Payroll Outsourcing vs Software Cost Calculator
Compare the annual cost of outsourcing payroll to a bureau against running named Irish payroll software in-house. Enter your headcount, pay frequency, and a bureau quote to see the numbers side by side.
Direct costs only. Software prices ex VAT from published rate cards, verified against source. Bureau cost computed from your quote. Time and expertise costs shown separately below.
Your payroll profile
Bureau quote (optional)
Irish payroll bureaus price by quote - no published rate card exists. Enter a figure from a written proposal to see your annual bureau cost alongside the software options.
Software starting prices vs bureau quote
Software figures are the lowest published base-tier prices from the verified dataset (ex VAT). Most Irish payroll software uses tiered pricing by headcount - your actual cost may be higher. See the notes column for each vendor's tier structure.
| Option | Annual cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Collsoft Payrollsoftware | EUR 199 | Priced per employer (not per employee) per tax year, ex VAT, with unlimited employees on all tiers. Small Business: €199/year (up to 5 employers). Micro Bureau: €299/year (up to 10 employers). Bureau: €499/year (unlimited employers). A 60-day free trial is available before purchase. Source: collsoft.ie/pricing, verified 2026-05-28. |
| BrightPaysoftware | EUR 229 | Tiered annual licence: ~€229 ex VAT for up to 10 employees, ~€349 for up to 25, ~€459 unlimited. Bureau licences priced separately. BrightPay Connect (cloud add-on) priced per employer. |
| Thesaurus Payroll Managersoftware | EUR 229 | Tiered licence per tax year, excl. VAT: EUR 229 (1 employer, up to 10 employees), EUR 349 (up to 25), EUR 459 (unlimited). Bureau licences: EUR 489 / EUR 709 / EUR 949. 60-day free trial; no free licence. Verified on thesaurus.ie 2026-07-14. |
| Payroll bureauoutsourced | Enter a quote above | Per-payslip rate |
Software prices ex VAT, from published price lists. Last verified: Collsoft Payroll 2026-07-13, BrightPay 2026-07-01, Thesaurus Payroll Manager 2026-07-14.
What a bureau typically includes that software does not
The figures above compare direct costs only. A bureau quote usually bundles the following, which you carry yourself when running in-house software:
- -Processing time: running each pay period, resolving import errors, submitting to Revenue's PAYE Modernisation system.
- -Year-end returns: closing off the payroll year, Revenue reconciliations, and any late or amended submissions.
- -Compliance monitoring: tracking legislative changes (PRSI rate updates, USC bands, PAYE credits) and applying them before the next run.
- -Edge cases: new starters, leavers, non-standard pay (BIK, maternity, sick pay), and queries from employees about payslips.
Add your estimated time cost (hours per pay run at your hourly rate) to the software annual figure for a fairer comparison. Many small employers find the labour element tips the calculation.
Compare payroll software in detail: Collsoft Payroll, BrightPay, Thesaurus Payroll Manager
Model your total employment costs with the Employer Cost Calculator.
How this comparison works
The calculator takes three inputs: the number of employees on your payroll, how often you run payroll, and optionally a per-payslip or flat-monthly bureau quote. It computes the annual cost for each Irish payroll software option in the dataset, then converts your bureau quote to an annual figure on the same basis.
Software annual costs are from published price lists, verified against each provider's website before inclusion. A flat annual licence costs the same regardless of how many times you run payroll; a per-payslip bureau fee scales with both headcount and frequency. That asymmetry is what the calculator exposes.
What the figures do not include
The software figures are licence fees only. Running payroll yourself adds a labour cost that does not appear in the comparison: typically 1 to 4 hours per pay period depending on headcount, plus ad hoc time for starters, leavers, and Revenue queries. At EUR 30 to EUR 60 per hour of your time or a staff member's time, that adds EUR 360 to EUR 3,000 per year for monthly payroll. Bureau fees usually absorb that labour.
The most useful comparison is: software licence cost + your estimated processing time cost versus the bureau quote. The calculator above handles the direct cost side; only you know the time side.
