Shape Payroll vs Sage Payroll
Verified ratings, real UK pricing and the compliance detail, weighed side by side — with a written verdict at the end.
Shape Payroll
Payroll Software
- United Kingdom
- Live Chat
- Knowledge Base
Sage Payroll
Payroll Software
- United Kingdom
- Ireland
- Phone
- Live Chat
- Knowledge Base
- Forum
Shape Payroll leads on verified reviews by 0.2 of a point — 4.2 against 4.0 for Sage Payroll.
The short version
What each one costs and how each one rates, side by side. Only the rows where leading means something are marked; vendor and availability are in the overview above.
| Detail | Shape Payroll | Sage Payroll |
|---|---|---|
| What it costs | ||
| Starting priceLowest paid tier, excluding VAT | Free | £12/mo |
| Free version | YesYes | NoNo |
| Free trial | YesYes | YesYes |
| How it rates | ||
| Overall ratingMean of verified Assaylist reviews | 4.2 | 4.0 |
| Verified reviewsVolume is evidence, not a score — this row is not a contest | 250 reviews | 266 reviews |
Highlighted where one clearly leads. Rows without a highlight are not a contest.
How reviewers score them
Across the four dimensions we ask every reviewer about — and, below, the star split each average is built from.
- Shape Payroll
- Sage Payroll
| Dimension | Shape Payroll | Sage Payroll | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ease of use | 4.1 | 4.0 | 0.1 to Shape Payroll |
| Value for money | 4.1 | 3.9 | 0.2 to Shape Payroll |
| Customer support | 4.1 | 4.0 | 0.1 to Shape Payroll |
| Functionality | 4.0 | 3.9 | 0.1 to Shape Payroll |
What each average is made of
Two products can share an average and not share a reputation. These bars show the star split behind each score.
| Product | 5 star | 4 star | 3 star | 2 star | 1 star |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shape Payroll | 47% (118 reviews) | 33% (83 reviews) | 11% (27 reviews) | 7% (17 reviews) | 2% (5 reviews) |
| Sage Payroll | 41% (110 reviews) | 33% (88 reviews) | 15% (41 reviews) | 7% (19 reviews) | 3% (8 reviews) |
Feature by feature
Everything either vendor publishes, split into what separates them and what they share.
- Both products
- 320%
- Only Shape Payroll
- 533%
- Only Sage Payroll
- 747%
15 features listed across both products.
What only one of them does
Shape Payroll
5- Automatic legislative updates
- Cloud based
- Free Basic tier
- Payslips
+ 1 more in the table below
Sage Payroll
7- Automated HMRC notices
- Four step pay run
- Holiday and sick leave tracking
- Payroll anomaly detection
+ 3 more in the table below
Showing 15 of 15 features
| Detail | Shape Payroll | Sage Payroll |
|---|---|---|
| Where they differ · 12 | ||
| Automatic legislative updates | YesYes | NoNo |
| Cloud based | YesYes | NoNo |
| Free Basic tier | YesYes | NoNo |
| Payslips | YesYes | NoNo |
| Statutory payments | YesYes | NoNo |
| Automated HMRC notices | NoNo | YesYes |
| Four step pay run | NoNo | YesYes |
| Holiday and sick leave tracking | NoNo | YesYes |
| Payroll anomaly detection | NoNo | YesYes |
| Sage Copilot | NoNo | YesYes |
| Scales to 150 employees | NoNo | YesYes |
| Self serve payslips | NoNo | YesYes |
| Where they match · 3 | ||
| Employee records | YesYes | YesYes |
| Pension auto enrolment | YesYes | YesYes |
| RTI submissions to HMRC | YesYes | YesYes |
A dash means the vendor has not published a feature list — which is not the same as the feature being unavailable.
How they handle UK obligations
Checked against the vendor's own documentation or HMRC's published list. A dash means we have not verified it — never that it is missing.
| Detail | Shape Payroll | Sage Payroll |
|---|---|---|
| Verified against vendor documentation | ||
| RTI-compliant payroll | YesYes | YesYes |
| Pension auto-enrolment | YesYes | YesYes |
| UK-based support | UK support team | Telephone support from Sage UK |
What each tier costs
Both line-ups on one ladder, so the middle tier on one side sits next to the middle tier on the other.
Shape Payroll
Sage Payroll
Basic
FreeLower
- Free payroll
- RTI submissions
- Auto enrolment
Payroll Essentials
£12/mo
- 5 employees included
- 4 step pay run
- HMRC compliance and notices
Pro
£5/moLower
- Up to 5 employees paid
- £1 per additional employee
- Priority support
Payroll Standard
£23/mo
- 5 employees included
- Core HR capabilities
- Enhanced pay run
No comparable tier listed
Payroll Premium
£34/mo
- 5 employees included
- Comprehensive payroll and HR
- For more complex requirements
Rungs are matched by position in each vendor’s own line-up, not by what the tiers include — an entry plan on one side may cover more than the other. Prices exclude VAT unless stated, and per-seat plans are quoted per seat. Always confirm on the vendor’s own site.
Which should you choose?
Two answers, because there are two right ones depending on what you need.
Choose Shape Payroll if
- It costs less to get started — Free against £12/mo.
- There is a free tier you can stay on, which Sage Payroll does not offer.
- It lists 5 features Sage Payroll does not, including automatic legislative updates.
Choose Sage Payroll if
- It lists 7 features Shape Payroll does not, including automated hmrc notices.
On verified Assaylist reviews, Shape Payroll currently rates 4.2 against 4.0 for Sage Payroll. That gap is not the whole story: Shape Payroll starts at Free and Sage Payroll at £12/mo, so the right answer depends on the tier you actually need and on which one handles your UK obligations. Read both profiles before you commit, and confirm current pricing on the vendor's own site.
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