Square vs PayPal Enterprise Payments
PayPal Enterprise Payments comes out ahead of Square on 4 of the 6 things that decide this, going by what each company publishes and what independent review sites report. The one that matters for you may be one the leader loses.
The verdict
PayPal Enterprise Payments takes it, 4–2 on rounds.
On the published figures and the independent review sites, PayPal Enterprise Payments takes 4 of 6 rounds. Treat that as a starting point and check the current figures on both pages, because prices and plans move.
Choose Square if…
- • You want Square's edge on what customers say on trustpilot and what a lost chargeback costs
Choose PayPal Enterprise Payments if…
- • You want PayPal Enterprise Payments's edge on what an online card sale costs and the fixed fee on every sale
Round by round
- Round 1What customers say on TrustpilotSquare winsPayPal Enterprise Payments5/10
1.5 out of 5
TrustScore from 282 reviews on Trustpilot
- 1.5 out of 5, against 3.7 out of 5
Source: trustpilot.com ↗
Square wins this round on independent review-site data, not on its own claims.
- Round 2What an online card sale costsPayPal Enterprise Payments winsSquare5/10
3.3% + 30¢ (Square Free)
Square Free ($0/mo. per location)
- 3.3% + 30¢ (Square Free), against 2.89% + 29¢
Source: squareup.com ↗
PayPal Enterprise Payments8/102.89% + 29¢
PayPal Braintree (now PayPal Enterprise Payments), standard merchant rate (US)
Source: paypal.com ↗
PayPal Enterprise Payments wins this round on what the published sources say.
- Round 3The fixed fee on every salePayPal Enterprise Payments winsSquare5/10
30¢ per online sale
Square Free ($0/mo. per location)
- 30¢ per online sale, against 29¢ per sale
Source: squareup.com ↗
PayPal Enterprise Payments8/1029¢ per sale
PayPal Braintree (now PayPal Enterprise Payments), standard merchant rate (US)
Source: paypal.com ↗
PayPal Enterprise Payments wins this round on what the published sources say.
- Round 4What a lost chargeback costsSquare winsPayPal Enterprise Payments5/10
$15 chargeback fee
PayPal Braintree (now PayPal Enterprise Payments), standard merchant rate (US)
- $15 chargeback fee, against No chargeback fee
Source: paypal.com ↗
Square wins this round on what the published sources say.
- Round 5The extra charge on foreign cardsPayPal Enterprise Payments winsSquare5/10
+1.5% international cards
Square Free ($0/mo. per location)
- +1.5% international cards, against +1% non-US cards
Source: squareup.com ↗
PayPal Enterprise Payments8/10+1% non-US cards
PayPal Braintree (now PayPal Enterprise Payments), standard merchant rate (US)
Source: paypal.com ↗
PayPal Enterprise Payments wins this round on what the published sources say.
- Round 6Taking bank (ACH) paymentsPayPal Enterprise Payments winsSquare5/10
1% ($1 min, via invoice)
Square Free ($0/mo. per location)
- 1% ($1 min, via invoice), against 0.75% (capped at $5)
Source: squareup.com ↗
PayPal Enterprise Payments8/100.75% (capped at $5)
PayPal Braintree (now PayPal Enterprise Payments), standard merchant rate (US)
Source: paypal.com ↗
PayPal Enterprise Payments wins this round on what the published sources say.

