Square Payments vs Stax: which one fits your business?
Side-by-side comparison of Square Payments and Stax — fees, features, ease, support, and which one fits your business. Scored on the same rubric.
Short answer: Square Payments wins on our scorecard (7.4/10 vs 7.3/10).
| Scored on | Square Payments | Stax |
|---|---|---|
| Right fit for small biz | 7 | 8 |
| Ease of use | 9 | 7 |
| Fees & pricing | 7 | 7 |
| Customer support | 5 | 6 |
| Features | 8 | 8 |
| Monthly fee | $0 | — |
| In-person transaction | 2.6% + 10 cents | — |
| Online transaction | 2.9% + 30 cents | — |
| Manual entry | 3.5% + 15 cents | — |
| Monthly Subscription | — | From $99 |
| Markup on Interchange | — | 0% |
| ACH Processing | — | Flat fee (varies) |
| PCI Compliance Fee | — | Included in some plans |
Square Payments in one paragraph
Square is the undisputed king of 'start today' payment processing, but its flat-rate fees become a tax on growth as you scale.
Skip it if: Skip it if you process more than $20,000 monthly or have a high average transaction size ($100+).
Stax in one paragraph
Stax is the premier 'scale-up' processor for businesses over $10k/month who are tired of their processor taking a raise every time they grow.
Skip it if: Skip it if you process less than $5,000 per month or have highly seasonal revenue where a $99+ monthly fee would hurt during the off-season.
Frequently asked questions
Which is better, Square Payments or Stax?
On our five-axis scorecard, Square Payments scores higher (7.4/10 vs 7.3/10). Square is the undisputed king of 'start today' payment processing, but its flat-rate fees become a tax on growth as you scale.
Who should skip Square Payments?
Skip it if you process more than $20,000 monthly or have a high average transaction size ($100+).
Who should skip Stax?
Skip it if you process less than $5,000 per month or have highly seasonal revenue where a $99+ monthly fee would hurt during the off-season.