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Super stylish and a pleasure to wear for hours on end, the Panasonic RB-F10s are otherwise winning open earbuds let down by really irritating controls.

Panasonic RB-F10: Two-minute review

Being a little down on a product you fundamentally really like feels uncharitable. It’s the audio equivalent of Ebenezer Scrooge giving Tiny Tim a pair of the incredible Shokz OpenFit 2+, then swapping that sweet sonic stocking stuffer for Bob Cratchit’s humble morsel of goose. Bah, humbug, indeed.

Truthfully, though, if you did buy me a pair of Panasonic RB-F10s for Christmas or my birthday, I’d be pretty smitten. Yes, they have their faults, but if you can overcome slightly fiddly on-ears controls, Panny’s recent buds are stylish, affordable, and feel so comfortable once they’re on, you might as well have a couple of pixies giving your ear canals a luxurious bubble bath.

I adore how these open earbuds feel on my lugholes. There’s no question the main selling point here is the soothing snugness the RB-F10s bring to your listening experiences. I genuinely forgot I was wearing Panasonic’s open earbuds, which weigh 8.79g each, during the vast majority of my testing.

I can’t think of a single occasion where the fit irritated me, be it in on a recent skin-sizzling 93F trip to Fuerteventura or enduring a mild Scottish downpour closer to home. These wrap-around buds neither slip or irritate your skin, nor do they begin to chafe after hours of prolonged use. Granted, I might be guilty of the (ahem) occasional wildly definitive-sounding declaration over the years, but I stand by the following statement: the Panasonic RB-F10s are the most comfortable earbuds of any kind I’ve ever worn. Stick that on the box, Panny.

Elsewhere, problems sadly surface that lower these otherwise supremely sturdy buds' score. With grown-up looks, a classy charging cradle, and satisfyingly loud, well-weighted audio, there’s a whole lot to like about a pair of open ears that cost comfortably less than $100.

Yet it’s hard to stuff my fingers in my ears and pretend the RB-F10s don’t have issues – chief among them are some of the fiddliest, least dependable on-ears controls I’ve encountered on a pair of buds. At best, they’re semi-reliable. At worst? The simple task of pausing or skipping a track has made me chuck Panasonic’s ear accessories onto my sofa multiple times – a feeble bout of frustration the best open ear buds wouldn’t bring out in me.

(Image credit: Future / Dave Meikleham)

I’ll get to the RB-F10’s fuller audio performance shortly, but if you want the abbreviated version, they’re damn good. With weighty 17mm x 12mm drivers, they bring boom in spades for such svelte buds, while also delivering acoustics you’d never describe as either tinny nor scratchy.

Feature-wise, we’re looking at somewhat of a mixed bag. That's a bag you’d drop every time you did your shopping thanks to those misfiring on-ear controls that are as dependable as a lion going for the vegan option at an all-you-eat zebra buffet. Though IPX4 waterproofing is welcome (and effective in my experience), battery life doesn’t exactly have my knees aquiver.

If you don’t have Panasonic’s nicely minimalist charging cradle to hand, you’re looking at a meagre seven hours of juice. If you’re a fiendish podcast binger like myself who often leaves home without a dock, these may not be the buds for you.

ANC (Active Noise Cancellation) has also been left off the party list and software support is non-existent. Though not the most feature-rich buds, the RB-F10s do at least support convincingly solid dual mic audio calls, and the presence of reliable Bluetooth multipoint connectivity is also welcome.

If it weren’t for those overly finicky on-ear controls, I’d unquestionably be giving the Panasonic RB-10s a higher score that would have it ruffling the feathers of some of the best earbuds. Yet due to those unpredictable controls and only so-so battery life, you may be better off looking at the sublime Nothing Ear (a), or the slightly more premium Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds.

Panasonic RB-F10 review: Specifications

Drivers

17mm x 12mm

Water resistant

IPX4

Battery life

7 hours (earbuds); 25 hours (including charged case)

Connectivity

Bluetooth 5.4

Weight

8.79 per bud / charging case 36g

Active noise cancellation

No

Panasonic RB-F10 review: Price and availability

(Image credit: Future / Dave Meikleham)

• Released in June 2025
• $110 / £79.99 / AU$165 (approx.)

The Panasonic RB-F10s have been out for a few months at this point, but you’d be hard pressed to tell. You’d have an easier time spotting a neon-dipped snow leopard during a blackout than finding these buds readily on sale.

Currently, the only place I’ve been able to locate these attractive, relatively affordable earbuds is the official UK Panasonic site. Available in black or a two-tone white scheme, these $110 / £79.99 / around AU$165 buds are very reasonable considering their overall build and sound quality.

Knowing Panasonic, the F10s are unlikely to become significantly easier to pick up going forward, so if you do see them in stock on the UK’s official site or somewhere like eBay (and fancy the cut of their jib), put your money where your sonic-slaying mouth is.

Panasonic RB-F10 review: Features

(Image credit: Future / Dave Meikleham)

• IPX4 waterproofing works well
• Seamless Bluetooth multipoint connections
• Average battery if they don’t get a full charge

If there were a Deep Impact style meteor-centric oblivion on the horizon and you were forced to draw the short straw on who gets to board the shuttle to survival…. well, suffice to say that comet is cooking F10 owners. That’s a fruity way of saying the RB-F10s aren’t exactly feature-rich.

