Aurion vs MicrOpay – how they compare for AU/NZ payroll

How Aurion and MicrOpay differ

Aurion is an Australian-built and -operated payroll and HR platform with 35+ years of history, owned by RGF Staffing ANZ (part of Recruit Holdings, Japan). It holds IRAP, ASAE 3402 Type 2, ISO 9001 and ISO 27001 certifications and offers a broader HR suite spanning recruitment, performance, learning and WHS, delivered via SaaS, APaaS or MPaaS.

MicrOpay (now branded Access MicrOpay Evo) is a long-standing Australian payroll application owned by The Access Group, which acquired it as part of Sage's Australian and Asian businesses in 2021. It runs as Windows software on the customer's own servers or hosted by Access (Access Payroll Online), and has shipped STP Phase 2 and Payday Super updates, an integrated super clearing house, and an Evo layer adding dashboards, analytics and an AI Copilot.

The core distinction for a buyer is what each platform was built to optimise for: Aurion is an Australian-built payroll and HR platform, while MicrOpay is an established Australian payroll application, owned by The Access Group, that runs on-premise or hosted by Access. AU/NZ payroll sits within each vendor's broader focus rather than as the sole product, which is where a specialist platform like Affinity differs from both.

Where Aurion fits

Aurion is built for Australian organisations – particularly government and regulated-sector employers – that value certified local payroll alongside a broader HR suite. Its IRAP, ASAE 3402 Type 2, and ISO certifications, more than 35 years of Australian operating history, and modules spanning recruitment, performance, learning, and WHS make it a strong fit where Australian government-grade assurance and HR breadth matter more than multi-country reach or deep New Zealand coverage.

Where MicrOpay fits

MicrOpay is built for Australian organisations – typically small to mid-sized, running payroll in-house – that want a familiar, long-established payroll engine with the option of on-premise or Access-hosted delivery. Its large installed base, Payday Super-ready releases with built-in super clearing, and the newer Evo analytics and Copilot layer make it a strong fit where continuity with a known AU payroll application matters more than deep NZ coverage or enterprise award complexity.

Where Affinity fits

For organisations whose payroll complexity is concentrated in Australia and New Zealand, a specialist engine with pre-payslip intelligence, delivery-model flexibility, local data residency, and named local support is a different proposition to either Aurion or MicrOpay. Some organisations run Aurion or MicrOpay for their broader positioning and Affinity for a complex AU/NZ operation; others choose Affinity specifically because they need genuine cross-Tasman depth that neither platform is built to prioritise.