There is no need to stress! e-PayDay Go Award-centric payroll software ensures you effortlessly comply with the ATO Payday Super requirements and the Fair Work Voluntary Small Business Wage Compliance Code.
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Payroller Alternative Australia – Free Payroll Software That Grows With Your Business
e-PayDay FREEPAY® combines Australian cloud payroll software with ClockMeIn mobile time and attendance, supporting payroll processing and employee working-hour records across devices.
Looking for a Payroller alternative in Australia? e-PayDay FREEPAY® provides genuinely free cloud payroll software for businesses with up to 3 employees, including Single Touch Payroll (STP) Phase 2 reporting, Payday Super support, time and attendance management, leave calculations and Fair Work Modern Award functionality.
Unlike a short-term free trial, e-PayDay FREEPAY® is a free-forever payroll offering with no subscription fees for eligible employers and unlimited STP lodgements.
As your business grows beyond 3 employees, you can upgrade to e-PayDay Go® and continue using the same payroll platform, with additional employee capacity and advanced payroll functionality.
Developed in Australia and backed by decades of payroll software experience, e-PayDay offers a compliance-focused alternative for employers seeking reliable payroll processing without unnecessary subscription costs.
Why Consider an Alternative to Payroller?
Choosing payroll software involves more than comparing subscription prices. Australian employers need reliable payroll calculations, accurate employee records and functionality that supports their obligations under ATO and Fair Work requirements.
When evaluating a Payroller alternative, consider whether the software provides:
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Genuinely free payroll software without an expiry date or compulsory subscription for eligible employers
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STP Phase 2 reporting for submitting payroll information to the Australian Taxation Office
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Payday Super support for calculating and managing superannuation obligations
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Fair Work Modern Award support with access to up-to-date Modern Award information, employee classifications and applicable minimum pay rates to assist employers in meeting their Fair Work compliance obligations
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Time and attendance management for recording employee working hours and processing approved timesheets
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Leave and entitlement management for maintaining employee leave balances and records
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Australian-based payroll support when assistance is needed
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Scalable payroll functionality that accommodates additional employees as the business grows
e-PayDay FREEPAY® and e-PayDay Go® provide a connected payroll solution, allowing employers to begin with a free offering and upgrade without moving to a different payroll system.
Payroller vs e-PayDay FREEPAY®: What Should You Compare?
Both Payroller and e-PayDay provide Australian payroll software with Single Touch Payroll (STP) Phase 2 reporting, employee leave management and superannuation functionality. However, their free offerings, pricing structures and payroll capabilities differ.
e-PayDay FREEPAY® provides a free-forever cloud payroll solution for up to 3 employees, with unlimited STP lodgements, Fair Work Modern Award information, Payday Super functionality and access to Australian-based setup assistance.
Payroller offers a free mobile payroll option for eligible single-employee users, while its broader web-based payroll functionality is available through paid subscriptions.
What Is the Main Difference?
The most significant difference for employers seeking free payroll software is the availability of full browser-based payroll processing for up to 3 employees at no subscription cost with e-PayDay FREEPAY®.
Payroller's free Lite offering is primarily designed for eligible mobile users, with broader payroll capabilities available through its paid plans.
e-PayDay FREEPAY® also provides a direct upgrade path to e-PayDay Go®, allowing businesses to retain their existing payroll platform as employee numbers increase.
subscription cost but also payroll compliance requirements, available support, employee capacity and long-term scalability.
Why Choose e-PayDay FREEPAY® as Your Payroller Alternative?
e-PayDay FREEPAY® is designed to help Australian businesses get started with payroll without subscription costs, while providing the essential functionality needed to manage employees, process wages and meet payroll reporting obligations.
Unlike payroll software that requires employers to move to a different product as their workforce expands, e-PayDay FREEPAY® provides a direct upgrade path to e-PayDay Go®, allowing businesses to grow without changing payroll platforms.
1. Genuinely Free Payroll Software for Up to 3 Employees
e-PayDay FREEPAY® is free forever for businesses with up to 3 employees, with no subscription fees, expiry date or limits on the number of Single Touch Payroll (STP) lodgements.
