Square Payroll vs Wave Payroll
A detailed comparison of Square Payroll and Wave Payroll. See how they stack up on features, pricing, and user ratings.
At a Glance
| Square Payroll | Wave Payroll | |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.3/5 | 4.1/5 |
| Starting Price | $35/mo | $40/mo |
| Free Trial | No | Yes |
| Free Plan | No | No |
| Features | 7 | 7 |
| Best For | SMB | SMB |
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.
Rating
4.3/5
Best for
SMB
Free trial
No
Free plan
No
Wave Payroll
Affordable payroll solution from Wave, designed for small businesses and freelancers already using Wave's free accounting software.
Rating
4.1/5
Best for
SMB
Free trial
Yes
Free plan
No
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Square Payroll | Wave Payroll |
|---|---|---|
| Workflow Automation | ||
| Reporting Dashboard | ||
| EEO/OFCCP Compliance | ||
| GDPR Compliance | ||
| API Access | ||
| HRIS Integration | ||
| Mobile App |
Pricing Comparison
Square Payroll
Pay Employees
$35/mo
Pay Contractors Only
Free
Wave Payroll
Tax Service
$40/mo
Self Service
$20/mo
Integrations
Both tools integrate with
Gmail
Google Workspace
Zapier
Only Square Payroll
QuickBooks
Square POS
Pros & Cons
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
Wave Payroll
Pros
- +Seamless integration with Wave's free accounting and invoicing
- +Affordable pricing for very small teams
- +Direct deposit and automatic payroll tax calculations
- +Simple interface designed for non-accountants
Cons
- -Full tax-service payroll limited to certain US states
- -No HR features — purely payroll
- -Fewer features than competitors like Gusto at a similar price point
- -No benefits administration
Which Should You Choose?
Choose Square Payroll if:
- • Your company is SMB size
- • Higher user ratings matter to you (4.3 vs 4.1)
- • Budget is a priority (starts from $35/mo vs $40/mo)
- • Seamless integration with Square POS and payment ecosystem
Choose Wave Payroll if:
- • Your company is SMB size
- • You want to try before committing (free trial available)
- • Seamless integration with Wave's free accounting and invoicing
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.