Stripe is built for selling online. It's a payments platform that websites, apps and subscription businesses plug into, with deep tools for developers. Square is built for selling in person, with its own card readers and point of sale app, plus online tools for a simple store, invoices and bookings. If most of your sales happen online, start with Stripe. If most happen face to face, start with Square.
Here's the short version, then the detail. Both take card payments, both send invoices and both are widely used by small businesses. The difference is where each one started, and that still shapes how they feel to use.
Stripe began as a way for developers to accept payments on websites. Square began with a small card reader that plugged into a phone. Each has since moved into the other's territory, but the roots show. So rather than comparing feature lists in the abstract, start with one question: where does most of your money come from?
If you mostly sell online
Stripe is the natural pick. It powers checkouts behind a huge number of websites, course platforms, booking tools and apps, which means there's a good chance the software you already use connects to it.
- Stripe Checkout and Payment Links give you a hosted payment page without writing code. You can send a link by email or put a button on your site.
- Stripe Billing handles subscriptions and memberships, including trials, upgrades and failed payment retries.
- Stripe Invoicing lets customers pay an invoice online by card or other supported methods.
- Wallets and local payment methods such as Apple Pay and Google Pay are supported, with other methods depending on your country.
Where Stripe can feel harder is if you want everything ready out of the box. The dashboard is clear, but the more advanced features assume that you, a developer or a plugin will set them up.
Square does have online tools too: an online store builder, payment links and online checkout. They're fine for a small shop or a cafe taking click and collect orders. They're not as flexible as Stripe for a complex online business with custom flows.
If you mostly sell in person
Square is the natural pick. It's designed so you can unbox a reader, download the app and take a payment the same day.
- Square Point of Sale is the app at the heart of it, with a free plan, item library, receipts and basic reporting.
- Its own hardware includes card readers, the all-in-one Square Terminal and Square Register for a counter setup. Tap to Pay on a supported phone means you can start without a reader at all.
- Inventory, staff and customer tools are built in, so stock counts and sales sit in the same place.
- Versions for different trades, such as restaurants, retail and appointment-based businesses like salons.
Stripe can take in-person payments through Stripe Terminal readers and Tap to Pay, but it's usually set up through software or a developer. It makes most sense for a business that already runs on Stripe online and wants in-person sales in the same account.
If you do both
Look at where most of your revenue comes from and where you want your reporting to live. If the counter is the main event and the online shop is a side line, Square keeps everything in one place. If online is the main event and you only sell face to face at the odd market or event, Stripe with Payment Links or Tap to Pay may be enough.
Some businesses run both, and that's fine. Just connect each one to your accounting software so your books don't turn into a weekly matching exercise.
Want AI doing the heavy lifting in your marketing?
I build the systems that handle the boring 80 percent, so you get your week back. Done properly, with the human kept in.
Stripe vs Square at a glance
| Stripe | Square | |
|---|---|---|
| Setup | Quick sign-up; deeper features often need a developer or plugin | Quick sign-up; designed to work straight from the app |
| Card readers | Stripe Terminal readers and Tap to Pay, usually set up through software | Its own range of readers, terminals and registers, plus Tap to Pay |
| Online checkout | Hosted Checkout, Payment Links and fully custom checkouts | Online store builder, payment links and online checkout |
| Invoices | Stripe Invoicing | Square Invoices |
| Subscriptions | Stripe Billing, built for recurring payments of all kinds | Recurring invoices and subscription options, simpler in scope |
| Developer tools | Extensive APIs and documentation, a big reason developers choose it | APIs available, though most users never need them |
| Payout speed | Standard payouts on a rolling schedule, with faster options in some countries | Standard transfers, with faster options in some countries |
| Where it's available | Dozens of countries worldwide | A shorter list, including the US, UK, Canada, Australia and parts of Europe |
You won't find pricing in this table, because it changes and depends on your country, the card type and how the payment is taken. Check the current pricing page for each provider before you decide, and run the comparison on a typical month of your own sales.
Make a payments tool? See how to get it featured on this list.
A UK note: SumUp, Zettle and PayPal
If you're in the UK, Stripe and Square aren't the only names you'll come across. Three others come up all the time with small sellers:
- SumUp is a popular choice with market traders, mobile businesses and small shops that want a simple card reader and app.
- Zettle by PayPal is PayPal's card reader and point of sale app. It suits you if you already use PayPal and want in-person sales in the same place.
- PayPal itself is a checkout option many customers already trust, and it handles invoices too. Here's how to invoice someone through PayPal, and what to do if an invoice payment is pending on PayPal.
Questions to ask before you choose
- Where do most of my sales happen today, and where will they happen in a year?
- What does my website, shop or booking platform already connect to?
- Do I need card readers, and how many?
- How quickly do I need payouts, and is there a charge for faster ones?
- Do I sell subscriptions, memberships or payment plans?
- Is it available in my country and in the countries my customers buy from?
- Who'll set it up: me, or a developer?
- Does it connect to my accounting software, and what does my accountant need from it?
Answer those honestly and the choice usually becomes obvious. If it's still close, open an account with both, run a test payment through each and see which one you'd rather use on a busy day.
Frequently asked questions
Is Stripe or Square better for a small business?
It depends where you sell. Stripe suits online businesses, subscriptions and anything custom. Square suits shops, cafes, salons and market stalls that sell face to face.
Can I use Square for online payments?
Yes. Square offers an online store builder, payment links, invoices and online checkout. They suit simpler online selling rather than complex custom setups.
Can Stripe take in-person payments?
Yes. Stripe Terminal offers card readers, and Tap to Pay works on supported phones, though setup usually runs through software or a developer.
Which is cheaper, Stripe or Square?
It depends on your country, the card type and how the payment is taken. Check the current pricing page for each provider and compare them using your own sales.
