BrightPay vs Xero:Which is more popular?
In September 2026, BrightPay had more branded searches than Xero among payroll software in the United Kingdom. BrightPay had about 49,500 branded searches, while Xero had 1,600. BrightPay made up 66.7% of all payroll software searches we track, and Xero accounted for 2.2%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about payroll software, Xero appeared in all five answers and BrightPay in four. Xero was mentioned before BrightPay in three out of five answers.
Who do people search for more?
BrightPay, about 31 searches for every 1 for Xero
Who does AI mention more?
Xero, mentioned in every answer we collected
Who does AI recommend more?
Xero, named ahead of BrightPay in 3 of 5 answers
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Top payroll software in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions and two Google AI Overviews, Xero appeared in all five answers. BrightPay was mentioned in four out of five: in all three ChatGPT answers and in one of the two Google AI Overviews. Xero was listed before BrightPay in three out of five answers.
Most recommended by AI
Brands get a higher ranking if they are mentioned earlier in the answers.
Sage Payroll1st- Xero2nd
- BrightPay3rd
Moneysoft4th
QuickBooks Online5th
IRIS Payroll–
Mentioned by AI
Each dot is one answer, filled in when that answer mentions the brand.
- Sage Payroll5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
- Xero5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
- QuickBooks Online5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
- BrightPay4 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
- Moneysoft3 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
- IRIS Payroll0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
See every answer about payroll software
5 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“Which payroll software should my small business use in the UK?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What are the best payroll software platforms in the UK?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What's the best payroll software in the UK for a small business with ten employees?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“payroll software”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“payroll software uk”
Not named in any answer:
Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in United Kingdom on October 22, 2026.
Is BrightPay or Xero more popular in search?
This chart shows how often people search Google for BrightPay and Xero by name. Each line represents a brand's share of searches for all six payroll software we track, month by month, from searches in United Kingdom.
Share of searches by month for BrightPay, Xero. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | BrightPay | IRIS Payroll | Sage Payroll | Xero | QuickBooks Online | Moneysoft |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 57.2% | 18.6% | 17.1% | 2.8% | 1.5% | 2.8% |
| Nov 2025 | 59.5% | 16.2% | 17.8% | 2.9% | 1.3% | 2.3% |
| Dec 2025 | 62.4% | 16.6% | 15.3% | 2.5% | 1.4% | 1.9% |
| Jan 2026 | 62.1% | 16.5% | 15.2% | 2.9% | 1.3% | 2% |
| Feb 2026 | 56.8% | 18.5% | 17% | 3.3% | 1.7% | 2.7% |
| Mar 2026 | 64.8% | 14.7% | 13% | 3.1% | 1.3% | 3.1% |
| Apr 2026 | 71.8% | 10.9% | 11.7% | 1.8% | 0.97% | 2.8% |
| May 2026 | 68.2% | 14.8% | 11.2% | 2.2% | 0.99% | 2.6% |
| Jun 2026 | 67.4% | 14.8% | 13.5% | 1.8% | 0.8% | 1.8% |
| Jul 2026 | 67.4% | 17.7% | 11% | 1.8% | 0.8% | 1.4% |
| Aug 2026 | 69.3% | 15.1% | 11.3% | 1.8% | 1.2% | 1.2% |
| Sep 2026 | 66.7% | 14.7% | 13.3% | 2.2% | 1.8% | 1.3% |
How has the BrightPay and Xero comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- BrightPay was ahead of Xero in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, BrightPay’s share of searches among payroll software in the United Kingdom moved from 57.2% to 66.7%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 33.1K to 49.5K.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Xero’s share of searches among payroll software in the United Kingdom moved from 2.8% to 2.2%, and its estimated monthly branded searches held steady at 1.6K.
How did search popularity change for United Kingdom payroll software in September 2026?
1 change
In September 2026, BrightPay lost share of searches among payroll software in the United Kingdom, from 69.3% to 66.7%.
How are branded searches counted?
2 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using BrightPay’s and Xero’s names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading.
Other head-to-heads among payroll software
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