8 Square Competitors for POS & Credit Card Processing
Meaghan has provided content and guidance for indie retailers as the editor for a number of retail publications and a speaker at trade shows. She is Fit Small Business’s authority on retail and ecommerce.
Anna’s experience in business and finance led her to work for a US risk mitigation company in Singapore. She has contributed to POS and payments topics in the Retail section across Fit Small Business.
This article is part of a larger series on POS Systems.
Square is a free point-of-sale (POS) system and payment processor many small businesses use because it’s an affordable, all-in-one solution. Though it once dominated the market, many Square competitors now offer comparable products and services. Depending on your business, you may find better functionality or a lower price point using an alternative.
The best Square competitors are:
- Clover: Best Square alternative for a low-cost, industry-specific POS for retail, restaurant, and service businesses
- PayPal Zettle: Best Square alternative for mobile payments and POS
- Helcim: Best alternative for low-cost payment processing and free POS
- Stripe: Best Square competitor for online payment processing
- SumUp: Best mobile payments alternative for occasional sellers or low-ticket sales
- Lightspeed: Best POS for advanced inventory or multilocation management
- Shopify: Best Square alternative for ecommerce and retail businesses
- Payment Depot: Best Square competitor for lowering payment processing fees
Top Square Competitors Compared
Monthly Fee | Online Processing Fee | In-Person Processing Fee | Mobile Card Reader | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | $14.95–$69.95 | 2.9% + 30 cents–3.5% + 10 cents | 2.3%–2.7% + 10 cents | |
 | $0 | 2.59%–3.09% + 49 cents | 2.29% + 9 cents | |
 | $0 | Interchange plus 0.2%–0.5% + 10–25 cents | Interchange plus 0.1%–0.3% + 5–8 cents | |
 | $0 | 2.9% + 30 cents | Starts at 2.7% + 5 cents | |
 | $0 | 2.9% + 15 cents–3.25% + 15 cents | 2.75% | |
 | $69–$239 | 2.6% + 10 cents | 2.6% + 30 cents | |
 | $9–$299 | 2.4% + 30 cents–2.9% + 30 cents | 2.4%–2.7% | |
 | $59–$99 | Interchange plus 8 cents | Interchange plus 15 cents | |
Looking for something different? Check out our guides to the best POS systems and best merchant services to find the right solution for your business.
Clover: Best Square Alternative for Fully Integrated, Industry-specific POS
Clover
What We Like
- More affordable payment processing rates than Square
- Advanced business management features
- Customer loyalty program
What's Missing
- Monthly fee
- Tied to the Clover ecosystem
- Hardware is more costly than other Square competitors
How It Compares to Square
- Square offers a free plan, while Clover’s monthly subscription starts at $14.95.
- Both systems offer solid retail and checkout tools for single and multiple locations businesses.
- Square beats Clover for its customization options and compatibility with iOS and Android devices; Clover requires use of its proprietary hardware.
- Both systems allow for in-person and online payment processing and multiple integrations with delivery platforms.
Clover is a top Square alternative because it offers a lot of the same features and benefits. It features an advanced and all-in-one POS and payment processor, plus customer loyalty programs, employee scheduling, and proprietary hardware.
Unlike Square software, which only works with Square Payments, Clover can be purchased through many different merchant account providers. So, it’s best for businesses wanting to choose their own payment processor or with an existing merchant account. It comes with a monthly fee that businesses should keep in mind when budget planning.
We also highly recommend Clover if you want a Square alternative for affordable iOS-based credit card readers with payment apps.
Clover Pricing
- Monthly software fee: $14.95–$69.95
- Payment processing:
- In person: 2.3%–2.6% + 10 cents
- Keyed-in and online/virtual terminal: 2.9% + 30 cents–3.5% + 10 cents
- Hardware: $49–$1,649
Clover Card Readers
 |  |  |  |  |
Clover Go | Clover Flex | Clover Mini | Station Solo | Station Duo |
Like Square, Clover is cloud-based and offers everything that a standard POS does, including payment processing, inventory management, and analytics reporting. It also has advanced customer loyalty, order management, and employee scheduling features, which is more comprehensive and integrated than what Square can offer. Other features include
- Credit card pre-authorization
- Next-day deposits
- Offline payment processing
- Customer profiles and promotions
- User permissions
Read our Clover vs Square comparison for more details.
