Company that needs official WPS filing in-app
Zoho Payroll is the more direct fit — it generates SIF files for bank/MOHRE submission natively.
WatheeqaHR vs Zoho People for UAE SMEs — Which One Fits?
Zoho People + Zoho Payroll is a full HR suite with automated UAE WPS/SIF filing built in (it submits the file for you), priced per module and per employee. WatheeqaHR is a smaller, focused tool for attendance import, leave, an internal salary ledger, payment-proof records, and document expiry tracking, at one flat price per plan — it generates the UAE WPS SIF export for you to submit yourself, but does not submit it on your behalf. If you need end-to-end WPS submission inside the same system, Zoho fits that need directly. If you're currently running attendance and salary tracking in Excel and just want something faster and simpler alongside your existing WPS/bank process, WatheeqaHR is built specifically for that gap.
Features
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Attendance device import | Both import biometric/CSV attendance exports; WatheeqaHR auto-detects ZKTeco, Hikvision, Suprema, Dahua and eSSL formats specifically |
| Official WPS/SIF filing | Zoho Payroll generates WPS SIF files and submits them for bank/MOHRE filing. WatheeqaHR generates the same SIF export from its salary ledger, but does not submit it — you submit it yourself through your bank or the official WPS channel |
| Internal salary ledger | WatheeqaHR treats the salary ledger as a first-class internal record (draft → reviewed → approved → paid) alongside WPS, not just a payroll run |
| Employee document expiry tracking | WatheeqaHR tracks visa/Emirates ID/passport/work permit expiry with email alerts as a core feature, not an add-on module |
| Pricing structure | Zoho prices per module (People, Payroll, etc.) and scales per employee from a low base; WatheeqaHR is one flat price per plan (AED 99 or 199/month) covering everything at that tier |
| Setup complexity | Zoho is a broader suite with more configuration surface; WatheeqaHR is scoped narrower, aimed at being usable within a day for a company coming from Excel |
| Ecosystem / integrations | Zoho has a large, mature app ecosystem (Books, CRM, etc.) if you need more than HR ops. WatheeqaHR is a focused, single-purpose tool by design |
Who uses this
Company currently using Excel for attendance and salary tracking
WatheeqaHR is built specifically to replace that spreadsheet workflow without taking on a full HR suite.
Company that also needs recruitment, performance reviews, or a broader HR/accounting suite
Zoho's wider app ecosystem covers more ground than WatheeqaHR, which stays scoped to operations tracking.
Company that wants one flat price with no per-module add-ons
WatheeqaHR's plan pricing includes attendance, leave, salary ledger, payment tracking and document expiry together.
Compliance disclaimer
This comparison reflects WatheeqaHR's own feature set as of the last-updated date above and Zoho's publicly listed features/pricing at the time of writing, which can change without notice — verify current details directly with Zoho before deciding. WatheeqaHR generates the UAE WPS SIF export file from its salary ledger, but does not submit it to a bank or MOHRE on your behalf. This page is not sponsored by or affiliated with Zoho.
Frequently asked questions
Does WatheeqaHR do WPS like Zoho does?
Not the same way. Zoho Payroll generates the WPS SIF file and submits it for bank/MOHRE filing. WatheeqaHR generates the same SIF export from your salary ledger, but doesn't submit it — you'd still use your bank or a licensed payroll provider for that submission step.
Is WatheeqaHR cheaper than Zoho?
WatheeqaHR is a flat AED 99/month (up to 25 employees) or AED 199/month (up to 100 employees, up to 3 companies), with everything included. Zoho prices per module and per employee, so the total depends on which Zoho apps and employee count you need — compare against your specific headcount before deciding.
Can I switch from Zoho to WatheeqaHR?
You can, but check the WPS/SIF filing question above first — if your company relies on Zoho for official WPS submission, you'd need to keep doing that submission through your bank or a licensed provider separately, since WatheeqaHR doesn't replace that step.
Why would I choose WatheeqaHR over a bigger, more established tool like Zoho?
If your actual daily pain is Excel-based attendance and salary tracking for a 5-100 person company, and you don't need recruitment, performance reviews, or a broader accounting/CRM suite, WatheeqaHR is scoped specifically to that problem rather than being one module inside a much larger system.
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