Lightning Payroll
Lightning Payroll is an Australian payroll software provider, serving 4,000+ small and medium businesses across Australia and New Zealand with ATO-compliant desktop, web, and mobile applications for STP, SuperStream, and Payday Super processing.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2012
- HeadquartersEight Mile Plains, Australia
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What Lightning Payroll does
Lightning Payroll is an Australian-headquartered payroll software company, published and supported by Intellitron Pty Ltd and operated within Constellation Software's Vela Software Group. Founded in 2012 and based in Eight Mile Plains, Queensland, the company provides ATO-compliant payroll software to more than 4,000 small and medium businesses across Australia and New Zealand, processing approximately $2.5 billion in payroll annually for over 40,000 employees. Its core product is delivered as a Windows and macOS desktop application, a browser-based web app, and native iOS/Android mobile apps, with a complementary Timeclock application for shift and attendance capture. The platform is differentiated by deep Australian regulatory compliance, including full Single Touch Payroll (STP) Phase 2 reporting with direct ATO lodgement, SuperStream certification via the Ozedi gateway, and Payday Super readiness ahead of the 1 July 2026 mandate.
The product surface is extended through modular paid add-ons: HR+ for people operations (employee files, onboarding/offboarding, training tracking, reimbursements), an Agent Subscription tier for bookkeepers and accountants managing payroll across 10+ client companies, an Accounting Integration add-on for Xero and MYOB journal and bank transaction export, and a Farm Focus integration serving agricultural customers. Lightning Payroll also exposes a REST API to approved integration partners and supports Bulk CSV import, encrypted online backups, and cross-device sync. The company achieved ISO 27001 (2022) certification in November 2024 and maintains partnerships with the Australian Payroll Association, Xero, MYOB, BundyPlus, Farm Focus, and Ozedi.
The business model is primarily subscription-based, with tiered annual or monthly plans scaled by employee count (Small at A$319/yr through Enterprise at A$2,599/yr, with 12-17% discounts for annual billing), supplemented by add-on subscriptions and professional services such as ATO credential setup, training, and custom development at hourly rates. Go-to-market combines product-led growth (free 30-day trial, no credit card, direct desktop download) with a channel motion targeting accounting and bookkeeping firms and a referral/affiliate program. Revenue is not publicly disclosed; based on customer count, pricing tiers, and add-on mix, estimated annual revenue is in the A$5M-$10M range.
Lightning Payroll firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Lightning Payroll
- Legal name
- Intellitron Pty Ltd
- Website
- https://lightningpayroll.com.au
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2012
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Lightning Payroll is an Australian payroll software provider, serving 4,000+ small and medium businesses across Australia and New Zealand with ATO-compliant desktop, web, and mobile applications for STP, SuperStream, and Payday Super processing.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Lightning Payroll industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Payroll Software
- NAICS
- Payroll Services (541214), Accounting, Tax Preparation, Bookkeeping, and Payroll Services (54121)
- SIC
- Services-Employment Agencies (7361)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Payroll Software & Payroll-as-a-Service (SaaS) (BPACAIAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Full-Service Payroll Processing (BPACAIAA), Payroll Systems Administration & Implementation Support (HRIS/Payroll Platforms) (BPAAAHAJ), Employer Payroll Processing (SMB & Enterprise) (FSAMAKAA)
Keywords
Where Lightning Payroll is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Eight Mile Plains
- HQ country
- Australia
- HQ region
- Oceania
Offices1 record
Markets served
Lightning Payroll business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Subscription Revenue: Monthly and annual subscription plans with tiered pricing based on employee count. Plans range from Starter (up to 5 employees) to Enterprise (unlimited employees). Annual subscriptions offer 12-17% discount compared to monthly billing.
- Add-on Subscriptions: Additional paid features including HR+ people operations add-on ($159.50/year), Accounting Integration add-on ($99/year from January 2026), and Farm Focus add-on for farm management integration.
- Professional Services: Paid support services including ATO Credential Setup ($99), Training/Consultancy ($189), Custom Development ($209/hour), and New Implementation packages.
