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Square POS Review and Pricing
Table of Contents
- No charge-back fees: Square doesn’t issue charge-back fees, which is rare for a POS provider.
- Straightforward pricing: Square is very transparent about its pricing and any fees charged, so you’ll know exactly what you need to pay for the service.
- Plenty of hardware options: Square offers all the hardware options you need, including a terminal, card reader and plenty of add-on accessories.
- Limited use: Square works on iOS and Android devices but won’t work on a Windows desktop or tablet.
- Limited customer support: The company doesn’t offer 24/7 phone support with its free plan.
- High fees: Square charges higher payment processing fees than some other POS providers.
If you’re looking for an affordable and intuitive point-of-sale (POS) system, Square is an excellent option that’s popular among retailers, restaurants and service providers. It provides an excellent starting point for new businesses and those setting up a POS system for the first time at a price that fits any budget.
Square POS Editor's Rating:
9.3 / 10
- Affordable pricing
- 10/10
- Free trial
- 10/10
- Robust integrations
- 10/10
- Invoicing and bill pay
- 8/10
- Mobile app
- 8.5/10
Why Square Is Best for Small Businesses
Companies of all sizes can use Square, but it’s best for small businesses thanks to its free plan. The free plan is surprisingly comprehensive, and its payment processing fees are straightforward and easy to understand. With Square, new and very small businesses can get the sophistication of advanced POS systems at a cost-effective price point.
Square also offers a variety of affordable hardware options and accessories. The Square Register has a display for you and one for your customers, and it comes with a two-year warranty. You can also accept contactless mobile payments without needing any additional hardware. This allows new businesses to start accepting payments without a large upfront investment.
Square is an excellent POS system for small businesses and startups. Source: Square
Usability
Square is easy to set up, and you’ll need very little training to begin using the software. The interface is highly intuitive, and you and your team should be able to manage the setup on your own. If you do run into problems, you can reach out to customer service via chat or in-app support. This is especially useful for new businesses or mom and pop operations that need to get something effective up and running quickly without difficulty and at an affordable cost.
Square also provides an extensive list of online resources, including how-to articles, guided tutorials and a community forum. Square’s Seller Community forum is quite active, so you should always be able to find answers to your questions.
Square’s software also integrates with dozens of third-party apps, so you can create a customized solution for your business. For example, Square integrates with popular software like Wix, WooCommerce and QuickBooks Online.
Square Features
Payment processing | Square’s POS system allows you to accept payments online, in person and over the phone. |
|---|---|
Hardware | Square offers a register, stand, terminal and two different card readers. |
Square for Retail | Square provides features that allow you to sell products online and in person. |
Square for Restaurants | You can use Square to manage your menu and run your restaurant. |
Appointment booking | Your customers can easily schedule appointments with you through Square’s appointment-booking feature. |
Payment Processing
Square allows you to accept online, in-person and remote payments. If you largely need to accept in-person customer payments, the Square reader makes it easy to accept chip, mobile and contactless payments. Customers can also pay online using a secure Square link or after you send them an invoice. You can also accept keyed-in transactions or keep a customer’s card on file.
We also like that Square comes with detailed POS reporting and analytics features. You can track payments and monitor your company’s sales with Square’s custom POS sales reports. You can also monitor customer preferences and learn why customers return to make repeat sales.
You can also create a customer loyalty program and a digital gift card program to drive repeat visits. We found this especially useful for new businesses trying to make a name for themselves and local, independent businesses that rely on a loyal customer base in order to compete with bigger companies.
Use Square’s POS features to track customer preferences and build loyalty programs. Source: Square
Hardware
We appreciate that Square provides several hardware options so businesses can choose the best setup for their needs. Here’s an overview of Square’s hardware:
- Square Register: The fully integrated Square Register comes with a dedicated customer display. It includes protection from eligible charge-backs and a two-year limited warranty.
