Pento
Pento, now Bob UK Payroll following its 2024 acquisition by HiBob, provides cloud-based automated payroll processing and tax compliance for UK businesses and is embedded inside HiBob's broader mid-market HR, talent, and finance platform serving 5,000+ companies globally.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2016
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What Pento does
Pento is a cloud-based automated payroll platform originally founded in 2016 in Copenhagen, Denmark. The company was built to streamline payroll calculation, payments, tax compliance, and reporting for businesses, serving over 700 companies that spanned startups and retail brands. Pento generated revenue through a recurring SaaS subscription model and operated with a small, distributed team of 11–50 employees. Its core technology centered on automated payroll workflows with native integrations to HR systems, reducing manual processing errors and supporting multi-jurisdiction compliance.
In May 2021, Pento raised a $15.6 million Series A led by General Catalyst, following earlier funding from PSV, Seed Capital, Point Nine, LocalGlobe, and Seedcamp; a subsequent round in December 2021 brought total funding to approximately $54 million. In October 2024, HiBob — a Tel Aviv–headquartered mid-market HR management software company — acquired Pento, and the product was rebranded as Bob UK Payroll in 2025. Post-acquisition, Pento's payroll technology is embedded in HiBob's platform-plus-modules suite covering Core HR, Talent, Payroll & Benefits (US Payroll, UK Payroll, Payroll Hub, Benefits Administration, Time & Attendance), Planning & Compensation, and Finance, with Bob AI layered across the platform. HiBob's go-to-market is sales-led, targeting startups through enterprise with a multi-channel mix of direct field sales, inside sales, self-serve PLG, channel partners, and a partner marketplace, with quote-based annual subscription pricing not publicly disclosed. The combined entity serves over 5,000 companies across 81+ countries.
Pento firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Pento
- Legal name
- Hi Bob, Inc.
- Website
- https://pento.io
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2016
- Operating status
- Acquired
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Pento, now Bob UK Payroll following its 2024 acquisition by HiBob, provides cloud-based automated payroll processing and tax compliance for UK businesses and is embedded inside HiBob's broader mid-market HR, talent, and finance platform serving 5,000+ companies globally.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Pento industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Payroll Software
- NAICS
- Payroll Services (541214)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Employer Payroll Processing (SMB & Enterprise) (FSAMAKAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Global Payroll & Multi-Country Payroll Coordination (EOR/PEO Interface) (BPAAAHAE), Global Payroll & Multi-Country Payroll Management (BPACAHAC)
Keywords
Where Pento is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices9 records
Markets served
Pento business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Operations
Revenue model
- SaaS Payroll Subscription: Pento generates revenue through subscription-based SaaS payroll services, providing automated payroll processing to businesses on a recurring subscription model
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Quote-based enterprise pricing |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels8 records
Pento product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Pento provides a cloud-based automated payroll platform that streamlines payroll calculation, payments, tax compliance, and reporting for businesses. Originally founded in Copenhagen in 2016, Pento served 700+ companies before being acquired by HiBob in October 2024, after which the product was rebranded as Bob UK Payroll and integrated into HiBob's all-in-one HR management platform, delivering native UK payroll with real-time synchronization to HR changes.
Product overview
Pento was originally a Copenhagen-based automated payroll platform founded in 2016. Following its acquisition by HiBob in 2024, Pento was rebranded as Bob UK Payroll and integrated into HiBob's all-in-one HR management platform. The current offering is a platform-plus-modules architecture consisting of Bob Core (the foundational HR system of record), Bob Talent (hiring and talent management), Payroll & Benefits (encompassing US Payroll, UK Payroll/Pento, Benefits Administration, and Time & Attendance), Planning & Compensation (Workforce Planning and Compensation), and Bob Finance. Bob AI is embedded across the platform providing AI-powered assistance for productivity, data analysis, growth coaching, and product navigation. The platform serves over 5,000 companies with 150+ integrations including ADP, Paylocity, Slack, and Microsoft Teams.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Pento (now Bob UK Payroll) Cloud-based automated payroll platform for UK businesses, providing payroll processing, tax compliance, and employee payment management. Originally built by Pento in Copenhagen and now offered as Bob UK Payroll within HiBob's all-in-one HR platform.
Quantifiable outcome
- $2.55 return for every $1 spent with average 254% ROI and payback in under 9 months
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use Pento
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Pento technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration12 records
AI capability5 records
Feature4 records
Pento partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.
