Top Square Payroll Alternatives & Competitors For 2024

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Looking for alternatives to Square Payroll? Many users crave user-friendly and feature-rich solutions for tasks like Security and Compliance, Payroll and Tax Management, and Platform Capabilities. Leveraging crowdsourced data from over 1,000 real Payroll Software selection projects based on 400+ capabilities, we present a comparison of Square Payroll to leading industry alternatives like ADP RUN, Paychex, Paycom, and Sage Payroll.

Sage Payroll Software Tool

Product Basics

Based in the cloud, Square Payroll is suited for businesses of all sizes. Integrating with the well-known POS solution from the same company offers features that assist with processing pay, filing taxes, employee self-service and more. The support staff helps users with implementation, whether they need help with their first implementation or simply just assistance migrating data from an old interface. Its capabilities also provide time tracking, invoice creation, appointment scheduling, direct deposit and more.
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Like a classic rom-com montage, running a small business means trying on a lot of hats. Processing payroll alone is a complex, time-consuming task. That's where ADP RUN comes in—it's a cloud-based payroll service specifically for small businesses, keeping your payroll processing and HR management out of the horror genre.

When you need to complete multiple tasks without the manpower of larger corporations, ADP RUN (also known as RUN POWERED by ADP) helps you do the job(s).

Here's how:

  • Automating the entire payroll process (including recurring payroll with RUN & DONE).
  • Calculating deductions and withholdings.
  • Self-onboarding employees.
  • Detecting payroll errors.
  • Working on the go with the mobile app.

ADP RUN at a Glance

Price

Starting from $79 monthly (additional $4 per employee).

Deployment Method

Cloud-based.

Business Size

Most suitable for small businesses.

Popular Integrations

QuickBooks, Xero, Tsheets, When I Work, ZipRecruiter.

Customer Service Availability

Live chat agents are available Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. ET. A.V.A. (virtual assistant) is available 24/7.


User Experience

Nearly 90% of users recommend it.

Training

Documentation, videos, live online, webinars and demos.

Mobile App

Yes, 4.9 review score according to Google Play.


Let’s be honest: not everyone is a fast learner. Whether it’s your first time or your hundredth, ADP RUN has step-by-step screens and quick tips for completing tasks.

There’s direct deposit for paying your employees and additional options like Wisely Direct (an ADP-exclusive debit card) and ADPCheck.

Manage everything from your personalized dashboard, including upcoming payrolls, to-dos, payroll history and quick access to all RUN features.

Run powered by ADP is under the ADP umbrella, which earns recognition on our top ten list of the best HR software. Additionally, ADP Workforce Now is in the top five for applicant tracking and recruiting, compensation management, employee self service, and learning management.

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Paychex provides payment processing, time-keeping and other general human resource software. They offer this to self-employed users, small businesses, medium business and large enterprise ventures. Buyers can choose from various pricing plans and payment options such as direct deposit, real-time transfers and same-day ACH. Most versions have some core HR management and pay processing functionalities.

Based in the cloud, it assists with hiring, onboarding, tax filing, benefits management, business insurance, startup services and more. Users can customize it to meet their specific needs, adding only what they use. This allows administrators to ensure it fits their requirements, whether they be simple or complex.
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Paycom is a cloud-based payroll management software designed to streamline payroll processing for businesses of all sizes. It automates tasks like calculating taxes, generating paychecks, and filing reports, saving time and reducing errors. Paycom is particularly well-suited for companies with complex payroll needs, such as those with multiple locations, international employees, or union contracts. Some of Paycom's key benefits include its ease of use, scalability, and compliance support. The software is known for its intuitive interface and comprehensive features, making it easy for both administrators and employees to navigate. Paycom can also be customized to meet the specific needs of different businesses, regardless of size or industry. Additionally, Paycom stays up-to-date on all tax and regulatory changes, ensuring that businesses are always in compliance. When compared to similar payroll products, Paycom generally receives positive reviews from users for its user-friendly interface, comprehensive features, and reliable customer support. However, it is also known to be one of the more expensive options on the market, with pricing based on the number of employees and the complexity of payroll needs.