When a bureau makes sense
Outsourcing makes the most economic sense when your processing time is expensive (owner doing it themselves at a high hourly rate), when payroll is complex (many part-time staff, high turnover, irregular pay), or when you do not have the capacity or confidence to keep up with Revenue's compliance requirements. Weekly or fortnightly payroll also narrows the software cost advantage because the labour component increases faster than the licence fee.
When in-house software makes sense
Software wins on direct cost for most employers with monthly payroll and fewer than 20 staff, particularly where the payroll operator already has some payroll knowledge or is supported by an accountant. The established Irish payroll products in the dataset are well-documented, backed by Revenue integrations, and have track records of keeping pace with PAYE Modernisation and auto-enrolment changes.
Auto-Enrolment and 2026 compliance
Ireland's Auto-Enrolment scheme (My Future Fund) went live in January 2026. Both bureau and software paths must support the PAYE Modernisation Payroll Submission that carries Auto-Enrolment data. Confirm Auto-Enrolment readiness explicitly with your bureau or software provider before the next pay run.
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What to look for
- Get at least two written bureau quotes before comparing. Verbal estimates vary.
- Calculate your time cost per pay run at your real hourly rate, not zero.
- Confirm Auto-Enrolment readiness with any provider before the next pay period.
- Ask bureaus what is out of scope - ad hoc employee queries often carry a surcharge.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Comparing bureau quote to software licence and ignoring your own processing time.
- Assuming a cheaper bureau deal stays cheap as headcount grows.
- Choosing software without checking PAYE Modernisation and ERR support.
- Signing a bureau contract without a written scope of service.
Frequently asked questions
What does a payroll bureau typically charge in Ireland?
Irish payroll bureaus price by quote, not by a published rate card, so there is no reliable market figure to quote here. Common models are a per-payslip fee or a flat monthly retainer. Request a written quote from at least two bureaus and enter the figure in the calculator above to compare it against software.
Is payroll software or a bureau cheaper for a small Irish business?
For most employers with 5 to 20 staff running monthly payroll, a standalone Irish payroll software licence is cheaper in direct cost than a bureau on a per-payslip model, because the licence fee is flat while the bureau fee scales with every payslip. The calculation changes with headcount, frequency, and how you value your own time. Use the calculator above with your actual figures and a real bureau quote.
What does the software cost include?
The figures shown are the published annual software licence fees, excluding VAT. They cover the right to run the software and submit payroll to Revenue. They do not include the time cost of processing each pay run, dealing with employee queries, managing year-end returns, or monitoring compliance changes. Factor those in when comparing with a bureau quote.
What does a bureau fee typically cover?
Most bureau contracts include processing each pay period, submitting payroll submissions to Revenue under PAYE Modernisation, producing payslips, handling new starters and leavers, and closing off the payroll year. Some also include ad hoc employee queries. Confirm the scope in writing before signing.
Which payroll software options are shown in this calculator?
The calculator draws from the verified Irish payroll vendors in the Vendors.ie dataset - specifically those with a published annual price and confirmed Revenue or PAYE Modernisation integration. Vendors priced by quote or without verified Irish compliance are excluded. The comparison table shows who qualifies at any given time; prices are verified against each provider's published rate before inclusion.
Does switching to in-house software require payroll expertise?
Yes. Running payroll software yourself requires understanding of PAYE, PRSI, USC, Revenue's PAYE Modernisation rules, and auto-enrolment from 2026. Many small businesses use a hybrid: software licensed to their accountant or bookkeeper who runs the payroll on their behalf. This keeps costs low while retaining professional oversight.
Related tools and resources
- Employer Cost Calculator - model the full on-cost of employment including PRSI, Auto-Enrolment, and benefit-in-kind.
- Auto-Enrolment Cost Calculator - see what My Future Fund will cost your business year by year as the rate phases up.
- Payroll software for Ireland - the full directory of verified payroll products with Irish compliance signals.
- BrightPay, Collsoft, and Thesaurus Payroll Manager - vendor profiles with pricing, compliance signals, and editorial verdicts.
- Should you outsource payroll in Ireland? - the full guide covering what bureaus do, what they cost, and when it makes sense.
Results are indicative only and based on the information provided. Data may not reflect current vendor offerings and is subject to change. Always verify details directly with vendors before making purchasing decisions.