Card Readers
vs
Square Reader vs PayPal Card Reader
PayPal Card Reader scores 10.0/10 on fees: $2.38 per $100 sale vs $2.75 for Square Reader (8.7/10). Reader prices, rates and yearly costs compared.
- Square Reader
- 4.7
- PayPal Card Reader
- 4.8
Square Reader
Square's contactless and chip card reader (2nd generation).
Best for: Mobile sellers taking tap and chip cards on site
Square Reader at a glance
- Starting price
- Free · $59/mo
- Lowest paid plan
- $59/mo
- Free plan
- Yes
- Categories
- Card Readers
- Head-to-head record
- 0 wins in 1 comparison
- Published pricing
- $59 one-time hardware, no monthly fee on Square Free / card rate 2.6% + 15c
- Source: squareup.com pricing page
Pros and cons
Strengths
- ✓No monthly fee, and the rate drops on paid Square plans
Weaknesses
- ✕$59 for the reader, against $29 for PayPal's first reader
Based on public product information and user feedback, not hands-on lab testing.
Square Reader compared
Every head-to-head where Square Reader appears.
Square Reader alternatives
Other card readers tools we cover, best rated first.