PunchMe vs greytHR: features, pricing and who should pick which

Choose greytHR if you want a broad, mature HR suite with recruitment, performance, SSO, an API and a long track record. Choose PunchMe if your main problem is reliable attendance for staff on the floor, at the gate or in the field, and you want it tied to Indian payroll at a simple price of ₹29 per active employee per month. Both run PF, ESI, PT and TDS payroll. The difference is breadth versus focus, and how each is priced.

Disclosure: this comparison is published by PunchMe. greytHR details come only from greytHR's official website.

At a glance

Prices and features as published on official websites in November 2026; check the vendor for current details.

Feature-by-feature comparison

Where greytHR is stronger

Breadth. greytHR covers employee records, payroll, leave and attendance, onboarding and exit, recruitment, performance appraisal, expenses, helpdesk, letters and an alumni portal. If you want one system for the full employee lifecycle, it covers far more than PunchMe.

Maturity and scale. greytHR says it serves 34,000+ companies and 3.5 million+ employees across 30+ countries. That track record matters to companies that want an established vendor with a large user base.

Integrations. SSO and API access are available (as add-ons on lower plans, included on Premium), and greytHR integrates with third-party biometric attendance hardware. PunchMe has no public API, no SSO and no biometric machine integration.

Biometric hardware. If you already own fingerprint or face machines and want to keep them, greytHR can work with them. PunchMe replaces them with phones and a tablet kiosk.

iPhone. greytHR's app is on both Play Store and App Store today. PunchMe's Android app is live and its iPhone app is coming soon; until then, iPhone users can punch on a kiosk.

Where PunchMe is stronger

Fraud-resistant phone attendance on every punch. Each PunchMe punch checks a face match with liveness, the employee's position against your office geofence, and that the punch comes from the employee's own registered phone (device binding). You decide whether a failed check blocks the punch or flags it for HR. That makes buddy punching, punching from home and punching on a colleague's phone much harder.

Kiosk and field tracking included. The tablet kiosk and field tracking are part of the one plan. On greytHR, Visage, GeoMark+ and GPS live tracking are listed as add-ons.

Offline punches. Sites with weak signal, like factory floors, basements and remote gates, are common. PunchMe saves the punch on the phone and syncs it within 72 hours, flagged for review.

Simple per-employee price. ₹29 per active employee per month plus GST, with every feature included. There's no 50-employee base fee, so a 12-person shop pays for 12. greytHR's plans start with a 50-employee base, which works well near or above that size.

Longer trial. 30 days with no card, versus 7 days.

Pricing compared

PunchMe charges ₹29 per active employee per month plus 18% GST from a prepaid wallet, with a GST invoice from Hostspica each month. See pricing.

greytHR lists Essential at ₹2,495/month for up to 50 employees (₹45 per extra employee) and Growth at ₹4,495/month for up to 50 employees (₹85 per extra employee). Attendance and geo-fencing are listed on Growth. Premium is priced on request.

Monthly cost for attendance plus payroll, before taxes, using published list prices:

Add-ons you choose (for example GPS live tracking or Visage on greytHR) change these numbers. greytHR's figures include its wider HR modules, so you are not comparing identical products. Ask greytHR for a quote for your exact headcount.

Who should pick which

Pick greytHR if

• You want one HRMS for the full employee lifecycle, including recruitment and performance.
• You need SSO, an API or integrations with other systems today.
• You already run biometric machines and want to keep them.
• Many of your staff use iPhones and need a native app right now.
• You prefer a vendor with a long track record and a very large customer base.

Pick PunchMe if

• Your biggest pain is proxy punching, fake locations or attendance disputes.
• Your staff work in factories, stores, at client sites as security guards, or in the field.
• You want a shared tablet kiosk for staff without smartphones.
• You want attendance, leave, expenses and Indian payroll in one place at ₹29 per employee.
• You are under 50 employees, or want to pay only for active staff.

Switching tips

Whichever you pick, run a parallel month: keep your current system and compare attendance and salary output side by side. Check PF, ESI and net pay against our PF calculator, ESI calculator and salary calculator. For exits, the gratuity calculator helps you verify full and final amounts. More on PunchMe's capabilities is on the features page.

FAQ

Is PunchMe cheaper than greytHR?

At published list prices, yes for most headcounts. For 50 employees, PunchMe is ₹1,450/month plus GST and greytHR Growth is ₹4,495/month. greytHR includes more HR modules, so compare what you actually need.

Does greytHR have face recognition attendance?

Yes. greytHR offers Visage, a face-recognition kiosk, and face recognition in its mobile app when enabled. PunchMe runs a face match with liveness on every phone and kiosk punch.

Can PunchMe connect to my biometric machine?

No. PunchMe uses phones and a tablet kiosk instead. If you need biometric machine integration, greytHR supports third-party attendance hardware.

Do both handle PF, ESI, PT and TDS?

Yes. Both run Indian payroll with statutory deductions and payslips.

Which has the longer free trial?

PunchMe offers 30 days with no card. greytHR offers 7 days.

Sources

• https://punchme.online/pricing
• https://www.greythr.com/pricing/
• https://www.greythr.com/
• https://www.greythr.com/attendance-management-software/
• https://www.greythr.com/mobile-app/
• https://www.greythr.com/help-admin/attendance-settings/configure-greythr-visage-kiosk/
• https://ess-help.greythr.com/employee-mobile-app/answers/Xc0mNbW3Sdes76IwbTqcCg