Audyense·
Skip to content
Side-by-side record

Keka vs. SmartRecruiters

A side-by-side view of the product records we have today. Use it to narrow the question, then confirm current pricing, limits, and security details with each vendor.

The short version

Keka starts at ₹9,999 per seat, versus SmartRecruiters at $10,000. SmartRecruiters carries the higher aggregate rating (9.5/5 vs 4.5/5).

Full comparison

Kekafrom ₹9,999 per 100 employees/mo
SmartRecruitersfrom $10,000 per month
Audyense Score77ASStrong29AS*Low
PositioningIndia-built HRMS unifying core HR, statutory payroll, attendance, performance, and hiring in one platformSmartRecruiters is a recruiting software designed for the modern workforce, providing everything you need to attract, select and hire great talent.
Free tierNoYes
DeploymentCloud / SaaSCloud / SaaS
Best fitSMB, Mid-marketStartup, SMB, Mid-market
Pricing plans
  • Foundation₹9,999
  • Strength₹12,999
  • Growth₹15,999
  • Free or entry planFree
  • Higher tiersCustom pricing
Applicant tracking (ATS)YesKeka Hire provides applicant tracking, available in higher packs or as an add-on.—
Benefits administrationPartialCentered on Indian statutory benefits (PF, ESI) and insurance via partners; no US-style benefits enrollment.—
Employee directory & org chartYesCore HR module maintains a full employee database and directory.—
Mobile appYesiOS/Android apps with high self-service adoption, though reviewers note the app lacks web parity.—
Employee onboardingYesStructured employee onboarding workflows are included in core HR.—
PayrollYesCore strength: automated Indian payroll with PF, ESI, PT, and TDS compliance.—
Performance reviewsYesPerformance module includes OKRs, goals, and 360-degree reviews in higher packs.—
Public APIYesREST API is available for integrations.—
Reporting & dashboardsYesReporting is included; advanced analytics and custom reports are reserved for the Growth pack.—
Time-off & PTO managementYesLeave and attendance management is a core, well-reviewed capability.—
Multi-Board Job Posting—YesDocumented in the independently researched profile.
One-Click Apply—YesDocumented in the independently researched profile.
Applicant Progress Tracking—YesDocumented in the independently researched profile.
Custom Interview Scorecards—YesDocumented in the independently researched profile.
Interview Scheduling Tools—YesDocumented in the independently researched profile.
Collaborative Response & Review Sharing—YesDocumented in the independently researched profile.
Mobile Hiring App—YesDocumented in the independently researched profile.
Consistent Branding—YesDocumented in the independently researched profile.
Job Aggregators Distribution—YesDocumented in the independently researched profile.
Social Media Job Distribution—YesDocumented in the independently researched profile.
Employee Referral Portal—YesDocumented in the independently researched profile.
Personalized Auto-Responder—YesDocumented in the independently researched profile.
Facebook Synchronization—YesDocumented in the independently researched profile.
Mobile-Friendly Career Site—YesDocumented in the independently researched profile.
Integrations verified60+—
Aggregate rating4.5 · 1.8k reviews9.5 · No reviews yet
Integrations
SlackMicrosoft TeamsZoomQuickBooksTallyZoho Books+7 more
—
Security & compliance
SOC 2ISO 27001GDPR
—
Pros
  • Clean, modern, easy-to-use interface with high employee self-service adoption
  • Reliable Indian payroll and statutory compliance automation (PF, ESI, PT, TDS)
  • Integrated modules (HR, payroll, attendance, performance/OKRs, hiring) in one platform
  • Useful workflow integrations with Slack and Teams for approvals and notifications
  • Independent review documents a concrete business workflow
  • Documented capability: Multi-Board Job Posting
  • Documented capability: One-Click Apply
  • Documented capability: Applicant Progress Tracking
  • Documented capability: Custom Interview Scorecards
Cons
  • Customer support is largely email-ticket-based with limited weekend coverage and reported response delays
  • Mobile app lacks feature parity with the web platform and can lag on syncing
  • A minimum-seat/entry-pack model makes it comparatively expensive for very small startups
  • Multi-entity setups and some state-specific compliance can require manual admin effort
  • Pricing and usage limits should be checked against the exact plan
  • Implementation effort depends on the team's data and process maturity
  • Reported outcomes should be validated with the buyer's own data
Visit Keka ↗Visit SmartRecruiters ↗

Editorial read of this comparison

The table summarizes structured facts; this section explains what the differences mean for a real buying decision.

