The Square Payroll Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Square Payroll in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Square Payroll
The Insider’s Guide
Payroll for Square sellers, with timecards from Square POS
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among payroll services, read from Square Payroll’s own pages.
Made by Block, Inc. · checked Oct 17, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Square Payroll’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Square Payroll’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 17, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.4
GPA, above 6 of the 18 other payroll services we grade
Square Payroll is Block's payroll service for US businesses, run from the Square Dashboard or the Square Team App. Full-service payroll files federal and state payroll taxes and takes hours, tips and overtime from Square's point of sale and team tools. A cheaper contractor-only plan pays 1099 contractors without the tax filings.
To get you started, here are 8 things to know about Square Payroll, taken from its own pages and our grades.
If you're on Square already, the hours are already there.
- 1
Best for shops and cafes already selling with Square
Away from Square it's a plain payroll service with no HR tools.
- 2
Paid plans start at $6 a month for each person
As its pricing page puts it: $6 per person paid / month, contractor-only payroll.
- 3
It runs on 3 platforms
Web, iOS and Android.
- 4
Full-service payroll
Unlimited pay runs, auto payroll, off-cycle payments and multiple pay rates, with no long-term contract.
- 5
Payroll tax filing
Calculates, withholds and files federal payroll taxes and state taxes, including state unemployment, for each state or locality you pay in.
- 6
Timecards, tips and overtime
Imports hours from Square POS or the Team App, tracks direct tips, calculates overtime and schedules staff up to 10 days out.
- 7
A 2.4 GPA, above 6 of 18
That is against the other payroll services we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 8
Keep it
To replace Square Payroll you would be making payroll taxes worked out and filed with the government for you. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
Square Payroll at a glance
- Pricing
- Paid, from $6 per person paid / month, contractor-only payroll
- Free plan
- No
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- Web, iOS, Android
- Made by
- Block, Inc.
- Category
- Payroll
- Our grade
- 2.4 GPA, fair
- Store rating
- 4.7 on the App Store, 41,157 ratings
The report card
Best for shops and cafes already selling with Square
If you already take payments with Square, this is the obvious payroll: hours and tips come straight in from the till, and staff can be paid into Cash App. It's $65 a month for five people. Away from Square it's a plain payroll service with no HR tools.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | B | Full-service payroll is $35 a month plus $6 a person, $65 for five, inside the cheapest quarter of this category. Paying only contractors is $6 a person, $30 for five, though that plan files no taxes. |
| Free plan and trial | F | No free plan or trial on record. There is no long-term contract, so you pay month by month, but you pay from the start. |
| Features | C | Payroll done fully, with tax filing for each state you pay in, tips and hours pulled from Square POS, overtime and scheduling. It's a smaller job, though: no HR tools, and health insurance and 401(k) are paid add-ons. |
| Ease of use | A | 4.7 from about 41,000 App Store ratings for the Square Team app, where owners run payroll and staff onboard themselves. If you're on Square already, the hours are already there. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | Web, iPhone and Android, with Square Point of Sale, Cash App and QuickBooks Online. No desktop app, and it's sold on Square's US site only. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Square Payroll is for
- Great if your timecards and tips already live in Square POS
- Handy when staff want paying straight into Cash App
- Good for owners who only pay contractors, at $6 a person
Who it is not for
- Too light for teams that want HR tools, since there aren't any here
- Not for you if you don't use Square, as the timecard and tip import is the main reason to pick it
- Tight if staff want paper forms, at $3 for each mailed W-2 or 1099 a year
Good to know
Good for
- Restaurants, shops and salons already taking payments with Square
- Businesses with tipped hourly staff
- Owners who pay only contractors and want a per-person price
Worth knowing
- Contractor-only payroll leaves out tax filings, auto payroll, off-cycle payments, multistate payroll and garnishments.
- Mailed paper W-2s and 1099s cost $3 per form a year; workers' comp, health insurance and 401(k) are paid add-ons.
- Scheduling, tip import, overtime and labor-cost reports come only with full-service payroll.
- It runs US payroll, filing federal and state taxes, and is sold on Square's US site.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$6
A month to start, for each person
Square Payroll is a paid product, starting at $6 per person paid / month, contractor-only payroll.
There is no long-term contract, so you pay month by month, but you pay from the start.
Contractor-only payroll
$6
per person paid / month, contractors only
Pay contractors from the Square Dashboard by direct deposit, check or Cash App, with 1099s delivered digitally. No tax filings or auto payroll.
Full-service payroll
$35
per month, plus $6 per person paid
Unlimited and auto payroll, federal and state tax filings, multistate payroll, scheduling, tip import, labor-cost reports and next-day deposit.
Read from squareup.com on Oct 17, 2026.
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
3
Places it runs: Web, iOS and Android
Payroll for Square sellers, with timecards from Square POS. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: time tracking, reports, payroll.
Payroll done fully, with tax filing for each state you pay in, tips and hours pulled from Square POS, overtime and scheduling.
- Full-service payroll
- Unlimited pay runs, auto payroll, off-cycle payments and multiple pay rates, with no long-term contract.
- Payroll tax filing
- Calculates, withholds and files federal payroll taxes and state taxes, including state unemployment, for each state or locality you pay in.
- Timecards, tips and overtime
- Imports hours from Square POS or the Team App, tracks direct tips, calculates overtime and schedules staff up to 10 days out.
