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: March 16, 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 it free |  Stripe Try it 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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Stripe
Stripe offers a free plan, starts at $22/mo lower ($13/mo vs $35/mo), offers 9 tiers vs 2.
Based on pricing data only. Review the full comparison below for your specific needs.
Best value: Stripe
Try Stripe freeWhich Should You Choose?
Choose Square if:
- •You prefer Square's free tier features—End-to-end encrypted payments, Active fraud prevention
- •You want Square's approach to incremental feature unlocking across its 2 pricing tiers
- •Square's feature bundling aligns with how Payment & Billing teams actually work day-to-day
Choose Stripe if:
- •You want lower per-user costs—Stripe starts at $13/mo, saving $22/mo compared to Square at $35/mo
- •You prefer Stripe's free tier features—No installation fees, No monthly fees
- •You need 9 pricing tiers for flexible team sizing—more options mean less overpaying for features you don't need
- •You want more features built-in—Stripe offers 19 additional features across its plans
Both Square and Stripe offer free plans [1], eliminating cost barriers for evaluation. This means you can test both tools thoroughly with your actual workflows before any financial commitment. The free tiers differ in scope: Square includes 4 features, while Stripe includes 3 features. Evaluate which free tier matches your evaluation needs before deciding to upgrade. Your best approach is to activate both free trials and evaluate which tool's workflow, integrations, and user experience align better with your team's needs before committing to paid plans.
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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