OnPay vs Square Payroll

Side-by-side from the Top 11 ranking of The 11 Best Payroll Software for SMBs (2026). Last verified May 31, 2026.

The short answer

OnPay ranks higher on Top 11 (#4 vs #8) for Small business owners running payroll without in-house HR. Offers a single, transparently priced plan with great support and features for niche industries.

At a glance

OnPaySquare Payroll
Top 11 rank#4 / The 11 Best Payroll Software for SMBs (2026)#8 / The 11 Best Payroll Software for SMBs (2026)
Score (out of 9.4)8.67.9
Best forNiche industry featuresBusinesses using Square POS
Pricing$ ($46+/mo)$$ ($41+/mo)
HQAtlanta, USASan Francisco, USA
Founded20072009

OnPay

Offers a single, transparently priced plan with great support and features for niche industries.

onpay.com

See full entry in The 11 Best Payroll Software for SMBs (2026)

Square Payroll

Perfect for Square POS users, with seamless integration of hours, tips, and commissions.

squareup.com/us/en/payroll

See full entry in The 11 Best Payroll Software for SMBs (2026)

Methodology and scoring weights live at /methodology. No vendor pays for placement — see about.