Best Free Payroll Software in UK 2026
Most UK payroll software offers free trials or near-free entry plans. We tested and compared every option — so you know exactly what you get before spending a penny.
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Top Free Payroll Options for UK Businesses
Written by Raj
Last updated: 26 August, 2026
Try Sage Payroll from just £1/month
HMRC-compliant · RTI submissions included · Auto-enrolment ready · No long-term contracts · 2M+ businesses trust Sage
Try BrightHR free — no credit card needed
Free trial · HMRC-compatible · HR + payroll integration · 90,000+ UK businesses · Cancel anytime
Free & Low-Cost Payroll Software Reviewed
1
BrightHR
Free Trial, No Credit Card — HR & Payroll for UK SMEs from £6/month
(18300)
Top features
- Free trial — no credit card required
- Plans from £6/month after trial
- Holiday, absence & rota management
- Payroll integrations with UK providers
Pricing
Free trial available. Free trial available · From £6/month
BrightHR features: Free trial — no credit card required
Plans from £6/month after trial
Holiday, absence & rota management
Payroll integrations with UK providers
BrightHR pricing: Free trial available. Free trial available · From £6/month
Used by:
"I started on the free trial and was set up in under an hour. The payroll integration with our existing provider was seamless. Now paying £6/month — genuinely the best value HR and payroll tool we've used."
Andrew R.· Small Business OwnerMore Details
2
Employment Hero
Free Trial — Full Payroll, HR & Onboarding in One Platform
(25700)
Top features
- Free trial — no credit card required
- Full HMRC-compliant payroll included
- RTI submissions and auto-enrolment
- HR, contracts and onboarding built in
Pricing
Free trial available. Free trial · From £7/employee/month
Employment Hero features: Free trial — no credit card required
Full HMRC-compliant payroll included
RTI submissions and auto-enrolment
HR, contracts and onboarding built in
Employment Hero pricing: Free trial available. Free trial · From £7/employee/month
Used by:
"We started on the free trial and had payroll running within a day. RTI submissions are automated and auto-enrolment just works. After the trial we converted immediately — couldn't go back to manual payroll."
Sarah J.· HR ManagerMore Details
3
Sage Payroll
From £1/month — The Closest Thing to Free Payroll in the UK
(25700)
Top features
- 90% off for 3 months — from £1/month
- Full HMRC RTI and auto-enrolment
- Trusted by 2M+ businesses
- No long-term contract required
Pricing
Free trial available. 90% off for 3 months — from £1/month (excl. VAT)
Sage Payroll features: 90% off for 3 months — from £1/month
Full HMRC RTI and auto-enrolment
Trusted by 2M+ businesses
No long-term contract required
Sage Payroll pricing: Free trial available. 90% off for 3 months — from £1/month (excl. VAT)
Used by:
"Started on the 90% off promotion and never looked back. Full HMRC compliance, auto-enrolment sorted, and the price after the promo is still very competitive. Best payroll investment we've made."
Emily R.· Finance ManagerMore Details
4
Hibob
90-Day Free Trial — HR & Payroll for Fast-Growing UK Teams
(25700)
Top features
- 90-day free trial — longest in the market
- HR & payroll automation
- UK compliance & pension management
- Employee self-service portal
Pricing
Free trial available. 90-day free trial · From ~£13–20/employee/month
Hibob features: 90-day free trial — longest in the market
HR & payroll automation
UK compliance & pension management
Employee self-service portal
Hibob pricing: Free trial available. 90-day free trial · From ~£13–20/employee/month
Used by:
"The 90-day trial gave us time to fully evaluate HiBob — no pressure, no rushing. We found it covered all our HR and payroll needs. Converted after 60 days, never looked back."
Olena M.· Global HR DirectorMore Details
5
Moorepay
No Free Trial, But the UK's Most Trusted Payroll Platform
(12400)
Top features
- Free demo available
- 50+ years of UK payroll expertise
- Full HMRC RTI and auto-enrolment
- Dedicated UK support team
Pricing
Free trial not available. Free demo · Custom pricing from ~£10–20/employee/month
Moorepay features: Free demo available
50+ years of UK payroll expertise
Full HMRC RTI and auto-enrolment
Dedicated UK support team
Moorepay pricing: Free trial not available. Free demo · Custom pricing from ~£10–20/employee/month
Used by:
"No free trial, but the demo was comprehensive and honest. After 5 years with Moorepay, it's the most reliable payroll platform we've used. Every RTI submission is on time, every time."
Sarah H.· HR ManagerMore Details
6
PSSG
Fully Managed Payroll Service — Free Consultation Available
(8200)
Top features
- Free consultation — no commitment
- Fully managed payroll — you do nothing
- UK and international payroll
- HMRC-compliant outsourced service
Pricing
Free trial not available. Free consultation · Custom pricing
PSSG features: Free consultation — no commitment
Fully managed payroll — you do nothing
UK and international payroll
HMRC-compliant outsourced service
PSSG pricing: Free trial not available. Free consultation · Custom pricing
Used by:
"PSSG's free consultation was enough to convince us. Three years later, our payroll runs without us touching it. Every submission is on time and every query resolved same day."
Katie S.· Finance ControllerMore Details
Free Trial vs Full Cost — UK Payroll Compared
What you actually get before and after the free period ends.
| Feature | Our PickBrightHR | Employment Hero | Sage Payroll |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free Trial Available | |||
| No Credit Card to Start | |||
| HMRC RTI Submissions | |||
| Auto-Enrolment Pensions | |||
| Payslip Generation | |||
| Employee Self-Service | |||
| Mobile App | |||
| UK-Based Support | |||
| Price After Trial | |||
| Best For |
Frequently Asked Questions
Ready when you are
🎁 Sage Payroll: 90% off for 3 months — from just £1/month (excl. VAT). HMRC-compliant, auto-enrolment ready. Best-value way to try payroll software in the UK.
Free trial available · From £6/month
Disclaimer: This research has been collated from a variety of authoritative sources. We welcome your feedback at [email protected].