Softwr

Software · head to head

Paycom vs Square Appointments

Paycom logo

Paycom

Software

HR and payroll technology led by employees

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Square Appointments logo

Square Appointments

Software

Free scheduling for beauty businesses

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Square Appointments has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Paycom no public API and no transparent integration capabilities; Square Appointments the free plan is aimed at solo professionals; booking across multiple staff requires the paid Plus plan
  • They diverge on capability: Paycom covers Payroll, Square Appointments covers Online booking.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Paycom and Square Appointments actually diverge.

Attributes where Paycom and Square Appointments differ
AttributePaycomSquare Appointments
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelquotesubscription
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWebWeb, Ios, Android
Founded19982009

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

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 Paycom

  • Payroll
  • Time and Attendance
  • HR Management
  • Talent Acquisition
  • Talent Management
  • Learning Management
  • Microsoft 365
  • Google Workspace

Only in Square Appointments

  • Online booking
  • Client management
  • Point of sale
  • Payment processing
  • Automated reminders
  • Instagram booking
  • Google booking
  • Mobile app

Both cover

  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Paycom

  • Payroll processing with employee self-verification through Betinot Square Appointments
  • Time and attendance tracking with schedulingnot Square Appointments
  • Talent acquisition and onboardingnot Square Appointments
  • Benefits and compliance administrationnot Square Appointments
  • Automated time-off decisions through GONEnot Square Appointments

Square Appointments

  • Online appointment booking for salons, barbers and personal servicesnot Paycom
  • Taking card payments and deposits at the time of bookingnot Paycom
  • Managing staff calendars, waitlists and no-show policiesnot Paycom

Where each one falls short

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

Paycom

  • No public API and no transparent integration capabilities
  • Limited integrations with third-party ATS, LMS, or performance tools
  • Custom pricing makes cost forecasting difficult
  • Proprietary system philosophy limits flexibility compared to more open platforms
  • Does not support global payroll and benefits

Square Appointments

  • The free plan is aimed at solo professionals; booking across multiple staff requires the paid Plus plan
  • Cancellation policies, no-show fees and waitlists require the Plus plan
  • Resource management, service cost tracking and the future bookings report require the Premium plan
  • Custom processing rates are reserved for Square Pro, which is aimed at businesses processing over $250,000 a year
  • Card processing fees are charged on top of the plan fee on every tier including the free one

Pricing, plan by plan

Paycom

On request
  • Standard$undefined/month
    • Payroll
    • Time and Labor
    • HR Management

Square Appointments

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Unlimited appointments
    • Online booking
    • Client management
  • Plus$29/month
    • Everything in Free
    • Multiple staff calendars
    • No-show protection
  • Premium$69/month
    • Everything in Plus
    • Multi-location
    • Staff management

Which should you pick?

Choose Paycom if

  • You need payroll.
  • You also want time and attendance.
Paycom review

Choose Square Appointments if

  • You need online booking.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want client management.
Square Appointments review

Questions people ask

Is Paycom or Square Appointments better?
Neither clearly leads. Paycom starts at On request and Square Appointments at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Paycom or Square Appointments?
Square Appointments has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Paycom and Free for Square Appointments.
Does Paycom or Square Appointments run on more platforms?
Paycom runs on Web. Square Appointments runs on Web, Ios, Android.
Can I use Square Appointments for free?
Yes. Square Appointments has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Paycom starts at On request.
What is Paycom best used for?
Paycom is most often used for payroll processing with employee self-verification through beti, time and attendance tracking with scheduling, talent acquisition and onboarding, benefits and compliance administration. Of those, payroll processing with employee self-verification through beti and time and attendance tracking with scheduling are not what Square Appointments is typically brought in for.
What can Paycom do that Square Appointments cannot?
Paycom covers Payroll, Time and Attendance, HR Management, Talent Acquisition. Square Appointments covers Online booking, Client management, Point of sale, Payment processing. Both handle Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Paycom: Does Paycom offer a free trial?

No. Paycom does not offer a free trial. Pricing depends on company size and modules and requires a custom quote.

Source
Paycom: Can Paycom integrate with third-party tools?

Paycom has no public API and fewer than 50 integrations. Paycom's philosophy is that you should use their built-in modules for everything. Custom integrations require commercial partnership approval.

Source
Paycom: What are Paycom's core features?

Paycom is a single-database payroll and HR platform featuring custom reporting tools, org chart visualization, employee self-service portal, and a tax center dashboard for compliance management.

Source
Share

Related pages

More on Paycom

More on Square Appointments

Keep looking

Other head to heads