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Sage 50 Payroll

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Powerful desktop payroll for UK businesses that run their own pay runs in house

3.9Based on 95 reviews

Verified reviews for Sage 50 Payroll

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3.9

95 reviews

  • 5 ★
    40
  • 4 ★
    32
  • 3 ★
    6
  • 2 ★
    9
  • 1 ★
    8
Positive 76%Neutral 6%Negative 18%
Write a Review
S

Stuart D.Verified reviewer

Company Accountant, Brackenridge Logistics

LinkedIn verified
Hospitality2-10 employeesUnited KingdomUsed: 1-2 years
5.0
Reviewed on 2 May 2025

Copes with our seasonal swings

Retail headcount swings hard with the seasons and the RTI and pension reassessment handle the constant starters and leavers better than anything else we tried.

Customer service
4.0
Value for money
5.0
Functionality
5.0
Pros

Reporting satisfies our auditors as it stands.

Cons

It is a desktop product, so remote working needs more setup.

Was this helpful? · 26
F

Fatima E.

Director, Elmswell Group

Financial Services51-200 employeesUnited KingdomUsed: 6-12 months
1.0
Reviewed on 23 April 2025

Moved to cloud in the end

It may suit a dedicated in house payroll professional, but for our small, flexible team the learning curve and the desktop constraints created more work than the capability was worth.

Ease of use
1.0
Customer service
1.0
Value for money
1.0
Pros

The core payroll calculations were always accurate.

Cons

Getting our data ready to move took real effort.

Was this helpful? · 5
S

Sharon G.

Head of Finance, Holloway Care

Building Materials51-200 employeesUnited KingdomUsed: 2+ years
2.0
Reviewed on 16 April 2025

Too much system for a small payroll

For a straightforward twenty person payroll this is far more than we need, and the learning curve cost us more time than the depth ever saved.

Ease of use
2.0
Functionality
2.0
Pros

Handles complex payroll well.

Cons

The learning curve was steep for our needs.

Was this helpful? · 14
R

Rhian J.

Company Accountant

Hospitality51-200 employeesUnited KingdomUsed: 2+ years
5.0
Reviewed on 23 March 2025

Handles complexity lighter tools cannot

I run payroll for well over a hundred staff and the depth is exactly what a serious payroll job needs. Every tax year change lands in the software rather than becoming my problem.

Ease of use
5.0
Customer service
5.0
Value for money
5.0
Pros

Handles salary sacrifice and attachment of earnings properly.

Cons

It is a desktop product, so remote working needs more setup.

Was this helpful? · 6
D

Denise G.

Company Accountant, Ridgeway Ltd

Transportation51-200 employeesUnited KingdomUsed: 2+ years
4.0
Reviewed on 8 March 2025

Right tool for in house payroll

Weekly payroll runs reliably every week and RTI has never failed. The interface felt dated at first but you stop noticing once the workflow is second nature.

Ease of use
4.0
Customer service
3.0
Value for money
4.0
Functionality
4.0
Pros

Reliable pay run after pay run.

Cons

Pricing bands step up with headcount.

Was this helpful? · 26
K

Karen T.Verified reviewer

Payroll Specialist

LinkedIn verified
Facilities Services201-500 employeesUnited KingdomUsed: 2+ years
2.0
Reviewed on 22 February 2025

The desktop model held us back

Fine payroll engine, but the friction around remote access and the steep learning curve meant it created more day to day hassle than we expected.

Customer service
1.0
Value for money
2.0
Functionality
2.0
Pros

RTI and pensions are reliable.

Cons

More system than our payroll required.

Was this helpful? · 21
N

Niamh M.

Payroll and Accounts Manager, Wetherall Logistics

Transportation51-200 employeesUnited KingdomUsed: 1-2 years
4.0
Reviewed on 5 February 2025

Very good for a serious payroll

The compliance and reporting are genuinely strong. The interface shows its heritage and support is slower at year end, which is why four rather than five, but the payroll itself is faultless.

Ease of use
4.0
Customer service
3.0
Value for money
5.0
Functionality
3.0
Pros

Reliable pay run after pay run.

Cons

Configuration takes thought up front.

Was this helpful? · 12
P

Piotr B.

Head of Finance, Swaledale Manufacturing

Facilities Services11-50 employeesIrelandUsed: 1-2 years
4.0
Reviewed on 17 January 2025

Reliable week after week

Weekly payroll runs reliably every week and RTI has never failed. The interface felt dated at first but you stop noticing once the workflow is second nature.

Ease of use
3.0
Customer service
4.0
Value for money
4.0
Functionality
4.0
Pros

Year end is manageable rather than dreaded.

Cons

The learning curve is real for a new operator.

Was this helpful? · 20
B

Barry AinscoughVerified reviewer

Financial Controller, Holloway Ltd

LinkedIn verified
Transportation11-50 employeesUnited KingdomUsed: 2+ years
5.0
Reviewed on 11 January 2025

The accounts link removed our double entry

As a bureau running a dozen client payrolls, the speed and reliability are everything, and no client scenario in years has ever caught this product out.

Ease of use
4.0
Customer service
5.0
Value for money
5.0
Functionality
5.0
Pros

Year end is genuinely straightforward now.

Cons

Entering variable hours for a large workforce is manual.

Was this helpful? · 14
R

Rhian A.

Bookkeeper, Wetherall Foods

Mechanical or Industrial Engineering51-200 employeesIrelandUsed: 2+ years
5.0
Reviewed on 27 December 2024

Bureau ready for multiple clients

Auto enrolment assessment across a constantly changing workforce is genuinely bulletproof, which for a business with high turnover is the single most valuable thing it does.

Ease of use
4.0
Functionality
5.0
Pros

Bureau friendly for running several client payrolls.

Cons

Backups and updates are your responsibility.

Was this helpful? · 9