Replacement Guide

How to Build Your Own PayFit

Replace PayFit with a custom build. UK payroll that's powerful enough for experts, simple enough for anyone

Weekend Project
43 features6 integrationsOne weekend

Estimated Timeline

Based on 43 features at Weekend Project difficulty, expect about One weekend with AI-assisted development.

1
Setup & scaffolding
2 hours
2
Core features
4-6 hours
3
Polish & deploy
2 hours

Recommended Tech Stack

Next.js 14

Full-stack React framework with API routes and server components

Supabase

PostgreSQL database, auth, and real-time subscriptions

Tailwind CSS

Utility-first styling for rapid UI development

Prisma

Type-safe ORM for complex relational data models

Key Features to Replicate

Top features across 8 categories. See all 43 features

HR(7 features)

E-signature

Partnered with Yousign to get documents signed quickly and securely online with real-time tracking

Employee Onboarding

Create onboarding checklists and empower new starters to add personal information and upload documents like P45s and ID scans

Employee System of Record

Centralized system to manage all employee information

HR Document Generation

Pre-made templates for offer letters, employment contracts, appraisals and more with drag-and-drop variable insertion

Leave & Absence Management

Employees submit leave requests in portal, managers approve with one click, automated calculations for all leave types

+2 more in this category

Payroll(6 features)

Automated Payroll Calculations

Automatically calculates earnings, deductions, and net pay

Automatic Payslip Generation and Distribution

Automatically generates and distributes payslips to employees

Editable Variable Pay

Ability to edit variable pay components within payroll

Faster PaymentsPremium

Pay employees instantly and in bulk with Telleroo-enabled salary payments, with same day clearing and ability to pay on weekends/bank holidays

Real-time Payslips

Payslips update instantly as you plug in your numbers

+1 more in this category

Support(6 features)

24/7 SupportAI

Access to PayFit Copilot AI assistant and support team available round the clock

Dedicated Customer Success ManagerPremium

Assigned dedicated manager for ongoing support and guidance for businesses with 25+ employees

Help Centre Access

Access to step-by-step guides and resources

Live Chat Support

Live chat access to payroll experts for immediate assistance

Quarterly Business ReviewsPremium

Quarterly reviews with PayFit team for businesses with 25+ employees

+1 more in this category

Compliance(5 features)

Auto-Enrolment

Automatically handles pension auto-enrolment requirements

Automated P11Ds

Automatically generates P11D forms for benefits reporting

Automated RTI Submissions

Automatically submits Real Time Information (RTI) to HMRC

Automatic HMRC Updates

Software automatically updates for every UK payroll regulation from HMRC changes to statutory payments

Managed P11DsPremium

PayFit manages P11D forms with post-payday HMRC corrections

Performance Management(4 features)

Engagement Surveys

Conduct surveys to measure employee engagement

One-to-One Meeting Templates

Templates and management tools for 1:1 meetings between managers and employees

Peer Review

Enable peer-to-peer feedback and review capabilities

Performance Review Campaign Management

Create, manage, and track performance review campaigns for employees

Expense Management(3 features)

Expense ManagementPremium

Create custom expense policies, manage expenses, and allow employees to upload and scan receipts with optical character recognition

Instant Receipt UploadPremium

One-click approval process for employee expense receipts that are automatically paid with next payroll

Optical Character Recognition (OCR)Premium

Automatically scans and processes receipt images

Reporting(3 features)

Custom Payroll Journals

Automatically generates custom payroll journals in the right format for accounting platforms

Insightful Reporting

Choose from hundreds of pre-built or custom reports to understand impacts of people and pay on business

Variance Reports

Review monthly changes using variance reports before approving payroll

Integrations(2 features)

Accounting Software Sync

Syncs with Xero, Sage, QuickBooks, and NetSuite accounting platforms

PayFit OpenAPI

Open API to connect PayFit with favourite workplace tools using custom integrations

Cost Calculator

Keep Paying PayFit

Monthly$34/mo
Yearly$408/yr
5-Year Total$2k

Build It Yourself

Est. Build Time~3 hrs
Hosting$20/mo
DifficultyVery Easy

Total Cost Comparison

1 YearSave $168
SaaS
$408
DIY
$240
3 YearsSave $504
SaaS
$1.2k
DIY
$720
5 YearsSave $840
SaaS
$2k
DIY
$1.2k

DIY hosting estimate based on Vercel + Supabase free/pro tiers (~$20/mo). Build time estimated from 43 features at very easy complexity.

Ready to Build?