Choosing UK payroll software is a practical decision: HMRC submissions, pay frequencies, pensions, BACS, and how your team works day to day. This page compares Brain Payroll with BrightPay so accountants, payroll bureaux, and in-house payroll teams can see how the products differ in delivery model, bureau workflow, and integrations.
Brain Payroll claims below are taken from published Brain Payroll capabilities, including features, integrations, FAQs, and payroll software for bureaux. BrightPay details are kept conservative: editions and packaging change, so we do not invent Yes/No scores. Also see Brain Payroll vs IRIS Staffology if you are comparing more than one payroll platform.
Use the table as a capability map, not a scorecard. Brain Payroll column reflects documented product behaviour. BrightPay column cites what BrightPay publishes on brightpay.co.uk (editions still differ — confirm the licence you would buy).
| Capability | Brain Payroll | BrightPay |
|---|---|---|
| UK payroll processing | HMRC recognised. FPS and EPS. Weekly, monthly, fortnightly, and 4-weekly pay. CIS and umbrella. BACS. | BrightPay publishes HMRC-recognised RTI (FPS, additional FPS, NVR, EPS), CIS, auto-enrolment and bank file formats. Confirm pay frequencies for the edition you would buy. |
| Cloud | Cloud payroll in the browser. No extra hardware or desktop install required. | BrightPay publishes desktop and cloud editions. Desktop data is hosted on the user’s PC or server; Cloud stores data on BrightPay’s servers. |
| Bureau support | Bureau-level settings, email templates, task delegation, naming and storage, rerun audit reasons, bulk FPS/EPS/payslips. | BrightPay publishes a bureau licence with batch payroll, batch RTI/CIS submissions and (per BrightPay) unlimited employees on that licence. |
| Multi-company | Multi-company payroll for accountants and bureaux in one cloud platform. | BrightPay bureau users can batch-process payroll for multiple clients. Confirm client caps on the licence you would buy. |
| Automation | Paydroid, scheduled payslips, bulk FPS/EPS/payslips, task delegation, email templates. | BrightPay publishes batch finalise, batch RTI/CIS send and batch coding-notice checks for bureau users. |
| Employee self-service | Employee portal for personal data, on computer and mobile. | BrightPay publishes Connect (with desktop) and Cloud portal options. Confirm employee/client portal for the exact edition. |
| Pensions | NEST, Smart, People’s, and NOW pensions. | BrightPay publishes auto-enrolment plus API integration with NEST, The People’s Pension, Smart Pension and Aviva (Aviva on Cloud listed as coming soon on BrightPay’s comparison page). |
| Integrations/APIs | Open APIs. Xero, Modulr, Power BI. | BrightPay publishes payroll journal API to Xero, Sage and QuickBooks Online, plus Modulr on Cloud. This is not the same as a full open payroll API. |
| Reporting | Reporting plus Power BI for analytics where you need wider BI. | BrightPay publishes payroll reports and CSV journals. Confirm the report pack on the edition you would buy. |
| Custom branding | Custom branding for bureau and client-facing payroll communications. | Confirm branded client-facing templates on BrightPay’s current edition documentation. This page does not assume white-label parity. |
| Security | 2FA and audit logs. | BrightPay Cloud publishes hosted data on BrightPay servers. Confirm 2FA, roles and audit trail on the edition contract. |
| Migration/support | Mid-year FPS and CSV migration, with demo and onboarding support via the sales team. | BrightPay documentation covers FPS/CSV imports from other UK payroll products. Confirm mid-year switch and support for your licence. |
Brain Payroll is HMRC-recognised cloud payroll software for UK PAYE. Teams run weekly, monthly, fortnightly, and 4-weekly payroll, submit FPS and EPS, process CIS and umbrella, and pay via BACS. Accountants and bureaux use bureau-level settings, email templates, task delegation, naming and storage, rerun audit reasons, and bulk FPS, EPS, and payslips. Employees use the employee portal. Pensions include NEST, Smart, People’s, and NOW. Open APIs sit alongside Xero, Modulr, and Power BI. Security includes 2FA and audit logs. Custom branding and mid-year FPS/CSV migration are part of how firms move onto the platform. Explore features and case studies.
BrightPay is a recognised name in UK payroll software, used by many small employers and some accountancy practices. Product names, desktop versus hosted delivery, and included modules have changed over time. This page does not list BrightPay as matching or missing a Brain Payroll feature unless you have confirmed it on BrightPay’s current official documentation. Treat BrightPay as a peer product to evaluate in a demo, not as a scored competitor.
Brain Payroll processes UK PAYE with HMRC recognition, FPS and EPS, BACS, CIS, umbrella, and the four common pay frequencies. That is the core of a compliant weekly or monthly cycle for in-house payroll and bureaux. BrightPay also markets UK payroll processing; confirm RTI submissions, CIS, and BACS for the exact BrightPay product you would buy. See Brain Payroll FAQs for HMRC recognition, RTI, and BACS.
