Core HR + Leave Management
The base module every plan starts with. Prices exclude VAT.
R28/mo
per employee, per month
- Employee database
- Leave management
- Approval workflows
- Mobile app
Sage HR vs Zoho People
Verified ratings, feature-by-feature comparison and rand pricing — everything a South African business needs to pick between these two.
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Ratings
Every score, at a glance
Verified user ratings across every dimension — Sage HR against Zoho People, nothing weighted.
Dimensions won
4 – 0
Sage HR vs Zoho People, across 5 rating dimensions
Widest rating gap
+0,2
Sage HR leads on value for money
Verified reviews
400
226 for Sage HR, 174 for Zoho People
Sage HR
4,1
226 verified reviews
Zoho People
4,0
174 verified reviews
Ratings by dimension
- Sage HR
- Zoho People
Overall
4,1
4,0
Ease of use
4,1
4,0
Value for money
4,1
3,9
Customer service
4,1
3,9
Functionality
4,1
4,1
Share of verified reviews
Who South African reviewers actually write about.
- Sage HR (226)
- Zoho People (174)
Cost to get started
Cheapest paid plan, shown per month.
Sage HR
R28/mo
Zoho People
R25/mo
Zoho People is the cheaper way in. Lower isn't automatically better — weigh it against the ratings above.
Head to head
Where each one wins
Row by row, with the stronger score highlighted. Straight from verified reviews.
| Sage HR | Zoho People | |
|---|---|---|
| Overall rating | 4,1 | 4,0 |
| Reviews | 226 | 174 |
| Ease of use | 4,1 | 4,0 |
| Value for money | 4,1 | 3,9 |
| Customer service | 4,1 | 3,9 |
| Functionality | 4,1 | 4,1 |
| Starting price | R28/employee/month | R25/employee/month |
| Free trial | Yes | Yes |
Features
Feature by feature, checked off
Everything each product ships, side by side. No marketing gloss.
| Feature | Sage HR | Zoho People |
|---|---|---|
| Employee records and documents | ||
| Leave management | ||
| Performance reviews and one on ones | ||
| Shift scheduling | ||
| Timesheets | ||
| Expense claims | ||
| Recruitment pipeline | ||
| Onboarding checklists | ||
| Org chart | ||
| Reports and analytics | ||
| Employee database and self service | ||
| Leave management with custom rules | ||
| Attendance and geo tracking | ||
| Onboarding workflows | ||
| Performance appraisals | ||
| HR case management | ||
| HR analytics | ||
| Mobile app |
Pricing
Both price lists, in rand
Every plan from both vendors, priced as South African teams actually pay.
Sage HR plans
Try it free
Timesheets
Added to the core module.
R14/mo
per employee, per month
- Overtime tracking
- Fast timesheet capture
Performance
Added to the core module.
R14/mo
per employee, per month
- Goals and OKRs
- 360 degree feedback
- Scheduled one on ones
- Surveys
Recruitment
Flat monthly price for the module, any headcount. Shift scheduling R14 and expenses R10 per employee also available.
R1 850/mo
per month
- Job ads
- Applicant pipeline
- Interview scheduling
Straight from the vendor
Get current pricing
These are list prices in rand and vendors adjust them from time to time. Check with Sage for the figure you'll actually pay.
Zoho People plans
Essential HR
1.25 dollars per employee billed annually.
R25/mo
per employee, per month
- Employee database
- Leave management
- Self service portal
- Mobile app
Professional
About 2 dollars per employee.
R38/mo
per employee, per month
- Everything in Essential
- Attendance with geo tracking
- Shift scheduling
- Timesheets
Premium
About 3 dollars per employee.
R57/mo
per employee, per month
- Everything in Professional
- Performance appraisals
- Onboarding flows
- HR analytics
Enterprise
About 4.5 dollars per employee.
R85/mo
per employee, per month
- Everything in Premium
- HR case desk
- Custom modules
- Advanced workflows
Straight from the vendor
Get current pricing
These are list prices in rand and vendors adjust them from time to time. Check with Zoho Corporation for the figure you'll actually pay.
Verdict
Our verdict
Modular SA friendly HR against unbeatable global value. Sage HR publishes rand pricing, pairs naturally with Sage payroll and keeps setup simple. Zoho People costs a fraction per employee, goes deeper on attendance and shift tracking, and rewards companies already in the Zoho ecosystem, at the price of a clunkier interface and offshore support. Sage payroll customers pick Sage HR; cost driven teams with field staff pick Zoho.