Comparison Guide

Definitiv vs Payroll Metrics – 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

Definitiv and Payroll Metrics are both Australian-built payroll and workforce-management platforms with a strong AU/NZ focus. Definitiv is a cloud-native platform now part of The Access Group, focused on complex awards and integrated rostering. Payroll Metrics is an independent Australian vendor combining payroll, timesheets and advanced rostering with strong security certifications. Alongside them, this page shows how Affinity, a dedicated AU/NZ payroll platform, compares for organisations whose complexity is concentrated in Australia and New Zealand.

How Definitiv and Payroll Metrics differ

Definitiv is a cloud-native AU specialist. Originally built in Perth and now owned by The Access Group (a UK-headquartered global software group), it markets Definitiv Evo across Australia, New Zealand and Singapore, with a 100% configurable Award Engine and purpose-built rostering that flows live time-tracking into costed payroll. Its data is hosted in Australia and it draws on Access group-wide certifications.

Payroll Metrics is an independent Australian vendor, founded in 2013 and headquartered in Oakleigh, Victoria. It provides an all-in-one platform integrating payroll, timesheets, workforce management and advanced rostering for AU and NZ, with multi-award and EBA support via custom work patterns and dynamic rosters. It holds ISO 27001:2022, ISO 27701:2019 and ISO 9001:2015 certifications, hosts on a Microsoft Azure Tier 1 Australian data centre, and runs AU-based support and development teams.

The core distinction: both are AU-focused integrated payroll-plus-WFM platforms, but Definitiv is backed by The Access Group's global scale while Payroll Metrics is an independently owned local vendor with strong security and privacy certifications.

Feature comparison

A neutral comparison of Definitiv and Payroll Metrics 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: Native / strongAvailable / partial: Available / partialNot offered: Not offered
CapabilityDefinitivPayroll MetricsAU/NZ specialistAffinity
AU award & EBA interpretation
Native / strong: 100% configurable Award Engine – built for complex AU awards/EBAs
Native / strong: Multi-award/EBA support with custom work patterns
Native / strong: Configurable engine – modern awards, EBAs, shift penalties, allowance stacking
NZ compliance (Holidays Act, KiwiSaver, IRD)
Available / partial: NZ payroll supported (also Singapore); confirm Holidays Act depth
Available / partial: Supports NZ tax obligations & workplaces; confirm Holidays Act depth
Native / strong: Purpose-built Holidays Act engine, KiwiSaver, Payday Filing, NZ team
STP Phase 2 & superannuation
Native / strong: Supported
Native / strong: Integrated STP & SuperStream via accredited gateway
Native / strong: Full STP Phase 2 & super, Pay Day Super ready
Pre-payslip intelligence
Available / partial: Evo Copilot AI insights + costed payroll (confirm pre-payslip anomaly layer)
Available / partial: Compliance automation & reporting (confirm pre-payslip anomaly layer)
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
Native / strong: Integrated timesheets, WFM & advanced rostering
Native / strong: Integrated WFM with real-time labour costing
Delivery / managed payroll
Native / strong: SaaS; managed/outsourced payroll available (confirm)
Available / partial: SaaS; managed services available (confirm)
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)
Native / strong: AU-based support & development teams
Native / strong: Named AU/NZ contacts who know your configuration

Where Definitiv fits

Definitiv is built for mid-to-large Australian organisations with complex, multi-award structures that want a cloud-native platform combining a 100% configurable Award Engine with integrated rostering and costed payroll. Backed by The Access Group and with data hosted in Australia, it suits businesses wanting AU-focused depth that also extends to NZ and Singapore.

Where Payroll Metrics fits

Payroll Metrics is built for AU/NZ organisations that want an integrated payroll, timesheets, workforce-management and advanced-rostering platform from an independently owned local vendor, with strong security and privacy credentials (ISO 27001, ISO 27701, ISO 9001) and Australian data hosting. Its multi-award and EBA support via custom work patterns and AU-based teams are genuine strengths for organisations valuing local independence.

Where Affinity fits

Where Definitiv leads on Access Group scale and Payroll Metrics on independent local ownership with strong certifications, Affinity optimises for AU/NZ payroll depth across both countries. 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 is a different proposition. The NZ Holidays Act in particular requires deep local engine work.

Frequently asked questions

Is Definitiv or Payroll Metrics better for Australian payroll?

Both are AU-built platforms with strong award capability. Definitiv is a cloud-native platform backed by The Access Group with a 100% configurable Award Engine; Payroll Metrics is an independent local vendor with multi-award and EBA support via custom work patterns. For complex modern awards or EBAs, test either against your specific scenarios – or evaluate an AU/NZ specialist such as Affinity, whose award interpretation engine is purpose-built for that complexity.

Do Definitiv and Payroll Metrics handle New Zealand payroll?

Definitiv supports NZ (and Singapore) payroll, with Holidays Act depth to confirm directly. Payroll Metrics supports NZ tax obligations and workplaces, with Holidays Act depth to confirm directly. NZ payroll – Holidays Act, KiwiSaver, Payday Filing with IRD – requires deep local engine work. Affinity runs a purpose-built NZ engine with an NZ-based support team on the same platform as its Australian payroll.

What is the main difference between Definitiv and Payroll Metrics?

Both are AU-focused integrated payroll and workforce-management platforms. Definitiv is cloud-native and backed by The Access Group's global scale; Payroll Metrics is an independently owned Australian vendor with strong security and privacy certifications and AU-based teams. The main difference is ownership and scale rather than core focus.

How does Affinity compare to Definitiv and Payroll Metrics?

Affinity is an AU/NZ enterprise payroll specialist. It does not compete on Definitiv's Access Group scale or Payroll Metrics' particular certification set; 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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