Square Payroll
Best Square Payroll Alternatives
10 products that do the same job as Square Payroll, matched to the reason you might switch, with similarity scores and published prices.
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Square Payroll alternatives, closest first
Patriot PayrollSimilarity 83
SurePayrollSimilarity 75
GustoSimilarity 70
Alternatives by reason for switching
Lower published price
$117 a month at 25 employees vs $185 for Square Payroll.
$17/mo + $4/employee/mo (you file taxes)1
Built for larger companies
Built for mid-sized companies
Serves mid-sized companies; Square Payroll does not list them among the sizes it serves.
Small businesses, mid-market companies3
Square Payroll alternatives, closest first
Products built for the same job come first, then products that also cover it, each group by similarity: the share of categories (50%), company sizes served (30%) and pricing model (20%) a product shares with Square Payroll.
Built for the same job
Patriot Payroll
vs Square Payroll: $117 vs $185 a month at 25 employees.
Similarity83 of 100From $17/mo + $4/employee/mo (you file taxes)1
SurePayroll
vs Square Payroll: $120 vs $185 a month at 25 employees.
Similarity75 of 100From $20/mo + $4/employee/mo (you file taxes)4
Gusto
vs Square Payroll: $199 vs $185 a month at 25 employees.
Square Payroll vs GustoGusto plans and prices
Similarity70 of 100From $49/mo + $6/employee/mo5
Paychex Flex
vs Square Payroll: No list price or score published for both Paychex Flex and Square Payroll yet.
Square Payroll vs Paychex FlexPaychex Flex pricing
Similarity60 of 100From $39/mo + $5/employee/mo (up to 19 employees)6
QuickBooks Payroll
vs Square Payroll: $225 vs $185 a month at 25 employees.
Square Payroll vs QuickBooks PayrollQuickBooks Payroll pricing
Similarity60 of 100From $50/mo + $7/employee/mo7
ADP RUN Powered by ADP
vs Square Payroll: Quote-only pricing; Square Payroll publishes its prices.
Square Payroll vs ADP RUN Powered by ADPADP RUN pricing
Similarity55 of 100
OnPay
vs Square Payroll: $199 vs $185 a month at 25 employees.
Similarity55 of 100From $49/mo + $6/employee/mo (Payroll Essentials plan)8
Paycor
vs Square Payroll: Quote-only pricing; Square Payroll publishes its prices.
Similarity22 of 100
Netchex
vs Square Payroll: Quote-only pricing; Square Payroll publishes its prices.
Similarity21 of 100
Also cover what Square Payroll does
Why buyers look beyond Square Payroll
Benefits come from partners and cost extra
Health insurance runs through SimplyInsured, the employer pays at least 50% of premiums, and it is not offered in HI, MN, ND, SD, VT or DC. Vestwell's most popular 401(k) plan costs $125 a month plus $8 per participant.
Limits on multi-jurisdiction payroll
Square does not support one employee who works in more than one tax jurisdiction, courtesy withholding, or several EINs in one payroll account.
Not for every employer type
Square Payroll is only for businesses that file Form 941 or Form 944. It does not support household or agricultural employees.
Some services are paid extras
Mailing paper W-2s and 1099s costs $3 per form each year. Fixing past tax forms is a paid service quoted per case, and workers' comp is a separate policy from NEXT Insurance.
Weekday specialist hours
Payroll specialists answer Monday to Friday, 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Pacific time.
Square Payroll vs its closest alternatives
| Product | Score | Starting price per employee | Starting base fee | Pricing model | Free trial | Open API | SOC 2 Type II |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Square Payroll10,11 | Not scored | $6/employee/mo | $35/mo | Base fee + per employee | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | Yes |
| Patriot Payroll1,12 | 9.3 | $4/employee/mo | $17/mo | Base fee + per employee | Yes | Not disclosed | Yes |
| SurePayroll4,13 | 5.0 | $4/employee/mo | $20/mo | Base fee + per employee | No | Not disclosed | Not disclosed |
| Gusto5,14,15 | 8.1 | $6/employee/mo | $49/mo | Base fee + per employee | No | Yes | Not disclosed |
| Paychex Flex6,16 | 7.2 | $5/employee/mo | $39/mo | Base fee + per employee | Not disclosed | Yes | Not disclosed |
| QuickBooks Payroll7,17,18 | 8.8 | $7/employee/mo | $50/mo | Base fee + per employee | Yes | No | Yes |
| ADP RUN Powered by ADP19,20 | 3.8 | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | Quote only | No | Yes | Not disclosed |
| OnPay8,21,22 | 7.6 | $6/employee/mo | $49/mo | Base fee + per employee | Yes | Not disclosed | Yes |
Not disclosed = the vendor doesn’t publish it.
Square Payroll comparisons
Alternatives to similar products
Frequently asked questions
What are the best alternatives to Square Payroll?
The closest alternatives to Square Payroll in Payroll Software are Patriot Payroll (83% similar), SurePayroll (75% similar), and Gusto (70% similar), by the categories, company sizes and pricing model they share. Patriot Payroll vs Square Payroll: $117 vs $185 a month at 25 employees.
What is a cheaper alternative to Square Payroll?
Patriot Payroll: $117 a month at 25 employees vs $185 for Square Payroll.
Which Square Payroll alternatives publish their prices?
Of the alternatives to Square Payroll, Patriot Payroll, SurePayroll, Gusto, Paychex Flex, QuickBooks Payroll, and OnPay publish list prices for at least one plan. Square Payroll publishes its prices too.
