9 best payroll software in Australia (2025)

Managing payroll in Australia is no easy feat. There are taxes, compliance, and Modern Award interpretation that businesses need to juggle. It can take a lot of time and effort to get it right. And getting it wrong can come with hefty penalties.

Thankfully, payroll software can make it a lot easier. It can automate many of the tasks involved in processing payroll. It can also make complying with Australian labour laws far simpler. 

And there's more good news! Whether you're a global enterprise with diverse payroll requirements, or a startup with a handful of local employees, there's a payroll software out there that can cater to your needs. Identifying that payroll software can be a little challenging, though. But we're here to help!

In this article, we share some of the top payroll software in Australia, along with their key features and strengths and weaknesses. We also outline some steps to take when choosing the right payroll software for your business.

Note: The information in this article is up to date as of 13/01/2025. Payroll software features and pricing may change, so always check directly with the provider for the latest details.

9 best payroll software in Australia

There's no shortage of payroll solutions out there. But it's important to note that not all payroll software options are created equal. To help you navigate the payroll solution maze, here's a list of some of the best payroll software options:

1. Rippling

Rippling offers a comprehensive payroll solution. It's a flexible and scalable solution ideal for Australian businesses, big or small, local or global. Its payroll software is part of an all-in-one workforce management platform. The platform offers complete and customisable HR solutions for varying business needs.

Key features

• Rippling's payroll software automates payroll processing, including automatic tax filing.
• It offers built-in Modern Award and entitlement compliance for Australian employees.
• Rippling's payroll solution also offers built-in compliance tracking for ATO regulations.
• For businesses with teams across borders, it provides global payroll with support for over 50 countries.
• It enables businesses to fully customise workflows to suit their unique payroll needs.
• The platform's time tracking feature syncs effortlessly with its payroll function. This means accurate pay calculations for ordinary hours worked, overtime, or specific projects.
• Rippling offers in-built benefits management. And it merges with payroll, making benefits administration a breeze.
• The platform has a secure, self-service portal for employees.

Strengths

• Rippling does a lot more than just solve the payroll problem. It provides businesses with everything they need to manage a local and global workforce in one place. From HR, to IT, and Spend, the platform caters to it all.
• For global enterprises, it offers the rigor to meet complex requirements. For small businesses and startups, it provides the flexibility to select only the features they need and expand as they grow.
• Rippling's is easy to use. This reduces the steep learning curve associated with implementing new software. It can also boost adoption rates.
• Unlike many other payroll solutions, Rippling's Payroll offers strong Australia-specific compliance support. This includes STP, ATO compliance, and award interpretation support.

Weaknesses

• Rippling has modular pricing. While this means businesses have the flexibility to only pay for the bits they need, it can mean that extra features may increase costs.
• As a cloud-based platform, Rippling requires internet connectivity for most functionalities.

2. Elmo

Elmo is an Australian-focused HR and payroll solution. It generally serves medium to large businesses that have local compliance needs.

Key features

• Elmo's payroll software can handle STP compliance for ATO reporting.
• It has built-in tools to interpret Modern Awards and entitlements.
• The platform integrates with a collection of HR tools. These include onboarding and performance management tools.
• Elmo's payroll solution can automate payroll calculations like tax and super.
• It has a self-service portal. Employees can manage their leave and access their payslips via this portal.
• Businesses can generate a range of payroll insights with customisable reporting.

Strengths

• Elmo's payroll software caters to Australian businesses with Australian compliance capabilities.
• Its payroll solution integrates with broader HR functions.
• It can offer a scalable solution for growing businesses or large organisations.

Weaknesses

• Elmo has limited global payroll capabilities. Because of this, businesses that have employees in different countries may struggle with this software.
• Sometimes, users express navigational concerns. This seems to be particularly relevant for non-HR experts or first-timers.
• Elmo's pricing may not be competitive for businesses on the smaller side of the scale.

3. BambooHR

BambooHR is an HR platform with a payroll solution. It offers basic capabilities for payroll processing. Generally, BambooHR serves small to medium-sized businesses with simple payroll requirements.