Pros
  • Easy to use interface
  • Comprehensive features
  • Reliable customer support
  • Scalable for businesses of all sizes
  • Strong compliance support
Cons
  • Higher cost compared to competitors
  • Complex pricing structure
  • May require additional setup for complex needs
  • Limited reporting customization options
  • Not ideal for very small businesses
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Sage HRMS Payroll is an HR system used by businesses of all sizes across all industries. It enables organizations to process pay in-house. It streamlines tasks such as tallying hours worked, calculating tax and managing data. The single platform approach lets users streamline their pay processes and ensure employees receive accurate paychecks at the end of each pay period. If you integrate with a full suite, users can automate various tasks concerning processing payments, including time and attendance tracking, benefits management and recruitment.
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Mac
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Android
Chromebook
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Mac
Linux
Android
Chromebook
Windows
Mac
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Android
Chromebook
Windows
Mac
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Android
Chromebook
Windows
Mac
Linux
Android
Chromebook
Cloud
On-Premise
Mobile
Cloud
On-Premise
Mobile
Cloud
On-Premise
Mobile
Cloud
On-Premise
Mobile
Cloud
On-Premise
Mobile

Product Assistance

Documentation
In Person
Live Online
Videos
Webinars
Documentation
In Person
Live Online
Videos
Webinars
Documentation
In Person
Live Online
Videos
Webinars
Documentation
In Person
Live Online
Videos
Webinars
Documentation
In Person
Live Online
Videos
Webinars
Email
Phone
Chat
FAQ
Forum
Knowledge Base
24/7 Live Support
Email
Phone
Chat
FAQ
Forum
Knowledge Base
24/7 Live Support
Email
Phone
Chat
FAQ
Forum
Knowledge Base
24/7 Live Support
Email
Phone
Chat
FAQ
Forum
Knowledge Base
24/7 Live Support
Email
Phone
Chat
FAQ
Forum
Knowledge Base
24/7 Live Support

Product Ranking

#21

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#1

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#4

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Payroll Software

#2

among all
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#24

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Payroll Software

Find out who the leaders are

Analyst Rating Summary

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85
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Benefits Management
Dashboard and Reporting
Expense Management
Platform Capabilities
Security and Compliance
Benefits Management
Dashboard and Reporting
Expense Management
Platform Capabilities
Security and Compliance
Dashboard and Reporting
Expense Management
Platform Capabilities
Security and Compliance
Benefits Management
Dashboard and Reporting
Expense Management
Security and Compliance
Time and Attendance Management
Payroll and Tax Management
Benefits Management
Dashboard and Reporting
Expense Management
Platform Capabilities
Security and Compliance

Analyst Ratings for Functional Requirements Customize This Data Customize This Data

Square Payroll
ADP RUN
Paychex
Paycom
Sage Payroll
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Benefits Management Dashboard and Reporting Expense Management Mobile Capabilities Payroll and Tax Management Platform Capabilities Security and Compliance Time and Attendance Management 94 100 100 81 90 100 100 91 85 100 100 87 91 87 100 95 0 25 50 75 100
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User Sentiment Summary

Excellent User Sentiment 1069 reviews
Excellent User Sentiment 2835 reviews
Great User Sentiment 2800 reviews
Great User Sentiment 2809 reviews
Good User Sentiment 92 reviews
93%
of users recommend this product

Square Payroll has a 'excellent' User Satisfaction Rating of 93% when considering 1069 user reviews from 4 recognized software review sites.

90%
of users recommend this product

ADP RUN has a 'excellent' User Satisfaction Rating of 90% when considering 2835 user reviews from 3 recognized software review sites.

83%
of users recommend this product

Paychex has a 'great' User Satisfaction Rating of 83% when considering 2800 user reviews from 4 recognized software review sites.

85%
of users recommend this product

Paycom has a 'great' User Satisfaction Rating of 85% when considering 2809 user reviews from 6 recognized software review sites.

70%
of users recommend this product

Sage Payroll has a 'good' User Satisfaction Rating of 70% when considering 92 user reviews from 4 recognized software review sites.