Which Square Payroll alternative scores highest?
Patriot Payroll (83% similar to Square Payroll), with a LeadChange Score of 9.3/10 in Payroll Software, among the 3 closest alternatives. For small businesses, Gusto (8.1/10) is the top-scored alternative that lists them as a target.
Why do teams look for Square Payroll alternatives?
The fit limits documented for Square Payroll: benefits come from partners and cost extra, limits on multi-jurisdiction payroll, and not for every employer type. The “Why buyers look beyond Square Payroll” section explains each one from its source.
Which Square Payroll alternatives integrate with QuickBooks Online?
Patriot Payroll, OnPay, Netchex, and Justworks list QuickBooks Online among their notable integrations, like Square Payroll.
Which Square Payroll alternatives offer a free trial?
Of the alternatives to Square Payroll, Patriot Payroll, QuickBooks Payroll, and OnPay list a free trial.
Is QuickBooks Payroll better than Square Payroll?
QuickBooks Payroll scores 8.8/10 in Payroll Software; which fits better depends on your headcount, budget and the modules you need. Feature by feature: Square Payroll vs QuickBooks Payroll.
How this page was made
What it is built from
43 verified facts, each checked against the vendor's own pages or another primary source, most recently on Oct 22, 2026.
Method
Scored and compared with the LeadChange methodology, version 1.3. Read the methodology
Independent review
Not reviewed yet by our independent reviewer. How we review
Hands-on testing
We have not tested Square Payroll 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
Switching from Square Payroll?
Tell us why you’re leaving and when your contract ends, and see the alternatives that fit, with verified evidence for what you need, ranked without regard to who pays us.
Sources
The 22 pages this page's facts come from, with the day we last checked each one. The numbers beside the figures above link here.
Quotes from the sources
- Patriot Software patriotsoftware.com/pricing“If you use Patriot’s payroll software, you will be charged $4 (Basic) or $5 (Full Service) per worker you pay during the month.” “Basic Payroll $17 $8.50 /mo plus $4 $2 per worker paid”
- Paycor paycor.com/plans-pricing“50-1000 EMPLOYEES”
- Intuit quickbooks.intuit.com/payroll“QuickBooks Workforce works for small to midsize businesses—from accountants and financial experts to hospitality companies, construction companies, truckers, and more.”
- SurePayroll (Paychex) surepayroll.com/payroll“$20/mo $4 per employee” “The features of our Full Service plan, except you’re responsible for filing and depositing all payroll taxes.”
- Gusto gusto.com/product/pricing“Simple Run basic payroll in one state. $49/mo + $6/mo per person”
- Paychex paychex.com/payroll/paychex-flex-essentials“Our most affordable option: Only $39/mo. + $5 per employee”
- Intuit quickbooks.intuit.com/payroll/pricing/bundle“WORKFORCE PAYROLL Pay your team and get payroll taxes done for you. $50 + $7/employee” “Free trial applies to the monthly base price for the first thirty (30) days of new subscriptions to QuickBooks Online and/or Workforce.”
- OnPay onpay.com/payroll/software/costs-pricing“Payroll Essentials $49 base + $6/worker per month” “Get started at just $49 base + $6/worker per month. No hidden fees, ever.”
- Justworks justworks.com/pricing“Justworks Payroll customers pay $8 per month per employee plus a $50 base fee.”
- 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.”
- Square trust.squareup.com/overview“SOC 2 Type II”
- Patriot Software patriotsoftware.com/about“As a SOC 2 Type II compliant organization, we follow rigorous data protection standards and adhere to all required federal privacy, anti-fraud, and security regulations.”
- SurePayroll (Paychex) surepayroll.com/pricing“During your first 12 months with SurePayroll, every alternating month will be free.”
- Gusto Payroll (Gusto)“We’ve got all kinds of plans for all sizes of business. Explore all the options. You’ll pay nothing ‘til you’re ready to run payroll.”
- Gusto docs.gusto.com“Leverage Gusto's API to build your own in-app payroll solution, customized for your users' needs, with Gusto Embedded.”
- Paychex paychex.com/integrations“Plus, Paychex APIs and developer resources make building applications, connections, and solution integrations easier than ever.”
- Intuit developer.intuit.com/app/developer/payroll-time/docs/faq“For the rest of the Workforce APIs, access to this data is currently restricted to approved partners only. To request access, open a support ticket.”
- Intuit assurance.intuit.com“Our most recent SOC 2 report is for the period of September 1, 2024, to April 30, 2025. Our Next SOC 2 will be released end of October and will cover the period of May 1, 2025 to July 31, 2026.”
- ADP adp.com/what-we-offer/payroll/payroll-for-1-49-employees/payroll-packages.aspx“Some payroll plans charge by the number of people paid each payroll cycle. As such, adding employees increases costs while removing employees decreases payroll prices.” “Can I try the product before purchasing it? Use the RUN Powered by ADP self-led demo to see how easy payroll and HR can be.”
- ADP marketplace-cdn.adp.com/dev-portal/pdf/protected/RUN_Powered_by_ADP_API_Catalog“The Marketplace API Catalog for RUN Powered By ADP lists APIs supported by RUN Powered By ADP”
- OnPay onpay.com“Get one month free”
- OnPay onpay.com/security“Third-party Certification: OnPay holds third-party auditor certification with the AICPA’s SOC program and is SOC 2 Type II compliant.”