Software Comparison

Big Red Book Payroll vs Thesaurus Payroll Manager - Irish Payroll Software Compared

Choosing between Big Red Book Payroll and Thesaurus Payroll Manager is one of the most common decisions Irish businesses face when evaluating payroll software. This comparison breaks down everything an Irish SME needs to know, from Revenue integration and GDPR data residency to pricing and ease of use.

View Big Red Book Payroll View Thesaurus Payroll Manager

Last checked: 08 Jun 2026 data estimated for at least one vendor - confirm with the vendor Methodology

Quick Verdict

Big Red Book Payroll vs Thesaurus Payroll Manager - Feature Comparison

Feature	Big Red Book Payroll	Thesaurus Payroll Manager
PAYE Modernisation / Revenue Integration	Full PAYE Modernisation compliance with real-time Revenue reporting.	Full PAYE Modernisation compliance with direct Revenue Online Service submissions.
SEPA XML Bank Payment Files	Not available. Salary payments must be processed separately through your bank.	Generates SEPA XML payment files compatible with AIB, Bank of Ireland, and Permanent TSB for bulk payroll runs.
Irish Bank Feeds	Not available.	Not available.
Accounting Integration	Payroll journal posts directly into Big Red Book accounting with no manual re-keying.	No native accounting integration included.
Cloud Availability	Desktop-first. Partial cloud presence through the Big Red Cloud ecosystem.	Desktop only. No cloud layer or employee self-service portal.
GDPR Data Residency	EU data residency.	EU data residency.
Free Trial	Free trial available.	Free trial available.

Irish Compliance and Pricing Matrix

A side-by-side data comparison of pricing and Irish regulatory compliance for Big Red Book Payroll and Thesaurus Payroll Manager. Values are derived from each vendor's published data and verified weekly.

Requirement	Big Red Book Payroll	Thesaurus Payroll Manager
Pricing
Starting price	Contact for pricing	From €159/month
Pricing model	Monthly flat rate	Monthly flat rate
EUR pricing guaranteed	✓	✓
Free trial	✓	✓
Irish Compliance
Revenue (ROS) integration	✓	✓
PAYE Modernisation	✓	✓
Irish bank feeds	✗	✗
Bank compatibility	None listed	AIB, BOI, PTSB
SEPA direct debit	✗	✓
Irish IBAN support	✗	✓
VAT handling	✗	✗
EU data residency (GDPR)	EU only	EU only
Irish support	✓	✓
Revenue-approved	✗	✗
CBI regulated	✗	✗

Pricing notes

Big Red Book Payroll: Contact Big Red Book for current Irish pricing. Often bundled with accounting modules. - Source

Thesaurus Payroll Manager: Tiered pricing from €159 excl. VAT per tax year per licence. - Source

Irish Compliance Comparison

For Irish businesses, compliance with Revenue, GDPR, and local banking standards is non-negotiable. Here is how Big Red Book Payroll and Thesaurus Payroll Manager compare on the requirements that matter most to Irish SMEs.

Revenue Integration

Both Big Red Book Payroll and Thesaurus Payroll Manager support Revenue Online Service (ROS) integration, meaning you can file VAT returns and manage your tax obligations directly from either platform. For Irish businesses, this is table stakes - and both vendors deliver.

PAYE Modernisation

Both Big Red Book Payroll and Thesaurus Payroll Manager fully support PAYE Modernisation with real-time payroll reporting to Revenue. Irish employers are legally required to submit payroll data in real time, so having this built in saves significant time and reduces the risk of non-compliance penalties.

Irish Bank Feeds

Big Red Book Payroll supports no Irish banks directly. Thesaurus Payroll Manager supports AIB, BOI, PTSB. Thesaurus Payroll Manager has broader Irish bank compatibility, which matters if you bank with AIB or BOI or PTSB - you will get automatic bank feeds or SEPA payment file support that Big Red Book Payroll cannot offer.

GDPR Data Residency

Both Big Red Book Payroll and Thesaurus Payroll Manager store data in EU data centres, providing strong GDPR compliance out of the box. Irish businesses can use either platform without worrying about cross-border data transfers to the US or other non-EU jurisdictions.

SEPA and IBAN Support

Thesaurus Payroll Manager supports SEPA Direct Debit and Irish IBAN format, making euro payments and bank transfers seamless. Big Red Book Payroll does not support SEPA natively, which could mean extra manual steps when processing euro payments or setting up direct debits for Irish customers.

