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Square for Retail vs Retail Pro

Square for Retail logo

Square for Retail

Software

Integrated point of sale and retail management

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Retail Pro logo

Retail Pro

Software

Comprehensive retail management software

From
On request
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: Square for Retail limited customer support with primarily email and online forums, slow response times for urgent issues; Retail Pro pricing details not disclosed; requires sales consultation
  • They diverge on capability: Square for Retail covers Contactless payments, Retail Pro covers Point of sale.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Square for Retail and Retail Pro differ
AttributeSquare for RetailRetail Pro
Starting priceFreeOn request
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsiOS, APIiOS, Android, Windows
Founded20091988

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 Square for Retail

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

Only in Retail Pro

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

Both cover

  • Employee management
  • Sales analytics
  • Reporting tools

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.

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

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

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

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

Retail Pro

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Retail Pro review.

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 Retail Pro if

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

Questions people ask

Is Square for Retail or Retail Pro better?
Neither clearly leads. Square for Retail starts at Free and Retail Pro at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Square for Retail or Retail Pro?
Square for Retail has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Square for Retail and On request for Retail Pro.
Does Square for Retail or Retail Pro run on more platforms?
Square for Retail runs on iOS, API. Retail Pro runs on iOS, Android, Windows.
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 can Square for Retail do that Retail Pro cannot?
Square for Retail covers Contactless payments, Inventory tracking, Customer profiles, Receipt printing. Retail Pro covers Point of sale, Inventory management, Customer database, Promotion management. 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

More on Square for Retail

More on Retail Pro

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