Both are strong choices. The short answer: pick Stripe if you are online payments, subscriptions and invoicing. Pick Square if you are in-person sellers and retail.
| Stripe | Square | |
|---|---|---|
| In one line | The developer-loved payments infrastructure of the internet. | Card readers, POS and online payments for physical businesses. |
| Pricing | 2.9% + 30c per transaction | Free POS; 2.6% + 10c in person |
| Free tier | Yes | Yes |
| Best for | Online payments, subscriptions and invoicing | In-person sellers and retail |
| Category | Payments & Invoicing | Payments & Invoicing |
| Website | stripe.com | squareup.com |