Whilst many of the best standing desk brands out there often with several models for different sizes and weight capacities etc. Vernal aims to make the customers life simpler by introducing one frame to do it all at a price of £430 (at time of writing).

With a rated load of 120kg, it should be more than enough to lift anything a regular work from home environment can throw at it.

Vernal Standing Desk: Unboxing

The desk came as expected in two parts, one large heavy box for the frame and very flat for the desk top.

The frame was well boxed with all parts separated by protective foam, cardboard and plastic. All the assembling accessories were packaged neatly in one box. The screws, tool etc were in a bandolier of plastic, each section marked in size and part number.

All sections of the desk had nice, large and more importantly low tack sticker labels identifying each part. This allowed easy identification of parts and removal of the labels post assembly without leaving that horrible sticky residue.

The desk top was equally well packaged with large rubber like corner protectors. We opted to go with the 120cm x 60cm walnut laminate desk top, the smallest size on offer from Vernal.

You also get a nice, premium feeling beech wood coaster.

Vernal Standing Desk: Assembly

Assembly of the desk was equally easy. Vernal provided all the tools necessary, namely an M6 Allen Wrench and Phillips Head Screwdriver, so if you have absolutely no tools, you can still put this desk together. We had power tools at out disposal making assembly significantly quicker.

The manual was incredibly clear and easy to follow being like a large book. We start by putting together both the legs, side and mounting brackets together then the desktop. Vernal’s desk tops already have pre threaded metal inserts showing where the mounting brackets are to be screwed in.

This easily done by mounting one set of legs to one side, then sliding the cross bars in before finally sliding the opposite side legs on and screwing it all down. Vernal has also provided the screws as well for non-Vernal desktops along with separate instructions on how to do this.

I chose to put the control panel on the left side and this is where I noted the first issue. The screws appeared to be short, they are only 15mm long. The control panel bracket is quite thick, I measuring the screw against it, I saw that only the tip, about 5mm of it, would bite into the desk.

As expected, on my first try, the screw tore desktop veneer and failed to grip, same thing with the second screw. With no other provided screws, I had to go and rummage in my tool box to get some longer screws.

Once the control panel fiasco was done, it was matter of attaching the control box, connecting all the cables, tidying the underside up before covering it with the decorative cable cover for a neat install and lastly the cable tray hooks.

The feet are last to go one, before the inaugural flip, they can be positioned center or offset back, the choice/preference is yours. I opted to have it central as I am sure that is how most end users would want it. The desk is then flipped the right way up, to add the finishing touches, two hooks and decorative plates, one on each side.

The last part had me a little concerned, most brands supply all metal parts pre molded or bent to shape. However Vernal has chosen to allow the end user to bend the cable tray themselves along a perforated line.

Whilst I found this easy to do, it did crack the paint on the sheet of metal. I’m not sure how confident others would be doing this for fear of breaking or damaging this part. Hooking on the cable tray is the last part of the assembly save for putting the desk where it needs to go.

Vernal Standing Desk: In use

Over the past few weeks, the desk was put to the test by me and wife who works exclusively form home. The Vernal standing desk was big upgrade from her smaller Ikea desk, just in terms of real estate.

Vernal claims that this desk should be able to lift 120kgs easily with max load of 160kgs. Sitting all my 100kgs on it I found the desk seem to be slow to raise, and it had to stop a few times under the load of me. However, I did not hold this against the desk as carrying 100kgs is unusual for what is an office desk.

Putting the usual office equipment on it, the Vernal desk had no problem lifting and lowering the load smoothly and quietly.

The control panel is simple in form yet provides all the needed functions for going up, down and three memory functions. I like that the buttons had to be pushed physically into actuate them as some other tested desk will activate simply by you brushing against the control panel. The panel can be switched between metric and imperial measurements and other settings based on button presses.

The hooks on either side are a nice feature allowing you to hang handphones or other peripherals off the desk rather than crowding it. Each side of the desk has a Vernal magnetic vanity plate on the legs, ostensibly to hide two screw heads. This is a subjective matter but I would have preferred a more subdued such as black engraved rather than the Silver.

I was initially skeptical about the size of the cable tray as it was so large, however this has proved to be a boon for ease of access from all angles of the desk.

What I wasn’t a fan of were the feet of the desk. The feet, whilst planted firmly on the ground has a “decorative” plate on top that extends beyond the actual feet, this plate is thin and more crucially at toe stubbing level as I found to my detriment.

