Every time I hear someone say payroll support or membership is "too expensive," I can't help but smile. Because the truth is, when you look at the numbers, payroll membership isn't a high cost. It's one of the most affordable and smart investments you can make to protect your employer, your clients and your employees.
For bookkeepers: An easy ROI
If you're a bookkeeper, let's break this down. A payroll membership with Australian Payroll Association costs $1,050 plus GST per year. That might sound like a chunk of money upfront, but it's incredibly easy to recover.
Let's say you have just four payroll clients. If you add a $5 per week payroll admin fee per client, that's $20 per week. Over a year, that's $1,040, which almost completely covers your membership.
And what does that admin fee buy your clients? Peace of mind. It shows them you're serious about staying up to date with the latest legislation, you've got access to expert support, and you're committed to getting their payroll right, every single time.
Honestly, what client wouldn't see that as excellent value?
For in-house payroll teams: Protecting employees
If you run an in-house payroll function, the maths is even simpler. Let's imagine you have 100 employees. A payroll membership of $1,050 per year works out to just $10.50 per employee per year. That's less than $1 per month per employee to make sure your payroll is correct, compliant and backed by expert advice.
And here's the kicker: the larger your payroll, the smaller the cost per employee becomes. For bigger businesses, it's literally cents per person per month.
Think about the potential cost of getting payroll wrong, underpayments, penalties, reputational damage, staff dissatisfaction. Compared to that, the cost of payroll membership isn't just affordable… it's a no brainer. Almost irresponsible not to have it.
A smart investment, not an expense
Payroll is one of the most heavily regulated and scrutinised areas of business today. Mistakes are costly, but staying informed and supported isn't. Payroll membership gives you immediate access to expert help, legislative updates, resources, and a network of professionals who do this every day.
The real question isn't "Can we afford it?"
It's "How can any employer afford not to have a payroll membership?"
