Payroll software · South Africa
Sage Payroll (SA)
Sage's cloud payroll for South African small businesses, priced by employee band from R1,164 a year (R97 a month) including VAT
Market position
Sage sells cloud payroll in South Africa alongside its accounting software. Its pricing page sells Sage Payroll in employee bands from 1-2 up to 200+ employees, with every feature in every package and a free trial, and Sage also offers Sage Payroll Advanced, Sage Payroll Professional and Sage 300 People for larger payrolls. Sage sold its South African payroll outsourcing business to ADP in January 2024, according to ITWeb.
South Africa-specific note
Sage's South African knowledge base publishes payroll tax pocket guides for each tax year, most recently 2026-2027. Check the current price and VAT basis on Sage's South African pricing page before signing up.
Pros
- + Published starting price of R1,164 a year (R97 a month) including VAT (1-2 employees)
- + Same vendor as Sage's South African accounting software
- + Upgrade path within Sage as headcount grows
Cons
- − The price rises through employee bands as the payroll grows
- − Several overlapping Sage payroll products to choose between
- − No managed payroll service from Sage in South Africa since the outsourcing business went to ADP
Typical South Africa pricing
Published by Sage: from R1,164 a year (R97 a month) including VAT for 1-2 employees, rising by employee band up to 200+ employees; all features in every package; free trial available.
Why this matters for South Africa trades
Under the Electrical Installation Regulations, 2009, electrical contractors must register with the Department of Employment and Labour, and only registered persons may issue the electrical Certificate of Compliance. Regulation 17 of the Pressure Equipment Regulations bars anyone who is not a registered authorised person (registered through SAQCC Gas) from installing or removing gas appliances and systems. Under PIRB’s rules, only PIRB Licensed Plumbers can issue its plumbing CoC, which is needed for most plumbing work above R1,500 and for electric, solar and heat pump water heating at any cost. Contractors must be cidb-registered to carry out public sector contracts awarded by tender or quotation, and each grade sets a maximum contract value; the NHBRC says anyone in the business of building homes must be registered with it; and under the Construction Regulations, 2014, clients and principal contractors must confirm COIDA good standing before work starts.
South African trades vendor selection is shaped by certificates issued on each job (electrical Certificates of Compliance from registered persons under the Department of Employment and Labour, SAQCC Gas certificates of conformity, PIRB plumbing CoCs), cidb registration and grading (1-9) for public sector contracts, NHBRC registration for home builders, SARS payroll and VAT obligations (15% VAT, the monthly EMP201 and EMP501 reconciliations, with mandatory e-invoicing proposed from 2030 in a SARS consultation paper of August 2026), and the COIDA Letter of Good Standing checked before site work.
Frequently asked
Is Sage Payroll (SA) a good fit for South Africa trades?
Sage sells cloud payroll in South Africa alongside its accounting software. Its pricing page sells Sage Payroll in employee bands from 1-2 up to 200+ employees, with every feature in every package and a free trial, and Sage also offers Sage Payroll Advanced, Sage Payroll Professional and Sage 300 People for larger payrolls. Sage sold its South African payroll outsourcing business to ADP in January 2024, according to ITWeb. Sage's South African knowledge base publishes payroll tax pocket guides for each tax year, most recently 2026-2027. Check the current price and VAT basis on Sage's South African pricing page before signing up.
What does Sage Payroll (SA) cost in South Africa?
Published by Sage: from R1,164 a year (R97 a month) including VAT for 1-2 employees, rising by employee band up to 200+ employees; all features in every package; free trial available. Pricing and availability can change by region; confirm current South Africa pricing on the vendor's site before committing.
Does Sage Payroll (SA) publish its prices?
Yes. Sage Payroll (SA) is Tier S in our South Africa directory, which means our check found its prices published on its own website (see the typical pricing above). The tier is not a quality ranking, so compare it against the alternatives for your trade and region.