SD Worx targets Irish SMEs as payroll rules tighten

Payroll technology provider SD Worx Ireland says its software is used to pay 17% of Ireland's workforce - nearly 400,000 employees - as regulatory demands on employers increase.

Irish businesses use its MegaPay product to process pay for 396,303 employees, according to the company. It cited Central Statistics Office figures showing 2,345,457 employees in active companies.

SD Worx Ireland is targeting a 25% market share within five years. It is also seeking more business among small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), where it expects additional growth.

Regulatory pressure

Employers in Ireland have faced new compliance and reporting requirements in recent years, including Enhanced Reporting Requirements, pension auto-enrolment and gender pay gap reporting. These measures increase payroll administration and reporting, while raising the consequences of mistakes through stricter penalties for non-compliance.

SD Worx Ireland linked its expansion to those changes, saying demand is rising for tools that manage payroll calculations and submissions alongside reporting.

The company reported revenue growth of 26% in 2025, which it described as a record. It also reported a customer retention rate close to 99% and said it serves 450 businesses in Ireland.

Payroll has also become a more prominent operational risk for many employers, given the need for timely payments and accurate reporting. Companies that outsource payroll or use specialist software often cite the cost of hiring in-house expertise and the difficulty of keeping compliance knowledge up to date as rules evolve.

Product focus

MegaPay is SD Worx Ireland's payroll software, developed in Ireland. The company says it processes payroll in real time, can be configured for different organisational needs, and supports automation, integration with other business systems and customisable reporting.

Security and data protection remain central concerns in payroll, given the sensitivity of employee information. SD Worx Ireland says it holds ISO27001 certification and Cyber Essentials, and cited ISAE 3000 and ISAE 3402 Type II assurance standards.

Payroll systems contain bank details, salary information and personal identifiers, making them a common target for cyber criminals and a focus for internal fraud controls. Employers have also been tightening access controls and monitoring as more staff work remotely and as finance and HR teams use cloud services.

Sector reach

SD Worx Ireland says its customer base includes some of Ireland's largest employers across hospitality, pharma and healthcare, professional and financial services, food and beverage, and retail. The company did not name clients.

The provider has expanded its push into the SME segment, supported by a €3 million investment. SD Worx Ireland says it offers payroll and HR products designed for smaller organisations alongside its established presence among large employers.

Competition in the Irish payroll market includes local payroll bureaux, global HR software providers and accounting platforms that offer payroll modules. For SMEs, the choice of approach often depends on the complexity of pay arrangements, the level of reporting required and the amount of in-house payroll expertise available.

Eimear Byrne, managing director of SD Worx Ireland, said the company's growth plans reflect regulatory change and the need for accurate payroll.

"We are on an ambitious growth path which we expect will see the continued increase of our market share in Ireland, particularly in the SME sector - the backbone of the Irish economy - and as employee numbers continue to rise. As the regulatory landscape rapidly changes, robust, reliable, and accurate payroll is a fundamental requirement for every business that must be prioritised in order to attract and retain skilled employees. As we all lead rich lives outside of the workplace, on-time payment is the very minimum that employees should expect, and we pride ourselves on the fact that we have never missed a pay date or submission.

Byrne also pointed to SD Worx's wider group structure and its operational footprint outside Ireland.

"In addition, as SD Worx Ireland is part of larger group, our customers benefit from the resources of an international company with the responsiveness and support of a local team. An increasing number of organisations do not have the in-house resources to keep pace with the evolving requirements of modern work environments, and we strive to provide payroll solutions that makes life easier for both businesses and their teams," Byrne said.

SD Worx says it plans to continue investing in its Irish operation as it pursues higher market share, with SME adoption central to its growth strategy.