Payroll Basics is an option for smaller companies with fewer than 10 employees – over 40,000 businesses use the platform, and over 600,000 UK businesses use IRIS’s payroll products on the whole.

It delivers essential functionality for micro-businesses without the cost or complexity found in larger platforms, and yet still maintains HMRC recognition and full compliance with PAYE, National Insurance, statutory payments and Real Time Information (RTI) submissions.

This free product is designed for business owners and managers who may not have a dedicated payroll team but still need to run accurate payroll each month – if you’re a small business owner with a handful of workers and no dedicated teams or HR leaders, then this is quite possibly the most cost-effective way of getting the job done.

Because it’s backed by the broader company that is IRIS, you get access to the same underlying infrastructure but for free. IRIS claims to be the largest third-party online filer with the UK Government, with one in eight UK employees paid through its various payroll solutions.

As soon as your company grows beyond these basic needs, though, IRIS Payroll Basics will no longer be suitable, so think of it as a stopgap solution for the short term.

Still, its low barrier to entry and solid compliance tools make it a logical choice as a stepping stone for smaller employers navigating payroll for the first time.

• Our guide to the best payroll software

IRIS Payroll Basics: Plans and pricing

Being a so-called ‘Basics’ product, there’s one huge benefit to IRIS Payroll Basics, and that’s that it’s free.

IRIS describes the platform as a free payroll option recognised by HMRC, but it’s on its last legs as IRIS sets out plans to bolster profitability looking ahead. IRIS Payroll Basics will only be compliant for the 2025/26 tax year, because it’s set to be discontinued from there on.

Longer-term customers and those needing more than the free platform can provide should consider IRIS’s Staffology Payroll, which costs from £39 per month for one to 19 payslips.

IRIS Payroll Basics: Features

First thing’s first, IRIS Payroll Basics is exactly that – basic. It covers the essentials that you need, but there are no additional features that make it an all-encompassing payroll and HR solution like others in this space.

Payroll Basics automatically calculates PAYE, National Insurance, pension auto-enrolment and statutory payments, and because it’s fully HMRC-recognised, it enables direct submissions to HMRC to cut out some admin work.

The reporting system also generates mandatory forms, month-end summaries, pension reports and employee payslips.

IRIS notes that all business-critical software and legislative updates are provided free of charge, however with the platform losing support at the end of the 2025/26 tax year, that’s about to change.

IRIS Payroll Basics: Ease of use

Because it’s such a basic system, IRIS Payroll Basics is already a pretty simple system to get your head around. If there are fewer features to begin with, then it’s a reasonable expectation that there shouldn’t be a huge learning curve.

That being said, with the platform on its last legs, it does feel a bit more dated or basic than other solutions in this space. With a deprecation date in mind, IRIS hasn’t committed to updating the user interface as it has with other Payroll solutions under the IRIS brand.

Still, key calculations and submissions are automated to take away human error, so it’s a worthwhile consideration for micro-businesses without specialist payroll staff.

IRIS Payroll Basics: Support

IRIS Payroll Basics doesn’t have its own dedicated support, but being a free product, we wouldn’t usually expect support to be great anyway. Thankfully, because IRIS offers paid options too, Payroll Basics users can speak to the company this way.

A support page shows the phone number without being hidden behind too many clicks, so IRIS is clearly prepared to pick up the phone, but you can also shoot off a message on the live chat if you have a more complex query that may need a written response.

There’s no email support.

IRIS also has various articles in its knowledge base, but nothing seems specifically geared towards Payroll Basics.

IRIS Payroll Basics: Final verdict

IRIS Payroll Basics is a practical, no-frills payroll solution for UK-based micro-businesses with up to 10 employees who are seeking a compliant, cost-effective way to manage payroll.

Organisations that fall within this scope can get superb value from this free product, with core functionalities like PAYE, National Insurance calculations, RTI submissions and pension enrolment built-in.

With previous updates to keep the platform up-to-date with changing legislations and HMRC recognition, you get peace of mind for full compliance, however there’s a huge caveat and that’s that IRIS Payroll Basics is set to lose compliance after tax year 2025/26.

Its biggest limitation is its April 2026 discontinuation, and from this point users will need to shift to other solutions, be it something like Staffology Payroll from IRIS or another provider altogether.

Support generally seems responsive and you get the backing of IRIS as a whole, which offers other payroll solutions, however it seems lacking in specific knowledge base articles or guidance on Payroll Basics.

Square might be best known for its point-of-sale (POS) solutions that help small businesses manage payments, inventory and customer interactions, but the California software maker (co-founded by Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey in 2009) has now gone on to make more business software solutions.

These days, Square offers everything from scheduling and team communications to banking and invoicing. Square Payroll is another extension of the company’s strategy, for simplifying wage payments, tax compliance and contractor management, and again, it’s designed for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs).

Businesses already using Square POS or the Square Team app can quickly sync things like employee time cards, tips and hours, and it covers both W-2 employees and 1099 contractors in the US, making it a versatile option for an array of businesses.

The platform isn’t without its drawbacks, though. Advanced HR tools are limited, so if you’re a bigger company with more demanding needs, it could be time to look elsewhere.

• Our guide to the best payroll software

Square Payroll: Plans and pricing

Depending on how you run your business and how your staffing looks, you have two routes to go down with Square Payroll.

If you’re running a contractor-only payroll, you pay $6 per month per person paid, but if you’re a full-service payroll with people on the books too, you’ll need to pay $35 per month for the account plus an extra $6 per month per person paid.

