PaySpace (Deel Local Payroll)
PaySpace, now Deel Local Payroll, is a strong choice for Kenyan employers that want a cloud payroll engine maintained for 2026 rules — PAYE, NSSF with the KSh 6,480 cap, SHIF at 2.75% and the Housing Levy — especially groups also paying staff in other African countries. Pricing is by quote.
Last verified 28 Oct 2026 · Reviewed by Accounting Software Africa editorial, Publisher editorial desk. Tax figures are cited to the Nigeria Tax Act 2025. Assign a named ICAN reviewer in this field before treating a page as a signed professional opinion.
- Product kind
- Payroll
- Made in
- South Africa
- Headquarters
- South Africa
Strengths
- African-made
- Many African payroll jurisdictions
- Bureau and enterprise tooling
- API and integrations
What it actually is
PaySpace is cloud payroll and HR built in South Africa and extended to dozens of African countries. It suits groups that pay staff in several African countries and want one payroll platform, plus bureaus that run payroll for clients.
Features
| Feature | Coverage | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Payroll / PAYE | Core strength | Country payroll rules, statutory returns and payslips across many African countries. |
| Approvals | Strong | Workflow for leave, claims and payroll changes. |
| Mobile app | Strong | Employee self-service (ESS). |
| Financial reports | Present | Payroll costing reports and GL export. |
| Double-entry ledger | Not offered | Exports journals to the ERP. |
Africa reach
| Countries | Presence |
|---|---|
 Nigeria | Available |
 Ghana | Available |
 Kenya | Available |
| South Africa | Available |
Pricing
| Plan | Amount | Billing | Includes | As of |
|---|
Compliance
| Requirement | Status | Note | Verified on |
|---|---|---|---|
| E-invoicing | Not supported | Payroll product; not applicable. | 28 Oct 2026 |
| VAT filing | Not supported | Payroll product. | 28 Oct 2026 |
| WHT | Not supported | Contractor withholding sits in the ledger. | 28 Oct 2026 |
| PAYE | Supported | Kenyan PAYE and statutory deductions. | 28 Oct 2026 |
| Local COA | Partial | GL mapping for payroll journals. | 28 Oct 2026 |
| Multi-currency | Partial | Multi-country payrolls each in local currency. | 28 Oct 2026 |
| Bank feeds | Not supported | Payroll payment files. | 28 Oct 2026 |
Best for
- Mid-size and large Kenyan employers
- Groups paying staff in several African countries
- Payroll bureaus
Not suitable for
- Five-person teams
- Buyers needing a general ledger
Local support
PaySpace has an established Kenyan customer base and partners; Deel acquired the business and markets it as Deel Local Payroll.
Migration notes
Load YTD figures and run two parallel payrolls before switching off the old system.
Why a dedicated payroll in Kenya?
Kenyan payroll changed repeatedly between 2024 and 2026 — SHIF replaced NHIF, the Housing Levy arrived, NSSF caps rose. A payroll vendor that maintains rules centrally carries that change risk for you.
How does it connect to accounting?
PaySpace exports payroll journals mapped to your chart of accounts for Zoho Books, Business Central, SAP or others. Reconcile PAYE, NSSF, SHIF and Housing Levy payable accounts to zero after each remittance.
Sources
- PaySpace Kenya 28 Oct 2026
- FaidiHR — PAYE, NSSF and SHIF explained 28 Oct 2026
Keep reading
- PaySpace in South Africa
Its home market.
- Month-end close checklist
Payroll first.
Related in Kenya
- How to choose accounting software in Kenya
- Business Central is a strong Kenyan mid-market ERP for distributors, manufacturers and NGOs, with several Nairobi partners offering eTIMS (VSCU-style system integration) and Kenyan payroll extensions. Budget about KSh 10,393–14,290 per full user per month at list plus implementation.
- QuickBooks Online is still widely used by Kenyan accounting firms, but in 2026 it carries an eTIMS tax: Intuit does not ship a KRA integration, so you need a third-party connector, and you pay in dollars. For a new Kenyan SME, Zoho Books is cheaper and eTIMS-ready; QuickBooks makes sense when your accountant’s practice runs on it.
- Kenya has one of the deepest SAP Business One partner benches in Africa, which makes B1 a credible ERP for Nairobi distributors, manufacturers and regional groups expanding into Uganda and Tanzania. Pricing is partner-quoted; eTIMS integration is a partner deliverable you should see working at another customer.
- Odoo is the most flexible ERP route for Kenyan SMEs that want accounting, inventory, POS, CRM and payroll in one system. A Kenyan payroll localisation exists in Odoo’s app store, and Nairobi partners ship eTIMS connectors. Quality depends heavily on the partner, and per-user pricing is regionalised — get the shilling quote.
- Tyms suits Kenyan founders and accounting firms who need books caught up and kept current from bank and M-Pesa statements, at $200 per seat per year (about KSh 25,982). It is not an eTIMS integrator, so VAT-registered businesses still need eTIMS invoicing elsewhere — Zoho Books beats Tyms on that for most Kenyan SMEs. Tyms Inc. publishes this site.
- Zoho Books is the best default for Kenyan SMEs in 2026: shilling pricing from KSh 849 a month billed annually, eTIMS transmission on every paid plan as a KRA-approved OSCU integrator, VAT3 return reports, and a direct M-Pesa integration in the Kenya edition. Prices exclude VAT; growing teams hit the user caps before the feature caps.
- TallyPrime is the strongest option in Kenya for inventory-heavy traders who want to own a licence rather than rent software: KSh 57,600 for Silver or KSh 172,800 for multi-user Gold, excluding VAT, with direct eTIMS integration, QR codes and eTIMS status reports. It is desktop software, so remote teams need hosting.