1. Paybooks
Paybooks · Bengaluru · HRMS software · 4.7/5
Payroll and HR software with compliance services.
₹1,800/mo
Free trial
Compared with Square Payroll
- Starts ₹1,000/mo cheaper (₹1,800/mo vs ₹2,800/mo)
- Built in India (Bengaluru)
HRMS software · Alternatives
Best Square Payroll alternatives in India (2026)
Square Payroll is a hrms software product from Block, Oakland, priced at ₹2,800/mo. We compared 20 alternatives on published price, free plan, platforms and made-in-India support: 0 have a free plan, 7 are built in India, and 11 start cheaper or free.
Quick answer
The closest alternatives to Square Payroll are Paybooks (₹1,800/mo), Gusto (₹3,000/mo), Remote (₹2,400/mo), Paybooks Payroll (₹1,800/mo) and OnPay (₹3,000/mo). Published prices in this list start at ₹100/month.
Why businesses look for a Square Payroll alternative
Cost
Square Payroll starts at ₹2,800/mo. 11 alternatives start lower or have a free plan.
Indian support and GST
Square Payroll is built in United States. 7 alternatives are made in India, where GST, TDS and UPI are usually handled natively and support runs on IST.
Square Payroll alternatives compared
Ranked by how closely each product matches Square Payroll's category, pricing model, platforms and business size, then by rating. Prices exclude GST.
| # | Software | Starting price | Free plan | Platforms | Made in India | Rating | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | Square Payroll (current) | ₹2,800/mo | No | Web | No | 4.3/5 | — |
| 1 | Paybooks | ₹1,800/mo | No | Web | Yes | 4.7/5 | |
| 2 |  Gusto | ₹3,000/mo | No | Web | No | 4.4/5 | |
| 3 |  Remote | ₹2,400/mo | No | Web | No | 4.4/5 | |
| 4 |  Paybooks Payroll | ₹1,800/mo | No | Web | Yes | 4.5/5 | |
| 5 |  OnPay | ₹3,000/mo | No | Web | No | 4.4/5 | |
| 6 |  Deel | ₹4,000/mo | No | Web | No | 4.4/5 | |
| 7 |  Marg Payroll | ₹5,400/mo | No | Web | Yes | 4.6/5 | |
| 8 |  Saral PayPack | ₹6,000/mo | No | Web | Yes | 4.6/5 | |
| 9 |  QuickBooks Payroll | ₹3,500/mo | No | Web | No | 4.4/5 | |
| 10 |  Multiplier | ₹3,000/mo | No | Web | No | 4.2/5 | |
| 11 |  Panther | ₹3,000/mo | No | Web | No | 4.2/5 | |
| 12 |  Plane (Pilot) | ₹2,400/mo | No | Web | No | 4.3/5 | |
| 13 |  Keka Payroll | ₹6,999/mo | No | Web | Yes | 4.5/5 | |
| 14 |  Patriot Payroll | ₹1,500/mo | No | Web | No | 4.4/5 | |
| 15 |  Wagepoint | ₹1,500/mo | No | Web | No | 4.3/5 | |
| 16 |  Payroll by Deskera | ₹1,500/mo | No | Web | No | 4.3/5 | |
| 17 |  Xero Payroll | ₹1,000/mo | No | Web | No | 4.4/5 | |
| 18 |  Rippling | ₹700/mo | No | Web | No | 4.4/5 | |
| 19 |  Zoho People Plus | ₹300/mo | No | Web | Yes | 4.7/5 | |
| 20 |  uKnowva HRMS | ₹100/mo | No | Web | Yes | 4.6/5 |
Top 10 Square Payroll alternatives in detail
₹3,000/mo
Free trial
Compared with Square Payroll
- Starts ₹200/mo higher (₹3,000/mo vs ₹2,800/mo)
Key features
- Unlimited payroll runs per month with no charge for off-cycle payrolls
- Federal, state and local tax filings and payments
- Payroll on AutoPilot for recurring runs
- Multiple pay rates and pay schedules
- Direct deposit or printable checks
Compared with Square Payroll
- Starts ₹400/mo cheaper (₹2,400/mo vs ₹2,800/mo)
4. Paybooks Payroll
Paybooks · Bengaluru · HRMS software · 4.5/5
Payroll software plus managed payroll services.
