Deel HR
Free core HR for companies under 200 people.
Free
no card needed
- Employee records
- Time off
- Documents
- Org chart
Deel vs Sage Pastel Payroll
Verified ratings, feature-by-feature comparison and rand pricing — everything a South African business needs to pick between these two.
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Ratings
Every score, at a glance
Verified user ratings across every dimension — Deel against Sage Pastel Payroll, nothing weighted.
Dimensions won
1 – 1
Deel vs Sage Pastel Payroll, across 5 rating dimensions
Widest rating gap
+0,1
Sage Pastel Payroll leads on ease of use
Verified reviews
440
189 for Deel, 251 for Sage Pastel Payroll
Deel
4,1
189 verified reviews
Sage Pastel Payroll
4,1
251 verified reviews
Ratings by dimension
- Deel
- Sage Pastel Payroll
Overall
4,1
4,1
Ease of use
4,0
4,1
Value for money
4,0
4,0
Customer service
4,0
4,0
Functionality
4,1
4,0
Share of verified reviews
Who South African reviewers actually write about.
- Deel (189)
- Sage Pastel Payroll (251)
Cost to get started
Cheapest paid plan, shown per month (annual plans divided by 12).
Deel
R900/mo
Sage Pastel Payroll
R373/mo
Sage Pastel Payroll is the cheaper way in. Lower isn't automatically better — weigh it against the ratings above.
Head to head
Where each one wins
Row by row, with the stronger score highlighted. Straight from verified reviews.
| Deel | Sage Pastel Payroll | |
|---|---|---|
| Overall rating | 4,1 | 4,1 |
| Reviews | 189 | 251 |
| Ease of use | 4,0 | 4,1 |
| Value for money | 4,0 | 4,0 |
| Customer service | 4,0 | 4,0 |
| Functionality | 4,1 | 4,0 |
| Starting price | R900/mo | R4 476/yr |
| Free trial | No | No |
Features
Feature by feature, checked off
Everything each product ships, side by side. No marketing gloss.
| Feature | Deel | Sage Pastel Payroll |
|---|---|---|
| Employer of record in 100+ countries | ||
| Contractor contracts and payouts | ||
| Global payroll for owned entities | ||
| Free core HR platform | ||
| Digital contract signing | ||
| Local currency payouts | ||
| Compliance document collection | ||
| Time off tracking | ||
| Expense reimbursements | ||
| Integrations with accounting platforms | ||
| PAYE, UIF and SDL calculations | ||
| EMP201 monthly reporting | ||
| EMP501 reconciliation twice a year | ||
| IRP5 and IT3(a) printing | ||
| Exports for e@syFile | ||
| Email payslips | ||
| Leave administration | ||
| Multiple pay frequencies | ||
| ETI handling | ||
| Bank file exports for EFT payments |
Pricing
Both price lists, in rand
Every plan from both vendors, priced as South African teams actually pay.
Deel plans
Get started
Contractors
About 49 dollars per contractor per month.
R900/mo
per month
- Compliant local contracts
- Invoicing and approvals
- Payouts to local banks
- Tax form collection
EOR
From about 599 dollars per employee per month.
R11 000/mo
per month
- Deel employs on your behalf
- SA PAYE, UIF and leave handled
- Statutory benefits
- Local contracts
Global Payroll
Payroll for your own entities, priced per employee.
Custom
no card needed
- Multi country payroll
- Local filings
- One dashboard
Straight from the vendor
Get current pricing
These are list prices in rand and vendors adjust them from time to time. Check with Deel for the figure you'll actually pay.
Sage Pastel Payroll plans
10 employees
Annual licence for up to 10 employees.
R4 476/mo
per year
- SARS statutory tables
- EMP201 figures
- IRP5 printing
- Email payslips
- Leave administration
30 employees
Annual licence for up to 30 employees.
R12 648/mo
per year
- Everything in the smaller tiers
- Multiple pay frequencies
- e@syFile exports
50 employees
Annual licence for up to 50 employees.
R16 560/mo
per year
- GL integration with Sage 50c Partner
- ETI handling
- Bank file exports
100 employees
Annual licence for up to 100 employees. Larger tiers available up to 500 staff.
R23 844/mo
per year
- Scales to 500 employees
- Advanced reporting
- Payroll support included
Straight from the vendor
Get current pricing
These are list prices in rand and vendors adjust them from time to time. Check with Sage for the figure you'll actually pay.
Verdict
Our verdict
Sage Pastel Payroll edges this comparison on verified user ratings (4,1 vs 4,1), but the right choice depends on your workflows: Deel remains a strong pick where its strengths — EOR that employs SA staff for foreign companies compliantly and Contractor payouts through local rails in rand — match your priorities. Shortlist both, take the free trials where offered, and test against a real month of your own data.