- Agent Subscriptions: Specialized subscriptions for bookkeepers and accountants managing multiple client companies, with enhanced support, multi-company dashboard, and accounting API integrations.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Small - up to 5 employees, 2 companies |
| Subscription | Annual | Medium - up to 30 employees |
| Subscription | Annual | Large - up to 75 employees |
| Subscription | Annual | Extra Large - up to 150 employees |
| Subscription | Annual | Enterprise - unlimited employees, up to 5 companies |
| Subscription | Annual | HR+ Add-on (people operations) |
| Subscription | Annual | Accounting Integration Add-on |
| Subscription | Annual | Read Only Access |
| Other | Multi-year contract | ATO Credential Setup |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Training/Consultancy |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Custom Development |
| Other | Multi-year contract | New Implementation |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels8 records
Lightning Payroll product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Lightning Payroll is an ATO-compliant payroll software platform that processes employee wages, lodges Single Touch Payroll (STP) Phase 2 reports directly to the Australian Taxation Office, and handles SuperStream-certified superannuation contributions. The software is delivered as a desktop application for Windows/macOS, a web app, and native iOS/Android mobile apps, with add-on modules covering HR+ people operations, Xero/MYOB accounting integration, Farm Focus farm management, and an Agent subscription tier for multi-company payroll teams.
Product overview
Lightning Payroll is a unified payroll management platform offering a core desktop application for Windows and macOS, a web-based online application, and native iOS/Android mobile apps. The core platform handles payroll processing, Single Touch Payroll (STP Phase 2) submissions, SuperStream compliance, workforce management, and custom reporting. Add-on modules include HR+ for people operations (document management, onboarding checklists, training tracking), Agent Subscriptions for multi-company payroll teams, Accounting Integration for Xero/MYOB connectivity, and Farm Focus for agricultural businesses. The Lightning Payroll API enables approved partners to build integrations. All plans include free phone and email support, software updates, and secure cloud/online backup options.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- HR+: People operations add-on for Lightning Payroll that provides employee file management, policy acknowledgements, onboarding and offboarding checklists, training and certifications tracking, and expense reimbursements.
- Lightning Payroll API
Products and services
- Lightning Payroll Core Platform Australian payroll management software for small to medium businesses delivered as desktop, web, and mobile apps. Includes Single Touch Payroll (STP Phase 2), SuperStream compliance, workforce management, custom reporting, and built-in encrypted backup features.
- Lightning Payroll Desktop App Windows (8.1, 10, 11) and Mac OSX (10.14+) desktop application requiring installation. Two installations per subscription. Supports ATO Machine Credential for STP submissions.
- Lightning Payroll Web App Browser-based online version of Lightning Payroll at app.lightningpayroll.com.au requiring no installation. Supports payroll processing, employee management, and STP submissions to ATO without Machine Credential.
- Lightning Payroll Mobile App (iOS/Android) Native mobile applications available on iOS App Store and Google Play Store for managing payroll, employees, and Timeclock functionality from smartphones and tablets.
- HR+ People Operations Add-on Add-on subscription that turns Lightning Payroll into a complete people operations hub with employee files and documents, policy publishing with acknowledgements, onboarding/offboarding checklists, training and certification tracking, and expense reimbursement management. Priced from $159.50/year.
- Agent Subscriptions Multi-company payroll plans designed for bookkeepers, accountants, and payroll teams managing 10+ companies. Includes multi-company dashboard, free Xero and MYOB API integration, priority support, and scales beyond standard company limits.
- Accounting Integration Add-On Subscription add-on providing Xero and MYOB AccountRight journal exports, department/cost centre/tracking category support, bank reconciliation support with transaction exports, and submission reports. $99/year from January 2026.
- Farm Focus Add-On Subscription add-on connecting Lightning Payroll to the Farm Focus farm management platform. Enables GL code mapping between payroll items and Farm Focus account codes, and direct export of pay run totals as invoices into the farm management system.
- Lightning Payroll Timeclock App Mobile time tracking application available on iOS and Android that enables employees to record precise hours worked via clock-in/clock-out functionality, feeding timesheets and payroll runs.
- Lightning Payroll API REST API available to approved integration partners providing programmatic access to payroll data and functions, including creating employees, reading pay records, and managing company settings on behalf of connected customers.
Quantifiable outcome
- 4,000+ businesses trust Lightning Payroll across Australia and New Zealand
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Lightning Payroll
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Lightning Payroll technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration5 records
Feature8 records
Lightning Payroll partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.
- Farm FocuscoreNew integration partnership announced February 2026 to power smarter farm financials. Allows export of payroll details as invoices directly into Farm Focus farm management system.
- XerocoreFree Xero API integration for journal exports, department/cost centre support, bank reconciliation, and bank transaction exports. Available with Accounting Integration add-on from January 2026.
- MYOBcoreFree MYOB AccountRight integration for journal submissions and bank transactions. Supports both cloud and locally hosted AccountRight Server Edition.
- Australian Payroll AssociationflagshipOfficial industry partner status with Australian Payroll Association. Company is a proud member and industry partner, participating in the 2026 APA Payroll Industry Report.