Vernal Standing Desk: Final verdict

Overall, the Vernal Standing Desk is a great desk, for the price and simplicity of only having one model puts them ahead. The assembly, large cable tidy tray, head phone hooks and easy to use control panel make this a breeze to own and use.

However, it is sorely let down by the fact that the screws for the control panel are not adequately long enough, some bending is required by the end user and the most egregiously, the toe stubbing feet of the desk.

We've listed the best office chairs.

The Chat Wireless from Creative is a lightweight Bluetooth headset designed for business use. It doesn't seek to reinvent the wheel, but instead deliver exceptional comfort and crystal-clear audio at what I'd consider to be a very fair price.

As a chap who lives inside his headphones - for everything from conference calls to music playback and gaming sessions - I was keen to see how well they performed.

Spoiler alert: they're definitely worth a look if you're a professional. Yes, I have issues with the buttons, but the design, price, and overall quality of the audio and noise-canceling mic are excellent.

Creative Chat Wireless: Price & availability

The Creative Chat Wireless headset is currently priced at $70 from Creative’s official US site - while in the UK, it’s retailing for £50 via Creative.

I’m also seeing it available on Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk for the same price.

Compared to alternatives, it’s priced pretty much at the low- to mid-range - it’s certainly not as pricey as offerings like the Jabra Evolve 2 65 Flex I’ve reviewed, which far surpasses the $150 mark.

Creative Chat Wireless: Design & features

The design of the Chat Wireless headset is par for the course and in line with what I’d expect from a unit at this price. Inside the box, there’s the headset itself, a USB cable, the USB dongle, and a quick start manual.

In hand, the headset is impressively lightweight with plenty of give to fit a range of head sizes. The band is made of a firm plastic, neatly rounded on one side, which I think gives it an attractive, premium style compared to bland, budget headsets. Encompassing the top is padding for a more comfortable fit. As an accent, there’s bronze-colored metal connecting it to the pads.

I found the earcups well-cushioned, with a foam interior covered with a synthetic material. They fit nicely over the ear, but don’t envelope them in the way casual consumer headphones do. These also swivel inward for easier storage - although they aren’t foldable and don’t come with a case.

On the left earcup is a USB-C port for charging and separate volume up and down buttons. I particularly like how they’re positioned on either side of the band, so I wasn’t blindly fumbling for the correct one.

It’s also home to the stowable microphone, which rotates both ways and features a physical mute button. At the base of the mic is a Call button, used to turn the unit on and off or entering Bluetooth pairing mode.

All in all, the headset boasts a simple and efficient design with all the core features you’d expect.

Creative Chat Wireless: Performance

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: the Chat Wireless is light, tipping the scales at 0.3lb / 137g when I weighed them. It’s the sort of headset you can easily wear all day (and I did) without discomfort. If you’re taking a lot of calls, they’re pitch-perfect in this regard.

When wearing the headset, it’s surprisingly firm on the ears - and while there’s no noise-cancelling on the earcups, the snug fit did prevent extraneous background noise filtering in.

I found audio quality to be excellent, with just the right amount of bass and treble, while voices had the correct timbre. I used these for video calls using both Bluetooth and the USB dongle, as well as hooking up via Bluetooth to my phone to listen to music and podcasts, and a Nintendo Switch 2 while playing games. Each time, I experienced no tinniness here, which I sometimes find from cheaper devices.

Microphone quality came out incredibly clear. There is noise-canceling on the mic and in my own tests, this worked well. Which is useful, as I have an especially vocal cat that likes to make its presence known during calls. I experienced absolutely no issues throughout my use, and yes, the mute button on mic works instantly and well (a perennial fear of mine). A discrete voice will whisper in your ear to let you know when it’s muted or unmuted, and the LED simultaneously switches from blue (unmute) to white (mute), too.

All button presses feel soft and pleasant - neither too clicky nor too mushy, but somewhere in between. However, I did find when attempting to adjust the volume, I had to be quite firm in order for it to register. Light taps just won’t work here.

This wasn’t the case with the Call button, which was immediately responsive when answering calls and hanging up. Other features like holding the volume buttons to skip tracks during playback or tapping the Call button to play or pause worked well.

Where I did run into problems, though, was when hitting this button multiple times to activate the various functions, like redial or opening my AI assistant. It took some time to figure out the appropriate amount of time between each click. It needs to be neither rapid nor too drawn out. Experimentation is recommended.

But where it really counts - audio and mic quality - I was highly impressed, and confident I was being heard. Never once did I have to ask “Can everyone hear me?” or “Is this thing on?”

