PagarBook

PagarBook is an HRMS for staff attendance, payroll, and field operations, aimed at small and midsize businesses. It suits employers who want those jobs in one system, but teams needing field tracking must budget for a separate Geo subscription.

Overview

PagarBook’s range is useful for businesses that manage both payroll and mobile staff: attendance can be recorded in several ways, payroll accounts for attendance and deductions, and Geo adds field-team tools. The main compromise is the tiered cost. Free covers attendance marking only; payroll and Geo require paid subscriptions, and Geo also requires an active App or Web plan.

Key features

Attendance and payroll

Attendance supports face, selfie, and location-based marking, offline recording, and processing. PagarBook Lens claims to recognize faces in under a second and reject photographs shown to the camera. That makes the Classic Suite relevant to employers seeking a face check, though it costs more than the App and App + Web tiers.

Payroll processes attendance, overtime, fines, and statutory deductions together. It supports PF, ESI, professional tax, labour welfare fund, TDS, gratuity, and minimum wages, making it more suited to employers with compliance needs than the free marking plan, which does not include salary or PF/ESI.

Field operations and employee self-service

Geo Basic adds live tracking, route timelines, and distance and activity reports. Geo Plus adds order management, including SKU and category management, order processing, customizable receipts, and custom order workflows. These features can support teams collecting orders in the field, but they come at a separate price on top of App or Web.

The employee app provides access to documents and information, attendance marking, leave requests, and payslip downloads. PagarBook also offers geofencing and break and overtime tracking. Its privacy policy says app information is not shared with third parties for advertising or marketing, while also saying the platform may collect device identifiers, IP address, location, camera information, and information users submit.

Pricing

Prices below are per staff per year and exclusive of GST where stated. The free plan is limited to attendance marking; paid plans are required for salary, PF/ESI, or tracking.

The App is the lowest-cost paid option but does not include the web dashboard or HR and attendance reports. App + Web adds those tools for ₹200 more per staff per year; Classic Suite costs substantially more for Lens. Geo’s price is additional to an App or Web subscription, so the field plans are not standalone alternatives to the attendance tiers.

Platforms

PagarBook supports Android, iOS, and a desktop web app. Assistance is offered Monday to Sunday, 8am to 8pm, by WhatsApp and telephone.

Who it's for

PagarBook is aimed at SMEs, including businesses in retail, construction, manufacturing, logistics, and hospitality. It is a stronger fit for employers who need attendance plus payroll or field-team features than for those seeking only a free attendance tool. Businesses that need field tracking should account for both the Geo fee and the required App or Web plan.

Pros and cons

• Pro: Attendance, payroll, and statutory deductions sit in one product, which can suit employers managing these processes together.
• Pro: Geo Plus includes order processing and configurable order workflows, useful for field teams handling orders as well as routes.
• Pro: Android, iOS, and web access give staff and administrators multiple ways to use the system.
• Con: The free plan stops at attendance marking, so payroll and statutory processing require a paid tier.
• Con: Geo pricing is separate and requires an active App or Web subscription, raising the total cost for field operations.
• Con: Lens face attendance is only included in the more expensive Classic Suite.

Alternatives

For a broader comparison, see Attendance Tracking Software and Employee Scheduling Software.

• Jibble is worth comparing if a free plan with unlimited users and two geofences, or broader platform support, matters more than PagarBook’s payroll and field-order combination.
• Connecteam is another freemium option if you want to compare its cost-free Limited plan with PagarBook’s free attendance-only tier.
• BusyBusy may suit teams focused on GPS time tracking, job costing, and equipment tracking, with a free account for unlimited users.
• factoHR may fit smaller teams seeking a free plan capped at 20 employees or a Core plan billed yearly.
• HPHRMS Smart Attendance is an alternative to compare for businesses seeking a freemium attendance product with payroll in its Starter tier.
• GeoWork Attendance may suit individuals or small teams looking for a free mobile plan limited to 10 users.
• Deltek Maconomy is an alternative for professional services firms evaluating an enterprise ERP.
• Handdy is another paid alternative to consider.

Verdict

Choose PagarBook if your SME needs attendance and payroll together, especially if statutory deductions or field-team workflows are part of the job. Its breadth is the main reason to choose it; the free plan’s narrow scope and Geo’s added subscription cost are the main reasons to look elsewhere.