- Square Stand: The Square Stand turns your iPad into a POS system. It comes with a customer-driven checkout and a built-in card reader.
- Square Terminal: The Square Terminal is an all-in-one credit card machine that lets you accept payments and print receipts. Customers can use the terminal to tap, swipe or dip their cards.
- Square Reader: The Square Reader lets you accept chip cards and contactless payments.
- Square Reader for Magstripe: You can plug this reader into your phone to accept magstripe payments.
Square provides all the hardware options you need to run your business. Source: Square
Square for Retail
Square’s retail features make it easy for businesses to sell products online or at a brick-and-mortar location. You can use the software to accept payments, manage inventory and streamline operations. We also like that you can use Square to set up a free e-commerce account or integrate an existing online store.
Square for Retail includes inventory management features that help small businesses streamline operations. Source: Square
Square for Restaurants
Square is best known for serving retailers, but the company also offers a restaurant POS solution. You can use the software to manage front- and back-of-house operations, handle your menu, keep the line moving, and offer free delivery or pickup on all orders. And Square’s mobile POS features let you accept tableside payments, which helps you turn over tables at a faster pace.
Square for Restaurants includes menu-management features. Source: Square
Appointment Booking
Square also offers an appointment-scheduling feature, which is rare for a POS provider. You can manage your availability from the app and let customers book appointments or classes with you online. This feature makes Square an excellent option for service providers.
Square’s appointment-booking feature simplifies scheduling. Source: Square
Square Costs
Square offers three software plans: Free, Plus and Premium.
- Free: Square’s free plan impressed us, allowing businesses to accept payments online, in person or over the phone. Not many competing POS solutions offer such a full-featured free plan, Not many competing POS solutions offer such a full-featured free plan, which is beneficial to sole proprietors, new businesses and very small operations on a tight budget.
- Plus: The Plus plan costs $29 per month and comes with advanced features for restaurants, retailers and service-based businesses.
- Premium: The Premium plan costs $79 per month and is designed for companies with more comprehensive needs.
You must also pay the following payment processing fees:
- In Person: 2.6% + $0.10 per transaction
- Online: 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction
- Manual: 3.5% + $0.15 per transaction
- Invoices: 3.3% + $0.30 per transaction
Square Setup
Square makes setting up your POS system seamless, and it’s a great choice for businesses that want to start accepting payments immediately. Here’s how to get your Square system set up:
- Download the Square app to your mobile device.
- Once you create your account, Square will ship you a free card reader.
- After entering your banking information, Square will make two small deposits to your account.
- Once the deposits appear, log in to your Square account to verify your information and the deposit amounts.
- Once you receive your card reader, plug it into your mobile device and begin accepting payments from anywhere.
Square Customer Service
Compared to some of the other POS providers we reviewed, we found that Square falls a bit short on customer service. Square has a spotty customer service record, with some complaints online. Many customers report that the company is difficult to get a hold of and say they had challenges resolving certain issues. And the free plan doesn’t come with 24/7 phone support.
Square Drawbacks
Square is an excellent POS provider, but there are a few drawbacks to consider. The biggest drawback is that Square’s customer support isn’t as highly rated as what many of its competitors provide. And if you choose the free plan, you won’t receive 24/7 phone support. And Square probably isn’t the best choice for companies with complex payment processing needs.
Methodology
When researching the best POS systems for small businesses, we looked for affordable pricing, comprehensive features and overall ease of use. We also compared Square to over a dozen POS system competitors. Our in-depth research helped us determine where Square stands out among its competitors and where it needs some improvement.
Square FAQs
Overall Value
We recommend Square for …
- Businesses that don’t want to sign up for a long-term contract.
- Businesses that use iOS or Android devices.
- Any business looking to avoid chargeback fees.
We don’t recommend Square for …
- Businesses that need a POS system with advanced functionality and industry-specific features.
- Anyone who wants to run the POS system on a Windows desktop or tablet.
