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E-Commerce · head to head

SamCart vs Square

SamCart logo

SamCart

E-Commerce

The number one checkout platform

From
$79/month
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: SamCart no feature differentiation between CORE and PRO tiers, pricing tier based on expected transaction volume only; Square plus plan pricing not specified in documentation
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which SamCart and Square actually diverge.

Attributes where SamCart and Square differ
AttributeSamCartSquare
Starting price$79/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionfreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWebPOS (Mobile app), Web
FoundedUnknown2009

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 SamCart

Nothing recorded that Square does not also cover.

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.

SamCart

  • Increasing average order value through automated order bumps and upsellsnot Square
  • Recovering failed subscription payments with retry logic and dunning managementnot Square
  • Generating sales pages, emails, and ads with AI from product descriptionsnot Square
  • Sending cart abandonment recovery emails without customer re-entrynot Square
  • Migrating existing customer bases from competing platforms without data lossnot Square

Square

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

Where each one falls short

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

SamCart

  • No feature differentiation between CORE and PRO tiers, pricing tier based on expected transaction volume only
  • Transaction fees of 2.9% plus $0.30 apply to all plans

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

SamCart

$79/month
  • CORE$79/month
    • All features included
  • PRO$199/month
    • All features included

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 SamCart if

Nothing in the data separates SamCart from Square on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

SamCart 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 SamCart or Square better?
Neither clearly leads. SamCart starts at $79/month and Square at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, SamCart or Square?
Square has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $79/month for SamCart and Free for Square.
Does SamCart or Square run on more platforms?
SamCart runs on Web. 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. SamCart starts at $79/month.
What is SamCart best used for?
SamCart is most often used for increasing average order value through automated order bumps and upsells, recovering failed subscription payments with retry logic and dunning management, generating sales pages, emails, and ads with ai from product descriptions, sending cart abandonment recovery emails without customer re-entry. Of those, increasing average order value through automated order bumps and upsells and recovering failed subscription payments with retry logic and dunning management are not what Square is typically brought in for.
What can SamCart do that Square cannot?
Square covers Payment processing, Point of sale, Invoicing, Payroll.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

SamCart: How much does SamCart cost?

SamCart offers two subscription tiers: CORE at $79/month and PRO at $199/month. Both plans include all features with no restrictions between tiers.

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
SamCart: What are SamCart's transaction fees?

SamCart charges a transaction fee of 2.9% plus $0.30 per transaction on all payments processed through the platform.

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
SamCart: Does SamCart offer a free trial?

Yes, SamCart offers a 7-day free trial available for both the CORE and PRO plans, allowing customers to test the platform before committing to a subscription.

Source
SamCart: Does SamCart offer migration services from other platforms?

Yes, SamCart offers done-for-you migration services for customers switching from Kajabi, ThriveCart, ClickFunnels, Shopify, and Teachable. Specific pricing for migration services is not listed on the main page.

Source
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