Square review

The top choice for businesses needing a single, simple solution for both online and in-person sales.

Verdict

Square's #4 ranking is secured by its best-in-class integration of online and offline payments, offering a cohesive ecosystem of software and hardware that is incredibly easy for SMBs to use.

What customers praise

The tight integration between its POS hardware, e-commerce stores, and payment processing is seamless and powerful for omnichannel retailers.

What customers criticise

Its international availability is more limited than top competitors, and like PayPal, it has faced criticism for account stability issues for some merchants.

Best for

Small to medium-sized businesses, particularly in retail and services, that need a seamless, integrated solution for online and in-person sales.

At a glance

• Integrations: Wix, BigCommerce, WooCommerce, Acuity Scheduling, QuickBooks
• Compliance: PCI DSS Level 1
• Regions served: USA, Canada, UK, Australia, Japan, Ireland, France, Spain
• Typical onboarding: 0 days
• Free tier: yes

Red flags

Public risk signals as of June 2026: low. Similar to PayPal, there are public reports of account holds affecting some merchants, particularly those in high-risk categories. See the full red-flag report.

Alternatives

See alternatives to Square, or compare against the next-ranked entry: Square vs Checkout.com.

Source: Top 11 The 11 Best Payment Gateways, verified June 9, 2026 — no paid placement.