Dakar Payroll Review: Pricing, Features, Pros and Cons

Dakar Payroll is a product that almost nobody outside of Malta has heard of, yet it processes wages for over 155,000 employees across more than 2,500 clients. It won the Malta government’s payroll tender, handling pay for approximately 45,000 public sector employees. For a company with an estimated $6 million in annual revenue, those are notable numbers. But for anyone researching payroll software from outside the Maltese market, the lack of independent reviews, public pricing, or major platform presence makes evaluation difficult.

This is a deeply regional product. Dakar Payroll is built around Maltese payroll legislation, generates Malta-specific government reports (FS3s), and has operated from the island since 1991. If you run payroll in Malta, Dakar is almost certainly on your shortlist. If you don’t, this product is unlikely to be the right fit.

What Is Dakar Payroll?

Dakar Software Systems is a privately held company founded in 1991 and headquartered in St. Julians, Malta. The company develops a modular Human Resource and Payroll management suite, with Dakar Payroll as its flagship product. Over its 30-plus year history, the company has accumulated more than 2,500 clients and claims to process payroll for over 155,000 employees. In 2023, Dakar achieved both ISO 9001:2015 (Quality Management) and ISO 27001:2013 (Information Security) certifications.

The company also operates Salaroo, a separate cloud-based SaaS payroll product targeting small businesses with 1 to 100 employees. This review focuses on the core Dakar Payroll product, which is the enterprise-oriented solution. Dakar has been described as Malta’s first company to integrate Payroll and HR systems with blockchain technology, though details on what this integration delivers in practice are limited.

Dakar Payroll Key Features

Customizable Payroll Engine

Dakar Payroll’s core differentiator is its customizability. The system allows organizations to create new fields, reports, and commands tailored to their specific payroll requirements. This goes beyond simple configuration; the vendor describes it as “fully user-definable,” meaning payroll rules, calculation methods, and output formats can be adjusted to match complex organizational structures. For businesses with non-standard pay structures, multiple employee categories, or industry-specific requirements, this flexibility is meaningful.

Malta Government Statutory Compliance

The system generates FS3 forms and all other reports required by Maltese government authorities. This is not a generic compliance feature bolted on as an afterthought. Dakar Payroll has been tuned to Maltese tax law, social security contributions, and employment regulations for over three decades. The company’s €2.3 million contract to run payroll for Malta’s public sector (approximately 45,000 employees through MITA) serves as a strong reference point for the depth of its local compliance capabilities.

SEPA Payment Generation

The system supports SEPA (Single Euro Payments Area) payment file generation, enabling direct credit transfers to employee bank accounts across the eurozone. This is essential for any Malta-based payroll system and ensures compatibility with European banking infrastructure. Payslips can also be delivered via email, reducing administrative overhead associated with paper distribution.

Net-to-Gross Payroll Calculation

Dakar Payroll includes reverse payroll calculation (net-to-gross), which allows employers to specify a desired net pay amount and have the system calculate the required gross salary, inclusive of all taxes and deductions. This feature is particularly useful when onboarding expatriate employees or structuring compensation packages around guaranteed take-home pay.

Multi-Entity Support

The system supports single and multi-entity organizations from a single deployment. For companies operating multiple subsidiaries, branches, or legal entities, this means consolidated payroll management without needing separate installations. Combined with flexible payroll frequency options, it accommodates organizations that pay different employee groups on different schedules.

Security and Audit Controls

Dakar Payroll enforces granular security levels across data, menus, windows, and individual fields. Full audit trails track changes to payroll data, which is critical for regulatory compliance and internal governance. The vendor’s ISO 27001:2013 certification (achieved in 2023) provides third-party validation of its information security practices.

Reporting and Mail Merge

The system includes both predefined and fully customizable reports, with built-in support for mail merging and query linking. Organizations can generate ad hoc reports by combining payroll data with custom queries, then output results in formats suitable for management reporting, government submissions, or employee communications.

Pension Scheme Management

Dakar Payroll includes pension scheme management capabilities, handling contribution calculations and reporting for employer-sponsored pension plans. This is integrated directly into the payroll calculation engine rather than requiring a separate module or manual workaround.

Dakar Payroll Pricing and Plans

Dakar Software Systems does not publish pricing for its core Dakar Payroll product. Pricing is quote-based and requires direct contact with the vendor. The system is positioned as an enterprise solution with implementation and customization involved, so costs will vary significantly based on organization size, number of modules selected, and deployment preferences.

