Editorial Policy
How we rate, review and compare Australian business software — and why you can trust our recommendations.
Our Mission
Most software review sites are built for the US market. They rarely mention BAS lodgement, STP Phase 2, Modern Awards, or payday super — the compliance requirements that matter most to Australian businesses. SoftwareHQ AU exists to fill that gap.
We provide independent, Australia-focused software comparisons that evaluate products against the regulatory and operational requirements Australian businesses actually face. Whether you’re a sole trader choosing your first accounting package or an SME evaluating payroll systems for 50 staff, our goal is to help you make an informed decision based on Australian compliance realities — not US-centric feature lists.
How We Rate Products
Every product we review is scored across 7 Australian compliance dimensions. Each dimension receives a score from 0 to 5. These scores are based on verifiable product capabilities, not subjective opinion.
1. BAS Lodgement
How well the software supports Business Activity Statement preparation and lodgement with the ATO.
| Score | Criteria |
|---|---|
| 5 | Direct SBR (Standard Business Reporting) lodgement to the ATO from within the software |
| 4 | One-click BAS export in ATO-compatible format for upload via the Business Portal or tax agent software |
| 3 | Manual BAS export — generates GST summary data that requires manual transfer to the ATO portal |
| 2 | Basic GST tracking only — records GST on transactions but no BAS-specific reports or exports |
| 1 | No BAS support — GST must be calculated and reported entirely outside the software |
| 0 | Not applicable (e.g. non-accounting software) |
2. STP Phase 2
Single Touch Payroll Phase 2 compliance, including disaggregation of gross amounts, income types, and country codes. We verify whether the software has been updated for Phase 2 reporting as required by the ATO since 1 January 2023.
3. Payday Super Readiness
From 1 July 2026, employers must pay superannuation on payday rather than quarterly. We assess whether the software supports or is preparing for same-day super calculations and payment integration with super clearing houses.
| Score | Criteria |
|---|---|
| 5 | Full payday super support — automatic calculation and payment via integrated super clearing house on each pay run |
| 4 | Payday super calculation built in with one-click export to a supported clearing house |
| 3 | Vendor has announced payday super support with a published roadmap and beta available |
| 2 | Quarterly super only — vendor has acknowledged payday super but no roadmap published |
| 1 | Quarterly super only — no indication of payday super support |
| 0 | Not applicable (e.g. non-payroll software) |
4. Modern Award Support
Whether the software includes built-in Modern Award interpretation for pay rates, penalty rates, overtime, and allowances. Australia has over 120 Modern Awards — we assess how many are supported and whether rates are automatically updated when Fair Work publishes annual wage reviews.
5. GST Handling
How the software manages GST calculations, including support for GST-free, input-taxed, and mixed-supply scenarios. Products are assessed on whether they correctly handle the nuances of Australian GST law, including the various BAS reporting codes (1A, 1B, etc.) and automatic tax code assignment.
6. AU Bank Feeds
Direct bank feed support from Australian financial institutions. We check the number of supported AU banks and credit unions, whether feeds are real-time or delayed, and whether the connection uses secure bank-approved data sharing (e.g. CDR/Open Banking) rather than screen scraping.
7. Data Sovereignty
Where your business data is stored and processed. We assess whether the vendor offers Australian-hosted data storage, complies with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles, and whether data may be transferred overseas. For Australian businesses handling sensitive financial and employee data, knowing where your data lives matters.
How We Verify Data
Our review process combines multiple verification methods to ensure accuracy:
- Manual product research — we sign up for trial accounts and test the actual product where possible
- Vendor websites — official feature pages, pricing pages, help documentation, and changelogs
- Direct vendor contact — where information is unclear or unavailable publicly, we contact vendors directly to confirm capabilities
- Quarterly re-verification — all data is reviewed and updated on a quarterly cycle to catch pricing changes, new features, and compliance updates
We do not rely on vendor-supplied marketing claims alone. Where a vendor’s claim cannot be independently verified, we note this in the review.
Pricing Accuracy
All prices on SoftwareHQ AU are displayed in Australian Dollars (AUD) inclusive of GST, unless otherwise stated. We verify pricing directly from vendor websites on a quarterly basis, and each product listing includes a “last verified” date so you know how current the information is.
Software vendors can change their pricing at any time. While we make every effort to keep pricing current, always confirm the latest pricing on the vendor’s official website before making a purchasing decision.
Affiliate Relationship Disclosure
We believe in full transparency about our business model. Here’s what you should know:
- We earn commissions from some (not all) product links on this site
- Commissions never influence our compliance scores, ratings, or editorial recommendations
- Products cannot pay for higher scores or more favourable reviews
- Products without affiliate arrangements are reviewed with identical rigour and methodology
- Our compliance scoring is based on verifiable product capabilities, not commercial relationships
Editorial Independence
No software vendor has editorial input into our reviews, ratings, or compliance scores. Our editorial process is completely independent:
- No pay-for-play — vendors cannot pay for reviews, ratings, or placement
- No sponsored scores — compliance scores reflect actual product capabilities, not sponsorship
- No vendor editorial input — vendors do not review, approve, or influence our content before publication
- No preferential treatment — every product is assessed using the same 7-dimension framework regardless of commercial relationship
Corrections Policy
We strive for accuracy, but mistakes happen. If you believe any information on this site is incorrect, outdated, or misleading:
- Email us at corrections@softwarehq.com.au with details of the error and a source or reference if possible
- We investigate all correction requests and aim to resolve them within 48 hours
- Confirmed corrections are published promptly with a note indicating what was changed
We welcome corrections from vendors, users, and industry professionals. Getting the facts right is more important to us than being first.
Update Frequency
Keeping information current is essential for a comparison site. Our update schedule:
- Pricing — verified quarterly (January, April, July, October)
- Compliance scores — updated when regulations change (e.g. ATO announcements, Fair Work annual wage review) and during quarterly reviews
- Product reviews — fully refreshed annually, with interim updates for significant product changes
- New product additions — assessed and added as we identify relevant Australian software products