A lack of ANC or software support is perhaps expected at such an agreeable price point, but what’s considerably harder to stomach is the F10s’ battery life. I’ve seen mayflies with heaving drinking problems boast longer lifespans.

Unless you carry the handsome dock around you like it was a court-mandated bracelet, these open earbuds will die on you a little after seven hours. If you obsessively charge the buds in their dock, and I mean every single day, you’ll get a much healthier 25 hours of juice. Nevertheless, during my seven weeks of testing, I found Panny’s buds died out of nowhere an alarming amount. If you’re a committed jogger, these probably aren’t the earbuds for you.

Don’t walk away at a brisk pace just yet, though. The RB-F10s aren’t entirely no-frills and an IPX4 waterproof rating should never be taken for granted from a native Scot like myself. If you live in an area with regular showers you’ll definitely appreciate this feature. Thanks to their open ear design that shows off a whole lotta lobe, nailing down an IPX4 waterproof rating was key.

I was once caught in a downright biblical lashing of hailstones while nipping out for a lunchtime burger during my F10s testing, and it was mercifully only my soggy quarter pounder that met a watery fate that day. On the few times I have encountered showers while out and about, I’ve yet to hear all those sky tears cause any audible distortion while listening to music on the RB-F10s.

The F10s’ Bluetooth 5.4 multipoint connectivity is probably the most forward-looking feature these buds boast. Capable of pairing to a duo of iOS/Android devices at the same time, the F10s can register to 10 separate devices, though you can obviously only swap between a single pair at once.

The pairing/disconnecting process is relatively simple, involving holding the sensor button down on each bud for several seconds. Once you hone in on your two favorite devices, these buds will intuitively pick up on whatever content you were listening to on them last. It’s smart, hassle-free stuff.

Dual mic support also makes the F10s solid for voice calls. As glamorous – and depressingly unstaged – as this sounds, I had to take a relatively important fraud call from my bank while wearing Panasonic’s buds. The company’s claim that voice signals hold up to around 33ft proved largely true, and even taking an irritating security call while wandering about my Spanish friend’s (in no way death) cellar, the clarity of the audio never wavered.

So the F10s just about get a passing grade in the features department. Still, any prospective future teacher would be sticking a big, fat “could do better” before a pair of F11s rock up to school next year.

• Features score: 3/5

Panasonic RB-F10 review: Sound quality

(Image credit: Future / Dave Meikleham)

• Bass satisfies for such lightweight buds
• Vocal clarity is usually excellent
• No software but EQ tweaks seldom needed

As someone who normally wears the best over-ears headphones in everyday life I’ve been mightily impressed by the range of sounds these sleek buds pump up. Keen to hear how the buds would fare, I decided to forgo my increasingly decrepit musical tastes and listen to some fresher bangers from Glastonbury 2025. Not in a mud-caked field in Somerset, you understand. Rather from the comfort of my reclining chair with an RF-10 popped into each ear.

Now let’s jump down the YouTube rabbit hole!

The five-piece indie pop group Wet Leg slithered around Glasto’s Other Stage and immediately wormed into my brain with Catch These Fists. Sensationally steely, winkingly erotic before exploding into a scrappily raunchy crescendo, it’s a bloody fun tune, and one where the RB-F10s powerful 17mm x 12mm drivers effortlessly pick up lead singer Rhian Teasdale’s growling lower registers.

I was also taken aback that the RB-F10s made the upbeat Yougotmefeeling by Parcels come alive in a full-bodied way that briefly made me do a double take on whether I was listening to their summery banger on budget earbuds or one of the best surround sound systems. There was one moment the video cut to the super sweaty crowd, and the subsequent swirling chorals almost made me believe I was standing among the throng covered in knocked-over plastic lager glasses.

Sticking with YouTube, I was delighted to bump into an energetic performance of Don’t Back into the Sun by The Libertines. The fact Carl Barat turned up with chaotic longtime collaborator Pete Doherty, who not only looked reasonably healthy, but didn’t flub his lines, was a nice surprise. That definitely wasn’t on my Glasto bingo card. Back to the Panasonic RB-F10s, Gary Powell's pounding drumwork and John Hassall's satisfyingly punchy bass came through without overwhelming Pete and Carl’s duets.

Even though I do a lot of my headphones testing on my iPhone, I must admit to consuming a lot of content on my iPad Pro, be it the best Netflix movies or the best Amazon Prime shows. On that note, I’ve been rewatching The Boys season 3 for roughly the 43rd time. Herogasm! Anyway, there’s a song that plays during a later episode where Homelander “might” be getting his morning milk from an unconventional source. Yick.

Still, if it wasn’t for that udderly unacceptable act, I’d never have found 1968’s Crimson and Clover by Tommy James and the Shondells. Talk about a psychedelic headtrip banger for the ages. This trance-like ‘60s tune is mellow yet somehow quietly sinister. For all three minutes and 25 seconds the RB-F10s deliver the big beats with aplomb while also delivering on the shakier strands that make you wonder if your entire head is about to fall into your buds.

So it shouldn’t come as a Tyler Durden-style shocker that I’m into the audio quality the Panasonic RB-F10s deliver at such a comparatively reasonable price. Bass also feels nuanced, with drivers capable of handling both big orchestral numbers without letting lyrics get lost in the shuffle. Sound-wise, these are some of the most well-rounded, best-judged buds I’ve tested.