Key features

• BambooHR's payroll software can automate various elements of payroll processing.
• It can help businesses with tax deduction management, though in a limited capacity in Australia.
• The payroll software merges with the platform's HR features. These features can include performance management and benefits administration.
• Employees can record the hours they work via BambooHR's payroll software app for accurate wage calculations.
• BambooHR offers a secure, self-service portal. Employees can view their payslips and submit leave requests through this portal.
• It provides businesses with some easy-to-use reporting tools for payroll analytics.

Strengths

• Businesses appreciate the usability of BambooHR's payroll software. Reviews often state that the software is user-friendly and intuitive.
• Its payroll solution integrates with a variety of core HR functions.
• Some businesses may consider it an affordable option.

Weaknesses

• BambooHR's lack of STP and Modern Award support may deter businesses that want complete peace of mind surrounding compliance.
• The simplicity of BambooHR's payroll tools means it lacks more in-depth features.
• Some user reviews state that BambooHR's customer support falls short.

4. Workday

Workday is an HR and payroll system that typically serves enterprise-level businesses. It offers comprehensive payroll management capabilities, alongside tools for global employee management.

Key features

• Workday can automate payroll calculations and reporting in real-time.
• It offers some Australian-specific compliance tools, for example, STP reporting and tax deductions.
• Workday's payroll solution merges with time and attendance systems for accurate payroll calculations.
• Businesses can access advanced analytics through Workday's reporting capabilities.
• Workday offers detailed audit logs. It tracks any changes to payroll data for transparency.
• The platform enables employees to serve themselves through its portal.

Strengths

• Workday's robust analytics and reporting tools can be appealing for enterprise-level businesses with complex reporting needs.
• Workday's payroll software can be scalable for growing or bigger businesses.
• Its payroll solution merges with Workday HCM. So businesses can access payroll and workforce management tools in one place.

Weaknesses

• Small businesses may perceive the cost of Workday's payroll solution as high.
• With comprehensive functionality, the software can create a steep learning curve during implementation. This is particularly true for businesses that are without a dedicated HR team.
• Workday's limited focus on award interpretation may prove challenging. This can be especially true for businesses with employees under one or more Modern Awards.

5. Remote

Remote, as the name suggests, offers HR and payroll solutions for businesses with distributed teams. Its payroll software aims to simplify payroll processes for organisations that have workers spread across multiple countries.

Key features

• Remote caters to Australian payroll compliance. This includes local tax filing and superannuation contributions.
• It offers support for STP reporting.
• Remote automates routine payroll processing tasks.
• Its payroll software integrates with employee benefits administration and onboarding.
• Remote has comprehensive global payroll management capabilities.
• The platform enables employees and contractors to submit expense claims. Payroll integration ensures their timely reimbursement.

Strengths

• Users report that navigating Remote's payroll features is easy.
• For businesses with remote employees and contractors, Remote may simplify payroll processing.
• Remote offers a flexible pricing structure for different types and sizes of businesses.

Weaknesses

• Remote's payroll software doesn't interpret Modern Awards.
• Businesses with purely local payroll needs may find its capabilities limited.
• Compared to its competitors, its HR integration may fall short.

6. ADP Workforce Now

ADP Workforce Now is an HR and payroll solution. It generally serves medium to large businesses. With a focus on global payroll, it can be most suitable for Australian businesses with global operations.

Key features

• ADP Workforce Now puts tax calculations, submission processes, and STP reporting on autopilot.
• It can calculate payroll and superannuation contributions.
• The platform merges its payroll solution with time and attendance data for accurate payroll calculations based on hours worked.
• Through ADP Workforce Now, businesses can pay employees in multiple countries.
• The platform offers a self-service portal. This portal enables employees to access and edit their pay information and manage their benefits.
• ADP Workforce Now offers reporting features that facilitate advanced analytics.

Strengths

• ADP Workforce now offers businesses a scalable solution that can grow alongside them.
• It offers global compliance support for businesses with employees in several jurisdictions.
• ADP Workforce Now offers a suite of HR and workforce management tools alongside its payroll software.

