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Paychex vs Square Payroll: Which Payroll Software Is Better?


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Both Paychex and Square Payroll are leading payroll software solutions, but which one is better for you and your business?

Below we compare Paychex and Square Payroll across nearly 50 different data points to help you make find the right one.

 

Paychex vs Square Payroll Reviews

PaychexSquare Payroll
Trustpilot Rating1.24.2
Number of Trustpilot Reviews2334049
iPhone App Rating4.84.8
Number of iPhone App Reviews4112005
Android App Rating3.83.8
Number of Android App Reviews294002660

Paychex vs Square Payroll Pricing

PaychexSquare Payroll
Free Trialn/an/a
Free Trial Lengthn/an/a
Cheapest Plan NameEssentialsPay Contractors Only
Cheapest Plan Cost Per Month$By request$n/a
Mid Priced Plan NameSelectn/a
Mid Priced Plan Cost Per Month$By request$n/a
Top Plan NameProPay Employees & Contractors
Top Plan Cost Per Month$By request$41

Paychex vs Square Payroll Features

FeaturesPaychexSquare Payroll
Target Business SizeEnterpriseSmall business
Unlimited Payrolls✘✔
Automated Tax Filing & Payments✔✔
E-sign I-9 & W-4✘✘
Live Customer Support✘✔
Third-Party Integrations✔✔
Ability To Manage Employee Benefits✔✔
Employee Access To Platform✔✔
Direct Deposit✔✔
Expense Reimbursement✘✘
Time Off Accrual✔✔
Pre-Tax Deductions✔✔
Wage Garnishment✔✔
Background Checks✔✘
Check Printing✔✔
Check Delivery✔✔
API✔✔

Paychex Essentials Features

  • Payroll Processing
  • Taxpay® Payroll Tax Administration with W-2/1099
  • Employee Pay Options
  • Garnishment Payment Service
  • Employee Self-Service and Mobile Experience
  • Financial Wellness and Cashflow Assistance
  • Employee Onboarding
  • HR Library
  • Analytics and Reports Center
  • New Hire Reporting
  • Labor Posters

Square Payroll Pay Contractors Only Features

  • We mail all 1099-NEC forms
  • M–F 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. PT support
  • Pay by check, direct deposit, or Cash App
  • Free seasonal inactivity
  • All features included, with no hidden fees
  • No commitment, cancel anytime

Paychex Pro Features

  • Payroll Processing
  • Taxpay® Payroll Tax Administration with W-2/1099
  • Employee Pay Options
  • Garnishment Payment Service
  • General Ledger Service
  • Employee Self-Service and Mobile Experience
  • Financial Wellness and Cashflow Assistance
  • Learning Management System1
  • Employee Onboarding
  • HR Library
  • Employee Handbook Builder
  • Pre-Employment Screening
  • Analytics and Reports Center
  • New Hire Reporting
  • Labor Posters
  • State Unemployment Insurance Service
  • Workers’ Compensation Payment Service2 or Report Service
  • General Ledger Integrations

Square Payroll Pay Employees & Contractors Features

  • No additional fees
  • Full-service payroll
  • Payroll for employees and contractors
  • Automatic payroll tax calculations
  • All tax filings and payments
  • Multistate payroll
  • Live support for account setup
  • Timecards and employee app
  • Track and import tips and commissions
  • We mail W-2s and 1099-NEC forms
  • Pay by check, direct deposit, or Cash App
  • M–F 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. PT support
  • No commitment, cancel anytime
  • Unlimited pay runs per month
  • Free seasonal inactivity

Paychex vs Square Payroll Pro & Cons

PaychexSquare Payroll
Pros
  • User Friendly
  • Saves Time
  • Customer Service
  • Reporting
  • Easy Processes
  • Mobile App
  • Self Service
  • User Friendly
Cons
  • Not User Friendly
  • Technical Issues
  • Adjustment Issues
  • Slow
  • Customer Service
  • Not User Friendly
  • Room for Improvement
  • Slow

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