It’s not quite as simple as that, though, because the full-service payroll package does add some things that the contractor-only plan doesn’t get, including automatic payroll, off-cycle payments, multiple pay rates, next-day direct deposit and more.

The contractor-only plan also lacks scheduling (for up to 10 days ahead) and tip tracking and importing.

Given that the two plans cost the same per person paid, the fact that the fuller package only costs an additional $35 per month shouldn’t end up being too costly for medium-sized companies and above, but smaller companies with just a handful of workers will notice the difference that $35 makes.

Square Payroll: Features

Square Payroll’s core payroll functions include unlimited payroll runs, direct deposits, automated calculations and W-2/1099-NEC filings.

Besides that, you can automatically import timecards and direct tips from Square POS or the Square Team app, which is really handy if you’re already in the Square ecosystem and are looking to support your staff with even more management software.

Users can create schedules on the app and monitor labor costs across teams, which gives you some sort of visibility into staffing.

Workers’ benefits will also sync with Square Payroll, including health insurance and retirement plans, and integration with QuickBooks Online keeps bookkeeping in order across the two platforms with a nifty link that means you won’t need to be inputting the data twice across two different apps.

Square Payroll: Ease of use

If you’re already familiar with Square’s other solutions, then you’ll know just how easy they are to use. The interface is very simple, with an easy-to-read black font on a white background. It’s very no-frills, but that’s great in what can be a fairly complex system.

The seamless integration with other Square tools makes it simple to manage things across the board, but on that note, Square is lacking in some more powerful solutions.

Think of it as a great support for smaller businesses, like restaurants and cafés, but maybe not as a catch-all solution for multi-location sites with complex needs.

Because of its simplicity, there’s no real learning curve apart from getting familiar with payroll processes in general. Onboarding options exist, but some have noted that the initial setup can sometimes feel a bit mot complex.

Staff can access what they need to from a mobile app, too, which adds to the convenience.

Square Payroll: Support

Square is a relatively easy company to get hold of, with payroll specialists available during working hours on weekdays to answer queries.

That’s on top of the customized onboard and initial setup, as well as support for those who want to migrate from other payroll solutions.

On the whole, responses appear to be prompt and helpful. Email support promises responses in 24-48 hours, but there’s the option to call customer support or sales, or speak online with the live chat.

As you’d expect, there’s also a pretty extensive knowledge base available for those who might be able to triage issues themselves.

Square Payroll: Final verdict

Smaller and some mid-sized businesses will benefit from Square Payroll, but those who have already invested in the Square ecosystem will get the biggest benefits.

Square Payroll supports both on-the-books workers and contractors, and its transparent pricing strategy removes any nasty surprises.

Real-time cost and staffing visibility is a welcome addition, and you can also link in with third-party services via integrations to further boost functionality.

However, compared with other payroll software services, Square Payroll can feel a little behind. It lacks more detailed customer needs that mean it might not be the best solution for larger businesses.

Still, the affordable pricing and features that are included mean it’s a worthwhile solution for startups and those with just a few workers, as it can cost a lot less than many others.

Remember, though, that Square Payroll isn’t necessarily aiming to compete with full-scale HR services, hence it’s a user-friendly system for its target market.

In short, Square Payroll is a powerful, efficient option for small businesses that prioritize value, ease of use, and interoperability with the rest of Square’s suite.

Rippling Spend is an all-in-one spend management platform designed to streamline how businesses control their spending, which means it’s far more than just an expense or bill tracking tool.

The spend tracking tools are just one part of Rippling’s offering, which already spans other areas like HR, IT and other finance solutions.

Because of this unified approach, it means everything is kept under the Rippling roof which allows companies to simplify their software stacks. While it reduces the interoperability challenges posed by having to use multiple providers, it could result higher costs.

It’s designed primarily for mid-sized and growing businesses, so if you’re a startup with just a few people on the books and minimal spend tracking requirements, it might be too much for you.

Spend is one of Rippling’s newer products, launched in September 2022. Because it ties in with the rest of the platform, it with employee data like roles, departments and locations, for granular controls and approval automation.

Rippling says this helps streamline month-end processes and cut administrative time by up to 75%.

• Our guide to the best payroll software

Rippling Spend: Plans and pricing

Rippling has a series of different packages to pick from, but one thing’s consistent across the entire ecosystem – you’ll struggle to find any explicit pricing, because Rippling wants to share this via a consultation.

The principal Rippling Platform offering comes in two flavors – Core and Pro. Both have add-ons like unlimited workflows, custom no-code apps and an API platform with over 600 third-party apps and integrations.

If you’re looking for a standalone spend management solution (without the full Rippling suite), then the Rippling Spend package is the right fit.

It includes tracking and reimbursement across any currency in over 100 countries, expense viewing and reimbursement via payroll, policies, receipt matching and the mobile app.

Again, Rippling does not disclose pricing, but we do know that companies will pay monthly per employee, so they only pay for what they use.

We understand tailoring packages to different sized companies is essential to maximizing value, but by simply not declaring prices to start with could leave many customers looking elsewhere.

Rippling Spend: Features

Rippling’s unified spend management platform includes expense management, corporate cards (physical and digital, with options for up to 1.75% cash back on eligible purchases), bill pay, payroll and travel into a single interface, so it can just about handle any mainstream expense you or your employees can throw at it.