Creative Chat Wireless: Final verdict

Whenever I’m reviewing a device like this, I ask myself: Would I buy this with my own hard-earned cash? And, considering the cost and the overall audio experience, this one is a resounding yes. It’s impressively lightweight, and ideal for professionals in an office or home office setting.

I do have some issues with the buttons, which could be more responsive - but to some degree that might be user error on my part - and some may wish for extra features like a foldable design or a storage case. And if you prefer a wired connection, these aren’t the ones for you, as they’re wireless-only.

But for a low- to mid-range wireless unit that makes meetings more bearable, especially if you're using them all day, they’re one of the best Bluetooth headsets I’ve used.

Should I buy the Creative Chat Wireless?

Buy it if...

✅ You wear a headset all day: The Chat Wireless is pleasantly lightweight for all-day use, and the earpads feel snug over the ear without pressing against them too hard. I found them to be very comfortable, even after wearing them for hours at a time.

✅ You want a well-priced headset with all the core features: It’s not overloaded with unnecessary features or expensive technology, but audio quality is great and the buttons deliver a multitude of additional functions for navigating calls and playback.

Don't buy it if...

❌ You need wired and wireless connection: As the name suggests, this headset is wireless only using Bluetooth 5.4 or the USB dongle. Creative does sell the Chat USB, which has a slightly thicker design but near-identical price with - you guessed it - a wired USB connection.

❌ You want noise-canceling audio: While the mic does have noise cancelation, the earcups don’t have this feature. I didn’t find this to be an issue even in somewhat active rooms, but it may be a deal-breaker for those in noisy workspaces.

For more top picks, we've reviewed the best headsets for conference calls.

You probably know Rippling for its workforce, human resource management, and payroll functions. Rippling is your single source of truth when it comes to backend employee management.

From onboarding, remuneration, and off-boarding to day-to-day management like time and attendance, scheduling, and benefits management – there’s a lot you can do with Rippling.

However, it also has a very robust IT security suite, offering features like identity and access management and comprehensive device management.

This review will focus on Rippling’s identity and access management solution, which offers features like Single Sign On (SSO), Multi Factor Authentication (MFA), password management, and role-based user provisioning and access controls.

Rippling IT IAM: Pricing

Rippling is a unified solution for your entire workforce's needs, including various suites such as global payroll, time and attendance, benefits management, scheduling, recruiting, and so on. Each of their featured suites has a different pricing model, for which you will be required to contact their support team.

We did a bit of digging and found that their identity and access management solution, which offers features like SSO, MFA, role-based access policy, and automated provisioning and deprovisioning, starts at $8/user/month. That’s it – there are no different pricing tiers. You get everything for your identity access management needs in a single plan.

Besides this, if you also want to include device management and inventory management, it will cost you an extra $8/user/month for each of these features.

Although the pricing isn’t displayed on the website directly, I still found the structure to be pretty simple and straightforward. You don’t have to juggle between various pricing tiers or add specific features one by one as you require; in a-la-carte pricing followed by other providers, such as Okta and JumpCloud.

Rippling IT IAM: Features

Rippling makes it very easy to create and manage user groups based on predefined attributes such as job title, department, location, and so on, known as Supergroups.

Instead of having to manually add or remove employees from these groups, Rippling does it automatically based on these attributes. Whenever an attribute is updated, the group is also updated without any manual intervention.

Rippling focuses a lot on role-based permissions, which automate a large chunk of the approval hierarchy, ensuring that admins can focus on more critical tasks. For example, you can set which employee gets admin access based on their attributes, such as department, team, membership, location, and so on.

You can also define the type of data they access and the subset of the organisation these permissions will apply to. Whenever a permission profile is updated, all matching users' access is adjusted automatically in real time.

Rippling also acts as a comprehensive outbound SSO provider. This means that you can log into Rippling using your Single Sign On (SSO) password and simply click on the app you want to log on the dashboard. There is no need to add additional passwords for individual apps when you use Rippling as an identity provider.

Rippling integrates with 600+ apps for all your SSO needs. Plus, if you do not find an app in the library, you can set up a custom integration with apps that support SAML for SSO and SCIM for user provisioning.

RPass is Rippling’s native, built-in password manager that suggests and remembers strong passwords across your organisation.

What I like the most is that it goes beyond the capabilities of a traditional password manager by integrating behavioural monitoring. For example, if the manager finds a suspicious login from an unknown geographic location, it will block the login attempt, even if the password is correct.

RPass can also be used to share passwords to SuperGroups instead of individual employee-based credentials.

