CONTRACT-WISE
Contract Wise Ltd is a Portsmouth-based, UK-registered specialist in CIS payroll, subcontractor verification, and construction-industry employment intermediary services, serving SMB contractors, subcontractors, and labour-supply agencies via a recurring monthly subscription on its cloud platform.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2023
- HeadquartersPortsmouth, United Kingdom
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What CONTRACT-WISE does
Contract Wise Ltd (trading as Contractwise) is a UK-based provider of CIS payroll, employment intermediary, and construction-industry compliance services, headquartered in Portsmouth and registered in England & Wales (company number 15294408). The company was incorporated in 2023 and serves three customer segments within the UK construction labour supply chain: contractors, subcontractors, and labour-supply agencies. Its core offering combines recurring CIS payroll processing with compliance and protection services, supported by a cloud-based delivery platform, a CIS Liability Calculator for gross-to-net liability estimation, and a Subcontractor Verification System that screens subcontractor status against HMRC requirements.
The business model is subscription-based, with monthly recurring fees for the payroll and compliance bundle, no signup costs, no contractual tie-ins, and no exit fees. Customer acquisition is supported by a referral programme that returns 50% of fees to the referrer for a 12-week period, signalling a low-cost, word-of-mouth go-to-market motion targeted at the SMB contractor base. The company positions itself on procedural depth in CIS / HMRC compliance rather than on technology differentiation, and it does not disclose any proprietary AI/ML capabilities, pricing, or enterprise customer logos. With 1–10 employees and no external funding rounds disclosed, Contractwise operates as an early-stage, founder-led specialist rather than a scaled payroll bureau.
CONTRACT-WISE firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- CONTRACT-WISE
- Legal name
- Contract Wise Ltd
- Website
- https://contractwise.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2023
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Contract Wise Ltd is a Portsmouth-based, UK-registered specialist in CIS payroll, subcontractor verification, and construction-industry employment intermediary services, serving SMB contractors, subcontractors, and labour-supply agencies via a recurring monthly subscription on its cloud platform.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
CONTRACT-WISE industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Construction Payroll and CIS Compliance Services
- NAICS
- Payroll Services (541214), Temporary Help Services (561320), Accounting, Tax Preparation, Bookkeeping, and Payroll Services (5412)
- SIC
- Services-Employment Agencies (7361)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Contractor Payroll, Invoicing & Payment Services (BPACAGAD)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Contractor of Record (COR) / Global Contractor Management (BPACAHAE), Contractor / Freelancer Payments (FSAMAKAC), Independent Contractor Compliance & Classification (IC vs Employee) (BPACAGAA)
Keywords
Where CONTRACT-WISE is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Portsmouth
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
CONTRACT-WISE business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- CIS Payroll Services: Monthly payroll processing and CIS compliance management fees for construction contractors engaging subcontractors. The company handles payment of subcontractors and ensures compliance with HMRC regulations.
- Compliance and Protection Services: Fees for protection against HMRC reclassification risk, employment tribunal coverage, and legal support services.
- Referral Rewards Programme: Contractwise pays referrers 50% of their fees for referred contractors during the first 12 weeks of engagement. This serves as a customer acquisition incentive.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Custom CIS Payroll Solutions |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
CONTRACT-WISE product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Contractwise is a UK Construction Industry Scheme (CIS) payroll company acting as an employment intermediary for the construction sector. It engages subcontractors directly, runs their monthly payroll, files CIS300 returns with HMRC, and shields construction businesses from HMRC reclassification risk, employment tribunal exposure, and IR35-related liabilities. Core deliverables include CIS payroll processing, full CIS compliance, HMRC reclassification protection, contract drafting and audits, IR35 advice, supply chain due diligence, and tax return services, all delivered through a dedicated cloud-based platform that is free for clients.
Product overview
Contractwise is a CIS payroll company serving as an employment intermediary for the UK construction industry. The company offers a unified platform combining expert construction payroll services with comprehensive compliance protection. The core product portfolio includes CIS Payroll Services, CIS Compliance, HMRC Reclassification Risk Protection, Contract/Payroll/Audit, IR35 Protection, Supply Chain Due Diligence, and Tax Returns services. Additional offerings include a Liability Calculator tool and a Rewards Programme for referrals. All services are supported by a dedicated online platform with free client access.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- CIS Payroll Services Monthly Construction Industry Scheme (CIS) payroll processing that engages subcontractors directly, pays them on time and ensures HMRC-compliant deductions and filings for UK construction businesses engaging subcontractors.
- CIS Compliance Full CIS compliance service for construction contractors and agencies, including verification of subcontractors with HMRC, Right To Work checks and monthly CIS300 reporting.
- HMRC Reclassification Risk Protection Protection service that Contractwise guarantees will prevent HMRC from reclassifying self-employed subcontractors as employees, shielding clients from National Insurance back-payments, pension contributions, fines and interest charges (potentially up to six years retrospectively).
- Contract, Payroll & Audit Combined service providing free compliance audit of a client's workforce, robust contract drafting between all parties, and ongoing payroll calculations with CIS reporting to protect against employee tribunal claims.
