Quick verdict
How these two tools differ.
Square Payroll and QuickBooks Payroll are ecosystem plays: Square Payroll sits inside Square (payments, POS, etc.); QuickBooks Payroll runs inside QuickBooks so payroll posts to your books and job costing automatically. Both handle W-2 and 1099 payroll with automatic tax filing. The choice is mainly which ecosystem you're in.
Square Payroll wins if you're already on Square—one login, simple payroll, straightforward pricing. QuickBooks Payroll wins if you're already on QuickBooks—payroll and accounting in one place, labor cost on the right jobs. If you're not in either ecosystem, a standalone option like Gusto or OnPay may be a better fit than either.
Pricing is similar: both use published base-plus-per-person pricing (Square often around $35/month base, QuickBooks around $30/month on Core). Compare at your headcount and state. Choose Square Payroll if you're a Square user and want simple payroll. Choose QuickBooks Payroll if you're a QuickBooks user and want payroll and job costing together.
Comparison summary
Winner for Square ecosystem
Square Payroll
Payroll lives inside Square with your payments and POS.
Winner for QuickBooks ecosystem
QuickBooks Payroll
Payroll and books in one place with job costing.
Quick decision guide
Which product fits your situation.
Choose Square Payroll if:
- You already use Square for payments, POS, or invoicing.
- You want simple payroll without job costing inside an accounting app.
- You prefer to keep payments and payroll in one place.
- Your accounting may be in another tool or minimal.
Choose QuickBooks Payroll if:
- You already use QuickBooks for bookkeeping.
- You want payroll and job costing in one system with no sync.
- You need labor cost to post to jobs and accounts automatically.
- You prefer the QuickBooks workflow and reporting.
Ratings comparison
How we score each product.
| Category | Square Payroll | QuickBooks Payroll |
|---|---|---|
| Ease of use | 4.5 | 4.7 |
| Features | 4.2 | 4.5 |
| Pricing | 4.4 | 4.4 |
| Support | 4.2 | 4.3 |
| Integrations | 4.0 | 4.8 |
Feature comparison
Side-by-side feature check.
SupportedPartial supportNot available
| Feature | Square Payroll | QuickBooks Payroll |
|---|---|---|
| Payroll automation | Full W-2 and 1099 | Full W-2 and 1099, integrated with QuickBooks |
| Tax filing | Automatic federal and state | Automatic federal and state |
| Square ecosystem | Native—payroll inside Square | Not applicable |
| QuickBooks / job costing | Via integrations if needed | Native—payroll posts to jobs |
| Ease of use | Simple for Square users | Simple for QuickBooks users |
Pricing comparison
What to expect to pay.
Both use published pricing: Square Payroll often around $35/month base plus per-person fees; QuickBooks Payroll around $30/month on Core plus per-person. They're close at entry. Compare at your headcount; the main differentiator is ecosystem—Square vs QuickBooks—not price.
Pros and cons
Strengths and trade-offs.
Square Payroll
Pros
- Simple payroll inside Square
- One ecosystem for payments and payroll
- Straightforward pricing
Cons
- Tied to Square; no native QuickBooks job costing
- Less accounting depth than QuickBooks Payroll
QuickBooks Payroll
Pros
- Payroll and QuickBooks in one place
- Job costing and labor cost in one system
- Familiar for QuickBooks users
Cons
- Tied to QuickBooks ecosystem
- Not for Square-centric businesses
Best for
Which tool fits your situation.
Best for Square users
Square Payroll is the better fit when you already use Square and want simple payroll. QuickBooks Payroll is the better fit when you use QuickBooks and want payroll and job costing together.
Best for QuickBooks accounting users
QuickBooks Payroll is the better fit when you run your books in QuickBooks. Square Payroll is the better fit when you run payments and operations in Square.
Alternatives
Other options we review.
Read full reviews
Dive deeper into each product.
For detailed ratings, features, and pros and cons, see our standalone reviews:
Best payroll software guides
Find the right fit by use case or trade.
FAQs
Quick answers.