Sage Accounting vs. Square Payroll

Overview
ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price
Sage Accounting
Score 7.7 out of 10
N/A
Sage Accounting is online accounting software made to simplify life for small business owners, entrepreneurs, and freelancers by providing the functions needed to take care of daily business to-dos. Users can create and send professional quotes and invoices, track income and expenses and know where the business' financials stand. Every Sage Business Cloud Accounting subscription includes unlimited access to support as well as automatic backups and product updates.
$19
per month
Square Payroll
Score 6.1 out of 10
N/A
Square Payroll is a payroll solution for hourly employees, from Square headquartered in San Francisco, California.
$29
per month
Pricing
Sage AccountingSquare Payroll
Editions & Modules
No answers on this topic
Free
$0
per month
Plus
$29
per month
Premium
Custom
Offerings
Pricing Offerings
Sage AccountingSquare Payroll
Free Trial
YesNo
Free/Freemium Version
NoYes
Premium Consulting/Integration Services
NoNo
Entry-level Setup FeeNo setup feeNo setup fee
Additional DetailsVersions and pricing listed are for CA products. Versions available and pricing may vary by country. * 2 months free to start, or free for 1 month to try, then $19/$43/$62 +tax/mo (tier depending). Offer valid for new customers only on monthly subscriptions of Sage Business Cloud Accounting. After the promotional period, the monthly subscription rate will renew at the then current rate. May not be combined with any other offers or discounts. To ensure continuous service the subscription plan is an automatically renewing plan. Subsequent months will automatically be billed to the same credit card each month on the anniversary date of purchase. Plans can be terminated at any time prior to the renewal data and not charged for renewal.
More Pricing Information
Community Pulse
Sage AccountingSquare Payroll
Features
Sage AccountingSquare Payroll
Payroll Management
Comparison of Payroll Management features of Product A and Product B
Sage Accounting
9.3
19 Ratings
21% above category average
Square Payroll
7.8
6 Ratings
6% below category average
Pay calculation10.015 Ratings8.96 Ratings
Benefit plan administration9.312 Ratings9.15 Ratings
Direct deposit files8.812 Ratings7.06 Ratings
Salary revision and increment management9.410 Ratings8.94 Ratings
Reimbursement management9.112 Ratings7.85 Ratings
Support for external payroll vendors00 Ratings8.65 Ratings
Off-cycle/On-Demand payment00 Ratings4.44 Ratings
Customization
Comparison of Customization features of Product A and Product B
Sage Accounting
8.5
23 Ratings
11% above category average
Square Payroll
-
Ratings
API for custom integration9.120 Ratings00 Ratings
Plug-ins7.917 Ratings00 Ratings
Security
Comparison of Security features of Product A and Product B
Sage Accounting
9.7
42 Ratings
17% above category average
Square Payroll
-
Ratings
Single sign-on capability9.931 Ratings00 Ratings
Role-based user permissions9.539 Ratings00 Ratings
Reporting & Analytics
Comparison of Reporting & Analytics features of Product A and Product B
Sage Accounting
9.2
44 Ratings
17% above category average
Square Payroll
-
Ratings
Dashboards8.140 Ratings00 Ratings
Standard reports9.844 Ratings00 Ratings
Custom reports9.735 Ratings00 Ratings
General Ledger and Configurable Accounting
Comparison of General Ledger and Configurable Accounting features of Product A and Product B
Sage Accounting
8.7
108 Ratings
14% above category average
Square Payroll
-
Ratings
Accounts payable8.293 Ratings00 Ratings
Accounts receivable9.945 Ratings00 Ratings
Cash management8.084 Ratings00 Ratings
Bank reconciliation7.2102 Ratings00 Ratings
Expense management9.934 Ratings00 Ratings
Time tracking6.611 Ratings00 Ratings
Fixed asset management8.228 Ratings00 Ratings
Multi-currency support9.918 Ratings00 Ratings
Multi-division support9.918 Ratings00 Ratings
Regulations compliance9.529 Ratings00 Ratings
Electronic tax filing6.760 Ratings00 Ratings
Self-service portal10.025 Ratings00 Ratings
Global Financial Support9.18 Ratings00 Ratings
Primary and Secondary Ledgers9.515 Ratings00 Ratings
Intercompany Accounting8.011 Ratings00 Ratings
Localizations8.39 Ratings00 Ratings
Journals and Reconciliations9.033 Ratings00 Ratings
Enterprise Accounting7.010 Ratings00 Ratings
Configurable Accounting9.218 Ratings00 Ratings
Centralized Rules Framework8.88 Ratings00 Ratings
Standardized Processes9.520 Ratings00 Ratings
Inventory Management
Comparison of Inventory Management features of Product A and Product B
Sage Accounting
6.9
17 Ratings
6% below category average
Square Payroll
-
Ratings
Inventory tracking6.717 Ratings00 Ratings
Automatic reordering8.36 Ratings00 Ratings
Location management5.87 Ratings00 Ratings
Manufacturing module7.05 Ratings00 Ratings
Order Management
Comparison of Order Management features of Product A and Product B
Sage Accounting
8.1
28 Ratings
8% above category average
Square Payroll
