231 verified reviews

Sage Payroll reviews

Every published review of Sage Payroll, unedited beyond length and clarity. Vendor responses are shown alongside the review they answer.

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231 reviews match · page 13 of 24

Nonhlanhla MotaungVerified

Group Financial Manager

Hospitality

Johannesburg11 to 50 employees

5.0

16 Jul 2025

EMP501 reconciliation took forty minutes

The tax year end is what convinced me. Nothing broke. Backed by the largest accounting software vendor in the market. That is the part that genuinely changed how we work. Nothing has come up in the last year that I would call a real problem. If you are weighing it up, do the trial with your own data and you will see it.

What works

The Sage compliance engine without a local installation. Support answers in South African hours and understands the question. The ACB file imports into our bank without a support call.

What does not

The interface takes a while for a new administrator.

Gerhard SwanepoelVerified

HR and Payroll Manager

Healthcare

Namibia500 plus employees

4.0

13 Jul 2025

EMP501 reconciliation took forty minutes

I have run payroll on four different systems and this is the one I would choose again. Posts straight into Sage Accounting with no export step. That is the part that genuinely changed how we work. There are irritations, and none of them are the kind that make you look elsewhere. Two years in and nobody has suggested we look at alternatives.

What works

Posts straight into Sage Accounting with no export step. The ACB file imports into our bank without a support call. IRP5 files validated in e@syFile without a single rejection.

What does not

The interface takes a while for a new administrator.

Marisa BothaVerified

Payroll Manager

Mining services

George201 to 500 employees

2.0

09 Jul 2025

Bargaining council rules were never supported properly

It was sold as suitable for wage staff. It is not. The thing worth knowing is that the parts we were sold on never worked the way they were demonstrated. The gaps are the kind that create work rather than save it. It may suit a simpler business than ours.

What works

It is cheaper than the alternatives.

What does not

The March year end process was poorly documented. Support could not explain their own statutory outputs. ETI required manual correction for months.

Riedwaan RobertsVerified

Debtors Manager

Non profit

George2 to 10 employees

4.0

03 Jul 2025

Our IRP5 files validated in e@syFile first time

We run about ninety staff on this and it has not missed a submission. The Sage compliance engine without a local installation. That is the part that genuinely changed how we work. There are irritations, and none of them are the kind that make you look elsewhere. If you are weighing it up, do the trial with your own data and you will see it.

What works

Per employee pricing that scales with headcount. BCEA leave accruals are right without configuration. Support answers in South African hours and understands the question.

What does not

Reporting outside the statutory pack is thin.

Stefan RamavhoyaVerified

HR Business Partner

Food and beverage

PaarlSole trader

5.0

01 Jul 2025

Our IRP5 files validated in e@syFile first time

We run about ninety staff on this and it has not missed a submission. Posts straight into Sage Accounting with no export step. That is the part that genuinely changed how we work. Nothing has come up in the last year that I would call a real problem. Worth the migration effort, which is not something I say often.

What works

The Sage compliance engine without a local installation. EMP201 and EMP501 submissions have been correct every period. ETI is calculated on the sliding scale and shows its working.

What does not

There is no real HR functionality, so we run a second system.

Zanele Arendse

Wages Clerk

Insurance

Kimberley500 plus employees

4.0

29 Jun 2025

Our IRP5 files validated in e@syFile first time

The tax year end is what convinced me. Nothing broke. Per employee pricing that scales with headcount. That is the part that genuinely changed how we work. There are irritations, and none of them are the kind that make you look elsewhere. If you are weighing it up, do the trial with your own data and you will see it.

What works

Per employee pricing that scales with headcount. Employee self service cut payslip queries almost to zero. IRP5 files validated in e@syFile without a single rejection.

What does not

There is no real HR functionality, so we run a second system.

