DATEV vs Payfit (2026): which should you pick?

Pick DATEV if

• Fits if your tax advisor already works in DATEV
• Works for German employers paying staff under German rules

Look elsewhere if

• Skip it if you do not read German, as the site is German
• Not for you if you pay staff outside Germany
• Watch out: sign-in now requires a SmartCard, mIDentity or SmartLogin
• Watch out: no prices were found, and it is aimed first at tax, audit and legal professions

Pick Payfit if

• Fits if you want a provider to run your UK payroll
• Works for firms from 25 employees up to 300 or more

Look elsewhere if

• Watch out: no prices are published, so cost cannot be compared in advance
• Skip it if you pay staff outside the UK, as the pages read describe UK payroll only
• Skip it if you want a free plan or a trial, as neither is listed
• Watch out: sizes described run from small firms of up to 25 employees to 300-plus

DATEV

• No prices were found on the pages read, so pricing is unverified; it is sold through a shop and through tax advisors.
• Built for German payroll rules, and the site is in German.
• The company describes itself as serving tax, audit and legal professions first, with companies as a second audience.
• Sign-in now requires a DATEV SmartCard, mIDentity or SmartLogin, per a notice on the home page.

Payfit

• No prices are published; the site offers a demo and a Try now button, so cost cannot be compared in advance.
• The pages read from this location describe UK payroll; availability and features in other countries are not shown on them.
• Payfit says it takes legal responsibility for HMRC compliance on the payroll it runs.
• Pages describe sizes from small businesses of up to 25 employees to mid-market firms of 300 or more.

DATEV

Payroll software

Lohn- und Gehaltsabrechnung programs, with versions for social institutions and the public sector. The site says about 14.5 million employees are paid with them each month.

Cloud or on-premises

Companies can choose a cloud solution or an on-premises one, and combine modules as needed.

Shared work with the tax firm

The payroll pages describe exchanging data with the company's tax firm, for example when it prepares the payroll.

HR modules

Related solutions cover recruiting, personnel management, time recording, HR controlling, staff development and travel expenses.

Employee portal

DATEV Arbeitnehmer online is listed as a way for employees to get their payroll documents.

Payfit

Payroll run by Payfit's team

UK payroll experts, described as CIPP-qualified, prepare and check each pay run; the client reviews and approves before payday.

HMRC and pension submissions

Sends Full Payment Submissions and Employer Payment Summaries to HMRC, applies tax code changes, and submits to pension providers including NEST, Smart Pension, Aviva, NOW Pensions and People's Pension.

Starters, leavers and statutory pay

Handles new-starter notifications, P45s, notice-pay calculations and statutory pay entitlements, and generates P11Ds at no extra cost.

Payments

Pays staff through Telleroo or produces a BACS file for upload to the company's bank.

Connected HR modules

Leave and absence, expenses, performance reviews and reporting sit on the same platform as payroll.

DATEV

Pricing could not be confirmed. See datev.de.

Payfit

Pricing could not be confirmed. See payfit.com.

DATEV

No public discounts listed.

Payfit

• Other savings

  First month free for new clients until 30 November 2026

  A site banner offers a free first month to new clients who subscribe on or before 30 November 2026.