BrightPay review

BrightPay is a UK payroll specialist from Bright Software Group in Leamington Spa, and its cloud version is now the only one on sale: BrightPay for Windows was discontinued after 5 April 2026. The business plan sends RTI submissions to HMRC from every pay run and assesses auto-enrolment automatically, sending contributions straight to leading pension providers. Employees get payslips, P60s and leave balances in their own app and portal, which cuts down on payslip requests. Pricing is set by team size for payrolls of up to 300 employees, billed monthly or annually, and annual billing saves 15%; the pricing page shows figures from £7.00 per month billed annually, though it does not say which team size that covers, so use the calculator for a firm quote. A free trial gives full access. BrightPay is a good fit for small and mid-sized employers that want straightforward payroll with staff self-service. Firms with more than 300 employees need a larger system.

Who it is for

UK employers with up to 300 staff that want an employee app

Price

See vendor pricing (USD check pending). BrightPay's UK page shows plans priced by team size, with figures such as £7.00 per month billed annually and 15% off annual billing.

US price check pending. See the vendor pricing page.

Key features

• RTI submissions sent from BrightPay on every pay run
• Auto-enrolment assessed automatically, with contributions sent to leading pension providers
• Employee app and portal with payslips, P60s and leave balances
• Priced by team size for payrolls of up to 300 employees, monthly or annual billing
• Free trial with full access for your business

Strengths and weaknesses

• Strength: Employees get their own app for payslips and P60s
• Strength: Annual billing saves 15%
• Strength: Long-standing HMRC recognised product, with a version for every tax year since 2019/20
• Weakness: The SME plan covers payrolls of up to 300 employees
• Weakness: BrightPay for Windows was discontinued after 5 April 2026, so desktop users must move to the cloud version
• Weakness: Exact prices depend on a team-size calculator rather than a fixed price table

Key facts

• Maximum employees: 300 on the business plan
• Billing: Monthly or annual, 15% saving on annual
• Employee app: Yes, payslips, P60s and leave balances
• RTI to HMRC: Yes, every pay run

Where it ranks

BrightPay is No. 1 in our Best Payroll Software in the UK verdict.