Square vs Stripe
2 products, side by side · prices checked
Square
Consider Square if…
Best for: Retailers, cafés, and service businesses that need a free POS and transparent card rates.
- Starting price
- From $0 free
- Current promo
- No public promo — standard list prices
- Category
- Payments & POS
- Verified
- Vendor
- squareup.com
Pricing
| Plan | Price | Cadence | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Square POS | $0 | free | Free POS software; in-person card processing 2.6% + 15¢ per transaction. |
| Appointments Free | $0 | free | 1 location; basic booking. |
| Appointments Plus | $35 | per month | 1 location; automated reminders and no-show protection. |
| Appointments Premium | $85 | per month | Multi-location support. |
Always confirm on the vendor's pricing page before purchasing — plans and prices change.
What users report
Commonly praised
- Simple setup, easy to learn even for staff with no POS experience.
- Processes payments easily across counter, mobile, and online.
- Built-in reporting gives useful sales and staff insights.
Commonly criticized
- Flat 2.6% processing fee adds up and is considered high at volume.
- Depends on internet connectivity; outages can disrupt sales.
- Free plan lacks features; customization limited without paid tiers.
Summarized from user reviews on G2 and Capterra; not a PlanPrice rating.
Review scores
Scores are aggregate user ratings from third-party review sites, checked 2026-09-30. They are not PlanPrice ratings.
Stripe
Consider Stripe if…
Best for: Businesses that need online and in-person card payments with developer-friendly APIs.
- Starting price
- From 2.9% + 30¢ per transaction
- Current promo
- No public promo — standard list prices
- Category
- Payments & POS
- Verified
- Vendor
- stripe.com
Pricing
| Plan | Price | Cadence | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pay as you go | 2.9% + 30¢ | per transaction | Domestic card transactions; no setup or monthly fees. |
Always confirm on the vendor's pricing page before purchasing — plans and prices change.
Review scores
Scores are aggregate user ratings from third-party review sites, checked 2026-09-30. They are not PlanPrice ratings.