Rippling IT IAM: Interface and in-use

Rippling has done a good job when it comes to interface and in-use experience – the dashboard is quite modern with a minimal design and easy-to-navigate modules. The widgets are fully customizable, and you’ll find various shortcuts that help you launch common tasks quickly.

Onboarding and offboarding can be fully automated, thanks to Supergroups. The Rippling support team will also help you with a quick and smooth initial deployment and implementation. The mobile interface is also pretty slick, allowing admins to manage day-to-day operations on the go.

That said, there is a bit of a learning curve involved with the platform, especially if you’re using multiple modules apart from the IAM suite.

Rippling IT IAM: Support

Just like pricing, there is no upfront clarity on the level of support you can expect with Rippling. However, as per my discussions with the sales team, the platform offers 24/7 customer support through two channels.

Firstly, you can either raise a support ticket on your Rippling dashboard. Alternatively, you can also get support via phone call. I was pretty impressed by the response time, which is actually less than a minute.

Rippling is also one of the few providers that openly advertise their Customer Satisfaction Score (CSAT), which sits at around 92%.

Plus, more than 45% of the cases are resolved by the first response itself, requiring no further clarifications. And, only 21.34% of the live chat requests are asked to convert into a call, which means that around 78% of the queries are solved on the chat itself without any additional support.

Besides this, there are a lot of online resources such as blogs, webinars, and troubleshooting guides. That’s also a dedicated Help Centre where you can find answers to commonly asked questions.

Overall, I found support to be very comprehensive, with quick response times and high query resolution accuracy.

Rippling IT IAM: Security

Rippling is very conservative when it comes to security and data protection, with various certificates such as SOC1 Type 1, SOC2 Type 2, and SOC3. The certification ensures adherence to the basic trust principles of confidentiality, security, and availability.

Besides this, Rippling is also ISO 27001 and ISO 27018 certified. It is also one of the few providers that holds the ISO 42001 certification.

While the first two certifications ensure that Rippling follows adequate practices to protect private and sensitive data from unauthorized access, the 42001 certification ensures that the platform has an active and robust management system in place to ensure that its AI systems are ethical and safe without any risk of bias or misuse.

Rippling also conducts regular internal and external penetration testing and has an active bug bounty program to find any security vulnerabilities in its infrastructure. Active threat monitoring includes the use of tools such as Web App Firewall (WAF) and Runtime App Self Protection (RASP) to quickly locate and eliminate any threats.

WAF monitors and filters all incoming traffic to protect the platform from threats such as SQL injection, DDoS attacks, and malicious HTTP requests.

On the other hand, RASP is built into the application itself and monitors its behaviour to protect against zero-day vulnerabilities, insider misuse, and malicious API behaviours.

Overall, I found Rippling’s security infrastructure to be pretty robust, and they have gone the extra mile to incorporate additional measures beyond what is required by law.

Rippling IT IAM: Competition

Rippling is a robust identity access solution. However, not everyone’s needs are the same. If it doesn’t align with what you’re looking for, here are a couple of options you can look at.

Okta is one of the best identity tools when it comes to setting up automatic workflows. It features 90+ templates and 140+ pre-configured triggers that lets you design workflows as per your needs. Plus, the platform integrates with 7,000+ apps for all your MFA and SSO needs. Okta also features FastPass, which facilitates password-less biometric-based authentication.

Plus, its Identity Threat Protection features continuously monitor all your live sessions and immediately flag any suspicious behaviours. It is also a bit less expensive than Rippling, with starter plans priced at $6/user/month.

If you only have limited needs and do not need the full suite of identity access management solutions, you can go with OneLogin, which features an affordable à la carte pricing model. Features like MFA, SSO, and Active Directory start at just $2/user/month each. It also has more than 6000+ third-party applications.

OneLogin employs Vigilance AI, its proprietary threat detection engine, to assign a risk score to each login attempt and decide whether additional authentication is required or not.

Rippling IT IAM: Final verdict

Rippling's IT identity access management solution offers essential features such as multi-factor authentication and single sign-on on along with comprehensive password management and access controls.

Admin can form Supergroups based on predefined attributes, such as employee location, department, and job title. Application access and security controls can then be aligned with these groups without having to individually assign them.

What I like the most is that Rippling integrates with more than 600+ third-party apps so that you can provision your SSO needs across multiple applications. And for those that you do not find on the integration list, you can set up a custom Integration with the help of SAML and SCIM.

Rippling’s support is one of the best I have seen across the industry, with a response time of less than one minute and a customer satisfaction score of 92%.

