Overview

PHPPayroll brings payroll and day-to-day HR administration into one PHP and MySQL system. It is a practical fit for organizations with varied employee types and pay schedules that want attendance and employee services alongside payroll. The decision is whether vendor-managed cloud hosting or a source-code edition for self-hosting better fits the organization’s technical capacity.

Key features

Payroll handles monthly, hourly, and project-based pay, with payslips that break out earnings and deductions. It supports daily, weekly, task-based, monthly, full-time, and part-time employees, as well as tax filing, contractor payments, and multi-currency payments. That flexibility is useful for mixed workforces; organizations with simpler payroll needs may not benefit as much from the wider system.

Attendance connects with biometric devices and RFID cards, or can use mobile-based tracking, and provides real-time reports. This gives teams several ways to bring attendance into payroll, although the usefulness depends on matching those methods to their existing attendance processes.

The HR modules span employee records, attendance, holidays and leave, payslips, users, biometric attendance, performance, assets, documents, expenses, work, grievances, recruitment, and loans. Employees can update personal details, request leave, view payslips, and raise grievances through a self-service portal. The breadth can reduce the need for separate tools for routine HR tasks, but organizations seeking only payroll may find the larger scope unnecessary.

PHPPayroll describes links between payroll, leave, and expenses, along with biometric and attendance-system integration and optional third-party integrations. It does not identify specific third-party products. Cloud plans include 256-bit SSL encryption; with self-hosting, the customer controls server security, permissions, and backups.

Pricing

The Open-Source Edition costs 0.00 USD per free, with no license fees or monthly charges. It provides self-hosting and full source-code access, but requires PHP, MySQL or MariaDB, and Apache or Nginx. The installation also calls for basic knowledge of PHP hosting, FTP, and database setup, so the zero price makes most sense for technically capable teams prepared to run and secure their own server.

The cloud plans all include unlimited employees and payslips, all features, technical support, and onboarding. Their main stated difference is storage:

Starter: 9.99 USD per month for 5 GB SSD web space. It is positioned for small businesses, with an indicative size of up to 50 employees.
Standard Plan (Most Popular): 19.99 USD per month for 15 GB SSD web space. It is aimed at medium-sized businesses, with an indicative size of up to 300 employees.
Enterprise Payroll: 26.99 USD per month for 20 GB SSD web space. It is aimed at large organizations, with an indicative size of 500+ employees.

Because employee and payslip counts are unlimited across all three cloud plans, moving up buys more storage rather than a higher stated workforce or payslip allowance. Cloud hosting is managed by the vendor, so customers avoid local installation and server maintenance; those choosing self-hosting instead take on the setup and security responsibilities. The service also offers a free trial.

Platforms

PHPPayroll supports web, Linux, macOS, Windows, and self-hosted deployments. The cloud edition is hosted and maintained by the vendor, while the open-source edition allows customers to host and customize the source code themselves.

Who it's for

PHPPayroll suits small businesses through large organizations that want payroll joined to attendance and a broad set of HR workflows, especially those with a mix of employee types or pay schedules. The cloud plans provide a managed route for teams that do not want server maintenance. The open-source edition is a better fit for organizations able to manage PHP hosting, databases, access permissions, security, and backups. A business wanting only a straightforward payroll tool should weigh whether it needs the additional modules and implementation work.

Pros and cons

Pro: Supports varied employee categories and monthly, hourly, and project-based pay, which can accommodate a workforce with different arrangements.
Pro: Combines attendance options, payroll, and employee self-service with a wide range of HR modules, reducing the need to handle each routine process separately.
Pro: Cloud plans keep employee and payslip counts unlimited at every tier, with storage increasing from 5 GB to 20 GB.
Con: Self-hosting requires PHP and database setup knowledge, and makes the customer responsible for server security, permissions, and backups.
Con: Third-party integrations are optional but unnamed, so organizations relying on a particular external tool should confirm compatibility before choosing it.

Alternatives

BIPO HRMS Payroll is another paid option, with Android, iOS, API, and web platforms; its pricing is not publicly stated and it invites buyers to request a free demo.

Payroll Engine is worth considering for readers seeking a free payroll alternative; it supports API, Linux, macOS, self-hosted, web, and Windows platforms.

Ramco Enterprise Asset Management is a paid, web and mobile option whose price varies by installation type and industry requirements.

Rippling is another paid option, available on web, iOS, and Android.

iiPay Global Payroll Platform is the alternative to consider for fully managed, end-to-end payroll across 170+ countries; it is available through API and web, with buyers directed to contact the provider for a demo or enquiry.

Mercans G2N is another paid option, with API and web platforms.

UKG Pro Benefits Hub is a paid subscription service with custom quote pricing; launch includes up to 3 EDI files for third-party carriers, or up to 5 with UKG Pro Premium Benefits Services.

activ8 Payroll is another paid option available on web.

For a broader comparison, see Global Payroll Software.

Verdict

Choose PHPPayroll if you want payroll connected to attendance and a substantial HR suite, with a choice between managed cloud hosting and source-code access. Its strongest case is the combination of varied pay support, employee self-service, and broadly unlimited cloud employee and payslip counts at the listed storage tiers. Look elsewhere if you need named integrations or do not want to manage the technical and security duties of a self-hosted deployment.

	Payslip	PHPPayroll
Free plan	No	Yes
Free trial	Yes	Yes
Paid from	—	$9.99/mo
Open source	No	No
Platforms	api, Web	Linux, macOS, self-hosted, Web, Windows
Free plan	No	—
Worker types	both	both
Tax filing	—	Yes
Contractor payments	—	Yes
Multi-currency payments	—	Yes
Payroll delivery	—	hybrid

Payslip vs PHPPayroll

Payslip

PHPPayroll