Aurion vs Datacom Datapay – how they compare for AU/NZ payroll

How Aurion and Datacom Datapay differ

Aurion has spent 35+ years building payroll and HR specifically for the Australian market, with a particular strength in government-sector payroll backed by IRAP certification, ASAE 3402 Type 2, and ISO 9001/27001. It is owned by RGF Staffing ANZ, part of Recruit Holdings in Japan, and its platform extends into recruitment, performance, learning, and WHS alongside payroll. Aurion's New Zealand coverage is limited to tax updates and banking interfaces, so it reads as an AU-first platform.

Datacom Datapay sits inside Datacom, a 60+ year old NZ-headquartered technology company where payroll is one part of a much wider IT services business. Its Datapay product serves enterprise payroll, with Smartly aimed at small business, and it is known for a five-step Holidays Act remediation approach and NZPPA-certified consultants. Datacom also offers AU payroll via Datapay, including STP Phase 2 and superannuation support.

Put simply: Aurion's centre of gravity is Australian government and enterprise payroll with HR breadth; Datacom's centre of gravity is New Zealand payroll and compliance remediation, delivered by a broader technology company with AU capability alongside it.

Where Aurion fits

Aurion is built for Australian organisations – particularly in government and the public sector – that need a locally built platform with recognised security and assurance certifications (IRAP, ASAE 3402 Type 2, ISO 9001/27001) alongside HR breadth spanning recruitment, performance, learning, and WHS. Its 35+ years of Australian focus is a genuine strength for buyers who want a single AU-centric platform beyond payroll alone.

Where Datacom Datapay fits

Datacom Datapay is built for organisations – especially in New Zealand – that want proven Holidays Act remediation experience and NZPPA-certified consultants, backed by a large, 60+ year old technology company with a much broader IT services footprint. Its five-step Holidays Act remediation approach is a genuine strength for organisations that have identified compliance gaps and need a structured path to resolve them, with AU payroll available via Datapay for organisations operating across the Tasman.

Where Affinity fits

Where Aurion concentrates on Australian government/enterprise payroll with HR breadth, and Datacom concentrates on New Zealand compliance remediation within a wider IT business, Affinity is built purely around AU/NZ payroll depth on both sides of the Tasman. For organisations that need genuine strength in modern awards, EBAs, and Holidays Act calculations at the same time – rather than strong coverage of one jurisdiction and lighter coverage of the other – a single platform with pre-payslip intelligence, delivery-model flexibility, local data residency, and named local support offers a different proposition. Some organisations run Aurion or Datacom for their historical footprint and evaluate Affinity where cross-Tasman payroll depth is the priority.