Payroll software · New Zealand · Head-to-head

PayHero vs Smartly

Two New Zealand payroll software options, compared side by side for New Zealand trades.

Which should you choose?

PayHero edges ahead on our New Zealand tiering (Tier S vs A), but both are workable — the right pick depends on your trade, region, and the New Zealand-specific notes below.

PayHero

Tier S · Recommended

NZ payroll by FlexiTime — Holidays Act-compliant, automated payday filing, strong for variable-hours trades

PayHero (by FlexiTime) is New Zealand payroll software designed for accurate compliance — online timesheets, employee self-service, leave management, and automated payday filing to IRD. It is notably strong on MBIE Holidays Act compliance, with legislative updates applied automatically and a dedicated NZ support team, and it offers a trades-specific payroll product.

Pros

+ NZ-built with strong MBIE Holidays Act compliance
+ Automated payday filing to IRD
+ Timesheets, self-service, and leave management built in
+ Dedicated trades-payroll product and NZ support

Cons

− NZ-only — no cross-market value
− Per-employee pricing adds up as the team grows
− Full features require higher tiers

New Zealand note

MBIE Holidays Act compliance is a notorious NZ pain point, especially for variable-hours and overtime crews. PayHero's timesheet-driven model and automatic legislative updates are built for exactly that, with payday filing to IRD, KiwiSaver, and ACC handled.

Typical New Zealand pricing: From NZ$19 + $4/employee per month (base); Super $39 + $5, Premium $59 + $6

Full review → Visit →

Smartly

Tier A · Workable

NZ payroll specialist — SMB focus, IRD-compliant

Smartly is NZ payroll specialist with SMB focus. Full IRD compliance, KiwiSaver, leave management. Competes with iPayroll in the NZ SMB payroll segment.

Pros

+ NZ-focused with full IRD compliance
+ SMB pricing accessible
+ Cloud-native modern UI

Cons

− NZ-only
− Smaller scale than iPayroll or Xero NZ
− Less brand recognition

New Zealand note

NZ SMB focus with full compliance. Comparable to iPayroll in core feature set.

Typical New Zealand pricing: Varies — comparable to iPayroll

Full review → Visit →

More New Zealand options

See all New Zealand payroll software vendors and the rest of the New Zealand directory.

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