Choosing UK payroll software is a practical decision: Real Time Information (RTI), pensions, multi-company work, and how your team actually runs pay. This page compares Brain Payroll with IRIS Staffology using published product descriptions. It is written for accountants, payroll bureaux and employers who are also considering a Brain Payroll vs BrightPay comparison or dedicated payroll software for bureaux.
Brain Payroll is HMRC recognised cloud payroll software with FPS and EPS filing, bureau tools, employee portal access, pension scheme support and open APIs. IRIS publishes Staffology Payroll as cloud payroll for UK businesses and Staffology Bureau for accountants and payroll providers. Neither product is “wrong”; the right fit depends on how you process payroll.
| Capability | Brain Payroll | IRIS Staffology |
|---|---|---|
| UK payroll processing | HMRC recognised. FPS and EPS. Weekly, monthly, fortnightly and 4-weekly pay. PAYE, CIS and umbrella support. | IRIS publishes Staffology as HMRC recognised UK cloud payroll with RTI and automatic FPS after a pay run. IRIS also states Staffology can auto-apply HMRC tax code notices. |
| Cloud | Browser-based cloud payroll. No payroll data saved on your PC. Tested with Chrome. | IRIS publishes Staffology as browser-based cloud payroll. |
| Bureau support | Bureau-level settings, email templates, task delegation, naming and storage, bulk FPS/EPS and payslips. | IRIS publishes Staffology Bureau as cloud payroll bureau software for accountants and payroll providers, with an employer/client portal. |
| Multi-company | Multi-company payroll with bulk submission across employees and companies. | IRIS describes Staffology Bureau for firms running payroll for multiple clients. Confirm current multi-company controls on iris.co.uk. |
| Automation | Paydroid, scheduled payslips, bulk FPS/EPS and payslips, BACS file formats, rerun audit reasons. | IRIS publishes Auto Pilot to finalise payroll, distribute payslips, file FPS and prepare the next run, plus automatic FPS after pay run. |
| Employee self-service | Employee portal for personal data on computer and mobile. Custom branding. | IRIS publishes IRIS My ePay Window as the payslip portal as standard on Staffology Bureau. Employer/client portal for submitting payroll data and viewing schedules and reports. |
| Pensions | NEST, Smart Pension, The People’s Pension and NOW: Pensions support as published on Brain Payroll. | IRIS describes pensions via PAPDIS and automatic contribution submission. |
| Integrations/APIs | Open APIs. Integrations including Xero, Modulr and Power BI. | IRIS describes Staffology as API-first, with connectors for Xero, Sage, QuickBooks and Staffology HR. |
| Reporting | Reporting used in bureau and accountant workflows, including Power BI integration. | IRIS publishes that clients can view schedules and reports through the employer/client portal. |
| Custom branding | Custom branding for bureau and employer presentation. | IRIS public Staffology pages reviewed for this comparison do not clearly document custom branding. Confirm with IRIS if branding is required. |
| Security | Two-factor authentication (2FA) and audit logs. Brain Payroll is a cloud browser product so data is not stored on the local PC. | IRIS states Staffology is ICB accredited and HMRC recognised. Further security detail should be confirmed with IRIS. |
| Migration/support | Mid-year FPS and CSV import. Support via Brain Payroll channels and a Book a Demo walkthrough. | IRIS public Staffology pages reviewed for this comparison do not specify a full migration method. Ask IRIS about moving existing payroll data. |
Brain Payroll is HMRC recognised UK payroll software for accountants, bureaux and employers. Core processing includes FPS and EPS, weekly, monthly, fortnightly and 4-weekly pay, CIS and umbrella support, and BACS file formats. The product is cloud and browser-based.
Bureau tools include bureau-level settings, email templates, task delegation, naming and storage, rerun audit reasons, and bulk FPS, EPS and payslips. Automation includes Paydroid and scheduled payslips. Employees can use a portal; firms can apply custom branding. Pensions include NEST, Smart Pension, The People’s Pension and NOW: Pensions. Open APIs and integrations include Xero, Modulr and Power BI. Security includes 2FA and audit logs. Migration can use mid-year FPS and CSV import. See Brain Payroll features and integrations.
IRIS publishes Staffology Payroll as cloud payroll for UK businesses and Staffology Bureau as cloud payroll bureau software for accountants and payroll providers. IRIS describes Staffology as HMRC recognised and ICB accredited, with browser-based cloud access.
IRIS publishes RTI with automatic FPS after a pay run, auto-applied HMRC tax code notices, and Auto Pilot to finalise payroll, distribute payslips, file FPS and prepare the next run. IRIS also describes an employer/client portal so clients can submit payroll data and view schedules and reports, plus IRIS My ePay Window as the payslip portal as standard on Bureau. IRIS describes Staffology as API-first, with connectors for Xero, Sage, QuickBooks and Staffology HR, and pensions via PAPDIS with automatic contribution submission as IRIS describes it. This page does not copy unverified award statistics and does not claim certifications beyond ICB and HMRC recognised.