• Sound quality score: 4.5/5

Panasonic RB-F10 review: Design

(Image credit: Future / Dave Meikleham)

• So light you can barely feel them
• Classy little charging cradle
• On-ear controls can be a nightmare

SHUT UP AND TAKE MY MONEY! Not enough? Alright. Zip those lips and take even more of my cents. I’m smitten with the design of the Panasonic RB-F10s, especially with the ultra alluring two-tone white shade (also available in black). Unfussy yet dignified, they have an aura of quiet confidence about them I really dig. And then there’s the comfort.

If it was legal to wed a pair of open earbuds based purely on how ludicrously comfortable they feel to wear, I’m slamming a ring on the RB-10s pronto…. before finding a cave where I can live out the rest of my days in shunned solitude. Hot dang, do these buds feel lovely.

I’ve worn some supremely comfy cans of late (like the likeable yet uneven Happy Plugs Play Pro over-ears), but Panasonic's lightweight offerings are on another level. Once you get them out of their cute charging cradle, popping them on is a breeze. With a few tweaks I found the RB-10 almost immediately adjusted to a position that wrapped around my lobes in an entirely satisfying, seamless way.

I suspect this is down to two major factors. Firstly, the flexible (but not cheap-feeling) plastics they’ve been constructed from, which lets them contort around the shape of your ears with minimal fuss. Secondly, their oh-so-lightweight footprint. At well under 9 grams per bud, and thanks to their open design that leads to what Panasonic describes as an “unintrusive fit”, it’s almost alarmingly easy to forget you’re wearing the RB-F10s.

Fun fact: I went on a four-hour round trip to see the deeply underwhelming Jurassic World Rebirth semi-recently, and not once on that lengthy inner city tour could I feel Panasonic’s open buds rub my ears up the wrong way while listening to Jurassic-themed podcasts. Hey, you gotta keep it on brand, right? Honestly, I'm wearing them while currently writing this review and I legit can’t feel them. Witchcraft!

Sadly, the on-ear touch sensors are about as reliable as a chocolate watch… and a timekeeper that’s been placed into a giant oven at that. They simply don’t function as they should often enough.

(Image credit: Future / Dave Meikleham)

Located on the main body of each bud, a single tap should play/pause whatever you’re listening to, and touching the left bud’s sensor rapidly three times will turn the volume up (a double tap turns it down). Meanwhile, a trio of touches on the right earbud will skip forward a track (again, a double tap to go back a song).

The trouble is, these sensors are both weirdly sensitive and not sensitive enough. During my weeks of testing I’d find they’d follow the commands I wanted maybe 40% of the time. Hardly an ideal batting average, right?

If you’re sitting at a desk judging the exact position and pressure you need to hit the RB-F10s is easier. In motion, though? That’s a far more flustering story. I lost count of the times I accidentally skipped to a new podcast episode on walks due to my right bud’s sensor having a mind of its own.

Pausing tunes via the left earbud also proved to be a teeth-gnashing chore. It’s such a pity, because if the Panasonic RB-F10s controls were more reliable, I’d be awarding these attractive buds another half star.

To round off this finger-flummoxing package on a cheerier note, I’ve got to pour some love all over the RB-F10s’ charging “cradle”. Sorry, “dock”! Not only is it incredibly easy to jam into even the tightest of pockets, but the way both buds magnetically snap into their holders – Nintendo Switch 2 style – is stupidly satisfying.

• Design score: 3/5

Panasonic RB-F10 review: Value

(Image credit: Future / Dave Meikleham)

• Build feels premium
• Sound exceeds expectations for the price

The RB-F10s are a bit of a steal. Full disclosure: DO NOT STEAL. Packing that Panny quality without skimping on audio quality, they hit a lovely sweet spot between price and performance. In an age where it’s all too easy to pick up any random pair of buds for $20 at an airport, the F10s’ design and sonic quality shine through.

The very fact I’ve barely given my beloved Apple AirPods Max much of a look-in of late speaks volumes – and I’m in no way sorry about the tangential pun. Rocking premium build quality and striking sound at a rough $100 price bracket, the F10s are easy to recommend for homebody audiophiles who aren’t fussed about ANC, so are less likely to contend with noisy commutes.

• Value score: 4/5

Panasonic RB-F10: Scorecard

Category

Comment

Score

Features

Standard seven-hour battery life not suited for runners; no ANC or software.

3/5

Sound quality

Resonant bass combines with a satisfyingly wide-sounding mid-range; acoustics easy to pick out.

4.5/5

Design

Stylish, practical and supremely comfortable, but fiddly controls drag them down.

3/5

Value

Made with quality components that exude class usually reserved for pricier buds.

4/5

Panasonic RB-F10: Should I buy?

(Image credit: Future / Dave Meikleham)Buy it if...

You crave comfort
I can’t recall ever wearing a more comfortable pair of earbuds. I forgot I was wearing the lightweight and breathable RB-F10s the vast majority of the time I was using them. You could use them for hours and not feel these tremendous buds.

Big sound at a good price
Despite lacking ANC, the RB-F10s deliver a well-balanced soundscape that tackles most music genres well thanks to reasonably deep bass levels and midranges that rarely lose vocal clarity even in busy tracks.

