Pros:
- User-Friendly Interface: Square’s platform is intuitive, making it easy for both businesses and their customers to use.
- No Monthly Fees: Square has a straightforward fee structure, charging per transaction with no monthly fees for its basic point-of-sale system.
- Mobile Point-of-Sale (mPOS): Square is renowned for its mobile card readers, allowing businesses to process payments on-the-go using mobile devices.
- All-In-One Solution: Beyond payment processing, Square offers an array of business tools, from inventory management to invoicing and even employee management.
- Instant Deposit: For an additional fee, Square offers instant transfers to your bank account.
- Virtual Terminal: Businesses can manually enter payment details, which is helpful for phone or off-site transactions.
- Integrated Ecosystem: Square offers solutions that integrate well with each other, such as its POS system, eCommerce platform, and appointment booking system.
- Security: Square provides encryption and fraud detection, and complies with PCI DSS standards.
Cons:
- Transaction Fees: While Square’s fees are competitive for businesses with smaller transaction sizes, they might not be the most economical for businesses with higher average transaction values.
- Account Holds and Termination: Similar to other payment processors, Square has reports of sudden account holds or terminations based on their internal risk assessments. This can be disruptive for businesses.
- Limited Customization: While user-friendly, Square might not offer the level of customization that some larger or more tech-savvy businesses desire.
- Customer Support: While Square offers various channels for support, some users have reported challenges in reaching out to customer service or getting timely solutions to complex issues.
- Not Ideal for High-Risk Industries: Square’s terms of service exclude certain business types and industries deemed “high-risk.” Businesses in these sectors might face account closures without much notice.
- International Limitations: While Square is available in multiple countries, its presence isn’t as extensive as some other global payment processors. Additionally, cross-border transactions aren’t supported.
Conclusion: Square is an excellent choice for small to medium-sized businesses, especially those that value an integrated ecosystem of tools and a user-friendly interface. Its mPOS solution is especially popular among businesses that operate on-the-go. However, it’s crucial for businesses to be aware of potential account stability issues and to ensure their business type is supported by Square’s terms.