# Square Payroll Software Pricing, Alternatives & More 2026 | Capterra > With the help of Capterra, learn about Square Payroll Software - reviews, pricing plans, popular comparisons to other Payroll products and more. Source: https://www.capterra.com/p/170266/Square-Payroll --- # Square Payroll Software Review 2026: Features, Integrations, Pros & Cons Last updated on March 13, 2026 Provider data verified by our Software Research team, and reviews moderated by our Reviews Verification team. Independent research methodology Capterra’s researchers use a mix of verified reviews, independent research and objective methodologies to bring you selection and ranking information you can trust. While we may earn a referral fee when you visit a provider through our links or speak to an advisor, this has no influence on our research or methodology. [Learn more](https://www.capterra.com/resources/proprietary-data-research/) How Capterra verifies reviews Capterra carefully verified over 2.5 million+ reviews to bring you authentic software experiences from real users. Our human moderators verify that reviewers are real people and that reviews are authentic. They use leading tech to analyze text quality and to detect plagiarism and generative AI. [Learn more](https://www.capterra.com/resources/how-we-verify-reviews/) How Capterra ensures transparency Capterra lists all providers across its website—not just those that pay us—so that users can make informed purchase decisions. Capterra is free for users. Software providers pay us for sponsored profiles to receive web traffic and sales opportunities. Sponsored profiles include a link-out icon that takes users to the provider’s website. [Learn more](https://www.capterra.com/resources/how-we-ensure-transparency/) [Description](#description)[Use cases](#use-cases)[Alternatives](#alternatives)[Users](#users)[Pros and Cons](#pros-cons)[Features](#features)[Pricing](#pricing)[Integrations](#integrations)[Support](#support)[Reviews](#reviews) Square Payroll ## What is Square Payroll? Payroll has never been easier with Square Payroll. Square handles your federal and state payroll taxes including withholdings, payments, and filings. Small businesses and large companies can easily pay both hourly and salaried employees. Set your sick leave or paid time off policy for each team member, and Square's online payroll services take care of the rest. Switching providers is also simple - tell us your current provider, upload existing reports, and we take care of the rest. ## What is Square Payroll used for? [Payroll](https://www.capterra.com/payroll-software/)[Direct Deposit Payroll](https://www.capterra.com/direct-deposit-payroll-software/)[Human Resources](https://www.capterra.com/human-resource-software/) Top alternative Featured Overall rating Based on 621 user reviews Reviews sentiment Positive 95% Neutral 3% Negative 2% Pros & cons Streamlined user experience Quick and simple setup process Recurring software glitches Starting price $35 Other, Per Month Free trial available Capterra Shortlist charts the highest-rated and most popular products... Our "Best of" badge program showcases products with the highest ratings... Our "Best of" badge program showcases products with the highest ratings... Do you work for Square Payroll?[Manage this product listing](https://digitalmarkets.gartner.com/get-listed/claim-bx?url=https://squareup.com/&name=Square Payroll) ## Compare with a popular alternative Capterra selects software alternatives based on relevant features, verified user reviews and user interactions. Placement may be influenced by client status. ### Square Payroll 4.7 (621) VS. [4.3 (1,830)](https://www.capterra.com/p/86714/WebPay/reviews/) Starting Price $35 Other, Per Month Starting Price Contact vendor Free Trial Free Version Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version Ease Of Use 4.6 (620) Ease Of Use 4.3 (4,269) Value For Money 4.6 (575) Value For Money 4.2 (3,920) Customer Service 4.4 (568) Customer Service 4.1 (4,022) ## Square Payroll alternatives Highest Rated [4.8 (3,934)](https://www.capterra.com/p/116050/Patriot-Software/reviews/) Starting price $17.00 Per User, Per Month Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version User Rating 97% of reviewers rated it above 4 stars [4.6 (4,199)](https://www.capterra.com/p/131882/Gusto/reviews/) Starting price $49.00 Per User, Per Month Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version User Rating 93% of reviewers rated it above 4 stars [4.3 (3,035)](https://www.capterra.com/p/133745/Paycor-Perform/reviews/) Starting price Contact vendor for pricing Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version User Rating 87% of reviewers rated it above 4 stars [4.4 (1,233)](https://www.capterra.com/p/130949/Paycom/reviews/) Starting price Contact vendor for pricing Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version User Rating 87% of reviewers rated it above 4 stars [View all alternatives](https://www.capterra.com/p/170266/Square-Payroll/alternatives/) ## Who