HMRC Basic PAYE Tools vs TaxRails
HMRC Basic PAYE Tools
gov.ukTaxRails
taxrails.comSide by side
| Figure | HMRC Basic PAYE Tools | TaxRails |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | — |
| Free plan | Yes | — |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | — | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | — |
| macOS | Yes | — |
| Linux | Yes | — |
| API | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 1 | 0 |
| Spec score · Payroll Tax Software | 8.5 (#6) | 6.9 (#27) |
| Audience | It is intended for employers with fewer than 10 employees. | The about page says TaxRails is building for teams responsible for U.S. employment tax filings, including payroll companies handling complex jurisdictions. |
| Integrations | It can be used alongside commercial payroll software to check an employee’s National Insurance number or send an Employer Payment Summary when that software cannot do those tasks. | The integrations page lists live API integrations for PrismHR, Workforce.com, and Workday, with Oracle PeopleSoft described as coming soon and in active development. |
| Purpose | The software calculates employee tax and National Insurance and sends payroll information to HMRC. | TaxRails collects payroll data and automates payroll tax filings, deposits, and reporting. |
| Support | The user guide directs employers to HMRC’s technical support helpline when they cannot submit a correction after a failed submission. | The integrations page says API customers can receive documentation, sandbox credentials, and a shared channel with the engineering team. |
Plans
In their own words
HMRC Basic PAYE Tools
HMRC Basic PAYE Tools is free payroll software for employers with fewer than 10 employees. It calculates employee tax and National Insurance, sends payroll information to HMRC, and supports Full Payment Submissions and Employer Payment Summaries. Employers can add details for up to nine employees and use calculators for statutory sick, maternity, paternity, adoption, shared parental, parental bereavement, and neonatal care pay. The tool can create payslips to save as PDFs, print, or email with employee agreement. It can also be used alongside commercial payroll software for certain National Insurance number checks or Employer Payment Summary submissions. Employers need to register with HMRC and have a PAYE Online login before using it. The software runs on Linux, macOS, and Windows. It does not support pension auto-enrolment or pension contribution calculations, and employers must secure and back up payroll data themselves; HMRC does not keep a copy or recover lost data.