{"id":124149,"date":"2022-05-11T05:15:00","date_gmt":"2022-05-11T10:15:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wpengine.com\/?post_type=resource&p=124149"},"modified":"2025-05-27T15:48:23","modified_gmt":"2025-05-27T20:48:23","slug":"stripe-vs-square","status":"publish","type":"resource","link":"https:\/\/wpengine.com\/case-studies\/resources\/stripe-vs-square\/","title":{"rendered":"Stripe or Square: Which Payment Processor is Better for Your Business?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

As an online business, convincing customers to purchase your products is only the first step. You\u2019ll also need a way to accept and process those payments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fortunately, payment service providers and payment processors can perform much of the heavy lifting for you. With the right provider in place, you can sit back and watch the profits roll in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this post, we\u2019ll help you decide whether Stripe<\/a> or Square<\/a> is the right payment service provider for you, including a detailed comparison of Stripe vs. Square fees. We\u2019ll talk about the platforms\u2019 features, benefits, and any hidden costs that you need to know. Let\u2019s get started!<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Stripe or Square: An overview of both payment processors<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Both Stripe and Square are payment service providers<\/a>. Sometimes known as merchant service providers, these are third parties that help sellers accept and process payments. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stripe is a white-label online payment service that you can customize to reflect your branding and desired checkout experience. It combines the functionality of a merchant account and payment gateway in one. Its ultimate aim is to provide a seamless payment processing service. Ideally, your customers won\u2019t even realize they\u2019re using a third-party provider:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Stripe<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Today, Stripe is used by well over one million websites<\/a> and has nearly 21 percent market share<\/a> in the payment processing category. Furthermore, its users are spread worldwide, as Stripe is currently available in 51 countries<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Meanwhile, Square initially specialized in in-person payment solutions via an iPad Point Of Sale (POS) system. In 2016, the company branched out and launched its own online payment solution. This online system was a success, and over 357,000 websites<\/a> currently use Square:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Stripe<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Square is most well-known for its POS system, with a market share of less than 1 percent in the payment processing category. This makes it the 23rd most popular payment solution<\/a> as of 2025.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Both offer comprehensive and robust customer support for merchants. But let’s dive into the details for each payment processing service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stripe vs. Square: Setup<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

There are several ways to add Stripe to your WordPress site<\/a>, including using a plugin. You\u2019ll find several plugins<\/a> on the official Stripe website, offering various types of integration:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Alternatively, you can create a Stripe payment link<\/a>. You can then either add this URL to your site or share it with your customers directly. When the consumer clicks on this link, it will launch the Stripe checkout page:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Stripe<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Both methods are relatively straightforward. However, if you want more control over the payment experience, then look into Stripe Web Elements<\/a>. This is a drag-and-drop builder that allows you to build custom UIs and a customized payment flow.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n


<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"A<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

You can set up Square using a supported plugin if you\u2019re a WordPress user<\/a>. There are several options available, but WP EasyPay<\/a> can process payments in the U.S, Canada, Australia, Japan, and the UK:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"WP<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you don\u2019t have a website, you may want to consider using \u200b\u200bSquare Online Checkout<\/a>. You can use this service to create a \u2018Buy Now\u2019 link. This URL will send your customers directly to the Square checkout page:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Square's<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Furthermore, if you want greater control over the checkout process, Square has a Web Payments SDK<\/a> and a server-side Payments API. This API enables you to create a custom, Stripe-powered solution for your eCommerce site. However, this approach requires a significant amount of technical knowledge. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stripe vs. Square: Feature comparison<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Stripe and Square dominate the digital payment landscape but cater to distinct business needs. Stripe excels in online transactions, global scalability, and developer-first tools, while Square prioritizes seamless in-person sales, user-friendly hardware, and all-in-one solutions for small businesses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this section, we look at their core features, highlighting how Stripe\u2019s customization and global reach contrast with Square\u2019s accessible POS ecosystem and integrated tools. Understanding their strengths ensures businesses can align their choice with operational priorities and growth goals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Stripe offers <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Stripe is notable for its sheer variety of supported payment methods<\/a>. These include major credit cards, digital wallets like Google Pay, real-time payments, and Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) vendors such as Klarna and Affirm. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Stripe payment platform also offers in-depth financial reporting via Stripe Sigma<\/a>. You can use this tool to perform detailed data analysis. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example, you can identify the type of card used on transactions, displayed graphically by month:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"An<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Stripe is notable for its sheer variety of supported payment methods<\/a>. These include everything from Microsoft Pay to Alipay, Bacs Direct Debit, Giropay, and Klarna. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Stripe payment platform also offers in-depth financial reporting via Stripe Sigma<\/a>. You can use this tool to perform detailed data analysis. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When it\u2019s time to collect payments, Stripe Billing<\/a> uses flexible payment logic. It enables you to process everything from one-time fees to recurring payments and even per-seat pricing and metered billing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

To help you streamline the billing process, Stripe also offers automated failed payment emails and an automatic card updater:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Stripe<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Stripe offers POS sales integration through Stripe Terminal<\/a>, allowing you to use a custom POS app, or one of hundreds of third-party integrations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Square offers<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Similarly, Square accepts a range of payment methods. These include all major credit and debit cards, plus Square eGift cards, Apple Pay<\/a>, and Google Pay. The company also offers Square Pay for easier checkout, enabling shoppers to save their payment information for future use. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Square famously offers POS software<\/a>. You can use this application to perform essential tasks such as inventory tracking and managing your employees. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you run a brick-and-mortar store, you can also use the POS app to accept offline payments:\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Square<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Fraudulent activity can quickly eat into your profits. With this in mind, you\u2019ll likely be happy to learn that Square uses advanced machine learning to spot and block payment fraud. Moreover, the company doesn\u2019t charge a transaction fee for refunds and chargebacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Benefits of Stripe and Square<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Stripe\u2019s primary benefit is the sheer number of payment methods that it supports. This flexibility could be significant if you\u2019re selling to an international audience. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The popularity of different payment methods can vary dramatically depending on geographical location. For example, 82 percent of <\/a>online<\/a> shoppers<\/a> in the US prefer to pay by credit card or debit card payments. This statistic is in stark contrast to European shoppers, as 80 percent of these customers would rather use a provider such as PayPal or Alipay. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stripe supports several types of payment methods where users can make mobile payments with these supported credit card brands include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n