uses Square Payroll? Based on Capterra reviews from the past 5 years Talk to a software expert to get a free software list tailored to your business needs ## Pros and Cons Streamlined user experience 97% positive reviews out of 132 Most users report ease of use simplifies payroll tasks, making business operations less stressful and more efficient. Recurring software glitches 61% negative reviews out of 61 Some users report bugs and glitches, especially after updates, causing inconvenience and slow problem resolution. Quick and simple setup process 95% positive reviews out of 44 Most reviewers describe setup as fast and straightforward, with helpful guidance and minimal time required to start. Automated payroll notification system 97% positive reviews out of 34 Most reviewers find payroll reminders keep them on schedule, reducing missed deadlines and easing payroll management. ## Features Features with the highest number of reviews are displayed first. Those that have no reviews appear next, sorted alphabetically. Payroll Management 4.7 (116) 65.52% of 116 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important With this capability, you can easily schedule payroll, add or remove employees, manage pay rates, and import time cards. Some reviewers find it very intuitive and time-saving, though a few mention limited customization for specific payroll dates and international support. Tax Compliance 4.6 (74) 68.92% of 74 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important This aspect helps you by automatically calculating, filing, and paying state and federal taxes. Reviewers indicate it removes the burden of tax management, keeps everything timely, and provides clear reports, though some dislike needing an active account for year-end forms. W-2 Preparation 4.7 (69) 68.12% of 69 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important You benefit from automated W-2 preparation, filing, and mailing for employees. Some reviewers find this saves significant time and reduces stress, but others report occasional errors in employee information and the need to keep accounts open for year-end access. Payroll Reporting 4.7 (69) 59.42% of 69 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important Square Payroll offers accessible payroll reports in one dashboard, letting you view, print, and export data. Some users say reports are easy to use, but others mention limited customization and occasional confusion when generating reports for individual employees. Direct Deposit 4.8 (68) 70.59% of 68 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important It gives you a streamlined way to pay employees directly into their bank accounts. Reviewers appreciate the ease of setup, reliability, and time savings, though some mention occasional delays in deposits and issues with on-time payments. Self Service Portal 4.6 (83) 62.65% of 83 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important Online portal through which end users can access the system, manage tasks, or obtain information Square Payroll 44 features Track 401(k) participant contributions and employer match Built-in accounting to manage ledger, accounts payable/receivable, financial reports, etc. Integrate with a third-party accounting system Dashboard to view the status of ongoing processes, identify current incidents and track past activities Alerts or notifications of various types such as pop-up messages, sounds, banners, or badges Application programming interface that allows for integration with other systems/databases Use a dashboard to view benefits that are selected by employees or offered by employers Record employee's benefit plans and selections throughout career progression Track and manage adherence to policies for any service, product, process, or supplier Alter the layout and content of reports Assembly of graphs and charts for visualizing and tracking statistics/metrics Import and export data to and from software applications It gives you a streamlined way to pay employees directly into their bank accounts. Reviewers appreciate the ease of setup, reliability, and time savings, though some mention occasional delays in deposits and issues with on-time payments. Electronic storage of staff/employee contact information and job status in a centralized repository Track employee schedules, availability, and performance across projects and tasks Online portal where employees can access and track their own information Centralized storage for employee data, records, and performance metrics Gateway through which employees can access the system Software specialized for accountants and accounting firms Software that is accessible through the cloud with an active internet connection Designed for small businesses Manage and track employee attendance Access the system via a mobile application Pay employees in multiple states with correct tax deduction amounts in each Select benefits and provide information needed to participate