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Square Payroll Logo

Cloud-based payroll processing solution

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Square Payroll - 2026 Pricing, Features, Reviews & Alternatives

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All user reviews are verified by in-house moderators and provider data by our software research team.  Learn more

Last updated: February 2026

Square Payroll overview

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Based on 618 verified user reviews

What is Square Payroll?

Square Payroll is a payroll solution offering key features such as direct deposit, tax compliance, and W-2 preparation, among others.

Who uses Square Payroll?

By industry, Square Payroll reviewers are most commonly professionals in food & beverages (16%). The most frequent use case for Square Payroll cited by reviewers is small business payroll (53% of reviewers).

What do users say about Square Payroll pricing?

Most users consider Square Payroll to offer excellent value for money, citing competitive and transparent pricing with no hidden fees. Some reviewers feel the cost can be high for very small businesses or with added services.

Starting price

6per user /
per month

Alternatives

with better value for money


Pros & Cons

Processing

Simplicity

Affordability

Stability

Flexibility

Identification

Square Payroll’s user interface

Ease of use rating:

Square Payroll pros, cons and reviews insights

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To determine these pros and cons insights, we analyzed responses from 

Overall rating

Reviews sentiment

 
 
 
1-2(12)
3-4(149)
5(457)

What do users say about Square Payroll?

Users say Square Payroll streamlines payroll, tax filing, and payment processing, making these tasks much faster and easier to manage. They find the software user-friendly, with a simple interface and helpful automation for direct deposits, tax calculations, and compliance. Many appreciate the integration with Square POS and the ability to handle both employees and contractors in one place.

Some report issues with customer support, occasional software glitches, and limitations in customization or pay schedule flexibility. They mention the pricing is transparent but can become expensive for larger teams, and note that tax or payroll errors sometimes require manual double-checking.

Select to learn more


Who uses Square Payroll?

Based on 618 verified user reviews.

Company size

Small Businesses

Enterprises

Midsize Businesses

Top industries

Food & Beverages
Retail
Health, Wellness and Fitness
Restaurants
Others

Use cases

Small Business Payroll
Payroll
Online Payroll
Direct Deposit Payroll
Human Resources

Square Payroll's key features

GetApp's analysis of 34 verified user reviews collected between July 2021 and November 2024 identifies Square Payroll's most critical features and summarizes user sentiment about those features.

Direct deposit

Reviewers appreciate Square Payroll's Direct Deposit feature for its simplicity and efficiency. They find it easy to set up and use, with many noting the convenience of having payroll directly deposited into employees' bank accounts. Users report that this capability saves time and eliminates the need for printed checks. They highlight the reliability and timeliness of deposits, although some mention occasional delays. Overall, users feel that Direct Deposit adds flexibility and professionalism to their payroll process. Of the 24 Square Payroll users who gave detailed accounts of their use of Direct Deposit, 96% rated this feature as important or highly important.

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“The Direct Deposit feature of Square Payroll makes paying employees a very streamlined and simple procedure. ”
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Troy B.

Marketing Manager

“I love that direct deposit in the square payroll app, only has to be activated one time.”
Verified reviewer profile picture

Ashley D.

President


Tax compliance

Reviewers indicate that Square Payroll's Tax Compliance aspect is highly valuable for managing state and federal taxes. They appreciate that the software handles all tax filings and provides necessary reports, reducing the burden of paperwork. Users report that Square Payroll keeps them up-to-date with email notifications and ensures all forms are in one place. They find it easy to use and stress-free, with many highlighting that it saves them time and worry about tax-related issues. Of the 16 Square Payroll users who gave detailed accounts of their use of Tax Compliance, 94% rated this feature as important or highly important.

See related user reviews

“State and Federal taxes are handled by square, you can monitor filing via a report function.”
HM

Holly M.

Business Owner

“I don't need to know a single thing about tax compliance, filing and processing. Square takes care of it perfectly!”
HU

Harold U.

Notary Public


W-2 preparation

Users report that Square Payroll's W-2 Preparation feature simplifies tax season significantly. They appreciate that W-2s are automatically prepared and mailed to employees, with an option to print them if needed. Reviewers highlight the accuracy and ease of reviewing information before distribution. They find this aspect particularly helpful for reducing the workload during tax time, noting that it takes the pressure off and ensures compliance. Some users mention minor issues with information accuracy, but overall, they find it beneficial. Of the 16 Square Payroll users who gave detailed accounts of their use of W-2 Preparation, 75% rated this feature as important or highly important.