Weaknesses

• Its higher than average price point may deter small businesses with basic needs.
• Some users, including those that consider themselves tech-savvy, find implementing ADP Workday Now challenging.
• ADP Workday Now doesn't have a direct focus on Australian business, which can lead to compliance limitations. This can be apparent surrounding Modern Awards interpretation.

7. UKG

UKG offers a workforce management and payroll solution. It's geared towards medium and large organisations. UKG places a large focus on automation and analytics and can support complex payroll requirements.

Key features

• UKG automates each part of the payroll process. This can include wage calculations, tax deductions, and direct deposits.
• The payroll software can facilitate STP reporting and tax filings.
• UKG's payroll solution comes with in-built compliance tools, including an award interpretation engine.
• The payroll software merges with a range of HR tools. This includes time tracking, onboarding, and performance management.
• Businesses can pay employees and contractors in various countries around the world with UKG.
• The payroll software offers customisable reporting tools.

Strengths

• Its comprehensive reporting tools can offer businesses in-depth insights into their payroll operations.
• UKG offers an HR and workforce management system alongside its payroll solution.
• It can handle Australia-specific payroll compliance.

Weaknesses

• Businesses with basic payroll requirements may find UKG's feature set a bit of a maze.
• Implementation can be complex and lengthy. Some users report they required dedicated IT support to get the software up and running.
• Some users report that UKG's customer support lacks efficiency, which can cause delays.

8. Deel

Deel offers HR and payroll software with an emphasis on global payroll and contractor management. For businesses that have global teams or a workforce with many contractors, Deel can offer tools to simplify payroll tasks and compliance.

Key features

• Deel automates some routine payroll processes.
• It can help with some elements of Australian payroll compliance. These include calculating tax and super.
• Deel can make the process of paying contractors easier. It can facilitate GST invoicing and assist with local tax compliance for independent workers in Australia.
• Business can make multi-currency payment to employees around the world with automated conversions.
• Deel's payroll software merges with its HR functionalities. These can include onboarding and document management.
• It integrates workers' expense claims directly with payroll.

Strengths

• Deel's global payroll capabilities can make it suitable for businesses with dispersed workforces.
• Its contractor management tools can appeal to businesses that have contractors make up much of their workforce.
• Deel offers a suite of HR and workforce management tools alongside its payroll solution.

Weaknesses

• Deel doesn't support STP reporting, nor does it interpret Modern Awards. For businesses with solely local operations, this can create red tape.
• For small businesses that only pay employees in Australia, the cost might outweigh the features.
• There are instances in which users have mentioned that Deel's customer service response times can also be slow.

9. SAP SuccessFactors

SAP SuccessFactors Employee Central Payroll is a cloud-based payroll solution. It forms part of SAP's HR platform focusses on automation and compliance. It can be suitable for medium to large businesses with intricate payroll needs.

Key features

• SuccessFactors' payroll software automates several payroll tasks.
• It can help with some elements of Australian payroll compliance. These include calculating tax and super and submitting of STP reports.
• SuccessFactors' payroll solution enables businesses to run payroll calculations in real-time.
• Time tracking data flows directly into payroll for accurate calculations based on hours worked.
• SAP SuccessFactors Employee Central Payroll has global payroll capabilities.
• The payroll software is part of a platform that also offers tools for recruitment, onboarding, and retention.

Strengths

• SuccessFactors can typically handle complicated payroll needs.
• Its payroll solution merges with SAP’s HCM and enterprise solutions.
• The payroll software's real-time monitoring allows for the proactive identification of errors and compliance risks.

Weaknesses

• While SuccessFactors supports STP reporting, it doesn't explicitly support the interpretation of Modern Awards.
• As an enterprise-grade solution, there's typically a necessity for a larger budget to implement and maintain the system.
• Some users mention customisation limitations and less than robust reporting abilities.

Why payroll software is essential for Australian businesses 

In Australia, payroll processing goes far beyond paying employees on time. It's a complicated process with many steps and many regulations to adhere to. For Australian businesses, payroll software isn't a luxury. It's a necessity. One that can help mitigate many of the payroll challenges businesses face. For example:

Complying with the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) and Single Touch Payroll (STP)

The ATO requires every Australian business with employees to periodically report payroll information. This information includes salaries and wages, superannuation liabilities, and pay-as-you-go (PAYG) withholding. 

