Payroll software · Australia · Head-to-head
Employment Hero Payroll (formerly KeyPay) vs Reckon
Two Australia payroll software options, compared side by side for Australia trades.
Which should you choose?
Employment Hero Payroll (formerly KeyPay) and Reckon are both Tier S: our check found each one's prices published on its own website, so you can compare their costs before talking to sales. The tier is not a quality ranking: weigh the pros, cons, pricing and Australia-specific notes below against your trade and region.
Employment Hero Payroll (formerly KeyPay)
Tier S · Published pricesEmployment Hero's payroll (formerly KeyPay): award-rate automation, STP Phase 2 and built-in super clearing
Employment Hero Payroll is the former KeyPay, which HR software company Employment Hero acquired in February 2022 and rebranded in May 2023. Employment Hero says its payroll updates pay rates automatically for modern awards and penalty rates, pulls in rostering and timesheet data, and reports through Single Touch Payroll Phase 2. It is sold as a Payroll plan or inside the Employment Unlimited HR and payroll bundle, and Employment Hero says it has more than 350,000 customers.
Pros
- + Pay rates update automatically for modern awards and penalty rates, Employment Hero says
- + STP Phase 2 reporting to the ATO
- + Built-in super clearing (HeroClear) for Payday Super
- + Rostering and time data sync into pay runs
Cons
- − Minimum of 10 Users, so a 3-person crew pays for 10
- − Payroll page shows no billing period or GST basis for the $10 price
- − Rostering & Time is a paid add-on
- − The full HR and payroll bundle (Employment Unlimited) is quote-only
Australia note
Employment Hero calls its payroll 'ATO-recognised' for STP Phase 2 reporting. For Payday Super (from 1 July 2026 super must be paid every pay cycle), its HeroClear clearing house validates, pays and tracks super contributions from payroll.
Reckon
Tier S · Published pricesAustralian payroll app and Reckon One payroll: STP Phase 2 and Payday Super, from $16 a month
Reckon is an ASX-listed Australian software company founded in 1987 by Greg Wilkinson. Its Reckon One cloud software offers accounting and payroll plans, and the standalone Reckon Payroll App runs pay runs on phone or web. It suits a sole trader or small crew that needs pay runs, super and STP reporting without paying for a full accounting suite.
Pros
- + STP Phase 2 and Payday Super compliance stated for its payroll
- + Built-in SuperStream to calculate, lodge and pay super, Reckon says
- + Low entry price: Payroll Essentials $16 a month for up to 4 employees
- + Payroll App on iOS, Android and web, plus the Reckon Mate employee app for payslips and leave
Cons
- − Award interpretation is not mentioned on its payroll pages
- − Priced by employee band (up to 4, up to 10, unlimited), so a growing crew moves up a plan
- − No rostering or time clock mentioned; employees submit timesheets for approval
- − Introductory offers last 6 months: the $1 Reckon One offer closes on 31 October 2026 and the $0.99 in-app Payroll App offer on 31 December 2026
Australia note
Reckon says its payroll is fully ATO registered, Single Touch Payroll Phase 2 compliant and Payday Super compliant, with built-in SuperStream to calculate, lodge and pay super. Its Payroll App page says data is hosted in Australia.
More Australia options
See all Australia payroll software vendors and the rest of the Australia directory.