendFirst. ₹2,990/year for GPS + selfie + QR + full leave management. PagarBook at ₹499/user/year would cost ₹9,980/year for GPS only, with no leave management.
"My workforce speaks Hindi, I need a simple app"
Use PagarBook. Hindi language support is a real differentiator for businesses with Hindi-speaking workers. AttendFirst doesn't have regional language support yet.
Switching from PagarBook
The switch is straightforward. No technical migration needed.
- 1
Export your data from PagarBook
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 PagarBook better than AttendFirst? +
It depends on what you need. PagarBook is an attendance + payroll app with a native Android app. AttendFirst focuses on attendance + leave without payroll. If you need payroll built in, PagarBook has it. If you only need attendance and leave, AttendFirst is 3-8x cheaper.
Does AttendFirst have a mobile app like PagarBook? +
AttendFirst works in any phone browser (PWA) — no app download needed. Employees open a link, check in with GPS + selfie, done. PagarBook has a native Android app which some business owners prefer. For most use cases, the browser experience is identical.
What's the real cost difference for 25 employees? +
AttendFirst: ₹4,485/year (first 10 free, then ₹299/employee/year). PagarBook GPS tier: ₹12,475/year. PagarBook GPS + selfie: ₹34,950/year. AttendFirst includes GPS + selfie + QR + leave management at the lowest price tier.
Does PagarBook have leave management? +
No. PagarBook doesn't have leave management on any plan. You track leave on WhatsApp or Excel alongside PagarBook. AttendFirst includes full leave management: PL/SL/CL, half-day leaves, manager approval, and auto-computed balances.
Can I switch from PagarBook to AttendFirst? +
Yes. Export attendance data from PagarBook as CSV for your records. AttendFirst doesn't require historical data import — most businesses start fresh. Add employees via self-join link, print QR codes, start tracking the same day.
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 PagarBook costs. Free for 10 employees, forever.