Comparison Guide

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

For: Payroll Managers, HR Leaders, Finance Directors|11 min read|Last updated: July 2026

This comparison is published by Affinity. Vendor information is based on publicly available sources. Contact each provider directly for their current capabilities.

Summary

Datacom Datapay and ReadyTech are both technology groups with payroll as one part of a wider business, but they have grown very differently. Datacom is a NZ-headquartered technology company, 60+ years old, where payroll (Datapay for enterprise, Smartly for small business) sits within a broad IT services portfolio. ReadyTech is an ASX-listed technology group (ASX:RDY) with three divisions, whose Ready Workforce payroll offering (Ready Pay) was built through a series of acquisitions – HR3, Aussiepay, Zambion in NZ, WageLink, and ePayroll. Alongside them, this page shows how Affinity, an AU/NZ payroll specialist, compares as a separate column for organisations whose complexity is concentrated in Australia and New Zealand.

How Datacom Datapay and ReadyTech differ

Datacom's payroll strength is anchored in New Zealand, with a distinctive five-step Holidays Act remediation approach delivered by NZPPA-certified consultants, plus AU payroll via Datapay supporting STP Phase 2 and superannuation. Payroll is one part of Datacom's much larger technology services business.

ReadyTech's Ready Pay product has been assembled through multiple acquisitions, meaning it currently runs on multiple engines depending on which acquired business the capability traces back to. ReadyTech's strength lies in workforce management and rostering for shift-based industries, plus broader HR modules (recruitment, onboarding, talent, learning) and its newly launched Orqestra AI (February 2026), which is recruitment-focused. NZ coverage comes via the Zambion acquisition. Buyers evaluating ReadyTech should confirm which engine underpins their specific requirements and what the consolidation roadmap looks like, given the multi-engine history.

For buyers, the key distinction is: Datacom offers a single payroll product line (Datapay/Smartly) with strong NZ Holidays Act depth inside a broad technology company, while ReadyTech offers a multi-division workforce technology group whose payroll capability spans several acquired engines and leans toward shift-based workforce management strength.

Feature comparison

A neutral comparison of Datacom Datapay and ReadyTech across payroll and workforce capabilities, with Affinity shown as a separate AU/NZ specialist column. Vendor capabilities should be confirmed directly with each provider.

Native / strong Available / partial Not offered

Capability	Datacom Datapay	ReadyTech	AU/NZ specialistAffinity
AU award & EBA interpretation	Available / partial: AU payroll via Datapay (STP2, super)	Native / strong: Established AU/NZ award interpretation (Ready Pay)	Native / strong: Configurable engine – modern awards, EBAs, shift penalties, allowance stacking
NZ compliance (Holidays Act, KiwiSaver, IRD)	Native / strong: Strong NZ; five-step Holidays Act remediation	Available / partial: NZ via Zambion acquisition (confirm integration)	Native / strong: Purpose-built Holidays Act engine, KiwiSaver, Payday Filing, NZ team
STP Phase 2 & superannuation	Native / strong: Supported (AU via Datapay)	Native / strong: Fully compliant	Native / strong: Full STP Phase 2 & super, Pay Day Super ready
Pre-payslip intelligence	Available / partial: Payroll Assistant AI + analytics (no pre-payslip anomaly layer)	Available / partial: Orqestra AI (Feb 2026, recruitment focus); no pre-payslip payroll anomaly layer	Native / strong: Payroll IQ – anomaly & variance checking before the payslip runs
Global / multi-country coverage	Not offered: NZ/AU focus	Not offered: AU/NZ focus	Not offered: AU/NZ focus – not multi-country
HR / talent breadth	Available / partial: Part of broad tech portfolio; Smartly for SMB	Native / strong: Recruitment, onboarding, talent, learning	Not offered: Not offered – integrates with specialist HRIS
Workforce management	Available / partial: Available	Native / strong: Strong rostering/T&A for shift-based industries	Native / strong: Integrated WFM with real-time labour costing
Delivery / managed payroll	Native / strong: Datapay software + managed (NZPPA-certified)	Native / strong: Ready Pay software + managed (Aussiepay, WageLink)	Native / strong: SaaS, Supported & Fully Managed on one platform
Named local AU/NZ support	Native / strong: NZPPA-certified NZ consultants	Native / strong: Australian support; NZ via Zambion	Native / strong: Named AU/NZ contacts who know your configuration

Where Datacom Datapay fits

Datacom suits organisations, particularly in New Zealand, that want payroll delivered inside a long-established, broad technology relationship and value proven Holidays Act remediation experience from NZPPA-certified consultants.

Where ReadyTech fits

ReadyTech is a strong option for shift-based industries needing established AU/NZ award interpretation combined with strong rostering and workforce management, plus broader HR modules across a multi-division technology group. Because Ready Pay was assembled through multiple acquisitions (HR3, Aussiepay, Zambion, WageLink, ePayroll), buyers should confirm which underlying engine applies to their scenario and understand ReadyTech's consolidation roadmap across those acquired products.

Where Affinity fits

Where Datacom brings payroll bundled into a broad NZ technology portfolio and ReadyTech brings a multi-division workforce group built through acquisition, Affinity is a single, purpose-built AU/NZ payroll platform. For organisations whose payroll complexity is concentrated in Australia and New Zealand – many modern awards, EBAs, Holidays Act calculations, STP Phase 2, Pay Day Super – a specialist engine with pre-payslip intelligence, delivery-model flexibility, local data residency, and named local support, running on one consistent platform rather than multiple acquired engines, is a different proposition for buyers prioritising simplicity and depth.

Frequently asked questions

Is Datacom Datapay or ReadyTech better for Australian payroll?

Both offer AU payroll, but ReadyTech's Ready Pay has an established AU/NZ award interpretation track record, while Datacom's AU offering via Datapay should be evaluated against your specific award complexity. Note that ReadyTech's Ready Pay runs on multiple engines from past acquisitions, so confirm which engine applies to your organisation. For complex modern award or EBA scenarios, an AU/NZ specialist such as Affinity is purpose-built for that depth on a single platform.

Do Datacom Datapay and ReadyTech handle New Zealand payroll?

Yes, both cover New Zealand. Datacom's five-step Holidays Act remediation approach and NZPPA-certified consultants are a distinctive NZ credential. ReadyTech's NZ coverage comes via its Zambion acquisition, so confirm the level of integration with the rest of the Ready Pay product. Affinity runs a purpose-built NZ Holidays Act engine with an NZ-based support team on the same platform as its Australian payroll.

What is the main difference between Datacom Datapay and ReadyTech?

Datacom is a NZ-headquartered technology company where payroll is one part of a broad IT services portfolio, with particular strength in NZ Holidays Act remediation. ReadyTech is an ASX-listed, three-division technology group whose Ready Pay payroll product was built through multiple acquisitions, with particular strength in rostering and workforce management for shift-based industries.

How does Affinity compare to Datacom Datapay and ReadyTech?

Affinity is an AU/NZ enterprise payroll specialist. It does not compete on Datacom's broader technology portfolio or ReadyTech's multi-division workforce breadth; it competes on depth of AU/NZ award and Holidays Act compliance, pre-payslip intelligence, delivery-model flexibility, local data residency, and named local support – all on a single consistent platform.

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