Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Square Contactless Reader VS Square for Retail

Compare Square Contactless Reader VS Square for Retail and see what are their differences

Note: These products don't have any matching categories. If you think this is a mistake, please edit the details of one of the products and suggest appropriate categories.

Square Contactless Reader logo Square Contactless Reader

Accept Apple Pay + Chip cards, anywhere

Square for Retail logo Square for Retail

Point-of-sale app & set of tools for retail businesses
  • Square Contactless Reader Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-06-24
  • Square for Retail Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-06-15

Square Contactless Reader features and specs

  • Ease of Use
    The Square Contactless Reader is simple to set up and use, making it accessible for small business owners without extensive technical knowledge.
  • Versatility
    The device accepts a wide range of payment methods including contactless (NFC) payments, chip card payments, and mobile payments such as Apple Pay and Google Pay.
  • Portability
    Its compact and lightweight design allows business owners to easily carry it and accept payments on-the-go.
  • Security
    The Square Reader is designed with security in mind, featuring encryption to protect payment data and ensure safe transactions.
  • Affordable
    The price point of the Square Contactless Reader is relatively low, making it an economical option for small businesses looking to accept modern payment methods.

Possible disadvantages of Square Contactless Reader

  • Requires Internet Connection
    The device requires a stable internet connection to process payments, which might be a limitation in areas with poor connectivity.
  • Limited to Square Ecosystem
    The reader is integrated into the Square ecosystem, which might limit functionality for businesses that use multiple or different payment systems.
  • Transaction Fees
    As with many payment processors, Square charges a transaction fee on payments processed, which can add up for businesses with large sales volumes.
  • Battery Life
    While portable, the device relies on a battery which needs to be charged regularly, potentially causing interruptions if not managed properly.
  • Limited Offline Functionality
    Without internet, the Square Contactless Reader has limited functionality, potentially leading to service disruptions during power or connectivity outages.

Square for Retail features and specs

  • Comprehensive POS system
    Square for Retail offers an all-in-one point-of-sale system that includes inventory management, sales tracking, and customer relationship management features. This integration can streamline operations for retail businesses.
  • Ease of Use
    The user interface is intuitive and easy to navigate, making it simple for new employees to get up to speed quickly. This can reduce the time and cost associated with training staff.
  • Affordable Pricing
    Square for Retail has transparent pricing with no hidden fees, making it an affordable option for small to medium-sized retail businesses.
  • Scalability
    The system is scalable, offering features that can grow with your business. Whether you have one location or multiple, Square for Retail can accommodate your needs.
  • Extensive Integration Options
    Square for Retail integrates seamlessly with other Square products and third-party applications. This makes it easier to manage various aspects of the business such as accounting, payroll, and eCommerce.

Possible disadvantages of Square for Retail

  • Limited Customization
    While the system is robust, it does have limitations in terms of customization. Businesses that require highly specific workflows may find the system restrictive.
  • Hardware Costs
    While the software itself is affordable, businesses may need to invest in Square-compatible hardware, which can add to the overall costs.
  • Transaction Fees
    Although there are no hidden fees, Square does charge transaction fees for credit card processing. For businesses with high transaction volumes, these fees can add up over time.
  • Customer Support
    Some users have reported that customer support can be slow to respond. Businesses requiring immediate assistance may find this frustrating.
  • Internet Dependency
    Square for Retail requires an internet connection to process payments and sync data. This can be a drawback for businesses in areas with unreliable internet service.

Square Contactless Reader videos

No Square Contactless Reader videos yet. You could help us improve this page by suggesting one.

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Square for Retail videos

Introducing Square for Retail

More videos:

  • Review - Square review: Square for Retail Saves the Day!!

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Square Contactless Reader and Square for Retail)
Online Payments
100 100%
0% 0
POS
0 0%
100% 100
Fintech
100 100%
0% 0
Payments Processing
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Square Contactless Reader and Square for Retail

Square Contactless Reader Reviews

We have no reviews of Square Contactless Reader yet.
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Square for Retail Reviews

20 Best Retail Management Software Reviewed for 2024
Square for Retail’s POS app enables businesses to process sales, manage inventory, and track customer data at the point of sale. Square for Retail is a POS solution offered by Square—a popular provider of payment processing tools.
6 Best Retail Management Software 2020
Square is an app-based program and while you can access management and back-end features through a browser, the POS is only accessible through an iPad. Many of the back-end features, like inventory management, are only accessible through the dashboard, not the app. So you will need to use both the app and the browser-based dashboard to access all of Square for Retail’s...

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Square Contactless Reader seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 10 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Square Contactless Reader mentions (10)

  • selling my book at summer festivals
    - if your phone lacks the capacity to process cards - Square's card reader - affordable, simple to use. Source: almost 2 years ago
  • Best alternatives to Square?
    I have this Square contactless/chip reader so if a customer doesn't have tap-to-pay they just insert their card. I do keep my old magstripe reader handy just in case. There have been a few times my contactless/chip reader didn't work for a few minutes (maybe related to unstable con wifi?) and I used the magstripe reader instead. Source: about 2 years ago
  • Square mag stripe reader
    I have this one - https://squareup.com/us/en/hardware/contactless-chip-reader. Source: almost 3 years ago
  • Hypothetically speaking, is there any way to use mobile wallets with online shopping with the USBAR?
    I thought you were “hypothetically” wanting to get something like a Square Reader/Terminal and use Google Pay, right? Source: about 3 years ago
  • What stops criminals from using Tap to Pay to just skim every passerby's card details?
    While this is a new feature for iPhones, it is not a new concept at all. Square has offered a pocket sized wireless reader since 2015. Source: over 3 years ago
View more

Square for Retail mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of Square for Retail yet. Tracking of Square for Retail recommendations started around Mar 2021.

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Square Contactless Reader and Square for Retail, you can also consider the following products

Stripe Terminal - The programmable point-of-sale solution 💳🛠️

LS Retail - LS Retail management software solutions & POS systems help retailers, restaurateurs, pharmacies & forecourt businesses worldwide optimize operations & increase revenue.

Square Register - A fully integrated point of sale (POS) system 💰

Heartland Retail - Heartland Retail (previously Springboard Retail) POS software a robust, user-friendly cloud point of sale solution designed for the business of retail. A complete retail management platform built for growing single, multi and franchise brands.

Shopify Tap & Chip Reader - Mobile POS hardware that connects to the rest of Shopify

Lightspeed - retail and restaurant point-of-sale, ecommerce, and omnichannel solution