NMNonhlanhla MotaungVerified
Group Financial Manager
Hospitality
South AfricaJohannesburg11 to 50 employees
South AfricaJohannesburg11 to 50 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 13 of 24
NMNonhlanhla MotaungVerified
Group Financial Manager
South AfricaJohannesburg11 to 50 employeesThe 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.
GSGerhard SwanepoelVerified
HR and Payroll Manager
NamibiaNamibia500 plus employeesI 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.
MBMarisa BothaVerified
Payroll Manager
South AfricaGeorge201 to 500 employeesIt 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.
RRRiedwaan RobertsVerified
Debtors Manager
South AfricaGeorge2 to 10 employeesWe 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.
SRStefan RamavhoyaVerified
HR Business Partner
South AfricaPaarlSole traderWe 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.
ZAZanele Arendse
Wages Clerk
South AfricaKimberley500 plus employeesThe 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.
LRLungile ReddyVerified
Talent Acquisition Lead
South AfricaWitbank201 to 500 employeesCompliance 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.
LBLizelle BezuidenhoutVerified
Industrial Relations Manager
South AfricaWitbank201 to 500 employeesThe 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.
LNLucinda NkunaVerified
Learning and Development Manager
South AfricaDurban11 to 50 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. 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.
JSJohan Steyn
Accountant
South AfricaWitbank51 to 200 employeesI 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.