✓ Verified — May 2026 statutory framing · As of 15 June 2026(build). Informed by PIB & Ministry of Labour notifications where the latest ingest includes them.Verified for 2026 by SaaS Compliance Research Team

Last verified for June 2026

Viewed onJun 14, 2026Updated on Data refresh14 Jun 2026

May 2026 statutory rules — comparison matrix

Editorial audit flags for this hub (not legal advice). Hover a cell for the audit note when present. Regenerate content to refresh rows after schema updates.

Rule	Met
Wage Code — Basic ≥ 50% of CTCSalary structure alignment (framework-dependent).	No
§17(2) — exit / F&F wage timeline48-hour / statutory full-and-final posture in vendor materials.	No
Income Tax Act 2025 — reportingEmployer payroll reporting & digital trust hooks.	No
Maharashtra 50% wage impactState wage-structure narrative for Maharashtra hubs.	No

50% Wage Rule Compliance Checker

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Enter annual figures only (₹ per year). Where the framework applies, Basic should be at least 50% of total annual CTC. Illustrative—not payroll or legal advice.

Total CTC (annual ₹)

Basic pay (annual ₹)

Compliant

Basic meets or exceeds 50% of annual CTC on these numbers.

Live comparison matrix

Six products side-by-side — GST e-invoicing, state PT, ESI/PF, and pricing signals for Maharashtra.

Feature comparison for 6 payroll tools in Maharashtra: GST e-invoicing, state PT, ESI and PF, and pricing clarity
Product	GST e-invoicing	PT automation (state-specific)	ESI / PF filing	Pricing
Zoho	Yes	No or verify with vendor	No or verify with vendor	Yes
Keka	Yes	No or verify with vendor	No or verify with vendor	Yes
greytHR	Yes	No or verify with vendor	No or verify with vendor	Yes
RazorpayX Payroll	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Darwinbox	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Akrivia HCM	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes

Shorthand for Maharashtrabuyers — confirm features and pricing on each vendor’s official site and in trial.

Maharashtra · IT

Best IT Software in Maharashtra

347 words · keyword: Best IT Software in Maharashtra

Expert verdict

Selecting HR and payroll software for Maharashtra demands a stringent audit of statutory compliance features, particularly concerning the April 2026 mandates like the 50% Basic vs CTC rule and Section 17(2) exit settlements. Robust automation for ESI, PF, PT, and digital reporting under the Income Tax Act 2025 are critical for mitigating risk and ensuring operational integrity.

Product deep-dive

Side-by-side view for buyers. Logos are placeholders; links may include sponsored tracking. Route purchases via your security and finance review.

Official logo

Zoho

Localization 5/10

Zoho's comprehensive suite offers a broad spectrum of business applications, but specific, deep-dive statutory compliance features for Maharashtra's nuanced payroll requirements are not explicitly detailed in the provided research. Further diligence is required to confirm its alignment with the 50% Basic vs CTC mandate and Section 17(2) exit timelines.

Key tech: Broad suite of integrated business applications.

Special note for Maharashtra

State PT: verify slabs for your entity in Maharashtra.

Pros

Broad suite of integrated business applications.
Potential for extensive customization.
Strong general financial management capabilities.

Cons

Specific payroll compliance details for Maharashtra are not evident.
Full-and-final settlement timeliness under Section 17(2) requires verification.

Pricing signal: Indicative per-employee or module pricing — confirm on the official site.

Visit site

Official logo

Keka

Localization 6/10

Keka positions itself as a comprehensive HR and payroll solution with a stated commitment to compliance across all states, yet specific audit-level details regarding Maharashtra's 50% Basic vs CTC configuration and the 48-hour F&F settlement mandate are not explicitly provided. Verification of these critical statutory anchors is essential.

Key tech: Claims comprehensive compliance across all 50 states.

Special note for Maharashtra

Map PT registration + challan calendar for Maharashtra.

Pros

Claims comprehensive compliance across all 50 states.
Offers integrated HR, payroll, and performance management.
User-friendly interface is implied by vendor descriptions.

Cons

Explicit confirmation of Section 17(2) 48-hour F&F settlement is absent.
Detailed support for Maharashtra's 50% Basic vs CTC configuration needs explicit validation.

Pricing signal: Indicative per-employee or module pricing — confirm on the official site.

Visit site

Official logo

greytHR

Localization 7/10

greytHR highlights its focus on payroll compliance and offers an ebook on the 50% Wage Rule, suggesting a strong awareness of statutory nuances. However, explicit confirmation of its capabilities for Maharashtra's specific 50% Basic vs CTC configuration and the 48-hour Section 17(2) F&F settlement mandate requires further detailed audit.

Key tech: Explicitly mentions '50% Wage Rule Explained' in available materials.

Special note for Maharashtra

Confirm ESI/PF edge cases and PT with vendor + CA for Maharashtra.

Pros

Explicitly mentions '50% Wage Rule Explained' in available materials.
Offers comprehensive basic and advanced admin reports covering state-level policies.
Strong emphasis on automation to reduce manual payroll errors.

Cons

Specific confirmation of Section 17(2) 48-hour F&F settlement processing is not detailed.
Detailed configuration support for Maharashtra's 50% Basic vs CTC mandate needs explicit validation.

Pricing signal: Indicative per-employee or module pricing — confirm on the official site.

