Friday, March 29, 2024
HomeBUSINESS7 Best Square Alternatives for Processing Payments

7 Best Square Alternatives for Processing Payments

Even the smallest enterprises are now empowered by payment processing technologies. Nowadays, even one-person enterprises are able to take a wide range of payment methods, including credit and debit cards, mobile wallets, ACH payments, gift cards, and many others. Small business owners will find it simpler to meet consumer requests and obtain payment as a result.

There are a ton of payment options available on the market with fundamental features that are suitable for many tiny, startup enterprises. One is Square, although it’s not always the ideal option for you in terms of payment processing. One of these seven Square competitors may be a better fit for you depending on your company’s needs.

7 Best Square Alternatives for Processing Payments

When we refer to “payment processing,” we are explicitly referring to the business that manages credit card processing, mobile payment processing, ACH deposits, or the processing of any other form of payment that is being used at the time of the transaction. Your merchant bank or a third party could serve as your payment processor. Hardware for conducting in-person sales is also provided by some payment processors (like Square).

1.Payment Depot

payment depot

Due to the fact that Payment Depot offers merchant services, it has a more complex setup and more sophisticated security than a payment aggregator like Square. You can think of a payment aggregator as a middleman between you and your merchant services provider.

This implies that while you can avoid opening a merchant account, you will not receive the security advantages that Payment Depot provides and your account may be suspended without notice. Because of this, businesses with a high average order value find Payment Depot to be particularly appealing (AOV). Check this article on Apple Pay alternatives.

Due to its cost, Payment Depot is one of the greatest alternatives to Square. Payment Depot uses a subscription pricing model, whereas Square charges a fixed percentage plus transaction cost for each transaction (great for low AOV). You pay a single monthly charge in exchange for the direct cost of interchange rather than having a percentage of your sales taken away. Additionally, like Square, Payment Depot does not charge cancellation fees and offers access to reasonable wholesale credit card processing rates.

When considering Payment Depot as a Square substitute, keep the following in mind:

  • Customer assistance: In contrast to Square’s Monday through Friday office hours, Payment Depot’s award-winning customer service team provides 24/7 support.
  • Hardware: If you already have hardware or wish to purchase it elsewhere, Payment Depot sells hardware from independent vendors. Additionally, our virtual terminal is compatible with the majority of credit card processors and POS systems. Square owns its own equipment.
  • Mobile app: Payment Depot partners with the SwipeSimple app to provide mobile payment processing, whereas Square has its own specific app.

2.PayPal

PayPal

The next option on the list of Square alternatives for your small business is PayPal. PayPal can process a wide range of payment types, including credit, debit, mobile, contactless, internet payments, etc., just as Square and Payment Depot. PayPal provides invoicing and sales tax options, just like Square. Unfortunately for small businesses, Square and PayPal both have a history of unexpected account freezes that cause unanticipated delays in getting access to your money. Check this article on Cash App alternatives.

The cost of processing payments using PayPal is based on a flat charge. If you wish to expand your system, PayPal and Square will both give you a second credit card reader at a reasonable price.

PayPal charges 2.7 percent for card-present purchases using the PayPal Here reader and 3.5 percent for keyed-in transactions for conventional card transactions. This is a little higher than Square’s transaction fee of 2.6 percent plus $0.10. PayPal offers non-profits lower prices as well.

Observe the following while contrasting PayPal and Square:

  • Customer service is easily available by live chat, phone, email, a help center, and a community forum from both PayPal and Square.
  • Hardware: In addition to a variety of card readers, PayPal also has cash drawers, POS stands, charging stations, and receipt printers in its hardware arsenal. It also functions with a number of independent POS vendors. Square has its own hardware as well.
  • Mobile app: Square has more capabilities for managing businesses, but both PayPal and Square have their own specialized apps.

Alternatives to Square for readers on mobile

Mobile readers are useful for both brick and mortar businesses that operate in big spaces and small enterprises that sell on the go, such as at events, festivals, fairs, and marketplaces. With the use of a mobile reader, you and your staff can meet clients wherever they are, thereby turning any location into a “checkout counter.”

3.SwipeSimple

swipesimple

Similar to Square’s additional capabilities, SwipeSimple is a cloud-based smartphone reader and payment app that also contains inventory, sales, and transaction history (which are more comprehensive). Both Square and SwipeSimple support invoicing, tipping and taxes, reporting, and interaction with outside programs and infrastructure.

Priced more than Square’s mobile reader options at $119, the SwipeSimple B250 mobile card reader is more expensive. The mobile reader from SwipeSimple connects to iOS and Android smartphones safely and securely using Bluetooth Low Energy. It accepts contactless payments as well as magstripe and EMV Quick Chip cards (Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay, etc.).

  • Customer service is readily available by live chat, phone, email, a help center, and a community forum from both PayPal and Square.
  • Hardware: While the SwipeSimple B250 ($119) and the SwipeSimple B200 ($99) are more straightforward dedicated mobile card readers, the SwipeSimple Terminal is a powerful system that integrates with a variety of smart terminals and devices. For an additional $29, you can buy an optional stand. In terms of hardware, Square provides a wider range of options at lower prices.
  • Mobile app: Square and SwipeSimple each have a dedicated app, but Square has additional options for managing your business.

