Square Payroll vs. UKG Ready

Overview
ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price
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
UKG Ready
Score 8.0 out of 10
N/A
The UKG Ready® software suite is a centralized HCM solution designed for small to mid-sized businesses. It automates and streamlines HR, payroll, benefits, time, talent, and scheduling processes. UKG Ready's suite of tools offer actionable insights while helping to ensure compliance. Using AI, it draws on work, people, and culture data to boost efficiency and productivity. For example, UKG Ready streamlines core HR functions by centralizing…N/A
Pricing
Square PayrollUKG Ready
Editions & Modules
Free
$0
per month
Plus
$29
per month
Premium
Custom
No answers on this topic
Offerings
Pricing Offerings
Square PayrollUKG Ready
Free Trial
NoNo
Free/Freemium Version
YesNo
Premium Consulting/Integration Services
NoYes
Entry-level Setup FeeNo setup feeRequired
Additional Details
More Pricing Information
Community Pulse
Square PayrollUKG Ready
Features
Square PayrollUKG Ready
Payroll Management
Comparison of Payroll Management features of Product A and Product B
Square Payroll
7.8
6 Ratings
6% below category average
UKG Ready
8.5
240 Ratings
4% above category average
Pay calculation8.96 Ratings8.6222 Ratings
Support for external payroll vendors8.65 Ratings8.1135 Ratings
Off-cycle/On-Demand payment4.44 Ratings8.0116 Ratings
Benefit plan administration9.15 Ratings8.5176 Ratings
Direct deposit files7.06 Ratings8.7182 Ratings
Salary revision and increment management8.94 Ratings8.8166 Ratings
Reimbursement management7.85 Ratings00 Ratings
Human Resource Management
Comparison of Human Resource Management features of Product A and Product B
Square Payroll
-
Ratings
UKG Ready
8.4
247 Ratings
4% above category average
Employee demographic data00 Ratings8.9217 Ratings
Employment history00 Ratings8.4211 Ratings
Job profiles and administration00 Ratings8.3211 Ratings
Workflow for transfers, promotions, pay raises, etc.00 Ratings8.3197 Ratings
Organizational charting00 Ratings8.0161 Ratings
Organization and location management00 Ratings8.3186 Ratings
Compliance data (COBRA, OSHA, etc.)00 Ratings8.8159 Ratings
Leave and Attendance Management
Comparison of Leave and Attendance Management features of Product A and Product B
Square Payroll
-
Ratings
UKG Ready
8.0
216 Ratings
2% below category average
Approval workflow00 Ratings7.5198 Ratings
Balance details00 Ratings7.6206 Ratings
Annual carry-forward and encashment00 Ratings8.9177 Ratings
Employee Self Service
Comparison of Employee Self Service features of Product A and Product B
Square Payroll
-
Ratings
UKG Ready
8.2
229 Ratings
0% above category average
View and generate pay and benefit information00 Ratings8.1209 Ratings
Update personal information00 Ratings8.4216 Ratings
View company policy documentation00 Ratings7.9177 Ratings
View job history00 Ratings8.5185 Ratings
Asset Management
Comparison of Asset Management features of Product A and Product B
Square Payroll
-
Ratings
UKG Ready
8.9
88 Ratings
11% above category average
Tracking of all physical assets00 Ratings8.988 Ratings
HR Reporting
Comparison of HR Reporting features of Product A and Product B
Square Payroll
-
Ratings
UKG Ready
8.2
232 Ratings
9% above category average
Report builder00 Ratings8.0225 Ratings
Pre-built reports00 Ratings8.4225 Ratings
Onboarding
Comparison of Onboarding features of Product A and Product B
Square Payroll
-
Ratings
UKG Ready
7.8
161 Ratings
2% below category average
New hire portal00 Ratings8.0159 Ratings
Manager tracking tools00 Ratings7.7131 Ratings
Performance and Goals
Comparison of Performance and Goals features of Product A and Product B
Square Payroll
-
Ratings
UKG Ready
7.0
99 Ratings
14% below category average
