Square, founded in 2009, built its reputation on the simple card reader that turned any phone into a payment terminal. It has since expanded into a full commerce platform covering POS software, inventory management, employee scheduling, payroll, online stores, and appointment booking.
The free POS plan includes basic inventory, sales reporting, and a Square card reader processing in-person payments at 2.6% + $0.15. The Plus plan at $49/month adds advanced inventory and team management for retail and restaurant operators.
Square’s ecosystem advantage is integration depth. Square for Restaurants, Square for Retail, and Square Appointments are vertical-specific POS versions with industry features built in. Combined with Square Payroll and Square Banking, businesses can run their entire operation on Square.
Hardware is a notable strength. The Square Terminal ($299) and Square Register ($799) are well-designed devices that work out of the box. Third-party POS hardware is not supported.
The main limitation is scalability. Square works well for independent businesses and small chains, but larger enterprises typically move to dedicated POS platforms like Lightspeed or Toast.