Square vs Stripe: Pricing Comparison 2026
Side-by-side pricing comparison of Square and Stripe. See all plans, features, and costs at a glance.
Bottom line: Stripe starts at $13/mo, making it $22/mo cheaper than Square ($35/mo). Square offers a free plan.
Last updated: July 2, 2026
Square vs Stripe: Quick Pricing Facts
| Feature | Square | Stripe |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | $35/mo | $13/mo |
| Number of Plans | 2 | 9 |
| Free Tier | Yes | Yes |
| Pricing Model | usage-based | usage-based |
| Annual Discount | N/A | N/A |
Stripe is the more affordable option, starting at $13/mo compared to Square's $35/mo. Both are Payment & Billing tools with 11 combined pricing plans and 33 features compared.
Both tools offer free plans, making them accessible for teams on a budget.
Review the detailed tier-by-tier comparison above to see exactly which features are included at each price point and find the best fit for your Payment & Billing needs.
| Pricing Plans |  Square Try free |  Stripe Try free |
|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 | Free $0/monthCheapest Includes
| |
| Tier 2 | Square Payroll $35/monthCheapest $5 / year Includes
| Standard Pricing Custom pricing Includes
|
| Tier 3 | - | Managed Payments Custom pricing Includes
|
| Tier 4 | - | Billing $500/monthCheapest $42 / year Includes
|
| Tier 5 | - | Tax Complete $80/monthCheapest $7 / year Includes
|
| Tier 6 | - | Stripe Sigma $13/monthCheapest $1 / year Includes
|
| Tier 7 | - | Data Pipeline $57/monthCheapest $5 / year Includes
|
| Tier 8 | - | Revenue Recognition $20/monthCheapest $2 / year Includes
|
| Tier 9 | - | Custom Pricing Custom pricing Includes
|
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Ready to get started? Try either tool free — no credit card required.
Which Should You Choose?
Choose Square if:
- •You operate a physical retail location and need a POS system with card readers, inventory management, and in-person payment processing
- •Square's free POS app with no monthly fee and 2.6% + $0.10 per tap/swipe makes it the easiest way to accept in-person payments
- •You want an all-in-one commerce platform: POS, online store, invoicing, banking, payroll, and marketing in one ecosystem
- •Square's hardware (Reader, Terminal, Register) is affordable and purpose-built for restaurants, retail, and service businesses
Choose Stripe if:
- •You are building an online business or SaaS product and need the most powerful payment API available for custom checkout flows
- •Stripe's developer experience is unmatched - comprehensive API docs, SDKs for every language, and a beautifully designed dashboard
- •You need subscription billing, usage-based pricing, marketplace payments, or complex payment flows that Square cannot support
- •Stripe's ecosystem (Billing, Tax, Connect, Identity, Radar, Terminal) provides modular payment infrastructure you can assemble to your needs
Square and Stripe are both payment processors, but they serve different business models. Square is built for commerce - physical stores, restaurants, and small businesses that sell in person and online. Stripe is built for the internet - SaaS companies, marketplaces, and developers building custom payment experiences. Square's POS is free with no monthly fee. Payment processing costs 2.6% + $0.10 for in-person transactions and 2.9% + $0.30 for online. Square Plus plans ($29-60/month) add advanced features for restaurants, retail, and appointments. Square's strength is the integrated ecosystem: accept a payment, manage inventory, send a receipt, and track sales in one app. Stripe charges 2.9% + $0.30 for online card payments (no monthly fee). Stripe Billing adds subscription management. Stripe Connect enables marketplace payments. Stripe Terminal brings Stripe's API to in-person payments. Stripe's strength is flexibility - you can build virtually any payment flow through its API. If you have a physical store, restaurant, or service business, start with Square - it works out of the box. If you are building a SaaS product, marketplace, or any business where payments are processed primarily online through custom code, Stripe is the clear choice. The overlap is small: Square Online competes with Stripe for simple e-commerce, but Stripe's API capabilities far exceed Square's for custom implementations.
Frequently Asked Questions: Square vs Stripe
Which is cheaper, Square or Stripe?
How many pricing plans does Square have vs Stripe?
Does Square or Stripe offer a free plan?
Can I save money by paying annually for Square or Stripe?
Does Square or Stripe offer custom enterprise pricing?
How do Square and Stripe compare for Payment & Billing?
Sources
- Square Official Pricing- Vendor pricing page
- Stripe Official Pricing- Vendor pricing page
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