Square Payroll is great if every client is on Square POS. Otherwise, the math runs us over.
Square Payroll is the natural choice for any business already running on Square POS — tips, hours, and timecards flow in automatically, and the contractor-only tier ($6/contractor with no monthly base) is genuinely cheap. For a restaurant/retail/services accounting firm with most clients on Square, Square Payroll deserves serious consideration. For everyone else, the per-company base hits all the same walls.
$12/client/mo flat. 5 employees included; $2/mo each additional.
$35/mo + $6/employee per company (Full Service). $6/contractor/mo with no base (contractor only).
50 clients × 6 employees on Square Payroll: $35×50 + $6×6×50 = $1,750 + $1,800 = $3,550/mo. Payrollix: ~$700/mo. Annual delta: ~$34,200.
Side by side — honestly, including where Square Payroll comes out ahead.
| Feature | Payrollix | Square Payroll |
|---|---|---|
| Per-client flat pricing | $12/client | $35 base × N clients |
| Square POS integration | No native | Native (tips, hours, timecards auto-flow) |
| Square ecosystem (Capital, Bank, Invoicing) | None | Full Square Money platform |
| Brand recognition (restaurant / retail / services) | New | Dominant SMB POS brand |
| Health insurance | Premium deductions (pre-tax) | Premium deductions + plan marketplace |
| Multi-client dashboard | Native | Limited |
| IRS e-filing | Yes — e-filed directly with the IRS | Via Square |
| 50-state tax filing | Yes | Yes |
| Contractor-only pricing | Included in standard plan | $6/contractor, no base |
| Mobile app (iOS + Android) | Employee + client portals | Square Team app (employee) |
| Dedicated client portal | Yes | No |
| Geofencing time tracking | Built-in | Via Square POS |
| 401(k) handling | Deductions, employer match & limits | Deductions + full plan |
| QuickBooks / Xero | Bidirectional | Yes |
| Odoo / FreshBooks / Wave / Sage | Native | No |
| Onboarding packet (8655 + state POAs) | One e-sign | Piecemeal |
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