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4.5 (24)
4.4 (14)
5.0 (1)
4.4 (23)
4.6 (1450)
4.2 (1342)
4.2 (935)
3.3 (30)
4.66 (571)
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Awards

User Favorite Award
User Favorite Award
Analysts' Pick Award
Expense Management Award
Platform Capabilities Award
Expense Management Award
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Synopsis of User Ratings and Reviews

Simple UI: Over 90% of users who discussed the ease-of-use were impressed by the system.
Affordable: Reviewers felt the pricing was appropriate and affordable in more than 90% of comments that discussed it.
Efficient Payroll Processing: More than 90% of users who discussed payroll processing felt it worked well.
Highly Recommended: In reviews that discussed recommending the service, over 80% said they’d advise other businesses to use it.
Filing Taxes and Reports: More than 80% of comments that discussed filing taxes and year-end reporting were happy with its capabilities.
Adequate Functionality: Users liked the features and felt they worked well in over 80% of reviews that talked about it.
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Easy to Use: A whopping 88% of users found the design intuitive and user-friendly, including the mobile app. Specifically, the payroll side is noted for its clear presentation.
Excellent Customer Service: 82% of ADP RUN users praise its customer service, particularly the prompt assistance and effective issue resolution through the 24/7 chat feature.
Efficient Reporting: Users enjoy ADP RUN's reporting for ensuring accurate P&L allocation and payroll tracking. The report generator helps tailor payroll reports for seamless integration with accounting files for a more comprehensive overview.
User-Friendly Payroll Processing: Most users find the payroll feature easy and efficient. They appreciate the quick data entry process and fail-safe questions to prevent errors.
24/7 Customer Service: RUN offers phone and online support to ensure the speedy resolution of issues. In reviews, users say customer service is polite, knowledgeable and effective.
Automated Tax Filing: Companies can leave all their taxes to RUN. They don’t have to worry about filing on time. Instead, they can trust experienced professionals to handle it.
Easy to Use: The platform is easy to navigate and use, with a relatively small learning curve.
Multiple Reports: Built-in reports are easy to generate; you can also “favorite” frequent reports to save time. They’re also convenient to view online and export as a PDF or Excel file.
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User-Friendly UI: A total of 80% of reviewers who mentioned the UI felt it easy to use.
Price Within Budget: Around 50% of reviewers that mentioned price were satisfied with the pricing structure and found that the system was worth it.
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User-Friendly: 85% of reviews mentioning the interface noted the platform has an intuitive layout, with all features organized and easy to locate.
Customer Service: Customer support is highly responsive, as asserted by 100% of reviews referencing it.
Employee Self-Services: All users referring to self-service observed that employees can easily upload documents, view information and track performance.
Performance Reviews: An open dialogue tool makes employee performance reviews more effective, as indicated by 70% of reviews mentioning this feature.
Use Anywhere: The mobile app is easy to use and has all desktop features available, as asserted by 100% reviews on this feature.
Customization: Customization for most features helps cater to a company’s unique requirements, as noted by all reviews on product customization.
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Excellent HR Functionality: Over 90% of reviewers discussing the HR functions said it worked well.
Useful Reporting: Commenters liked reporting in just under 90% of reviews that discussed it.
Successful Functionality: More than 80% of users who talked about the features were pleased with their functionality.
Great Price: Reviewers were pleased with the price in over 70% of reviews discussing the cost.
Helpful Customer Service: Over 70% of commenters that discussed support felt it was pleasant and useful.
User Friendly: Reviewers felt the system was easy to use in over 60% of comments about the platform’s usability.
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Limited Customization Options: Over 70% of reviews that talked about customization said the options were inadequate.
No Employee Discounts: Businesses had trouble giving employees discounts in over 70% of comments that discussed it.
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Limited Timesheets: Some express a desire for a customizable timesheet.
PTO Woes: Users have mixed experiences with ADP RUN's PTO feature. They encounter challenges with managers not receiving timely alerts for PTO requests and being directed to incorrect pages when trying to approve requests. There's a desire for more customization options, particularly in setting PTO features tailored to individual employee needs.
Holiday Time Off: Some users also face difficulties updating company holidays for specific pay classes within the system.
Tax Questions: Some users request additional clarity when setting up earning and deductions tax status in payroll.
Add-Ons Get Expensive: Not all functionalities are available in the main application.
Costly Upgrades: It’s relatively expensive, and upgrading from one tier to the next isn’t always seamless. It’s not the most affordable for companies with many pay cycles per month. Other payroll options offer similar functions and cost less.
Difficult/Limited Functionality: Some issues include: Users can’t edit payroll after submission. No feature for escalating to supervisors. Hard to remove workers hired to cover during vacations. No unlimited payroll runs. No option to create multiple paychecks for one person during the pay cycle.
Implementation Miscommunication: Some reviewers have reported poor communication when working through implementation issues. However, some say that after setup, it’s easy to use, and potential hurdles are worth the trouble.
Slow Phone Customer Service: Customer service is ultimately helpful, but many users get frustrated by long wait times to speak with a rep. After all, any issue regarding money may be a serious one.
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Late Submissions and Missed Deadlines: Around 80% of reviewers that mentioned taxes ran into issues, with around 70% saying they had to pay penalties as a result.
Terrible Customer Service: Clients complained that the customer service was rude, unqualified, ill-informed, unhelpful and had high turnover in almost 70% of reviews that mentioned customer service.
Broken Features: Over 50% of reviews that mentioned the features said they were left wanting. The most common issues were communication problems. Just under 20% of all reviewers complained about errors made by either the solution or the staff.
Late Cancellations: Around 20% of reviewers that discussed price complained that they had canceled the program, but it had kept taking money out of their account.
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Login Process: All reviews on the login process observed that employees need to log in every time they open the software, as there’s no password save feature.
Challenging Transition: Transitioning between the client and employee side is challenging and cumbersome, as users need to log in to both systems, according to all reviews on this aspect.
Learning Curve: All users reviewing learning noted that the platform has a steep learning curve, making adaptation difficult for new users.
Integration Capabilities: The system doesn't provide integration with major third-party platforms without using SFTP or API, as indicated by 100% of reviews on this feature.
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Performance Issues: Over 80% of users who talked about the system’s performance said they ran into some bugs and crashes.
Bad Setup: Reviewers ran into issues and sharp learning curves during implementation in over 60% of comments about it.
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Square Payroll is an online payment, time and attendance and POS system. Users like it best because it’s easy to use with an intuitive design that can be adopted quickly. They felt the pricing was fair and were especially pleased with its efficient processing of payment. Many users said they’d recommend it to other businesses similar to their own and were happy with its ability to create and file sales, quarterly and new hire reports. Lastly, they were pleased with its features, specifically its easy sign-in, reporting, time tracking and tax calculating. On the con side, customization options were minimal as it’s a reasonably straightforward system. Many companies that use the solution are restaurants that either want to give employees discounts on food or pay with money from their upcoming paycheck. They were displeased with its inability to allow this. Overall, this solution is excellent for small businesses, especially retail and food service. Larger companies should look elsewhere.