Lungile ReddyVerified

Talent Acquisition Lead

Non profit

Witbank201 to 500 employees

3.0

22 Jun 2025

Good product, frustrating support queue

Compliance side is solid, the day to day is more of a slog than it should be. Backed by the largest accounting software vendor in the market. Beyond that it is more ordinary than the marketing suggests. It sits squarely in the middle for us, useful but not something I would champion. It is a reasonable choice, provided you know what it does not do.

What works

Per employee pricing that scales with headcount. Payslips are clear and employees understand them.

What does not

Wage and shift payroll is weaker than salaried. No bargaining council support.

Response from the vendor01 Jul 2025

We appreciate you taking the time to write this up. The support delay you experienced is not the standard we hold ourselves to, and we have followed up internally. Please reach out directly and we will assist.

Lizelle BezuidenhoutVerified

Industrial Relations Manager

Information technology

Witbank201 to 500 employees

4.0

20 Jun 2025

Payroll stopped being the worst week of the month

The tax year end is what convinced me. Nothing broke. Per employee pricing that scales with headcount. That is the part that genuinely changed how we work. There are irritations, and none of them are the kind that make you look elsewhere. It is not perfect, and it is the right choice for us.

What works

The Sage compliance engine without a local installation. The ACB file imports into our bank without a support call. BCEA leave accruals are right without configuration.

What does not

Reporting outside the statutory pack is thin.

Lucinda NkunaVerified

Learning and Development Manager

Property and real estate

Durban11 to 50 employees

5.0

14 Jun 2025

EMP501 reconciliation took forty minutes

We switched after our previous provider got an ETI calculation wrong. Posts straight into Sage Accounting with no export step. That is the part that genuinely changed how we work. Nothing has come up in the last year that I would call a real problem. Worth the migration effort, which is not something I say often.

What works

Posts straight into Sage Accounting with no export step. ETI is calculated on the sliding scale and shows its working. Support answers in South African hours and understands the question.

What does not

The interface takes a while for a new administrator.

Johan Steyn

Accountant

Accounting

Witbank51 to 200 employees

4.0

02 Jun 2025

Support actually understands South African payroll

I have run payroll on four different systems and this is the one I would choose again. The Sage compliance engine without a local installation. That is the part that genuinely changed how we work. There are irritations, and none of them are the kind that make you look elsewhere. If you are weighing it up, do the trial with your own data and you will see it.

What works

Backed by the largest accounting software vendor in the market. IRP5 files validated in e@syFile without a single rejection. ETI is calculated on the sliding scale and shows its working.

What does not

There is no real HR functionality, so we run a second system.

231 verified reviews

What works

Per employee pricing that scales with headcount. Payslips are clear and employees understand them.

What does not

Wage and shift payroll is weaker than salaried. No bargaining council support.

Response from the vendor01 Jul 2025

Lizelle BezuidenhoutVerified

Industrial Relations Manager

Information technology

Witbank201 to 500 employees

4.0

20 Jun 2025

Payroll stopped being the worst week of the month

The tax year end is what convinced me. Nothing broke. Per employee pricing that scales with headcount. That is the part that genuinely changed how we work. There are irritations, and none of them are the kind that make you look elsewhere. It is not perfect, and it is the right choice for us.

What works

The Sage compliance engine without a local installation. The ACB file imports into our bank without a support call. BCEA leave accruals are right without configuration.

What does not

Reporting outside the statutory pack is thin.

Lucinda NkunaVerified

Learning and Development Manager

Property and real estate

Durban11 to 50 employees

5.0

14 Jun 2025

EMP501 reconciliation took forty minutes

What works

Posts straight into Sage Accounting with no export step. ETI is calculated on the sliding scale and shows its working. Support answers in South African hours and understands the question.

What does not

The interface takes a while for a new administrator.

Johan Steyn

Accountant

Accounting

Witbank51 to 200 employees

4.0

02 Jun 2025

Support actually understands South African payroll

What works

Backed by the largest accounting software vendor in the market. IRP5 files validated in e@syFile without a single rejection. ETI is calculated on the sliding scale and shows its working.

What does not

There is no real HR functionality, so we run a second system.