Employers can process payroll, calculate PAYG withholding, manage employee leave and submit STP Phase 2 reports to the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) without paying for a payroll subscription.
Unlike a limited free trial, FREEPAY® provides an ongoing payroll solution for eligible businesses.
2. Real-Time Access to Fair Work Modern Awards
Correctly classifying employees and applying applicable minimum pay rates are important responsibilities under Australia's Fair Work system.
e-PayDay provides real-time access to Fair Work Modern Award information, including employee classifications and minimum pay rates, helping employers identify the information required to configure their payroll correctly.
Employers can also use configurable pay types to manage ordinary hours, overtime, allowances, leave and other payments relevant to their workforce.
While employers remain responsible for determining the applicable Modern Award or enterprise agreement and correctly classifying employees, e-PayDay provides tools and information to support those decisions.
3. STP Phase 2 and Payday Super Compliance
e-PayDay FREEPAY® supports Australian payroll reporting requirements, including STP Phase 2 and Payday Super.
STP Phase 2 functionality supports the reporting of employee income types, tax treatments, allowances, salary sacrifice and other required payroll information to the ATO.
Payday Super functionality supports the calculation and reporting of Qualifying Earnings (QE) and superannuation liabilities, helping employers manage their obligations under the legislation introduced on 1 July 2026.
These capabilities are available within the same payroll platform, reducing the need for separate payroll reporting systems.
4. Time, Attendance and Leave Management
Accurate payroll begins with reliable employee working-hour records.
e-PayDay provides e-Time functionality to support employee time and attendance recording, timesheet approval and payroll processing.
Employers can also manage employee leave balances and entitlements, helping maintain accurate payroll records and support Fair Work record-keeping obligations.
For businesses requiring mobile time recording, the ClockMeIn Payrollee Self Service application provides additional employee time and attendance functionality.
5. Australian-Based Support from Real People
Payroll questions often require practical assistance, particularly when setting up employee records, configuring pay types or preparing the first pay run.
e-PayDay FREEPAY® includes 30 days of Australian-based telephone setup assistance, helping new employers get started with their payroll software.
Unlike support arrangements limited to in-app live chat and email, e-PayDay provides access to Australian-based people who understand local payroll requirements.
6. Start Free and Grow with e-PayDay Go®
Start with free payroll for up to 3 employees and upgrade to e-PayDay Go® as your business grows, without changing payroll platforms.
One of the most important advantages of e-PayDay FREEPAY® is its scalability.
Businesses can begin processing payroll for up to 3 employees at no subscription cost and upgrade to e-PayDay Go® when additional employee capacity or advanced functionality is required.
Because both offerings use the same payroll platform, employers can retain their existing payroll information and continue processing payroll without migrating to an entirely different system.
Whether your business employs 3 people, 15 people or a substantially larger workforce, e-PayDay provides a scalable Australian payroll solution designed to support business growth.
Australian Payroll Compliance Built Into Your Workflow
Australian payroll compliance involves more than calculating wages and submitting payslips. Employers must correctly calculate PAYG withholding, report payroll information through Single Touch Payroll (STP), meet superannuation obligations and maintain accurate employee records under Fair Work legislation.
e-PayDay FREEPAY® brings these essential payroll functions together in one cloud-based platform, helping Australian businesses manage their payroll obligations from the first employee through to a growing workforce using e-PayDay Go®.
STP Phase 2 Reporting and PAYG Withholding
Single Touch Payroll (STP) Phase 2 requires employers to report detailed payroll information to the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) each time they process payroll.
e-PayDay FREEPAY® supports STP Phase 2 reporting, including:
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Tax Treatment Codes – Reporting the employee's applicable tax treatment and withholding arrangements.
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Income Types – Identifying the appropriate income stream, including salary and wages and other applicable income types.
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Disaggregation of Gross – Separately reporting ordinary earnings, overtime, paid leave, allowances, bonuses and other applicable payment categories.
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Salary Sacrifice – Reporting applicable salary sacrifice arrangements, including superannuation and other employee benefits.