PayPal Zettle: Best Square Alternative for Mobile POS & Payments
PayPal Zettle
What We Like
- Well-known and trusted payment processor
- Predictable and affordable flat processing rates
- International payment processing
What's Missing
- Limited POS features
- No offline mode
- Inexplicably frozen funds
How It Compares to Square
- Both systems allow users to start accepting payments through affordable mobile card readers, though only Square offers a free magstripe reader.
- Both systems offer a free mobile POS app.
- Payment processing fees for PayPal Zettle are from 2.29% to 3.46% + 9 cents per transaction, whereas Square charges 2.6% + 10 cents to 3.5% + 15 cents per transaction.
- Zettle provides a more sophisticated mobile card reader with more features but does not support offline mode like Square.
PayPal acquired Zettle, a European mobile POS system, and made its services available to US business owners in July 2021. Zettle uses PayPal for its payment processing and provides a POS system for tablets or mobile. Startups can get a PIN pad card reader and start accepting payments immediately or purchase an entire POS system. This free system, along with affordable processing rates, makes it a solid Square competitor for mobile POS users.
PayPal Zettle Pricing
- Monthly software fee: $0
- Payment processing: 2.29% to 3.46% + 9 cents; PayPal’s online rate is at 2.59%–3.09% + 49 cents
- Hardware: $79 ($29 for the first card reader)
- Offers discounted rates for qualifying nonprofit organizations
PayPal Zettle Card Readers
 |  |  |
Card Reader | Store Kit Portable | Store Kit Range |
PayPal offers a variety of standout products such as Payflow which makes our list of the best payment gateways. However, what makes PayPal Zettle stand out is that, unlike Payflow, it doesn’t require integration to start accepting payments if you are already a PayPal user. And as one of the easiest means to accept recurring payments, it is the best choice even for micro businesses. Other PayPal Zettle features include:
- International payment processing
- $1 transaction minimum
- Can process up to $500,000 in 24 hours ($10,000 per transaction) for chip and PIN transactions
Check out our Square vs PayPal comparison to learn more.
Helcim: Best Square Alternative for Low-cost Payment Processing & Free POS
Helcim
What We Like
- No monthly fee
- Free invoicing and ecommerce tools
- Discounted interchange-plus pricing
What's Missing
- Not ideal for low-volume businesses
- Limited back office integration
- One of the most expensive mobile card readers
How It Compares to Square
- Both Square and Helcim offer free plans and no long-term contracts.
- Both offer tablet-based POS systems.
- Helcim has a volume-based interchange-plus pricing structure, while Square offers simple, flat-free pricing.
- Helcim hardware is limited to its mobile card reader, whereas Square offers a wide range of mobile card readers and payment terminals.
- Helcim charges a refundable $15 chargeback fee, while Square doesn’t impose a chargeback fee.
- Helcim offers multicurrency features that Square does not have.
- Both providers offer a recurring payment platform.
Helcim offers the cheapest payment processing for small businesses, making it an ideal alternative. It comes with ecommerce and point-of-sale tools, multichannel features, and built-in invoicing and recurring billing tools, but you may find it lacking in terms of back office integration.
Helcim has also recently upgraded to include multicurrency payment processing features, so you can receive international sales in your local currency at no extra cost. Add to that its zero monthly fees and automated volume discounts and Helcim is a solid option for growing businesses and B2Bs, with an excellent recurring payments platform.
Helcim Pricing
- Monthly software fee: $0
- Payment processing: Interchange plus 0.2%–0.5% + 10–25 cents for online processing, and interchange plus 0.1%–0.3% + 5–8 cents for in-person payments
- Chargeback fee: $15
- Hardware: $109
Helcim Card Reader
 |
Card Reader |
Helcim Features
If you have a growing business, Helcim can help you save on payment processing fees. It also provides you with multichannel sales processing features to manage your different revenues in a single platform. Helcim also comes with a solid set of security features to protect your business from fraudulent payments and data breach.
