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Comparison

Best Payroll Software UK — 2026 Rankings

From cloud accounting add-ons to fully managed payroll bureaus, we ranked the top 6 payroll platforms for UK businesses based on HMRC compliance, ease of use, pricing, and support quality.

Last updated: April 2026

Our top pick

Xero Payroll — the best combination of UK payroll compliance, accountant ecosystem, and third-party integrations for growing businesses.

PlatformStarting priceHMRC RTIAuto-enrolmentSelf-serviceBest for
Xero Payroll$15/mo + $5/emp✓ Direct✓✓ Xero MeGrowing SMEs
Rippling~$8/user/mo✓ Direct✓✓ PortalMid-size all-in-one
QuickBooks$14/mo incl.✓ Direct✓✓ PortalSole traders
Sage Payroll$12/mo✓ Direct✓✓ PortalEstablished firms
Deel PayrollCustom✗ Partner✓ Partner✓ PortalGlobal payroll
Moorepay~$10-15/emp/mo✓ Managed✓ Managed✓ PortalManaged service
1

Xero Payroll

Best overall payroll software for UK small businesses.

Best Overall

Pros

  • ✓Direct HMRC RTI filing and year-end submissions
  • ✓Huge ecosystem of 1,000+ third-party app integrations
  • ✓Xero Me employee self-service app for payslips and leave

Cons

  • ✗Payroll is a paid add-on ($5/employee/month)
  • ✗Requires a Xero accounting subscription as base

Pricing: From $15/month + $5/employee/month for payroll.

Try Xero Payroll →

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2

Rippling

Best for mid-size UK businesses wanting HR + payroll unified.

Best All-in-One

Pros

  • ✓Native UK payroll with direct HMRC integration
  • ✓Combines payroll with HR, benefits, and IT management
  • ✓Automated tax calculations and statutory pay

Cons

  • ✗No transparent pricing; requires a sales call
  • ✗Overkill for businesses with fewer than 20 employees

Pricing: From ~$8/user/month. Custom pricing for payroll module.

Try Rippling →

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3

QuickBooks Payroll

Best value for sole traders and micro businesses.

Best Value

Pros

  • ✓Payroll included in accounting plans at no extra cost
  • ✓Step-by-step payroll wizard for non-accountants
  • ✓Automatic HMRC RTI submissions and year-end reporting

Cons

  • ✗Smaller integration ecosystem than Xero
  • ✗Less popular with UK accountants

Pricing: From $14/month with payroll included.

Try QuickBooks Payroll →

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4

Sage Payroll

Best for established UK businesses needing comprehensive payroll.

Most Established

Pros

  • ✓Deep UK payroll heritage with decades of HMRC compliance
  • ✓CIS (Construction Industry Scheme) support built in
  • ✓Comprehensive statutory pay calculations including SSP, SMP, SPP

Cons

  • ✗Interface feels dated compared to Xero and QuickBooks
  • ✗Customer support can be slow during busy periods

Pricing: From $12/month for up to 5 employees. Scales with headcount.

Try Sage Payroll →

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5

Deel Payroll

Best for UK companies paying international employees.

Best for Global Payroll

Pros

  • ✓Pay employees in 100+ countries from one platform
  • ✓Handles local tax compliance in each country
  • ✓Free HR platform for companies under 200 employees

Cons

  • ✗UK payroll handled by third-party partners, not native
  • ✗Expensive for domestic-only payroll needs

Pricing: UK payroll: custom pricing. EOR from $599/employee/month.

Try Deel Payroll →

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6

Moorepay

Best for UK businesses that want managed payroll services.

Best Managed Service

Pros

  • ✓Fully managed payroll bureau option (they run payroll for you)
  • ✓UK-based support team with payroll expertise
  • ✓Includes HR software alongside payroll at no extra cost

Cons

  • ✗More expensive than self-service payroll platforms
  • ✗Less flexibility for businesses that want to run payroll themselves

Pricing: Custom pricing based on employee count. Typically $10-15/employee/month.

Try Moorepay →

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Which Should You Choose?

Sole trader or micro business (1–5 employees)

QuickBooks Payroll. Payroll is included in the accounting subscription, making it the cheapest all-in-one option.

Small business (5–50 employees)

Xero Payroll. Best ecosystem for working with UK accountants, strong integrations, and reliable HMRC compliance.

Growing company (50–200 employees)

Rippling. Unified payroll, HR, and IT management becomes essential at this scale. Native HMRC integration and workflow automation save significant admin time.

Construction or trade businesses

Sage Payroll. Built-in CIS support and decades of UK payroll expertise make it the default choice for the construction industry.

Want someone else to run payroll entirely

Moorepay. Their managed payroll bureau handles everything from calculations to HMRC submissions, freeing you from payroll admin completely.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the cheapest payroll software in the UK?+
QuickBooks Payroll is the cheapest option with payroll included in plans starting at $14/month. Xero Payroll is also affordable at $15/month plus $5/employee. For very small teams, these are the most cost-effective choices.
Do I need payroll software if I use an accountant?+
If your accountant runs payroll for you, you may not need separate payroll software. However, many accountants prefer clients to use Xero or Sage so they can access payroll data directly. Ask your accountant which platform they recommend.
Can payroll software file RTI with HMRC automatically?+
Yes. Xero, QuickBooks, Rippling, and Sage all file Real Time Information (RTI) submissions directly with HMRC. This includes Full Payment Submissions (FPS) each pay period and Employer Payment Summaries (EPS) when needed.
What is auto-enrolment and does payroll software handle it?+
Auto-enrolment is the UK legal requirement for employers to enrol eligible employees into a workplace pension scheme. All payroll software listed here supports auto-enrolment, including assessment of eligible employees, communication letters, and pension provider integration.
How do I switch payroll software mid-year?+
You can switch mid-year by importing year-to-date figures for each employee into the new platform. Most providers offer migration support. However, switching at the start of a new tax year (April) is simpler and reduces the risk of errors.