Square Alternatives: 10 POS and Card Payment Options

Square made card payments easy for tiny businesses, and that's exactly why so many people outgrow it or simply want to compare. Maybe you need table bookings in the till, better stock control across two shops, or a provider that's stronger in your country.

The ten options below are listed alphabetically and in no particular order, and every description comes from the provider's own website, read this week. If you're still weighing up processors rather than full tills, my comparison of Stripe and Square covers the basics first.

Square alternatives side by side

In the free plan column, Yes means the tool's own site names a free plan, a free version, a free account or open source software. Trial only means a time-limited trial. Not stated means the pages I read named neither, even where there's a button inviting you to start for free.

Tool	Type	Good for	Free plan
Clover	POS system for food, retail and services	Restaurants wanting online ordering built in	Not stated
eHopper	POS and payments platform with a free POS	A free POS for very small shops	Yes
Epos Now	Till and point of sale system	Tills with bookings and table reservations	Not stated
Lightspeed	POS and commerce platform	Retailers with big inventories or several stores	Not stated
Loyverse	Free POS software for small businesses	Loyalty points and inventory without a subscription	Yes
Payanywhere	All-in-one POS and card payments	Taking payments in store, on mobile and online	Yes
PayPal Point of Sale	Card reader and POS app (formerly Zettle)	Businesses already using PayPal	Not stated
Shopify POS	Point of sale built into Shopify	Online stores opening a physical shop	Not stated
Stax	Payment processing platform	Higher-volume card processing	Not stated
SumUp	Card readers, POS and business account	A first card reader for a new business	Not stated

Ten Square alternatives to look at

Clover

Best for: Food and drink businesses that want commission-free online ordering and delivery management running alongside their tills and card terminals.

eHopper

Best for: Corner shops and new cafes that want to start on a free point of sale and add kiosks or kitchen screens later.

Epos Now

Best for: UK hospitality and beauty businesses that want appointments, table reservations and deposits built straight into the till they already use.

Lightspeed

Best for: Growing shops, bars and golf clubs that need serious inventory, multi-store reporting and an ecommerce site joined to the till.

Loyverse

Best for: Coffee shops, bars and boutiques that want a free POS app with loyalty points, stock tracking and a back office on the web.

Payanywhere

Best for: Mobile traders and small stores that want free software for in-store, mobile and online payments plus invoices and a virtual terminal.

PayPal Point of Sale

Best for: Pop-up sellers and small shops that already take PayPal online and want a card reader and till app on the same account.

Shopify POS

Best for: Brands that sell online through Shopify and want in-person sales, stock and customers kept in the same system.

Stax

Best for: Established businesses with steady card volume that want a dedicated payments partner rather than an all-in-one till app.

SumUp

Best for: Sole traders and market stalls that want a simple card reader, invoices and a business app to manage their money in one place.

Who's responsible for card data when you switch?

You are, as well as your provider. The PCI Security Standards Council puts it plainly on its merchant resources page: with a strong data security foundation you can protect your customer payment data and prevent data breaches that can put you out of business.

That's worth remembering when you compare. A provider that handles card security for you makes life easier, but you still need to keep logins safe, train staff not to write card numbers down and use the provider's own terminals and apps rather than workarounds.

All-in-one till or just a card reader?

Some businesses only need to take a card at a market stall. Others need a full point of sale that runs the floor, the kitchen screen, the stock room and the online shop at once. The second kind is far harder to leave later, so choose with the next three years in mind.

If you run a cafe, look closely at kitchen screens and table service. If you run a shop, stock control and barcode scanning matter more. Salons and therapists should check appointments and deposits before anything else.

Questions to ask before you switch POS

1. Will it work with the card reader or hardware I already own?
2. How quickly does money reach my bank account?
3. Does it handle my kind of business, such as tables, appointments or stock?
4. Can I export my sales and customer data if I leave?
5. Is there a contract or can I leave month to month?
6. Does it connect to my accounting software?

How to switch POS without a messy week

Don't switch on a Saturday. Pick your quietest trading day, run the new till alongside the old one for a shift and check that every product, discount and staff login made it across. Export your sales history before you cancel anything, because you'll want it for your accounts and for comparing busy periods later on.

Tell your regulars, too. If loyalty points or gift cards don't carry over, a friendly sign at the counter saves awkward conversations. And keep the old card reader for a few weeks in case a refund needs to go back to the original card.

Signs it's time to change your POS

• Queues build at busy times. Speed beats features.
• You run stock in a spreadsheet. The till should do it.
• Staff share one login. You can't see who did what.
• Reports don't match your bank. Reconciling eats your evenings.

Do you make a POS or card payment system? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place on this list.

My plain advice on choosing a Square alternative

Write down the three jobs your till has to do every single day, then test only against those. Fancy loyalty schemes and dashboards are lovely, but a till that's slow at lunchtime loses you far more than a missing report.

And keep invoicing in mind too, because plenty of small firms take card payments in person and send invoices for everything else. My guide on how to invoice a customer correctly pairs well with whichever system you choose.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best alternative to Square?

There isn't one answer for every business. Cafes, retailers, salons and market traders each need different features, which is why the list above is in no particular order.

Is there a free alternative to Square?

Some point of sale apps say they're free to use and you add hardware and processing. The free plan column shows what each provider's own site says.

Can I keep my card reader if I switch?

Sometimes. Many systems only work with their own readers, so check compatibility before you sign up.

Who is responsible for card security?

Both you and your provider. The PCI Security Standards Council says a strong data security foundation protects customer payment data and prevents breaches.

How long does it take to switch POS?

A simple setup can move in a day. A shop with lots of products, staff accounts and stock levels needs time to import and test.

Do I need a contract?

Not always. Some providers work month to month and others ask for a longer agreement, so read the terms before you order hardware.