It’s a great fit for bigger companies, because it allows admins to set up custom rules based on employees, such as department, role or location, meaning some processes and even approvals can be complete with automation.

In fact, it’s the automations that Rippling Spend such an easy system to use. For example, you can allow certain employees to book different cabin types on flights, or issue corporate cards to individuals with allocated budgets and spending categories.

It all means finance teams will have fewer requests with the correct setup.

For admins, a handy dashboard offers a consolidated view of live spending across departments, projects and other categories, which can be especially handy in the third sector where grant-led projects require funding to be allocated from different pots.

Another power of Rippling’s is that it integrates well with third-party applications, including over 600 accounting, HR and productivity tools like QuickBooks and Xero.

Finance teams will also love how Rippling Spend integrates bill payments and invoice processing – one less reason to have to jump between different apps.

Rippling Spend: Ease of use

Rippling is a big name in this space, so it should come as no surprise that everything feels very unified and simple across the entire ecosystem.

This consistent UI isn’t just nice to look at and easy to use, but it also helps from a staffing point of view because, if you’re using other tools in the Rippling suite, you’ll have fewer onboarding and training challenges.

It’s as easy to manage Rippling Spend as a finance exec as it is to use it as a worker – and the latter can submit expenses through email, receipt upload or manual entry, which are then automatically routed to the right approvers.

Rippling Spend is at its most powerful on the desktop, but there are mobile apps for on-the-go tracking and claim submissions, which is really handy for keeping tabs on costs during business trips.

It’s one big app – not just spend-tracking – so again, it’s better when a company commits to using the entire Rippling ecosystem.

Rippling Spend: Support

Rippling encourages users to schedule a demo to determine the features they need, and this is where the pricing will be revealed.

In terms of learning resources, the company has its own help center, webinars and documentation to guide users through most processes, but the platform is on the simpler side to use anyway.

Apart from the online chat pop-up, there’s an online form to reach Rippling, but no email address or phone number.

Rippling publishes support times daily to show response times across chat and email, how many customers are converted from chat to call, and more.

Rippling Spend: Final verdict

Rippling Spend is an easy-to-use spend management platform that consolidates corporate cards, expense tracking and bill payments into one integrated platform, as well as all the usual smaller expenses that add up.

Because it forms part of a wider Rippling ecosystem, it means companies can tap into existing knowledge about processes, projects and workers, which can significantly reduce administrative time – Rippling says by 75%.

The interface is about as easy as it gets on the desktop, and a handy complementary mobile app keeps workers connected on the go when they need to out-of-office expenses.

For admins and finance teams, real-time visibility across projects and teams eliminates last-minute surprises, and powerful automations keep things flowing with little human interaction needed – ultimately freeing up workers to product more meaningful work and saving the company time and money.

For mid-sized to larger organizations looking to centralize spend, Rippling Spend is a strong contender, but smaller teams might find just as much value from cheaper, smaller-scale solutions elsewhere.

Staffology Payroll is a cloud-based payroll solution designed for UK businesses that appreciate a helping hand from automation, flexibility and full HMRC compliance.

It’s been built from the ground up to work with APIs, so it caters to in-house finance teams and external payroll bureaus with plenty of integrations.

At its core, Staffology is designed to simplify payroll administration without making users have to give up features or full control, and it automates core tasks like pay run calculations, tax submissions and pension enrolments.

Pricing is clear, and is based on the number of payslips processed after an initial fee, which makes it easy for finance departments to budget long-term and factor in seasonal fluctuation or growth.

That said, smaller businesses may find the starting cost high compared with entry-level providers. Especially given that this is the platform designed to pick up users being kicked off IRIS Payroll Basics (IRIS’s free platform for under 10 workers).

Easy-of-use is essential, and support channels are broad, so you shouldn’t have any major headaches getting on board with IRIS’s Staffology Payroll.

• Our guide to the best payroll software

Staffology Payroll by IRIS: Plans and pricing

Staffology Payroll starts off with a flat fee of £39 per month, and that covers fewer than 20 payslips (one to 19). If you want to generate more, you can go up to 50 for an additional £1.95 per payslip per month.

IRIS will support much larger companies who need 10,000 or more payslips, but that requires a bespoke quote. Presumably, this unlocks more cost-effective pricing.

It’s as simple as that – there are no other hidden costs, which helps IRIS solidify its transparency commitment.

Staffology Payroll by IRIS: Features

Staffology Payroll is all about making payroll simple, and it starts with smart automation that speeds up repetitive administrative work that doesn’t necessarily need human intervention.

IRIS also uses an API-first design for integration to other platforms like QuickBooks, Sage One and Xero, including pre-built connectors and flexible APIs for custom integrations.

Apart from third-party integrations, Staffology Payroll also integrates with other IRIS products like Staffology HR for time and attendance monitoring, automatically importing hours worked for context.

You don’t have to have full-time employees, either, because Staffology Payroll can handle ad-hoc workers and even calculate their holiday pay, and if you need P11D and Class 1A National Insurance, it covers that too.

Catering to HR and payroll companies who do all of this for you – not just in-house teams – Staffology Payroll by IRIS also offers a white-label payroll solution so that you can rebrand it to match your own logo, colours and company name. Again, API connections keep all the data in check.

Staffology Payroll by IRIS: Ease of use

On the whole, Staffology Payroll’s interface has been praised for being simple to navigate and user-friendly, and intuitive setup guides help get you onboarded quickly.

