Best Square alternatives

Square — All-in-one point of sale and payments for in-person businesses.. If you’re weighing up Square, here are 8 payment processors worth comparing on fees, features, and verified merchant reviews, especially for in-person & retail (pos).

Why consider alternatives to Square?

  • Account stability concerns for some sellers
  • Less suited to complex online needs

8 alternatives to Square

Compare side by side
Helcim logo

Helcim

Verified
4.5(4)

Transparent interchange-plus pricing with automatic volume discounts.

Interchange + 0.50% + $0.25

online rate

$0

monthly fee

Next day

payout

Growing SMBs
Transparent pricing
Omnichannel
Rated 4.5 out of 5 from 4 reviews.
Compare Square vs Helcim
Stax logo
4.5(4)

Subscription-style pricing that passes interchange straight through.

Interchange + $0.15

online rate

$99

monthly fee

Next day

payout

High volume
Predictable cost
Established businesses
Rated 4.5 out of 5 from 4 reviews.
Compare Square vs Stax
Stripe logo

Stripe

Verified
Sponsored
4.5(4)

Developer-first payments infrastructure for internet businesses.

2.9% + $0.30

online rate

$0

monthly fee

2-day

payout

Developers
SaaS
Marketplaces
Rated 4.5 out of 5 from 4 reviews.
Compare Square vs Stripe
PayPal logo
4.5(4)

The widely recognised wallet and checkout button merchants trust.

2.99% + $0.49

online rate

$0

monthly fee

Instant

payout

Small business
Cross-border
Quick setup
Rated 4.5 out of 5 from 4 reviews.
Compare Square vs PayPal
Adyen logo

Adyen

Verified
4.5(4)

Enterprise-grade global payments on a single platform.

Interchange + 0.60% + $0.13

online rate

$0

monthly fee

T+2

payout

Enterprise
Global
Omnichannel
Rated 4.5 out of 5 from 4 reviews.
Compare Square vs Adyen
Braintree logo

Braintree

Verified
4.5(4)

A PayPal company offering developer-friendly online payments.

2.89% + $0.29

online rate

$0

monthly fee

2-day

payout

Developers
SaaS
PayPal users
Rated 4.5 out of 5 from 4 reviews.
Compare Square vs Braintree

A long-established payment gateway for online and MOTO payments.

2.9% + $0.30

online rate

$25

monthly fee

Varies

payout

Traditional businesses
MOTO
Virtual terminal
Rated 4.5 out of 5 from 4 reviews.
Compare Square vs Authorize.net
Razorpay logo

Razorpay

Verified
Sponsored
4.5(4)

India's developer-friendly payments and business banking suite.

2%

online rate

₹0

monthly fee

T+2

payout

India
Developers
UPI
Rated 4.5 out of 5 from 4 reviews.
Compare Square vs Razorpay

Square alternatives — FAQ

What is the best alternative to Square?
Helcim is one of the most-compared Square alternatives, but the best choice depends on your pricing model, payment methods, and integrations. Compare each option side by side before deciding.
Why do merchants look for Square alternatives?
Merchants usually switch to lower processing fees, get better support, avoid restrictive contract or reserve terms, or find payment methods and integrations that fit their business more closely.
How do I compare Square with its alternatives?
Use the side-by-side compare tool to line up Square against any alternative on pricing, payment methods, integrations, features, and company facts, then read verified merchant reviews for each.

Not sure which processor fits?

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