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Retail Pro vs Square for Retail

Retail Pro logo

Retail Pro

Software

Comprehensive retail management software

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Square for Retail logo

Square for Retail

Software

Integrated point of sale and retail management

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Square for Retail has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Retail Pro pricing details not disclosed; requires sales consultation; Square for Retail limited customer support with primarily email and online forums, slow response times for urgent issues
  • They diverge on capability: Retail Pro covers Point of sale, Square for Retail covers Contactless payments.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Retail Pro and Square for Retail differ
AttributeRetail ProSquare for Retail
Starting priceOn requestFree
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsiOS, Android, WindowsiOS, API
Founded19882009

Identical on both: pricing model (Unknown), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

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 Retail Pro

  • Point of sale
  • Inventory management
  • Customer database
  • Promotion management
  • Multi-store support

Only in Square for Retail

  • Contactless payments
  • Inventory tracking
  • Customer profiles
  • Receipt printing
  • Integration with Square Online

Both cover

  • Employee management
  • Sales analytics
  • Reporting tools

What people use each for

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

Retail Pro

  • Multi-location retail POS operations (1 to 250+ stores)not Square for Retail
  • Inventory management with serialized product trackingnot Square for Retail
  • Customer loyalty programs via AppCard integrationnot Square for Retail

Square for Retail

No use cases recorded yet. See the Square for Retail review.

Where each one falls short

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

Retail Pro

  • Pricing details not disclosed; requires sales consultation
  • No published technical requirements or system specifications
  • International deployment requires fiscal/tax compliance consultation per region

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

Retail Pro

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Retail Pro review.

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 Retail Pro if

  • You need point of sale.
  • You work on iOS, Android, Windows.
  • You also want inventory management.
Retail Pro review

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.
Square for Retail review

Questions people ask

Is Retail Pro or Square for Retail better?
Neither clearly leads. Retail Pro starts at On request and Square for Retail at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Retail Pro or Square for Retail?
Square for Retail has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Retail Pro and Free for Square for Retail.
Does Retail Pro or Square for Retail run on more platforms?
Retail Pro runs on iOS, Android, Windows. 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. Retail Pro starts at On request.
What is Retail Pro best used for?
Retail Pro is most often used for multi-location retail pos operations (1 to 250+ stores), inventory management with serialized product tracking, customer loyalty programs via appcard integration. Of those, multi-location retail pos operations (1 to 250+ stores) and inventory management with serialized product tracking are not what Square for Retail is typically brought in for.
What can Retail Pro do that Square for Retail cannot?
Retail Pro covers Point of sale, Inventory management, Customer database, Promotion management. Square for Retail covers Contactless payments, Inventory tracking, Customer profiles, Receipt printing. Both handle Employee management, Sales analytics, Reporting tools.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
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
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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Related pages

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