Businesses need to submit this information via STP. Doing this manually is time consuming. And it also increases the risk of errors, which can lead to penalties and fines.

Understanding Modern Awards and various entitlements

There are over 100 Modern Awards in Australia. And each mandates a unique range of entitlements for employees and contractors. These can include things like overtime, penalties and allowances. Because of this, calculating pay and leave entitlements accurately can become quite daunting. This is especially true for businesses with employees falling under many awards.

Failure to adhere to the stipulations of Modern Awards can cause penalties and fines. It can also result in unhappy employees.

Handling diverse employee types

With different types of workers comes different tax rates, leave entitlements, and superannuation obligations. For example, how you pay full-time employees, part-time employees, and casual employees differs. Then there are contractors to throw into the mix, too. 

For businesses with a varied workforce, payroll processing can be problematic.

Managing a global workforce

For businesses with a workforce beyond Australia's borders, things get even more complicated. Like Australia, each country has their own set of labour regulations. Aside from labour laws, there's different tax systems and currencies to navigate. It can become overwhelming very quickly.

With these challenges in mind, it’s clear to see why payroll software is a must-have for Australian businesses. The best examples of modern payroll software directly address these challenges. For instance:

• They can automate tedious tasks. These can include calculating wages, deducting taxes, and contributing to superannuation funds. This automation is great for reducing the likelihood of manual errors.
• They can provide built-in compliance features. These can help businesses align with Australian labour laws. As a result, these features can safeguard them from non-compliance penalties and offer peace of mind.
• They can streamline lengthy payroll processes. This can save a lot of time that businesses can spend on strategic tasks.
• They can grow alongside businesses. This flexibility and scalability makes it easier for businesses to adapt to changing needs.

How to choose the right payroll software for your business

Now that you're aware of some of the key payroll software offerings in Australia, here are some steps for choosing one:

Step 1: Be clear about your business's requirements

Before shopping for payroll software, be clear about what you need from the software. A good way to get this clarity is to list your payroll requirements. Consider the size of your team and whether they're based in Australia or overseas. Think about the type of workers you hire. For instance, are they full-time, part-time, casual, or contractors? Next, consider the complexity of their pay structures. For example, how frequently are you dealing with Modern Awards, overtime, and benefits?

Step 2: Set a budget

Setting a budget before you look at payroll software can help narrow down the options you shortlist. When determining a budget, be sure to factor in costs like:

• setup costs
• ongoing subscription fees
• additional fees for extra features, customisations, or integrations

Step 3: Evaluate how the software can help with Australian compliance

Now that you know what your business needs and you have a budget, you can begin browsing payroll software. When doing so, evaluating each solution's Australian compliance capabilities should be a priority. There are many payroll software solutions available, but few have a truly local compliance focus. Some things to consider are:

• Can you generate and submit STP reports through the software?
• Does it calculate and direct superannuation contributions?
• Can it understand Australia's Modern Awards? And, if so, which ones?
• Does it handle the filing of taxes with the Australian tax office?

Step 4: Consider if it can grow with your business

There's nothing worse than hitting a business growth spurt, only to learn you now need to overhaul your entire payroll system. So, before committing to a specific payroll software solution, consider your business growth plans. And then check if the software will be able to keep up. A scalable payroll software should be able to handle a growing team or new locations without breaking a sweat. It should tackle multi-country payments with ease. And there should be the flexibility to add features or upgrade as your business evolves.

Step 5: Evaluate integration capabilities

Choosing payroll software that can play nice with your existing ecosystem can save a lot of time (and headaches) down the track. It pays to check that the software can integrate with your HR tools and sync with your accounting software. It's also worth checking if it can connect with your benefits management platform and handle API integrations. Ensuring the software you choose has ample integration capabilities can help you future-proof your business operations.

Step 6: Assess usability and support

Ease-of-use is key! There's no point investing in fancy, feature payroll software if nobody in your organisation can understand how to use it. This goes hand in hand with customer support. No software implementation is completely free of a learning curve. But excellent customer support can make all the difference. A great way to access useability is to take the software for a spin. You can do this through a demo or free trial.