Individual goal setting00 Ratings7.091 Ratings
Performance tracking00 Ratings7.098 Ratings
Performance Management
Comparison of Performance Management features of Product A and Product B
Square Payroll
-
Ratings
UKG Ready
7.5
125 Ratings
5% below category average
Performance plans00 Ratings6.7113 Ratings
Performance improvement plans00 Ratings6.7103 Ratings
Review status tracking00 Ratings8.3112 Ratings
Review reminders00 Ratings8.5116 Ratings
Multiple review frequency00 Ratings7.1101 Ratings
Succession Planning
Comparison of Succession Planning features of Product A and Product B
Square Payroll
-
Ratings
UKG Ready
6.7
51 Ratings
15% below category average
Create succession plans/pools00 Ratings5.743 Ratings
Candidate ranking00 Ratings6.624 Ratings
Candidate search00 Ratings7.230 Ratings
Candidate development00 Ratings7.125 Ratings
Recruiting / ATS
Comparison of Recruiting / ATS features of Product A and Product B
Square Payroll
-
Ratings
UKG Ready
7.5
131 Ratings
2% below category average
Job Requisition Management00 Ratings7.5111 Ratings
Company Website Posting00 Ratings7.8107 Ratings
Publish to Social Media00 Ratings7.383 Ratings
Job Search Site Posting00 Ratings7.589 Ratings
Duplicate Candidate Prevention00 Ratings7.384 Ratings
Applicant Tracking00 Ratings7.8112 Ratings
Notifications and Alerts00 Ratings7.2120 Ratings
Best Alternatives
Square PayrollUKG Ready
Small Businesses
Dayforce Powerpay
Dayforce Powerpay
Score 9.4 out of 10
Dayforce Powerpay
Dayforce Powerpay
Score 9.4 out of 10
Medium-sized Companies
Paypro Workforce Management
Paypro Workforce Management
Score 9.2 out of 10
Paypro Workforce Management
Paypro Workforce Management
Score 9.2 out of 10
Enterprises
Infor Human Resources
Infor Human Resources
Score 7.1 out of 10
PeopleStrong
PeopleStrong
Score 9.9 out of 10
All AlternativesView all alternativesView all alternatives
User Ratings
Square PayrollUKG Ready
Likelihood to Recommend
4.7
(8 ratings)
8.3
(259 ratings)
Likelihood to Renew
-
(0 ratings)
7.9
(19 ratings)
Usability
9.0
(1 ratings)
8.7
(138 ratings)
Availability
-
(0 ratings)
5.2
(4 ratings)
Performance
-
(0 ratings)
5.0
(8 ratings)
Support Rating
9.0
(1 ratings)
5.1
(75 ratings)
In-Person Training
-
(0 ratings)
7.8
(2 ratings)
Online Training
-
(0 ratings)
6.0
(4 ratings)
Implementation Rating
-
(0 ratings)
5.0
(11 ratings)
Configurability
-
(0 ratings)
5.1
(5 ratings)
Ease of integration
-
(0 ratings)
6.4
(111 ratings)
Product Scalability
-
(0 ratings)
3.2
(4 ratings)
Vendor post-sale
-
(0 ratings)
5.1
(4 ratings)
Vendor pre-sale
-
(0 ratings)
5.1
(4 ratings)
User Testimonials
Square PayrollUKG Ready
Likelihood to Recommend
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.
Read full review
UKG
I might recommend UKG to a larger organization than ours. The complexity is rich, but perhaps it is too powerful a tool for what we need. That or it's a bit messy in its construction, having so many tools available but difficult to find or not working appropriately. UKG Ready processes payroll efficiently and with ease, but unless you are using a simple accounting platform it may not be able to easily integrate with yours
Read full review
Pros
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
UKG
  • Support—UKG support, from the Account Managers to CSMs to Ready Support, is amazing. They are always willing to help!
  • Documentation—UKG has built-in online documentation, which is a live, easy-to-use version of a very lengthy manual.
  • Ease of use- the system is intuitive, easy to train others to use.
Read full review
Cons
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
UKG
  • We have had ongoing issues with our accruals.
  • Auto generate timesheets in the "Team Timesheets" view.
  • Granting manager access is cumbersome - access needs to be given in multiple places.