See related user reviews

“It would take my CPA a ton of time to prepare all of our W-2s. It's so helpful (and economical!) that Square handles this and distributes them to employees automatically.”
MS

Michelle S.

Owner

“It's helps the tax time year go by very much quickly if you have this app. Because it make the W2 schedule quick an simple.”
JC

Jasmine C.

Vlogger


All Square Payroll features

Features rating:

Sick leave tracking
Accounting
Activity dashboard
Time off requests
Payroll management
Payroll reporting
Compliance management
Employee portal
Self service portal
Employee management
Timesheet management
Time tracking
Employee database
Employee profiles
API
Data import/export
Third-Party integrations
Benefits management
Vacation/Leave tracking
Customizable reports
401(k) tracking
Tax filing
Tax calculation
Tax forms
Wage garnishment
Web-based deployment
Reporting/Analytics
Reminders
Real-Time reporting
Online benefits enrollment
Multi-State
Mobile app
Leave tracking
For small businesses
For cloud
For accountants
Employee self service
Dashboard
Benefits dashboard
Alerts/Notifications
Accounting integration

Square Payroll alternatives

Square Payroll logo

Starting from

6

/user

Per month

Free trial
Free version
Ease of Use
Features
Value for Money
Customer Support
Paylocity logo
visit website

Starting from

Empty state illustration for "No pricing info"

No pricing info

Free trial
Free version
Ease of Use
Features
Value for Money
Customer Support
Paycor logo
visit website

Starting from

Empty state illustration for "No pricing info"

No pricing info

Free trial
Free version
Ease of Use
Features
Value for Money
Customer Support
Paycom logo
visit website

Starting from

Empty state illustration for "No pricing info"

No pricing info

Free trial
Free version
Ease of Use
Features
Value for Money
Customer Support

Square Payroll pricing

Pricing plans

Pricing details:

Free plan
Free trial
Subscription

Pay Employees and Contractors

35

Per month

Features included:

  • All Tax Filings and Payments
  • Automatic Payroll Tax Calculations
  • Cancel Anytime
  • Direct Deposit
  • Free Seasonal Inactivity
  • Full-Service Payroll
  • Live Support for Account Setup
  • Multistate Payroll
  • No Additional Fees
  • No Commitment
  • Or Cash App
  • Pay by Check
  • Payroll for Employees and Contractors
  • Timecards and Employee App
  • Track and Import Tips and Commissions
  • Unlimited Pay Runs Per Month
  • U.S.-Based Customer Support
  • We Mail W-2s and 1099-NEC Forms

Pay Contractors Only

6

/user

Per month

Features included:

  • All Features Included
  • Cancel Anytime
  • Direct Deposit
  • Free Seasonal Inactivity
  • Mail All 1099-NEC Forms
  • No Commitment
  • Or Cash App
  • Pay by Check
  • U.S.-Based Customer Support
  • With No Hidden Fees

User opinions about Square Payroll price and value

Value for money rating:

Of 74 reviews that provide robust commentary on Square Payroll's price and value, 85% mention it in a positive light.

Most users consider Square Payroll to offer excellent value for money. They appreciate its competitive pricing, transparency with no hidden fees, and cost-effectiveness, especially for small businesses. Reviewers indicate that the software is straightforward to use, easy to set up, and includes essential features that outperform more expensive competitors. They find it particularly beneficial for saving time and reducing the need for full-time office staff. Some users report that the monthly cost is reasonable and aligns well with their budget, while others highlight the affordability compared to larger payroll services. Additionally, users value the free trial option, which allows them to test the software before committing. However, some reviewers feel that the cost can be high, especially for very small businesses or when additional services are required. They also mention that the pricing can be confusing and that the software might be more expensive than other payroll programs. Despite these concerns, the overall sentiment is that Square Payroll provides good value for its price.

, and

To see what individual users think of Square Payroll's cost and value, check out the review excerpts below.

“Square Payroll's transparent pricing, with no hidden fees, meant we could budget more effectively, knowing exactly what our expenses would be month-to-month.”
Verified reviewer profile picture

Jon S.

Admin

“I've used square payroll for over 7 years after using several other services like Quickbooks, paychex, ADP and nothing beats it in terms of price and quality.”
SS

Shannon S.

Operator

“Cost. If you don't switch everything over to square products then you pay a la carte prices. ”
RT

Rosaria T.

owner

Square Payroll integrations (49)

Integrations rated by users

We looked at 618 user reviews to identify which products are mentioned as Square Payroll integrations and how users feel about them.

