Tanda is a workforce management platform built specifically for the Australian and New Zealand employment landscape, where complex award interpretation rules can turn payroll into a compliance minefield. If you run a business with hourly workers in Australia, Tanda’s ability to automatically calculate pay rates based on Fair Work Australia awards is its standout selling point. It handles rostering, time tracking, onboarding, leave management, payroll, and HR from a single cloud platform.
But that Australia-first focus is also its limitation. Tanda’s pricing is opaque, its support hours are restricted to AEST business hours, and its mobile apps have notable gaps. For businesses outside Australia and New Zealand, there are better options. For those inside those markets, Tanda is a strong contender, though not without frustrations.
What Is Tanda?
Tanda (the name is a shortened form of “time and attendance”) was founded in 2012 in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. The company positions itself as Australia’s leading payroll, HR, and workforce management software for hourly workers. It remains an independent, privately held company with no private equity backing, a fact the company emphasizes on its website as a commitment to long-term product development rather than short-term profit extraction.
Tanda serves industries including hospitality, retail, education, manufacturing, healthcare, and warehousing. Notable customers include Starbucks Australia (55 stores), Champions IGA (700+ employees across 9 stores), The Cheesecake Shop (200+ stores), Sushi Sushi, Ben & Jerry’s, and Broncos Leagues Club. The platform is cloud-based with native iOS and Android apps, and offers physical time-clock hardware for on-site installations.
Tanda Key Features
Award Interpretation
This is Tanda’s crown jewel and the primary reason Australian businesses choose it. The award interpreter automatically calculates the correct combination of pay rates throughout the work week based on Australia’s complex employment awards. It accounts for overtime, penalty rates, public holidays, and shift allowances, then applies the correct rates before payroll export. Award templates are auto-updated when Fair Work Australia makes changes, so businesses stay compliant without manual intervention.
The platform also includes Better-Off-Overall Testing (BOOT), which compares enterprise agreement rates against award rates to ensure employees aren’t being underpaid. For businesses dealing with multiple awards across different employee classifications, this feature alone can justify Tanda’s cost.
Employee Scheduling and Rostering
Tanda’s rostering system goes beyond basic shift scheduling. Rosters are tightly connected to workforce structure and payroll, meaning managers see the labor cost implications of their scheduling decisions in real time. The platform offers demand-driven rostering that can factor in sales data, foot traffic, and labor budgets to help optimize staffing levels.
Managers can create unlimited schedule templates, copy rosters week-to-week, and set daily or weekly budget targets for teams. Staff receive notifications via SMS or email when rosters are published. The tight coupling between rostering and payroll is powerful for stable teams, but it can introduce friction when you need to make quick ad-hoc changes.
Time Clock and Attendance Tracking
Tanda offers multiple clock-in methods: physical time-clock hardware mounted in the workplace (using tablets), a dedicated time clock app for iOS and Android devices, and a 4-digit passcode system. Staff profiles include headshots for visual verification at the time clock. The platform supports GPS-enabled mobile clock-in for remote or field workers, though some feedback indicates this feature has been inconsistent in rollout.
Break compliance tracking is built in, which is particularly important for Australian businesses subject to mandatory break requirements. The system records clock-in/out times in real time and syncs them against rostered shifts, flagging discrepancies for manager review. However, there are reports of sync delays between mobile and desktop, with timesheets sometimes not updating on the same day a shift is clocked.
Paperless Onboarding
Tanda’s onboarding module digitizes the new-hire process. New employees complete their paperwork electronically, including tax file declarations, superannuation forms, and employment contracts. The platform stores electronic staff files with document expiry warnings, so managers are alerted before certifications or compliance documents lapse.
Contracts and policies are digitally managed, and Tanda claims these documents are prepared with input from qualified lawyers. The system also includes an applicant tracking system called Tanda Hire, which added AI-powered resume summaries in early 2025.