in a benefit via an online portal With this capability, you can easily schedule payroll, add or remove employees, manage pay rates, and import time cards. Some reviewers find it very intuitive and time-saving, though a few mention limited customization for specific payroll dates and international support. Square Payroll offers accessible payroll reports in one dashboard, letting you view, print, and export data. Some users say reports are easy to use, but others mention limited customization and occasional confusion when generating reports for individual employees. Active reporting of data and metrics Timed notification for any upcoming task, deadline, appointment, or activity View and track pertinent metrics to find patterns and gain insights from data Online portal through which end users can access the system, manage tasks, or obtain information Track and manage sick leave time Calculate tax and make deductions on gross income from sources like wages, investments or self-employment This aspect helps you by automatically calculating, filing, and paying state and federal taxes. Reviewers indicate it removes the burden of tax management, keeps everything timely, and provides clear reports, though some dislike needing an active account for year-end forms. The completion of documentation that calculates earned income and the taxes to be paid, also called a tax return Declaration of income made to tax authorities Set up connections to third-party platforms to improve business processes Tools that allow employees to request/schedule time off Measure and track time including hours worked and paid time off (PTO) Track the amount of time spent on a job or task Request, track, and manage time off requests and vacation time You benefit from automated W-2 preparation, filing, and mailing for employees. Some reviewers find this saves significant time and reduces stress, but others report occasional errors in employee information and the need to keep accounts open for year-end access. Automatically subtract garnishments from wages SaaS, web-based, online deployment Get Advice We can help you find the software with the features you need. Features 4.5 (620) 4.5 Based on 620 reviews ## Pricing Value for money 4.6 (575) Free Trial [View pricing plan details](https://www.capterra.com/p/170266/Square-Payroll/pricing/) Pay Employees and Contractors $35.00 Other,Per Month It includes: - 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 $6.00 Per User,Per Month It includes: - 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 Value for money 4.6 (575) 4.6 Based on 575 reviews ## Integrations [ QuickBooks Time](https://www.capterra.com/p/151722/TSheets/)[ Square Point of Sale](https://www.capterra.com/p/275802/Square-Point-of-Sale/)[ When I Work](https://www.capterra.com/p/121248/When-I-Work/)[ Homebase](https://www.capterra.com/p/153076/Homebase/)[ QuickBooks Online Advanced](https://www.capterra.com/p/189398/QuickBooks-Online/)[ Deputy](https://www.capterra.com/p/167811/Deputy/)[ Guideline](https://www.capterra.com/p/206399/Guideline/) Connect with a Capterra advisor for a free 15-minute consultation Get a personalized software list aligned to your business needs with guidance from our expert advisors. Our team has helped 1 million+ businesses like yours find options that fit their needs. ## Support, customer service and training options Customer Service 4.4 (568) Support - Email/Help Desk - FAQs/Forum - Knowledge Base - Phone Support - 24/7 (Live rep) - Chat Training - In Person - Live Online - Webinars - Documentation - Videos Deployment - Web - Android - iPhone/iPad Typical users - Freelancers - Small businesses - Mid size businesses - Enterprises Customer Service 4.4 (568) 4.4 Based on 568 reviews ## User reviews Overall rating 4.7 Based on 621 reviews Filter by rating 5(460) 4(131) 3(18) 2(2) 1(10) Mentioned topic Sorted by most recent AU Anonymous User Owner Outsourcing/Offshoring ### "Satisfied customer" 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 5.0 5.0 Likelihood to Recommend 10/10 April 11, 2026 Overall, my experience with Square Payroll has been positive. It’s user-friendly, efficient, and handles payroll processing and tax filings reliably, though it lacks some advanced features found in more robust platforms. Pros Its simplicity and ease of use—especially how it automates taxes and integrates seamlessly with Square’s ecosystem Cons Limited customization and reporting capabilities, along with fewer advanced HR features compared to more comprehensive payroll platforms. Review source Incentivized review: software users are invited to submit an honest review and offered a nominal incentive for their time and effort. All incentivized reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. Joe H. Owner Hospitality ### "Great solution for payroll " 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 0.0 0.0 Likelihood to Recommend 10/10 March 26, 2026 Pros Square payroll has come a very long way. 