RMRiedwaan MthembuVerified
People Operations Lead
Mining services
South AfricaSomerset West2 to 10 employees
South AfricaSomerset West2 to 10 employees231 verified reviews
Every published review of Sage Payroll, unedited beyond length and clarity. Vendor responses are shown alongside the review they answer.
231 reviews match · page 12 of 24
RMRiedwaan MthembuVerified
People Operations Lead
South AfricaSomerset West2 to 10 employeesIt works. It is not enjoyable, but payroll rarely is. The Sage compliance engine without a local installation. 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. Good value, with some real rough edges.
What works
Posts straight into Sage Accounting with no export step. Setup was straightforward.
What does not
No bargaining council support. The reporting cannot break cost down by department.
KNKatlego NetshitenzheVerified
Payroll Manager
South AfricaJohannesburg500 plus employeesCompliance side is solid, the day to day is more of a slog than it should be. Posts straight into Sage Accounting with no export step. 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. I would shortlist it, not necessarily pick it.
What works
Posts straight into Sage Accounting with no export step. Statutory outputs are correct.
What does not
Wage and shift payroll is weaker than salaried. Support queues get long towards month end.
MMMusa MotaungVerified
Audit Manager
South AfricaGeorge500 plus employeesThe compliance errors were the problem, and they took too long to acknowledge. For context, 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. We moved to an alternative and the difference was immediate.
What works
The payslip layout is clean.
What does not
ETI required manual correction for months. The March year end process was poorly documented. Leave accruals did not follow BCEA rules.
HWHendrik WindvogelVerified
Payroll Administrator
South AfricaDurban51 to 200 employeesThe tax year end is what convinced me. Nothing broke. 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
Backed by the largest accounting software vendor in the market. EMP201 and EMP501 submissions have been correct every period. ETI is calculated on the sliding scale and shows its working.
What does not
Reporting outside the statutory pack is thin.
TBThemba BennettVerified
Senior Payroll Consultant
South AfricaSandtonSole traderWe use maybe sixty percent of what we pay for. Posts straight into Sage Accounting with no export step. 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. I would shortlist it, not necessarily pick it.
What works
Per employee pricing that scales with headcount. Setup was straightforward.
What does not
The reporting cannot break cost down by department. Support queues get long towards month end.
RCRebecca Chauke
HR and Payroll Manager
South AfricaVereeniging11 to 50 employeesWe switched after our previous provider got an ETI calculation wrong. The Sage compliance engine without a local installation. 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. Two years in and nobody has suggested we look at alternatives.
What works
Posts straight into Sage Accounting with no export step. BCEA leave accruals are right without configuration. The ACB file imports into our bank without a support call.
What does not
The interface takes a while for a new administrator.
GRGerhard Ramavhoya
General Manager
South AfricaStellenbosch201 to 500 employeesWe 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. 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
The Sage compliance engine without a local installation. Support answers in South African hours and understands the question. IRP5 files validated in e@syFile without a single rejection.
What does not
The interface takes a while for a new administrator.
NMNokuthula MalekaVerified
Senior Bookkeeper
South AfricaPolokwaneSole traderWe run about ninety staff on this and it has not missed a submission. Backed by the largest accounting software vendor in the market. 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
Posts straight into Sage Accounting with no export step. IRP5 files validated in e@syFile without a single rejection. The ACB file imports into our bank without a support call.
What does not
The interface takes a while for a new administrator.
SRSipho Ramavhoya
Payroll Administrator
South AfricaPolokwane500 plus employeesWe switched after our previous provider got an ETI calculation wrong. 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. It is not perfect, and it is the right choice for us.
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
Reporting outside the statutory pack is thin.
CVCraig van WykVerified
Payroll and Benefits Officer
South AfricaGeorgeSole traderCompliance side is solid, the day to day is more of a slog than it should be. The Sage compliance engine without a local installation. 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. I would shortlist it, not necessarily pick it.
What works
Per employee pricing that scales with headcount. Per employee pricing is fair for a small team.
What does not
No bargaining council support. Support queues get long towards month end.
Response from the vendor27 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.