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RUN powered by ADP is a popular payroll and HR solution for a range of small businesses, including startups and newer companies needing robust payroll and HR tools (without extensive expertise).Its efficient tools for managing employee records, benefits and compliance help these professionals minimize manual effort. Payroll specialists and accountants or bookkeepers also benefit from ADP RUN's automation and error detection.The main menu and search bar (with shortcuts for common tasks under it) made it easy to find what I was looking for without an annoying amount of redirects or feeling like a game of Where’s Waldo. It’s simple and uncomplicated to view your paystub and when payday is.For admins, the payroll feature seems straightforward. View your pay period, use “Calculate Paycheck” and check dates. Get an overview of payroll either for all employees or sort by things like last name. When you log in and get to the main page, there’s also a convenient reminder(s) section called “Top To-Dos.”For famous document misplacers, there’s a document vault that keeps important info secure and accessible.Onboard fully from your phone, including setting up direct deposit and tax withholdings without waiting for HR to show you how. For me, working remotely makes mobile access a must-have, and ADP RUN checks that box with mobile clocking in and out, viewing company policies, PTO, and pay info. Admins can also fully get payroll done on their phones.If anything seems off, payroll error detection activates a pop-up box asking, “Does this look right?” and gives a brief explanation of potential issues; from there, admins select “Ignore issues” or “Go back and fix.”Run a single report or select a popular report option. View payroll details, liabilities and summaries. Choose your date range and download the report from there (on the app or desktop).Recent reviews cite long wait times over the phone for customer service. When I called the general line, I shared my details and got a specific number to dial. I would prefer direct transfers over calling separate numbers, although this might change once you have a designated contact.Lastly, I've noticed that the cost is higher compared to competitors like Paychex or Workday. Purchasing add-on features “a la carte” affects the cost, which may be frustrating to some users who need more in-depth functionality on a smaller budget.The RUN Powered by ADP® Mobile Payroll app is a free download for mobile devices. With the app, you can complete payroll processing, view reports like payroll liability and access or update employee 1099 info. Additional mobile app features vary depending on Apple or Android devices, such as a chat feature for Androids and pay rate changes on Apple devices.Overall, RUN Powered by ADP is a comprehensive payroll solution for small businesses. Its intuitive design is great for users with little to no experience in most cases. It might be pricier than some alternatives, but most users find the added cost valid, considering its user-friendly interface, payroll automation and mobile app features.