- IR35 Protection Service to protect contractors from IR35 liability and ensure proper employment status determination for subcontractors operating in the UK construction industry.
- Supply Chain Due Diligence Vetting and verification of subcontractors including identity confirmation, background checks and compliance verification to maintain supply chain integrity for UK construction businesses.
- Tax Returns Self-Assessment Tax Return services for CIS subcontractors, including online submission to HMRC and Unique Tax Reference (UTR) registration support.
- Rewards Programme (Referral Programme) Referral programme that pays existing clients 50% of Contractwise's fees for each subcontractor they refer during the first 12 weeks of engagement, with no cap on the number of referrals.
- Contractwise Online Platform Cloud-based online platform provided free to clients for managing subcontractor payroll, CIS compliance, payment processing, contract management and ongoing expert support.
Quantifiable outcome
- Liability elimination: £0 risk when using Contractwise vs £9,500+ per subbie annually without protection
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use CONTRACT-WISE
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
CONTRACT-WISE technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
CONTRACT-WISE partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators4 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
CONTRACT-WISE competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Moorepay: Moorepay is a UK payroll and HR services provider serving a wide range of SMBs including construction contractors; broader service portfolio without dedicated CIS intermediary specialization.
- ADP UK: ADP is a global payroll services leader with substantial UK operations serving large employers; competes with Contractwise for outsourced payroll but operates at vastly greater scale and generalist positioning.
- SD Worx: SD Worx is a European payroll and HR services provider with UK presence offering outsourced payroll, employer solutions, and contractor management for large workforces — adjacent to Contractwise but broader geographic and enterprise focus.
- IRIS Software Group: IRIS is a large UK payroll, HR and accountancy software vendor offering payroll solutions spanning construction clients — overlaps with Contractwise's payroll administration but lacks equivalent construction-specific employment intermediary focus.
Direct peers
- SafeHands Payroll: SafeHands is a UK-based CIS payroll and employment intermediary for the construction industry, offering HMRC-compliant subcontractor payments and employment status protection — directly comparable to Contractwise's core offering.
- Contractor Umbrella: Contractor Umbrella provides CIS-recognised employment intermediary and payroll services for UK construction freelancers, addressing the same HMRC compliance and payment administration problem as Contractwise.
- PayStream: PayStream provides umbrella PAYE and CIS payment services for UK contractors and subcontractors, including employment intermediary solutions and HMRC compliance — overlapping directly with Contractwise's intermediary and CIS payroll model.
- Hudson Contract Services: Hudson Contract is the most established UK CIS employment intermediary, providing a near-identical bundle of CIS payroll, employment intermediary engagement of subcontractors, and HMRC protection services to UK contractors. Closest direct competitor by model and customer.
Emerging players
- Gorilla Accounting: Gorilla Accounting is a UK specialist firm providing accounting, tax returns and compliance services specifically to contractors and freelancers — overlaps with Contractwise's tax return and self-employment support within the same SMB customer segment.
- Workr: Workr is an emerging UK-based payroll and contractor engagement platform focused on flexible workforce payment and compliance — direct functionality overlap with Contractwise's online CIS payroll platform with a more technology-led positioning.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
CONTRACT-WISE social profiles
Digital presenceCONTRACT-WISE financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
CONTRACT-WISE leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
CONTRACT-WISE funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
CONTRACT-WISE 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 CONTRACT-WISE
What does CONTRACT-WISE do?
Contractwise is a UK Construction Industry Scheme (CIS) payroll company acting as an employment intermediary for the construction sector. It engages subcontractors directly, runs their monthly payroll, files CIS300 returns with HMRC, and shields construction businesses from HMRC reclassification risk, employment tribunal exposure, and IR35-related liabilities. Core deliverables include CIS payroll processing, full CIS compliance, HMRC reclassification protection, contract drafting and audits, IR35 advice, supply chain due diligence, and tax return services, all delivered through a dedicated cloud-based platform that is free for clients.
Is CONTRACT-WISE a public or private company?
CONTRACT-WISE is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was CONTRACT-WISE founded?
CONTRACT-WISE was founded in 2023. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is CONTRACT-WISE based?
CONTRACT-WISE is headquartered in Portsmouth, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does CONTRACT-WISE make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. CIS Payroll Services are the primary driver. The others are compliance and Protection Services and referral Rewards Programme.
Who are CONTRACT-WISE's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Moorepay, ADP UK, SD Worx and IRIS Software Group. Direct peers are SafeHands Payroll, Contractor Umbrella, PayStream and Hudson Contract Services. Emerging players are Gorilla Accounting and Workr.
Does CONTRACT-WISE have an API?
No public API is recorded for CONTRACT-WISE.
What industry is CONTRACT-WISE in?
CONTRACT-WISE's product category is Construction Payroll and CIS Compliance Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPACAGAD, Contractor Payroll, Invoicing & Payment Services, with a secondary code of BPACAHAE, Contractor of Record (COR) / Global Contractor Management. Its NAICS code is 541214 and its SIC code is 7361.