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Square for Retail vs KORONA POS

Square for Retail logo

Square for Retail

Software

Integrated point of sale and retail management

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
KORONA POS logo

KORONA POS

Software

Cloud-based retail POS system

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Square for Retail limited customer support with primarily email and online forums, slow response times for urgent issues; KORONA POS inventory counts and stock management require the $79 Retail plan, so the $59 Core plan is checkout without stock control
  • They diverge on capability: Square for Retail covers Contactless payments, KORONA POS covers Point of sale.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Square for Retail and KORONA POS differ
AttributeSquare for RetailKORONA POS
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
PlatformsiOS, APIWeb
Founded20092004

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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 Square for Retail

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

Only in KORONA POS

  • Point of sale
  • Inventory management
  • Customer database
  • Loyalty programs
  • Multi-location support
  • Mobile POS

Both cover

  • Employee management
  • Sales analytics

What people use each for

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

Square for Retail

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

KORONA POS

  • Point of sale and inventory management for retail storesnot Square for Retail
  • Multi location retail with stock control and reportingnot Square for Retail

Where each one falls short

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

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

KORONA POS

  • Inventory counts and stock management require the $79 Retail plan, so the $59 Core plan is checkout without stock control
  • Five separate modules are charged on top of the plan, at $10 per terminal for food service, $10 per terminal for invoicing, $50 per gate for ticketing, $30 per franchise and $45 per token for custom API integrations
  • Integration pricing is per token rather than per account, so several integrations multiply the cost
  • Advanced stock management and movement reporting require the $99 Plus plan

Pricing, plan by plan

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

KORONA POS

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 1 register
    • Inventory management
    • Basic analytics
  • Professional$79/month
    • Unlimited registers
    • Advanced inventory
    • Employee management

Which should you pick?

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

Choose KORONA POS if

  • You need point of sale.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want inventory management.
KORONA POS review

Questions people ask

Is Square for Retail or KORONA POS better?
Neither clearly leads. Square for Retail starts at Free and KORONA POS at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Square for Retail or KORONA POS?
Square for Retail starts at Free and KORONA POS at Free.
Does Square for Retail or KORONA POS run on more platforms?
Square for Retail runs on iOS, API. KORONA POS runs on Web.
Can I use Square for Retail for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What can Square for Retail do that KORONA POS cannot?
Square for Retail covers Contactless payments, Inventory tracking, Customer profiles, Receipt printing. KORONA POS covers Point of sale, Inventory management, Customer database, Loyalty programs. Both handle Employee management, Sales analytics.

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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