For reference, the Government of Malta’s MITA payroll contract with Dakar was valued at approximately €2.3 million over five years for roughly 45,000 employees. This provides a rough benchmark for large-scale enterprise deployments, but pricing for smaller organizations (100 to 1,000 employees) is not publicly documented.

For smaller businesses, Dakar’s separate SaaS product, Salaroo, does have published pricing:

Salaroo offers a free trial period (reported as up to 3 months). There is no confirmed free trial for the core Dakar Payroll enterprise product.

Integrations

Dakar Payroll connects with accounting systems, though the vendor does not publicly list specific accounting software partners by name. The product page references “accounting system integration” as a feature, and SEPA payment file generation implies compatibility with European banking and ERP systems that accept standard SEPA XML formats.

The broader Dakar HRMS suite includes tightly integrated modules (Personnel, Absence Management, Time and Attendance, Recruitment, Performance Appraisals, and more) that are sold separately but designed to work together natively. The Time and Attendance module integrates with physical hardware including hand readers, face recognition devices, fingerprint readers, palm readers, iris scanners, swipe cards, and proximity devices.

There is no evidence of a public API, app marketplace, or support for middleware platforms like Zapier or Make. The integration story here is largely about Dakar’s own ecosystem and direct connections to accounting platforms. If you need broad third-party integration with tools like Slack, Xero, QuickBooks, or popular CRMs, this is a gap you should raise with the vendor directly. Notably, the Salaroo SaaS product has been flagged as lacking accounting integrations entirely.

Customer Support

Dakar Software Systems offers phone and online support. Training is available in the form of documentation. The company’s physical offices are located in St. Julians, Malta, which means support is likely oriented toward European business hours, though specific support hours are not publicly documented.

The one verified piece of feedback on support quality describes it as “unparalleled,” coming from a long-term client (4+ years). However, with virtually no independent reviews available across any major platform, it is impossible to draw broad conclusions about support responsiveness or quality. The company’s ISO 9001:2015 quality management certification suggests formal processes are in place, but prospective buyers should request references and clarify support SLAs before committing.

For Salaroo, online support is included at no additional charge. For the enterprise Dakar Payroll product, support terms and costs are likely part of the custom quote and may vary by contract.

Pros and Cons

Dakar Payroll has clear strengths for its target market but also notable limitations that prospective buyers should weigh carefully.

Who Should Use Dakar Payroll?

Dakar Payroll is best suited for organizations operating in Malta that need deep compliance with Maltese payroll legislation. Companies with 100 or more employees that require a customizable, on-premise or cloud-hosted payroll system with multi-entity support will find Dakar’s feature set relevant. Industries with complex pay structures, shift-based workforces requiring time and attendance hardware integration, or government entities needing statutory reporting will benefit most.

The product is also worth evaluating for organizations in Malta looking to consolidate payroll with broader HR functions (absence management, recruitment, performance appraisals) under a single vendor rather than stitching together multiple point solutions.

Smaller Maltese businesses with fewer than 100 employees should consider Salaroo, Dakar’s own SaaS product, which is simpler, cheaper, and requires no installation.

Dakar Payroll is not a good fit for businesses based in the United States, Canada, Australia, or most countries outside the EU. The system is built around Maltese and European payroll requirements. Companies needing broad multi-country payroll across diverse jurisdictions, extensive third-party app integrations, or a product with a large, active user community and abundant independent reviews should look elsewhere.

Dakar Payroll Alternatives

Sage Payroll

Sage offers payroll solutions with broader geographic coverage across the UK, Ireland, and parts of Europe and Africa. For businesses that operate in Malta but also need payroll in multiple European countries, Sage provides a more internationally scalable platform. However, Sage lacks the 30-year depth of Maltese payroll compliance that Dakar has built. Choose Sage if you need multi-country reach beyond Malta.

SD Worx

SD Worx is a major European payroll and HR services provider operating in over 80 countries. It handles complex, multi-country payroll at enterprise scale. It is significantly more expensive and complex than Dakar, but for multinational organizations that include Malta as one of many jurisdictions, SD Worx can consolidate everything under one roof. Choose SD Worx if Malta is one part of a broader European or global payroll operation.

