Square Payroll vs. Whirks: Which Is Right for Your HOTWORX Studio?

If you own a HOTWORX studio, you may have heard the news. HOTWORX corporate now lists Square Payroll as an approved payroll vendor. Whirks is on that list too.

So, now you have a real choice. And you have a fair question: Which one should you pick?

We're Whirks, so yes, we're biased. But we’ll lay it all out, including the places where Square comes out ahead. Square Payroll is a good product. And for some studios, it's the better fit. For others, it isn't. This article will help you figure out which group you're in.

The Short Version:

• Square Payroll costs less. For a typical studio with 5 people, Square is about $780 a year. Whirks is about $1,750 a year after your first year.
• Square is software you run yourself. You get an app, a help center, and a support line.
• Whirks is software plus a team. You get a named payroll specialist, HR help if you want it, and workers' comp audits handled for you.
• Pick Square if you want the lowest price, you like doing it yourself, and your studio already lives in Square.
• Pick Whirks if you'd rather not be your own payroll department, you have more than one studio, or you want a person to call for help who knows you and your studio.

What Is Square Payroll?

Square Payroll is made by Square (owned by Block, Inc.). It's the same company behind the Square card readers and the POS that powers HOTWORX studios. In 2024, Square announced that it powers commerce for 600+ HOTWORX studios.

Square Payroll is a self-service tool. You set it up, add your team, and run payroll from your Square Dashboard or the Square Team app. Then, Square calculates, pays, and files your taxes for you.

What Is Whirks?

Whirks is a payroll, HR, and benefits company in Memphis, Tennessee. We've been around since 2003. We pay more than 19,000 employees for more than 1,300 clients.

We run on isolved, a payroll platform used by more than 168,000 employers. On top of that software, you get people. Every client gets a dedicated client success specialist. You have their direct phone number and email.

We've worked with HOTWORX owners for years. Today, we run payroll for more than 400 HOTWORX companies.

How Much Does Square Payroll Cost Compared to Whirks?

Let's start with price, because Square wins here.

Square posts its prices on its pricing page:

• Full-service payroll: $35 a month, plus $6 for each person you pay that month.

• Contractor-only payroll: $6 a month for each contractor you pay.

• No setup fee. No contract.

• Digital W-2s are free. Paper W-2s by mail cost $3 each.

Whirks also posts its prices. Here's what we charge HOTWORX owners (from our HOTWORX pricing guide):

• Whirks CORE: $125 a month per company, or $10.25 per employee once you pass 13 employees.

• One-time setup: 15% of your yearly fee. On $125 a month, that's $225.

• Year-end: $150 for your year-end tax filing, plus $7 per W-2.

Here's how that adds up for a typical one-studio HOTWORX with 5 employees:

So, Square costs about 40% to 45% of what Whirks costs. For this studio, that's a gap of about $970 a year, or about $81 a month.

That's real money. We won't pretend it isn't.

The question is, “What do you get for that $81 a month?” Let's take a look.

What Do You Get With Square Payroll?

Square's full-service plan does a lot for the price. Per Square's pricing page and features page, you get:

• Unlimited pay runs, and payroll that can run on its own each pay period

• Federal and state tax payments and filings, in all 50 states

• W-2s and 1099s filed for you

• Timecard and tip import from Square POS and the Square Team app

• Employee self-onboarding

• Pay by direct deposit, check, or Cash App, with instant pay for staff who use Cash App

• QuickBooks Online sync and labor cost reports

• Health insurance and 401(k) through partners, and pay-as-you-go workers' comp through NEXT Insurance (all add-ons)

• Payroll specialist support Monday to Friday, 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Pacific (8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Central)

Square also stands behind its tax work. If you get a tax notice because Square made a mistake, Square says it will pay the penalties.

What Doesn't Square Payroll Do?

Here's where self-service shows up.

• You're the payroll department. Square gives you the tools. You set up your account, enter your tax account numbers, add your team, and check your own work. If something breaks, you call a support line and explain it to whoever answers.

• No HR help. Square used to include HR resources from a company called Mineral. Square shut that off on November 14, 2025. There's no handbook, no labor law posters, and no HR expert to call.

• One account per company. Square can't run more than one EIN in one Square Payroll account. If each studio is its own LLC, each one needs its own account and its own $35 base fee.

• Fixing old filings costs extra. Square lists amendments as a paid add-on.
  

If you run one studio with a steady crew and you’re comfortable doing payroll yourself, you may never run into any of this. You’re more likely to feel it when you open a second location or your manager quits in the middle of a pay period.

What Do You Get With Whirks?

With Whirks, you get the payroll software, plus help from people who know you.

• A named specialist. You call or email your person. Not a phone tree. They know your studio, your setup, and your staff.

• We set it up with you. We move your payroll history over, build your account, and train you live before your first payroll.

• Workers' comp audits handled. Most HOTWORX owners we work with use our pay-as-you-go workers' comp. We handle the yearly audit so you don't overpay. There's no extra fee for that.