Visit site

Official logo

RazorpayX Payroll

Business banking–adjacent payroll narrative for Indian entities; suits teams already on Razorpay rails.

Key tech: Strong when finance already standardises on Razorpay

Special note for Maharashtra

Map PT + labour filings for Maharashtra against RazorpayX payroll scope on vendor docs.

Pros

Strong when finance already standardises on Razorpay
Modern automation story for payouts and vendor bills
Clear India GTM alongside payment products

Cons

Depth vs dedicated HCM suites needs buyer diligence
Statutory edge cases: confirm with payroll specialists
Best fit when banking + payroll consolidation is a goal

Pricing signal: Indicative per-employee or module pricing — confirm on the official site.

Visit site

Official logo

Darwinbox

Enterprise HR cloud with payroll and compliance modules for distributed workforces.

Key tech: Scales to complex org design and policies

Special note for Maharashtra

Validate PT, LWF, and state rules for Maharashtra in your Darwinbox contract scope.

Pros

Scales to complex org design and policies
Employee experience and mobile apps emphasized
Configurable compliance for multi-country firms

Cons

Enterprise deals are typically longer-cycle
India statutory detail varies by module rollout
Integration planning with finance stack is key

Pricing signal: Indicative per-employee or module pricing — confirm on the official site.

Visit site

Official logo

Akrivia HCM

HCM platform with India payroll and statutory automation positioning for mid-market.

Key tech: India-centric compliance messaging

Special note for Maharashtra

Confirm slab updates and filing calendars for Maharashtra on Akrivia's roadmap.

Pros

India-centric compliance messaging
Mid-market friendly packaging vs global megavendors
Configurable pay structures for wage-code debates

Cons

Brand footprint smaller than category leaders—reference customers matter
API / integration depth: confirm for your stack
State nuances require joint sign-off with vendor PS

Pricing signal: Indicative per-employee or module pricing — confirm on the official site.

Visit site

Ops compliance checklist

For Maharashtra · IT (general guidance, not a substitute for professional sign-off).

Map Professional Tax, TDS, and PF/ESI touchpoints to your payroll run calendar in Maharashtra.
For Maharashtra tech teams, align payroll cycles with project billing and, where relevant, contractor vs employee classification.
Before connecting HR to Slack, Jira, finance, or POS, map data flow and have vendor DPA/NDA in place.
Keep auditable challans, return filings, and integration logs for HR–finance data flows.
Clarify SEZ, STPI, or other location-based positions with a qualified tax advisor (context: Maharashtra).

In-depth analysis

Scroll with the table of contents. Insights reference typical Maharashtra payroll patterns—treat as prompts for validation, not legal fact.

Jump to

Navigating Maharashtra's HR & Payroll Compliance: An April 2026 Audit Perspective

In the dynamic Indian regulatory landscape, selecting HR, payroll, and labour-compliance software for Maharashtra requires a rigorous, audit-minded approach, especially as of April 2026. Statutory authority is not merely a feature; it's the bedrock of operational integrity and risk mitigation for IT departments. Misaligned software can lead to significant financial penalties and legal entanglements, underscoring the critical need for solutions that demonstrably adhere to evolving mandates.

Automation vs. Manual Risk: The transition from manual processes to automated systems is paramount. Manual handling of statutory remittances for ESI, PF, and Professional Tax (PT) introduces a high risk of errors, omissions, and delays, potentially incurring penalties. Furthermore, the Section 17(2) mandate for full-and-final (F&F) settlements necessitates expedited processing of all dues upon employee exit. Software that automates these workflows, including timely F&F calculations and disbursements, significantly reduces operational risk and ensures compliance with the 48-hour / expedited settlement expectation.

Maharashtra Specifics: For Maharashtra, the 50% Basic vs CTC configuration is a critical compliance point under the Wage Code framework. Software must facilitate the accurate structuring of CTC components to ensure the basic salary component meets the minimum 50% threshold of the total wage, as defined by the applicable wage components. While the research did not explicitly detail the Karnataka PT (Amendment) Act 2026, for Maharashtra, the focus remains on ensuring the software's configuration capabilities align with the Maharashtra 50% wage impact expectations, allowing for precise salary structuring.

Digital Trust and Income Tax Act 2025: With the advent of the Income Tax Act 2025, employer reporting, deduction management, and the provision of proof-of-investment are increasingly digital imperatives. Software solutions that offer robust capabilities for accurate payroll data generation, tax deduction at source (TDS) calculations, and seamless reporting to tax authorities build digital trust and ensure compliance with these evolving digital reporting obligations.

Category Technical Maturity: 7/10. While many platforms offer core HR and payroll functionalities, deep integration with nuanced, state-specific statutory requirements and advanced digital reporting under recent tax acts remains a developing area, requiring careful vendor vetting.

How we compared these tools

The matrix and cards reflect public product claims, help-center depth, and our editorial review—not a statutory audit. We look for the same levers a buyer should: can payroll handle India statutory pillars end-to-end, and how painful is the path to correct remittance, proofs, and exports?

Security & data handling
We prefer vendors that are explicit about data residency, access controls, and audit logs—especially for salary and KYC.
Localization (India + state context)
India payroll is a blend of Center and state rules. We score how well each product explains PT/ LWF/ state-specific nudges vs generic global HR.
Ease of use for admins and employees
Bulk edits, off-cycle runs, and employee self-serve (mobile) reduce support load—important at 200+ people.