Tanda Payroll
Tanda offers its own payroll product for Australian and New Zealand businesses, in addition to integrations with third-party payroll systems. The native payroll module handles Single Touch Payroll (STP) reporting, superannuation, and tax calculations specific to Australia and New Zealand. As of early 2025, the platform added WGEA (Workplace Gender Equality Agency) reporting and Australia-wide Long Service Leave calculations.
For businesses already using external payroll software, Tanda exports directly to Xero, MYOB, QuickBooks, ADP, and others. The company claims to reduce payroll calculation time from over two hours to approximately five minutes.
Leave Management
Tanda includes an online leave management system with a shared leave calendar, automated accrual calculations, and integration with both its native payroll and third-party payroll systems. Leave requests flow through an approval process, though some feedback suggests the approval workflow can feel inflexible, particularly for businesses that want more nuanced delegation of approval authority.
Tanda HR
The HR module covers employee records, incident management, key alerts, and (as of 2025) organisation charts and SCORM-compliant training content. HR forms can be linked directly to payroll deductions. This module is sold as a separate feature suite or as part of Tanda’s All-in-One plan.
Reporting and Live Insights
Tanda provides real-time reporting on labor costs, wage percentage of revenue, payroll tax, and operational metrics. The Live Insights feature connects sales data, labor costs, and foot traffic to give managers a real-time view of how staffing levels align with business demand. Reporting customization, however, is limited; businesses with complex reporting needs may find they cannot tailor reports sufficiently without resorting to manual data exports.
Tanda Pricing and Plans
Tanda does not publish pricing on its website. To get a quote, you must fill out a form and contact their sales team. This is a common frustration, particularly for small businesses that want to compare costs quickly before committing to a sales conversation.
Based on third-party listings and independent research, Tanda uses per-user monthly pricing across three core feature suites that can be purchased individually or bundled:
| Feature Suite | Estimated Price Range | What’s Included |
|---|---|---|
| Workforce Management | From approx. A$1.60 to A$8.00+/user/month | Rostering, timesheets, time clock, onboarding, mobile app, leave management |
| HR | Contact vendor | Employee records, incident management, org charts, training, alerts |
| Payroll (AU/NZ) | Contact vendor | STP reporting, superannuation, tax calculations, WGEA reporting |
| All-in-One | Contact vendor (up to approx. A$9.60/user/month) | All three suites combined |
Third-party review platforms list starting prices around A$8.00/month, while other sources cite figures as low as $1.60/user/month for basic workforce management. The wide range likely reflects volume discounts and the modular nature of Tanda’s pricing. Annual billing offers approximately a 20% discount over monthly billing. One third-party estimate suggests small businesses with 10 users might pay around $3/user/month on annual billing, while enterprises with 1,000+ users could negotiate rates as low as $1.50/user/month.
Implementation costs are an additional consideration. Estimates range from $500 to $1,000 for small businesses, $1,000 to $5,000 for mid-sized companies, and $10,000 or more for enterprise deployments. There is no free plan. A 14-day free trial is available, but it requires contacting sales rather than instant self-service signup; no credit card is required for the trial.
Integrations
Tanda integrates with a solid range of payroll, accounting, and POS systems, though the ecosystem is weighted toward tools popular in Australia and New Zealand:
- Payroll and Accounting: Xero, MYOB, QuickBooks, QuickBooks Online, ADP, Paychex, Sage, Sage One Payroll, CloudPayroll, Reckon One
- POS Systems: IdealPOS, Kounta, TouchBistro, Revel Systems
- Productivity and Calendar: Google Calendar, G Suite, Microsoft Outlook, Gmail
An API is available for custom integrations, which is essential for enterprise customers who need to connect Tanda with proprietary systems. However, the range of native third-party integrations is narrower than competitors like Deputy, and some feedback points to limited POS integrations and the need for manual data handling with less common tools. Notably, there is no mention of Zapier or Make (Integromat) support in any of the source material, which would otherwise help bridge gaps in the native integration library.