-
Ratings
Pricing9.917 Ratings00 Ratings
Order entry7.615 Ratings00 Ratings
Credit card processing8.218 Ratings00 Ratings
Cost of goods sold7.520 Ratings00 Ratings
Order Orchestration7.56 Ratings00 Ratings
End-to-end order visibility7.67 Ratings00 Ratings
Order exception Resolution8.75 Ratings00 Ratings
Best Alternatives
Sage AccountingSquare Payroll
Small Businesses
QuickBooks Self-Employed (discontinued)
QuickBooks Self-Employed (discontinued)
Score 6.8 out of 10
Dayforce Powerpay
Dayforce Powerpay
Score 9.4 out of 10
Medium-sized Companies
Zoho Books
Zoho Books
Score 9.1 out of 10
Paypro Workforce Management
Paypro Workforce Management
Score 9.2 out of 10
Enterprises
Oracle Fusion Cloud Enterprise Performance Management
Oracle Fusion Cloud Enterprise Performance Management
Score 7.6 out of 10
Infor Human Resources
Infor Human Resources
Score 7.1 out of 10
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User Ratings
Sage AccountingSquare Payroll
Likelihood to Recommend
7.9
(100 ratings)
4.7
(8 ratings)
Likelihood to Renew
8.2
(11 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Usability
8.2
(68 ratings)
9.0
(1 ratings)
Availability
9.0
(7 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Performance
8.9
(7 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Support Rating
9.5
(21 ratings)
9.0
(1 ratings)
In-Person Training
9.2
(2 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Online Training
9.2
(4 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Implementation Rating
7.3
(6 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Configurability
8.6
(6 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Contract Terms and Pricing Model
9.3
(2 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Ease of integration
4.2
(3 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Product Scalability
6.6
(7 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Professional Services
10.0
(1 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Vendor post-sale
7.5
(5 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Vendor pre-sale
7.5
(5 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
User Testimonials
Sage AccountingSquare Payroll
Likelihood to Recommend
Sage
Sage is frustrating to work with, and the only way I seem to be able to communicate with them is by chatbot, which never knows the answer to my questions. I always have to wait days for an answer. It is not well-suited for small businesses or non-accounting professionals.
Read full review
Block, Inc (Square)
Square is an amazing platform to have total control over the payroll of all the employees of a company or a specific sector. This platform has a very good functionality to collect exact information on how long each employee works, that is one of its most outstanding characteristics, because it monitors work schedules and overtime and generates detailed reports on the work time of each employee. Square does not allow to schedule payments, that is one of the main problems, however, I consider that it is a very good option for small and medium-sized companies that are looking for a way to have more exact administrative control over the working hours of all their employees. It is a software that works in the cloud, so all the work information that is collected will remain safe without any risk of loss.
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Pros
Sage
  • Sage Accounting makes it easy to pay my invoices with an automated QR code that opens a payment portal.
  • Sage Accounting automatically shows my bank account balance and that's pretty neat.
  • Sage Accounting has excellent security with 2 factor authentication and I trust my money is kept safe.
Read full review
Block, Inc (Square)
  • 1099 contractor payments are easy, and they provide you with the IRS filing as part of the service.
  • Direct deposit/debit from your already connected account to the employee.
  • Reporting and management features are simple yet inclusive.
  • Low cost compared to alternative solutions.
Read full review
Cons
Sage
  • The packages for integrating with Sage50 desktop application files are not backwards compatible, so we must store many copies in order to support multiple versions of the Sage50 application that our customers use, in case they aren't immediately updating to the latest version at all times.
Read full review
Block, Inc (Square)
  • It's a bit pricey for larger companies at $5 per person paid per month.
  • Has a bit of a learning curve that seems steeper than necessary
  • reports can be confusing at first
Read full review
Likelihood to Renew
Sage
We're very happy with the functionality and overall experience of using Sage Accounting for our accounting needs. Currently, we are not even considering whether we would need to look around for a different option. The only things that would make us consider changing would be a significant increase in price or changes to the software which reduce it's ease of function.