Integration rating: 5.0 (2)

It allows a contractor or another user to be paid for the time they worked more accurately but it could be better.

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Jared K.

CMO

Integration rating: 3.0 (1)

Square Payroll customer support

What do users say about Square Payroll customer support?

Customer support rating:

We analyzed 92 verified user reviews to identify positive and negative aspects of Square Payroll customer support.

Widespread user sentiment highlights Square Payroll's customer support as helpful, friendly, and knowledgeable.

A significant portion of users find support easy to contact, with quick response times and accessible real people.

Multiple users appreciate that support staff are patient, thorough, and assist well during onboarding or setup.

A minority of users report difficulty reaching customer service, long wait times, and challenges getting real-time help.

Support options

Knowledge base
Faqs/forum
Phone support
Email/help desk
Chat

To see what individual users say about Square Payroll's customer support, check out the review snippets below.

“Square has a great user experience, good interface, it works, the processing is good, and the customer service is helpful.”

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Greg H.

CEO

“Easy to use product, easy to set up, excellent customer service provided by Square Payroll team and were willing to answer all our Square Payroll questions.”

AK

Ankit K.

Co-founder

“Square payroll ostensibly makes small business and paying employees and contractors a breeze, but in practice, the service did not work for me, and repeated attempts to receive help from customer service were icy and unhelpful to the point that I felt I was being treated poorly out of spite.”

Verified reviewer profile picture

John M.

Partner

Square Payroll FAQs

Q. What type of pricing plans does Square Payroll offer?

Square Payroll has the following pricing plans:
Starting from: $35.00/month
Pricing model: Subscription
Free Trial: Available

These products have better value for money


Q. What is Square Payroll used for?

Square Payroll is an integrated online payroll processing solution that helps SMBs and enterprises manage the paychecks of both salaried and hourly wage employees. The software offers various features including integrated timecards, tax calculators and new-hire reporting. Square Payroll offers a dashboard that can be accessed by all the employees to update their personal information, bank account details and tax withholdings. Access rights to this information are controlled by the administrator to ensure that the employees can view and edit only their details. The timecard feature helps to track employee clock-in and out and to calculate overtime, bonus payments and commissions. Managers can also review, edit and manage the timecard information by using the dashboard functionality. Square Payroll also tracks employee leave balances and calculates the accruals for each employee on the basis of the leave policies set by the employer. The application allows managers to set unique paid time off (PTO) policy for each employee and ensures the payouts whenever an employee avails them.The software integrates with ADP, Intuit and Paychex to pull out an employee's payroll reports with a previous company and ensures a smooth transition to Square Payroll systems. The tool also helps users to complete tax forms and adhere to the guidelines set by the state payroll tax agencies. The solution is currently available in twelve states in the U.S. and adheres to the PCI Data Security Standard for card processing and provides layered security.


Q. What are the benefits of using Square Payroll?

  • Square Payroll integrates with employee’s timecards and allows employees to clock in and out using the application.
  • The payroll staff can import work-hours from the timecards to the Square Payroll application and automatically generate paychecks by calculating the employee's overtime and other benefits.
  • The solution allows employees to manage their own employee accounts and access payroll reports in real-time.
  • Square Payroll integrates with AP Intego to help businesses pay premium on the basis of their actual payroll data.
  • Square’s payment frequency feature lets employers pay salaries to their employees on weekly, bi-weekly or semi-monthly basis.


  • Q. Who are the typical users of Square Payroll?

    Square Payroll has the following typical customers:
    Freelancers, Large Enterprises, Mid Size Business, Non Profit, Public Administrations, Small Business


    Q. What languages does Square Payroll support?

    Square Payroll supports the following languages:
    English, Spanish


    Q. Does Square Payroll support mobile devices?

    Square Payroll supports the following devices:
    Android, iPad, iPhone


    Q. Does Square Payroll offer an API?

    Yes, Square Payroll has an API available for use.


    Q. What other apps does Square Payroll integrate with?

    Square Payroll integrates with the following applications:
    Deputy, Guideline, QuickBooks Online Advanced, QuickBooks Time, Square Point of Sale, When I Work, Homebase


    Q. What level of support does Square Payroll offer?

    Square Payroll offers the following support options:
    Knowledge Base, FAQs/Forum, Phone Support, Email/Help Desk, Chat

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