- OzedicoreSuperStream gateway partner for processing superannuation contributions. Ozedi provides PayTo and PayID payment methods via New Payments Platform (NPP) for Payday Super processing.
- Intellitron Pty LtdflagshipLightning Payroll is published, distributed, and supported by Intellitron Pty Ltd. Part of Constellation Software via Vela Software Group operating group.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Lightning Payroll competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Gusto: US-based SMB payroll, HR, and benefits platform. While US-focused, it is a comparable product-led SaaS payroll model with similar target market, pricing architecture, and add-on ecosystem (HR+, benefits, time tracking).
- Employment Hero: Australia-founded HR and payroll SaaS platform targeting SMBs with multi-country payroll, EOR, and employee management. Direct competitor with broader geographic reach and significant venture backing, competing for the same Australian bookkeeper and SMB channels.
- Payroller: Australian STP-compliant payroll SaaS targeting micro and small businesses with simple subscription pricing. Direct peer in the AU SMB payroll market with similar product-led growth approach and self-serve onboarding.
- KeyPay (now Employment Hero): Australian cloud payroll platform acquired by Employment Hero, offering STP-compliant payroll for accountants and SMBs. Highly comparable in customer base (accountants/SMBs) and AU/NZ compliance focus.
- Ascender Payroll: Australia and Asia-Pacific payroll and HR software vendor serving SMB through enterprise. Competes head-to-head on STP, superannuation, and award interpretation, particularly with mid-market employers.
Emerging players
- Tanda: Australian workforce management software with payroll integrations. Adjacent competitor focused on rostering, time-and-attendance, and award interpretation that overlaps with Lightning Payroll's workforce management features.
Broad incumbents
- Xero Payroll: Xero's integrated payroll add-on for its dominant Australian accounting platform. Competes indirectly as Lightning Payroll integrates with Xero but also competes at the SMB where Xero bundles payroll with accounting.
- ADP Workforce Now / RUN: Global payroll and HR incumbent with significant Australian presence serving SMB through enterprise. Competes at the upper end of Lightning Payroll's enterprise tier and brings global scale and compliance resources.
- QuickBooks Payroll (Intuit): Global SMB accounting and payroll platform with Australian offerings. Comparable in targeting very small businesses with bundled accounting + payroll, though less specialized in Australian award compliance.
- MYOB Payroll: Established Australian/NZ accounting and payroll vendor with AccountRight and Essentials payroll offerings. Broad incumbent competing in the same SMB and accountant channels; Lightning Payroll integrates with MYOB as well.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Lightning Payroll social profiles
Digital presenceLightning Payroll compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
Lightning Payroll financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Lightning Payroll leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Lightning Payroll funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Lightning Payroll 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 Lightning Payroll
What does Lightning Payroll do?
Lightning Payroll is an ATO-compliant payroll software platform that processes employee wages, lodges Single Touch Payroll (STP) Phase 2 reports directly to the Australian Taxation Office, and handles SuperStream-certified superannuation contributions. The software is delivered as a desktop application for Windows/macOS, a web app, and native iOS/Android mobile apps, with add-on modules covering HR+ people operations, Xero/MYOB accounting integration, Farm Focus farm management, and an Agent subscription tier for multi-company payroll teams.
Is Lightning Payroll a public or private company?
Lightning Payroll is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Lightning Payroll founded?
Lightning Payroll was founded in 2012. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Lightning Payroll based?
Lightning Payroll is headquartered in Eight Mile Plains, Australia, in the Oceania region.
How does Lightning Payroll make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Subscription Revenue is the primary driver. The others are add-on Subscriptions, professional Services and agent Subscriptions.
Who are Lightning Payroll's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Gusto, Employment Hero, Payroller, KeyPay (now Employment Hero) and Ascender Payroll. Tanda is listed as an emerging player. Broad incumbents are Xero Payroll, ADP Workforce Now / RUN, QuickBooks Payroll (Intuit) and MYOB Payroll.
Does Lightning Payroll have an API?
Yes. The Lightning Payroll API is live and available to approved integration partners. It enables programmatic access to payroll data and functions, including creating employees, reading pay records, and managing company settings on behalf of connected customers. Developer documentation is at www.lightningpayroll.com.au/faq/can-i-connect-to-the-lightning-payroll-api.
What industry is Lightning Payroll in?
Lightning Payroll's product category is Payroll Software. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPACAIAB, Payroll Software & Payroll-as-a-Service (SaaS), with a secondary code of BPACAIAA, Full-Service Payroll Processing. Its NAICS code is 541214 and its SIC code is 7361.