Paychex vs Square Payroll
A detailed comparison of Paychex and Square Payroll. See how they stack up on features, pricing, and user ratings.
At a Glance
| Paychex | Square Payroll | |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.2/5 | 4.3/5 |
| Starting Price | $39/mo | $35/mo |
| Free Trial | No | No |
| Free Plan | No | No |
| Features | 7 | 7 |
| Best For | SMB | SMB |
Paychex
Payroll and HR outsourcing provider for small to mid-sized businesses, offering payroll processing, retirement plans, insurance, and HR advisory services with dedicated support.
Square Payroll
Simple payroll solution from Square for small businesses, designed to integrate with Square's POS and payments ecosystem at $35/month plus $6/person.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Paychex | Square Payroll |
|---|---|---|
| Workflow Automation | ||
| Reporting Dashboard | ||
| EEO/OFCCP Compliance | ||
| GDPR Compliance | ||
| API Access | ||
| HRIS Integration | ||
| Mobile App |
Pricing Comparison
Paychex
Square Payroll
Integrations
Both tools integrate with
Only Paychex
Only Square Payroll
Pros & Cons
Paychex
Pros
- +Reliable payroll processing for SMBs
- +Strong tax filing and compliance
- +Local payroll specialist support
- +Benefits administration included
Cons
- -Pricing not fully transparent
- -Add-on costs can increase quickly
- -Interface less modern than Gusto or Rippling
- -Contract lock-in with some plans
Square Payroll
Pros
- +Seamless integration with Square POS and payment ecosystem
- +Contractor-only payroll option with no monthly base fee
- +Simple, clean interface consistent with Square's design
- +Automatic tax calculations and filings
Cons
- -Limited HR features compared to Gusto or Rippling
- -Best value only for businesses already using Square products
- -No benefits administration beyond basic offerings
- -Fewer integrations than standalone payroll platforms
Which Should You Choose?
Choose Square Payroll if:
- • Your company is SMB size
- • Higher user ratings matter to you (4.3 vs 4.2)
- • Budget is a priority (starts from $35/mo vs $39/mo)
- • Seamless integration with Square POS and payment ecosystem
How we evaluate tools
Our ratings combine verified user reviews from G2 and Capterra with hands-on feature analysis. Pricing is checked against official sources. We may earn a commission through affiliate links, but this never influences our rankings or recommendations. Read our full methodology.