Don't buy it if...

You don’t want to constantly carry its charger
Seven hours of sonic juice isn’t exactly terrible compared with other buds, but it’s not that impressive either. If you find yourself on a long-haul flight, you'd better bring the RB-F10s' charger or the buds won’t make the distance.

You have big hands
I constantly struggled with the Panasonic RB-F10s’ on-ear touch sensors. Simple acts like track skipping and pausing became headaches in reality, and even after weeks of testing they never performed as reliably as I wanted them to.

Also consider

Panasonic RB-F10

Huawei FreeAarc

Final Audio ZE3000 SV

Drivers

17mm x 12 mm

40mm dynamic

10mm F-Core SV dynamic

Active noise cancellation

No

Yes

Yes

Battery life

7 hours (earbuds); 25 hours (charging case)

7 hours (earbuds); 23 hours (charging case)

7 hours (earbuds); 28 hours (charging case)

Weight

8.7g per bud

8.9g per bud

4g

Connectivity

Bluetooth 5.4

Bluetooth 5.2

Bluetooth 5.3

Waterproofing

IPX4

IP57

IPX4

Huawei FreeArc
One of the earlier fantastic examples of a truly great set of open earbuds. Not only do the FreeArc’s little buds sound brilliant, they’re affordable, while also providing a comfortable fit. Open-ear efforts don’t get much better.

See our full Huawei FreeArc review

How I tested the Panasonic RB-F10

• Tested for seven weeks
• Used at home, outdoors and on flights

I tested the Panasonic RB-F10 over a seven-week period. Forgive me if that seems like an overly long testing window. I turned 40 during the review process and suffered a tiny existential breakdown. Thank heavens I had the F10s’ quality sound output to pick me up during my darker moments.

During that time I used these open earbuds to listen to my favorite tunes and podcasts across different environments, spanning my ground floor apartment, on walks through city centers and on public buses. I primarily connected the headphones to my iPhone 14 Pro – and to a lesser extent – my Apple iPad Pro 13-inch (2024).

First reviewed: September 2025

Read more about how we test.

PAYE tools straight from HMRC, but other free options offer a lot more.

For UK-based employers managing payroll, using Pay As You Earn (PAYE) software that’s recognised by HMRC is more than a convenience – it’s a regulatory requirement. To that tune, using a tool that comes directly from the government, then, makes a lot of sense.

Businesses with fewer than 10 employees can use HMRC’s Basic PAYE Tools to simplify things like tax calculations and real-time information (RTI) submissions.

It’s a free application provided directly by HMRC that’s fully compliant and functional, but it’s a seriously stripped-back system with an ultra-basic interface and a highly limited feature set that does nothing more than it needs to.

Covering all the essentials like calculating income tax, National Insurance, producing payslips and sending requiring reports to HMRC, it does unfortunately lack the modern capabilities of other solutions in this space, including free platforms for micro-businesses.

In contrast, several free commercial offerings like 1st Money exist, but in a world where free products are dwindling in number (IRIS’s Payroll Basics is phasing out after 2025/26), the fact that the people who set the standards also offer a free solution to meet those standards is a very welcome move.

• Our guide to the best payroll software

HMRC Basic PAYE Tools: Plans and pricing

HMRC’s Basic PAYE Tools is a completely free package intended for small businesses with fewer than 10 employees. Even though there’s no cost involved at all, Windows, Mac and Linux versions of the software have all been developed to ensure widespread adoption.

It sets the foundation for what ticks the right boxes, but other free options from IRIS, Primo and 1st Money do offer more functionality.

(Image credit: Pixabay)HMRC Basic PAYE Tools: Features

HMRC’s Basic PAYE Tools records employee details to calculate PAYE, National Insurance and student loan deductions, while also generating real-time submissions to HMRC, Employer Payment Records and statutory payment calculations.

On the company’s side, admins can produce printable payslips using HMRC’s system, too.

However, HMRC themselves say that the tool only allows you to perform “most” payroll tasks – an admission that even moderate features let alone advanced ones may be missing.

Beyond that, there’s really not a lot to talk about. No flashy artificial intelligence, no automations, not even an employee self-serve portal. Just a totally stripped-back bit of kit for companies to do what they need to do to stay above the board in HMRC’s books.

(Image credit: Claudio Scott / Pixabay)HMRC Basic PAYE Tools: Ease of use

Apart from the Windows, Mac and Linux software packages, you can also access HMRC’s Basic PAYE Tools on Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome, Firefox and Safari, so you don’t necessarily have to download any software at all.

We downloaded the software, which took a long time to open on macOS 15. Once it did, it mirrored an online portal, so it’s probably just as effective to access the government’s Basic PAYE Tools from a browser.

On the whole, the system isn’t especially intuitive and can feel awkward to use.

(Image credit: Shutterstock.com / Pikhandina)HMRC Basic PAYE Tools: Support

Being a back-to-basics government-issued tool, there’s no real support for Basic PAYE Tools.

What you can do, though, it get in contact with HMRC more generally. This includes chatting about payroll-related queries, but support for the software and online service might not be so strong.

We couldn’t find any help articles for the system, but getting in contact with HMRC is a relatively simple affair and speaking to a human agent is easy by phone.