Step 7: Check data security and privacy

Payroll data is sensitive stuff. So, it's important to make sure that the payroll software you choose is up to scratch as far as security and privacy goes. Some things to look for are:

• data encryption.
• secure cloud storage and backup options
• compliance with Australian data protection laws

Step 8: Learn from other businesses' experiences

There's nothing like word of mouth for unbiased insight into a product or service. And thanks to the internet, it's readily available. Read other Australian businesses' reviews of different payroll software solutions. Bonus points if they're in the same industry as your business. Note what they have to say about the software's reliability, ease of use, and customer support. Also, keep an eye out for any mention of limitations.

Step 9: Investigate options for customisation

No two businesses have the same payroll needs. So, it's essential that the payroll software you choose allows you to customise it to suit your business's individual requirements. Areas to pay close attention to on customisation are workflows and report generation. It's also important to check that you can customise pay types and the frequency of pay runs.

Step 10: Evaluate ROI

Before making a final decision, weigh up the cost of the software with the benefits it can offer your business. Here are some considerations to help you with this task:

• How much time will it save your business on routine payroll tasks?
• What productivity gains could the extra time/automation lead to?
• How much time will it save your business on correcting manual errors?
• How much money may it save your business in compliance penalties?

Pay employees and contractors your way with Rippling

While there are many options for payroll software, Rippling emerges as a superior one. Offering everything your business needs to manage its workforce in one place, it's the ultimate all-in-one system. With HR, Payroll, IT, and Spend all built on a single source of truth, data accuracy across all systems has never been this seamless.

With Rippling, you can pay any type of worker, in Australia and around the globe. And you can do it accurately and on time... every time. Got complex payroll requirements? No problem! Rippling handles it with ease, and all while maintaining a 100% error-free guarantee. It means saying goodbye to manual work and putting compliance on autopilot.

And that's not all. Rippling's payroll software offers endless configurations and customisations. It molds your business—not the other way around. You can even run off-cycle payrolls without incurring any extra expense.

With Rippling Payroll on your side, you can have peace of mind about compliance. It can interpret many award pay rates (with more and more being added). It can ace PAYGW calculations and STP2 submissions, and even help with super contributions. Apart from peace of mind, this also means that payroll now takes your business minutes to run instead of days.

With Rippling, the sky's the limit. It's a comprehensive, centralised solution. It's designed to grow with your business and follow it wherever it may go. Its employer of record (EOR) services can help you to hire around the world compliantly. And the platform merges effortlessly with over 600 apps. So, your existing workflows are safe!

Whether you're an Australian team of two or a global team of 2,000, Rippling has your back.

What’s the best payroll software for large enterprises?

Typically, large enterprises need a payroll provider that can offer:

• scalability
• compliance support
• advanced reporting
• integration with other enterprise tools

Rippling stands out as a payroll provider that can offer all this and more.

How much does payroll software cost in Australia?

There's generally no one-size-fits all solution. And the price of payroll software in Australia typically reflects that. How much you pay for payroll software can depend on many factors, including:

• your business size
• the quality and capabilities of the payroll software
• the features you opt in for

Aside from an ongoing subscription fee, it's important to consider other costs. These may include setup costs, add-ons, integrations or access to the providers' HR and HCM tools.

Can I use payroll software to pay employees and contractors?

Yes. Some modern payroll software solutions can support payments to both types of workers. For example, Rippling allows you to pay employees and contractors in Australia, and around the world. It features customised tax treatment for various pay types. For example, PAYG for employees and GST for contractors.

Can payroll software help with Fair Work compliance?

Yes, some payroll software with a local focus can help with Fair Work Compliance. Take Rippling, for example. Rippling Payroll can interpret many Modern Awards. The system can manage overtime, penalties, and leave entitlements. It can also automate STP reporting, submitting the necessary details to the ATO with every time you process payroll. 

Disclaimer: Rippling and its affiliates do not provide tax, accounting, or legal advice. This material has been prepared for informational purposes only, and is not intended to provide or be relied on for tax, accounting, or legal advice. You should consult your own tax, accounting, and legal advisors before engaging in any related activities or transactions.