Payroll software · New Zealand · Head-to-head
PayHero vs Thankyou Payroll
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 · RecommendedNZ 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.
Thankyou Payroll
Tier A · WorkableNZ cloud payroll + IRD PAYE intermediary — files PAYE/KiwiSaver for you
NZ-only cloud payroll for small businesses, charities and NFPs. It acts as an IRD-accredited PAYE Intermediary — filing and paying PAYE/KiwiSaver to IRD on the employer’s behalf, more hands-off than DIY tools. It competes with iPayroll/Smartly/PayHero on price and simplicity, with a social-enterprise/carbon-positive identity.
Pros
- + Full PAYE-intermediary service — automated payday filing + IRD payments
- + Transparent capped NZD pricing (charged only for pays you run)
- + Free until first pay run; 100% free for registered charities
- + Native Xero; employee app + payslips
Cons
- − Per-pay base fee can add up for weekly cycles
- − Smaller brand than iPayroll/Smartly
- − Lighter feature depth (small-team geared)
- − Transitioning to charity ownership (minor structural note)
New Zealand note
IRD payday filing explicitly automated; acts as an IRD PAYE Intermediary; handles KiwiSaver, PAYE and Holidays Act leave/holiday-pay calculations.
More New Zealand options
See all New Zealand payroll software vendors and the rest of the New Zealand directory.