Head to head
Compared side by side on published facts and the same six criteria every review is graded on — generated from the live directory, not a sales page.
Elavon
Payment Processor · 2.5/5 mean
Elavon is one of the world's largest payment processors, serving over 2 million merchant locations across 36 countries offering a comprehensive suite of enterprise payment solutions, but widely criticized by small and mid-size merchants.
Read the full review →Square
POS System · 3.8/5 mean
Square offers simple, transparent payment processing ideal for small businesses. Flat-rate pricing, no monthly fees, and excellent software make it a top choice — but account holds and limited support are key concerns.
Read the full review →Square holds the higher standing — by grade, then mean category score. The row-by-row picture below is what should actually decide it for your business.
Both graded against the same six criteria. How we grade · Last fact-checked August 19, 2026 and September 2, 2026.
| Criterion | Elavon | Square |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing transparency | 1.0 | 4.0wins this criterion |
| Feature set | 4.0 | 4.0 |
| Ease of use | 2.0 | 5.0 |
Straight from each provider's published documentation. Where a number isn't published, we say so rather than estimate.
| Metric | Elavon | Square |
|---|---|---|
| Online rate | Not publicly disclosed; quote-based | 3.3% + $0.30 for Square Online and invoices on the free plan; 2.9% + $0.30 through the Payments API, or on Plus and Premium |
| Monthly fee | Not disclosed | Not disclosed |
| Payout | 1-2 business days (91% of merchants funded within 2 business days as of May 2025, per Elavon) | Next business day |
| Contract | Not disclosed | Month-to-month |
| In-person rate | Typically cited as 2.6% + $0.10 (varies by contract) | 2.6% + $0.15 (free plan); 2.5% + $0.15 (Plus); 2.4% + $0.15 (Premium) |
| Keyed rate | Approximately 3.5% + $0.15 | 3.5% + $0.15 |
From the Elavon review
Square publishes its flat rates, charges no monthly fee, and lets merchants cancel any time from the dashboard, a sharp contrast with Elavon's quote-based pricing and reports of unexpected fee increases. Elavon still holds up for large enterprises and multinational chains that need true international acquiring across 36 countries and can negotiate their terms.
Pick Square if you are a small business that wants transparent flat-rate pricing and month-to-month terms
Ideal for
Not recommended for
Ideal for
Not recommended for
The full reviews carry the pricing narratives, contract analysis and everything else behind these numbers — or let the matching funnel score the whole directory against your business.
| Customer support | 2.0wins this criterion | 1.0 |
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| Contract terms | 2.0 | 5.0wins this criterion |
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| Industry reputation | 4.0 | 4.0 |
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| International rate | Not disclosed | Additional 1.5% on cards issued outside your account's country |
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| PCI fee | Historically $29–$59/month | Not disclosed |
|---|
| Chargeback fee | Not disclosed | None |
|---|
| Early termination | Historically $295 (first year) or $195 (years 2–3); company has reportedly reduced ETFs for some contracts | Not disclosed |
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| Last fact-checked | August 19, 2026 | September 2, 2026 |
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