(Image credit: HMRC)HMRC Basic PAYE Tools: Final verdict

Basic PAYE Tools from HMRC offers a compliant and cost-free entry point for micro-businesses with fewer than 10 employees, handling core payroll tasks like tax and NI calculations, RTI submissions and statutory payments.

However, its no-frills approach presents major limitations, such as the absence of auto-enrolment, cloud access or a modern user interface.

Instead, HMRC’s Basic PAYE Tools is an online portal or a stripped-back desktop app based on that same portal, so it’s only suitable for the most basic use cases.

For businesses that need more than the basics but still want to avoid high costs, free commercial software such as 1st Money offer a more appealing middle ground. You still get the benefits of free software for micro-businesses, but you get a much more inviting interface with a few more handy features.

HMRC’s lack of direct support for Basic PAYE Tools is also a downfall, but the fact that it comes direct from HMRC does mean that it covers all the bases exactly as HMRC intends.

For tiny startups who need to do no more than the sheer essentials, HMRC’s Basic PAYE Tools are fine, but we think it’s worth exploring other free options for a more comprehensive approach.

Free, HMRC-approved payroll, but only for the short term

Payroll Basics is an option for smaller companies with fewer than 10 employees – over 40,000 businesses use the platform, and over 600,000 UK businesses use IRIS’s payroll products on the whole.

It delivers essential functionality for micro-businesses without the cost or complexity found in larger platforms, and yet still maintains HMRC recognition and full compliance with PAYE, National Insurance, statutory payments and Real Time Information (RTI) submissions.

This free product is designed for business owners and managers who may not have a dedicated payroll team but still need to run accurate payroll each month – if you’re a small business owner with a handful of workers and no dedicated teams or HR leaders, then this is quite possibly the most cost-effective way of getting the job done.

Because it’s backed by the broader company that is IRIS, you get access to the same underlying infrastructure but for free. IRIS claims to be the largest third-party online filer with the UK Government, with one in eight UK employees paid through its various payroll solutions.

As soon as your company grows beyond these basic needs, though, IRIS Payroll Basics will no longer be suitable, so think of it as a stopgap solution for the short term.

Still, its low barrier to entry and solid compliance tools make it a logical choice as a stepping stone for smaller employers navigating payroll for the first time.

• Our guide to the best payroll software

IRIS Payroll Basics: Plans and pricing

Being a so-called ‘Basics’ product, there’s one huge benefit to IRIS Payroll Basics, and that’s that it’s free.

IRIS describes the platform as a free payroll option recognised by HMRC, but it’s on its last legs as IRIS sets out plans to bolster profitability looking ahead. IRIS Payroll Basics will only be compliant for the 2025/26 tax year, because it’s set to be discontinued from there on.

Longer-term customers and those needing more than the free platform can provide should consider IRIS’s Staffology Payroll, which costs from £39 per month for one to 19 payslips.

(Image credit: IRIS)IRIS Payroll Basics: Features

First thing’s first, IRIS Payroll Basics is exactly that – basic. It covers the essentials that you need, but there are no additional features that make it an all-encompassing payroll and HR solution like others in this space.

Payroll Basics automatically calculates PAYE, National Insurance, pension auto-enrolment and statutory payments, and because it’s fully HMRC-recognised, it enables direct submissions to HMRC to cut out some admin work.

The reporting system also generates mandatory forms, month-end summaries, pension reports and employee payslips.

IRIS notes that all business-critical software and legislative updates are provided free of charge, however with the platform losing support at the end of the 2025/26 tax year, that’s about to change.

(Image credit: IRIS)IRIS Payroll Basics: Ease of use

Because it’s such a basic system, IRIS Payroll Basics is already a pretty simple system to get your head around. If there are fewer features to begin with, then it’s a reasonable expectation that there shouldn’t be a huge learning curve.

That being said, with the platform on its last legs, it does feel a bit more dated or basic than other solutions in this space. With a deprecation date in mind, IRIS hasn’t committed to updating the user interface as it has with other Payroll solutions under the IRIS brand.

Still, key calculations and submissions are automated to take away human error, so it’s a worthwhile consideration for micro-businesses without specialist payroll staff.

IRIS Payroll Basics: Support

IRIS Payroll Basics doesn’t have its own dedicated support, but being a free product, we wouldn’t usually expect support to be great anyway. Thankfully, because IRIS offers paid options too, Payroll Basics users can speak to the company this way.

A support page shows the phone number without being hidden behind too many clicks, so IRIS is clearly prepared to pick up the phone, but you can also shoot off a message on the live chat if you have a more complex query that may need a written response.

There’s no email support.

IRIS also has various articles in its knowledge base, but nothing seems specifically geared towards Payroll Basics.

(Image credit: Staffology Payroll by IRIS)IRIS Payroll Basics: Final verdict

IRIS Payroll Basics is a practical, no-frills payroll solution for UK-based micro-businesses with up to 10 employees who are seeking a compliant, cost-effective way to manage payroll.

Organisations that fall within this scope can get superb value from this free product, with core functionalities like PAYE, National Insurance calculations, RTI submissions and pension enrolment built-in.

With previous updates to keep the platform up-to-date with changing legislations and HMRC recognition, you get peace of mind for full compliance, however there’s a huge caveat and that’s that IRIS Payroll Basics is set to lose compliance after tax year 2025/26.

Its biggest limitation is its April 2026 discontinuation, and from this point users will need to shift to other solutions, be it something like Staffology Payroll from IRIS or another provider altogether.