Although the pricing is not fully transparent, you can expect the plans to start from $8/user/month, which is more expensive than the likes of Okta and JumpCloud. Even at this higher price point, you do not get as many features as Okta.

That said, Rippling is just not an IAM solution but offers a wide range of services such as payroll, recruitment, and comprehensive human resource management.

So if you already use Rippling for those purposes, it makes sense to go with the IAM solution too, since it syncs seamlessly with existing HR profiles.

For UK-based employers managing payroll, using Pay As You Earn (PAYE) software that’s recognised by HMRC is more than a convenience – it’s a regulatory requirement. To that tune, using a tool that comes directly from the government, then, makes a lot of sense.

Businesses with fewer than 10 employees can use HMRC’s Basic PAYE Tools to simplify things like tax calculations and real-time information (RTI) submissions.

It’s a free application provided directly by HMRC that’s fully compliant and functional, but it’s a seriously stripped-back system with an ultra-basic interface and a highly limited feature set that does nothing more than it needs to.

Covering all the essentials like calculating income tax, National Insurance, producing payslips and sending requiring reports to HMRC, it does unfortunately lack the modern capabilities of other solutions in this space, including free platforms for micro-businesses.

In contrast, several free commercial offerings like 1st Money exist, but in a world where free products are dwindling in number (IRIS’s Payroll Basics is phasing out after 2025/26), the fact that the people who set the standards also offer a free solution to meet those standards is a very welcome move.

• Our guide to the best payroll software

HMRC Basic PAYE Tools: Plans and pricing

HMRC’s Basic PAYE Tools is a completely free package intended for small businesses with fewer than 10 employees. Even though there’s no cost involved at all, Windows, Mac and Linux versions of the software have all been developed to ensure widespread adoption.

It sets the foundation for what ticks the right boxes, but other free options from IRIS, Primo and 1st Money do offer more functionality.

HMRC Basic PAYE Tools: Features

HMRC’s Basic PAYE Tools records employee details to calculate PAYE, National Insurance and student loan deductions, while also generating real-time submissions to HMRC, Employer Payment Records and statutory payment calculations.

On the company’s side, admins can produce printable payslips using HMRC’s system, too.

However, HMRC themselves say that the tool only allows you to perform “most” payroll tasks – an admission that even moderate features let alone advanced ones may be missing.

Beyond that, there’s really not a lot to talk about. No flashy artificial intelligence, no automations, not even an employee self-serve portal. Just a totally stripped-back bit of kit for companies to do what they need to do to stay above the board in HMRC’s books.

HMRC Basic PAYE Tools: Ease of use

Apart from the Windows, Mac and Linux software packages, you can also access HMRC’s Basic PAYE Tools on Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome, Firefox and Safari, so you don’t necessarily have to download any software at all.

We downloaded the software, which took a long time to open on macOS 15. Once it did, it mirrored an online portal, so it’s probably just as effective to access the government’s Basic PAYE Tools from a browser.

On the whole, the system isn’t especially intuitive and can feel awkward to use.

HMRC Basic PAYE Tools: Support

Being a back-to-basics government-issued tool, there’s no real support for Basic PAYE Tools.

What you can do, though, it get in contact with HMRC more generally. This includes chatting about payroll-related queries, but support for the software and online service might not be so strong.

We couldn’t find any help articles for the system, but getting in contact with HMRC is a relatively simple affair and speaking to a human agent is easy by phone.

HMRC Basic PAYE Tools: Final verdict

Basic PAYE Tools from HMRC offers a compliant and cost-free entry point for micro-businesses with fewer than 10 employees, handling core payroll tasks like tax and NI calculations, RTI submissions and statutory payments.

However, its no-frills approach presents major limitations, such as the absence of auto-enrolment, cloud access or a modern user interface.

Instead, HMRC’s Basic PAYE Tools is an online portal or a stripped-back desktop app based on that same portal, so it’s only suitable for the most basic use cases.

For businesses that need more than the basics but still want to avoid high costs, free commercial software such as 1st Money offer a more appealing middle ground. You still get the benefits of free software for micro-businesses, but you get a much more inviting interface with a few more handy features.

HMRC’s lack of direct support for Basic PAYE Tools is also a downfall, but the fact that it comes direct from HMRC does mean that it covers all the bases exactly as HMRC intends.

For tiny startups who need to do no more than the sheer essentials, HMRC’s Basic PAYE Tools are fine, but we think it’s worth exploring other free options for a more comprehensive approach.

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.