Brain Payroll files FPS and EPS, supports common UK pay frequencies, and covers PAYE, CIS and umbrella employees. Staffology, as IRIS publishes it, is HMRC recognised UK payroll with RTI and automatic FPS after the pay run, and can auto-apply HMRC tax code notices. If tax-code notices and post-run FPS automation are central to your process, compare those Staffology behaviours with Brain Payroll’s bulk FPS/EPS and pay-run controls in a demo.
Brain Payroll is used as payroll software for bureaux, with bureau-level settings, bulk submissions and task delegation. IRIS publishes Staffology Bureau for accountants and payroll providers, including a client portal for data and reports. Multi-company work is a Brain Payroll strength; Staffology Bureau is positioned for firms with many clients. Read more in our cloud payroll software for payroll bureaux article.
Brain Payroll automation includes Paydroid, scheduled payslips, bulk FPS/EPS and payslips, and BACS files you can feed into banking software. IRIS publishes Auto Pilot to finalise payroll, distribute payslips, file FPS and prepare the next run. Both approaches aim to reduce repetitive pay-run steps; the difference is in how each vendor sequences those steps.
You can transfer prior payroll into Brain Payroll using FPS import for previous records and CSV files. See our cloud payroll implementation and migration guide. IRIS public Staffology pages reviewed here do not spell out a complete migration method, so ask IRIS how existing year-to-date data is moved.
Brain Payroll provides an employee portal on computer and mobile, plus custom branding. IRIS publishes My ePay Window as standard on Staffology Bureau and an employer/client portal for submitting payroll data and viewing schedules and reports. Choose based on whether you need employee self-service, client data collection, or both.
Brain Payroll supports NEST, Smart Pension, The People’s Pension and NOW: Pensions as published on the Brain Payroll site. IRIS describes Staffology pensions via PAPDIS and automatic contribution submission. Confirm scheme coverage with each vendor for the pensions you actually use.
Brain Payroll publishes open APIs and integrations including Xero, Modulr and Power BI. IRIS describes Staffology as API-first with connectors for Xero, Sage, QuickBooks and Staffology HR. If Sage or QuickBooks sit next to payroll, Staffology’s published connectors may matter; if Power BI or Modulr sit in your stack, review Brain Payroll’s integration options.
Brain Payroll reporting is used in bureau and accountant workflows, including Power BI. IRIS publishes that Staffology clients can view schedules and reports in the employer/client portal. Match reports to what your operators and clients actually need each pay period.
Brain Payroll is HMRC recognised, offers 2FA and audit logs, and does not store payroll data on the local PC. IRIS states Staffology is HMRC recognised and ICB accredited. This comparison does not invent further certifications. Review current security documentation with each supplier.
Brain Payroll suits UK accountants and bureaux that need multi-company processing, bulk FPS/EPS and payslips, Paydroid automation, an employee portal, custom branding, and APIs including Xero, Modulr and Power BI. It also suits employers who want HMRC recognised cloud payroll with CIS or umbrella support. See case studies and FAQs.
IRIS Staffology may suit UK businesses looking at Staffology Payroll, or accountants and payroll providers looking at Staffology Bureau, especially where Auto Pilot, automatic FPS, HMRC tax code notices, PAPDIS pensions, My ePay Window, or published connectors for Sage, QuickBooks and Staffology HR are important. Confirm current packaging and pricing with IRIS.
Brain Payroll is UK cloud payroll software for accountants, bureaux and employers. IRIS publishes Staffology Payroll for UK businesses and Staffology Bureau for accountants and payroll providers. Both are cloud options; the better fit depends on bureau workflows, automation, portals and integrations.
Brain Payroll is built for bureau-level settings, bulk FPS/EPS and payslips, task delegation, email templates, naming and storage, and multi-company processing. IRIS publishes Staffology Bureau as cloud payroll bureau software with an employer/client portal. Compare how you run multiple clients day to day.
Yes. Brain Payroll supports multi-company payroll with bureau-level settings and bulk FPS, EPS and payslip submission for multiple employees and companies.
Yes. Brain Payroll runs in the browser with no payroll data saved on your PC. IRIS publishes Staffology as browser-based cloud payroll.
Brain Payroll includes Paydroid, scheduled payslips, bulk FPS/EPS and payslips, and BACS file formats. IRIS publishes Auto Pilot to finalise payroll, distribute payslips, file FPS and prepare the next run, plus automatic FPS after a pay run and auto-applied HMRC tax code notices.
Brain Payroll publishes open APIs and integrations including Xero, Modulr and Power BI. IRIS describes Staffology as API-first, with connectors for Xero, Sage, QuickBooks and Staffology HR.
Review UK payroll processing, cloud access, bureau and multi-company needs, automation, employee and client portals, pensions, APIs, reporting, branding, security and migration support. Confirm current Staffology capabilities on iris.co.uk and book a Brain Payroll demo for your volumes.
Use the Book a Demo button on this page, or visit the Brain Payroll contact page, to arrange a walkthrough of bureau, automation and integration features.
If you are comparing Brain Payroll with IRIS Staffology, book a demo to walk through your pay frequencies, bureau volumes and integrations. You can also compare Brain Payroll vs BrightPay.