Talenox review

At a glance

The short version

What we liked

CPF and IRAS filing handled cleanly for Singapore
A genuinely free HR and profiles tier
Simple, quick payroll runs with clear payslips
Malaysia EPF and SOCSO supported in the MY edition
Integrates with Xero and other accounting tools

Where it falls short

HR features are lighter than dedicated HR suites
Payroll is billed per head, which adds up at scale
Reporting is functional rather than deep
Support is mostly async

Bottom line For a Singapore or Malaysia SME that wants payroll done right, with CPF, IRAS or EPF handled and a free tier to start, Talenox is the pick. It pairs neatly with Xero as the payroll piece Xero leaves as an add-on.

The verdict

What Talenox is, and who it is for

Talenox is a payroll and HR tool built for Singapore and Malaysia. Its core job is running payroll correctly against local rules: CPF and IRAS filing in Singapore, EPF and SOCSO in Malaysia, with payslips and statutory contributions calculated for you. There is a free tier for employee profiles and basic HR, and you pay per head when you run payroll.

On paper the payroll run is quick and legible: add employees, confirm contributions, generate payslips, and file. This is our research based read; we will confirm the detail with a hands-on test and update the review. The local statutory handling is the strong point, which is exactly what most SMEs get wrong on their own. HR features beyond payroll, leave and profiles are present but lighter than a dedicated HR platform.

Most accounting tools, including Xero, leave local payroll as a separate add-on, and Talenox is the one we would reach for to fill that gap. If payroll and CPF are your pain point, it is an easy recommendation.

Scorecard

Why the score lands at 8.2

Talenox’s standout is local statutory handling at 8.8: CPF, IRAS and EPF are done properly, which is the whole reason to buy local payroll software rather than wrestle a spreadsheet. Ease of use and value both sit high at 8.6, helped by the real free tier.

The mark that holds it back is HR features at 7.8. Talenox is payroll-first; if you want deep HR, performance or recruiting tools, it is lighter than a full HR suite. For most SMEs that trade-off is the right one, so the overall lands at 8.2, top of our payroll list.

Pricing

Talenox pricing

HR and employee profiles have a free tier. Payroll is billed per employee per month, with the exact rate depending on region and headcount.

Plan	Price	What you get	Best for
Profiles (free)Start here	Free	Employee profiles, leave, basic HR	Small teams starting out
Payroll	Per head/mo	CPF, IRAS, EPF payroll and payslips	Any SME running local payroll
Leave / Time	Add-on	Leave and time-tracking modules	Teams wanting more HR workflow

The honest read: start on the free profiles tier, add payroll per head when you need it. Per-head pricing is fair for a small team and climbs with headcount, so estimate your run cost against your staff count before committing.

SG & MY compliance

The local checks that matter for payroll

CPF contributions (Singapore) Built in Calculates employer and employee CPF and produces the contribution details for filing, per Talenox documentation for the Singapore edition.

IRAS submission Supported Supports IRAS income reporting for employees, including the Auto-Inclusion Scheme where applicable.

Malaysia EPF & SOCSO Yes (MY) The Malaysia edition handles EPF, SOCSO and EIS contributions for local payroll.

Accounting integration Yes Pushes payroll journals to Xero and other accounting tools, so your books and payroll stay in sync.

Deep HR suite Lighter Leave and profiles are covered; performance, recruiting and richer HR workflows are lighter than a dedicated HR platform.

Who it is for

Buy it, consider it, or skip it

Buy it if

You run payroll in Singapore or Malaysia
CPF, IRAS or EPF filing is your pain point
You want a free tier to start
You use Xero and need the payroll piece

Great fit for

SG and MY small businesses
Teams of a few to a few dozen staff
Xero and cloud-accounting users
Businesses wanting simple, correct payroll

Skip it if

You need a deep, full HR suite
You have a very large headcount (price per head)
You need heavy custom HR workflows
You operate mainly outside SG and MY

Alternatives

If Talenox is not the one

Head to head If Talenox is not the fit The other payroll and HR tools we have looked at for Singapore and Malaysia teams. See comparison

Swingvy

Payroll & HR

7.9

The Samsung-backed regional suite, stronger on HR workflow and UI if you want more than payroll.

from S$4.25/user/mo

QuickHR

Payroll & HR

7.7

The all-in-one with fully published S$5 to S$15 pricing and PSG grant support.

from S$5/employee/mo

JustLogin

Payroll & HR

7.6

The 25-year veteran with the broadest suite, priced by quote.

By quote

HReasily

Payroll & HR

6.9

The modular option where you pay per module, cheapest if you only need payroll.

from S$4.30/employee/mo

FAQ

Questions buyers ask us

Does Talenox handle CPF and IRAS filing?

Yes. Talenox calculates CPF contributions and supports IRAS income reporting for employees, including the Auto-Inclusion Scheme where it applies. Getting these right is the main reason to use local payroll software.

Is Talenox free?

There is a genuinely free tier for employee profiles and basic HR. Payroll itself is billed per employee per month. For a small team, starting free and adding payroll when needed keeps costs low.

Does Talenox work with Xero?

Yes. Talenox integrates with Xero and other accounting tools, pushing payroll journals across so your books and payroll stay in sync. It is a common way to fill the payroll gap Xero leaves as an add-on.

Does Talenox support Malaysia payroll?

Yes. The Malaysia edition handles EPF, SOCSO and EIS contributions, so it works for Malaysian payroll as well as Singapore CPF and IRAS.

Researched and written by

Wei Chun

Founder & Editor

I assessed Talenox from its documentation, Singapore and Malaysia pricing and public feature information in June 2026, not yet a hands-on test, so this carries a research based score. When I run it hands-on, the review is updated and re-dated. This review is edited to our editorial policy. The score and every observation are my own.

Reviewer profile → How we test → Corrections policy →

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