Square vs Stripe
Square rates 4.5/5 and starts at Free. Stripe rates 4.6/5 and starts at Custom. Stripe is the higher rated. Only Square has a free tier.
Stripe rates higher (4.6/5 vs 4.5/5). Square suits Retail, food & omnichannel SMBs, while Stripe is aimed at Developers, SaaS & online stores.
Square vs Stripe at a glance
| Measure | Square | Stripe |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.5/5 | 4.6/5 |
| Reviews | 12,600 | 14,800 |
| Starting price | Free | Custom |
| Free plan | Yes | No |
| Public API | Yes | Yes |
| Integrations listed here | 5 | 5 |
Feature & pricing comparison
| Comparison | ||
|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.5 | 4.6 |
| Starting price | Free | Custom |
| Pricing model | Freemium | Paid |
| API available | ||
| Best for | Retail, food & omnichannel SMBs | Developers, SaaS & online stores |
| In-person & online payments | ||
| Free POS software | ||
| Flat-rate fees | ||
| Invoicing | ||
| Hardware ecosystem | ||
| Card & wallet payments | ||
| Subscriptions & billing | ||
| Global methods | ||
| Connect (marketplaces) | ||
| Excellent API & docs | ||
| Visit | Visit |
Pricing side by side
Square
Full pricing →| Plan | Price | Per year |
|---|---|---|
| Free | Free | — |
| Online | Custom | — |
Stripe
Full pricing →| Plan | Price | Per year |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | Custom | — |
| Custom | Custom | — |
Which should you choose?
Choose Square if…
- Great for in-person matters to you.
- Transparent flat fees matters to you.
- Free POS matters to you.
- Support is mostly self-serve would be a problem.
Choose Stripe if…
- Best-in-class developer experience matters to you.
- Huge feature set matters to you.
- Global reach matters to you.
- Less developer-flexible would be a problem.
Square
Pros
- Great for in-person
- Transparent flat fees
- Free POS
Cons
- Less developer-flexible
- Funds holds for new accounts
Stripe
Pros
- Best-in-class developer experience
- Huge feature set
- Global reach
Cons
- Support is mostly self-serve
- Can hold funds for risk review
Frequently asked questions
Is Square better than Stripe?+
Stripe rates higher (4.6/5 vs 4.5/5). Square suits Retail, food & omnichannel SMBs, while Stripe is aimed at Developers, SaaS & online stores.
Which is cheaper, Square or Stripe?+
Square starts at Free and Stripe starts at Custom.
Do Square or Stripe have a free plan?+
Square has a free tier; Stripe does not (though trials may be available).
Which is better rated, Square or Stripe?+
Stripe, at 4.6/5 across 14,800 reviews, versus 4.5/5 for Square.
What is Square best for, and what is Stripe best for?+
Square is aimed at Retail, food & omnichannel SMBs (brick-and-mortar + online, restaurants). Stripe is aimed at Developers, SaaS & online stores (saas billing, online stores).