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Square Payroll vs ADP RUN Powered by ADP

Square Payroll7.7/10

ADP RUN Powered by ADP5.1/10

Scored in Payroll Software

The short answer

Square Payroll costs $35 a month plus $6 per person paid and imports time cards and tips from Square POS. RUN Powered by ADP sells four packages by quote, from Essential Payroll to HR Pro, and charges extra for W-2 and 1099 forms.

By LeadChange Research TeamUpdated Based on 13 sources, most recently checked
Starting price
$35/mo + $6/employee/mo1
Best for
Square POS sellers that import time cards, tips and commissions into payroll

Choose Square Payroll if

  • You sell with Square POS: time cards and tips import into payroll.
  • You want a published price: $35 a month plus $6 per person.
  • You run extra payrolls: pay runs are unlimited.
  • Your business is seasonal: inactive months are free.
Best for
Small businesses paying 1 to 49 employees, including owners who pay only themselves

Choose ADP RUN Powered by ADP if

  • You want payroll support by phone or chat 24/7.
  • You want an HR help desk (Complete Payroll & HR+ and HR Pro).
  • You want state unemployment insurance management and garnishment payments.
  • You want to run payroll with a phone call.

LeadChange Score: editorial assessment based on public information.

Scorecard

Square Payroll wins 2ADP RUN Powered by ADP wins 11 tie

Square Payroll vs ADP RUN Powered by ADP by dimension
DimensionSquare PayrollADP RUN Powered by ADP
PricingSquare Payroll lists $35 a month plus $6 per person, with unlimited pay runs. ADP RUN quotes every package, its payroll fees rise with payroll frequency and W-2 and 1099 forms cost extra. Yes2$35/mo + $6/employee/moQuote only
CapabilitiesBoth run payroll with tax filing and pay contractors. ADP RUN adds an HR help desk, learning management, garnishment payments and SUI management; Square adds tip import, scheduling and labor-cost reports. Payroll, Payroll tax filing, Contractor payments, HR support (HR HelpDesk), Recruiting (ZipRecruiter; applicant tracking by CareerPlug in HR Pro), New hire onboarding, Learning management (HR Pro), Garnishment payment service, State Unemployment Insurance management, Bill pay and invoicing, Time and attendance (add-on)37 of 12 core capabilities10 of 12 core capabilities
IntegrationsBoth work with QuickBooks: Square syncs with QuickBooks Online, and ADP RUN exports the general ledger to QuickBooks, Xero, Wave and Creative Solutions. ADP RUN also connects to Clover POS and ZipRecruiter. Square POS, Square Team App, QuickBooks Online47 documented18 documented
SecuritySquare Payroll states SOC 2 Type II and ISO 27001. ADP RUN names no security certification on the product pages we reviewed. Yes5SOC 2, ISO 27001SOC 2 (type not stated), GDPR

Square Payroll or ADP RUN Powered by ADP: what matters most to you?

We match on verified product facts for this need, never on who pays us.

Key differences

Where Square Payroll and ADP RUN Powered by ADP differ (6)
AttributeSquare PayrollADP RUN Powered by ADP
Pricing modelBase fee + per employee1Quote only3
Price transparencyPublished6Quote only3
Mobile appsSquare Team App1RUN Powered by ADP app (iOS), RUN Powered by ADP app (Android)7
Support channelsPhone, chat1Phone, chat, email, HR HelpDesk by phone and email (Complete and HR Pro)8
Founded20099194910
HeadquartersOakland, California, US11Roseland, NJ, US10
Show 5 attributes where they are the same
Where they are the same (5)
AttributeSquare PayrollADP RUN Powered by ADP
Contract termMonthly1Monthly3
Best forSmall businesses6Small businesses10
Automatic tax filing13
Contractor payments23
OwnershipPublicly traded9Publicly traded10

Analysis by dimension

Pricing. Square Payroll lists $35 a month plus $6 per person, with unlimited pay runs. ADP RUN quotes every package, its payroll fees rise with payroll frequency and W-2 and 1099 forms cost extra.

Capabilities. Both run payroll with tax filing and pay contractors. ADP RUN adds an HR help desk, learning management, garnishment payments and SUI management; Square adds tip import, scheduling and labor-cost reports.

Integrations. Both work with QuickBooks: Square syncs with QuickBooks Online, and ADP RUN exports the general ledger to QuickBooks, Xero, Wave and Creative Solutions. ADP RUN also connects to Clover POS and ZipRecruiter.

Fit and support. ADP RUN answers payroll calls and chats 24/7. Square’s payroll specialists answer Monday to Friday, 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. PT.

Security. Square Payroll states SOC 2 Type II and ISO 27001. ADP RUN names no security certification on the product pages we reviewed.

Neither one?

Patriot Payroll

Patriot Payroll has the highest LeadChange Score in Payroll Software after excluding these two (8.7/10).

From $37/mo + $5/employee/mo (Full Service Payroll plan)12

Patriot Payroll review

Frequently asked questions

Is Square Payroll cheaper than ADP?

Square publishes its price, $35 a month plus $6 per person, so 10 employees cost $95 a month. ADP prices RUN by quote, raises payroll fees with pay frequency and bills W-2 and 1099 forms separately, so set Square’s $95 against a written ADP quote for your headcount.

What extra fees do Square Payroll and ADP RUN charge?

Square charges $3 per paper W-2 or 1099 mailed, only if you opt in, and prices tax form amendments case by case. ADP RUN charges for W-2 and 1099 forms, adds fees for off-cycle payrolls and sells time and attendance, retirement, workers' comp and health insurance as add-ons.

