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QuickBooks Payroll vs Square Payroll Comparison (2026)

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QuickBooks Payroll

Square Payroll

Overview

QuickBooks Payroll is a cloud-based payroll solution for small businesses which offers automatic payroll tax calculations, integrated time tracking, same day direct deposit, real-time data updates, tax form preparation and filing, and an online employee portal to streamline the payroll process

Square Payroll is a cloud-based U.S. solution that handles federal and state payroll taxes including withholdings, payments and filings

Platforms supported

Web-based
iPhone app
Android app
Windows Phone app

Typical customers

Freelancers
Small businesses
Mid size businesses
Large enterprises

Customer support

Phone
Online
Knowledge base
Video tutorials

view more detailsview details

Platforms supported

Web-based
iPhone app
Android app
Windows Phone app

Typical customers

Freelancers
Small businesses
Mid size businesses
Large enterprises

Customer support

Phone
Online
Knowledge base
Video tutorials

view more detailsview details

Video & Screenshots

Pricing

Starting from

3.5

Per month

Free trial available
Credit cardless trial
Free account
Subscription based

Starting from

/user

Per month

Free trial available
Credit cardless trial
Free account
Subscription based

User reviews

4.5

998

680

198

Value for money

Ease of use

Features

Customer support

75%

would recommend this app

4.7

622

461

131

Value for money

Ease of use

Features

Customer support

88%

would recommend this app

Pros

“I especially appreciated the simplicity and convenience of running payroll—once set up, it usually takes just a few minutes, taxes are handled automatically with the right subscription, and everything syncs smoothly with QuickBooks accounting.”

Angie S.

Partner

“We love that it deals with coming up with pay cheque amounts, removing all the taxes that need to be taken off and puts together what we owe to the government for payrolls taxes.”

Tanya D.

President

“Automation saves time and reduces the amount of manual work involved in calculating payroll and taxes. While the pricing and occasional setup or support issues can be drawbacks, overall it is a solid and user-friendly payroll solution.”

Khimson L.

IT admin

Pros

“With features now like deductions, PTO tracking, time tracking, all integrated into the point of sales system— you can’t really beat the solution if you use the POS.”

Joe H.

Owner

“I can track & pay out PTO, withhold Child Support payments, distribute tips -- it's all super intuitive and clear, for both me and my employees.”

Michelle S.

Owner

“They send reminders and make sure I'm following all the local, state and federal laws, and organize my employee taxes so easily.”

Carolyn B.

Owner, President

Cons

“Hard to navigate the screens, Intuit has taken complete control over payroll, can't make adjustments when needed, Inuit sets up unneeded payroll items automatically, support is terrible and takes too long for corrections, support does not understand the payroll tax rules”

Linda M.

Senior Manager

“However, occasional issues with payroll tax calculations and customer support have prevented me from giving it a perfect score, resulting in a solid 4-star rating.”

Clara C.

Finance Manager

“The pricing structure can get expensive quickly, as monthly base fees combined with per-employee costs add up for mid-sized teams.”

Jennifer N.

Asst Payroll Clerk

Cons

“Limited customization and reporting capabilities, along with fewer advanced HR features compared to more comprehensive payroll platforms.”

Stephanie O.

Owner

“However, if your business requires highly complex custom reporting or deeply integrated HR functions, you may find the platform too basic for your long-term needs.”

Maggie d.

Owner

“We have 2 main issues with the software and that's making it more customizable and also getting customer service support is sometime difficult. Since square makes the software easy to use it sometimes lacks in certain areas.”

Maggie d.

Owner