Softwr

E-Commerce · head to head

FastSpring vs Square

FastSpring logo

FastSpring

E-Commerce

Merchant-of-record commerce platform for global payments, subscriptions, and tax compliance

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Square logo

Square

E-Commerce

Powering the economy

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Square has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: FastSpring pricing is not published and requires contacting sales for a quote, making cost comparison difficult upfront.; Square plus plan pricing not specified in documentation
  • They diverge on capability: FastSpring covers Global online payments, Square covers Payment processing.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which FastSpring and Square actually diverge.

Attributes where FastSpring and Square differ
AttributeFastSpringSquare
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modeltransactionfreemium
Free tierNoYes
Platformsweb, apiPOS (Mobile app), Web
Founded20062009

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (E-Commerce).

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 FastSpring

  • Global online payments
  • Subscription billing
  • Branded checkout
  • Tax compliance
  • Fraud prevention
  • Digital invoicing and quotes

Only in Square

  • Payment processing
  • Point of sale
  • Invoicing
  • Payroll
  • Banking
  • QuickBooks
  • WooCommerce
  • Wix

What people use each for

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

FastSpring

  • Selling software or SaaS internationally without a local tax entitynot Square
  • B2B invoicing and custom quotes for enterprise SaaS dealsnot Square
  • Recurring subscription billing for digital productsnot Square
  • Reducing fraud and chargebacks on digital purchasesnot Square

Square

  • Accept payments with all-in-one POS applicationnot FastSpring
  • Online ordering and basic website creationnot FastSpring
  • Invoicing and appointment bookingnot FastSpring
  • Staff scheduling and loyalty programmesnot FastSpring

Where each one falls short

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

FastSpring

  • Pricing is not published and requires contacting sales for a quote, making cost comparison difficult upfront.
  • As a merchant-of-record, FastSpring takes on more control of the checkout and payment relationship than a pure payment gateway like Stripe.
  • Revenue share pricing can become more expensive than flat per-transaction gateway fees at very high volumes.
  • Primarily targeted at software/digital goods sellers, so it is less suited to physical product e-commerce.

Square

  • Plus plan pricing not specified in documentation
  • Processing fees differ by tier but exact rates not detailed
  • Free plan pricing mentioned but specific features for Plus unclear
  • Text marketing charged at 3¢ per message after first 500 included

Pricing, plan by plan

FastSpring

On request
  • Custom$undefined/mo
    • All-in-one transaction-based pricing based on sales volume
    • No subscription fees or per-feature charges
    • Discounted rates for ACH and wire transfers

Square

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Accept payments with all-in-one POS app
    • Online site builder (ordering profiles, basic websites, online stores, booking sites)
    • Item library and inventory tracking
  • Plus$null/mo
    • All Free plan features
    • Advanced POS features for food, retail, and appointments
    • Lower processing fees on card transactions

Which should you pick?

Choose FastSpring if

  • You need global online payments.
  • You work on web, api.
  • You also want subscription billing.
FastSpring review

Choose Square if

  • You need payment processing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on POS (Mobile app), Web.
  • You also want point of sale.
Square review

Questions people ask

Is FastSpring or Square better?
Neither clearly leads. FastSpring starts at On request and Square at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, FastSpring or Square?
Square has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for FastSpring and Free for Square.
Does FastSpring or Square run on more platforms?
FastSpring runs on web, api. Square runs on POS (Mobile app), Web.
Can I use Square for free?
Yes. Square has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. FastSpring starts at On request.
What is FastSpring best used for?
FastSpring is most often used for selling software or saas internationally without a local tax entity, b2b invoicing and custom quotes for enterprise saas deals, recurring subscription billing for digital products, reducing fraud and chargebacks on digital purchases. Of those, selling software or saas internationally without a local tax entity and b2b invoicing and custom quotes for enterprise saas deals are not what Square is typically brought in for.
What can FastSpring do that Square cannot?
FastSpring covers Global online payments, Subscription billing, Branded checkout, Tax compliance. Square covers Payment processing, Point of sale, Invoicing, Payroll.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

FastSpring: What does FastSpring cost?

FastSpring uses flat-rate, all-in-one pricing based on transaction volume, with fees withheld from payouts. There is no minimum volume or subscription fee, and pricing is typically quoted based on expected sales volume after contacting their sales team.

Source
Square: Does Square offer a free plan?

Yes, Square's free plan includes an all-in-one POS app, online site builder, item library and inventory tracking, invoicing, appointment scheduling, staff calendars, and checking and savings account access. No subscription fees are charged.

Source
FastSpring: Is there a free plan?

FastSpring does not offer a free plan; instead pricing is transaction-based with no upfront subscription cost, and merchants only pay a commission on completed sales.

Source
Square: What does Square Plus add compared to the free plan?

Square Plus adds advanced POS features for food and retail, lower processing fees on card transactions, custom loyalty programs, unlimited email marketing campaigns, text messaging, and staff scheduling and attendance tracking.

Source
FastSpring: What does FastSpring integrate with or include compared to a payment gateway like Stripe?

FastSpring bundles international payments, subscription management, tax compliance, fraud prevention, reporting, and B2B invoicing into one price, whereas gateways like Stripe charge separately for many of these features.

Source
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