PayHero Review 2026: Pricing, NZ Payroll Coverage, Pros, and Cons

PayHero is a cloud-based payroll and time-tracking platform designed specifically for the New Zealand market [02] [03]. Developed by FlexiTime, the software is best suited for local companies managing part-time, casual, or shift workers, largely due to its native architecture for handling New Zealand's complex Holidays Act 2003 [10] [17] [19].

The platform offers highly transparent, public pricing that scales via a base-plus-employee model [22] [23]. The entry-level Origin plan caters effectively to micro-businesses with 10 or fewer employees [04], while higher tiers introduce features like API access, PowerBI reporting, and multi-location tracking for mature SMBs [06]. Because PayHero is strictly built for New Zealand labor and tax compliance, it is not suitable for organizations seeking multi-country global payroll or Employer of Record (EOR) services [18].

Buyers evaluating PayHero should verify specific add-on costs before purchasing. While core pricing is clear, third-party and vendor documentation show conflicting pricing details regarding free-tier eligibility for the Droppah rostering add-on [29]. Overall, PayHero is a strong shortlist candidate for Kiwi businesses seeking automated payroll and native Inland Revenue integration [13].

PayHero is a cloud-based payroll, time, and attendance platform developed by FlexiTime [01] [02]. It is designed to help New Zealand businesses process payroll accurately while maintaining compliance with local employment legislation [03].

The software focuses heavily on variable-hour workforces, utilizing online timesheets and work patterns to automate the calculation of employee pay and leave entitlements [07]. PayHero also provides an employee mobile app for self-service actions, such as submitting timesheets and requesting leave [09].

Best for

• Micro businesses (1–10 employees): The platform offers a specific "Origin" pricing plan capped at 10 employees, providing a highly accessible entry point for small teams [04].
• Small businesses (11–50 employees): The Super and Universe plans support unlimited employees and provide comprehensive time tracking and HR workflows suited for expanding workforces [05].
• New Zealand SMEs with shift workers: The platform's native integration of timesheets, rostering tools, and Holidays Act compliance makes it uniquely tailored for local businesses in retail, manufacturing, agriculture, and hospitality [19].

Not ideal for

• Global organizations: The product is exclusively designed for the New Zealand market and lacks multi-country payroll capabilities [18].

Buyers should verify first

• Add-on pricing for smaller teams: Vendor documentation explicitly lists the Droppah rostering add-on at $3 per employee per month, but conflicting evidence suggests it may be free for teams under 10 employees. Buyers should verify this directly [29].
• Support availability: While email support is included on all plans [15], phone support is gated behind the higher-tier Super and Universe plans [16].

PayHero operates on a transparent, public pricing model that combines a flat monthly base fee with a per-employee fee [22] [23]. All paid plans offer a 14-day free trial that does not require a credit card [22]. All prices are listed in NZD. Add-on fees:

• Origin Plan: $19 base fee + $4 per employee per month. This plan is capped at a maximum of 10 employees. It includes payroll, timesheets, leave requests, automated payday filing, and the Xero integration [22] [23].
• Super Plan: $39 base fee + $5 per employee per month. This plan supports unlimited employees and adds GPS clock-in, insights reporting, and rest/meal break calculations [24] [25].
• Universe Plan: $59 base fee + $6 per employee per month. This premium tier includes onboarding workflows, document management, expense tracking, API access, and PowerBI reporting [26] [27].
• Enterprise Plan: Quote-based pricing is available for larger organizations [31].
• Additional Teams: $9 per team per month to organize businesses into groups with assigned managers [28].
• Pay Now: $5 flat fee per pay run to pay teams and Inland Revenue directly via POLi [30].
• Droppah: $3 per employee per month for advanced rostering, though buyers should verify if this is waived for teams under 10 employees [29].

PayHero supports comprehensive local payroll processing for New Zealand employers [07]. The platform automatically calculates employee pay and holiday entitlements based on submitted timesheets and work patterns [07]. It also natively supports automated payday filing by connecting directly to the Inland Revenue (myIR) portal [11].

While primarily a payroll tool, PayHero includes core HR capabilities. The platform handles leave management by storing balances in weeks, ensuring entitlements remain accurate for staff with changing work patterns [08]. It also provides an employee mobile app where staff can view pay history, submit timesheets, request leave, and update personal details [09].

PayHero provides email support natively for all customers [15]. Phone support is explicitly reserved for customers on the mid-market Super plan and the premium Universe plan [16].

Before purchasing PayHero, New Zealand businesses should:

• Confirm the exact total monthly cost by calculating the base fee plus the per-employee fee for your specific headcount.
• Verify whether the Droppah rostering add-on incurs the $3/employee fee for your team size.
• Confirm that email-only support is sufficient if you plan to use the entry-level Origin tier.
• Validate that your accounting workflows are fully supported by the native Xero integration.