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Free STP payroll software for Australian small businesses

Free Payroll Software for Australian Small Businesses

Australian Made free Single Touch Payroll software.

ATO-registered STP Phase 2 payroll software with built-in Payday Super — fully 2026 compliant payroll made easy.

No credit card. No time limits. Process your first pay run in 15 minutes.

e-PayDay FREEPAY

®

The Perpetual Free Cloud Payroll Tier for Australian Micro-Businesses

 

While many payroll providers offer limited free trials, e-PayDay FREEPAY® is genuinely free payroll software for up to 3 employees, with no subscription fees or trial expiry.

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Built on decades of Australian payroll software development and trusted by thousands of Australian businesses using e-PayDay payroll software, FREEPAY® provides an established, compliance-focused solution for micro-businesses.

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Designed specifically for employers with 3 or fewer employees, FREEPAY® combines STP Phase 2 reporting, Payday Super readiness, Fair Work Modern Award support, and built-in Time and Attendance timesheets in one cloud payroll platform.

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Using Single Touch Payroll software allows employers to report payroll information directly to the ATO each pay run without ongoing subscription costs.

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  • 100% Australian Owned and Developed: Built on Australian payroll software development dating back to 1986, e-PayDay is designed around Australian taxation, superannuation and Fair Work requirements. Thousands of businesses use e-PayDay payroll software to manage their payroll obligations.
     

  • Real-Time Fair Work Modern Award Support: Access every Fair Work Modern Award and applicable classifications directly within the software. Award pay rate information is kept up to date, helping employers configure accurate wage calculations. Learn more about the Fair Work voluntary small business wage compliance code and its application to payroll.
     

  • Built-in Time and Attendance with e-Time™ Timesheets: Record employee clock-in and clock-out times, working hours, pay rates and allowances directly in FREEPAY® using integrated e-Time™ timesheets. Once timesheets are reviewed and approved, automatically generate pay runs from approved employee timesheets, reducing manual calculations and supporting accurate Fair Work time and wage records.
     

  • Automated Payroll Compliance Updates: Stay current with Australian payroll requirements, including Payday Super, STP Phase 2 reporting and updated PAYG withholding tax scales. e-PayDay maintains the software's compliance-related functionality to help employers meet their reporting and payment obligations.
     

  • Suitable for Businesses Across Industries: Whether you operate in Retail, Hospitality, Trades or Professional Services, FREEPAY® provides configurable payroll functionality to accommodate different employee pay arrangements and business requirements.​​

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Ready to Scale Your Business?

 

Start free, grow with confidence, and upgrade without migrating your payroll data.

 

As your business grows beyond 3 employees, e-PayDay FREEPAY® provides a seamless upgrade path to e-PayDay Go®, allowing you to retain your existing payroll information while accessing additional employee capacity and advanced functionality.

 

From a micro-business employing one person to a growing organisation with more complex payroll requirements, e-PayDay provides a scalable Australian cloud payroll platform backed by decades of payroll software experience.

 

Explore the e-PayDay Go® cloud payroll software or view our Single Touch Payroll plans to find the right solution as your business grows.

 

Learn how to choose the best payroll software for small business in Australia and why compliance, time and attendance functionality, and scalability matter.

No Card Required

ATO Small Business Super Clearing House Alternative

 

The Small Business Superannuation Clearing House (SBSCH) closed permanently on 1 July 2026. Discover why e-PayDay FREEPAY® is the top-rated free alternative today.

Payroll Software that Integrates with Government Services

 

e-PayDay FREEPAY® is designed for small businesses by integrating directly with government systems to streamline your compliance obligations in real time. We provide seamless access to essential services from the Australian Taxation Office (ATO), the Fair Work Commission, the Fair Work Ombudsman, and Services Australia. By automating these connections, we help you maintain accuracy and meet your regulatory requirements with ease. This is powered by ATO-registered payroll software, ensuring full compliance.

Powerful pay run functionality.

Easy Payroll Software with Comprehensive Features

 

Powerful functionality designed to make your pay day easier. Our platform is built as dedicated Single Touch Payroll software, not an add-on.

Easily maintain employees with free Single Touch Payroll software.

Maintain Employees

 

Easily manage personal and employment information for Weekly, Fortnightly, Monthly and quarterly pay periods. Additionally, pay Full-Time, Part-Time, Casual, Closely Held and Salaried employees. Voluntary Agreements (Contractors are avialable on our paid plans.

