Powerful cloud payroll software for Australia

Easily pay your staff and send the Australian Tax Office (ATO) payroll reports with Xero’s cloud-based payroll software. Simplify your pay, tax, and super calculations easily and quickly.

Person holding paperwork and a laptop with Xero open, demonstrating how to input payroll data.

Save time with payroll software for your small business

Xero’s Single Touch Payroll software gives you a smooth process, confidence in your numbers, and more time for the rest of your to-do list.

  • Tick

    Australia’s Single Touch Payroll – sorted

    No more stress over ATO requirements. Lodge your salary, wage, PAYG, and superannuation details effortlessly.

  • Tick

    Automated Australian payroll calculations

    Xero calculates employees’ pay and tax for you. Enjoy always-accurate pay records.

  • Tick

    Employee self-service with the Xero Me payroll app

    With Xero Me, your team can view their own payslips, request leave, and submit timesheets online. A huge time-saver.

96% of customers [say they] run payroll faster using Xero

*Source: survey conducted by Xero of 894 small businesses in Australia using Xero, May 2024

I’ve gone from zero control to Xero control

Made by the Forge uses Xero to make quick decisions

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Australia’s Single Touch Payroll sorted

Hear ‘ATO compliance’ and we might break out in a sweat. Xero’s online payroll system streamlines the whole process for easier financial reporting. Automated calculations eliminate manual errors, and Xero’s cloud-based accounting software means simple and secure record-keeping.

  • Included
    Lodge salary, wage, PAYG, and superannuation details, knowing everything is accurate
  • Included
    Send digital Single Touch Payroll reports to the government each payday
Learn more about Single Touch Payroll
In the payroll software, the names of selected employees – and the amounts they’ve been paid – are ticked.

Automated Australian payroll calculations

Just picture it: a payday where payroll computer software does the work for you. The peace of mind from knowing tax calculations are accurate and your data is up to date. Well, it’s here: pay yourself and your team in just a few clicks with Xero’s payroll software.

  • Included
    Flexible pay calendars and pay rates give you full control
  • Included
    Direct deposits mean quick and secure payments – and happy employees
  • Included
    Payslips are instantly available for employees in the Xero Me mobile app
Xero’s payroll program for small business, showing employee details like employee type, salary, and next payday.

Employee self-service with the payroll app

It’s a big time-saver when your team can work with their own pay records. With the easy-to-use Xero Me mobile app, they can see and update their own payroll information. And you’re in control: you choose which team members can review and approve leave requests and timesheets. Employees can:

  • Included
    Access their own payslips
  • Included
    View leave balances and submit leave requests
  • Included
    Submit timesheets
  • Included
    Do everything on the go
A request for annual leave is being completed online using the Xero Me payroll app.

Accounting tips for Australian businesses

Get essential advice on how to pay your employees – and get paid by customers – more easily. See all payment guides

Simplify your entire business with Xero

Xero doesn’t just simplify your payroll – it eases all your financial admin, from invoicing and receiving payments to meeting ATO rules and managing cash flow. Xero’s accounting software integrates beautifully with Xero Payroll to lighten your workload, so you have more time to build your business.

See how Xero can help your small business
A chart of income and expenses in Xero’s online payroll software displayed on a tablet.

Plans to suit your business

Ignite

Usually $35

Now $3.50

AUD per month

Save $189 over 6 months

Grow

Usually $70

Now $7

AUD per month

Save $378 over 6 months

Comprehensive

Usually $90

Now $9

AUD per month

Save $486 over 6 months

Usually $115

Now $11.50

AUD per month

Save $621 over 6 months

Take control of financial year-end with Xero

The year-end sneaks up on the best of us. Spare yourself the stress by integrating your payroll and accounting software in advance. Come EOFY, you’ll know your records are entirely right and ready to go.

Get EOFY-ready with Xero
The Xero dashboard shows an up-to-date summary of a business’s finances at the end of the financial year.

How Xero can empower your business

Discover how Xero’s clever features and design can transform the way you manage your business finances.

Xero versus Reckon

Looking for an alternative to Reckon? Xero’s accounting software can help you take control of your business.

Xero vs Reckon

Xero versus MYOB

When it comes to reliable, user-friendly accounting software, Xero’s MYOB alternative has everything you need.

Xero vs MYOB

Software for better business

Xero software boosts every aspect of how you organise and manage your financial admin.

Explore all features

FAQs about Xero’s payroll software

Yes – Xero’s automatic superannuation (also called auto super) is gold-certified by the ATO as SuperStream compliant. Auto super sends employee’s super contributions digitally to their nominated Australian super fund. It also sends super data to the provider and the ATO.

Yes – Xero’s automatic superannuation (also called auto super) is gold-certified by the ATO as SuperStream compliant. Auto super sends employee’s super contributions digitally to their nominated Australian super fund. It also sends super data to the provider and the ATO.

In Xero’s online payroll system, employee leave balances are automatically adjusted when a leave request is approved. The payroll software allows for all the standard types of Australian leave, and you can set up rostered days off and time in lieu. Managing your team’s sick leave, maternity leave, and paternity, shared, adoption, and bereavement leave is easy in Xero Payroll.

In Xero’s online payroll system, employee leave balances are automatically adjusted when a leave request is approved. The payroll software allows for all the standard types of Australian leave, and you can set up rostered days off and time in lieu. Managing your team’s sick leave, maternity leave, and paternity, shared, adoption, and bereavement leave is easy in Xero Payroll.

Employees need to enter their hours into timesheets using the Xero Me app, or you can log their hours for them. Their earnings are then automatically calculated by Xero’s payroll software. Time that’s entered on project tasks also flows into payroll timesheets.

Employees need to enter their hours into timesheets using the Xero Me app, or you can log their hours for them. Their earnings are then automatically calculated by Xero’s payroll software. Time that’s entered on project tasks also flows into payroll timesheets.

Definitely. You can let your team see their own payslips, request leave, and submit timesheets in the Xero Me payroll app on mobile or desktop. This is a great way to empower employees to take care of their own admin. The more independent they are, the fewer tasks will be waiting for you each month.

Definitely. You can let your team see their own payslips, request leave, and submit timesheets in the Xero Me payroll app on mobile or desktop. This is a great way to empower employees to take care of their own admin. The more independent they are, the fewer tasks will be waiting for you each month.

Xero gives you a range of payroll reports for clear, accurate information on payroll activity, transactions, leave balances, timesheets, remuneration, and superannuation. Such detailed information helps you make informed decisions about both your payroll processing and your wider business.

Xero gives you a range of payroll reports for clear, accurate information on payroll activity, transactions, leave balances, timesheets, remuneration, and superannuation. Such detailed information helps you make informed decisions about both your payroll processing and your wider business.

The ATO has specific requirements for hiring employees and paying them in a fair and timely way. This includes making sure you tax them the right amount and meet your super obligations as their employer.

Visit the ATO website for more guidance

The ATO has specific requirements for hiring employees and paying them in a fair and timely way. This includes making sure you tax them the right amount and meet your super obligations as their employer.

Visit the ATO website for more guidance

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Set up an employee's leave entitlements

Staff off on holiday? Make sure you get your employees’ wages right.

Setting employee leave entitlements

Add or edit an employee timesheet

Submit employee timesheets for the current pay period and approve them before you process the pay run.

Add, edit, and approve employee timesheets

Learn about payroll and employees

Articles and discussion on employee pay and tax, including timesheets, superannuation, and payroll reports.

See all payroll articles

See how cloud payroll software streamlines tasks

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