IRIS themselves say they’ve designed a platform that’s simple to use without sacrificing functionality, making the most of dashboards and charts to present information in a a glanceable format.

A well-designed employee portal with mobile access helps to boost on-the-go accessibility.

Customer reviews frequently note the simplistic design, which has realised significant time savings.

Staffology Payroll by IRIS: Support

IRIS has a whole host of payroll and HR solutions for companies, recruiters and specialised industries like healthcare and education, so it’s built up a comprehensive help centre with tutorials, self-guidance and updates.

Live training opportunities are offered as well as knowledge base articles.

It’s easy to find a phone number to get in touch with IRIS, which uses a ‘one number’ approach. Behind the system lay three options for sales, customer support and payments/renewals.

Separate email addresses are also available for all of IRIS’s different products, and you can log tickets for further support too.

Staffology Payroll by IRIS: Final verdict

Staffology Payroll by IRIS is a cloud-first solution designed to meet the demands of modern UK payroll teams who are so frequently short on time. By offering automation options and a user interface that’s so simple to use, IRIS promises to help users save significant time on administrative tasks.

The platform offers a comprehensive suite of features designed to boost efficiency while remaining compliant with HMRC guidance, making it a strong option for mid-sized businesses.

IRIS recommends Staffology Payroll as an alternative to the free IRIS Payroll Basics, which is to be deprecated after the 2025/26 tax year. For those smaller teams, the pricing might put it out of reach, but for larger organisations its transparent pricing and near-infinite scalability are real positives.

Built to support APIs from the ground up, Staffology Payroll offers integration with many popular bookkeeping and HR platforms, including Xero, QuickBooks and IRIS’s own HR ecosystem, which is especially useful for businesses who want to consolidate their systems or at least automate cross-platform workflows.

With pretty strong support spanning real human connections and self-guided help channels, it’s hard to get lose using IRIS’s Staffology Payroll.

In summary, this smart and scalable payroll platform is ideal for slightly larger businesses who want automation, simplicity and control all in one, but for those being pushed away from IRIS Payroll Basics, it might be that little bit too much.

1st Money describes itself as “the UK’s most beautiful payroll & HR”, and that’s apparent from the moment you load the web page which is very clearly designed with accessibility and visual attraction in mind.

We’ve talking bold, clean fonts, simple infographics and a logical layout – all signs of things to come with 1st Money’s platform.

It’s a free payroll & HR platform based in the UK, designed specifically for smaller businesses with fewer than 10 employees on the books.

The company itself is actually a market newcomer, founded in 2020 by a group of colleagues who built a call centre together. Since then, it’s also launched some US-based features.

With its free tiers offering strong value for micro-businesses plus some paywalled advanced features, it’s a customisable option that startups can use as they scale before they head off into fully-fledged payroll software.

• Our guide to the best payroll software

1st Money: Plans and pricing

1st Money’s selling point is that it’s a free product, but there are two separate free subscriptions to consider.

The first, free for unlimited people, includes HR and people management, expense claims, timesheets, shift scheduling and more. You can also link in with third-party accounting integrations like QuickBooks.

Free+, for one to nine payrolled people and unlimited unpaid people, does the heavy lifting for you. HMRC tax filing, P60s, P45s, payslips, P11Ds, expense reimbursements, pension auto-enrolment and more.

You can easily get away with using the free versions of 1st Money to run your micro-business, but Pro (£1.49 per payrolled person per month, with a 10-person minimum) adds even more, with hourly pay rates, weekly and fortnightly payments, and pension calculations and filing.

The company says that having “the world’s lowest pricing” helps it become the world s best money services platform. No annual contracts are available with savings, so you’ll have to pay monthly.

1st Money: Features

1st Money might be a free product, but it’s a mighty impressive one that would be worth the money if it were a paid product. Obviously, the core limitation is that it’s only free for nine or fewer employees, but even the monthly charge for more workers is extremely affordable.

The platform consists of comprehensive payroll and HR tools for micro-businesses, including support for employees, zero-hour workers, off-payroll workers, contractors, directors and non-paid workers, all in one unified platform that’s extremely easy to use (more on that below).

At the time of writing, 1st Money boasts 62 different features, including automatic emailing of P45s and P60s, pay slip generation and automatic calculations.

The site also boasts that it uses 15 different taxpayer scenarios to exactly match all 13,000 of HMRC’s model tax calculations, which means it can match tax calculations to the penny and get 100% correct calculations.

Being the modern solution it is, the platform also gets the benefit of artificial intelligence. Some core AI assistant features include accepting resignations, adding disciplinaries, adding sick leave, adding expense claims and terminating people.

1st Money: Ease of use

1st Money is all about being easy to use, and that starts with the website. It sets out exactly what you need to know about the platform, what you can expect from the different tiers, and how you can go about using them.

Right at the top of the home page, the company claims to be the UK’s most beautiful, user-friendliest, most powerful, most reliable, most accurate, most intuitive, fastest, lowest cost, easiest and best supported payroll & HR platform. Big claims, but we think ones it can live up to.

The interface is incredibly easy to navigate, and the conversational language makes it easier to engage with than more traditional systems.

Other features like automated onboarding and document management also simplify the setup process for new hires.

1st Money: Support

Just when you think things couldn’t get better, 1st Money support channels are spot-on too.

All plans, free or paid, come with unlimited support and connections to real humans. There’s chat support during weekday office hours, but you can also send off an email to the team for a response out of hours.

