--- title: "Square for Retail Reviews 2026. Verified Reviews, Pros & Cons | Capterra" description: "Is Square for Retail the right Point of Sale solution for you? Explore 496 verified user reviews from people in industries like yours to make a confident choice." source_url: "https://www.capterra.com/p/170272/Square-for-Retail/reviews/" page_type: "reviews" language: "en" --- Square for Retail 4.7 (496) [View alternatives](https://www.capterra.com/p/170272/Square-for-Retail/alternatives/) Provider data verified by our Software Research team, and reviews moderated by our Reviews Verification team. [Learn more](https://www.capterra.com/our-story/) * * * Last updated September 28th, 2026 # Reviews of Square for Retail Ease of use 4.7 Customer Service 4.3 ## Pros and Cons in Reviews David V Lead DeveloperInformation Technology and Services, 11 - 50 employeesUsed the software for: More than 2 years. “Square provides a very secure payment process for our e-commerce and retail clients.“ August 13, 2026 AS Amy S OwnerConstruction, 2 - 10 employeesUsed the software for: Less than 6 months. “I operated in good faith, with no chargebacks or history of fraud, and now my ability to serve customers and pay employees is compromised.“ November 10, 2025 JP Jabbara P OwnerFood Production, 11 - 50 employeesUsed the software for: More than 2 years. “It's a very simple payment processing service... with a few bells and whistles.“ June 8, 2026 Amie O Point of Sale Inventory Control managerEvents Services, 51 - 200 employeesUsed the software for: More than 2 years. “We had a transient business and the sales tax programming was a bit cumbersome, having to change them weekly to where we were selling.“ August 11, 2025 JP Jabbara P OwnerFood Production, 11 - 50 employeesUsed the software for: More than 2 years. “It's helped me over the years to keep track of items/stock.“ June 8, 2026 DK Demi K OwnerRetail, 2 - 10 employeesUsed the software for: More than 2 years. “Sometimes based on your internet, it can be a pain to work with.“ January 15, 2024 AC Alisa C OwnerRetail, 2 - 10 employeesUsed the software for: 1-2 years. “I have complete control over each transaction and can run any sales or promotions that I want!“ November 30, 2024 RF Rose F ownerRetail, 2 - 10 employeesUsed the software for: 6-12 months. “We constantly count and fix the inventory numbers in the system and within days they're wrong again.“ September 28, 2022 ## Showing most helpful reviews Showing 1-25 of 496 Reviews Sort by: Most Helpful Rating Company Size Reviewer's Role Length of Use Frequency of Use David V. Lead Developer Information Technology and Services Used the software for: 2+ years ### "A Secure Payment Processing Platform" August 13, 2026 4.0 Overall our experience has been very positive but we are still seeking solutions for more complex event-based transactions Pros Square provides a very secure payment process for our e-commerce and retail clients. It allows smooth payment processing on the ground, in-person and online. Cons Integrations with WordPress websites have been fairly straight forward, but creating a registration process for events has been a weak spot and challenging. Alternatives considered [Stripe](https://www.capterra.com/p/123889/Stripe/) Reason for choosing Square for Retail Client's choice was Square so that's what we went with. Review Source Amie O. Point of Sale Inventory Control manager Events Services Used the software for: 2+ years ### "A great payment processing service for small businesses!" August 11, 2025 5.0 Support staff was great, learning all of the capabilities in the beginning takes time, but well worth it. Payment processing was very good and only ran into a few situations where the wi-fi signal wasn't strong in the building we were in, disrupting service. Pros User friendly for many types of businesses, tracks inventory, supports online sales, competitive pricing for plans vs. other products. Cons We had a transient business and the sales tax programming was a bit cumbersome, having to change them weekly to where we were selling. A built in GPS system with retail sales taxes integrated would be incredible. Alternatives considered [Clover](https://www.capterra.com/p/226864/Clover/) Reason for choosing Square for Retail It suited our needs best being a transient business with many locations. Review Source AS Amy S. Owner Construction Used the software for: Less than 6 months ### "Do Not Use Square" November 10, 2025 1.0 They will send you to chat vs a real person to discuss. They will earn interest on your money while you struggle to pay bills. Pros At first it was easy. Then I processed a large transaction and they closed the account and held money for 90 days Cons I processed a transaction for $13,800 through Square. Up until then, transactions had gone smoothly. Immediately after this transaction, Square closed my account and informed me that I would have to wait 90 days to receive the funds — with no way to expedite or reroute payment despite the urgent cash-flow implications for my business. Because these funds are tied up until February, my business is facing serious difficulty covering payroll and operating expenses. I operated in good faith, with no chargebacks or history of fraud, and now my ability to serve customers and pay employees is compromised. I request immediate review of my account closure and hold of the $13,800, with a pathway for either release of the funds now or cancellation of the transaction so I can process it through my preferred platform, Jobber, and continue business operations without interruption. Switched from [Heartland Payments+](https://www.capterra.com/p/119791/Heartland-Payment-Processing/) Heartland charged me for a year to not take transactions Review Source JP Jabbara P. Owner Food Production Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Great & Simple " June 8, 2026 5.0 I use sequel for retail for my breaking and mortar and my food truck. It's helped me over the years to keep track of items/stock. Pros For what day off of the prices is great! It's a very simple payment processing service... with a few bells and whistles. Cons It was so easy to set up that I thought I was doing something wrong. The simple interface was easy to use, but I wish it had more detail. Reason for choosing Square for Retail Because squares for retail is just simpler and seems easy to use. Switched from [QuickBooks Enterprise](https://www.capterra.com/p/174984/QuickBooks-Enterprise/) Clickbooks for more complicated, and simply harder for me to use , because I didn't have any accounting training. Review Source CM Caitlyn M. Buyer Retail Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Square for Retail" December 23, 2025 4.0 My overall experience was okay, there’s are more pros than cons, but the cons hold more value than the pros. Pros I liked the ease of use and ability to learn how to use the software quickly. It was also very easy for customers to use and understand! Cons The customer support was not great with Square. It’s very hard to get in touch with someone, and when you do, they weren’t much help in my opinion. Switched from [ShopKeeper Job Control](https://www.capterra.com/p/77179/ShopKeeper/) ShopKeep just wasn’t as effective as we would have liked Review Source SS Samantha S. Admin Construction Used the software for: Less than 6 months ### "Square for Retail Review: Perfect for Launching and Simple Operations, but Costs and Support Frustrations Grow with Scale" August 17, 2026 4.0 Overall, my experience with Square for Retail has been overwhelmingly positive for getting our physical store up and running without technical headaches or massive upfront costs. The platform’s greatest strength is its sheer simplicity; the intuitive, barcode-optimized interface allowed our team to process checkouts instantly and learn the system in minutes, while real-time inventory tracking effortlessly bridges our brick-and-mortar register with our online storefront. That said, as our sales volume and product catalog expanded, the friction points became clear. The flat-rate processing fees and monthly add-ons for essential tools like advanced marketing and loyalty programs begin to eat into tight margins, and hitting a wall with automated customer service during technical glitches can be frustrating. Ultimately, it delivers a clean, reliable, and modern operating hub for small-to-midsize retail, though high-volume or multi-location businesses may eventually outgrow its simplified ecosystem. Pros I praise Square for Retail for its combination of zero-friction setup, transparent flat-rate pricing, and lack of mandatory long-term contracts. The platform streamlines daily operations by automatically synchronizing inventory, customer profiles, and sales data in real time between physical stores and integrated online storefronts. Our staff can quickly master its barcode-optimized checkout system, while management benefits from an all-in-one hub that handles purchase orders, vendor tracking, and actionable analytics without requiring expensive add-ons or separate fragmented applications. Cons Square for Retail becomes increasingly expensive as your business grows, as flat-rate processing fees can eat heavily into margins for high-volume stores compared to traditional interchange-plus processors. It can get frustrating when the software's stacking costs, where essentials like employee management, advanced loyalty programs, and automated marketing require paid monthly add-ons that quickly inflate monthly expenses. Additionally, I have encountered severe difficulties with customer support, automated phone lines, slow email response times, and limited access to live representatives during critical system outages. Review Source DS Danielle S. Owner Transportation/Trucking/Railroad Used the software for: Less than 6 months ### "Square is adequate…enough. " September 18, 2026 4.0 My experience using Square for payment processing has been mixed. As a small business, I appreciate the fee-free plan that allows me to take advantage of basic functions for payment processing. I also appreciate the convenience of being able to take payments using my cell phone as well as by email. Square would benefit from a more user friendly interface. Retailers could take advantage of all that Square has to offer if it was easier to do so and even less expensive for high volume processors. Pros Square simplifies the process of signing up and getting started. Small startups can easily benefit from their free plan to avoid incurring higher costs. Square’s transparent fee structure enables businesses to clearly comprehend the fees associated with payment processing. For mobile businesses or those without a physical location, Square provides convenient payment