Harvest
Harvest is a cloud-based time tracking and invoicing software that helps you manage team capacity, track project expenses, and turn billable hours into professional invoices effortlessly.
Square Payroll
Square Payroll is a full-service payroll software that automates tax filings, employee payments, and benefits management for small businesses using integrated time tracking and point-of-sale data.
Quick Comparison
| Feature | Harvest | Square Payroll |
|---|---|---|
| Website | getharvest.com | squareup.com |
| Pricing Model | Freemium | Subscription |
| Starting Price | Free | Free |
| FREE Trial | ✓ 30 days free trial | ✘ No free trial |
| Free Plan | ✓ Has free plan | ✘ No free plan |
| Product Demo | ✓ Request demo here | ✓ Request demo here |
| Deployment | ||
| Integrations | ||
| Target Users | ||
| Target Industries | ||
| Customer Count | 0 | 0 |
| Founded Year | 2006 | 2009 |
| Headquarters | New York, USA | San Francisco, USA |
Overview
Harvest
Harvest helps you bridge the gap between tracking time and getting paid. You can capture every billable minute using simple timers on your desktop, phone, or through integrations with tools you already use like Asana or Slack. It transforms that raw data into visual reports so you can see exactly where your team’s time is going and which projects are hitting their budgets.
Beyond just tracking hours, you can manage your entire billing cycle in one place. You can create invoices based on tracked time, send them to clients automatically, and accept payments online. It is designed for agencies, freelancers, and professional service teams who need to stay profitable without spending hours on manual spreadsheets or complex administrative tasks.
Square Payroll
Square Payroll simplifies how you pay your team by automating the most complex parts of business ownership. You can pay employees and contractors in just a few clicks, whether they are hourly or salaried. The platform automatically calculates, files, and pays your federal and state payroll taxes, ensuring you stay compliant without manual paperwork. Because it integrates directly with Square POS, your team's hours sync automatically, eliminating the need for manual data entry or messy spreadsheets.
You can manage everything from a single dashboard, including workers' compensation, health insurance, and 401(k) plans. The system supports flexible payment options like Instant Payments, allowing you to send funds to employees the same day they work. Whether you are running a single coffee shop or managing multiple retail locations, you get a straightforward tool that handles the back-office heavy lifting so you can focus on growing your business.
Overview
Harvest Features
- One-Click Timers Start and stop timers from your browser, desktop, or mobile device to capture every minute of work accurately.
- Visual Reporting Monitor your project budgets and team capacity with easy-to-read graphs that show you exactly how much time remains.
- Automated Invoicing Turn your tracked time and expenses into professional invoices and send them to your clients with just a few clicks.
- Expense Tracking Snap photos of receipts and log project expenses on the go so you never miss a reimbursement again.
- Team Capacity Monitoring See who is overbooked and who has room for more work to keep your team balanced and productive.
- Online Payments Integrate with PayPal and Stripe so your clients can pay invoices instantly, helping you get paid much faster.
Square Payroll Features
- Automated Tax Filings. Let the software calculate, file, and pay your state and federal payroll taxes automatically to ensure total compliance.
- Time Card Sync. Import employee hours directly from Square POS or the Team App to eliminate manual data entry errors.
- Instant Payments. Access your funds immediately and pay your team the same day they work using your Square Balance.
- Benefits Integration. Offer and manage health insurance, 401(k) plans, and workers' comp directly through your payroll dashboard.
- Contractor Payments. Pay your independent contractors via direct deposit and let the system generate and file 1099-NEC forms.
- Employee Mobile App. Give your team a dedicated app to track their hours, view pay stubs, and manage their tax forms.
Pricing Comparison
Harvest Pricing
- 1 seat
- 2 active projects
- Unlimited invoices
- Desktop and mobile apps
- Dozens of integrations
- Everything in Free, plus:
- Unlimited seats
- Unlimited active projects
- Custom invoice branding
- Importing data
- Priority support
Square Payroll Pricing
- $5 per person paid monthly
- No monthly base fee
- Direct deposit included
- 1099-NEC generation and filing
- Self-service contractor account
- Everything in Contractor plan, plus:
- $6 per person paid monthly
- Full-service tax filings
- Time card and POS integration
- Health insurance and 401(k) access
- Live phone and chat support
Pros & Cons
Harvest
Pros
- Extremely simple interface requires almost no training
- Integrates seamlessly with popular tools like Asana
- Mobile app makes tracking time on the go easy
- Generous 30-day trial with no credit card required
Cons
- Reporting filters can feel limited for complex needs
- No built-in scheduling features without adding Forecast
- Invoicing templates offer limited visual customization
Square Payroll
Pros
- Seamless integration with Square Point of Sale
- Automatic tax filing saves hours of manual work
- Simple and transparent per-employee pricing model
- Easy setup process for new business owners
Cons
- Customer support can be difficult to reach
- Limited advanced HR features for large corporations
- Account freezes can occasionally delay payroll processing