Jake Tech Lab

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.

Square
Square
6.6
Fair
2 of 6 rounds
vs
PayPal Enterprise PaymentsWinner
PayPal Enterprise Payments
6.8
Fair
4 of 6 rounds

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

  1. Round 1What customers say on TrustpilotSquare wins
    Square8/10

    3.7 out of 5

    TrustScore from 7,486 reviews on Trustpilot

    Source: trustpilot.com ↗

    PayPal 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.

  2. Round 2What an online card sale costsPayPal Enterprise Payments wins
    Square5/10

    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 Payments8/10

    2.89% + 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.

  3. Round 3The fixed fee on every salePayPal Enterprise Payments wins
    Square5/10

    30¢ per online sale

    Square Free ($0/mo. per location)

    • 30¢ per online sale, against 29¢ per sale

    Source: squareup.com ↗

    PayPal Enterprise Payments8/10

    29¢ 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.

  4. Round 4What a lost chargeback costsSquare wins
    Square8/10

    No chargeback fee

    Square Free ($0/mo. per location)

    Source: squareup.com ↗

    PayPal 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.

  5. Round 5The extra charge on foreign cardsPayPal Enterprise Payments wins
    Square5/10

    +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.

  6. Round 6Taking bank (ACH) paymentsPayPal Enterprise Payments wins
    Square5/10

    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 Payments8/10

    0.75% (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.

PayPal Enterprise PaymentsPayPal Enterprise Payments

Side by side

SquareBest for what it costs just to have an accountSquare
Overall score
6.6
6.8
Best
Price
See price
See price
What customers say on Trustpilot
7.1
6.0
The fixed fee on every sale
6.0
7.0
What it costs just to have an account
7.3
—
Taking bank (ACH) payments
5.0
7.8
What a lost chargeback costs
8.0
6.0
Head-to-head findings
What customers say on Trustpilot
3.7 out of 5
1.5 out of 5
The fixed fee on every sale
30¢ per online sale
29 cents
What it costs just to have an account
$0/month (Square Free)
—
Taking bank (ACH) payments
1% ($1 min, via invoice)
0.75% (capped at $5)
What a lost chargeback costs
No chargeback fee
$15
How fast your money reaches the bank
Next business day (free)
—
What an online card sale costs
3.3% + 30¢ (Square Free)
2.89%
How easy it is to use
4.6 out of 5
4.1 out of 5
Record
Head-to-head record
5–2
4–2–1
Head-to-heads won
71 %
67 %
Rounds won
45 %
44 %
Pros
      Cons
      • 3.3% + 30¢ (Square Free), against 2.9% + 30¢
      • 1% ($1 min, via invoice), against 0.8% ($5 cap)
      • 1.95% instant transfer, against 1.5% Instant Payouts (min 50¢)
      • 3.3% + 30¢ (Square Free), against 2.99% + 49¢ (card payments)
      • 130+ currencies, against 135+ currencies
      • 30+ payment methods, against 100+ payment methods
      • 4.1 out of 5, against 4.6 out of 5
      • 1.5 out of 5, against 3.7 out of 5
      Add a third option to this comparison →

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