  • The sync between Pro and Ready in my opinion is terrible and needs much improvement.
  • Auto assign Employee Time Zones based on work location.
Read full review
Likelihood to Renew
Block, Inc (Square)
No answers on this topic
UKG
We plan to renew our support and use of UKG Ready each year unless it becomes unavailable or the district seeks another vendor. As of now, there are no plans to changes vendors. The district staff is now familiar with using UKG. Another vendor will need to meet the same expectations we have come to enjoy with using UKG
Read full review
Usability
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
UKG
UKG is the platform with the best overall usability on both an admin and user side. Employees find it easy to update personal information, the dashboards are clear and easy to follow, and the navigation of it is also easy to follow. Overall my favorite platform to use and learn more about.
Read full review
Reliability and Availability
Block, Inc (Square)
No answers on this topic
UKG
The system seems very stable. Being hosted in the cloud, we are vulnerable to internet speeds and busy times. The system has been down a couple times over the 3 months we have been live, but Kronos resolved the issues very quickly. To have access from a desktop, tablet, time clock, or phone app is one of the best features....users have almost NO REASON they can't clock in.
Read full review
Performance
Block, Inc (Square)
No answers on this topic
UKG
We were always told that Kronos was the best, but there are reports that we got out of ADP and other payroll providers that we cannot get out of Kronos. One example is a report of Productive/Non-productive hours by department. We also need the dollar amount associated with the hours. This is information that is required on our cost report and we were told that that report is unavailable. It is very frustrating when I can't get what I need.
Read full review
Support Rating
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.
Read full review
UKG
If I was only rating support itself that would be a 10. Every support case I have entered has been addressed efficiently and with the desired result. On the implementation and transition to support there were multiple issues that those doing the implementation or transition could not answer or workflows and various settings left undone only to be discovered later. We implemented 3 different modules and the expertise we got for each one varied widely.
Read full review
In-Person Training
Block, Inc (Square)
No answers on this topic
UKG
Our in-person training was a hybrid. Live online training with an instructor. They were very knowledgeable of the product & the area they were training on. I asked several specific questions and if they didn't know the answer immediately they followed up after class.
Read full review
Online Training
Block, Inc (Square)
No answers on this topic
UKG
Pretty good online training, you have many how to options and can watch them several times. It can be hard at times to dig through the amount of data online but can usually find what you are looking for. Also you can download documentation for setting up the profiles and policies.
Read full review
Implementation Rating
Block, Inc (Square)
No answers on this topic
UKG
Make sure the people who are doing the build have extensive knowledge on employment law and asking the right questions. I would bet that the people who helped with our builds did not read any of our employment contracts or ordinances; and when I asked questions about how other companies handled certain basic dictates from federal employment laws, they didn't have any idea what FMLA, FLSA, etc were.
Read full review
Alternatives Considered
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
UKG
We currently use Paycom and are extremely dissatisfied with the lack of functionality and poor customer service. Rippling and ADP were other vendors we evaluated who performed well and offer a lot of functionality but we decided UKG was the best fit for our needs now and to scale with our strategic growth plans.
Read full review
Scalability
Block, Inc (Square)
No answers on this topic
UKG
Thus far we are able to add as many users as necessary, implement 3 different bargaining units, 5 different types of user groups. Very flexible.
Read full review
Return on Investment
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
UKG
  • This is basic, but we finally know how many employees we have! It sounds ridiculous, but prior to UKG Ready we were on a payroll system that's reports were only as accurate as the last payroll cycle, so they were always 2 weeks behind and static. UKG Ready allows for realtime, daily reporting of information.
  • We are able to get salary data for our various locations to be able to compare them to each other, as well as across our "competitors" and external competition.
  • The data provided allows us to be able to understand the trends at individual locations including attrition, advancement, raise information, and other data points that we haven't historically done comparisons on
  • We can see the demographic and geographical information for our employees and the benefits that they elect
Read full review
ScreenShots

UKG Ready Screenshots

Screenshot of the employee mobile interface.Screenshot of trust index survey results.Screenshot of the manager dashboard.Screenshot of payroll analytics.