SimplePay
SimplePay is the default cloud payroll for South African SMEs on Xero and many on Sage or QuickBooks: PAYE, UIF and SDL, IRP5/IT3(a) through e@syFile, leave and an employee self-service app. Pricing is a base fee plus a per-employee monthly fee, excluding VAT, with a free 30-day trial and an instant online quote.
Last verified 28 Oct 2026 · Reviewed by Accounting Software Africa editorial, Publisher editorial desk. Tax figures are cited to the Nigeria Tax Act 2025. Assign a named ICAN reviewer in this field before treating a page as a signed professional opinion.
- Product kind
- Payroll
- Made in
- South Africa
- Headquarters
- South Africa
Strengths
- African-made
- Built for SARS payroll
- Employee self-service app
- Transparent per-employee pricing
What it actually is
SimplePay is payroll only — no ledger. It calculates PAYE, UIF and SDL, produces payslips and IRP5/IT3(a) certificates, integrates with SARS e@syFile, and posts journals to Xero, Sage or QuickBooks.
Features
| Feature | Coverage | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Payroll / PAYE | Core strength | PAYE, UIF, SDL; IRP5 and IT3(a) via e@syFile. |
| Mobile app | Strong | Employee self-service for payslips, leave and claims. |
| Approvals | Present | Leave and claim approvals. |
| Double-entry ledger | Not offered | Posts payroll journals into your accounting software. |
| Invoicing | Not offered | Payroll only. |
Africa reach
| Countries | Presence |
|---|---|
 Nigeria | Not sold |
 Ghana | Not sold |
 Kenya | Not sold |
| South Africa | Available |
Pricing
| Plan | Amount | Billing | Includes | As of |
|---|
Compliance
| Requirement | Status | Note | Verified on |
|---|---|---|---|
| E-invoicing | Not supported | Payroll product. | 28 Oct 2026 |
| VAT filing | Not supported | Payroll product. | 28 Oct 2026 |
| WHT | Not supported | Not applicable. | 28 Oct 2026 |
| PAYE | Supported | PAYE, UIF, SDL; IRP5/IT3(a) via e@syFile. | 28 Oct 2026 |
| Local COA | Partial | Journal mapping to Xero, Sage, QuickBooks. | 28 Oct 2026 |
| Multi-currency | Not supported | Rand payroll. | 28 Oct 2026 |
| Bank feeds | Not supported | Payment files. | 28 Oct 2026 |
Best for
- SMEs with 1–500 employees
- Xero users
- Accounting firms running client payrolls
Not suitable for
- Multi-country payrolls (look at PaySpace)
Local support
Built and supported in South Africa.
Migration notes
Mid-tax-year onboarding is supported: load YTD values so IRP5s are correct.
What does SimplePay cost?
SimplePay prices with a base fee plus a fee per employee per month, excluding VAT, and gives an instant quote online. Bureaus and employers above 500 staff are quoted separately.
Can you start mid tax year?
Yes. Load each employee’s year-to-date figures so tax certificates reconcile at year end.
Sources
- SimplePay pricing 28 Oct 2026
Keep reading
- Xero in South Africa
Common pairing.
- PaySpace
For larger or multi-country payrolls.
Related in South Africa
- How to choose accounting software in South Africa
- PaySpace is the South African payroll platform larger employers and bureaus choose when SimplePay is too light: deeper HR, complex structures, and the ability to run payroll in many other African countries on one platform. It is now part of Deel and marketed as Deel Local Payroll.
- Business Central is the leading mid-market ERP step for South African companies outgrowing Sage Accounting, Pastel or Xero — especially distributors and manufacturers. Expect about R1,312 (Essentials) to R1,804 (Premium) per full user per month at list, plus a partner and an SA payroll integration.
- Dynamics 365 Finance is an enterprise ERP for large South African groups — retailers, mining services, financial-services groups — that run many entities and need consolidations, advanced cost accounting and a global tax engine. At about R3,444 per user per month at list, plus a multi-month programme, it is for organisations with an ERP team.
- NetSuite has a solid South African customer base among services, software, fintech and distribution companies with offshore parents or several subsidiaries. Pricing is by quote — an annual base licence plus users (indicatively $129–$199 each per month) and modules such as OneWorld.
- Xero is the main challenger to Sage for South African SMEs: rand pricing including VAT (R450 Starter, R795 Standard, R1,095 Premium from 1 November 2025), feeds with the major banks, and the largest app marketplace. Payroll is a partner app — most South African Xero users pair it with SimplePay.
- Tyms offers South African businesses AI-assisted bookkeeping at $200 per seat per year (about R3,280), with rand billing listed among its supported currencies. It is a strong catch-up and statement-driven ledger, but in South Africa it competes with mature local defaults — Sage and Xero have deeper bank feeds and accountant networks. Tyms Inc. publishes this site.
- QuickBooks Online is sold in South Africa but billed in US dollars, which puts it at a disadvantage against Sage and Xero’s rand pricing. It is a capable ledger and fits businesses whose accountants or parent companies already use it; for most South African SMEs, Sage or Xero is the more natural choice.