Softwr

Accounting · head to head

ADP vs Square for Retail

ADP logo

ADP

Accounting

Always Designing for People

From
$29/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Square for Retail logo

Square for Retail

E-Commerce

Integrated point of sale and retail management

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Square for Retail has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: ADP no pricing is published; every quote is custom and driven by employee count and which services are taken; Square for Retail limited customer support with primarily email and online forums, slow response times for urgent issues
  • They diverge on capability: ADP covers Payroll, Square for Retail covers Contactless payments.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which ADP and Square for Retail actually diverge.

Attributes where ADP and Square for Retail differ
AttributeADPSquare for Retail
Starting price$29/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionUnknown
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, Ios, AndroidiOS, API
CategoryAccountingE-Commerce
Founded19492009

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in ADP

  • Payroll
  • Tax services
  • HR management
  • Time & attendance
  • Benefits administration
  • QuickBooks
  • Sage
  • Oracle

Only in Square for Retail

  • Contactless payments
  • Inventory tracking
  • Employee management
  • Customer profiles
  • Sales analytics
  • Receipt printing
  • Integration with Square Online
  • Reporting tools

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

ADP

  • Payroll processing and tax filingnot Square for Retail
  • HR administration and employee recordsnot Square for Retail
  • Time and attendance trackingnot Square for Retail
  • Benefits administrationnot Square for Retail
  • Talent management on the mid-market and enterprise productsnot Square for Retail

Square for Retail

  • Retail point-of-sale systemsnot ADP
  • Online store payment processingnot ADP
  • Appointment and booking schedulingnot ADP
  • Phone and field payment collectionnot ADP

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

ADP

  • No pricing is published; every quote is custom and driven by employee count and which services are taken
  • Split into three separate products by company size, RUN for 1 to 49 employees, Workforce Now for 50 and above, and Lyric HCM for enterprise, so growing across a threshold means changing product rather than plan

Square for Retail

  • Limited customer support with primarily email and online forums, slow response times for urgent issues
  • Internet connectivity required for normal operations; weak signal impacts transaction processing and experience
  • Restricted to Square's payment processing with higher transaction fees compared to some competitors
  • Limited to iOS devices and Square's proprietary hardware, excluding Android or third-party devices
  • Limited advanced retail capabilities and deeper third-party integrations compared to enterprise POS systems

Pricing, plan by plan

ADP

$29/month
  • Essential$79/month
    • Payroll
    • Tax filing
    • Direct deposit
  • Enhanced$139/month
    • HR tools
    • Background checks
    • Job posting

Square for Retail

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Payment processing at 2.6% + 15 cents
    • Basic inventory management
    • Invoicing
  • Plus$49/month
    • In-person: 2.5% + 15 cents
    • Online: 2.9% + 30 cents
    • Product exchanges
  • Premium$149/month
    • In-person: 2.4% + 15 cents
    • Online: 2.9% + 30 cents
    • Advanced features

Which should you pick?

Choose ADP if

  • You need payroll.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want tax services.
ADP review

Choose Square for Retail if

  • You need contactless payments.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on iOS, API.
  • You also want inventory tracking.
Square for Retail review

Questions people ask

Is ADP or Square for Retail better?
Neither clearly leads. ADP starts at $29/month and Square for Retail at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, ADP or Square for Retail?
Square for Retail has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $29/month for ADP and Free for Square for Retail.
Does ADP or Square for Retail run on more platforms?
ADP runs on Web, Ios, Android. Square for Retail runs on iOS, API.
Can I use Square for Retail for free?
Yes. Square for Retail has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. ADP starts at $29/month.
What is ADP best used for?
ADP is most often used for payroll processing and tax filing, hr administration and employee records, time and attendance tracking, benefits administration. Of those, payroll processing and tax filing and hr administration and employee records are not what Square for Retail is typically brought in for.
What can ADP do that Square for Retail cannot?
ADP covers Payroll, Tax services, HR management, Time & attendance. Square for Retail covers Contactless payments, Inventory tracking, Employee management, Customer profiles.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

ADP: How is ADP pricing organized?

ADP organizes pricing by business size: Small Business (1-49 employees), Midsized (50-999 employees), and Enterprise (1,000+ employees). Each segment receives customized pricing tailored to specific business needs.

Source
Square for Retail: Does Square for Retail have a free tier?

Yes, Square for Retail's free tier includes payment processing at 2.6% plus 15 cents per transaction, basic inventory, invoicing, online shop, and booking tools with no monthly subscription fee.

Source
ADP: Is there a current promotional offer for ADP payroll?

ADP currently offers 3 months free when signing up for small business payroll (promotion ends 9/24). Contact sales at 800-225-5237 for details and to request pricing based on your employee count.

Source
Square for Retail: What are the transaction fees across Square's pricing tiers?

Free tier: 2.6% + 15 cents. Plus tier ($49/month): 2.5% + 15 cents in-person, 2.9% + 30 cents online. Premium tier ($149/month): 2.4% + 15 cents in-person, 2.9% + 30 cents online.

Source
Square for Retail: What devices can run Square for Retail?

Square for Retail runs on iOS devices (iPad and iPhone) using Square's proprietary hardware or compatible mobile devices, and requires integration with Square's payment processing.

Source
Square for Retail: Can I use Square for Retail offline?

Square for Retail depends on an internet connection for optimal functionality. Offline functionality is limited, and high-traffic operations may require recharging or connection verification.

Source
Square for Retail: Does Square for Retail support third-party integrations?

Yes, Square offers integrations through its App Marketplace and provides APIs for custom development including payments, inventory, orders, customers, loyalty, and webhooks.

Source
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