Specific Helcim features include:
- Multicurrency payment processing
- Free mobile payment app and POS
- Free ecommerce sales tools
- Recurring billing and subscriptions management
- Multichannel sales management
- JavaScript-based payment security functionality with Helcim API
See how Helcim ranks against our top recommendations for free merchant account services.
Stripe: Best Square Alternative for Online Payments
Stripe
What We Like
- No monthly fee
- Fully customizable with open APIs
- Accepts many payment methods, including ACH and AliPay
What's Missing
- Higher processing rates than Square
- Fewer in-person payment options
- Technical resources required to set up and maintain
How It Compares to Square
- Neither system charges a monthly fee to use the payment processing service.
- Square does not impose a chargeback fee, while Stripe chargebacks cost $15 per instance.
- Failed transaction fees run from $4–$15 (for Stripe) and $5–$15 (for Square), depending on transaction.
- Both systems charge 2.9% + 30 cents for ecommerce transactions.
- While Square has an API, Stripe is a more flexible payment processing platform that is built with the express purpose of easily working with any system.
Stripe, which started as an online-only platform but has since released Stripe Terminal to accommodate in-person payments as well, is a solid Square alternative to process online payments for businesses of all sizes.
It offers open API software that allows businesses with the technical resources to build a branded checkout experience, making it a top payment gateway for its customizability. It is also our leading B2B payment solution because of the variety of payment types and billing processes it is compatible with. Because it is so popular, many ecommerce platforms, website builders, and other online sales tools have Stripe Payments built right into their software.
Stripe Pricing
- Monthly software fee: $0
- Payment processing: 2.7% + 5 cents–2.9% + 30 cents for card transactions
- Hardware: $59–$249
Stripe Card Readers
 |  |  |
Stripe Reader M2 | BBPOS Chipper 2X BT | BBPOS WisePOS E |
Stripe is a popular choice for custom online checkouts and is, therefore, a good Square alternative for businesses looking to streamline its customer checkout experience. With developer-friendly tools, open APIs, and no integrated hardware, it is meant to seamlessly connect to your existing tech stack and process payments. Unlike most of the other options on this list, Stripe is strictly a payment processor. As such, its POS features are extremely basic (pretty much non-existent when compared to most Square competitors).
Specific Stripe features include:
- Customizable in-app checkouts
- Hosted checkout pages with easy setup
- Recurring billing, payment plans, subscriptions, and memberships
- Ability to receive funds from transactions on a two-day rolling basis
- Ability to choose from a weekly or monthly deposit schedule
Read our Stripe vs Square guide for a side-by-side comparison.
SumUp: Best Square Alternative for Mobile Payments & Occasional Storefront Sellers
SumUp
What We Like
- Free payment app
- Unlimited employee logins
- No fees for accepting payments from foreign credit cards
What's Missing
- Account stability issues
- No ecommerce integration
- Complaints of account holds and closures
How It Compares to Square
- Like Square, SumUp offers a pay-as-you-go subscription and lets you sign up in minutes.
- SumUp does not have built-in ecommerce tools, while Square’s ecommerce features are built-in to every plan.
- SumUp’s payment processing is geared toward mobile payments, while Square offers a range of features and hardware for brick-and-mortar businesses.
- SumUp offers an impressive range of mobile card readers but lacks the range for larger payment terminals like Square.
- Both provide a free payment app.
- Both offer business hours customer support.
Not many competitors can compare with Square’s mobile payment solution, but SumUp comes close. It is a payment processor with a free payment app and a wide range of very affordable mobile card readers that allow you to access more payment processing features as you upgrade. However, SumUp does not support ecommerce integrations so you won’t be able to sell your online products with this provider. If you need this feature, consider PayPal Zettle instead.
