Square Payroll vs QuickBooks Payroll

The short answer

Square Payroll costs $35 a month plus $6 per person and imports time cards and tips from Square POS. QuickBooks Payroll, sold as QuickBooks Workforce, costs $50 a month plus $7 per employee on Workforce Payroll and adds same-day direct deposit, time tracking and HR workflows on Premium and Elite.

By LeadChange Research TeamUpdated Oct 19, 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 with Square POS and pay tips: they import into payroll.
You want the lower price: $35 a month plus $6 per person.
You close seasonally: inactive months are free.
Your employees want to be paid in Cash App.

Square Payroll plans and prices Square Payroll alternatives

QuickBooks Payroll

Starting price: $50/mo + $7/employee/mo
Best for: QuickBooks Online users who want payroll in the same Intuit account

Choose QuickBooks Payroll if

Your books are in QuickBooks Online: payroll can be added at any time.
You want same-day direct deposit (Premium and Elite).
You want tax penalty protection up to $25,000 a year (Elite).
You want an expert to set up payroll for you (Elite).

QuickBooks Payroll pricing Alternatives to QuickBooks Payroll

LeadChange Score: editorial assessment based on public information.

Scorecard

Square Payroll wins 1QuickBooks Payroll wins 21 tie

Square Payroll vs QuickBooks Payroll by dimension
Dimension	Square Payroll	QuickBooks Payroll
PricingSquare Payroll costs $35 a month plus $6 per person, $95 for 10 people. QuickBooks Payroll costs $50 plus $7 on Workforce Payroll, $120 for 10, and $88 plus $13 or $134 plus $17 on the higher plans.	$35/mo + $6/employee/mo	$50/mo + $7/employee/mo
CapabilitiesBoth run payroll with tax filing, time tracking and contractor payments. QuickBooks Payroll adds hiring and onboarding, HR workflows and benefits administration for 20+ employees; Square adds tip import and scheduling. Payroll, Time tracking, Hiring and onboarding, Time-off management, HR workflows, Benefits administration	3 of 12 core capabilities	9 of 12 core capabilities
Fit and supportQuickBooks Payroll serves small and mid-size businesses and adds weekend phone and chat support on Premium and Elite. Square serves small businesses, with payroll specialists Monday to Friday, 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. PT. Small businesses, mid-market companies	Small businesses	Small businesses, mid-market companies
SecurityBoth state SOC 2 Type II and ISO 27001; QuickBooks Payroll also states HIPAA. Yes	SOC 2, ISO 27001	SOC 2, ISO 27001

Key differences

Where Square Payroll and QuickBooks Payroll differ (5)
Attribute	Square Payroll	QuickBooks Payroll
Best for	Small businesses	Small businesses, mid-market companies
Mobile apps	Square Team App	iOS (QuickBooks Workforce), Android (QuickBooks Workforce)
Support channels	Phone, chat	Phone, chat, online support hub and community
Founded	2009	1984
Headquarters	Oakland, California, US	Mountain View, California, US

Show 8 attributes where they are the same

Where they are the same (8)
Attribute	Square Payroll	QuickBooks Payroll
Pricing model	Base fee + per employee	Base fee + per employee
Price transparency	Published	Published
Contract term	Monthly	Monthly
SOC 2 Type II
ISO 27001
Automatic tax filing
Contractor payments
Ownership	Publicly traded	Publicly traded

Analysis by dimension

Pricing. Square Payroll costs $35 a month plus $6 per person, $95 for 10 people. QuickBooks Payroll costs $50 plus $7 on Workforce Payroll, $120 for 10, and $88 plus $13 or $134 plus $17 on the higher plans.

Capabilities. Both run payroll with tax filing, time tracking and contractor payments. QuickBooks Payroll adds hiring and onboarding, HR workflows and benefits administration for 20+ employees; Square adds tip import and scheduling.

Integrations. Square Payroll syncs with QuickBooks Online and imports from Square POS. QuickBooks Payroll runs inside QuickBooks Online and offers webhooks. Neither publishes an integration count.

Fit and support. QuickBooks Payroll serves small and mid-size businesses and adds weekend phone and chat support on Premium and Elite. Square serves small businesses, with payroll specialists Monday to Friday, 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. PT.

Security. Both state SOC 2 Type II and ISO 27001; QuickBooks Payroll also states HIPAA.

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 QuickBooks Payroll comparisons

Frequently asked questions

Is QuickBooks phasing out payroll?

No. Intuit sells its payroll as QuickBooks Workforce, in Workforce Payroll, Premium and Elite plans from $50 a month plus $7 per employee, and it can be added to QuickBooks Online at any time. Square Payroll is the alternative for businesses whose time cards and tips start in Square POS.

Do I need QuickBooks if I use Square Payroll?

No. Square Payroll runs on its own and pays and files federal and state payroll taxes. If you keep your books in QuickBooks Online, Square Payroll syncs with it.

Which is cheaper, Square Payroll or QuickBooks Payroll?

Square Payroll: $35 a month plus $6 per person, or $95 for 10. QuickBooks Workforce Payroll: $50 plus $7, or $120 for 10. Square charges $3 per paper W-2 mailed only if you opt in; QuickBooks charges extra for next-day contractor deposits and automated 1099s.

How fast do Square Payroll and QuickBooks Payroll pay employees?

Square pays in four business days as standard, two for approved accounts, and the next business day with Instant Payments from a Square balance. QuickBooks pays the next day on its entry plan and the same day on Premium and Elite if you submit by 7 AM PT.

Who pays if a payroll tax filing is wrong?

Square pays penalties and fines from tax notices caused by its own payroll errors. Intuit’s Payroll Tax Accuracy Guarantee pays penalties and interest from its own calculation or filing mistakes on every plan, and Workforce Elite adds protection up to $25,000 a year.

Do Square Payroll and QuickBooks Payroll offer workers' comp?

Both sell it through NEXT. Square offers a pay-as-you-go NEXT Insurance policy quoted per business, plus health insurance through SimplyInsured. QuickBooks pairs its payroll with NEXT for workers' comp, Allstate for medical, dental and vision, and Vestwell for 401(k).

Is Square Payroll or QuickBooks Payroll more secure?

Both Square Payroll and QuickBooks Payroll state SOC 2 Type II and ISO 27001. Only QuickBooks Payroll states HIPAA (BAA).

Square Payroll or QuickBooks Payroll? Your answer in 3 questions

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