OnPay vs Square Payroll
For 5 employees in one state, Square Payroll costs $780 a year and OnPay $948, so Square Payroll is $168 less. For a single-state team, Square Payroll costs less at every team size from 1 to 50 employees. Enter your own team below for your exact numbers.
What each would cost you per year
Annual totals from each provider’s published prices, for a team paid every other week that wants its federal and state payroll taxes filed for it.
| Your team | OnPay | Square Payroll | Lower cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Published price | $49/month + $6 per employee/month | $35/month + $6 per employee/month | |
| 1 employee | $660 | $492Full-Service Payroll | Square Payroll, $168 less |
| 5 employees | $948 | $780Full-Service Payroll | Square Payroll, $168 less |
| 10 employees | $1,308 | $1,140Full-Service Payroll | Square Payroll, $168 less |
| 25 employees | $2,388 | $2,220Full-Service Payroll | Square Payroll, $168 less |
| 5 employees in 2 states | $948 | $780Full-Service Payroll | Square Payroll, $168 less |
| 5 employees + 3 contractors | $1,164 | $996Full-Service Payroll | Square Payroll, $168 less |
Which one fits your business
- Next-day direct deposit? Square Payroll includes it on Full-Service Payroll; OnPay’s site doesn’t say.
- Time tracking? Square Payroll includes it; OnPay’s site doesn’t say.
- Local tax filing? OnPay includes it; Square Payroll’s site doesn’t say.
- Tipped wage support? Square Payroll includes it on Full-Service Payroll; OnPay’s site doesn’t say.
Feature comparison
| OnPay | Square Payroll | |
|---|---|---|
| Files federal and state payroll taxes for you | Included | Included |
| Employees in more than one state | Included | Included |
| 1099 contractor payments | Included | Included |
| Time tracking | Not stated on OnPay's pricing page | Included |
Run your own numbers
Filled in with the 5-person, 2-state team from the table above. Change anything, then see both totals.
Frequently asked questions
Which is cheaper, OnPay or Square Payroll?
For 5 employees in one state, Square Payroll costs $780 a year and OnPay $948, so Square Payroll is $168 less. For a single-state team, Square Payroll costs less at every team size from 1 to 50 employees. The table on this page also shows 1, 10 and 25 employees, a second state and contractors.
Do OnPay and Square Payroll both handle multi-state payroll?
OnPay: yes, on OnPay Payroll. Square Payroll: yes, on Full-Service Payroll.