processing options using provided hardware or a cell phone. Additionally, Square offers quick transfers, automatically moving processed payments into a linked business account without any additional fees. Cons Square’s interface can be challenging to use initially. While the fee structure is clearly defined, using Square as the primary payment processor can result in significant fees if a large volume of transactions are processed or substantial amounts of money are rendered for services. Additionally, relying solely on a cell phone for the tap-to-pay option can be inconsistent if the area has poor data coverage. In addition, using larger hardware for payment processing can be expensive and add to the overhead costs for small businesses. Review Source TB Tammi B. Owner Retail Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Squares POS 5 stars!" June 18, 2025 5.0 I wouldn't change anything or go anywhere else! It's perfect for rerai furniture and store. Once you've tried it you won't forget it!, its the perfect all in one app Pros It's an all-in-one place. I was using two other paid apps along with Square. Now, it transfers all my data and spreadsheets straight to the accountant. It's super easy to use, AI can track my daily sale with a simple ask AI how are my stats today vs last year at this time. Cons At first, just getting used to all the new tools. Which wasn't long. Very user-friendly my accountant is old school and an Excel userand was not happy at first and now he recommends Review Source AR Anthony R. Web Developer Design Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Simple, Reliable, and Easy to Use" December 17, 2025 4.0 My overall experience with Square for Retail has been positive, especially when it comes to ease of use. The system is straightforward, fast to learn, and reliable for day‑to‑day retail operations. Payment processing runs smoothly, and the built‑in reporting tools make it easy to monitor sales and performance without digging through complicated menus. However, the platform can feel a bit limited if you need more advanced retail capabilities. It’s excellent for small to mid‑sized operations, but businesses with more complex needs may find themselves wanting more flexibility and deeper features. Even with those limitations, Square for Retail delivers a clean, efficient, and dependable experience for managing in‑store sales. Pros It’s extremely easy to use. Managing the back end, running real‑time sales, and processing payments all feel smooth and intuitive. The built‑in analytics also make it simple to track daily performance. Cons It can feel limited for businesses that need more advanced retail features. Some tools lack depth, and scaling beyond basic operations may require additional add‑ons or third‑party solutions. Review Source Kurt Z. Owner Consumer Goods Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Square is #1 inventory and sales management!" January 8, 2026 5.0 Square is very easy to set up and very user friendly when in use. The inventory piece of it is consistent and accurate and also very easy to navigate. Pros The ease of learning how to use it and also how easy it is to integrate with other platforms like Etsy Cons Once the integration is complete through Etsy, it would be nice to be able to shut down the relationship without having to create new items. If the items are set up in Etsy and you integrate into Square, Etsy still charges you fees on every sale outside of Etsy i.e. craft shows. Review Source BM Brett M. Sales Manager Retail Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Great Product!" July 16, 2025 5.0 Its great product been using it for years. I really do not have a bad thing to say about them. Very easy to use. Pros It is very simple to use! Great product to use! We have always had good luck with it. The fees are affordable for what we need to use them for Cons I really can't think of any issues aside from we use the same one for our business and it doesn't always keep us logged in and have to get the code from the owner Review Source SH Sadie H. Owner operator Cosmetics Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "User friendly and simple" March 17, 2025 5.0 It is the most readily available and streamlined inventory tool Pros This is by far the best inventory tool I’ve found for the price. Cons It could be more versatile or easier to use. Review Source MH Mitchell H. Senior Consultant Retail Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Great and Easy to use!" December 2, 2024 5.0 Pros It is easy to use, easy to create an account, and simple to add inventory with pictures and descriptions! Cons It can be a little clunky and counterintuitive, but once you get the hang of it it can really get the job done. Review Source AP Amanda P. Entrepreneur Retail Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Excellent Retail Software for First Time Retail Owners" November 9, 2021 5.0 Square for Retail has helped to ease my business flow by accepting payments, managing inventory and creating daily reports to track sales. Pros The software is very user friendly. It is excellent for first time users to easily run when starting a small retail store. Cons I have not found a function that I do not like. There are many areas to explore. Review Source Shawn B. Small Business Owner Retail Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "Fantastic!" November 