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Block, Inc (Square)
No answers on this topic
Usability
Sage
We have been using Sage Accounting ever since the original Simply Accounting versions. All through the versions, we've noticed that the app has remained consistent with its screen usage; therefore, retraining of staff is not necessary between versions. As well as the ability to have staff members put down and pick up the use of Sage Accounting
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Block, Inc (Square)
It could use a mobile-friendly interface. Other than that it's a simple layout and non-cluttered which allows you to get done what you need to get done. No unnecessary dodads or distractions.
Read full review
Reliability and Availability
Sage
Sage has been always available when I want it. If there is any maintenance work to be done by the Sage team, you are told well in advance. Maintenance is generally carried out late at night or before the day begins for most of us. It continues to be the most reliable software I use.
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Block, Inc (Square)
No answers on this topic
Performance
Sage
Performance is top notch, if it is not, it is probably your wi-fi connection. It has happened that pages load slowly because of an error on Sage side but almost never. Overall reports load fine, the site is fast, navigation is fine. I have a client that has so many invoices, it is slow or gets stuck when you try to load a report for a whole year but it is just too many invoices, it makes sense. Just take 2 report for 6 months and combine them, its not an issue for me. I am happy with Sage Accounting's performance.
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Block, Inc (Square)
No answers on this topic
Support Rating
Sage
Sage Accounting are easy to contact and have knowledgeable and helpful staff. Whenever I've encountered a problem I've always been able to get assistance and guidance and it feels like the person at the end of the phone/screen knows the product well.
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Block, Inc (Square)
I think they have quick and helpful customer service reps, however, I give them a 9 because I have had to wait on hold for long periods of time before.
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In-Person Training
Sage
Staff are always friendly, and patient, always work at a speed that suits you. You are never rushed, and In only a short time they seem to be able to help you make great strides. It has been a pleasure not a chore, learning how SAGE Accounting works and benefits me and the company.
Read full review
Block, Inc (Square)
No answers on this topic
Online Training
Sage
I find the online training was very informative and they answered all my questions. I am also certified in Sage One and provided online training in the program which I have set up several people on and they love how it keeps them organized.
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Block, Inc (Square)
No answers on this topic
Implementation Rating
Sage
The clients' business owner worked with Sage on implementation before I began working for them. After consultation with them it is clear the process was quickly performed and without complication. The key takeaway was that Sage is seen as a partner to the business. That said, it was always necessary to engage with an accountant such as myself to extract the best out of the software.
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Block, Inc (Square)
No answers on this topic
Alternatives Considered
Sage
All Sage products work together, and the systems are set up in similar ways, making training/learning easier. Sage is used by many companies locally and internationally, making managing accounts for both providers and clients/customers easier. It is a complete package for macro enterprises.
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Block, Inc (Square)
I liked patriot, but I found it to be more confusing than Square and took me too much time to setup. I setup Square Payroll in about an hour. I would also say the Square interface made more sense to me. I also like how Square offers more things like benefits, etc. that can be added on.
Read full review
Contract Terms and Pricing Model
Sage
The pricing structure is fair and offers good value for money. The billing is done through their online system and you can access your bills at any time. Most contacts only require 30 days' notice, so no need to feel tied in, although I can't imagine why you would want to leave Sage.
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Block, Inc (Square)
No answers on this topic
Scalability
Sage
You can use Sage in your company for various aspects/positions such as bookkeepers, invoicing clerks, accountant, purchasing etc. Everyone can have their own user login and permissions can be set that specific people can do specific jobs without being able to access other peoples progress or accounts of the company.
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Block, Inc (Square)
No answers on this topic
Professional Services
Sage
Do not use
Read full review
Block, Inc (Square)
No answers on this topic
Return on Investment
Sage
  • Being cloud-based, meaning I can work from anywhere, has had a massive ROI, as I am no longer tied to the office.
  • CoPilot has meant we can spend more hours creating work for our business than chasing for payments.
  • Statement Runs mean we do not have to spend half a day carrying out the tasks individually.
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Block, Inc (Square)
  • Square Payroll has dramatically reduced the time it takes to process payroll.
  • We could have a faster payroll with the Square POS integration for commission, but that is not something we've implemented yet.
Read full review
ScreenShots

Sage Accounting Screenshots

Screenshot of the All-in-One DashboardScreenshot of the Accounting DashboardScreenshot of an Invoicing Quote EstimateScreenshot of the Purchases TrackerScreenshot of Stock InventoryScreenshot of a VAT Returns List