- ADPcoreADP is integrated with the HiBob platform as part of the 100+ integrations available, providing payroll and HR data connectivity for customers.
- PaylocitycorePaylocity integration with HiBob platform enabling seamless payroll and HR data synchronization for customers.
- DatevcoreDatev integration for German payroll compliance and data exchange with the HiBob HR platform.
- NetSuitecoreNetSuite ERP integration with HiBob for financial and HR data synchronization.
- GreenhousesupportingGreenhouse applicant tracking system integration with HiBob for seamless hiring and onboarding workflows.
- SlacksupportingSlack collaboration tool integration with HiBob for notifications, approvals, and team communication.
- Microsoft TeamssupportingMicrosoft Teams integration with HiBob for collaboration and HR workflow notifications.
- ZapiersupportingZapier integration enabling customers to connect HiBob with thousands of other applications through automated workflows.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Pento competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Gusto: Gusto is a cloud-native payroll, HR, and benefits platform serving SMBs and mid-market companies in the US. It directly competes with Pento's automated payroll positioning and the broader HiBob payroll stack on subscription-based SaaS payroll for employers.
- Rippling: Rippling unifies HR, IT, and payroll in a single cloud platform for mid-market customers. It competes head-to-head with HiBob/Pento's all-in-one positioning, particularly on automation and integrated payroll for US-headquartered employers.
- Deel: Deel provides global payroll, EOR, and contractor management across 150+ countries. It overlaps with Pento's Payroll Hub vision and directly competes for cross-border payroll deals where HiBob's payroll offering relies on partner integrations.
- BambooHR: BambooHR is an HR platform for SMBs and mid-market that bundles payroll in select markets through partnerships. It competes with HiBob/Pento on the HR system of record layer and increasingly on bundled payroll for similar buyer personas.
- Justworks: Justworks is a PEO offering payroll, benefits, HR, and compliance for SMBs. It is a direct comparator to the bundled HR+payroll value proposition that Pento and HiBob sell into mid-market US employers.
- Zenefits: Zenefits is an all-in-one HR, payroll, and benefits platform targeting SMBs in the US. It is comparable to the Pento/HiBob bundled payroll + HR stack on product scope and customer segment.
Broad incumbents
- Workday: Workday is an enterprise HCM and financial management incumbent with native global payroll (Workday Payroll). It competes for the same enterprise HR buyers that HiBob/Pento target, particularly in large multinational payroll decisions.
- ADP: ADP is the dominant payroll services incumbent (RUN Powered by ADP, ADP Workforce Now, ADP Vantage HCM). It is both a competitor and an integration partner of HiBob/Pento, setting the bar for tax compliance and global payroll coverage.
Emerging players
- Papaya Global: Papaya Global provides native global payroll, EOR, and workforce management across 160+ countries. It is an emerging direct competitor to HiBob/Pento for enterprises needing in-country native payroll rather than partner-mediated cross-border coverage.
Regional players
- PayFit: PayFit is a European cloud payroll and HR platform serving SMBs across France, Spain, Germany, the UK, and Italy. It is a regional peer to Pento's UK payroll heritage and a comparable European payroll-automation SaaS for SMBs.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Pento social profiles
Digital presencePento financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Pento leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Pento funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds4 records
Investors10 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Pento M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Pento
What does Pento do?
Pento provides a cloud-based automated payroll platform that streamlines payroll calculation, payments, tax compliance, and reporting for businesses. Originally founded in Copenhagen in 2016, Pento served 700+ companies before being acquired by HiBob in October 2024, after which the product was rebranded as Bob UK Payroll and integrated into HiBob's all-in-one HR management platform, delivering native UK payroll with real-time synchronization to HR changes.
Is Pento a public or private company?
Pento is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently acquired.
When was Pento founded?
Pento was founded in 2016. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Pento based?
Pento is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Pento make money?
One revenue line is on record: saaS Payroll Subscription.
Who are Pento's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Gusto, Rippling, Deel, BambooHR, Justworks and Zenefits. Broad incumbents are Workday and ADP. Papaya Global is listed as an emerging player. PayFit is listed as a regional player.
Does Pento have an API?
No public API is recorded for Pento.
What industry is Pento in?
Pento's product category is Payroll Software. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAMAKAA, Employer Payroll Processing (SMB & Enterprise), with a secondary code of BPAAAHAE, Global Payroll & Multi-Country Payroll Coordination (EOR/PEO Interface). Its NAICS code is 541214.