VAT Handling

Neither Big Red Book Payroll nor Thesaurus Payroll Manager handles Irish VAT directly. This is expected for payroll tools - your accounting software should manage VAT compliance.

Pricing Comparison

All prices below are in euro. Pricing can change - we verify vendor pricing weekly, but always confirm on the vendor's website before purchasing.

Big Red Book Payroll

Contact for quote

Pricing model: Flat rate
Free trial: Yes
EUR pricing guaranteed: Yes

View Big Red Book Payroll pricing →

Thesaurus Payroll Manager

€159 /mo

Pricing model: Flat rate
Free trial: Yes
EUR pricing guaranteed: Yes

View Thesaurus Payroll Manager pricing →

Big Red Book Payroll does not publish entry-level pricing - request a quote directly. Total cost of ownership depends on users, plan tier, add-ons and features, so always calculate the full annual cost for your team size before committing.

Who Should Choose Big Red Book Payroll

Big Red Book Payroll is the better fit if your business matches one or more of these profiles:

✓ Growing businesses with 21-50 employees that need a platform which scales
✓ Those who value: long-established irish vendor
✓ Those who value: strong in the irish accountancy-practice market

Who Should Choose Thesaurus Payroll Manager

Thesaurus Payroll Manager is the better fit if your business matches one or more of these profiles:

✓ Businesses banking with AIB, BOI, PTSB who want reliable bank feed or payment file support
✓ Those who prioritise user satisfaction - Thesaurus Payroll Manager has a higher editorial rating (4.6/5)
✓ Those who value: very affordable

Our Verdict

Both products are desktop-first with limited cloud capabilities, and neither offers native Irish bank feeds, so live transaction matching is not available in either tool. For greenfield payroll buyers without an existing Big Red Book accounting relationship, Thesaurus Payroll Manager delivers clearer pricing, proven SEPA bank compatibility, and equivalent Revenue compliance at a lower entry cost.

Ultimately, the best choice depends on your specific business needs, team size, and priorities. We recommend taking advantage of free trials from both vendors before making your final decision. If you are working with an Irish accountant or payroll bureau, ask which platform they prefer - their familiarity with the software can save you significant time and hassle during setup and ongoing support.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Big Red Book Payroll or Thesaurus Payroll Manager better for Irish SMEs?

Big Red Book Payroll suits Irish businesses and accountancy bureaus already embedded in the Big Red Book accounting ecosystem, where the direct payroll journal integration removes the need to re-key entries into the ledger. Thesaurus Payroll Manager wins for price-sensitive Irish SMEs of 1-20 staff who want fully compliant PAYE Modernisation, PRSI, and USC payroll at a transparent flat rate from EUR 159 ex VAT per year, with no accounting tie-in required. A meaningful Irish-specific differentiator is SEPA XML payment file generation: Thesaurus produces SEPA-compatible bulk payment files for AIB, Bank of Ireland, and Permanent TSB, whereas Big Red Book Payroll does not offer this feature, meaning salary runs require manual bank entry or a separate process. Both products are desktop-first with limited cloud capabilities, and neither offers native Irish bank feeds, so live transaction matching is not available in either tool. For greenfield payroll buyers without an existing Big Red Book accounting relationship, Thesaurus Payroll Manager delivers clearer pricing, proven SEPA bank compatibility, and equivalent Revenue compliance at a lower entry cost.

Which is cheaper, Big Red Book Payroll or Thesaurus Payroll Manager?

Big Red Book Payroll starts at Contact for pricing, while Thesaurus Payroll Manager starts at From €159/month. Big Red Book Payroll is the more affordable option at entry level, though total cost depends on the number of users and features you need.

Does Big Red Book Payroll or Thesaurus Payroll Manager have better Irish bank feeds?

Big Red Book Payroll supports None. Thesaurus Payroll Manager supports AIB, BOI, PTSB. Thesaurus Payroll Manager has broader Irish bank support.

Which has better GDPR compliance, Big Red Book Payroll or Thesaurus Payroll Manager?

Big Red Book Payroll stores data in EU data centres (GDPR-friendly). Thesaurus Payroll Manager stores data in EU data centres (GDPR-friendly). Both offer EU data centre options, though configuration may be required.

Can I switch from Big Red Book Payroll to Thesaurus Payroll Manager?

Yes, migrating between Big Red Book Payroll and Thesaurus Payroll Manager is possible. Most payroll platforms allow you to export your data in CSV or standard formats. We recommend working with your accountant or IT provider to plan the migration, ideally at the start of a new financial year or payroll period to minimise disruption.

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