Free Single Touch Payroll software allows easy tracking of leave accurals.

Easily Track Leave

 

Automatically tracks and accrues your Sick, Annual Leave, Long Service Leave, PFDVL, RDOs, and TOIL. You can choose from various accrual methods that suit your needs. In addition, we provide detailed reporting features to help you stay on top of leave management.

Includes Fair Work Modern Awards in free Single Touch Cloud Payroll software.

Fair Work Awards

 

All of the 122 Modern Awards and Employment Agreements can be easily accessed to suit your exact requirements. Includes comprehensive management of Fair Work Awards and Agreements helping you to easily remain compliant.

Free Single Touch Payroll software with complete Superannuation Management.

Payday Super

 

Managing your Superannuation Funds and payments has never been easier. With the Payday Super feature, you can easily transfer payments electronically. Everything you need for your Super management is located in one convenient place.

Powerful pay runs with free Single Touch Payroll software.

Powerful Pay Runs

 

We offer flexible options for pay runs, allowing you to choose from weekly, fortnightly, monthly, or any other period that suits your needs. Our electronic transfer system to any ABA member financial institution makes payments seamless and hassle-free. 

Payee Master File screen showing General Details, Taxation Balances and Reportable Fringe Benefits tabs.

Flexible Payee and Employment Management

 

Effortlessly manage your workforce regardless of how their income is taxed. e-PayDay FREEPAY® utilises the Payee Master File and intelligent automation to handle diverse STP employment classifications, ensuring accuracy, consistency, and full STP Phase 2 compliance across your entire team.

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  • Diverse Employment Types: Built-in support for Regular employees, Closely Held Payees (CHP), Seniors and Pensioners (SAPTO), Working Holiday Makers (WHM), Foreign Residents, and Seasonal Workers.

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  • Specialised Industry Support: Includes dedicated handling for Horticulturists, Shearers, and ATO-defined Death Beneficiaries, with support for Voluntary Agreements (Contractors) in our paid plans.
     

  • Flexible Employment Basis: Seamlessly manage Full-Time, Part-Time, and Casual staff within a single, streamlined interface.
     

  • Automated Compliance: Intelligent tax treatment selection based on payee status ensures your business stays compliant with ATO requirements at all times.

Closely Held Payees (CHP) and Director Reporting

 

Pay your family members and business associates with confidence while meeting all Australian Taxation Office (ATO) requirements. e-PayDay FREEPAY® simplifies reporting for individuals with a direct relationship to the payer, ensuring your family business or corporate structure remains fully compliant.

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  • Broad Payee Support: Easily manage and report family members, company directors, shareholders, and trust beneficiaries.
     

  • Flexible Reporting Options: Meet your obligations with support for various reporting frequencies, allowing you to report for any required period, including Quarterly and Yearly.
     

  • Family Business Ready: Designed specifically to handle the nuances of "Closely Held" arrangements within the STP Phase 2 framework.
     

  • Seamless ATO Integration: Direct reporting from the Payee Master File ensures that director fees and family wages are accurately recorded and declared.

Payee Master File screen with Taxation Settings accordion showing closely held payee income stream dropdown.
e-PayDay FREEPAY e-Time timesheet showing employee clock-in and clock-out times, ordinary working hours, pay rates and allowances for automated payroll processing

From Time and Attendance to Automated Payroll Processing

 

Simplify time and attendance management and automate payroll processing with e-PayDay FREEPAY®. Record employee working hours using built-in e-Time timesheets, apply configured pay rates and allowances, and automatically generate accurate pay runs once timesheets have been approved. Reduce manual data entry, minimise payroll calculation errors, and maintain reliable employee time and wage records to support Fair Work compliance.

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  • Configurable Shift Profiles: Define and assign shift profiles with predefined pay rates and allowances to automate wage calculations, reduce repetitive data entry, and improve payroll accuracy.

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  • Built-in e-Time™ Timesheets: Record employee clock-in and clock-out times, track working hours, and assign the appropriate pay rates and allowances directly within e-PayDay FREEPAY®.

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  • Automated Timesheet-to-Payroll Processing: Review and approve employee timesheets, then automatically generate accurate pay runs using approved working hours, pay rates, and allowances without re-entering timesheet data.

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  • Accurate Time and Wage Records for Fair Work Compliance: Maintain reliable employee working-hour and wage records, reduce administrative work, and support Australian payroll and Fair Work record-keeping obligations.