SumUp does not charge any monthly fee and transactions are at 2.75% when using SumUp card readers. Invoiced payments cost 2.9% + 15 cents per transaction, while remote payments like mobile, gift cards and virtual payments are charged 3.25% + 15 cents. SumUp also does not charge extra for accepting payments from foreign credit cards, making it a strong solution for businesses that thrive in seasonal tourism.
SumUp Pricing
SumUp is a payment processor designed for mobile-based businesses, so you won’t find advanced POS features and tools similar to Square’s. One glaring difference is SumUp’s lack of ecommerce integration, so it is not the best recommendation for online businesses that want to expand to in-person sales. You will, however, find additional payment methods—such as digital invoicing, refunding, and dynamic tip processing—as you upgrade your SumUp hardware.
More SumUp features include:
- Two-step easy signup
- Pay-as-you-go subscriptions
- Affordable 3-in-1 mobile card readers
- Design, sell, and accept digital gift cards as a payment method
Learn how SumUp stacks up against other mobile card processing alternatives, such as Square, in our roundup of the best credit card payment apps.
Lightspeed: Best Square Alternative for Advanced Inventory
Lightspeed
What We Like
- Fully integrated, industry-specific POS
- Granular matrix inventory features
- Integrated ecommerce platform
What's Missing
- Pricey subscription plans
- Does not include vendor management
- Poor offline functionality
How It Compares to Square
- Square’s subscription plan is more affordable, beginning with a free-forever use of its POS, while Lightspeed’s subscription ranges from $69 to $239 per month.
- Lightspeed offers more sophisticated inventory management with granular matrix inventory features.
- Lightspeed’s reporting tools are significantly more robust.
- Both systems offer in-house payment processing with flat-rate transaction fees.
- Both systems provide an integrated ecommerce platform, though Lightspeed’s is more sophisticated.
Read our Lightspeed POS review
Lightspeed is the best alternative for businesses that have outgrown Square’s inventory management capabilities. It tops our lists of the most recommended POS inventory systems (for its advanced inventory features that can handle multiple revenue streams) and leading iPad restaurant POS systems, and is our second-place best multichannel POS system. For its restaurant software, Lightspeed’s inventory tools make it an excellent choice for quick service restaurants.
Essentially, if you’re looking for a POS that has greater functionality and granularity than Square’s, or have a retail or restaurant business, then consider Lightspeed.
Lightspeed Pricing
- Monthly software fee: $69–$239
- Payment processing: 2.6% + 10 cents to 2.6% + 30 cents
- Hardware: ~$49–$1,000 based on similar products from third-party websites
Lightspeed Card Readers
 |  |  |  |
Mobile Tap | Verifone P400 EMV | iPad Hardware Kit | Desktop Hardware Kit |
Lightspeed is a cloud-based POS software that sets the standard for inventory management. It comes with strong reporting features and analytics tools that every growing business needs as it scales. You’ll also find a suite of integrations to easily customize the system based on your requirements. Lightspeed’s most notable features include:
- Advanced matrix inventory
- Multilocation management
- Ecommerce platform
- Built-in and customizable reports
- Automated data visualization
- Built-in purchase ordering
- Automated return management
- Over 3,000 pre-loaded vendor catalogs
Looking for a restaurant POS solution with advanced inventory? Read our Lightspeed for Restaurants review, or see our comparison of Square vs Lightspeed for the full breakdown.
Shopify: Best Square Alternative for Ecommerce
Shopify
What We Like
- Complete online store builder
- Integrates multichannel selling
- Thousands of apps to choose from
What's Missing
- More expensive than other Square competitors
- Checkout lacks customizability
- Very limited offline payment options
How It Compares to Square
- Both systems offer a free-to-use POS system; however, you will need a Shopify account that costs anywhere from $9 to $299 monthly.
- Shopify is only compatible with retail businesses, whereas Square supports retail, restaurants, appointment, and general-purpose businesses.
- Shopify offers a better solution to handling online sales, while Square is better suited to brick-and-mortar businesses.