• Tax notices handled. If a tax agency sends a notice, we help you fix it. If we caused it, we cover the cost.

• Garnishment and child support notices handled. They're part of our payroll service.

• HR help when you want it. Our PEOPLE plan ($15.25 per employee, $250 minimum) adds an employee handbook, labor law posters, a yearly HR risk check, HR on-call support, and monthly HR training.

• Benefits under the same roof. Our in-house team can help you offer health insurance and run enrollment.

• More than one studio, one team. Own several studios, each in its own LLC? You get one login and one team for all of them.

Picture a Monday. Your manager just quit. A new hire starts Thursday. You get a letter from the state about last quarter. With Square, that's three things on your list that you have to handle. With Whirks, you send one email to your specialist, and they tell you what happens next.

What Do HOTWORX Owners Say About Whirks?

"Switching over to Whirks for all my payroll and new employee hiring process was the best decision I could have made. Everyone was so friendly and knowledgeable. The process was seamless and, overall, not only have I saved money, but time." - Crystal Wiley, HOTWORX Wichita East, Kansas

"The transition was easy, and the support has been great. Not only are we getting great service now, but we are also paying less." - Juan Soto, HOTWORX

→ Whirks has a 5.0-star rating from 130+ reviews on Google.

When Is Square Payroll the Better Choice?

We mean this. Square may be right for you if:

• Price is your top concern. Square is cheaper. Period.

• You like doing it yourself. If you enjoy running your own payroll and you're good at it, Square's tools are clean and easy.

• Your studio already runs on Square. If your team already clocks in through Square, pulling those hours right into payroll is handy.

• You need help after 5:30 p.m. Central. Square's support runs until 8 p.m. Central. Ours ends at 5:30 p.m.

• Your staff wants Cash App pay. Square can pay staff through Cash App, with instant access to their pay.

• You never want a setup fee or contract. Square has neither.

When Is Whirks the Better Choice?

Whirks is likely the better fit if:

• You don't want to be your own payroll department. You'd rather spend your time growing members than fixing paychecks.

• You own more than one studio. More studios mean more LLCs, more state accounts, and more ways for things to go wrong.

• Your manager runs payroll, not you. When your manager leaves, your payroll knowledge doesn't walk out with them. Your specialist still knows your account.

• You want HR backup. Hiring, write-ups, and firing a staff member are where small studios get in trouble. We help.

• You want workers' comp handled. We handle the audit for you.

• You want a person who knows your name. And knows your studio.

Should You Switch From Whirks to Square?

If you're a Whirks client and Square looks like a better fit, we get it. Here's how to make the move clean if you decide to go that route:

1. Pick a quarter start. Switching on January 1, April 1, July 1 or October 1 keeps your quarterly tax filings in one place. January 1 is the cleanest.

2. Tell your Whirks specialist. Give us 30 days' written notice.

3. Get your reports. We'll help you get your payroll history, so Square has your year-to-date numbers.

4. Line up your workers' comp. If your policy runs through Whirks, you'll need a new policy before you leave. Don't let coverage lapse.

5. Check your first Square payroll. Compare it to your last Whirks payroll before you hit submit.

And if you try Square and miss having a person in your corner, our door is always open, and we’d love to have you back.

Common Questions HOTWORX Owners Ask About Square Payroll and Whirks

Did HOTWORX corporate stop recommending Whirks?

No. They just added Square Payroll to the approved list. Whirks is still an approved payroll vendor for HOTWORX.

Will Square Payroll work with my HOTWORX Square POS?

Square Payroll can import timecards and tips from Square POS and the Square Team app. If your team clocks in somewhere else, you'll enter or import hours another way. Ask HOTWORX or Square how your studio's setup connects before you switch.

Is Square Payroll really full-service?

Square calls its main plan "full-service" because it files and pays your payroll taxes. It doesn't mean someone runs payroll for you. You still handle the setup, data entry, and review.

Who pays if there's a tax mistake?

Both companies cover penalties caused by their own errors. The difference is who fixes it. With Square, you work through their support team. With Whirks, your specialist works the notice with you.

Can Whirks match Square's price?

No. We've chosen to price for the service, not the software. If price is the deciding factor, Square is the better choice, and that's OK.

How long does it take to switch to Whirks?

Plan on about 30 days from your kickoff call to your first payroll. If you're in a hurry, tell us and we'll do our best to match your timeline.

So, Should I Choose Square Payroll or Whirks for My HOTWORX Studio?

Both will pay your team. Both will file your taxes. The real question is this: Do you want payroll software, or a payroll partner?

If you want the lowest price and you're happy running it yourself, go with Square. We mean that.

If you want a person who knows your studio, handles the hard stuff, and picks up the phone, that's what we do.

Talk to us for 15 minutes. Book a call with Pato. We’ll ask about your studio, show you your real price, and honestly tell you whether Square is the better fit. There’s no pressure from us.

P.S. If you’re already a Whirks client and thinking about Square, call your specialist first. Ask them anything. Even if you still switch, we'll help you leave the right way.