Square vs Stripe
Square is a good credit card processor for low-volume businesses. How does it compare to Stripe? Read our comparison chart below.
Square has a low swipe fee of 2.6% + $0.10 per transaction. It has no monthly fees, no contract, and no chargeback fees. Square offers a free swipe reader, feature-rich POS app, free virtual terminal, and free online store.
While Stripe has 2.7% + $0.05 per swiped transaction and 2.9% + $0.30 per online transaction. There is no monthly fees and no contract. With customizable API, Stripe offers complete personalization of your online checkout experience.
Compare Square with Stripe, side-by-side.
 |  | |
| Visit Site | Visit Site | |
Square | Stripe | |
|---|---|---|
Square Reader: Free Mobile Credit Card Reader - | Online Payment Processing - | |
Benefits and Features | ||
| Monthly Fee | ||
| Good For | Mobile & small businesses with average transaction over $100 | Online businesses; Customized checkout experience |
| Equipment | Card reader: $0 to $59; Stand, Terminal, and Register available for purchase | Online Processing, Terminal, Stripe for Marketplace & Platforms, Billing Services (subscription & invoicing) |
| Accept International Payments | ||
| Customer Service | Phone, Email, Live Chat Support, Seller Community | Phone (by request), Email, Live Chat, IRC |
| Fraud Prevention Tools |  | |
| Invoice Management | | |
| Pricing Model | Flat rate (also offers customized pricing packages) | |
| Recurring Billing | | |
| ACH Payments | ||
| Swipe Rate | ||
| Online Rate | ||
| Keyed-in Transaction Fee | ||
| Deposit Time | Payments before 5PM PT / 8 PM ET is available the next business day | 7-14 days after the first successful payment |
| Chargeback Fee | ||
CreditDonkey® Reviews | ||
| | |
| Price |   | |
| Equipment | | |
| Contract | | |
| Customer Service | | |
| Ecommerce | | |
| High Volume Business | | |
| Low Volume Business | | |
| Pros & Cons | Pros:
| |
| Bottom Line | Good credit card processor for low-volume businesses... | |
| Visit Site | Visit Site | |
Blank fields may indicate the information is not available, not applicable, or not known to CreditDonkey. Please visit the product website for details. | ||
Square Reader: Free Mobile Credit Card Reader
- Pay 2.6% + 10¢ Per Swipe for Visa, Mastercard, Discover, and American Express
- Accept Credit Cards Anywhere
- Fast Setup, No Commitments
Square Contactless and Chip Card Reader
- Pay 2.6% + 10¢ per tap or dip for Visa, Mastercard, Discover, and American Express
- Accept Chip Cards and Contactless Payments Anywhere
Square Terminal
- 2.6% + 10¢ per tap, dip, or swipe
- Fully integrated POS system with built-in receipt printer
- 5.5" display
Online Payment Processing
- Accept payments worldwide and automate payouts and financial workflows seamlessly
- Grow with confidence: Whether you're running an e-commerce store, subscription service, or marketplace, Stripe adapts to any business model
- Trusted by millions: From startups to Fortune 500 companies, Stripe powers businesses of every size
- Predictable costs: Transparent flat-rate pricing with no setup fees or monthly charges – pay only for what you use
- Enable more sales: Support credit cards, mobile wallets, and 135+ international payment methods
- Developer-friendly tools: Integrate payments quickly with Stripe's intuitive APIs and documentation
Still need help deciding which merchant services is better? Read the in-depth reviews below. You may also be interested in comparing Square or QuickBooks.
Articles on Square
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