1st Money’s knowledge base goes well beyond the usual articles and guides with full video demos, and you can select individual features on the website to jump to precise timestamps for brief overviews and quick explanations.

Time will tell how these age and whether the company will keep its video library up-to-date as the platform evolves, but with such an extensive support base even in its earlier years, it’s a real positive.

1st Money: Final verdict

1st Money’s free payroll and HR platform stands out as a genuinely no-cost payroll solution for UK micro-businesses, offering HMRC-recognised compliance without over-complicating things.

For companies with fewer than ten employees, including directors, contractors and zero-hour workers, it delivers reliable payroll processing, auto-generated statutory documents like P45s and P60s, and well-integrated HR functions.

It’s a great option for those who might not be so experienced, because the automatic handling of PAYE and National Insurance just makes everything that little bit easier.

The addition of a paid plan for adding more workers and more features is a real selling point for smaller companies that are in the midst of growing, making it a genuinely viable option not just in the intermediary, but also longer-term.

1st Money’s simplistic interface, conversational language and endless support videos help new-starters get to grips with HR and payrolling even if they’re totally unfamiliar with it.

While it may not suit every team, it’s a smart and streamlined entry point for micro-businesses with its own paid upgrade to support expansion.

HR teams already have enough to deal with not to need any complex systems, but small and mid-sized organizations lacking in dedicated HR teams risk being left even further behind.

PeopleHR is a cloud-based HR platform designed to meet this challenge by offering businesses scalable tools to handle all of their core requirements, including onboarding, performance management and payroll.

Now part of the Access Group suite of business software solutions, PeopleHR was designed specifically with SMBs in mind by a team from the UK.

Its modular approach allows businesses to select only the features they need while keeping costs predictable, so it’s simple to keep clear of pricier options you don’t need.

More recent developments have included an AI-powered assistant called Evo, which acts as a copilot for HR teams by helping with automation and analytics.

PeopleHR counts more than 7,000 customers on its books from across the UK, and prides itself on being “open and transparent” for all its customers.

• Our guide to the best HR software

PeopleHR: Plans and pricing

Like most HR platforms, PeopleHR has a few different tiers of membership to cater to increasingly demanding needs – in this case, there are four options.

Starter costs £3 per month and includes the AI tools, analytics, absence management and more.

Upgrade to core for £5.50 per month for a more enhanced version of copilot’s GenAI tools as well as expenses management, e-signatures and APIs that support third-party integrations.

These are both available with 14-day trials, but Pro and Elite+ at £8 and £9.50 per month aren’t. They bring features for larger organizations, like employee benefits, rewards and recognition, but they also have important features like time tracking, timesheets, rotating work patterns and performance management.

PeopleHR: Features

PeopleHR isn’t short on functionality, with all the key features you’d expect covered. Employee records, absence tracking, document management and attendance monitoring are all there.

But it’s much more than a basic system, because performance management features including scheduling reviews, goal setting, feedback collection and analytics help HR professionals keep tabs on their workers’ progress.

It’s also a useful tool for the recruitment process, with job posting, candidate tracking and application management available through an integrated portal.

All in all, PeopleHR distinguishes its platform into five separate areas: HR (for people management, absence and expenses, automated workflows and timesheet management), payroll, talent, learn and engage (for rewards and recognition, employee benefits and wellbeing).

In recognition 83% of companies see using AI in their business strategies as a top priority, PeopleHR also has its own AI tool built-in – called Evo, it takes care of administrative workloads so that HR workers can focus on the people.

The best part is that the copilot generative AI HR Assistant and the Evo dashboard are available across the four subscription tiers.

PeopleHR: Ease of use

PeopleHR is widely regarded as an easy-to-use platform that’s intuitive and self-explanatory. We found the layouts to be simple and the process to look familiar to others on the market, suggesting there shouldn’t be any major learning curves.

Separate tabs down the left site of the web portal reflect different areas of the site (and functionalities).

The built-in AI also helps HR workers to interact with their data in natural language while surfacing analytics more easily, so there’s no major headaches on that front either.

PeopleHR also has a mobile app that workers can use to find things like colleague details in the company directory, holiday and absence allowances, expenses and other documents.

The app can also be protected with biometrics to keep personal data secure.

PeopleHR: Support

When you start looking into the pricing of PeopleHR, you’ll notice you can’t just subscribe to a membership and take it from there. You’ll need to chat to an agent and go through an onboarding process, and this training is included as part of the pricing.

Once you’re up and running, though, you may still need support, be it technical or just a query about a feature. Support channels include email, phone and chat, which is really positive, but it’s not necessarily instantaneous. To chat, for example, you’ll still need to book a slot – it’s not a live chat in the sense that many consumers are already familiar with.

There’s also a knowledge base that covers FAQs, webinars, other videos and training opportunities.

PeopleHR: Final verdict

PeopleHR delivers a well-rounded, cloud-based HR solution that balances performance and usability well. It’s packed with functions and available in your choice of four tiers to maximize affordability, helping to make it a strong fit for a variety of company sizes.

One of the platform’s main strengths is its modular design, which gives organizations the flexibility to start small and add more over time as they expand, without having to change providers.

Another standout feature is PeopleHR’s implementation of generative AI. With tools like Evo, PeopleHR can automate common HR tasks like approval workflows, reporting and analytics, which the company says comes at the benefit of workers who can then free themselves up to focus on their company’s people.

That said, the platform isn’t without its limitations. For example, some features that we’d consider mainstream are reserved for higher-tier subscriptions, so the cheaper options might not be suitable anymore.