Support generally seems responsive and you get the backing of IRIS as a whole, which offers other payroll solutions, however it seems lacking in specific knowledge base articles or guidance on Payroll Basics.

From the makers of one of the most popular POS systems out there comes a small-scale HR and payroll platform.

Square might be best known for its point-of-sale (POS) solutions that help small businesses manage payments, inventory and customer interactions, but the California software maker (co-founded by Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey in 2009) has now gone on to make more business software solutions.

These days, Square offers everything from scheduling and team communications to banking and invoicing. Square Payroll is another extension of the company’s strategy, for simplifying wage payments, tax compliance and contractor management, and again, it’s designed for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs).

Businesses already using Square POS or the Square Team app can quickly sync things like employee time cards, tips and hours, and it covers both W-2 employees and 1099 contractors in the US, making it a versatile option for an array of businesses.

The platform isn’t without its drawbacks, though. Advanced HR tools are limited, so if you’re a bigger company with more demanding needs, it could be time to look elsewhere.

• Our guide to the best payroll software

Square Payroll: Plans and pricing

Depending on how you run your business and how your staffing looks, you have two routes to go down with Square Payroll.

If you’re running a contractor-only payroll, you pay $6 per month per person paid, but if you’re a full-service payroll with people on the books too, you’ll need to pay $35 per month for the account plus an extra $6 per month per person paid.

It’s not quite as simple as that, though, because the full-service payroll package does add some things that the contractor-only plan doesn’t get, including automatic payroll, off-cycle payments, multiple pay rates, next-day direct deposit and more.

The contractor-only plan also lacks scheduling (for up to 10 days ahead) and tip tracking and importing.

Given that the two plans cost the same per person paid, the fact that the fuller package only costs an additional $35 per month shouldn’t end up being too costly for medium-sized companies and above, but smaller companies with just a handful of workers will notice the difference that $35 makes.

(Image credit: Square)Square Payroll: Features

Square Payroll’s core payroll functions include unlimited payroll runs, direct deposits, automated calculations and W-2/1099-NEC filings.

Besides that, you can automatically import timecards and direct tips from Square POS or the Square Team app, which is really handy if you’re already in the Square ecosystem and are looking to support your staff with even more management software.

Users can create schedules on the app and monitor labor costs across teams, which gives you some sort of visibility into staffing.

Workers’ benefits will also sync with Square Payroll, including health insurance and retirement plans, and integration with QuickBooks Online keeps bookkeeping in order across the two platforms with a nifty link that means you won’t need to be inputting the data twice across two different apps.

(Image credit: Square)Square Payroll: Ease of use

If you’re already familiar with Square’s other solutions, then you’ll know just how easy they are to use. The interface is very simple, with an easy-to-read black font on a white background. It’s very no-frills, but that’s great in what can be a fairly complex system.

The seamless integration with other Square tools makes it simple to manage things across the board, but on that note, Square is lacking in some more powerful solutions.

Think of it as a great support for smaller businesses, like restaurants and cafés, but maybe not as a catch-all solution for multi-location sites with complex needs.

Because of its simplicity, there’s no real learning curve apart from getting familiar with payroll processes in general. Onboarding options exist, but some have noted that the initial setup can sometimes feel a bit mot complex.

Staff can access what they need to from a mobile app, too, which adds to the convenience.

(Image credit: Square)Square Payroll: Support

Square is a relatively easy company to get hold of, with payroll specialists available during working hours on weekdays to answer queries.

That’s on top of the customized onboard and initial setup, as well as support for those who want to migrate from other payroll solutions.

On the whole, responses appear to be prompt and helpful. Email support promises responses in 24-48 hours, but there’s the option to call customer support or sales, or speak online with the live chat.

As you’d expect, there’s also a pretty extensive knowledge base available for those who might be able to triage issues themselves.

(Image credit: Square)Square Payroll: Final verdict

Smaller and some mid-sized businesses will benefit from Square Payroll, but those who have already invested in the Square ecosystem will get the biggest benefits.

Square Payroll supports both on-the-books workers and contractors, and its transparent pricing strategy removes any nasty surprises.

Real-time cost and staffing visibility is a welcome addition, and you can also link in with third-party services via integrations to further boost functionality.

However, compared with other payroll software services, Square Payroll can feel a little behind. It lacks more detailed customer needs that mean it might not be the best solution for larger businesses.

Still, the affordable pricing and features that are included mean it’s a worthwhile solution for startups and those with just a few workers, as it can cost a lot less than many others.

Remember, though, that Square Payroll isn’t necessarily aiming to compete with full-scale HR services, hence it’s a user-friendly system for its target market.

In short, Square Payroll is a powerful, efficient option for small businesses that prioritize value, ease of use, and interoperability with the rest of Square’s suite.

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Backbone Pro: One-minute review

The Backbone Pro is the first big new arrival in the brand’s popular mobile accessory line-up for almost five years.

On paper, its underpinned by a winning formula: take one of the best mobile controllers around, beef it up to make it more comfortable, tweak the feel of the buttons, and throw in a couple ‘pro’ features like remappable back buttons to round out the package and justify the name.

All of this is accomplished well, but Backbone has gone even further and crammed the Pro with a wealth of features geared towards cloud gaming.