Salaroo

Dakar’s own cloud SaaS product targets Maltese businesses with 1 to 100 employees. It is far simpler and more affordable (€3 per employee per payroll run) than the full Dakar Payroll system. It lacks the customization depth, multi-entity support, and hardware integration of its enterprise sibling, and it does not currently offer accounting integrations. Choose Salaroo if you are a small Maltese business that needs basic, compliant payroll without the overhead of an enterprise system.

Rippling

Rippling is a modern, cloud-native HR and payroll platform with strong integrations, an intuitive interface, and global payroll capabilities expanding rapidly. It is a fundamentally different product than Dakar, oriented toward tech-forward companies that value automation and third-party app connectivity. Rippling does not have the same depth of Maltese compliance, but for internationally distributed teams, it offers a more modern experience. Choose Rippling if you prioritize UX, integrations, and global scalability over Malta-specific depth.

Paycom

Paycom is a leading U.S.-focused payroll and HR platform with strong employee self-service features and a single-database architecture. It is not a direct competitor in the Maltese market, but for organizations evaluating international options and wondering whether a U.S.-centric platform could serve them, Paycom is a reference point for what modern payroll software looks like. It does not serve Malta-specific compliance needs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Dakar Payroll available outside of Malta?

Dakar Software Systems serves clients outside Malta, but the product is fundamentally built around Maltese and European payroll legislation. The vendor references UK and Libya support through its Salaroo product. For countries outside these regions, confirm directly with Dakar whether your jurisdiction’s compliance requirements can be met.

What is the difference between Dakar Payroll and Salaroo?

Dakar Payroll is the enterprise-grade, fully customizable payroll system designed for organizations with 100+ employees, available as on-premise or cloud-hosted. Salaroo is Dakar’s cloud-based SaaS product for small businesses with 1 to 100 employees, with simpler functionality and transparent per-employee pricing (€3 per payroll calculation). They are separate products from the same vendor.

How much does Dakar Payroll cost?

Dakar Payroll does not publish pricing. Costs are quote-based and depend on organization size, selected modules, and deployment method. For reference, Malta’s government MITA contract was approximately €2.3 million over five years for about 45,000 employees. Smaller organizations should contact Dakar directly for a tailored quote.

Does Dakar Payroll offer a free trial?

There is no confirmed free trial for the enterprise Dakar Payroll product. Salaroo, the SaaS product for smaller businesses, does offer a free trial period (reported as up to 3 months). Contact the vendor to confirm current trial availability for either product.

Can Dakar Payroll integrate with my accounting software?

Dakar lists accounting system integration as a feature but does not specify which accounting platforms are supported. The system generates SEPA payment files, which are compatible with standard European banking formats. You should confirm specific accounting software compatibility directly with Dakar before purchasing.

What deployment options does Dakar Payroll support?

Dakar Payroll can be deployed on-premise or hosted in the cloud. The vendor explicitly states that all Dakar software products support both deployment models. The Salaroo product is cloud-only (SaaS, accessed via web browser with no installation).

Does Dakar Payroll support biometric time and attendance?

Yes, through the separately sold Dakar Time and Attendance module. This module integrates with hand readers, face recognition devices, fingerprint readers, palm readers, iris scanners, swipe cards, and proximity devices. The Time and Attendance module feeds data directly into the payroll system for overtime and attendance calculations.

The Bottom Line

Dakar Payroll is a mature, deeply specialized payroll system that has earned a dominant position in the Maltese market over three decades. Its customizability, multi-entity support, compliance depth with Maltese legislation, and ISO certifications make it a credible enterprise choice for organizations operating on the island. The government of Malta trusting it with public sector payroll for 45,000 employees is a meaningful endorsement.

However, the product’s limitations are real. There is virtually no independent review data available anywhere, making it impossible to verify the day-to-day user experience, support quality, or implementation challenges at scale. Pricing is entirely opaque. The integration ecosystem appears narrow compared to modern cloud payroll platforms. And the product’s relevance drops sharply once you move outside Malta and a handful of adjacent markets.

If you are a Malta-based organization with 100+ employees and need a payroll system built for local compliance, Dakar Payroll belongs on your shortlist. Request a demo, ask for client references in your industry, and get detailed pricing before committing. If you operate primarily outside Malta or need a modern, integration-rich, multi-country platform, look at SD Worx, Rippling, or Sage instead.