Can Square Payroll handle tipped employees?

Yes. Square Payroll imports time cards and tips from Square POS and the Square Team App and handles multiple pay rates, commissions and tips. ADP RUN connects to Clover POS.

Can I get payroll help at night with Square or ADP RUN?

With ADP RUN, yes: payroll support by phone or chat is available 24/7. Square’s payroll specialists work Monday to Friday, 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. PT.

Does ADP RUN or Square Payroll include HR help?

ADP RUN adds an HR HelpDesk by phone and email, an employee handbook wizard and salary benchmarks on Complete Payroll & HR+ and HR Pro. Square Payroll centers on payroll, time cards and scheduling, with health insurance, 401(k) and workers' comp through partners.

Can I run payroll from my phone with Square or ADP RUN?

ADP’s RUN app for iOS and Android runs payroll, and you can also run it with a phone call. Square’s Team App lets staff clock in, and their time cards flow into Square Payroll.

Who are Square Payroll’s biggest competitors?

Square Payroll ranks #4 of 15 in our payroll software ranking. Besides ADP RUN Powered by ADP, the highest-scored are Patriot Payroll, QuickBooks Payroll, and Gusto. Every alternative, matched to the reason you might switch: Square Payroll alternatives.

How this page was made

  • What it is built from

    36 verified facts, each checked against the vendor's own pages or another primary source, most recently on Nov 14, 2026.

  • Method

    Scored and compared with the LeadChange methodology, version 1.5. Read the methodology

  • Independent review

    Not reviewed yet by our independent reviewer. How we review

  • Hands-on testing

    We have not tested either product hands-on: this page uses public information only.

  • Who made it

    The LeadChange Research Team, following a written research process. No named expert has reviewed this page. About us

  • Independence and errors

    Who pays us never changes a score or a rank. If something here is wrong, tell us and we correct it publicly. Request a correction

Square Payroll or ADP RUN Powered by ADP? Your answer in 3 questions

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Square Payroll vs ADP RUN Powered by ADP

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Sources

The 13 pages this page's facts come from. The date beside each is our last check of the facts taken from it (the oldest, when they differ). The numbers beside the figures above link here.

Quotes from the sources
  1. Square squareup.com/us/en/payroll/pricing“For full-service payroll, the cost is $35 per month, plus $6 per person paid per month. For contractor-only payroll, the cost is $6 per person paid per month.” “Manage your team and run payroll anytime, from anywhere, with the Square Team App.”
  2. Square squareup.com/us/en/payroll“Get unlimited pay runs per month, make no commitment, and cancel anytime.” “Square Payroll for Contractors will generate, prepare, and file Form 1099-NEC online for you.”
  3. ADP adp.com/what-we-offer/payroll/payroll-for-1-49-employees/payroll-packages.aspx“Applicant Tracking System, powered by CareerPlug … Learning Management System … Garnishment Payment Service … State Unemployment Insurance (SUI) Management … Bill Pay and Client Invoicing … Time and Attendance” “Payroll costs are influenced by several variables, including how often you run payroll, the number of employees or contractors you pay and how frequently your workforce changes. Pricing may also increase if you add HR tools, benefits administration or more advanced compliance support, such as garnishment management or State Unemployment Insurance.”
  4. Square squareup.com/help/us/en/article/6299-sync-square-payroll-with-quickbooks-online“You can save time and simplify your bookkeeping by syncing Square Payroll account data with Intuit QuickBooks Online.”
  5. Square trust.squareup.com“SOC 2 Type II” “ISO 27001:2022”
  6. Square squareup.com/us/en/payroll/small-business“Transparent pricing with no hidden fees or long-term commitments.” “Square full-service payroll and team management solutions were designed with small businesses in mind.”
  7. ADP (Apple App Store listing) apps.apple.com/us/app/adp-run/id388928133“the RUN Powered by ADP® payroll mobile app is built for the way your small business works. Here are some of the features available at your fingertips—wherever your day takes you. • Start payroll with a tap • Avoid payroll mistakes with error detection powered by AI”
  8. ADP adp.com/what-we-offer/payroll/payroll-for-1-49-employees/switching-to-adp.aspx“Support from a payroll specialist via phone & email, at no additional fee … ADP offers 24/7 access to real payroll professionals to help resolve issues before they impact your team or business.”
  9. Block, Inc. investors.block.xyz/resources/investor-faqs/default.aspx“Block, Inc. was incorporated in June 2009 in Delaware.” “You’ll find our stock under the symbol XYZ on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE)”
  10. ADP sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/8670/000000867026000030/adp-20260630.htm“In 1949, our founders established ADP with a simple, innovative idea: help clients focus on their business by solving their payroll challenges.” “its corporate headquarters in Roseland, New Jersey”
  11. Square squareup.com/us/en/legal/general/privacy“your Square entity is Block, Inc., 1955 Broadway, Suite 600, Oakland, CA 94612, United States.”
  12. Patriot Software patriotsoftware.com/pricing“Basic Payroll is $17/month + $4 per worker paid; Full Service Payroll is $37/month + $5 per worker paid.”
  13. ADP adp.com/privacy.aspx“ADP has adopted Binding Corporate Rules (BCR) for processing Client employee data and business contact data.”

What the LeadChange Score means

A 0–10 editorial assessment built only from verified facts, across six weighted dimensions: capabilities, pricing, integrations, security, fit and support, and data confidence.

Payments, commissions and lead fees are never inputs.