# Gusto vs. Square Payroll — 2026 Payroll Comparison

> Source: https://gustodiscountcode.com/gusto-vs/square-payroll
> Independent Gusto referral site. Pricing as of 2026 from each provider's public pricing pages — confirm current rates before purchasing.

Square Payroll is a great fit if you already run Square for point-of-sale — timecards flow straight from the register into payroll. Outside the Square ecosystem, its HR and benefits tooling is lighter than Gusto's. For businesses that aren't tied to Square hardware, Gusto is the more complete payroll and HR platform.

## Feature comparison

| Feature | Gusto | Square Payroll |
|---|---|---|
| Base price | $40/mo | $35/mo |
| Per employee | $6/employee/mo | $6/employee/mo |
| Contractor payroll | $35/mo + $6/contractor | $6/contractor, no base fee |
| Payroll tax filing | Automatic, all 50 states — included | Included, all 50 states |
| Benefits administration | Health, dental, vision, 401(k), HRA | Health & retirement via partners |
| Time tracking | Built in (Plus & Premium) | Built in (syncs with Square POS) |
| Intro offer | First month free + $300 offer | Varies |
| Support | Phone, email, chat | Phone & email (business hours) |
| Best for | Small businesses that want payroll + HR + benefits in one place | Retail & restaurants already using Square POS |

## Where Gusto wins

- Deeper benefits and HR tooling
- Not locked to one POS ecosystem
- Stronger onboarding and compliance features

## Where Square Payroll wins

- Seamless if you already use Square POS
- Great contractor-only pricing ($6/person, no base)

## The bottom line

For most small and mid-sized businesses, Gusto offers the best balance of transparent pricing, built-in benefits, and automatic tax filing — and new customers can earn a $300 Visa card for running payroll: https://dub.sh/yDuTchj. Choose Square Payroll if retail & restaurants already using square pos.

## Compare Gusto to other providers

- [Gusto vs. ADP](https://gustodiscountcode.com/gusto-vs/adp)
- [Gusto vs. QuickBooks Payroll](https://gustodiscountcode.com/gusto-vs/quickbooks)
- [Gusto vs. Rippling](https://gustodiscountcode.com/gusto-vs/rippling)
- [Gusto vs. Paychex](https://gustodiscountcode.com/gusto-vs/paychex)
- [Gusto vs. Justworks](https://gustodiscountcode.com/gusto-vs/justworks)
- [Gusto vs. OnPay](https://gustodiscountcode.com/gusto-vs/onpay)
- [Full payroll comparison chart](https://gustodiscountcode.com/gusto-vs)

**Get $300 for trying Gusto:** https://dub.sh/yDuTchj