- Pay by deposit, check or Cash App
- Next-day or two-day direct deposit, paper checks, or Cash App, where team members can get paid instantly.
- Square Team App
- Owners run payroll and manage the team from a phone, and employees onboard themselves and see their pay stubs.
- Reports and QuickBooks
- Custom reports on paychecks, employee and company totals, labor-cost reports, and a QuickBooks Online integration.
Where it runs
- Web
- iOS
- Android
What it works with
- Square Point of Sale
- Cash App
- QuickBooks Online
Square Payroll is made by Block, Inc.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
6/18
Other payroll services it is graded above
Square Payroll's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 6 of the 18 other payroll services we grade, and level with 9.
It stands best on ease of use (A, above 9 of 18) and worst on free plan and trial (F, above 0).
Its paid plans start at $6 a month for each person, against a middle price of $29 for the category: 0 of the 13 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 3.0 out of 4, and no tool on the category's chart scores higher without costing more.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 19 payroll services we grade, cut by the letter each got. Square Payroll’s own letter is outlined.
- BValue for moneyAbove 13 of 18
- FFree plan and trialAbove 0 of 18
- CFeaturesAbove 0 of 18
- AEase of useAbove 9 of 18
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 2 of 18
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 14 payroll services. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Square Payroll is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
To replace Square Payroll you would be making payroll taxes worked out and filed with the government for you. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
It costs $72 a year.
What you could make
- Time tracking and reports: an app builder makes these well.
What you could not
- Payroll taxes worked out and filed with the government for you.
- A real app for iOS and Android. Something home-made would be a web page.
- It is priced for each person, which means accounts and billing for a team.
What this rests on. Square Payroll’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
Gusto, OnPay, QuickBooks Workforce, Patriot Payroll and Roll by ADP
The 5 tools Square Payroll is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.4GPA
Gusto
From $49/mo
Payroll and HR for small businesses, with apps for owners and staff.
- Square Payroll also covers reports.
- Gusto also covers expense tracking.
- 2.6GPA
OnPay
Free trial · from $49/mo
US payroll with published prices, plus HR and time add-ons.
- 2.4GPA
QuickBooks Workforce
Free trial · from $50/mo
Intuit's payroll and HR service, sold alone or with QuickBooks.
- Square Payroll also covers reports.
- 2.6GPA
Patriot Payroll
Free trial · from $17/mo
Low-cost online payroll for small US businesses.
- Only Square Payroll lists iOS and Android apps.
- 2.8GPA
Roll by ADP
Free trial · from $39/mo
Chat-based payroll app for very small US businesses.
- Square Payroll also covers reports.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
13
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Square Payroll free?
No. Square Payroll is a paid product, starting at $6 per person paid / month, contractor-only payroll.
How much does Square Payroll cost?
Square Payroll lists 2 plans. Contractor-only payroll: $6 per person paid / month, contractors only.
What platforms does Square Payroll work on?
Square Payroll is available on Web, iOS and Android.
How is Square Payroll rated?
Square Payroll's iPhone and iPad app averages 4.7 out of 5 from 41,157 ratings on the App Store in the United States, as read on Oct 17, 2026.
Does Square Payroll have a Windows app?
No Windows app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 17, 2026. Square Payroll is listed for Web, iOS and Android.
Does Square Payroll have a macOS app?
No macOS app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 17, 2026. Square Payroll is listed for Web, iOS and Android.
Is Square Payroll open source?
Square Payroll is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 17, 2026.
What does Square Payroll integrate with?
Square Payroll's listing names Square Point of Sale, Cash App and QuickBooks Online.
Who makes Square Payroll?
Square Payroll is made by Block, Inc.
What are the alternatives to Square Payroll?
The closest alternatives to Square Payroll in our directory are Gusto, OnPay, QuickBooks Workforce, Patriot Payroll and Roll by ADP.
How does Square Payroll compare with other payroll services?
Square Payroll's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 6 of the 18 other payroll services we grade, and level with 9.
Is Square Payroll good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Square Payroll B for value for money. Its paid plans start at $6 a month for each person, against a middle price of $29 for the category: 0 of the 13 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of Square Payroll?
To replace Square Payroll you would be making payroll taxes worked out and filed with the government for you.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Square Payroll’s own pages on Oct 17, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 17, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Square's own pages on 17 October 2026, and its App Store rating. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Block, Inc. Prices change, so check squareup.com before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
1,858
Tools graded, in 46 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
ToolGPA is free to read. It may earn a commission from affiliate links and it works with sponsors, but anything paid for is labelled and no one can pay for a grade. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
1,858
tools graded
46
categories
426
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Square Payroll, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/square-payroll
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Square Payroll: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 17, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/square-payroll
Know someone choosing between payroll services?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/square-payroll/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded payroll services after Square Payroll, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Payroll Insider's GuideEvery one of the 19 payroll services we grade, compared
- Roll by ADP Insider's GuideChat-based payroll app for very small US businesses2.8 GPA
- OnPay Insider's GuideUS payroll with published prices, plus HR and time add-ons2.6 GPA
- Patriot Payroll Insider's GuideLow-cost online payroll for small US businesses2.6 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Square Payroll’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. ToolGPA uses affiliate links and may earn a commission from them, and it works with sponsors; anything paid for is labelled, and no one can pay for a grade. Square Payroll is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Block, Inc. Prices and plans change: check squareup.com before you buy.