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Paychex incorporates a range of different solutions and is used widely by small, medium and large-sized companies. While around 40% of users were happy with the functionality of the system, the majority expressed dissatisfaction with its tax capabilities, pricing and customer service. Many described it as dishonest and complained especially that they were oversold on its capabilities and that the salespeople used pushy tactics to try and upsell them. Other complaints of the system included making errors, overpaying employees or even miscalculating taxes resulting in serious penalties. Current and former clients greatly disliked the service. The UI was the most positively reviewed element of the platform with around 80% expressing satisfaction with the design and navigation. Around 50% were happy with the pricing structure and a minority of around 30% of users said they had positive experiences with some select customer service members. This disparity in experiences may be in part to the high turnover rate in representatives which is mentioned many times during the reviews. This solution could be appropriate for small and medium-sized businesses. It supports larger enterprises, but buyers should make sure it has the necessary functionality before purchasing.

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Paycom users in the past year have expressed both enthusiasm and concerns about the software. Many praise its user-friendly interface, mobile app convenience, and comprehensive feature set, which includes payroll, HR, benefits administration, and talent management. Compared to competitors, users find Paycom to be more intuitive and integrated, streamlining HR processes and saving time. Additionally, customer service is often lauded as responsive and helpful. However, some drawbacks are also mentioned. Implementation can be complex and require significant initial effort. Pricing concerns surface, with Paycom perceived as costlier than some competitors. While offering a wider range of features, this may not be necessary for all businesses, leading to potential overpaying for unused functionalities. Overall, Paycom seems to be a powerful and user-friendly option for companies seeking a one-stop HR and payroll solution. However, its complexity and cost warrant careful consideration, especially for smaller businesses or those with simpler needs. Comparing features and pricing with competitors is crucial to ensure Paycom aligns with your specific requirements and budget.

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Sage HRMS Payroll is a payment solution that’s part of the broader software suite. Users enjoyed its useful functionality, ease of use, intuitive layout and good HR features. The reporting features were prevalent because of the comprehensive breakdowns and different levels of permissions on the report. Many also liked that there was no hard close after closing the payroll. Users also felt that customer service was polite and was able to help many through challenges. Overall, reviewers also said it was well-priced and affordable. Its biggest drawback came in the form of performance issues. Users experienced instances of getting kicked out or running into programs that were buggy or crashed. Reviewers were also displeased with the setup process they felt was over-complicated and took far too long. Sage HRMS Payroll may be a good choice for medium and large enterprise organizations who are looking to integrate HR functions as well.

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Related Categories

Top Alternatives in Payroll Software


ADP Workforce Now

APS Payroll

Gusto

Namely

OnPay

Patriot Payroll

Paychex

Paycom

Paycor

Paylocity

Payroll4Free

QuickBooks Payroll

Rippling

TriNet

Workday HCM

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