e@syFile Employer vs TaxBandits

e@syFile Employer is free Windows software from SARS for employers and payroll administrators managing tax affairs. It lets users complete, submit, and revise Monthly Employer Declarations (EMP201) and Employer Reconciliation Declarations (EMP501). The software includes Employer Account management, Third Party Appointment (AA88) tools, and an Income Tax Registration function for registering employees. Tax certificate imports and EMP501 data capture can be performed offline, while submission to SARS requires an internet connection. SARS describes the software as linked to eFiling, with submissions sent through that service. Minimum requirements are Windows 10 (64 bit), 8 GB RAM, and 2 GB of hard-drive space. SARS advises backing up PAYE information before installation because installation may delete current information. Old e@syFile Flex backups cannot be restored in the new e@syFile TC application.

TaxBandits provides electronic filing for payroll and employment forms, including 1099, W-2, 94x, ACA 1095, W-9 and BOI reports. It is aimed at business owners, tax professionals and service providers, and supports federal and state tax filing. Users can upload form data in bulk with CSV templates or provide completed W-9 PDFs for AI extraction of recipient information. Validation includes IRS business-rule and schema checks, TIN matching and USPS address validation. Listed integrations include Sage Intacct, Karbon, QuickBooks, Xero, Zoho Books, FreshBooks, Zapier and an API. The API supports filing workflows for W-9, 1099, W-2 and TIN matching. TaxBandits says it is SOC 2 certified and encrypts stored and transmitted client data; accounts can enable authenticator-app two-factor authentication. Its Companion app for iOS and Android supports W-9/W-8 management, with unlimited collection free to use. Payroll plans start at $19 a month, with a 30-day trial listed. Annual W-2 and 1099 filings are excluded from payroll plans and cost extra; separate federal 1099 and W-2 filing is priced by volume, starting at $2.75 per form for the first 10 forms.