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.
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
Dimension
Square Payroll
ADP 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/mo
Quote 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)3
7 of 12 core capabilities
10 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 Online4
7 documented
18 documented
SecuritySquare Payroll states SOC 2 Type II and ISO 27001. ADP RUN names no security certification on the product pages we reviewed. Yes5
SOC 2, ISO 27001
SOC 2 (type not stated), GDPR
Key differences
Where Square Payroll and ADP RUN Powered by ADP differ (6)
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
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
Your team size, what matters most and your role: see which one fits more of your answers, from verified facts and list prices.
LeadChange may earn a fee when you request pricing through our site or follow a sponsored link. Rankings never depend on whether a vendor pays us.We may earn a fee.
How we make money
LeadChange may earn a fee when you request pricing through our site or follow a sponsored link. Rankings never depend on whether a vendor pays us.
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
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.”
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.”
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.”
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.”
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”
Patriot Software patriotsoftware.com/pricing“Basic Payroll is $17/month + $4 per worker paid; Full Service Payroll is $37/month + $5 per worker paid.”
ADP adp.com/privacy.aspx“ADP has adopted Binding Corporate Rules (BCR) for processing Client employee data and business contact data.”
(opens in a new tab)
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.
High confidence: at least 80% of the critical facts are verified on primary sources.
Medium confidence: at least 50% are; the rest are missing or rely on secondary sources.
Payments, commissions and lead fees are never inputs.