Where each tool fits, and where it may not

Keka

Keka is a cloud HRMS and payroll platform built primarily for the Indian market, covering core HR, leave and attendance, statutory payroll (PF, ESI, PT, TDS), performance management with OKRs, and hiring. It is known for a modern, employee-self-service-first interface and strong India compliance automation. Founded in 2015 and headquartered in Hyderabad, it is most commonly adopted by Indian SMBs and mid-market companies.

A particularly good fit for: Single-entity Indian SMBs and growing mid-market companies that want strong local payroll compliance Teams that prioritize a polished, easy-to-adopt employee self-service experience with high mobile adoption Companies replacing spreadsheets or fragmented HR and payroll tools with one integrated HRMS

May be a poor fit if: Large enterprises or complex multi-legal-entity operations, where multi-entity gaps add rework Companies outside India needing US-style benefits enrollment and administration

SmartRecruiters

SmartRecruiters is a recruiting software designed for the modern workforce, providing everything you need to attract, select and hire great talent. Its comprehensive recruitment marketing tools let you promote new opportunities internally and externally. With its selection tools, you get to experience robust applicant tracking, complemented by deep collaboration tools for identifying the right fit for your organization. SmartRecruiters features digital offer management and pre-integrated onboarding, which allows a seamless team welcome for your new hires. It lets you search your own data with ease, crucial when you consider how your database grows with your company. The application is supported by SmartAssistant, the industry’s first and only native AI-powered recruiting service, giving you an intelligent sidekick for finding the talent you need. SmartAssistant helps eliminate subjectivity by enabling hiring teams to align faster and identify quality talent more easily using data science to back selection decisions. From its core recruiting power to its smart engine, SmartRecruiters lets you virtually future-proof your hiring process with functionalities that deliver value over the long-term, including unified information architecture, built-in collaboration tools, and improved productivity through machine-learning.

A particularly good fit for: B2B teams evaluating HR and People software Teams that need documented workflow capabilities and fit guidance Organizations willing to validate implementation and plan limits

May be a poor fit if: Teams seeking a workflow outside the product's documented focus Teams needing unlimited usage without plan limits

Pricing and plan structure

Keka: Published starting price ₹9,999 per 100 employees/mo

  • Foundation₹9,999 per 100 employees/mo
  • Strength₹12,999 per 100 employees/mo
  • Growth₹15,999 per 100 employees/mo

SmartRecruiters: Published starting price $10,000 per month

  • Free or entry planFree
  • Higher tiersCustom pricing

Capabilities worth validating

  • Keka: Applicant tracking (ATS), Benefits administration, Employee directory & org chart, Mobile app, Employee onboarding Integrations include Slack, Microsoft Teams, Zoom, QuickBooks.
  • SmartRecruiters: Multi-Board Job Posting, One-Click Apply, Applicant Progress Tracking, Custom Interview Scorecards, Interview Scheduling Tools

Questions to answer before switching

  • Does Keka's selected plan include the features and limits we need?
  • Does SmartRecruiters's selected plan include the features and limits we need?
  • Does the exact integration path for Slack, Microsoft Teams, Zoom support the sync direction, permissions, and volume we need?
  • Is a hosted-only deployment acceptable for the team and customers who will use this system?

How to evaluate this shortlist

A useful comparison turns the differences between HR & People tools into a concrete test. Use these steps to avoid choosing from a feature table or the lowest headline price alone.

  1. Start with a representative HR & People workflow, not a feature checklist. Define who will use it, what data goes in, and what outcome the team needs.
  2. Test the complete path through Slack, Microsoft Teams, Zoom: permissions, sync direction, failure handling, and volume limits often matter more than the integration name.
  3. Compare the cost of the real scenario, including users, usage, storage, support, and contract requirements. The entry price alone does not measure adoption cost.
  4. Before switching, list the evidence gaps, request a demo of the critical workflow, and confirm security, data residency, export, and support with each vendor.

Structured signals help narrow the shortlist, but a trial with a real workflow is still the best way to validate the decision.

Research basis

Last checked: 2026-08-18. Pricing, integrations, feature support, and review signals can change, so treat this as a research snapshot and verify the final decision with the vendor.

Sources consulted: Keka product site, G2, Capterra; SmartRecruiters product site, FinancesOnline review, Vendor website