Square Payroll

Square Payroll is US payroll software that runs pay runs, calculates and files payroll taxes, and imports timecards and tips from Square's point of sale. It pays employees and contractors and connects to health insurance, 401(k) and QuickBooks Online. Square sells it to small businesses, with a page for food and beverage.

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Best for
Restaurants and cafes using Square POS, Small businesses wanting tax filing handled for them
Pricing
From USD 35 per month, plus $6 per month per person paid
Runs on
Web

Who it is for

  • Restaurants and cafes using Square POS

    Timecards and direct tips import from Square POS so payroll can run faster.

  • Small businesses wanting tax filing handled for them

    Square calculates, withholds and files federal and state payroll taxes on the employer's behalf on the full-service plan.

Less suited to: Businesses outside the United States: the product handles US federal and state payroll taxes and W-2/1099 forms.

What it does

  • Full-service payroll runs

    Pays W-2 employees and contractors with hourly, salary or custom amounts, with unlimited pay runs per month.

  • Auto payroll

    Payroll can be set to run automatically each pay period.

  • Tax calculation and filing

    Calculates, withholds and files federal and state payroll taxes, including quarterly and annual filings.

  • W-2 and 1099-NEC forms

    Generates and files W-2s and Form 1099-NECs each January for the prior tax year.

  • Timecard and tip import

    Imports timecards from Square POS or the Square Team App and calculates direct tips for the pay run.

  • Scheduling

    Creates and publishes staff schedules, up to 10 days out on the full-service plan.

  • Labor-cost reporting

    Shows labor costs including wages and tips.

  • Employee self-onboarding

    Employees enter their own details so payroll can be set up quickly.

  • Square Team App

    Staff clock in and out, track hours and view estimated earnings and pay stubs; managers can run payroll from it.

  • Health insurance and 401(k) add-ons

    Offers medical, dental and vision plans through SimplyInsured and 401(k) plans through Vestwell.

  • Multiple pay rates and off-cycle payments

    Supports multiple pay rates per person and off-cycle payments on the full-service plan.

Pricing

Starting price
From USD 35 per month, plus $6 per month per person paid
Pricing model
Base fee plus per-person monthly fee
Minimum contract
None; no commitment or long-term contract
Free plan
No

Full-service payroll is $35 a month plus $6 a month per person paid. Contractor-only payroll is $6 a month per person paid with no base fee and fewer features. Unlimited pay runs, no commitment and cancel anytime are stated. Mailing paper W-2s or 1099s costs $3 per form a year.

Works with

Accounting
QuickBooks Online
Other
SimplyInsuredVestwell
Payments
Cash App
Point of sale
Square POS

Where and how it runs

Available in
United States
Platforms
Web
Apps
Square Team App: Clock in and out, view pay stubs and run payroll from a phone
Hardware
None stated for payroll itself; timecards come from Square POS or the Team App.

The payroll pages are on Square's US site and describe US federal and state taxes, W-2 and 1099 forms.

The company

Founded
2009

Security and support

Support
Live payroll specialists are available Monday to Friday, 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Pacific time, with onboarding guidance.

Listing details

Vendor
Block, Inc.
Headquarters
United States
Built for
Restaurants
Focus
General-purpose, used in food businesses
Status
Active
Website
squareup.com

Alternatives to Square Payroll

See all 15 in Payroll

  • Push Operations

    Push Operations is a cloud workforce platform for restaurants that combines payroll, HR and onboarding, scheduling, time tracking and reporting.

    Names 10 integrations, against 5 for Square Payroll.

  • Lightspeed Payroll

    Lightspeed Payroll is the restaurant payroll and workforce offering from Lightspeed, delivered through its partner 7shifts.

    Names 1 integration, against 5 for Square Payroll.

  • Toast Payroll

    Payroll and team management product from Toast for restaurants, integrated with its POS.

  • Skello

    Skello is web and mobile software for staff scheduling, time clocking, absence tracking and payroll preparation, built for teams that work on site.

    Names 23 integrations, against 5 for Square Payroll.

Compare Square Payroll

Side-by-side tables built from the same profile data.

What we could not confirm

These points were not confirmed when this page was written.

  • Free trial
  • Headquarters and employee count
  • Which mobile platforms the Square Team App supports
  • Security certifications
  • Named restaurant customers

Sources

Facts on this page come from the pages below, checked on 29 September 2026. Prices and features change, so confirm with the vendor before you buy.

  1. Product page, POS integration, QuickBooks, pricing summaryhttps://squareup.com/us/en/payroll
  2. Plan prices and feature comparisonhttps://squareup.com/us/en/payroll/pricing
  3. Features, partners, support hourshttps://squareup.com/us/en/payroll/features
  4. Company history and parenthttps://squareup.com/us/en/about