Estimate a low–high monthly cost for payroll or HR software from your headcount, an illustrative per-employee price band and any fixed monthly base fee or add-ons.
Choose the type of software you are considering, enter how many employees you pay in a typical month and add any fixed monthly charges. The tool calculates: monthly cost = employees × price per employee per month + fixed monthly charges, once with the low end of the band and once with the high end.
Who counts as an employee? Many vendors bill for every employee paid in the month, or every active employee record, including casuals who worked a single shift. Some count rostered users separately from payroll employees. Check the definition in the vendor's terms, because a hospitality business with 15 permanent staff and 25 casuals may be billed for 40.
The price bands are illustrative only. They are not vendor prices and are not a ranking of any product. Replace them with the per-employee price from your own quote for the tier that includes every feature you need.
Worked example (illustrative): a café group pays 25 employees a month and needs award interpretation and rostering. At $12–$25 per employee a month with a $50 monthly base fee: low = 25 × $12 + $50 = $350; high = 25 × $25 + $50 = $675 a month, or $4,200–$8,100 a year.
Limits: the estimator does not include GST, exchange-rate movements on USD-priced plans, one-off implementation costs or renewal uplifts. Use the renewal uplift calculator for price rises and the 3-year TCO worked example for a full budget.
Worked Costings and Selection Checklists
Which type of payroll and HR software is the best fit for micro employers, offices, hospitality and retail, health and care, construction and multi-state businesses, with illustrative cost bands.
Worked Costings and Selection Checklists
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Worked Costings and Selection Checklists
What each payroll and HR software module does for an Australian employer, from leave accruals and rostering to onboarding and self-service, how it is usually priced and when it is worth paying for.
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Compare payroll and HR software types for Australian small and mid-sized employers, the cost lines that drive the price, and the 2026–27 rules any system must handle.
Worked Costings and Selection Checklists
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Payroll Software Costs, Pricing Models and 2026 Rules
How payroll and HR software is priced in Australia, from per-employee monthly fees and minimums to tiers, add-ons and annual contracts, with illustrative worked comparisons.
