SimplePay does exactly what its name suggests. It is a UK payroll system built for businesses that want their payslips run correctly every month without needing a dedicated payroll specialist on staff or a system that requires a training course before anyone can use it. Where some payroll platforms try to be a full HR suite, SimplePay stays focused on payroll and the handful of things that sit right next to it, and that focus shows in how quickly you can get a small team set up and paid.
Automatic PAYE, National Insurance and the Apprenticeship Levy calculations are handled the moment you load an employee, and payslips and P60s generate without any manual formula work on your end. RTI returns and bulk payment files are ready to submit or upload to your bank straight out of the system, and leave tracking and employee self service are included rather than charged as extras, so staff can see their own balances and payslips without emailing HR every time.
What consistently stands out among the businesses using it is the support experience. There is no phone line, queries go through email, but responses tend to be fast, specific and from people who clearly understand payroll rather than reading from a script. Combined with straightforward integrations into accounting platforms like Xero, it slots into a small business's existing setup with very little friction.
The trade off for that simplicity is scope. If you need deep HR functionality, multi country payroll or heavy customisation, SimplePay will feel light. But for UK small businesses and accounting practices running payroll for a handful of clients, the combination of honest pricing, accurate compliance and genuinely helpful support makes it one of the easiest recommendations in this category.
Xero
QuickBooks Online
Sage Accounting