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. Cons Took awhile to get to full parity to many large competitors but they eventually made it happen! Also, the customer service can be a bit lacking. Review source Non-incentivized review: any software user can leave a review for any product listed on our site. All submitted reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. MR Melissa R. Owner Apparel & Fashion ### "Square Payroll" 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 5.0 5.0 Likelihood to Recommend 10/10 March 25, 2026 10 out of 10. I am so glad that i started using Square Payroll. It's very affordable and easy to navigate. Pros I love that Square Payroll is very affordable and easy to use. I highly recommended Square Payroll for anyone looking for a software to use for Payroll Cons I haven't had any bad experiences with Square Payroll everything works just great and very fast and secured. Review source Incentivized review: software users are invited to submit an honest review and offered a nominal incentive for their time and effort. All incentivized reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. KG Kim G. Brand management Apparel & Fashion ### "Recommend to all" 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 0.0 0.0 Likelihood to Recommend 8/10 January 19, 2026 User friendly and keeps everything organized and very helpful in my business. Fast easy payments. Recommend to all Pros User friendly and customer support is very helpful. Overall great for processing payments quickly. Keeps everything simple Cons Nothing I dislike. It’s convenient and user friendly for all my clients and myself. Good options to use Review source Incentivized review: software users are invited to submit an honest review and offered a nominal incentive for their time and effort. All incentivized reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. MD Maggie d. Owner Health, Wellness and Fitness ### "Great Value and Easy to Use!" 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 4.0 4.0 Customer Service 4.0 4.0 Likelihood to Recommend 10/10 October 24, 2025 Overall, the software is a great value and it's money well spent. It offers everyone ease of use and is reliable. If you are looking for a simple software that makes running payroll easy, then look no further.. 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. Pros Square is great because it's easily integrated with other systems. Because of this it is easy to use them for other things like timecards, tips, commissions, and more. The system is incredibly easy to set up and run. So far all of our team has been able to use it easily. Running payroll is easy and takes very little time since all the staff uses it. Cons 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. It would also be nice if customer service had extended hours because a lot of our staff works late. Switched from [GUSTO PRODUCT SUITE](https://www.capterra.com/p/174912/GUSTO-PMS-Suite/) Needed something that everyone could use. Review source Incentivized review: software users are invited to submit an honest review and offered a nominal incentive for their time and effort. All incentivized reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. AU Anonymous User CEO Transportation/Trucking/Railroad ### "Effortless Payroll for Small Businesses" 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 4.0 4.0 Likelihood to Recommend 8/10 July 23, 2025 Overall, Square Payroll has been a simple, reliable solution that made managing employee and contractor payments stress-free. Pros Square Payroll makes it incredibly easy to run payroll, handle tax filings, and pay contractors with just a few clicks. Cons Some features feel a bit limited for growing businesses, and customer support response times could be improved. Alternatives considered [QuickBooks Payroll](https://www.capterra.com/p/174981/QuickBooks/) Reasons for choosing Square Payroll I chose Square Payroll because it integrates seamlessly with Square POS, is easy to set up, and offers transparent pricing with no hidden fees. Review source Incentivized review: software users are invited to submit an honest review and offered a nominal incentive for their time and effort. All incentivized reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. ES Emily S. Owner Retail ### "Square Payroll 10/10" 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 5.0 5.0 Likelihood to Recommend 10/10 July 7, 2025 Pros I like that staff can clock in and clock out for their shifts with Square Payroll, their tips are automatically added to their paycheck along with commission, and I receive test messages when a payroll run is about to happen so I can double check it. Staff can also adjust their time cards and send it in as a request if they forget to clock in/out which makes it super simple for me! Plus, they handle my new hire paperwork, quarterly payroll filings and TAXES. They can also request vacation through Payroll and I am sure I am forgetting other features that happen in the background! Cons I wish it Square Payroll/shifts synced up with Square Appointments so I don't have to schedule staff shifts & staff appointment windows; I am basically scheduling twice. Alternatives considered [Gusto](https://www.capterra.com/p/131882/Gusto/) Reasons for choosing Square Payroll I was already using Square Appointments and wanted to use a fully integrated system. Review source Incentivized review: software users are invited to submit an honest review and offered a nominal incentive for their time and effort. All incentivized reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. MF Megan F. Owner Sports ### "Love it, makes everything easy" 4.0 Overall Rating 4.0 4.