Hubstaff vs Square Payroll Comparison: Reviews, Features, Pricing & Alternatives in 2026

Detailed side-by-side comparison to help you choose the right solution for your team

Updated Apr 2026 8 min read

Hubstaff

0.0 (0 reviews)

Hubstaff provides an all-in-one workforce management platform featuring time tracking, proof of work, and payroll automation to help remote and field teams improve productivity and streamline daily operations.

Starting at $7/mo
Free Trial 14 days
VS

Square Payroll

0.0 (0 reviews)

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.

Starting at Free
Free Trial NO FREE TRIAL

Quick Comparison

Feature Hubstaff Square Payroll
Website hubstaff.com squareup.com
Pricing Model Subscription Subscription
Starting Price $7/month Free
FREE Trial ✓ 14 days free trial ✘ No free trial
Free Plan ✘ No free plan ✘ No free plan
Product Demo ✓ Request demo here ✓ Request demo here
Deployment cloud mobile desktop saas mobile
Integrations Slack Asana Trello Jira GitHub QuickBooks PayPal FreshBooks Salesforce Basecamp Square POS QuickBooks Online Xero Homebase Deputy TSheets 7shifts Guideline SimplyInsured AP Intego
Target Users small-business mid-market enterprise solopreneur small-business
Target Industries retail restaurant professional-services
Customer Count 0 0
Founded Year 2012 2009
Headquarters Indianapolis, USA San Francisco, USA

Overview

H

Hubstaff

Hubstaff is a comprehensive workforce management platform designed to give you clear visibility into how your team works. Whether you manage a remote agency or a fleet of field service workers, you can track hours accurately across desktop, web, and mobile apps. The software goes beyond simple timers by offering optional proof-of-work features like activity levels and screenshots, ensuring you only pay for actual work completed.

You can streamline your entire back-office workflow by connecting tracked time directly to automated invoicing and payroll. The platform also includes GPS tracking for mobile teams and project management tools to keep tasks on schedule. By automating these administrative burdens, you reduce manual data entry errors and free up more time to focus on growing your business and supporting your team.

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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

H

Hubstaff Features

  • Automated Time Tracking Start and stop timers with one click across desktop, web, and mobile apps for pinpoint billing accuracy.
  • Productivity Monitoring View activity levels based on mouse and keyboard usage to identify top performers and potential bottlenecks.
  • GPS and Geofencing Track your field team's location in real-time and automatically start timers when they arrive at job sites.
  • Automated Payroll Connect your preferred payment provider to automatically pay your team based on their tracked hours and rates.
  • Detailed Reporting Generate custom reports on budgets, time off, and project costs to keep your business profitable and transparent.
  • Project Management Organize tasks into Kanban boards or Sprints and track time directly against specific project milestones.
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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

H

Hubstaff Pricing

Starter
$7
  • Time tracking
  • Activity levels
  • Limited screenshots
  • Payments & Payroll
  • 1 Integration
  • 24/7 Support
S

Square Payroll Pricing

Contractors Only
$0
  • $5 per person paid monthly
  • No monthly base fee
  • Direct deposit included
  • 1099-NEC generation and filing
  • Self-service contractor account

Pros & Cons

M

Hubstaff

Pros

  • Extremely accurate time tracking across multiple devices
  • Simplifies payroll by automating payments and invoicing
  • Detailed activity reports provide great visibility into workflows
  • GPS tracking is highly effective for field-based teams

Cons

  • Monitoring features can feel intrusive for some employees
  • Mobile app occasionally experiences sync delays
  • Learning curve for setting up complex project structures
A

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
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