Why Early-Stage & Scaling Indian Startups Choose AccoNova HRMS
1. Free Starter Plan (Neev HR — ₹0 Forever)
Most HR software providers force bootstrapped startups into expensive enterprise plans. AccoNova provides Neev HR at ₹0/month for up to 15 employees, including Core HR, Directory, Attendance, Leave Management, Expense Reimbursement, Salary Sheets, and Bulk Payslip Generation.
2. Automated Indian Statutory Compliance (EPF, ESI, TDS, Form 16)
Statutory non-compliance can trigger heavy government penalties. AccoNova automates:
3. Mobile & Geo-Fenced Attendance Tracking
Whether your startup team works from an office, remote co-working spaces, or in the field, AccoNova’s mobile app verifies exact GPS coordinates during clock-in, eliminating proxy attendance and time theft.
4. Flexible "Buffer Employee" Pricing Model
Startups experience fast, unpredictable team growth. Instead of forcing you into a higher pricing tier during temporary hiring spikes, AccoNova's Buffer Capacity lets you add extra team members for a small per-user monthly fee (e.g., +₹39/mo in Saral HR).
5. Nova AI Assistant for Instant HR Automation
Early-stage startups rarely have dedicated HR managers. AccoNova’s built-in Nova AI Assistant handles document parsing, employee policy Q&A, and report drafting automatically.
AccoNova HRMS vs Traditional Startup HR Tools
| Feature / Metric | AccoNova HRMS | Manual Spreadsheets | Legacy HR Systems |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free Plan for Startups | Yes (₹0/mo up to 15 users) | Free but manual | No (Costly upfront fees) |
| EPF ECR Export | One-Click Text File Export | Manual & Error-Prone | Additional Add-On Fee |
| Attendance Tracking | GPS Geo-Fencing & Kiosk | Attendance Register | Expensive Biometric Hardware |
| Form 16 PDF Generation | Automated | Complex Manual Work | Extra Billing Per Form |
| AI Workflows | Built-in Nova AI Assistant | None | None |
| Pricing Predictability | Buffer Employee Flexibility | N/A | Rigid Lock-in Contracts |
Founder Migration Checklist: Transitioning from Spreadsheets to AccoNova HRMS
A structured, pragmatic transition workflow designed for founders and early-stage operators migrating off manual Excel or Google Sheets without operational downtime.
Master Data Export & Cleansing
Extract employee details (DOJ, PAN, Aadhaar, bank IFSC, salary structure components) into a structured spreadsheet format, resolving missing identifiers before upload.
Salary Component & Statutory Alignment
Define Basic, HRA, and Special Allowances in compliance with statutory thresholds (e.g. EPF ₹15,000 ceiling, ESI ₹21,000 threshold, state-specific PT slabs).
Bulk Employee Directory Import
Upload your prepared spreadsheet via the AccoNova Admin Portal. Auto-provision employee IDs and trigger Employee Self-Service (ESS) invitations.
Opening Leave Balances Setup
Transfer carried-forward paid leave and casual leave balances from your manual registers into the AccoNova leave ledger.
Parallel Payroll Dry-Run
Execute one monthly payroll run simultaneously in your legacy spreadsheet and AccoNova to verify net salary, TDS deductions, and EPF/ESI splits before final cutover.
How Startups Can Get Started in 5 Minutes
Sign Up for Neev HR
Create your free company account in under 60 seconds with no credit card required.
Invite Your Team
Share the Self-Registration Portal link so employees can complete their profiles and upload onboarding documents.
Configure Attendance & Payroll
Set office locations for GPS geo-fencing and customize salary structures.
Run Payroll & Export Compliance
Process automated payroll with bulk payslips and export EPF ECR files directly.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs for Startups)
Is AccoNova HRMS really free for small startups?
Yes! The Neev HR plan is ₹0/month for startups with up to 15 employees. It includes core HR, attendance tracking, leave management, expense reimbursements, salary sheets, and bulk payslips.
How does AccoNova help startups with EPF ECR filing?
AccoNova HRMS automatically calculates Provident Fund contributions for both employees and employers, generating a ready-to-upload ECR text file formatted specifically for the EPFO unified portal.
Can remote or field employees mark attendance on AccoNova?
Yes. AccoNova’s mobile app uses GPS geo-fencing and live location validation so field reps, remote staff, and site workers can check in securely from designated work areas.
What happens when our startup grows beyond 15 employees?
You can either expand within Neev HR using the buffer limit (+₹49/mo per user) or upgrade smoothly to Saral HR (₹1,950/mo for up to 50 employees) or Pragati HR (₹5,900/mo for up to 100 employees).