Bureaux need more than a single-company PAYE screen. Brain Payroll includes bureau-level settings, task delegation, email templates, naming and storage, and bulk FPS, EPS, and payslips so operators can work across clients without rebuilding process each pay period. Multi-company payroll is a first-class use case. Read payroll software for bureaux and whether cloud payroll software fits payroll bureaux. BrightPay bureau or agent features should be checked on BrightPay’s current documentation, including how clients, users, and submissions are separated.
Brain Payroll automation covers Paydroid, scheduled payslips, bulk FPS/EPS/payslips, task delegation, email templates, and rerun audit reasons so corrections stay traceable. BrightPay automation (bulk actions, schedules, or add-ons) should be confirmed on BrightPay’s current documentation rather than inferred from older screenshots.
Brain Payroll supports mid-year FPS and CSV migration so you are not locked to a tax-year boundary. The team supports setup after you contact us or book a demo. For a wider view of cloud go-live, see cloud-based payroll software implementation and migration. BrightPay import and mid-year switch options should be confirmed with BrightPay before you commit a live PAYE scheme.
Employees access personal data through the Brain Payroll employee portal on computer and mobile. Bureaux can apply custom branding so client-facing payroll still looks like the practice. BrightPay employee apps or portals, and any white-label options, should be confirmed on BrightPay’s current documentation.
Brain Payroll supports NEST, Smart, People’s, and NOW pensions for auto-enrolment workflows. BrightPay pension provider coverage and file formats should be confirmed on BrightPay’s current documentation, including any extra modules.
Brain Payroll publishes open APIs and connects to Xero, Modulr, and Power BI so payroll can sit next to accounting, payments, and reporting. See the integration page for the current list. BrightPay’s API and third-party list should be verified on BrightPay’s official documentation for the edition you would licence.
Brain Payroll reporting is available in-product, with Power BI where you need wider analytics. BrightPay report packs and export formats should be confirmed on BrightPay’s current documentation.
Brain Payroll is HMRC recognised for payroll software testing, with 2FA and audit logs for access and change history. Cloud delivery means you work in the browser rather than maintaining a local payroll install. BrightPay security controls (2FA, roles, hosting, backups) should be confirmed on BrightPay’s current documentation and contracts.
Brain Payroll fits UK payroll bureaux, accountants, and employers who want cloud browser access, multi-company and bureau-level settings, bulk FPS/EPS/payslips, employee portal, NEST/Smart/People’s/NOW pensions, open APIs, Xero, Modulr, Power BI, custom branding, 2FA, audit logs, and mid-year FPS/CSV migration. If that list matches how you run payroll, start with features and a demo.
Some organisations already run BrightPay and may stay if their current edition, support, and integrations still match the business. Others may prefer a product they already know. That is a valid reason to evaluate BrightPay on BrightPay’s own documentation and a BrightPay demo. This page does not claim BrightPay is better or worse on any row; it only asks you to verify BrightPay capabilities before you switch either way.
Brain Payroll is UK payroll software built for cloud processing, HMRC-recognised FPS and EPS submissions, bureau-level settings, and open APIs. Whether it is the right alternative to BrightPay depends on your volumes, client mix, and integration needs. Compare the capabilities on this page and book a demo to see Brain Payroll against your own payroll workflow.
Brain Payroll is designed with bureau-level settings, task delegation, email templates, naming and storage controls, bulk FPS, EPS and payslips, and multi-company processing. BrightPay’s bureau options should be confirmed against current BrightPay documentation, as editions and features can differ. Payroll bureaux often evaluate cloud access, client isolation, and automation together. See payroll software for bureaux.
Yes. Brain Payroll supports multi-company payroll with bureau-level settings so accountants and bureaux can manage more than one employer in the same cloud platform. See payroll software for bureaux and the features page for how companies, tasks, and reporting are organised.
Brain Payroll is cloud-based UK payroll software used in the browser, with no extra hardware or desktop installation required. BrightPay has historically been associated with desktop and hosted options; confirm the current delivery model on BrightPay’s official documentation. For bureau fit, see is cloud-based payroll software the right fit for payroll bureaux.
Brain Payroll automation includes bulk FPS and EPS, bulk payslips, scheduled payslips, Paydroid, task delegation, email templates, and rerun audit reasons. BrightPay automation should be verified on BrightPay’s current product documentation rather than assumed from older marketing.
Brain Payroll provides open APIs plus integrations including Xero, Modulr, and Power BI. Employee self-service is available through the employee portal. BrightPay’s API and integration list should be checked on BrightPay’s official documentation for the edition you would licence. See integrations.
Consider UK payroll processing (FPS, EPS, CIS, umbrella, BACS, pay frequencies), cloud access, bureau and multi-company support, automation, employee self-service, pensions (NEST, Smart, People’s, NOW), integrations and APIs, reporting, custom branding, security (2FA and audit logs), and mid-year FPS or CSV migration support. Verify BrightPay claims against current official BrightPay documentation. You can also compare Brain Payroll vs IRIS Staffology.
Use the Book a Demo button on this page to open the demo request form, or contact the Brain Payroll team via the contact us page. A member of the team will arrange a walkthrough tailored to your organisation. More answers are on the FAQ page.
Walk through UK payroll, bureau settings, pensions, and integrations with the Brain Payroll team.
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