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 4.0 4.0 Customer Service 4.0 4.0 Likelihood to Recommend 9/10 June 16, 2025 Pros Makes paying employees super easy with no complex issues. Inputting new employees and setting up payroll is simple everytime Cons Honestly, no complaints. Square is the best payroll system I have had and did a lot of research to determine which system to use. Review source Incentivized review: software users are invited to submit an honest review and offered a nominal incentive for their time and effort. All incentivized reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. CB Carolyn Black-Coffey C. Owner, President Consumer Services ### "Square got me organized, and now payroll is so much easier." 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 5.0 5.0 Likelihood to Recommend 10/10 June 10, 2025 Square has been immeasurably helpful with getting and keeping me organized in regard to payroll. They send reminders and make sure I'm following all the local, state and federal laws, and organize my employee taxes so easily. Now that we have been using it for a year or more, its practically automated. The transition was harder for me, as my former payroll company had a more manual system, and the formatting process was harder for me to understand than Square. The other company made it too complicated, and Square is much easier to use and navigate, once you get used to the system. It was tough, but their customer service team was always there, ready with a real person to help guide me. You should try them. Pros Very easy to track and import wages. a 3 minute process. I went from a manual system to this. No more anxiety around payroll anymore. I know its correct. Taxes are shipped off and on time every time. Cons The set up was a bit tough for me, as I was in over my head with the tech at first. But they held my hand and answered every question I had. Switched from [Auris](https://www.capterra.com/p/195073/Heartland-Payroll-HR/) They were bulky, and I was frustrated with some of the other products I was using with them. Review source Incentivized review: software users are invited to submit an honest review and offered a nominal incentive for their time and effort. All incentivized reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. PO Paola O. HR Manager Health, Wellness and Fitness ### "My Experience With Square Payroll" 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 4.0 4.0 Likelihood to Recommend 9/10 December 16, 2024 Pros I like this payroll product as it offers amazing payroll features. It is effortless to deploy and customization is easy too. It integrates well with other software we use. Cons Square Payroll has been very helpful and I have no complaints. Switched from [TrackSmart Attendance](https://www.capterra.com/p/120374/TrackSmart-Attendance/) [Youmanage](https://www.capterra.com/p/160449/Youmanage/) We made the switch as Square Payroll offers better features not to mention it comes at a manageable cost. Review source Non-incentivized review: any software user can leave a review for any product listed on our site. All submitted reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. 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While we may earn a referral fee when you visit a provider through our links or speak to an advisor, this has no influence on our research or methodology. [Learn more](https://www.capterra.com/resources/proprietary-data-research/) How Capterra verifies reviews Capterra carefully verified over 2.5 million+ reviews to bring you authentic software experiences from real users. Our human moderators verify that reviewers are real people and that reviews are authentic. They use leading tech to analyze text quality and to detect plagiarism and generative AI. [Learn more](https://www.capterra.com/resources/how-we-verify-reviews/) How Capterra ensures transparency Capterra lists all providers across its website—not just those that pay us—so that users can make informed purchase decisions. Capterra is free for users. Software providers pay us for sponsored profiles to receive web traffic and sales opportunities. Sponsored profiles include a link-out icon that takes users to the provider's website. [Learn more](https://www.capterra.com/resources/how-we-ensure-transparency/)