Alternatives to Square for POS in retail

Retail point of sale is essentially a cash register from the modern era that has been upgraded into a full-fledged management control system. With a retail POS, you can manage workers, track inventory, handle payments, add a mobile POS, and more.

4.Clover

clover

The most significant distinction between Clover and Square is the versatility and diversity of out-of-the-box capabilities that Clover offers. Although Square itself includes a ton of business management functions, many of them have a fee. Contrarily, Clover consists of staffing, customer relationship management (CRM), and analytics. Additionally, you may add free features for restaurants like a register, specials, customer reviews, loyalty programs, and features. Additionally, Clover integrates with a greater range of third-party solutions than Square does, allowing you to fully sync your business command center’s technology.

Clover doesn’t actually provide built-in payment processing, at least not in terms of fees for processing payments. Instead, you might look around for a service like Payment Depot that is compatible, ensuring that you get the greatest deal for your small business. You are bound by Square’s processing fees.

Remember the following in mind as you consider Clover as one of the Square alternatives for retail POS software:

  • Customer assistance: You can contact Clover customer service by phone, email, or by using their self-service help resources. These choices resemble Square.

Hardware: Both Square and Clover have robust point-of-sale systems. Comparable products include Square Register ($799), Clover Station Pro ($1,649), Clover Station ($1,399), and Square Terminal ($299), as well as Clover Mini ($749), Clover Flex ($499). A basic mobile card reader, Clover Go ($49), is comparable to Square’s (which offers the first one free and then charges $10 for each additional one).

  • Mobile app: Both Clover and Square have specialized apps with a wide range of POS features. Clover provides extra features without cost.

5. Vital

Vital

Vital provides Vital Select and Vital Plus, two full smart terminals. Inventory management, taxes and tax reporting, personnel administration, pricing, discounts, and support for a range of payment modes are just a few of the features that make Vital Select ($1,600) a complete retail POS system that rivals Square. Customers can choose to tip, receive refunds, or make partial payments.

A handheld retail POS/smart terminal called Vital Plus ($599) with a 5-inch touchscreen, an integrated receipt printer, and a barcode scanner. Many of the potent features that come with Vital Select are also included for you.

  • Customer service: Much like Square, Vital provides FAQs, instructional videos, and limited live assistance.

Hardware: Smart terminals and complete retail POS systems are also available from Square and Vital. Vital only provides one mobile card reader choice, compared to Square’s array of card readers.

  • Mobile app: Square and Vital both provide specialized apps with a wide range of features and complete POS connectivity.

6.Poynt Smart Terminal

poynt

Poynt Smart Terminal is an all-inclusive retail point-of-sale device with a 7-inch touchscreen, a dedicated processor, barcode and QR readers, and a thermal printer. Far more than Square, it provides a wide range of hardware possibilities.

The accounting feature set of Poynt’s software may be what makes it stand out the most. You can quickly obtain reports for transactions, taxes, chargebacks, orders, and settlements as well as integrate it with QuickBooks, your preferred accounting program. It also provides additional capabilities, similar to Square (although Square’s features frequently have a price). Poynt, for instance, offers employee management, tax and discount administration, and CRM.

  • Customer assistance: You can contact Clover customer service by phone, email, or by using their self-service help resources. These choices resemble Square.

Hardware is strong and has a ton of built-in functions, and Poynt’s Smart Terminal is reasonably priced at $30 per month for rental.

  • Mobile app: The Poynt app for mobile devices has POS, payment processing, and business administration tools.

7.Shopify POS

shopify payments

Shopify can be the best option if you’re searching for a more specialized POS system that’s especially designed for online stores. Despite the fact that Shopify offers more POS tools than Square does, the latter is superior at integrating your in-person and online sales.

Even though the POS application itself is free to use, you’ll still need to be on a Shopify plan, which can range in price from $9 to $299 per month. Shopify actually contains its own payment processor, Shopify Payments. Additionally, depending on your plan, processing costs per transaction range from 2.4 percent to 2.7 percent.

  • Customer support: In contrast to Square’s Monday through Friday business hours, Shopify offers 24/7 help via chat and email.
  • Hardware: In order to use the Shopify POS software, you’ll need a Shopify card reader and a smartphone or tablet. Without a Shopify card reader, you can still record transactions using the Shopify POS, but if you work with a third-party processor, you won’t be able to merge any payments made using an external reader.
  • Mobile app: The Shopify POS app for smartphones comes with tools for omnichannel sales, inventory control, personnel administration, and unified reporting.

The ideal Square substitutes for your small business should be selected. One of the many crucial choices you must make for your small business is the payment processing technology. And there isn’t a single solution. It’s critical to assess your particular requirements and the solutions that will best meet them.

You have access to Payment Depot’s competitive wholesale credit card processing prices, which benefit the majority of small- and medium-sized enterprises. Additionally, because of our membership-based pricing, you will save more money as you process more payments.

RELATED ARTICLES

Most Popular