NerdNumbers

BrightPay

Our Pick

Payroll

Feature-rich payroll software trusted by thousands of UK bureaus, now transitioning to cloud.

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Overview

BrightPay has been a favourite among UK payroll bureaus for years, offering comprehensive payroll processing with an intuitive interface. The desktop version is being discontinued in the 2025/26 tax year, pushing users toward BrightPay Connect (the cloud version).

The software handles RTI submissions, auto-enrolment pension management, and payslip distribution well. The bureau features are particularly strong, with multi-employer management, batch processing, and client portal access.

If you are currently on BrightPay Desktop, the migration to BrightPay Connect is relatively smooth, but firms should plan this transition now rather than waiting for the deadline.

Best for

Payroll bureaus and firms processing payroll for multiple clients

Key Features

Full UK payroll processing with RTI submissions
Auto-enrolment pension management
Employee self-service portal
Multi-employer management for bureaus
Payslip distribution (email and portal)
HMRC direct submission
Cloud version (BrightPay Connect) available
Year-end processing and P60 generation

Pros & Cons

What We Like

  • Comprehensive payroll features at a competitive price
  • Strong bureau features for multi-client management
  • Intuitive interface reduces training time
  • Reliable HMRC submissions
  • Good migration path from desktop to cloud

Watch Out For

  • Desktop version being discontinued requires migration planning
  • Cloud version still maturing compared to desktop
  • Integration ecosystem is smaller than competitors
  • Support wait times can increase during peak payroll periods

Pricing

BrightPay Connect from around £7/month per employer. Bureau pricing available.

Key Integrations

XeroSageQuickBooks Online

Our Verdict

BrightPay is our top recommendation for payroll, especially for bureaus. The feature set is comprehensive and the pricing is competitive. If you are on the desktop version, start planning your migration to BrightPay Connect now.

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Other Payroll Tools

Staffology

API-first cloud payroll built for integration and automation.

Sage Payroll

Established UK payroll solution from the trusted Sage brand.

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BrightPay Review for Accounting Firms | NerdNumbers | NerdNumbers