Square for Retail vs Zettle by PayPal
Side-by-side from the Top 11 ranking of The 11 Best POS Systems for Retail. Last verified June 17, 2026.
The short answer
Square for Retail ranks higher on Top 11 (#3 vs #9) for Retail store owners choosing a point-of-sale system. The top choice for new retailers due to its powerful free plan and simple setup.
At a glance
| Square for Retail | Zettle by PayPal | |
|---|---|---|
| Top 11 rank | #3 / The 11 Best POS Systems for Retail | #9 / The 11 Best POS Systems for Retail |
| Score (out of 9.4) | 8.8 | 7.6 |
| Best for | Best for small businesses | Best for mobile payments |
| Pricing | $ ($0 to $60/mo) | $ ($0/mo) |
| HQ | San Francisco, USA | Stockholm, Sweden |
| Founded | 2009 | 2010 |
Square for Retail
The top choice for new retailers due to its powerful free plan and simple setup.
squareup.com/us/en/point-of-sale/retailZettle by PayPal
A simple and portable POS for merchants on the go.
www.paypal.com/us/business/pos-systems/zettleMethodology and scoring weights live at /methodology. No vendor pays for placement — see about.