Square Payroll vs Homebase

The short answer

Square Payroll costs $35 a month plus $6 per person paid, and files federal and state payroll taxes. Homebase payroll is an add-on at $49 a month plus $6 per employee paid, inside a scheduling and time clock app. Square imports time cards and tips from Square POS and states SOC 2 Type II and ISO 27001.

By LeadChange Research TeamUpdated Oct 20, 2026Facts checked Oct 12, 2026

Square Payroll

Not scored yet11 of 26 facts verifiedFacts checked Oct 12, 2026

Starting price: $35/mo + $6/employee/mo
Best for: Square POS sellers that import time cards, tips and commissions into payroll

Choose Square Payroll if

You sell on Square: time cards and tips import from Square POS and the Team App.
You want the lower base fee: $35 a month plus $6 per person paid.
You pay contractors only: $6 per contractor a month, no base fee.
You want ISO 27001 as well as SOC 2 Type II.

What Square Payroll costs Square Payroll alternatives

Homebase

Starting price: $30/mo
Best for: Restaurants, retail and service businesses with hourly staff

Choose Homebase if

You want scheduling, the time clock and payroll in one app.
Your point of sale is Toast, Clover, Shopify or Lightspeed.
You want hiring, team messaging and tip management alongside payroll.
You want a free plan for one location with up to 10 employees.

What Homebase costs Homebase alternatives

LeadChange Score: editorial assessment based on public information.

Scorecard

Square Payroll wins 2Homebase wins 11 tie

Square Payroll vs Homebase by dimension
Dimension	Square Payroll	Homebase
PricingSquare Payroll is $35 a month plus $6 per person paid, with free seasonal inactivity. Homebase payroll is $49 a month plus $6 per employee paid, on top of its scheduling plan.	$35/mo + $6/employee/mo	Published
IntegrationsHomebase names Square, Toast, Clover, Shopify, Lightspeed and other point-of-sale systems, plus Gusto, ADP and QuickBooks. Square Payroll connects to Square POS, the Square Team App and QuickBooks Online. Square, Toast, Clover, Shopify, Lightspeed, PAR, GoDaddy, Heartland, Gusto, ADP, Paychex, QuickBooks, SurePayroll, Square Payroll	1 documented	14 documented
SecuritySquare states SOC 2 Type II and ISO 27001:2022 for its platform. Homebase states SOC 2 Type 2. Yes	SOC 2, ISO 27001	SOC 2
Fit and supportBoth are built for small businesses. Square’s payroll specialists answer Monday to Friday, 6 AM to 6 PM PT; Homebase adds live chat and phone on paid plans. Small businesses	Small businesses	Small businesses

Key differences

Where Square Payroll and Homebase differ (5)
Attribute	Square Payroll	Homebase
Pricing model	Base fee + per employee	Tiered plans
Support channels	Phone, chat	24/7 AI chat support and Help Center, Live support by chat and phone (paid plans)
Founded	2009	2014
Headquarters	Oakland, California, US	San Francisco, California, United States
Ownership	Publicly traded	Private

Show 6 attributes where they are the same

Where they are the same (6)
Attribute	Square Payroll	Homebase
Price transparency	Published	Published
Contract term	Monthly	Monthly
Best for	Small businesses	Small businesses
Mobile apps	Square Team App
SOC 2 Type II
Automatic tax filing

Analysis by dimension

Pricing. Square Payroll is $35 a month plus $6 per person paid, with free seasonal inactivity. Homebase payroll is $49 a month plus $6 per employee paid, on top of its scheduling plan.

Capabilities. Both calculate and file payroll taxes.

Integrations. Homebase names Square, Toast, Clover, Shopify, Lightspeed and other point-of-sale systems, plus Gusto, ADP and QuickBooks. Square Payroll connects to Square POS, the Square Team App and QuickBooks Online.

Security. Square states SOC 2 Type II and ISO 27001:2022 for its platform. Homebase states SOC 2 Type 2.

Fit and support. Both are built for small businesses. Square’s payroll specialists answer Monday to Friday, 6 AM to 6 PM PT; Homebase adds live chat and phone on paid plans.

Neither one?

Patriot Payroll

Patriot Payroll has the highest LeadChange Score in Payroll Software after excluding these two (9.3/10).

From $17/mo + $4/employee/mo

More Square Payroll comparisons

More Homebase comparisons

Frequently asked questions

How much does Square charge to do payroll?

$35 a month plus $6 per person paid for full-service payroll, or $6 per contractor with no base fee. Billing starts with your first pay run, and there is no long-term contract. For 10 employees, Square comes to $95 a month.

How much is Homebase payroll per month?

$49 a month plus $6 per employee paid, as an add-on to a Homebase plan. For 10 employees, that is $109 a month. The scheduling plan is extra unless you stay on Basic, which is free for one location and 10 employees.

Can Homebase and Square Payroll work together?

Yes. Homebase lists Square and Square Payroll among its integrations, so you can schedule in Homebase and pay in Square. Square Payroll also imports time cards from Square POS and its own Team App.

Who is Square Payroll a good fit for?

Small businesses that already sell on Square: it imports hours and tips from Square POS. It supports payroll taxes in all 50 states and DC, with multi-state payroll.

Is Square Payroll or Homebase more secure?

Square states SOC 2 Type II and ISO 27001:2022 at platform level. Homebase states SOC 2 Type 2 and offers SSO, two-factor sign-in and role-based access.

Who are Square Payroll’s competitors?

Among the payroll services we review, we also compare Square Payroll with Gusto, QuickBooks Payroll and Paychex Flex. Against Homebase, Square’s case is the lower base fee; Homebase’s is the schedule and time clock.

Square Payroll or Homebase? 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. Then, if you like, ask to hear from both.

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