FyPayrun vs Paybooks
Paybooks is a 15-year-old SMB payroll vendor with multi-entity built in and annual contracts attached. FyPayrun + FyBoard People is the modern web-native HRMS with multi-entity rosters, biometric integration, and the same statutory accuracy — at ₹4–8/emp without annual lock-in.
Two doors. Same problem.
FyPayrun + FyBoard People matches Paybooks's multi-entity HRMS scope with modern web UX, no annual contract, and per-employee pricing instead of tier bands. The full breakdown is in the sections below.
FyPayrun
Payroll without the spreadsheet hangover.
- Pricing
- Payrun Free local basics · Payrun Cloud Pro ₹999/mo · FyBoard People ₹4/emp Starter · ₹8/emp Growth
- Free tier
- Free local payroll basics + ₹4/emp People — undercuts Paybooks at every band, no annual lock-in.
- Where it shines
- Browser-first, no signup, honest cloud labelling
Paybooks
Paybooks is a 15-year-old SMB payroll vendor with multi-entity built in and annual contracts attached. FyPayrun + FyBoard People is the modern web-native HRMS with multi-entity rosters, biometric integration, and the same statutory accuracy — at ₹4–8/emp without annual lock-in.
- Pricing
- ₹2,500–₹15,000/mo by employee count · annual contract typical
- Free tier
- Varies by tool — most have caps.
- Where it shines
- 15+ years of Indian SMB payroll history — mature CA / consultant network familiar with Paybooks outputs
The case for switching.
The places we've leaned harder than Paybooks. Each is something a daily user feels the friction of in the alternative.
Web-based across every OS — no desktop install, no Windows-specific dependency
FyBoard People delivers multi-entity rosters with separate PAN/GSTIN/EPFO segmentation per entity, plus the full HRMS scope (Attendance, Leave, Recruitment, Performance, Compliance, Training) Paybooks doesn't ship
FyPayrun local payroll basics are free; Cloud Pro covers batch, Form 16, register, and ECR outputs while Paybooks's ₹2,500/mo entry tier still applies even at 5 employees
Records-first audit trail across employees, payslips, approvals, statutory filings — Paybooks logs actions; we record records
No annual contract — month-to-month on People and Payrun Cloud Pro, with local basics free
Multi-jurisdiction by design in People; Paybooks is India-only
The honest column.
Places Paybooks is genuinely stronger. Picking the right tool for the job sometimes means picking the other one — and we'd rather tell you that up front than waste your time.
15+ years of Indian SMB payroll history — mature CA / consultant network familiar with Paybooks outputs
Strong biometric attendance device integrations (eSSL, Realtime, ZK) with a long compatibility list
Established multi-location workflows for branch / warehouse / shop-floor payroll
Reseller and partner network across Tier-2 / Tier-3 Indian cities with on-the-ground support
We'd rather you pick the right tool than the most-marketed one. If anything in this column outweighs the §02 list for your workflow, stay with Paybooks — and we'll see you for the next job.
Feature ledger.
The same questions, asked of both. FyPayrun on the left; Paybooks on the right. Sourced from publicly visible pricing, marketing, and product docs.
| Question | FyPayrun | Paybooks |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly minimum | Free local basics; ₹999/mo Cloud Pro. | ₹2,500/mo minimum. |
| Pricing at 50 emp | ₹200/mo (People Starter). | ~₹5,000/mo (Paybooks band). |
| HRMS scope | 7 tracks + 15 ops areas in People. | Payroll-first; HR is thin. |
| Multi-entity rosters | Native in People. | Built-in across tiers. |
| Biometric integration | People connector (growing list). | Mature direct device support. |
| Contract lock-in | Month-to-month, no annual. | Annual contract typical. |
Monthly minimum
- FyPayrun
- Free local basics; ₹999/mo Cloud Pro.
- Paybooks
- ₹2,500/mo minimum.
Pricing at 50 emp
- FyPayrun
- ₹200/mo (People Starter).
- Paybooks
- ~₹5,000/mo (Paybooks band).
HRMS scope
- FyPayrun
- 7 tracks + 15 ops areas in People.
- Paybooks
- Payroll-first; HR is thin.
Multi-entity rosters
- FyPayrun
- Native in People.
- Paybooks
- Built-in across tiers.
Biometric integration
- FyPayrun
- People connector (growing list).
- Paybooks
- Mature direct device support.
Contract lock-in
- FyPayrun
- Month-to-month, no annual.
- Paybooks
- Annual contract typical.
Two scenarios, two answers.
Different jobs deserve different tools. Here's the honest read on when FyPayrun fits the workflow, and when Paybooks is the right call instead.
When FyPayrun is the right call.
Pick FyPayrun + FyBoard People if you want modern web UX with full HRMS scope (not just payroll), refuse annual contracts, or operate across multiple countries / entities.
When Paybooks is the right call.
Pick Paybooks if you have biometric attendance hardware that must integrate on day one, your CA already runs payroll through Paybooks, or you specifically want a vendor with 15 years of Indian SMB history.
FyPayrun vs Paybooks, in plain answers.
The questions that come up most often when people compare FyPayrun and Paybooks. Short answers, no marketing speak.
- Q
Does FyBoard People support multi-entity payroll like Paybooks?
AYes — People supports separate entities with their own PAN, GSTIN, EPFO codes, salary structures, and approval chains, with a unified roster + reporting layer above. The biometric attendance integration list is shorter than Paybooks's (we're newer), but the core multi-entity HRMS workflow is there.
- Q
How does pricing compare at 50 employees?
AFyPayrun local basics are free; Cloud Pro is ₹999/mo when you need backend payroll exports. FyBoard People Starter at 50 emp is ₹200/mo, month-to-month. Paybooks at 50 emp is approximately ₹5,000/mo on an annual contract.
- Q
Will my CA accept FyPayrun outputs the way they accept Paybooks?
AThe output formats are vendor-neutral standards — Form 16 Part B as TRACES-compliant PDF, EPFO ECR as the unified portal .txt, Payroll Register as standard XLSX. Any CA reads them identically. Paybooks's edge is the familiarity factor: their consultant network has 15 years of seeing the product; we're under 2 years old.
Ready to switch from Paybooks?
No signup, no install, no commitment. Open FyPayrun and try the tools you use most — most of your existing files import without conversion.
Reviewed against publicly available info on Paybooks as of launch. We'll keep this current.