Customer Support
Customer support is one of Tanda’s weaker areas. The company offers support through its Help Center (a self-service knowledge base organized by product area), email, and phone. However, phone support is not consistently available; reaching a live person often requires booking an appointment via email first. Support hours are restricted to AEST (Australian Eastern Standard Time) business hours, which is a problem for businesses operating across different time zones or those needing after-hours assistance.
The Help Center covers getting started guides, workforce settings, rostering, time clock and timesheet management, compliance, payroll (AU and NZ), HR, integrations, reports, and mobile app usage. Tanda also provides a dedicated account manager and rollout assistance as part of its onboarding process, which is helpful given that the initial setup can be complex.
The feedback pattern on support quality is clear: the product itself receives high marks, but getting help when something goes wrong is a consistent pain point. Slow response times, the lack of direct phone access, and billing disputes are recurring themes.
Pros and Cons
Tanda delivers strong Australian compliance capabilities and a well-integrated workforce management platform, but it comes with trade-offs in support, transparency, and mobile functionality. Here’s how the strengths and weaknesses break down:
Pros
- Industry-leading Australian award interpretation that auto-updates with Fair Work Australia changes
- Tightly integrated platform connecting rostering, time tracking, onboarding, and payroll in a single system
- Real-time labor cost visibility with demand-driven rostering and live business insights
- Strong payroll integrations with popular Australian accounting tools (Xero, MYOB, QuickBooks)
- Active product development with recent additions including WGEA reporting, org charts, and SCORM training
- Independent company with no private equity ownership, signaling long-term product commitment
Cons
- Pricing is not published and requires a sales conversation, making it difficult to compare costs upfront
- Customer support is hard to reach; phone support requires email appointment booking and is limited to AEST hours
- Mobile apps lack payroll and HR functionality, require a separate time clock app, and have no offline mode
- Sync delays between mobile and desktop apps cause timesheets and roster changes to lag
- Steep initial learning curve with complex setup, particularly for multi-award businesses
- Limited value for businesses outside Australia and New Zealand due to ANZ-specific compliance focus
- Modular pricing across three separate feature suites makes total costs hard to predict
Who Should Use Tanda?
Best fit: Australian and New Zealand businesses with 20 to 500+ hourly employees in industries like hospitality, retail, healthcare, education, manufacturing, or warehousing. If your business deals with multiple Fair Work Australia awards, penalty rates, and complex shift structures, Tanda’s award interpretation alone could save you significant compliance risk and payroll processing time.
Ideal use cases: Multi-location retail or hospitality chains that need real-time labor cost visibility across sites. Businesses transitioning from manual rostering and paper-based onboarding to a digital system. Companies already using Xero or MYOB for accounting that want a tightly integrated workforce management layer.
Not a good fit: Businesses outside Australia and New Zealand will find limited value, since the compliance features and integrations are heavily skewed toward the ANZ market. Very small businesses (under 10 employees) may find the pricing and sales-led onboarding process disproportionate to their needs. Companies that rely heavily on mobile-first workflows should be aware that Tanda’s mobile apps lack payroll, HR, and offline functionality, and the time clock runs as a separate app.
Tanda Alternatives
Deputy
Deputy is the most direct competitor in the Australian market, with a significantly lower starting price point ($1.50/month vs. Tanda’s A$8.00+/month) and a free version available. Deputy offers stronger mobile app functionality and a larger global footprint. However, its award interpretation capabilities are not as deep as Tanda’s, and businesses with complex multi-award workforces may find Deputy’s compliance tools insufficient. Choose Deputy if price sensitivity is high and your award interpretation needs are straightforward.
Connecteam
Connecteam offers a free plan for up to 10 users and significantly lower per-user pricing at scale. It excels in task management, internal communications, and training features that Tanda lacks. The trade-off is that Connecteam has no built-in Australian award interpretation, so you would need to handle compliance calculations separately or through a payroll provider. Choose Connecteam if you need a broader operational toolkit beyond time and attendance and are willing to manage award compliance elsewhere.
