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Accounting · head to head

Qonto vs Square for Retail

Qonto logo

Qonto

Accounting

French neobank and finance management platform for freelancers, SMEs and businesses

From
€9/month
Rated
-
Square for Retail logo

Square for Retail

E-Commerce

Integrated point of sale and retail management

From
Free
Rated
-

The short version

  • Only Square for Retail has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Qonto pricing in EUR only, not USD; Square for Retail limited customer support with primarily email and online forums, slow response times for urgent issues

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Qonto and Square for Retail actually diverge.

Attributes where Qonto and Square for Retail differ
AttributeQontoSquare for Retail
Starting price€9/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionUnknown
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWebiOS, API
CategoryAccountingE-Commerce
FoundedUnknown2009

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Qonto

Nothing recorded that Square for Retail does not also cover.

Only in Square for Retail

  • Contactless payments
  • Inventory tracking
  • Employee management
  • Customer profiles
  • Sales analytics
  • Receipt printing
  • Integration with Square Online
  • Reporting tools

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Qonto

  • Business bankingnot Square for Retail
  • Team paymentsnot Square for Retail
  • Cash flow managementnot Square for Retail
  • Multi-currency transfersnot Square for Retail
  • Freelancer paymentsnot Square for Retail

Square for Retail

  • Retail point-of-sale systemsnot Qonto
  • Online store payment processingnot Qonto
  • Appointment and booking schedulingnot Qonto
  • Phone and field payment collectionnot Qonto

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Qonto

  • Pricing in EUR only, not USD
  • Basic tier limited to 30 transfers per month
  • Add-ons for invoice automation and project tracking cost EUR 12-39/month extra
  • Business tier minimum commitment for small team accounts
  • Business plan minimum pricing EUR 49/month vs self-employed EUR 9/month

Square for Retail

  • Limited customer support with primarily email and online forums, slow response times for urgent issues
  • Internet connectivity required for normal operations; weak signal impacts transaction processing and experience
  • Restricted to Square's payment processing with higher transaction fees compared to some competitors
  • Limited to iOS devices and Square's proprietary hardware, excluding Android or third-party devices
  • Limited advanced retail capabilities and deeper third-party integrations compared to enterprise POS systems

Pricing, plan by plan

Qonto

€9/month
  • Basic (Self-Employed)$9/month
    • 30 transfers
    • 1 physical + 2 virtual cards
    • Account remuneration 5% for 2 months
  • Smart (Self-Employed)$19/month
    • 100 transfers
    • 2 physical + 50 virtual cards
    • Account remuneration
  • Premium (Self-Employed)$39/month
    • 200 transfers
    • 2 physical + 50 virtual + 50 Instant cards
  • Essential (Business)$49/month
    • 250 transfers
    • 5 physical + 50 virtual cards
    • Multiple sub-accounts

Square for Retail

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Payment processing at 2.6% + 15 cents
    • Basic inventory management
    • Invoicing
  • Plus$49/month
    • In-person: 2.5% + 15 cents
    • Online: 2.9% + 30 cents
    • Product exchanges
  • Premium$149/month
    • In-person: 2.4% + 15 cents
    • Online: 2.9% + 30 cents
    • Advanced features

Which should you pick?

Choose Qonto if

Nothing in the data separates Qonto from Square for Retail on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

Choose Square for Retail if

  • You need contactless payments.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on iOS, API.
  • You also want inventory tracking.

Questions people ask

Is Qonto or Square for Retail better?
Neither clearly leads. Qonto starts at €9/month and Square for Retail at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Qonto or Square for Retail?
Square for Retail has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at €9/month for Qonto and Free for Square for Retail.
Does Qonto or Square for Retail run on more platforms?
Qonto runs on Web. Square for Retail runs on iOS, API.
Can I use Square for Retail for free?
Yes. Square for Retail has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Qonto starts at €9/month.
What is Qonto best used for?
Qonto is most often used for business banking, team payments, cash flow management, multi-currency transfers. Of those, business banking and team payments are not what Square for Retail is typically brought in for.
What can Qonto do that Square for Retail cannot?
Square for Retail covers Contactless payments, Inventory tracking, Employee management, Customer profiles.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Qonto: How much does Qonto cost?

Qonto's self-employed plans range from EUR 9/month (Basic) to EUR 39/month (Premium). Business plans range from EUR 49/month (Essential) to EUR 199/month (Enterprise).

Source
Square for Retail: Does Square for Retail have a free tier?

Yes, Square for Retail's free tier includes payment processing at 2.6% plus 15 cents per transaction, basic inventory, invoicing, online shop, and booking tools with no monthly subscription fee.

Source
Qonto: What is included in Qonto's Basic plan?

The Basic plan costs EUR 9/month and includes 30 monthly transfers, 1 physical card and 2 virtual cards, plus account remuneration at 5% for the first 2 months.

Source
Square for Retail: What are the transaction fees across Square's pricing tiers?

Free tier: 2.6% + 15 cents. Plus tier ($49/month): 2.5% + 15 cents in-person, 2.9% + 30 cents online. Premium tier ($149/month): 2.4% + 15 cents in-person, 2.9% + 30 cents online.

Source
Qonto: What is the difference between self-employed and business plans?

Self-employed plans (Basic to Premium) are for individuals and cost EUR 9-39/month. Business plans (Essential to Enterprise) offer more transfers and cards for teams, ranging from EUR 49-199/month.

Source
Square for Retail: What devices can run Square for Retail?

Square for Retail runs on iOS devices (iPad and iPhone) using Square's proprietary hardware or compatible mobile devices, and requires integration with Square's payment processing.

Source
Square for Retail: Can I use Square for Retail offline?

Square for Retail depends on an internet connection for optimal functionality. Offline functionality is limited, and high-traffic operations may require recharging or connection verification.

Source
Square for Retail: Does Square for Retail support third-party integrations?

Yes, Square offers integrations through its App Marketplace and provides APIs for custom development including payments, inventory, orders, customers, loyalty, and webhooks.

Source
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