17, 2019 5.0 I have been using this register for sometime now. I use it for all my transactions and even take it with me for fairs and markets. I do all my inventory with it and the barcode scanner it’s simple. I have low inventory alerts set up to remind me to reorder products. You can create a personalized customer file for each customer and track their sales. I have square loyalty which lets you set up a customer loyalty program to reward regular customers. Pros I love how it’s so easy to use and very user friendly. I have the Square Register which has a large screen for me and a small screen in the front for the customers transaction. It is easy to add inventory by name and barcode with the barcode scanner. You can set up alerts, and I can still use it for cash transactions. I have the cash drawer accessory so it opens as soon as soon as you complete cash sale. It is basically a very advanced and convenient cash register that isn’t large and bulky. Cons The price is a little steep for small businesses. You can get the system that requires an iPad but I didn’t see the point. If you don’t have an iPad you have to purchase that in addition. I settled for the standalone register. Review Source IL Itzak L. Owner Sports Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Perfect POS for small business owners" October 28, 2021 5.0 Incredibly user friendly, nicely designed interface and overall no issues. Pros Square pretty much takes all the leg work out of setting up a POS system for any business, but I'll speak specifically as a small business owner. -If you're a first time small business owner, save yourself the headache and just go with Square; you might be able to get a lower merchant fees rate with another service, but then you have to deal with the hassle of setting up a separate POS register, possibly a separate app you'd have to setup on an iPad if that's what you plan to use, setting up the merchant account, etc. With Square, it's all wrapped into one easy setup. -Easy to setup on an iPad, create a catalog of items to sell and process payments -The item catalog screen is very user friendly and customizable -Doing refunds is easy -Reports are incredibly easy to run -Square integrates with QuickBooks online, so it's been seamless to link all my Square sales to my accounting books and makes my tax filings much more accurate -Creating invoices is also easy and gives a professional look to my invoice emails -Ability to create forms that require signature, so no need for another digital signature service (unless you need more details, see Cons below) Cons \-I wish you could have the same virtual terminal on the iPad on desktop as well. There have been times when my iPad crapped out and had to use my laptop, and it's not the same experience. -If you're using the signature service for forms that you need to send out, it only records the signature itself and nothing else. Either it's a user error on my part, or they need to update it, but it needs more customization. Review Source HH Heather H. Order Management III Automotive Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "Easy, Fast and Convenient, User Friendly!" September 13, 2023 5.0 Overall, this is a good program to use when you need convenience. When using square, in this day and age, fast, easy and quick are what is needed in today's society, and this program comes to the rescue. It is a great product, and I would recommend it to anyone that needs to buy / sell and get paid fast! Pros This seems like the best program for small businesses. The program offers a very low credit card fee of 2.6%, from what I have noticed. The program also offers SKU and GTIN codes to be scanned successfully. You can have unlimited items in your inventory which makes this convenient for the user and the customer, especially when you can do next day transfers as well! Cons Square does not work on Android platforms for the Free or Retail Plus versions. But it does on the Square POS version. Only thing, if you do not have the physical card, it seems to have a higher transaction fee rate. Review Source VR Verified Reviewer Account Manager Marketing and Advertising Used the software for: 2+ years ### "A great tool for any small business " August 15, 2018 5.0 Pros Both interfaces are very easy to use. There are many features to make your business look professional, like sending receipts via email and text and asking for feedback after a transaction. Adding line items is very easy, which is convenient for businesses that are changing prices or items frequently. Cons As much as I love this product it could definitely still use some tweaking. The biggest complaint is the fact that you are forced to buy multiple card readers for your iPad because they stop reading cards after a while which subsequently forces you to enter the card manually which you are then charged more money for. Review Source SD Sherri D. General Manager Sporting Goods Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Get for retail shows " September 22, 2022 5.0 We have used the phone version for several years but this past year we moved to the iPad system. It was a huge improvement as far as ease of use and the time it takes to finish a purchase. Pros When you have a variety of staff members that are not use to processing purchases this is an easy program to use. Cons We had to get creative