Pay run Step 3 screen showing employee tax and super calculations with payroll totals breakdown.

Automated ATO Tax Calculations

 

Utilise official Australian Taxation Office (ATO) formulas to perform payroll calculations automatically. By factoring in specific tax treatments and pay types, e-PayDay FREEPAY® ensures streamlined, accurate PAYG tax calculations that save time and eliminate manual errors.
 

  • Diverse Tax Treatments: Supports Regular, Seniors and Pensioners (SAPTO), Working Holiday Makers, and Foreign Residents.
     

  • Total Control: Manually adjust PAYG tax, Qualifying Earnings (QE/SG), and RESC calculations whenever required.
     

  • X-Ray View: Gain detailed insights into exactly how different components are calculated for total transparency and audit purposes.
     

  • Automatic Compliance: ATO Tax Tables are updated automatically, ensuring you always stay aligned with current legislation.

Fair Work-Compliant Pay Slip Generator

 

e-PayDay FREEPAY® includes a powerful, integrated pay slip generator. Effortlessly create professional, Fair Work legally compliant pay advice using built-in templates designed specifically for the Australian regulatory environment.

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  • Free & Professional: Includes multiple professional templates provided at no additional cost.
     

  • Automated Workflow: Payslips are generated automatically as part of your standard payroll process.
     

  • Fair Work Compliance: Access templates that meet all Fair Work Ombudsman requirements to protect your business.
     

  • Secure Distribution: Email payslips directly as secure PDFs or provide access via the ClockMeIn® Employee Self Service (ESS) mobile app.

Pay run Step 6 screen generating Fair Work compliant pay slips for email distribution.
View all your STP Lodgements in the one convienent location.

Simplified Single Touch Payroll (STP) Reporting

 

Say goodbye to complex reporting processes. e-PayDay FREEPAY® provides an intuitive Single Touch Payroll feature that allows you to effortlessly manage your submissions and stay compliant with the latest ATO regulations at no extra cost.

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  • ATO Registered Solution: Report with confidence using a software product fully compliant with the latest Single Touch Payroll (STP) Phase 2 standards.
     

  • Flexible Event Reporting: Maintain total control over your data by lodging Submit, Update and Final events whenever required to ensure records remain accurate.
     

  • EOFY Made Easy: Streamline your End of Financial Year finalisation declarations, making it simple to get your employees' income statements "Tax Ready."
     

  • Zero Cost Compliance: Gain full access to these essential STP reporting features as a standard, built-in part of the e-PayDay FREEPAY® experience.

Superannuation Guarantee (SG) Reporting and Payday Super Compliance

 

Streamline your superannuation obligations with a fast, accurate, and fully compliant reporting experience. e-PayDay FREEPAY® removes the complexity of managing Super Guarantee (SG) and Payday Super requirements with our Single Touch ePayDay Super® built-in functionality, ensuring your employees' retirement savings are handled with precision.

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  • Integrated Clearing House Support: We have partnered with SuperChoice, Australia’s premier clearing house service, to provide instant reporting and payments at no extra cost.
     

  • Payday Super Ready: Stay ahead of government requirements with a system built to handle Payday Superannuation reporting automatically.
     

  • The SBSCH Alternative: Eliminate reliance on the Small Business Superannuation Clearing House (SBSCH) ahead of its closure on 1 July 2026.
     

  • Flexible File Export: Easily create a SuperStream Alternative File Format (SAFF) or a Banking File (.aba) for efficient processing with other Clearing House Solutions.

e-PayDay Go FREEPAY free single touch payroll offers easy superannuation management.

Using Single Touch Payroll software helps ensure this information is automatically submitted to the ATO every pay period, with ATO-registered payroll software meeting full STP reporting compliance.

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Our Proven STP Credentials:

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  • Trusted by thousands of Australian businesses

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  • Recommended and used by hundreds of Accountants and Bookkeepers

PRICING

Transparent, Fixed-Tier Pricing

Straightforward pricing for teams with more than three employees.

 

​We offer simple monthly pricing for businesses with more than three employees and contractors. Our fixed-tier plans are easy to understand, providing the flexibility you need with no hidden extras. Whether you are scaling up or managing a steady team, our pricing remains predictable and transparent.

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Compare options in our low-cost payroll software Australia guide to see how our payroll solutions stack up.

