Square
- In-person rate2.6% + 15c
- Online rate3.3% + 30c
- Monthly feeFree
- Contract lengthMonth-to-month
Independent, side-by-side comparisons across payments, POS, e-commerce, accounting, payroll, and more, using your real numbers. No sales calls, no sign-up.
Tracked provider rates are re-checked monthly. Last checked .
Providers we compare
These payment providers are compared at a sample $15,000/mo, with best-in-row cells highlighted so you can see at a glance who wins on which fee.
| Provider | Square | Stripe | Clover | Helcim |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| In-person rate | 2.6% + 15c | 2.7% + 5c | 2.6% + 10c | IC + 0.40% + 8c |
| Online rate | 3.3% + 30c | Best2.9% + 30c | 3.5% + 10c | IC + 0.50% + 25c |
| Monthly fee | Free | Free | From $0-135/mo | Free |
| Contract length | Month-to-month | No contract | Varies by reseller | No contract |
| Est. monthly cost | Get quote | Get quote | Get quote | Get quote |
Side-by-side comparisons across payments, platforms, and software for US businesses.
No call-backs. No “talk to a specialist”. Just numbers, side by side, so you can make the right decision for your business.
Share a few details, like your volume and current costs. That’s it. No email needed.
We calculate what you’d actually pay each provider, using their published rates today. Sort by anything that matters.
Go straight to the provider with one click, or request quotes. We may earn a commission if you switch.
SMBCompare ranks providers by actual cost to your business, not by who pays us. We compare 119 providers across 15 business services, from the big banks to independents and global platforms. No provider can pay for a higher ranking. If a cheaper option exists, our calculator shows it. Every price is shown in US dollars, including providers that bill in US dollars, so you compare like for like.
How we compare providers
We collect the published pricing of every US payroll platform we track and run each one through the same cost engine at 1, 4, 20, 100 and 500 employees. The cheapest platform for a single employee is one of the most expensive by twenty, and one more pair swaps places above that before the order settles.
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Every comparison here is built on published pricing and a cost calculator you can run yourself. If you would rather talk it through, get in touch and we will help you weigh the options.