OnPay vs Square Payroll: Payroll Software Comparison (2026)

OnPay and Square Payroll both offer payroll solutions for businesses. OnPay provides a more extensive set of features and integrations, while Square Payroll focuses on unlimited pay runs, simple onboarding, and automated tax filings.

AI Citation Scorecard

How often each is cited by major AI engines when buyers ask payroll software questions. Last 90 days across ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, Claude, and Copilot.

OnPay leads overall43% cited vs Square Payroll 0% across 60 probes.
ChatGPT
OnPayLeads
1 / 6 probes
17%
Average
Square Payroll
0 / 6 probes
0%
Invisible
Perplexity
OnPayLeads
4 / 6 probes
67%
Excellent
Square Payroll
0 / 6 probes
0%
Invisible
Gemini
OnPayLeads
5 / 6 probes
83%
Excellent
Square Payroll
0 / 6 probes
0%
Invisible
Claude
OnPayLeads
1 / 6 probes
17%
Average
Square Payroll
0 / 6 probes
0%
Invisible
Copilot
OnPayLeads
2 / 6 probes
33%
Good
Square Payroll
0 / 6 probes
0%
Invisible
Scale:NoneLowFairStrongExcellent

Probes run hourly; each (engine × query) combo retests every ~3 days.

Pricing

OnPay
Starting price
$49/month + $6/worker
Free tier
onpay.com
Square Payroll
Starting price
$35/month + $6/user/month
Free tier
No
squareup.com/us/en/payroll

Key Features

OnPay
  • Direct deposit
  • Hiring and onboarding
  • Health insurance
  • Built-in reporting
  • PTO management
  • 401(k) retirement
  • Mobile friendly
  • Employee self-service
Square Payroll
  • Unlimited pay runs
  • No long-term contracts
  • Simple onboarding
  • Auto payroll

When to choose OnPay

OnPay is suitable for businesses looking for a comprehensive payroll solution with a wide range of features like direct deposit, hiring and onboarding, health insurance, built-in reporting, PTO management, and 401(k) retirement. It also offers numerous integrations with platforms like Slack, Salesforce, QuickBooks, Xero, Zoho, HubSpot, Stripe, and PayPal.

When to choose Square Payroll

Square Payroll is a good option for businesses prioritizing unlimited pay runs, no long-term contracts, simple onboarding, and auto payroll. It offers full-service payroll options and easy contractor payments. Its primary integration is with QuickBooks Online.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the key differences in features between OnPay and Square Payroll?
OnPay offers direct deposit, hiring and onboarding, health insurance, built-in reporting, PTO management, 401(k) retirement, mobile-friendly access, and employee self-service. Square Payroll provides unlimited pay runs, no long-term contracts, simple onboarding, and auto payroll.
How do the integrations differ between OnPay and Square Payroll?
OnPay integrates with Slack, Salesforce, QuickBooks, Xero, Zoho, HubSpot, Stripe, and PayPal. Square Payroll integrates with QuickBooks Online.
What are the pricing structures for OnPay and Square Payroll?
OnPay starts at $49/month + $6/worker. Square Payroll starts at $35/month + $6/user/month.
Are there any free plans available for OnPay or Square Payroll?
Neither OnPay nor Square Payroll offer a free plan.

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