For small and medium businesses, payroll is a critical factor in keeping the business progressing.When wages and super are paid on time, operations run more smoothly, and when they’re not, everyone feels the pressure.
With payday super coming into effect in July 2026, payroll as we know it is about to change. From 01 July 2026 onwards, Australian employers will need to pay super at the same time as wages, instead of once a quarter.
It’s a positive shift for employees and a step toward greater financial wellbeing for workforces. But for employers, it means taking a closer look at how payroll systems are set up.
The good news is that many of the major payroll providers are already preparing for the change. Some are ready now; others are fine-tuning their systems so the transition will be smooth.
The key for business owners is knowing which ones are truly ready for payday super and which might still be catching up.
In this blog, Paytime will explore how some of Australia’s leading payroll platforms compare.
Table of Contents:
- Xero: Familiar and Reliable
- MYOB: Built for Detail
- Employment Hero: A Blend of Payroll and HR
- KeyPay: The Engine Behind Many Payroll Providers
- Employment Innovations: Outsourced Payroll
- Paytime: Financial Wellbeing
- Preparing for the Change
- Blog in Summary
Xero: Familiar and Reliable
Xero has long been the go-to for many Australian businesses. It’s intuitive, clean, and integrates beautifully with most accounting setups.
Xero already handles super through SuperStream, so contributions can be automated when you process payroll. The company has confirmed that its systems will align fully with payday super before the 2026 rollout.
This means users can make the switch without major disruption. Once it’s configured, payroll and super run together automatically, which takes a lot of pressure off small finance teams.
If you’re already using Xero for accounting, keeping payroll and super in one ecosystem makes a lot of sense. It’s one less thing to manually action or chase each pay cycle.
MYOB: Built for Detail
MYOB is another long-standing favourite in the Australian business world. It’s particularly strong for companies with more complex payroll needs. Think multiple pay cycles, awards, or larger teams. It integrates directly with SuperStream and already supports automated super payments.
Where MYOB really stands out is in its reporting and compliance tools. If your business needs a clear view of payroll costs and obligations, it provides a high level of control and transparency which makes it a terrific option for business owners or larger organisations.
Employment Hero: A Blend of Payroll and HR
Employment Hero takes payroll a step further, combining it with HR management and employee engagement tools. It’s cloud-based, clean, and built for modern workplaces that want to simplify admin and strengthen culture at the same time.
This platform already supports automated super contributions, so it’s well-positioned for payday super. What makes it appealing is how seamlessly payroll fits with the rest of the employee experience.Onboarding, timesheets, leave, and compliance all sit under the one platform. For growing businesses, this integration further supports operational efficiency. Saving time, reducing duplication, and maintaining consistency as your team expands.
KeyPay: The Engine Behind Many Payroll Providers
KeyPay is not a household name but it is the engine behind many white-label payroll systems, including those used by accountants and larger employers.
It’s known for its personalisation capabilities.You can customise almost every aspect of payroll: pay conditions, awards, shift rates, and automation rules. Plus, the system already supports automated super payments.
For those who love control and precision, KeyPay is hard to beat. It’s especially good for multi-entity businesses or those with complex pay structures. The setup can take time, but once it’s running, it’s impressively efficient.
Employment Innovations: Outsourced Payroll
Some businesses simply don’t want to deal with payroll at all, and that’s where Employment Innovations comes in. It offers a fully managed payroll service using KeyPay’s technology, but with the benefit of human expertise behind it.
Super payments, compliance, and reporting are handled by expert professionals, which can be a real relief for time-poor business owners. As payday super approaches, outsourcing could be a smart way to stay compliant without getting bogged down in the details.
Paytime: Financial Wellbeing
While most payroll platforms focus on automation and compliance, Paytime brings something new to the table: flexibility and financial wellbeing. Beyond helping businesses prepare for payday super, Paytime offers Earned Wage Access, giving employees the ability to access their earned wages before payday.
This doesn’t affect employer cash flow, but it makes a real difference to staff who might be dealing with rising living costs or unexpected expenses. It’s the kind of financial wellbeing benefit that shows genuine care and can strengthen loyalty across the team.
Paytime integrates seamlessly with leading payroll systems like Xero, MYOB, Employment Hero, which means you don’t need to replace your existing setup to introduce flexibility.
You simply plug Paytime into your current process, giving employees more control while keeping your business compliant.
Preparing for the Change
Payday super might sound like a ‘future problem’ but the smarter businesses are already preparing. Setting up automation, testing integrations, and adjusting cash flow processes now to save headaches later.
If you’re still managing super payments manually or in quarterly batches, this is your sign to modernise.
The transition doesn’t have to be complicated, as outlined most platforms already have the capability built in. And once everything is automated, you’ll probably wonder why it wasn’t always this way.
Blog in Summary
Payday super represents one of the biggest payroll shifts in years, but with the right tools, it’s not daunting.
At Paytime, we’re focused on making payroll compliant and compassionate. Our solutions are built to align with payday super while giving employees more flexibility and control over their finances.
By preparing now and choosing systems that work with you, payday super can become less of a compliance hurdle and more of an opportunity to modernise, simplify, and support your team.