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

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

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

The short version

Definitiv is a cloud-native AU, NZ and Singapore payroll and workforce management platform; MicrOpay is an established Australian payroll application from The Access Group. Both sit in the Access portfolio; the differences are cloud architecture, workforce management and award handling.

How Definitiv and MicrOpay differ

Definitiv (marketed as Definitiv Evo) is a cloud-native AU/NZ/Singapore payroll and workforce-management platform originally built in Perth, acquired by The Access Group (a UK-headquartered global software group) in 2021. It offers a 100% configurable Award Engine, purpose-built rostering with live time-tracking, and Evo Copilot AI insights.

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: Definitiv is a cloud-native AU/NZ/Singapore payroll and workforce-management 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.

Feature comparison

A neutral comparison of Definitiv and MicrOpay 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	Definitiv	MicrOpay	AU/NZ specialistAffinity
AU award & EBA interpretation	Native / strong: 100% configurable Award Engine – built for complex AU awards/EBAs	Available / partial: Award coverage claimed; complex rules may rely on separate award interpreters – confirm directly	Native / strong: Configurable engine – modern awards, EBAs, shift penalties, allowance stacking
NZ compliance (Holidays Act, KiwiSaver, IRD)	Available / partial: NZ payroll supported (also Singapore); Holidays Act depth to confirm	Available / partial: NZ payday filing & KiwiSaver documented; Holidays Act depth not verified	Native / strong: Purpose-built Holidays Act engine, KiwiSaver, Payday Filing, NZ team
STP Phase 2 & superannuation	Native / strong: Supported	Native / strong: STP Phase 2; Payday Super release (9.5 SP1) with integrated super clearing	Native / strong: Full STP Phase 2 & super, Payday Super ready
Pre-payslip intelligence	Available / partial: Evo Copilot AI insights + costed payroll (pre-payslip anomaly layer to confirm)	Available / partial: Evo analytics & AI Copilot (higher tiers); not a dedicated pre-payslip anomaly engine	Native / strong: Payroll IQ – anomaly & variance checking before the payslip runs
Global / multi-country coverage	Not offered: AU/NZ/Singapore focus – not broad multi-country	Not offered: AU/NZ focus	Not offered: AU/NZ focus – not multi-country
Workforce management	Native / strong: Purpose-built rostering, time tracking, costed payroll	Available / partial: Mainly via integrations / other Access products	Native / strong: Integrated WFM with real-time labour costing
Delivery / managed payroll	Native / strong: SaaS; managed/outsourced payroll availability to confirm	Native / strong: On-premise or Access-hosted; outsourcing service available	Native / strong: SaaS, Supported & Fully Managed on one platform
Named local AU/NZ support	Available / partial: AU-based; part of global Access Group (confirm named-local model)	Available / partial: Access support portal & account managers; named-contact model to confirm	Native / strong: Named AU/NZ contacts who know your configuration

Where Definitiv fits

Definitiv is built for mid-to-large AU/NZ organisations with complex, multi-award structures that want a cloud-native platform combining a configurable Award Engine with integrated rostering and live time-tracking. Backed by The Access Group's scale, it is a strong fit for organisations that want award complexity and workforce management handled natively in one product.

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 Definitiv or MicrOpay. Some organisations run Definitiv 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.

Frequently asked questions

Is Definitiv or MicrOpay better for Australian payroll?

Definitiv is a cloud-native AU/NZ/Singapore payroll and workforce-management platform. MicrOpay is an established Australian payroll application, owned by The Access Group, that runs on-premise or hosted by Access. Which fits better for Australian payroll depends on which of those is closer to what your organisation actually needs. Confirm current AU award and EBA depth directly with both providers. For organisations whose complexity is concentrated in Australia and New Zealand, a specialist engine like Affinity is built specifically for that depth.

Do Definitiv and MicrOpay handle New Zealand payroll?

Definitiv: NZ payroll supported (also Singapore); Holidays Act depth to confirm. MicrOpay: NZ payday filing & KiwiSaver documented; Holidays Act depth not verified. Confirm current NZ depth directly with each provider – Holidays Act, KiwiSaver and IRD payday filing all require genuine local engine work, not just tax-table updates. Affinity runs a purpose-built NZ payroll engine with 40+ years of Holidays Act experience and an NZ-based support team.

What is the main difference between Definitiv and MicrOpay?

Definitiv is a cloud-native AU/NZ/Singapore payroll and workforce-management platform, while MicrOpay is an established Australian payroll application, owned by The Access Group, that runs on-premise or hosted by Access. They overlap on core payroll compliance but differ in scope, ownership model, and the customer base each was built to serve.

How does Affinity compare to Definitiv and MicrOpay?

Affinity is an AU/NZ enterprise payroll specialist. It does not try to match Definitiv or MicrOpay on their own ground; 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.

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