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Or explore the cheapest payroll software options for small businesses.

e-PayDay Go FREEPAY free single touch payroll cloud software with no activation fees.

No Activation Fees

e-PayDay Go FREEPAY free single touch payroll cloud software with no monthly service fee.

No Monthly Service Fee

e-PayDay Go FREEPAY free single touch payroll cloud software with no cost per pay period.

No Cost Per Pay Period

e-PayDay FREEPAYe-PayDay Go FREEPAY free single touch payroll cloud software with no minimum term.

No Minimum Term

e-PayDay Go FREEPAY free single touch payroll cloud software with no hidden fees guarantee.

All fees and charges are included in your Monthly Subscription.

Real stories. Zero incentives.

 

We don’t pay for testimonials or third-party reviews, so you can trust that every comment is genuine and unbiased. Discover what our customers really think, unfiltered and unbought.

Begin today with 3 easy steps and complete your first pay run and STP report in just 15 minutes.

 

Experience a seamless start with our comprehensive 30-day onboarding assistance, available from the moment you submit your initial support request. We're here to ensure your success every step of the way!

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Still comparing options? See the best payroll software for small business in Australia.

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Or explore our low-cost payroll software options.

Step 1

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Fill out a simple form to sign up to begin your payroll journey, and keep your credit or debit card in your wallet.

Step 2

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You will receive an email when your account is activated after verification, then you can sign in and start immediately.

Step 3

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3 simple steps to begin, then add your employees, and you're ready to process your first pay run in just 15 minutes.

Frequently Asked Question (FAQs)

Your Payroll Security is Our Priority

 

We believe your payroll data belongs in your hands—not someone else's. e-PayDay Single Touch Payroll software is designed to address the unique concerns of cloud-based information by implementing stringent industry best practices to ensure the security and integrity of your records.

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e-PayDay Pty Ltd is dedicated to mitigating risks through proactive security measures and continuous system monitoring within the e-PayDay FREEPAY® platform. However, effective protection is a shared responsibility. While we provide a secure infrastructure, your active participation in safeguarding your account is a vital part of keeping your payroll data protected.

Multifactor Authentication (MFA)

A multi-step account login process is required to log in. Additional to a password, users are also required to enter a code.

Detailed Audit Logging

Audit logging assists with the traceability of access and actions used to detect anomalies or to support the investigation of a security incident.

Application Security Settings
 

There is a limited time to sign in and no "remember me" functionality. Users are automatically logged out if there is no activity detected. 

Frequent Pentration Testing

Penetration testing, also known as a pen test, is simulating a cyber attack against our system to check for exploitable vulnerabilities.

ISO 27001 Information Security Certifited

We meet the ISO 27001 Information Security Management Systems (ISMS) standard and are independently audited and certified by an external third party. 

All Your Data is Encrypted

Your data is encrypted at rest and while in transit. What you store is encrypted even when the information is not being accessed.

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ATO Operational Security Framework (OSF)

e-PayDay Go fulfils the requirements of the Australian Taxation Office Digital Service Provider (DSP) Operational Security Framework (OSF).

Hosted on Microsoft Servers in Australia

Your data is monitored and managed using only Microsoft Servers located in Australia conforming with the ATO OSF security requirements.

e-PayDay Go® payroll software is ISO 27001:2022 independently audited and certified by Compass Assurance Services.

We're proud to share that e-PayDay is an independently audited and certified ISO 27001:2022 secure, cutting-edge Web Application boasting the latest Microsoft Azure, ASP.NET Core, and C# technology stack. For those with a technical inclination, rest assured that our platform has your needs covered now and in the future!

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Your Privacy: We Do Not Sell Your Data

 

We are unwaveringly committed to protecting your privacy. e-PayDay Pty Ltd does not sell your personal information to third parties.

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To provide the services within e-PayDay FREEPAY®, your data is only shared when necessary to fulfil legislative obligations—such as reporting to government agencies—or to meet essential commercial requirements, like STP lodgements and Superannuation processing. We ensure all data sharing strictly complies with the Australian Privacy Principles and relevant regulations.

Payroll News and Compliance Insights

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Discover how e-PayDay FREEPAY® streamlines complex Australian regulations. From Award updates to legislative changes, we provide the news you need to ensure your payroll remains 100% compliant and free with the help of e-PayDay Pty Ltd.​

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New to payroll? Start with:

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