Alternatives to Square

Square ranks #4 on the Top 11 The 11 Best Payment Gateways. Below: the higher-ranked alternatives we’d steer you to instead, by use case.

Verified June 9, 2026. No paid placement — see methodology.

1. #1Stripe

   9.3 / 9.4

   The top choice for its unmatched developer tools, feature velocity, and scalable infrastructure.

   Best for: Developer-first online payments · Pricing: $$ (Pay-as-you-go) · stripe.com

2. #2Adyen

   9.1 / 9.4

   The best for large enterprises needing a single, global, omnichannel payments platform.

   Best for: Unified commerce for global enterprises · Pricing: $$$ (Interchange++) · www.adyen.com

3. #3PayPal

   8.8 / 9.4

   Unrivaled brand trust and a massive user base that boosts e-commerce conversion rates.

   Best for: Maximizing conversion with brand trust · Pricing: $$ (Pay-as-you-go) · www.paypal.com

See the full ranked list: The 11 Best Payment Gateways. Or compare any two: side-by-side.