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Employment and Cessation Information – Reporting employment basis and applicable reasons for employment termination.
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PAYG Withholding – Calculating and reporting tax withheld from employee payments.
These capabilities help employers prepare accurate STP reports and reduce the administrative effort associated with meeting ATO reporting requirements.
Payday Super and Qualifying Earnings Reporting
Since 1 July 2026, Australian employers have been required to pay Superannuation Guarantee (SG) contributions on payday rather than under the previous quarterly payment arrangements.
e-PayDay FREEPAY® supports the calculation and reporting of QE and superannuation liabilities, helping employers manage their Payday Super obligations.
This includes:
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Calculating SG contributions on applicable Qualifying Earnings.
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Reporting year-to-date QE and superannuation liabilities through STP.
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Supporting superannuation calculations for eligible workers, including certain contractors who are employees for SG purposes.
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Maintaining payroll information required to support superannuation reporting and reconciliation.
Employers must also ensure superannuation contributions are paid using an appropriate SuperStream-compliant payment method and reach the employee's superannuation fund within the required timeframe.
Fair Work Modern Awards and Configurable Pay Types
Correctly paying employees requires employers to understand their obligations under the applicable Modern Award, enterprise agreement or other employment arrangements.
e-PayDay provides real-time access to Fair Work Modern Award information, including employee classifications and minimum pay rates, to assist employers in configuring their payroll correctly.
The payroll platform also includes more than 300 preconfigured Pay Type templates covering common Australian payroll payment scenarios, including:
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Ordinary hours, overtime and penalty rates.
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Allowances, loadings and bonuses.
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Annual leave, personal leave and other leave payments.
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Salary sacrifice and employee deductions.
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Reimbursements, termination payments and applicable lump sums.
These configurable Pay Types help employers manage payment calculations and support the correct classification of payments for STP Phase 2 reporting.
Employers remain responsible for determining the applicable Modern Award or agreement, selecting the correct employee classification and ensuring payroll settings reflect their employment obligations.
Time, Attendance and Fair Work Payroll Records
Maintaining accurate employee working-hour and wage records is an important part of meeting Fair Work obligations.
e-PayDay's e-Time functionality supports time and attendance recording, timesheet approval and the transfer of approved working hours into payroll processing.
The platform also supports employee leave records, payroll reporting and payslip generation.
Under Fair Work requirements, employers must generally retain employee time and wage records for seven years and provide payslips within one working day of payday.
By connecting time and attendance information with payroll calculations and reporting, e-PayDay helps employers maintain consistent payroll records and identify potential discrepancies before finalising a pay run.
One Payroll Platform for Australian Compliance
From recording employee working hours and calculating applicable pay rates to processing wages, reporting STP Phase 2 information and managing Payday Super liabilities, e-PayDay provides a connected payroll workflow.
Start with e-PayDay FREEPAY® for up to 3 employees and upgrade to e-PayDay Go® as your business grows, retaining your existing payroll platform and access to the functionality needed to support Australian payroll obligations.
How to Switch from Payroller to e-PayDay FREEPAY®
Switching from Payroller to e-PayDay FREEPAY® is a practical option for Australian businesses seeking free payroll software with STP Phase 2 reporting, Payday Super functionality and Fair Work Modern Award support.
Whether you're changing payroll software at the beginning of a financial year or partway through, careful preparation helps ensure employee information, leave entitlements and year-to-date (YTD) payroll balances are correctly established.
Follow these six steps to prepare your transition.
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Step 1 – Export Your Payroll Records from Payroller
Before leaving Payroller, download and securely retain copies of your existing payroll information, including:
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Employee personal, employment and taxation details.
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Payroll summaries, payslips and payment history.
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Year-to-date gross earnings, PAYG withholding and superannuation information.
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STP Phase 2 reporting information, including applicable income types and payment categories.
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Outstanding annual leave, personal leave and other applicable entitlements.
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Employee superannuation fund details and contribution records.
Check that your final Payroller pay run has been completed and that all relevant payroll reports are available before changing systems.
Step 2 – Register for e-PayDay FREEPAY®
Create your free e-PayDay FREEPAY® account and configure your business information.