₹1,800/mo
Free trial
Compared with Square Payroll
- Starts ₹1,000/mo cheaper (₹1,800/mo vs ₹2,800/mo)
- Built in India (Bengaluru)
Compared with Square Payroll
- Starts ₹200/mo higher (₹3,000/mo vs ₹2,800/mo)
₹4,000/mo
Free trial
Compared with Square Payroll
- Starts ₹1,200/mo higher (₹4,000/mo vs ₹2,800/mo)
Key features
- Employer of Record hiring through Deel-owned entities
- Contractor of Record with classification liability taken on by Deel
- US PEO (co-employment) for American staff
- Immigration / mobility support (Deel Mobility)
- Deel Global Payroll for companies with their own local entities (150+ countries, vendor-stated)
₹5,400/mo
Free trial
Compared with Square Payroll
- Starts ₹2,600/mo higher (₹5,400/mo vs ₹2,800/mo)
- Built in India (New Delhi)
8. Saral PayPack
Relyon Softech · Bengaluru · HRMS software · 4.6/5
Payroll software with statutory compliance.
₹6,000/mo
Free trial
Compared with Square Payroll
- Starts ₹3,200/mo higher (₹6,000/mo vs ₹2,800/mo)
- Built in India (Bengaluru)
₹3,500/mo
Free trial
Compared with Square Payroll
- Starts ₹700/mo higher (₹3,500/mo vs ₹2,800/mo)
10. Multiplier
Multiplier · Singapore · HRMS software · 4.2/5
Global EOR and payroll with Indian founders.
₹3,000/mo
Free trial
Compared with Square Payroll
- Starts ₹200/mo higher (₹3,000/mo vs ₹2,800/mo)
Key features
- Multiplier acts as legal employer in-market so you hire without an entity
- Country-specific employment contracts generated and signed digitally
- Statutory and supplementary benefits administration
- Global immigration and visa support
- Global equity administration
Square Payroll alternatives by what you need
Cheaper than Square Payroll
Indian alternatives to Square Payroll
How to choose a Square Payroll alternative
- Start with payroll. If the statutory side is wrong, nothing else matters — ask the vendor to run a live payroll for a sample employee in your state and show you the PF, ESI and PT calculations.
- Next, check how attendance actually reaches the system. Biometric device integration, geo-tagged mobile check-in and shift rostering are three very different problems, and most vendors are strong at one and weak at the others.
- Finally, look at what happens at scale. Many Indian HRMS products are priced per employee per month with a floor of fifty or a hundred employees, which makes them expensive for a twenty-person team and cheap for a five-hundred-person one.
Square Payroll alternatives — FAQs
What is the best alternative to Square Payroll in 2026?+
The closest matches to Square Payroll on App Advisor are Paybooks (₹1,800/mo), Gusto (₹3,000/mo), Remote (₹2,400/mo). They are ranked by how closely their category, pricing model, platforms and target business size match Square Payroll, then by rating. The best choice depends on your team size and budget.
Is there a free alternative to Square Payroll?+
None of the 20 closest alternatives to Square Payroll has a free plan. Most offer a free trial instead, so ask for one before you commit.
What is the cheapest alternative to Square Payroll?+
Among alternatives that publish a price, uKnowva HRMS starts lowest at ₹100/mo, compared with ₹2,800/mo for Square Payroll. Prices are read from each vendor's website and exclude GST.
Is there an Indian alternative to Square Payroll?+
Yes. 7 alternatives are built in India, including Paybooks (₹1,800/mo), Paybooks Payroll (₹1,800/mo), Marg Payroll (₹5,400/mo). Indian products usually handle GST, TDS and UPI natively and bill in rupees.
Square Payroll vs Paybooks: which is better?+
Paybooks is the closest match to Square Payroll in our catalogue. Key differences: Starts ₹1,000/mo cheaper (₹1,800/mo vs ₹2,800/mo); Built in India (Bengaluru). Compare them side by side before you book a demo.
How were these Square Payroll alternatives chosen?+
Every product listed sits in hrms software or a category Square Payroll also covers, and Block's own products are excluded. Prices, free plans and platforms come from each vendor's official website. App Advisor does not sell any of this software.
Free shortlist
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Related alternatives
Paybooks alternativesGusto alternativesRemote alternativesPaybooks Payroll alternativesOnPay alternativesDeel alternativesMarg Payroll alternativesSaral PayPack alternativesQuickBooks Payroll alternativesMultiplier alternativesPanther alternativesPlane (Pilot) alternativesAll hrms software alternativesBrowse all alternatives