If you’re still printing stickers and labels with an inkjet or laser, you really should try a dedicated thermal label printer. Their inkless technology allows them to be smaller, simpler, lower maintenance devices that will never run dry on you. They work by heating special thermal paper, a reliable and efficient process that’s become the first choice for e-commerce, logistics and storage industries.

The good news is, that demand has led to lots of great label printers becoming widely available at competitive prices. The Munbyn RealWriter 403B (also billed as the RW403B) being one of the best examples I could find.

Like all of Munbyn’s best label printers, this one is a desktop labeller and it’s aimed at any small businesses looking to print large volumes of shipping labels, price tags or other professional-looking stickers. I think it’ll also interest home users as it comes with software that makes it fun to produce decorative labels for gift-wrapping and the like.

But first, what is a thermal printer? Follow that link for a full answer, but in a nutshell, its a device that creates imprints by causing a very local reaction between the chemicals contained in thermal paper that turns it black. Thermal media includes rolls of stickers that come in all colors, but you can only print black onto them. I tried a variety of label sizes to assess the The Munbyn RealWriter 403B and on the whole, I’m delighted by the results.

Munbyn RealWriter 403B: Design and build

While the Munbyn RealWriter 403B is small enough to be carried around, it’s very much a desktop label printer rather than a portable handheld labeller, like the Brother P-touch CUBE PT-P300BT, for example. It runs on mains power, not battery and it’s reassuringly heavy at 1.6lb.

According to Munbyn, its metal components and robust build give it a lifespan of up to 970,000 labels, which is apparently six times longer than rival printers. I can’t put that to the test, but it certainly feels well made. The hinged body closes with a satisfying clunk to grip your label reel securely. There are only three buttons - eject, paper feed and power - and none them look likely to fail any time soon.

Munbyn RealWriter 403B: Features & specifications

The Munbyn RealWriter 403B can only make black imprints on thermal paper, but it’s quite flexible about the thermal media it can handle. You can feed large 6 x 4inch labels or little 1.6 x 1.2inch labels and anything in between. These sticky labels come in many shapes and colors too.

The print resolution is 203dpi and print speed is given as 72 labels per minute. Bluetooth connectivity is built in and there’s a USB C port for connecting to a phone or PC via data cable. It’s supported by the Munbyn Print app (iOS/Android) or Munbyn Editor (Chrome), which gives you access to more than 3,500 design elements and 80+ fonts.

You get twenty 4x6inch shipping labels in the box, but if you pay a little more for one of the Munbyn RealWriter 403B kits, you get additional labels and a roll dispenser included.

Munbyn RealWriter 403B: Setup and operation

Setting up the Munbyn RealWriter 403B involves nothing more than plugging in, turning on and loading some labels. Download the supporting app to your iOS or Chrome device and the software will help you connect with the printer and start printing.

I found that it joined quickly and I was printing labels within ten minutes of opening the box. The only potential for messing up is when loading your rolls of stickers. Munbyn says that its printer will auto calibrate to avoid misalignment, and it does for the most part, but if you don’t line up your roll of stickers sensibly, they can cause a paper jam, as I found with my first deliberately careless attempt. With no inbuilt roll holder, you need to place the real where it can unroll without getting tangled.

Munbyn’s free software makes it fairly easy to design and print a custom label. With over 2,000 templates and 3,500 graphics to choose from, there’s enough within the app to to complete most labelling jobs. It’s a quick way to create name tags, stickers and personalized labels, once you’ve used the software a couple of times.

Munbyn RealWriter 403B: Performance

The Munbyn RealWriter 403B printed reliably and quickly and very quietly too. I had no misprints or jams during the test and was pretty pleased overall with the results. I used four types of paper ranging in size, shape and color - this label printer is not fussy about media - and it always applied my design in exactly the right place.

The large 6x4 inch stickers are an ideal size for parcel labels and the print quality is good enough for barcodes and QR codes to be scanned and accurately read. I expect that printing postage labels at home is what this printer will be primarily used for.

It’s worth remembering that, despite the desktop dimensions, this is only a label printer and that the resolution is limited to 203dpi. Try printing more complicated images onto a large sticker, like the London Underground schematic, and the result is unreadable. When printing simple graphics like those provided by the Munbyn print app, and you’re rewarded with pleasingly dark and crisp prints. Look at the name tags I printed as an example of how sharp the graphics can appear.

Munbyn RealWriter 403B: Consumables

The beauty of thermal printing is the absence of ink or toner, so your only consumables cost is the thermal media. Direct thermal labels use chemically-treated paper that turns black when heated by the printer head and naturally they’re more expensive than regular sticky labels.

A pack of 500 fan-fold shipping labels costs US$27 (currently reduced to US$22.67) on Munbyn’s US website. Shop around and you’ll find cheaper third party labels. Munbyn has included twenty labels in the box to get you started.

Munbyn RealWriter 403B: Maintenance

With no messy printheads and few moving parts, thermal printers are very low maintenance machines that should last a long time. Munbyn reckons its professional-grade engineering means it lasts six times longer than rivals and is good for at least 970,000 labels.

Munbyn RealWriter 403B: Final verdict

As a desktop thermal label printer, the Munbyn RealWriter 403B performed very well in all my tests.

Firstly, it’s easy to set up and operate, provided you feed your reels of stickers in sensibly. You might want to add the optional roll holder accessory to ensure this.

