Choose Square when…
Businesses that combine physical selling, point of sale, and online payments in one ecosystem.
Head-to-head fee guide
Square vs Stripe fees
Compare baseline online-payment pricing for two popular US payment platforms.
Sq
VSSquare
2.9% + $0.30 online APISt
Stripe
2.9% + $0.30Gross revenueSquare keepsStripe keepsDifference
$10.00$9.41$9.41$0.00
$50.00$48.25$48.25$0.00
$100.00$96.80$96.80$0.00
$500.00$485.20$485.20$0.00
$1000.00$970.70$970.70$0.00
ClearFeeMath verdict
Their online API baseline is the same in this model. The decision usually turns on product fit: Square for a connected point-of-sale ecosystem, Stripe for flexible online payment infrastructure.
Choose Stripe when…
Online-first businesses that value developer tooling, global payment options, and checkout flexibility.
Common questions
Is Square cheaper than Stripe online?
The referenced US online API baseline is 2.9% plus $0.30 for both. Product choice and transaction type can produce different rates.
Are in-person fees included?
No. This comparison uses online-card baselines; in-person, manually entered, invoice, and international transactions use other rates.