Payroll software · South Africa
Sage Payroll (SA)
Established small-business payroll with one-click SARS submissions
Market position
Sage's South African payroll for 1–99 employees — PAYE, UIF, SDL and IRP5 submissions to SARS "in a click", with the accountant familiarity of the Sage brand and published entry pricing.
South Africa-specific note
If your accountant already lives in Sage, this is the friction-free choice — and the published entry price is among the lowest real payroll options in SA.
Pros
- + Published entry pricing (from ~R1,080/year)
- + One-click SARS submissions (PAYE/UIF/SDL/IRP5)
- + Huge SA accountant ecosystem
- + 30-day trial
Cons
- − Tiered by employee count — costs step up
- − Less modern UI than the cloud-natives
- − Payroll module separate from accounting
- − Global product, SA is one edition
Typical South Africa pricing
Published: from R1,080/year (~R90/mo); tiers to 100 employees; 30-day trial.
Why this matters for South Africa trades
Electrical work legally requires Department of Employment & Labour registration (registered persons issue the mandatory Certificate of Compliance); gas work requires SAQCC Gas registration (unregistered work voids home insurance); PIRB plumbing CoCs are required for geysers and solar water heaters; CIDB grading gates public construction; NHBRC registration is mandatory for home builders; and employers need a current COIDA Letter of Good Standing for site access.
South African trades vendor selection is shaped by Certificate-of-Compliance culture (electrical CoCs via DoEL-registered persons, SAQCC Gas, PIRB plumbing CoCs), CIDB contractor grading (1–9) gating public work, NHBRC registration for home builders, SARS compliance (15% VAT, monthly EMP201, e-invoicing phasing in ~2026–28), the COIDA Letter of Good Standing — and the solar-installation boom the load-shedding era created.
Frequently asked
Is Sage Payroll (SA) a good fit for South Africa trades?
Sage's South African payroll for 1–99 employees — PAYE, UIF, SDL and IRP5 submissions to SARS "in a click", with the accountant familiarity of the Sage brand and published entry pricing. If your accountant already lives in Sage, this is the friction-free choice — and the published entry price is among the lowest real payroll options in SA.
What does Sage Payroll (SA) cost in South Africa?
Published: from R1,080/year (~R90/mo); tiers to 100 employees; 30-day trial.. Pricing and availability can change by region — confirm current South Africa pricing on the vendor's site before committing.