It has Bluetooth connectivity that allows it to connect to your PC, laptop, tablet, or smart TV for use with cloud gaming services like Xbox Cloud Gaming, Nvidia GeForce Now, or Amazon Luna. It works well, aside from the often hit or miss ‘instant Bluetooth pairing’ feature, and boasts an impressive forty hours of wireless battery life - up there with some of the best PC controllers.

As with the original Backbone One, the Pro also benefits from fantastic materials across the board. It’s a gorgeous controller that feels incredibly premium and supports the majority of modern devices with its Type-C connector. It offers pass-through charging too, not to mention the robust Backbone app and its numerous handy features like a dedicated game launcher, the option to quickly launch most cloud gaming services, and the ability to remap buttons in custom profiles.

This all comes at a high price, however, putting the Backbone Pro up against some serious competition. It’s worth the investment if you’re ready to go all in on cloud gaming, but mobile gaming purists would likely be better off ditching this functionality with slightly cheaper yet even more comfortable alternatives like the Razer Kishi Ultra.

Things become even more expensive when you factor in the cost of a Backbone Plus subscription, which is $3.99 / £3.99 a month and grants access to a few extra features like game emulators built into the Backbone app and rewards in certain mobile titles.

(Image credit: Future)Backbone Pro: Price and availability

• Costs $169.99 / £169.99 / AU$299.95
• One model available in one colorway, black
• Backbone Plus is $3.99 / £3.99 a month

The Backbone Pro costs $169.99 / £169.99 / AU$299.95, putting it a fair chunk above the $99.99 / £99.99 / AU$179.99 asking price of the Backbone One 2nd Gen. For that added cost, you’re getting a larger controller with some added features, namely the remappable rear buttons, plus wireless functionality.

At the time of writing, the Backbone Pro is only available in one colorway: a rather basic black. There’s also no Lightning connector variant for those with older iPhones, either.

At this price, the Backbone Pro faces some pretty stiff competition, namely in the form of the Razer Kishi Ultra. Razer’s product is larger than the Backbone Pro, but more comfortable. It also offers RGB lighting and a fully featured app that, unlike the Backbone App, doesn’t need any kind of subscription to play around with.

Backbone Pro: Specs

Price

$169.99 / £169.99 / AU$299.95

Dimensions

7.1 x 11.1 x 2in / 181 x 281 x 50mm

Weight

0.44lbs / 203g

Connection type

Wired (Type-C), Bluetooth

Compatibility

iPhone 15 Series, Android, PC, smart TV, Nintendo Switch

Software

Backbone App

Backbone Pro: Design and features

• Looks like a chunkier version of the Backbone One
• Rear buttons and wireless connectivity have been added
• Some unique software features

The Backbone Pro looks like a beefed up version of the Backbone One. It’s significantly thicker with much larger grips that fit more naturally into the palms of your hands. Although the One still wins when it comes to portability, the Pro is undeniably much more comfortable to use and, importantly, is still small enough to fit in your bag or even a large pocket.

On the front of the controller you’ll see the expected face buttons and d-pad. Although it's not immediately obvious, both of these have been redesigned. The buttons use softer, more spongy feeling switches that are quieter than those of the One but just as quick and responsive, while the d-pad is a little less stiff.

Both the buttons and the d-pad are also made from the transparent, glossy and smooth material that was previously used for the buttons of the Backbone One PlayStation Edition. I always preferred this to the more matte look of the buttons of the standard One, so it’s great to see it again here. The two thumbsticks have much more motion than those of the One, making it easier to control precisely, with a concave design rather than a convex one.

Taking the Backbone Pro into your hands, you’ll immediately be able to feel the pleasant dotted texture on the back of the grips in addition to the two new remappable rear inputs. Although predominantly constructed from plastic, the materials across the board are sublime and ooze quality. It’s a little weighty, but well-balanced, so not at all fatiguing to use.

(Image credit: Future)

On the bottom of the controller’s grips, you’ll find a 3.5mm headphone jack, a Type-C connector for charging the controller or your phone via pass-through, plus a new Bluetooth pairing button.

Most of the Backbone Pro’s software features are tied to the compatible Backbone app. It offers the ability to create distinct controller profiles with fully customizable button mapping, thumbstick and trigger dead zones, and more. You can also enable wired compatibility for PC, mobile, and even Nintendo Switch via the bottom Type-C port.

The app also functions as a dedicated game launcher, allowing you to browse compatible titles and even launch a compatible cloud gaming service within the app - though sadly, this latter feature requires the Backbone Plus subscription.

The same is true for the emulation, which lets you play your favorite ROMs directly in the Backbone app, screen recording, live streaming, and even the ability to remap on-screen inputs to physical controls.

This is a fantastic feature set overall, but the fact that it’s gated behind a monthly fee is disappointing - especially when you’re spending this much on a peripheral. You do at least get a seven-day free trial with your purchase, which should be enough time to work out whether the cost is worth it for you.

(Image credit: Future)Backbone Pro: Performance

• Great for mobile gaming
• Fits the vast majority of phones
• A bit awkward in Bluetooth

It’s impossible to fault the Backbone Pro when it comes to mobile gaming. Paired with a compatible game like Zenless Zone Zero or Call of Duty Mobile, it delivers reliable performance. The buttons are less clicky than those of the Backbone One, but still very satisfying to press.

