BrightPay Desktop (BrightPay for Windows) will no longer be supported after 31 December 2026. From the 2027 tax year, BrightPay is moving to a cloud-only product, and the desktop version will stop receiving updates, support and legislative changes. Irish employers, payroll bureaus and accountants using it need to choose a new platform before their first pay run of 2027.
This guide explains what is changing and how to plan a switch in the 10 weeks left, including how to stay on desktop payroll if the cloud isn’t the right fit for you.
When does BrightPay Desktop support end?
BrightPay Desktop support ends on 31 December 2026. BrightPay has confirmed that the 2026 version of BrightPay for Windows will be supported for the entire 2026 tax year. From the 2027 tax year, BrightPay will be exclusively cloud-based (BrightPay).
Because Ireland’s tax year runs from 1 January, the end of desktop support lines up with your year-end. Your last fully supported desktop pay run will be in December 2026.
What happens if you keep using BrightPay Desktop after 31 December 2026?
The real issue isn’t whether the software still opens. It’s that it will no longer be kept compliant. From 2027, the desktop version will not receive updates, support or legislative changes. That creates three practical risks:
- Compliance: Budget 2027 changes to PAYE, USC and PRSI, plus new Revenue requirements, will not be built into the desktop version.
- Revenue submissions: payroll in Ireland runs in real time through RPNs and payroll submissions, so out-of-date software puts every pay run at risk.
- No help on deadline day: if something goes wrong mid-pay run, there is no support line to call.
BrightPay Connect, the add-on many bureaus use for client and employee portals, is also no longer available from the start of 2027. It only works with BrightPay for Windows and does not connect to BrightPay Cloud.
What are your options when BrightPay Desktop is retired?
You have two realistic options before 1 January 2027:
| Option | What it means | Best suited to |
|---|---|---|
| Move to BrightPay Cloud | Stay with BrightPay and import your employers from desktop into the cloud version | Smaller employers and bureaus happy to move fully online |
| Switch to another payroll platform | Migrate to a different Irish payroll provider, such as Quantum Payroll | Medium and larger organisations, multi-company groups, or teams that want to stay on desktop |
Whichever you choose, treat this as a chance to review your payroll strategy, not just replace software. The platform you pick now should still fit in three to five years as your headcount, entities and reporting needs grow.
Is BrightPay Cloud right for larger organisations?
It depends on your size. At the time of writing, BrightPay states that its cloud software is restricted to 300 employees per employer, including leavers, and that the limit will be increased in the future (BrightPay). BrightPay also advises users with more than 300 employees per employer to stay on desktop for the 2026 tax year.
If you pay more than 300 people under one employer, or expect to soon, check the current limit with BrightPay before you commit. Also check whether any Connect features you rely on, such as batch payroll entry or approval requests, are available yet in the cloud version.
Can you stay on desktop payroll after BrightPay Desktop is retired?
Yes. Moving to the cloud is not the only route. Quantum Payroll from Snow Technology is an Irish payroll platform, made in Ireland since 2001, that lets you keep a desktop payroll application while staying fully supported and compliant.
Quantum is designed for medium and enterprise organisations, as well as payroll bureaus and accountancy practices:
- Multiple companies, one login: run payroll for multiple companies and pay frequencies in a single application, for up to 10,000 employees.
- Cross-company reporting: scheduled reports and real-time payroll dashboards across every entity.
- HR and workforce integration: direct links to leading HR and Workforce Management systems remove manual imports.
- Irish specialists: direct access to Irish payroll and technical experts, including on deadline day.
- Always compliant: continuously updated for Irish legislation and Revenue requirements, in an ISO 27001-certified environment.
Quantum is used by leading Irish accountancy and payroll firms, including Forvis Mazars, KPMG, EY, Crowe and Moore.
How long does it take to switch payroll software?
Plan for about three months from demo to go-live, so starting in October gives you a comfortable path to a 1 January 2027 cut-over:
- October: demo and plan. Review your companies, pay frequencies and integrations, see the new platform in action, and agree a go-live date.
- November: migrate and set up. Move employee and payroll data across, then check it.
- December: test, train and run in parallel. Run payroll on both systems and compare results before you rely on the new one, and train your payroll team.
- January 2027: go live. Run your first pay run of the new tax year on the new platform, with specialists on hand.
Switching at the start of the tax year is cleaner than switching mid-year, because you begin with fresh year-to-date figures. Leaving it until mid-December removes the parallel run, which is your main safety net.
What to ask before choosing new payroll software
Whatever you move to, check these six things before you commit:
- Can it run multiple companies and pay frequencies in one place, with one login?
- Can you report across all your companies, including scheduled reports?
- Does it integrate with your HR and Workforce Management systems?
- Who handles the migration, testing and training, and are they based in Ireland?
- Can you speak to a payroll expert on deadline day, not just send an email?
- Is it kept up to date with Irish legislation and Revenue requirements, and how is your data secured?
Snow Technology answers each of these in its Quantum comparison guide.
Frequently asked questions
Is BrightPay Desktop being discontinued?
Yes. BrightPay for Windows is supported for the 2026 tax year only. From 2027, BrightPay will be cloud-only, and the desktop version will not receive updates, support or legislative changes.
What is the last date BrightPay Desktop is supported?
31 December 2026, the end of the 2026 tax year in Ireland.
Is BrightPay Connect being discontinued?
Yes. BrightPay Connect is no longer available from the start of 2027. It works only with BrightPay for Windows, not BrightPay Cloud.
Do I have to move to the cloud?
No. You can move to BrightPay Cloud, or switch to another Irish payroll platform. Quantum Payroll from Snow Technology lets you stay on desktop payroll.
When should I switch payroll software in Ireland?
The start of the tax year, 1 January, is the natural cut-over point. Start planning about three months before, to leave time for migration, a parallel run and training.
How many employees can BrightPay Cloud handle?
BrightPay currently states a limit of 300 employees per employer, including leavers, with plans to increase it. Check the latest limit with BrightPay.
What is the best payroll software for larger Irish organisations?
Look for software built for multiple companies, multiple pay frequencies, cross-company reporting and HR integration, with Irish-based support. Quantum Payroll is designed for medium and enterprise organisations and handles up to 10,000 employees.
Will my data be migrated if I switch to Quantum?
Yes. Snow Technology’s Irish payroll specialists support migration, implementation, testing, training and go-live.
Plan your move before 31 December
Ten weeks is enough time for a well-planned switch, but only if you start now. Snow Technology’s Irish payroll specialists will walk through your companies, pay frequencies and integrations, and map out a clear timeline to go live for the 2027 tax year.
Book your Quantum Payroll demo or call +353 (0)1 213 0737.
Sources: BrightPay – Moving to BrightPay Cloud · Snow Technology – Move to Snow Quantum Pay
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