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.
Global Payments
Payment Processor · 2.2/5 mean
Global Payments Inc. is a Fortune 500 payments technology behemoth, processing trillions of dollars annually across 38 countries, offering massive scale and enterprise capabilities, but consistently criticized by small and mid-size merchants for opaque pricing, hidden fees, rigid contracts, poor customer support, and a significant history of legal actions.
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 | Global Payments | 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 | Global Payments | Square |
|---|---|---|
| Online rate | Not disclosed | 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 | Typically next business day; varies by contract | Next business day |
| Contract | Contracts carry a three-year initial term with an automatic renewal clause extending the contract for one-year periods after that | Month-to-month |
| In-person rate | Not disclosed | 2.6% + $0.15 (free plan); 2.5% + $0.15 (Plus); 2.4% + $0.15 (Premium) |
| Keyed rate | Not disclosed | 3.5% + $0.15 |
From the Global Payments review
Square gives small merchants published flat-rate pricing, free POS software, and month-to-month terms with no early-termination fee — exactly where Global Payments' unpublished rates, fee stacking, and rigid contracts hit hardest. Global Payments holds up mainly for multinationals whose transaction volume justifies negotiating custom enterprise terms.
Pick Square if you are a small business that wants free POS software 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 | 1.0 | 1.0 |
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| Contract terms | 1.0 | 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 | p to $125/month PCI non-compliance fee — well above industry standard | Not disclosed |
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| Statement fee | Charged monthly (amount varies by contract) | Not disclosed |
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| Chargeback fee | Non-refundable; amount varies by contract | None |
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| Early termination | Up to $500 USD; some contracts include liquidated damages clauses for higher penalties | Not disclosed |
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| Last fact-checked | August 19, 2026 | September 2, 2026 |
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