in setting up the discounts that we need. You can't apply the same value more than once per order so we had to build additional one with values that total the same amount. $30/ $10+$20... Review Source VR Verified Reviewer Owner Retail Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Great POS for Small Business" January 13, 2020 4.0 Overall we are pleased with Square and its features. We would like to see Square integrate better with other platforms. Pros Square is great for small business it allows the merchant to just pay a fee when a card is swiped rather than a monthly service fee and the percentage charged for swiping a card. They do have an inventory tracking system which is great if that is the only platform you use for inventory. You also get the benefit of free hardware if you choose not to purchase the Square POS system. Square deposits are quick, no holding funds for long periods of time like PayPal. Overall Square is very versatile and we have been very happy with it. Cons The inventory tracking system is cumbersome and doesn't work nicely with QBO or Shopify. It cannot sync with our Shopify store which ultimately means we have to keep both platforms updated which is a real pain. Review Source KB Kathryn B. Owner Retail Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "Awesome Product " August 26, 2019 5.0 Overall, I am very satisfied it seems they have thought of everything when it comes to this app. They also have fantastic customer service if you need to call them with questions. I started my business last year and square has been fantastic to use for pop up's. Processing payments is a breeze and I have had very small issues that were resolved quickly and with ease. Pros I love the app that goes with this product. I hold many pop up events for my shop and the square is fantastic for this. Adding inventory and processing payments is fantastic. I set up the app in very little time and thought it would take so much longer. I really like being able to use it with my phone and ipad and it has made payments so much easier. I will only use this software for my pop up shops. Cons Sometimes I have wifi issues, but they have a great feature that will still accept payments offline. So even though its a pain, I still receive payment later. Alternatives considered [Stripe](https://www.capterra.com/p/123889/Stripe/) Reason for choosing Square for Retail Square was so much easier to use. Review Source CC Chace C. Freelance graphic artist Animation Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Square is the catalyst to making my passion have value." November 2, 2018 5.0 I am a freelance graphic artist. I use this software to make it easy to put value in my art. I now have the easiest way to my a living on my work anywhere I am or will be. Overall wonderful experience. Pros The most favorable feature in using square is its simplicity. In less than 10 minutes I was all set up with full understanding of how the software worked. It was quick and clean and practically effortless. When I was all finished I couldn’t believe it I said “ wow, really? That’s it? I’m done?” Great interface with extremely user-friendly and modern design. Cons I honestly have no complaints. I have yet to run into any bugs or performance issues. Which, when there’s money involved is hard to come across and a very crucial detail. I had to speak with an operator one time and that was a fault entirely of my own and was user-friendly and convenient. He was helpful and the issue was rectified within minutes. Sorry but really can’t say a bad thing yet. Review Source VR Verified Reviewer Business owner Arts and Crafts Used the software for: 2+ years ### " easiest payment method" July 12, 2021 5.0 Its definitely one of my favorite programs or services to use for payment. Pros One of the easiest payment services I've used in the past few years. Its portable and easy to use and most customers like how fast and easy it is. Cons I haven't found any issues with the software or the program. Occasionally run into customers who aren't comfortable with using it. Review Source JM Jay M. Sales and hires Retail Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Payments on the go!" January 10, 2022 5.0 Bang for buck this wins hands down and I recommend it for everyone, no more big expensive machines to carry around Pros Running a hire company, receiving payments on delivery is required on a daily, the square system is amazing can keep in your pocket and works every time. build quality is important it’s been dropped a few times and still works fine, also charge life is awesome, only needs charging every few months! Cons Fees, but you get fees with any eftpos option, bonus here is no monthly fee Review Source VR Verified Reviewer Sales Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Love the Square, quick and easy to use! " July 9, 2018 5.0 Pros We love that it is very user friendly; with ease you add or delete products or services, change the pricing, update the tax, add notes, and link to your accounting systems. Cons There is not a lot that we don't like about Square. It would be nice if there was a notes section for each customer on EFT though. Review Source Similar Products Featured ## Send me user reviews about this product ### Fill out the form and we'll send a list of the top-rated software based on real user reviews directly to your inbox.