Employment Hero
Employment Hero is another Australian-built platform that combines HR, payroll, and benefits into a single system. It offers stronger HR capabilities than Tanda, including employee engagement tools and a benefits platform. Its time and attendance features are less specialized than Tanda’s, and its rostering tools are not as tightly integrated with real-time labor costing. Choose Employment Hero if HR and employee engagement are higher priorities than granular shift scheduling and time tracking.
RosterElf
RosterElf is a smaller Australian rostering and workforce management tool with a simpler interface and more transparent pricing. It lacks Tanda’s depth in payroll, HR, and award interpretation, but it is easier to get started with and better suited to businesses that primarily need straightforward shift scheduling. Choose RosterElf if your needs are simpler and you want a faster setup with less sales friction.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Tanda offer a free plan?
No. Tanda does not offer a free plan. It provides a 14-day free trial, but this requires contacting the sales team rather than signing up through self-service. No credit card is needed for the trial.
What industries does Tanda serve?
Tanda primarily serves industries with hourly workforces in Australia and New Zealand, including hospitality, retail, education, manufacturing, healthcare, pharmacy, and warehousing. Its compliance tools are built specifically around Fair Work Australia award structures.
Does Tanda integrate with Xero?
Yes. Xero is one of Tanda’s primary integration partners. Tanda exports timesheet and payroll data directly to Xero, and the integration is rated 4.5/5 on the Xero App Store. Tanda also integrates with MYOB, QuickBooks, ADP, Sage, and several other payroll and accounting platforms.
How much does Tanda cost?
Tanda does not publish pricing on its website. You must contact sales for a quote. Third-party sources indicate per-user pricing ranging from approximately A$1.60 to A$9.60/user/month depending on the feature suites selected and business size. Annual billing provides an estimated 20% discount. Implementation costs are additional and vary by business size.
Can Tanda handle Australian award interpretation automatically?
Yes. Award interpretation is Tanda’s signature feature. The platform automatically applies the correct pay rates based on Fair Work Australia awards, including overtime, penalty rates, public holidays, and shift allowances. Award templates are auto-updated when Fair Work makes changes.
Does Tanda work outside of Australia?
Tanda offers an international website (tanda.co) in addition to its Australian site (tanda.com.au), and supports languages including English, Dutch, French, and German. However, its core compliance features, award interpretation, payroll module, and integration ecosystem are heavily tailored to Australia and New Zealand. Businesses outside ANZ would not benefit from many of its key differentiating features.
What time clock options does Tanda offer?
Tanda supports physical time-clock hardware (tablet-based kiosks mounted in the workplace), a dedicated time clock app for iOS and Android tablets, mobile GPS-enabled clock-in via smartphone, and a 4-digit passcode system. Staff profiles include headshots for visual identity verification at the time clock.
The Bottom Line
Tanda is a purpose-built workforce management platform for Australian and New Zealand businesses, and in that specific market, its award interpretation capabilities are genuinely best-in-class. No competitor matches its depth in automatically calculating complex award rates, maintaining compliance with Fair Work Australia changes, and connecting that compliance layer directly to rostering and payroll. For businesses managing dozens or hundreds of hourly employees across multiple awards, the time and risk savings are substantial.
The weaknesses are real, though. Opaque pricing, a sales-gated trial process, limited mobile app functionality, support that is difficult to reach, and sync issues between devices all create friction. The platform demands an investment in setup and learning before it pays dividends. And for businesses outside Australia and New Zealand, there is simply no compelling reason to choose Tanda over more globally oriented alternatives like Deputy or Connecteam.
If you operate in Australia, deal with award compliance, and need an integrated system for rostering, time tracking, onboarding, and payroll, Tanda deserves serious consideration. Just budget time for onboarding, be prepared for the sales process, and confirm current pricing before committing. For everyone else, look elsewhere.
