BrightPay Payroll Services: The Ultimate Guide Quick answer
BrightPay Payroll is an award-winning payroll software designed to simplify payroll management for small to medium-sized businesses in the UK and Ireland, and they automate tasks for you like PAYE, RTI submissions, and pension auto-enrolment, ensuring compliance with UK and Ireland tax and pension regulations.
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Payroll Cost Calculator UK Estimate your monthly payroll cost based on employee numbers, pay frequency, pension duties, CIS, payslips, reports and support level.
Pay frequency
Monthly Weekly Fortnightly Four-weekly Mixed payroll frequencies Weekly payroll usually costs more because it runs more often.
Payroll service type
Payroll software only Managed payroll service Fully outsourced payroll Payroll bureau / accountant Software is usually cheaper; outsourced payroll gives more support.
Business type
Office / admin business Retail / shop Hospitality / restaurant / café Construction / trades Care / healthcare Agency / variable staff Professional services Multi-site business Variable hours, shifts and CIS can increase payroll complexity.
Need workplace pension / auto-enrolment support?
No Basic pension submissions Full auto-enrolment support Includes pension assessment, contributions or pension file uploads.
Need CIS payroll?
No Yes, include CIS Useful for construction businesses paying subcontractors.
Variable pay complexity
Low: fixed salaries Medium: overtime / bonuses High: shifts, tips, commissions or allowances Hospitality, retail and sales teams often need more checks.
Payslip delivery
Digital payslips Employee portal Printed payslips Printed payslips can add admin and postage costs.
Need HR support?
No Basic HR advice Payroll + HR support Useful if you need contracts, absence, holiday or employment advice.
Reporting level
Basic payroll reports Management reports Advanced reports / costing / departments Departmental reporting can be useful for larger teams.
Need year-end support?
Yes No Includes end-of-year payroll checks and employee documents where relevant.
Setup / migration needed?
No setup needed Standard setup / migration Complex migration / multiple payrolls Changing provider mid-year may require extra setup.
Your estimated payroll costs
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This calculator is an estimate only. Actual payroll costs vary by provider, employee count, pay frequency, payroll complexity, pension duties, CIS, HR support, setup, integrations, reporting and service level.
Contents
Benefits of Brightpay Payroll
Downsides of Brightpay Payroll
What Does Brightpay Offer?
Our Verdict on Brightpay Payroll
How do we work?
Transparent, impartial, and data‑driven reviews made by a team of expert humans, never AI generated – here’s exactly how Compare Your Business Costs helps you find the best deals from trusted UK providers: click here
Authored by: Ally Cox (Business Technology & B2B Services Specialist 10+ Years’ Experience)
Reviewed by: James Ward (Telecoms Specialist, 12+ Years Experience)
Last Updated: July 2026
Key Takeaways
They can simplify PAYE, RTI, and auto-enrolment tasks for compliance.
BrightPay is free for businesses with fewer than three employees.
Supports weekly, monthly, and other payment frequencies.
Lacks mobile app functionality, unless using BrightPay Connect.
Some businesses may find the integration options restrictive.
Known for reliable UK-based support for users.
Brightpay Payroll Awards
Improvements of Brightpay Payroll over the Years Some of our top things we think BrightPay have improved on in recent years are:
Introduction of BrightPay Connect, adding cloud functionality for remote access
Enhanced auto-enrolment features for pension management
Improved RTI submission capabilities for quicker and more accurate tax filing
More robust reporting features for payroll and employee data
Updates to comply with changes in UK and Ireland tax regulations
Issues of Brightpay Payroll Over the Years
No mobile app or dedicated cloud functionality without BrightPay Connect
Limited integrations with third-party software
No advanced customisation options for larger or more complex businesses
How to Purc hase BrightPay Payroll
Our Verdict on BrightPay Payroll Overall – we are big fans! We think that BrightPay Payroll is an excellent payroll solution for small to medium-sized businesses in the UK and Ireland, offering you with a user-friendly interface and strong compliance features.
We think that it is particularly well-suited for businesses looking for an affordable and reliable payroll system that automates tax filings, PAYE, RTI, and pension auto-enrolment. While the desktop-based nature of the software can limit flexibility without BrightPay Connect, the system’s overall functionality, affordability, and strong customer support make it a top choice in our books for businesses in need of a simple yet powerful payroll solution.
FAQs About BrightPay Payroll Is BrightPay Payroll free for small businesses?
Yes, BrightPay is free for businesses with fewer than three employees, making it a great option for start-ups or micro-businesses.
Can BrightPay handle pension auto-enrolment?
Yes, BrightPay offers auto-enrolment functionality to ensure compliance with UK and Ireland pension laws.
Does BrightPay offer a mobile app?
No, BrightPay does not have a dedicated mobile app unless you use BrightPay Connect, which adds cloud functionality for remote access.
Can BrightPay integrate with other software?
BrightPay offers some third-party integrations, but it has limited options compared to other payroll solutions.
Is BrightPay suitable for larger businesses?
While BrightPay is ideal for small to medium-sized businesses, larger businesses may find the software lacks advanced customisation and complex payroll features.
Related Payroll & HR Guides If you’re researching payroll services, the guides below explore specific providers, compliance topics, and specialist use cases in more detail.
🧾 Payroll Services & Outsourcing
Compare different outsourcing models and managed solutions:
🌍 International & Global Payroll
For businesses hiring overseas or operating across multiple countries:
Payroll Software Providers
If you’re comparing payroll software instead of outsourcing:
Enterprise Payroll Providers
For larger organisations and complex payroll structures:
Specialist Payroll Solutions
Industry-specific and niche payroll guidance:
Payroll Compliance & HMRC Guidance
Understand the regulatory side of payroll:
Hi, I’m Ally Cox , a senior copywriter and blogger at CompareYourBusinessCosts.co.uk, the UK’s trusted platform for comparing business services.over a decade of experience in the B2B sector, I specialise in simplifying complex topics like leased lines, VoIP, business energy, HR and payroll solutions, accounting software, and EPOS systems .HR, copywriting, and business operations- from clocking-in systems to card machines and office technology .informed, confident decisions when choosing products and services that improve efficiency and save money.
