Stripe vs Square
Stripe is a processor you wire into your own checkout, with one stated card rate and a long list of separately priced modules. Square starts from the counter: its rates depend on which of three plans you sit on and on whether the card is tapped, typed or used online. Both are run from the United States, but only Stripe lists a separate entity for most of the EEA.
Sebastiaan SmitsFounderVendors can pay for more visibility on this website, for example a higher place in a ranking or more room on a page. Commercial relationships can also affect which products we feature and how prominently. Every vendor link is marked the same, whatever the arrangement behind it. How that works.
Choose Stripe ifyou sell online or through a product you build, take cards from European customers, and are happy to price each extra module yourself.
Choose Square ifyou run a US shop or stand, want one account that covers the register and the online order, and prefer a ladder of plans over assembling modules.
Stripe and Square side by side
| Stripe | Square | |
|---|---|---|
| Our payment processing software rank | #5 of 13 | #6 of 13 |
| Established in | United States | United States |
| List price, 4 November 2026 | Pay-as-you-go; EEA 1.5% + EUR 0.25, UK 2.5% + EUR 0.25 per card (Dutch page) | US plans from 0 USD; in-person 2.6% + 15c down to 2.4% + 15c, online 3.3% + 30c down to 2.9% + 30c (US pricing page) |
| Free tier | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Self-hostable | — | — |
| Built for | Software teams who want an API-first processor with public rates and global reach. | A new business that wants to be selling tomorrow |
| Not for | Shops wanting one flat all-in price including tax handling. | A high-volume retailer optimising card fees |
Both are reviewed in full in our payment processing software ranking: Stripe and Square.
Where they differ
Stripe 2 · Square 1 · open 1- 01
How the card fee is stated
On the Dutch page Stripe quotes EUR 0.25 plus 1.5% for ordinary EEA cards and EUR 0.25 plus 2.5% for UK ones, and charges nothing to open or hold an account. Square's US page lists three plans, with in-person at 2.6% + 15c, 2.5% + 15c and 2.4% + 15c. Stripe has one number to quote; Square has a table.
Edge: Stripe
- 02
Tap, type or online
Square separates in-person from online, where its page shows 3.3% + 30c on the first plan and 2.9% + 30c on the next two. Manual entry and card on file get their own line, and ACH is shown at 1%. A seller mostly at a counter sees the lower rate; a web-only seller sits on the higher column.
Depends on the buyer
- 03
What else lands on the bill
Stripe's pricing page names Billing, Tax, Radar, Terminal and Managed Payments (merchant of record) as products beyond the card rate, so the final cost depends on what you switch on. Square's page promises no hidden fees or locked-in contracts and says you pay when you take a payment, which is simpler to forecast.
Edge: Square
- 04
Reach beyond one market
Stripe says it serves cardholders across 195 countries in over 135 currencies, and lists interchange-plus plans and volume discounts for bigger merchants. The Square sources we hold describe US pricing and a services agreement with Block, Inc. in the United States. For cross-border sales, Stripe is the documented choice.
Edge: Stripe
When neither fits
If you want a flat all-in price with tax handled for you, or a European-headquartered provider, look at Mollie or Paddle instead.
Stripe or Square: questions
3 answersDoes Stripe charge a monthly fee?
Stripe's pricing page says pay-as-you-go with no setup, monthly or hidden fees. Billing, Tax, Radar and Terminal are separate products.
Is Square free to start?
Square's page shows plans starting at 0 USD with no locked-in contract, and you pay when you take a payment.
Which has the cheaper online card rate?
On the pages we read, Stripe quotes 1.5% plus EUR 0.25 for ordinary EEA cards, while Square lists 2.9% + 30c on its higher plans. The currencies and markets differ, so compare using your own card mix.
Sources
Checked 4 November 2026- Stripe pricing page: the card rates, fee-free account, country and currency counts, module list.
- Stripe services agreement: Stripe, LLC for the United States and Stripe Payments Europe, Limited for most of the EEA.
- Square US pricing: plan rates in person and online, ACH 1%, manual entry line, no hidden fees or contracts.
- Square general terms: US services provided by Block, Inc.