Secondly, it’s good quality. The robust design feels like it’s built to last and the print quality is better than most label printers, although I’d like to see the resolution boosted from 203dpi to 300dpi in the next generation.

Thirdly, it’s pretty good value. After your initial outlay, there’s no ink cost to think about and thermal labels can be bought inexpensively. Compared to using a regular inkjet to print labels, the Munbyn RealWriter 403B is quicker, more reliable and more fun.

For more, I've tested out the best home printers and the best small business printers.

Workable started as a dedicated recruitment platform and Applicant Tracking System, so it’s got a focused and well-designed range of features, but its latest iteration has seen it take on HR giants for an additional fee.

It’s not the cheapest recruitment solution around, though, so it’s going to have to impress if businesses are going to find room for Workable in their budgets.

Thankfully, its extensive list of features certain back up its pricing, and the relatively affordable HR addition only adds to its strength.

To date, Workable has supported over 30,000 companies and 400 million people, with major companies like PWC, Starling Bank and Ryanair all customers. Operating in over 100 countries, it’s facilitated 2.1 million hires so far.

It operates out of three offices across the US (Boston) and Europe (UK and Greece), so it’s fair to expect Workable to have a good idea of what goes on in each region.

Workable: Plans and pricing

Workable is one of the few companies that charges on a per-company basis, rather than per employee, and that’s likely to be able to factor in its recruitment services – which are extensive.

Standard plans can be paid for monthly (starting at $360), or with an annual commitment (starting at $299) for smaller organizations with 1-20 employees, but pricing goes all the way up to accommodate giants with 1,000+ workers.

The Premier plan is an annual-only subscription, starting at $599 per month – so double the Standard tier.

Texting, video interviews and assessments are covered in Premier, or can be added individually on Standard.

Then, there are the HR platforms. They come in from an extra $50 per month for Standard or $70 per month for Premier, with performance reviews included for higher-tier customers and optional for others.

Apart from those options, which are paid on Standard and included on Premier, the expensive plan also includes SSO login, premium support and custom account onboarding.

Prospective customers can also request a demo or start a free 15-day trial, which is about average. Some offer up to 30 days, but others offer nothing at all.

At the time of writing, no deals beyond annual subscriptions and bundles were available – no limited-time attractions to welcome new customers.

Workable: Features

Workable has gone from being a fairly basic recruitment platform so a self-proclaimed all-in-one HR system that’s ready for the future.

That core recruitment and application tracking system remains, with support for job posting to more than 200 jobs boards globally.

It features an integrated page builder with jobs widgets for websites and social media campaign tools, because recruiters need to be across so many more platforms than ever before.

Workable also claims to have access to millions of candidates across multiple talent pools, so recruiters can benefit from both passive candidate sourcing and past candidate resurfacing.

This portion of the software integrates with the likes of LinkedIn and Indeed as well as Zoom and Teams for remote interviews, and as you’d expect from any future-first software, there’s a handy sprinkling of AI that helps with candidate screening.

Artificial intelligence also spans personalized emails, interview questions and salary estimations, among other applications.

Then, there’s the HR portion of the software, which is almost like ‘step two’ after the recruitment stage. It handles all the onboarding and keeps relevant HR information like employee records and profiles.

There are also time-related features built-in, like time off, attendance tracking and work scheduling.

Payroll processing with integration to third-party software like Xero is also covered. It’s not just limited to Xero, with more than 270 partners and integrations available on a growing list.

Workable has far too many features highlighted on its website to begin to list here, but browsing its web page not only shows you which tools you can expect, but how they’ll look. The company’s commitment to a clean and fluid design is highly evident, and we think it could be one of the best-looking options in its class, so if you’re used to working with other modern tech startups, then Workable should join your list.

Workable: Ease of use

Workable promises a rapid system setup with teams up and running at max velocity in days thanks to ongoing support from specialists, but don’t worry if you’re coming from a different platform rather than setting up new.

They’ve got you covered here, too, with options to import and migrate existing data.

Less about the features, though, because ease of use needs to cover the structure of the platform, and credit where credit’s due, Workable has designed an incredibly interactive and modern interface.

Many of the functionalities are built with no-code requirements, so it’s easy for non-tech-savvy HR workers to produce great results.

Rather than having multiple tabs open, the integration with third parties and job hosting platforms means everything is built into Workable’s friendly interface, which uses light typefaces, colors and visuals throughout to distinguish elements easily.

As you’d expect, the mobile app looks just as good. While functionality is more limited than the desktop version, it’s handy to have information available at a glance in your pocket, and the simplicity is very much welcome.

On the whole, existing customers seem to be happy with how easy the learning curve is and how thoughtfully and well-designed the platform is.

Workable: Support

Workable knows how important simplicity is, which is why is promises a dedicated account manager for personalized assistance and strategic guidance.

That being said, the company claims that 85% of users have never needed to contact its agents, maybe because its software is so easy to work out.

This translates to fast response times across web chat, email or call, which is all handled in-house.

You’ve also got the usual suspects on a self-service learning portal, like guides and articles, video tutorials and courses to strengthen your knowledge, plus virtual training sessions back up everything you need to know.

Workable: Final verdict

Workable is a straightforward recruitment tool with a good range of features that deliver a well-balanced approach across the entire recruitment process.

We think it’s a great option for all manner of companies, small and large, who need support with recruitment, onboarding and core HCM functionalities.

For that reason, it’s a worthy addition to growing companies and startups who are hugely focused on people.

