Square

Square's standard rates: 2.6% + $0.10 for in-person card payments (tap, dip, swipe), 2.9% + $0.30 for online payments, 3.5% + $0.15 for manually keyed-in transactions. There is no monthly fee on the free plan — you only pay per transaction. Square Plus costs $29/month per location and reduces some transaction complexity. Square for Restaurants and Square for Retail have their own plan structures starting at $60/month for advanced features.

Square is better for in-person businesses — retail stores, restaurants, and service businesses that primarily take payments face-to-face. It has superior POS hardware (Terminal, Register), restaurant-specific software, and a simpler all-in-one ecosystem. Stripe is better for online businesses and developers — it offers far more flexibility for custom checkout flows, subscriptions, marketplace payments, and global payment methods. Both charge similar rates (~2.9% online); Square wins on in-person simplicity, Stripe wins on developer power.

Square's basic plan is free with no monthly subscription — you only pay processing fees (2.6% + $0.10 in-person). The free plan includes the POS app, online store, invoicing, basic inventory, and reporting. Paid plans (Square Plus at $29/month, Square Premium at custom pricing) add advanced inventory management, team management, loyalty programs, and priority support. Square's hardware (card readers, terminals, registers) is sold separately — the basic magstripe reader is free; the chip/tap reader is $49.