The larger thumbsticks also make it much more suitable for fast-paced shooters, offering a much greater level of control. The triggers are more ergonomic, too, with an increased area and a subtle grippy pattern. The new rear buttons are easy to access and, importantly, offer more than enough resistance to make it difficult to hit them by accident.

Thanks to its extending design, the controller fits an impressive range of devices, especially with the included adapters. I had no difficulty fitting an iPhone 15 Plus with a thin case and it even accommodated my frankly ridiculously oversized Porsche Design Honor Magic 7 RSR. A foldable should fit too, as there was plenty of space for the Oppo Find N5 in its included case.

The Pro has been stuffed with a battery that offers more than forty hours of juice, so you can use it as a Bluetooth controller. The brand is heavily pushing this product as a cloud gaming peripheral, though in my testing, it still worked perfectly with common PC gaming launchers like Steam.

(Image credit: Future)

Performance is also good when it comes to the likes of Xbox Cloud Gaming, and I did really appreciate the ability to quickly launch the service straight from the Backbone app if you want to take the action with you.

I will say that the Backbone Pro definitely feels worse to use without a phone inside. It’s noticeably wider than the DualSense or Xbox Wireless Controller, but with much smaller buttons that are harder to hit reliably in comparison. Minus the stability of a phone, there’s also a tiny but noticeable degree of flex on both slides caused by the extending mechanism which I found distracting.

The ‘Instant Bluetooth Pairing’ feature, which is designed to instantly swap between your saved devices at the click of a button, also disappoints. It works well with tablets and smart TVs, but I had particular difficulty getting it to reliably connect to my PC, where the controller repeatedly appeared as a wholly new device in my Bluetooth settings - very annoying when I just wanted to dive into a quick cloud-streamed Halo Infinite match.

(Image credit: Future)Should I buy the Backbone Pro?Buy it if...

You want a premium feel from your mobile controller
The Backbone Pro is flawless from a materials standpoint. It uses high-quality plastic that is fantastic in the hands. If Apple made a controller, it would undoubtedly feel something like this.

You want the ‘Pro’ features
If you love the Backbone One, but have always wanted some more high-end additions like remappable rear buttons then the Backbone Pro is for you.

You want an all-in-one peripheral
If you only want to buy one controller to meet both your mobile gaming and cloud gaming needs, then the Backbone Pro is a solid pick.

Don't buy it if...

You already have a different Bluetooth pad
If you already own a DualSense or Xbox Wireless Controller, then the Backbone Pro is a lot less tempting. You lose the option to play on mobile, of course, but both those options are going to feel better in your hands when you’re cloud gaming.

Also consider...

Not keen on the Backbone Pro? Check out these worthy alternatives.

Backbone Pro

Razer Kishi Ultra

Backbone One 2nd Gen

Price

$169.99 / £169.99 / AU$299.95

$149.99 / £149.99 / AU$269.95

$99.99 / £99.99 / AU$179.99

Dimensions

7.1 x 11.1 x 2in / 181 x 281 x 50mm

9.63 x 4.36 x 2.53in / 243 x 111 x 64mm

6.93 x 3.70 x 1.34in / 176 x 94 x 34mm

Weight

0.44lbs / 203g

0.59 lbs / 266g

0.30lbs / 138g

Connection type

Wired (Type-C), Bluetooth

Wired (Type-C)

Wired (Type-C / Lightning)

Compatibility

iPhone 15 Series, Android, PC, smart TV, Nintendo Switch

iPhone 15 Series, iPad Mini, Android

iPhone 15 Series, Android / iPhone 14 series, and earlier

Software

Backbone App

Razer Nexus App

Backbone App

Razer Kishi Ultra
The Razer Kishi Ultra is the premium mobile controller to beat. It comes in cheaper than the Backbone Pro and is larger, but it is much more comfortable to use and offers a similar set of features. It’s the one to pick if you don’t want the wireless functionality.

Read our full Razer Kishi Ultra review

Backbone One 2nd Gen
The latest model of the Backbone One is also a good choice. It’s cheaper than the Pro, but is easier to transport and still performs well. It does lack the back buttons and wireless functionality, though.

Read our full Backbone One 2nd Gen review

(Image credit: Future)How I tested the Backbone Pro

• Tested for more than three months
• Tried with a wide range of games
• Test with multiple phones and devices

I tested the Backbone Pro for over three months, using it as my go-to mobile controller for most of that time. I played plenty of mobile games using it, including lots of Call of Duty Mobile and Zenless Zone Zero. I also managed a complete playthrough of Hitman: Blood Money - Reprisal and tried some Asphalt Legends.

This was in addition to lots of cloud gaming on both mobile and my PC, mainly via Xbox Cloud Gaming as part of my Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription. Tested games included Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, Halo Infinite, and Gears of War Reloaded.

I used the controller with my current daily driver, the Porsche Design Honor Magic 7 RSR, but also tested its fit with a range of other devices.

Throughout the testing process, I compared my hands-on experience with that of other mobile controllers such as the Razer Kishi Ultra, Backbone One 2nd Gen, Turtle Beach Atom, Acer Nitro Mobile Controller, GameSir X2S Type-C, Asus ROG Tessen, and more.

Read more about how we test

First reviewed September 2025

The Backbone Pro is more comfortable than the One and crammed with cloud gaming features.