Zoho People pricing in 2026
Published rates and provenance
| Pricing model | Five tiers (Essential HR / Professional / Premium / Enterprise / People Plus). Per-user-per-month, billed annually. |
|---|---|
| Provenance | vendor-published list rate |
| Cheapest rate | Essential HR $1.50 per user/mo billed annually (list, published) |
| PEPM band (low / mid / high) | $1.50 $5.00 $10.00 |
| Implementation fee band | $0.00 to $1,500 |
| Source | https://www.zoho.com/people/pricing.html [1] |
| Last re-verified | 2026-06-20 |
| Recent changes | Tier line-up unchanged in 2026. Free plan remains for up to 5 employees. People Plus bundles Zoho Recruit + Expense + Vault. |
What the buying committee actually pays
Cheapest published PEPM in the entire category. Trades off ecosystem depth for raw cost. Renewal-uplift on multi-year contracts averages 12% per year unless capped in the MSA [2].
What do the tiers cost per user per month?
Essential HR $1.50. Professional $2.50. Premium $3.50. Enterprise $5.00. People Plus $10.00. All billed annually. Free plan up to 5 employees.
Is the free plan really usable up to 5 employees?
Yes. The free plan includes Employee Database, Leave Management, Timesheet, and basic Reports for up to 5 employees. The transition to paid happens at the sixth employee.
How does Zoho People bundle with Zoho Payroll and Zoho One?
Zoho Payroll is sold separately at $19/mo + $3 per employee in the US. Zoho One ($45/user/mo, billed annually) bundles 40+ Zoho apps including Zoho People Professional and Zoho Payroll.
What modules sit at each tier?
Essential HR is employee data + leave. Professional adds timesheet and attendance. Premium adds Performance and Travel. Enterprise adds Cases and Surveys. People Plus bundles Zoho Recruit, Expense, Vault.
When does Zoho People beat BambooHR or Gusto on cost?
Always on raw subscription cost. The question is whether the customer values Zoho's broader app ecosystem (CRM, Books, Mail) more than BambooHR's polished employee experience or Gusto's native US payroll.