OCTIS vs BrightPay vs Thesaurus vs Sage Payroll: Irish payroll software compared
Irish employers must report each payroll run to Revenue. These three tools do that, and the price model is the main difference.
Last checked · 7 sources
Otty's short answer
BrightPay suits most small Irish employers: licences from €229 per tax year for up to 10 employees, a free licence for a one-employee company, and a browser-based cloud version. Thesaurus Payroll Manager is the Windows-only sibling from €239. Sage Payroll fits companies already on Sage accounting and bills by monthly tier, which this page could not read in full.
Side by side
Swipe to see every column
| What matters | OCTISHong Kong company + OCTIS global plan | BrightPay | Thesaurus Payroll Manager | Sage Payroll |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Not published: 10–30% below your current bill | Per tax year licence | Per tax year licence | Monthly tiers by headcount |
| Up to 10 employees | 10–30% below your current bill | €229 per tax year excl. VAT | €239 per tax year excl. VAT | Not read directly |
| Up to 25 employees | 10–30% below your current bill | €349 per tax year excl. VAT | €359 per tax year excl. VAT | Not read directly |
| Unlimited employees | 10–30% below your current bill | €459 per tax year excl. VAT | €479 per tax year excl. VAT | Not read directly |
| Free option | 30-day money-back guarantee, terms apply | Free licence, 1-employee company | 60-day free trial | Trial, terms not read |
| Bureau licence (accountants) | Not an OCTIS product | €489 up to 10 employers | €509 up to 10 employers | Per-employee pricing, not read |
| Runs in browser (Mac ok) | Ready to use, nothing to implement | Yes, BrightPay Cloud | No, Windows only | Cloud product offered |
| Revenue ROS submissions | Not needed for the Hong Kong company; local rules apply if you trade there | Yes, ROS certificate needed | Yes, PAYE Modernisation | Not read |
If you have staff, premises or local sales in this country, its own registration and tax rules still apply. OCTIS can help you arrange them.
Data sources & disclaimer: Comparison data was compiled from publicly available sources — including the competitors' own published pricing and feature pages — captured on 9 November 2026. Figures reflect the typical or advertised pricing at that time and may have changed since; plans, inclusions and prices vary by provider, region and promotion. OCTIS is independent and not affiliated with the named companies; all trademarks belong to their respective owners. This comparison is provided in good faith for general information only and is not professional, legal or financial advice — please verify current details with each provider before deciding.
Which one fits you
OCTIS · Hong Kong company + OCTIS global plan
Choose OCTIS if you want payroll next to your accounts, CRM and company records, and run your team from several countries.
BrightPay
Choose BrightPay if you want the lowest published licence price, a free single-employee licence or a Mac-friendly cloud version.
Thesaurus Payroll Manager
Choose Thesaurus Payroll Manager if you run Windows only and want a simple desktop licence with a 60-day trial.
Sage Payroll
Choose Sage Payroll if your accounts already run on Sage and you prefer a monthly subscription over a yearly licence.
What the table does not show
Two tools from the same team
BrightPay says it is brought to you by the same team as Thesaurus. Both publish near-identical licence ladders, with Thesaurus about €10 to €20 higher at each step. BrightPay adds a custom report builder, more payslip options such as custom leave, and more bureau features. Thesaurus and desktop BrightPay run on Windows. BrightPay says there are no immediate plans to stop updating Thesaurus, but that customers can move when they are ready.
How the price is built
BrightPay and Thesaurus sell a licence per tax year, with up to 10 employees from €229 or €239 excluding VAT. BrightPay Cloud is priced by a calculator, based on how many employers and employees you have, so treat it as quote-based. Sage Payroll is reported to bill monthly by headcount tier, and its Sage HR add-on is reported from about €4.50 per employee per month for core HR and leave, so check current fee. Irish VAT of 23% is extra on all of these.
GDPR, hosting and Revenue
Payroll holds names, PPS numbers and bank details, so ask each vendor for its data processing terms and hosting location. BrightPay's cloud FAQ does not say where data is hosted and tells you to contact Bright, while its Connect add-on is hosted on Microsoft Azure. Each user must upload a ROS certificate to submit payroll data to Revenue. Cloud data cannot be restored to an earlier version, so keep your own records.
Where OCTIS fits
OCTIS does not run Irish payroll or file with Revenue. If your Malaysian or Hong Kong company hires staff in Ireland, local payroll stays with an Irish tool or provider. OCTIS bookkeeping can still bring the payroll journal and the Irish subsidiary's statements into the home company's books. Moving your accounting, company secretary and tax work to OCTIS can take 10–30% off your current bill.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best payroll software for a small business in Ireland?
For a small employer, BrightPay and Thesaurus are the lowest-priced published options, from €229 and €239 per tax year for up to 10 employees. Sage Payroll suits firms that already use Sage. Pick on platform, headcount and whether you want yearly licence or monthly cloud pricing.
Is there free payroll software in Ireland?
BrightPay offers a free licence for single-employee companies, with email support only and online registration. Thesaurus gives a 60-day free trial before a licence is needed. Both prices exclude VAT where a paid licence applies.
Do I need payroll software to report to Revenue?
Irish employers report each payroll run to Revenue under PAYE Modernisation, normally through payroll software connected to ROS. BrightPay and Thesaurus describe themselves as compliant, and each BrightPay user uploads a ROS certificate. Confirm your choice supports it before buying.
Can I run BrightPay on a Mac?
Desktop BrightPay and Thesaurus run on Windows only. BrightPay Cloud runs in a browser, so Mac users can use it. At release the cloud version is limited to 250 employees per employer, including leavers.
Sources
Checked on the date above. Links open the provider's or regulator's own page.