FREEPAY® is free forever for up to 3 employees, with no subscription fees and unlimited STP lodgements.
During setup, enter your business details, including your Australian Business Number (ABN), payroll settings and applicable pay frequency.
Businesses requiring payroll processing for more than 3 employees can use e-PayDay Go®.
Step 3 – Set Up Your Employees and Payroll Details
Create your employee records in e-PayDay FREEPAY® using the information retained from Payroller.
For each employee, review and configure:
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Personal information, employment commencement date and employment basis.
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Tax File Number declaration information (Tax Treatment Code is automatically generated in e-PayDay).
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Applicable Modern Award or enterprise agreement, employee classification and pay rates.
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Ordinary working hours, allowances, deductions and salary sacrifice arrangements.
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Superannuation fund details and applicable Superannuation Guarantee rules.
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Leave entitlements and opening balances.
e-PayDay provides access to Fair Work Modern Award information and configurable pay types to assist with payroll setup.
Step 4 – Enter Opening Balances and Review STP Reporting
If you are switching payroll software during a financial year, correctly managing previously reported STP information is essential.
Review the employee year-to-date amounts recorded in Payroller, including gross earnings, PAYG withholding, allowances, leave payments, salary sacrifice and superannuation reporting information.
e-PayDay provides functionality for entering employee opening and adjustment balances, including taxation and leave entitlements.
Important: When changing payroll software during a financial year, the ATO requires employers to manage previously reported STP information correctly to avoid duplicate or overstated employee income statements.
Depending on whether you transfer year-to-date amounts, the previous Business Management Software Identifier (BMS ID), employee Payroll IDs and the functionality supported by the payroll software, you may need to notify the ATO of transferred records or adjust previously reported amounts.
Follow the ATO's guidance on changing payroll solutions before submitting your first STP report from e-PayDay FREEPAY®.
Step 5 – Review Your First Pay Run
Before finalising your first payroll in e-PayDay FREEPAY®, review the employee information and payroll calculations against your previous records.
Check that:
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Employee pay rates, ordinary hours and applicable allowances are correct.
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PAYG withholding calculations reflect the employee's taxation settings.
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Leave opening balances and accrual rules have been configured correctly.
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Superannuation calculations reflect applicable Qualifying Earnings.
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STP Phase 2 reporting categories and year-to-date balances are accurate.
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Employee bank account details and payment amounts are correct.
Once you are satisfied with the payroll calculations and reporting information, finalise the pay run and submit the required STP report to the ATO.
Step 6 – Retain Your Historical Payroll Records
After switching to e-PayDay FREEPAY®, retain access to the historical payroll information generated in Payroller.
Under the Fair Work Act 2009, employers must generally retain employee time and wage records for seven years.
These records may include payslips, wage calculations, leave records, timesheets, superannuation contributions and employment details.
Ensure that any required historical information has been securely exported and retained before cancelling your previous payroll subscription.
Get Started with Free Australian Payroll Software
Changing payroll software does not need to mean changing platforms again when your business grows.
With e-PayDay FREEPAY®, you can start processing payroll for up to 3 employees at no subscription cost, receive 30 days of Australian-based telephone setup assistance and upgrade to e-PayDay Go® when your workforce expands.
Start with FREEPAY® – Free for up to 3 employees.
Frequently Asked Questions About Payroller Alternatives
Ready to Try a Free Payroller Alternative?
Why pay for payroll software when your business can get started for free?
e-PayDay FREEPAY® provides genuinely free Australian cloud payroll software for up to 3 employees, including unlimited STP Phase 2 lodgements, Payday Super support, Fair Work Modern Award information, time and attendance management, and employee leave functionality.
With 30 days of Australian-based telephone setup assistance, you can get started with support from real people who understand Australian payroll requirements.
And when your business grows, simply upgrade to e-PayDay Go® for additional employee capacity and advanced functionality, without changing payroll platforms.
Start Free with e-PayDay FREEPAY® — No Subscription Required
Already growing? Explore e-PayDay Go® Cloud Payroll Software.