Ease of use, fast deployment, built-in integrations and collaborations, and strong tracking are all standout features for Workable, which has become far more advanced compared with the core recruitment platform it used to be.

We've also featured the best recruitment platforms, best HR software and best background check services

Workable started as a dedicated recruitment platform and Applicant Tracking System, so it’s got a focused and well-designed range of features, but its latest iteration has seen it take on HR giants for an additional fee.

It’s not the cheapest recruitment solution around, though, so it’s going to have to impress if businesses are going to find room for Workable in their budgets.

Thankfully, its extensive list of features certain back up its pricing, and the relatively affordable HR addition only adds to its strength.

To date, Workable has supported over 30,000 companies and 400 million people, with major companies like PWC, Starling Bank and Ryanair all customers. Operating in over 100 countries, it’s facilitated 2.1 million hires so far.

It operates out of three offices across the US (Boston) and Europe (UK and Greece), so it’s fair to expect Workable to have a good idea of what goes on in each region.

Workable: Plans and pricing

Workable is one of the few companies that charges on a per-company basis, rather than per employee, and that’s likely to be able to factor in its recruitment services – which are extensive.

Standard plans can be paid for monthly (starting at $360), or with an annual commitment (starting at $299) for smaller organizations with 1-20 employees, but pricing goes all the way up to accommodate giants with 1,000+ workers.

The Premier plan is an annual-only subscription, starting at $599 per month – so double the Standard tier.

Texting, video interviews and assessments are covered in Premier, or can be added individually on Standard.

Then, there are the HR platforms. They come in from an extra $50 per month for Standard or $70 per month for Premier, with performance reviews included for higher-tier customers and optional for others.

Apart from those options, which are paid on Standard and included on Premier, the expensive plan also includes SSO login, premium support and custom account onboarding.

Prospective customers can also request a demo or start a free 15-day trial, which is about average. Some offer up to 30 days, but others offer nothing at all.

At the time of writing, no deals beyond annual subscriptions and bundles were available – no limited-time attractions to welcome new customers.

Workable: Features

Workable has gone from being a fairly basic recruitment platform so a self-proclaimed all-in-one HR system that’s ready for the future.

That core recruitment and application tracking system remains, with support for job posting to more than 200 jobs boards globally.

It features an integrated page builder with jobs widgets for websites and social media campaign tools, because recruiters need to be across so many more platforms than ever before.

Workable also claims to have access to millions of candidates across multiple talent pools, so recruiters can benefit from both passive candidate sourcing and past candidate resurfacing.

This portion of the software integrates with the likes of LinkedIn and Indeed as well as Zoom and Teams for remote interviews, and as you’d expect from any future-first software, there’s a handy sprinkling of AI that helps with candidate screening.

Artificial intelligence also spans personalized emails, interview questions and salary estimations, among other applications.

Then, there’s the HR portion of the software, which is almost like ‘step two’ after the recruitment stage. It handles all the onboarding and keeps relevant HR information like employee records and profiles.

There are also time-related features built-in, like time off, attendance tracking and work scheduling.

Payroll processing with integration to third-party software like Xero is also covered. It’s not just limited to Xero, with more than 270 partners and integrations available on a growing list.

Workable has far too many features highlighted on its website to begin to list here, but browsing its web page not only shows you which tools you can expect, but how they’ll look. The company’s commitment to a clean and fluid design is highly evident, and we think it could be one of the best-looking options in its class, so if you’re used to working with other modern tech startups, then Workable should join your list.

Workable: Ease of use

Workable promises a rapid system setup with teams up and running at max velocity in days thanks to ongoing support from specialists, but don’t worry if you’re coming from a different platform rather than setting up new.

They’ve got you covered here, too, with options to import and migrate existing data.

Less about the features, though, because ease of use needs to cover the structure of the platform, and credit where credit’s due, Workable has designed an incredibly interactive and modern interface.

Many of the functionalities are built with no-code requirements, so it’s easy for non-tech-savvy HR workers to produce great results.

Rather than having multiple tabs open, the integration with third parties and job hosting platforms means everything is built into Workable’s friendly interface, which uses light typefaces, colors and visuals throughout to distinguish elements easily.

As you’d expect, the mobile app looks just as good. While functionality is more limited than the desktop version, it’s handy to have information available at a glance in your pocket, and the simplicity is very much welcome.

On the whole, existing customers seem to be happy with how easy the learning curve is and how thoughtfully and well-designed the platform is.

Workable: Support

Workable knows how important simplicity is, which is why is promises a dedicated account manager for personalized assistance and strategic guidance.

That being said, the company claims that 85% of users have never needed to contact its agents, maybe because its software is so easy to work out.

This translates to fast response times across web chat, email or call, which is all handled in-house.

You’ve also got the usual suspects on a self-service learning portal, like guides and articles, video tutorials and courses to strengthen your knowledge, plus virtual training sessions back up everything you need to know.

Workable: Final verdict

Workable is a straightforward recruitment tool with a good range of features that deliver a well-balanced approach across the entire recruitment process.

We think it’s a great option for all manner of companies, small and large, who need support with recruitment, onboarding and core HCM functionalities.

For that reason, it’s a worthy addition to growing companies and startups who are hugely focused on people.

Ease of use, fast deployment, built-in integrations and collaborations, and strong tracking are all standout features for Workable, which has become far more advanced compared with the core recruitment platform it used to be.

We've also featured the best recruitment platforms, best HR software and best background check services