- Both systems offer month-to-month billing and discounted processing fees for high-volume sellers.
Shopify is the Square competitor with the most robust ecommerce offering, making it our top recommendation for the best ecommerce platforms. Small businesses can set up and customize an online store and use Shopify’s payment processing and POS tools to build a well-rounded retail command center.
The provider also includes integrated social selling, local delivery, and curbside pickup options. In comparison to Square, it offers more advanced and comprehensive features at a higher cost. It’s also our top-ranking multichannel POS system for native online businesses.
Shopify Pricing
- Monthly software fee: $9–$299
- Payment processing: 2.4%–2.9% + 30 cents
- Hardware: $49–$229
Shopify Card Readers
Shopify and Square both offer tightly integrated online and in-person payment solutions, along with POS features like inventory management, customer profiles, and gift cards. You can also build automated cart abandonment emails, create custom promotions and discounts, and leverage Shopify’s suite of shipping tools and services. It’s a great way for retailers to get started on other channels. Shopify’s other features include:
- Staff logins with secure PIN passcodes
- Detailed retail analytics and reporting
- Mobile dashboard app to track trends, manage inventory, and contact customers on the go
- 24/7 support via phone, email, and live chat
- Full line of proprietary hardware and also integrates with third-party hardware
- Ability to support existing barcodes and create new ones
- Ability to organize products by type, season, category, sale, and so on
To learn more, check out our Shopify vs Square comparison.
Payment Depot: Best Square Alternative for Lowering Payment Processing Fees
Payment Depot
What We Like
- Predictable fees
- No contracts or cancellation fees
- All-in-one membership for online, in-store, and mobile processing
What's Missing
- Requires monthly fee
- Subjects merchants through an application process
- Complicated chargeback resolution process
How It Compares to Square
- Payment Depot requires a subscription (ranges from $59 to $99 per month) but offers extremely low transaction fees, whereas Square Payments has no monthly fee but much higher transaction fees.
- Both systems support online, in-store, and mobile processing.
- Both systems are incompatible with high-risk merchants.
- Payment Depot offers 24/7 customer support, while Square’s phone support is only available from Monday–Friday, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Pacific time
- Unlike Square’s built-in ecommerce features, Payment Depot requires third-party POS and ecommerce tools, though it does offer a gateway and virtual terminal.
Payment Depot, which is dedicated strictly to payment processing, is one of the Square competitors that uses a subscription-based membership model. Essentially, merchants pay a monthly fee in exchange for discounted wholesale payment processing rates. As such, Payment Depot offers some of the cheapest credit card processing for established businesses that process over $10,000 in monthly sales.
Payment Depot Pricing
- Monthly software fee: $59–$99
- Payment processing: Interchange plus 8–15 cents per transaction
- Hardware: From $49
Payment Depot Card Readers
 | Mobile Card Readers:
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 | Smart Terminals:
|
  | Standard Terminals:
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Payment Depot Features
Because Payment Depot is a focused payment processor rather than a POS solution, it offers many advanced features for processing. This includes a variety of accepted payment methods, next-day deposits, and seemingly infinite integration options. Chargebacks are also included in your monthly subscription, so there are no added fees like those that other Square competitors apply. Other Payment Depot features include:
- Affordable processing rates
- Month-to-month contracts
- Flexible hardware integrations
- Free virtual terminal when used with Authorize.net
To see how Payment Depot compares to Square and other top payment processors, read our guide to the best merchant services for small businesses.
Bottom Line
There are many Square competitors to choose from when it comes to selecting POS and payment processing solutions for your business. The first step is to determine what your main sales platform (online, in-person, multichannel) is and which features are most important to you, e.g., inventory management, marketing, and employee management. From there, you should be able to narrow your options down.
Though there are scenarios when you would want to use a Square alternative, it is our top-recommended POS and payment processing solution. It has no monthly fee, is easy to set up, and is super simple to use. It’s a great fit for new businesses, mobile businesses, and businesses with small average transactions. Plus, you are never locked into any long-term contract. Create a free Square account today.
