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Square for Retail vs Shopkeep

Square for Retail logo

Square for Retail

Software

Integrated point of sale and retail management

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Shopkeep logo

Shopkeep

Software

Cloud-based POS for small businesses

From
$49/month
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; Shopkeep unreliable inventory control across multiple locations
  • They diverge on capability: Square for Retail covers Contactless payments, Shopkeep covers Point of sale.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Square for Retail and Shopkeep differ
AttributeSquare for RetailShopkeep
Starting priceFree$49/month
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsiOS, APIiPad, Web
Founded20092008

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
  • Receipt printing
  • Integration with Square Online
  • Reporting tools

Only in Shopkeep

  • Point of sale
  • Payment processing
  • Inventory management
  • Mobile POS
  • Reporting

Both cover

  • Employee management
  • Customer profiles
  • Sales analytics

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

Shopkeep

  • Unreliable inventory control across multiple locations
  • Cloud-dependent with no offline transaction processing capability
  • Dropped Bluetooth connections cause lost sales and payment processing failures

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

Shopkeep

$49/month

No published plan breakdown. See the Shopkeep 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 Shopkeep if

  • You need point of sale.
  • You work on iPad, Web.
  • You also want payment processing.
Shopkeep review

Questions people ask

Is Square for Retail or Shopkeep better?
Neither clearly leads. Square for Retail starts at Free and Shopkeep at $49/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Square for Retail or Shopkeep?
Square for Retail has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Square for Retail and $49/month for Shopkeep.
Does Square for Retail or Shopkeep run on more platforms?
Square for Retail runs on iOS, API. Shopkeep runs on iPad, Web.
Can I use Square for Retail for free?
Yes. Square for Retail has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Shopkeep starts at $49/month.
What can Square for Retail do that Shopkeep cannot?
Square for Retail covers Contactless payments, Inventory tracking, Receipt printing, Integration with Square Online. Shopkeep covers Point of sale, Payment processing, Inventory management, Mobile POS. Both handle Employee management, Customer profiles, 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
Shopkeep: How much does Shopkeep cost?

Shopkeep by Lightspeed pricing varies by plan. Customers must request quotes for current pricing, which has shifted since the Lightspeed acquisition.

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
Shopkeep: What hardware does Shopkeep require?

Shopkeep operates on iPad tablets, cloud-based systems, and traditional cash register setups, requiring third-party hardware integration.

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

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