Comparison · Updated September 27, 2026
SpotOn vs Square for restaurants
SpotOn
B-
A restaurant-first point-of-sale and payments platform founded in 2017, with published plan rates, next-morning funding and unusually well-regarded support. The catch is the contract: a two-year minimum on its headline plan, a mid-2026 rate increase applied to existing merchants, and cancellation terms it does not publish.
Square
A
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.
VS
Overview
Both sell a restaurant point of sale with payments built in, and both publish their US rates. They charge in different ways. SpotOn prices per station: POS Essentials is $55 per station a month at 2.45% + 15¢ in person, and the All-In plan is $0 a month with hardware included, at 2.79% + 20¢, with a two-year minimum term and processing minimums. Square prices per location: its Free plan is $0 at 2.6% + 15¢, Plus is $49 a month at 2.5% + 15¢, and Premium is $149 a month at 2.4% + 15¢. Square charges the same rate on every card brand, needs no contract and charges no early termination fee. SpotOn charges more for American Express, but gives every plan 24/7 support and moves money in under 30 minutes for 0.2%, against Square's 1.95%. Square, graded A on Payment Review, is the better fit for most small and counter-service restaurants. SpotOn, graded B-, earns its place in full-service rooms that want round-the-clock support and same-day cash.
Key Takeaways
- ✓On in-person rates the two are close. SpotOn's POS Essentials (2.45% + 15¢, $55 per station) beats Square Plus (2.5% + 15¢, $49 per location) for a one-station restaurant above about $12,000 a month in card sales. A two-station restaurant needs about $122,000 a month to break even, because Square's fee does not rise with each station.
- ✓Square charges one rate for every card brand. SpotOn charges 3.19% + 15¢ on American Express on POS Essentials, 0.74 points above its standard rate, so a restaurant with many Amex customers should add that to any comparison.
- ✓Square's Free plan does not include split checks, bar-tab pre-authorisation, tableside ordering or timecards, so most restaurants need Plus at $49 a month. SpotOn includes table layouts and ordering on every plan.
- ✓SpotOn pays out faster for less: Rapid Fund arrives in under 30 minutes, 365 days a year, for 0.2% a deposit, against 1.95% for a Square instant transfer. Standard next-business-day funding is free on both.
- ✓Square has no contract and no early termination fee. SpotOn's All-In plan carries a two-year minimum and processing minimums, and its restaurant POS terms page, dated December 2019 and still published, charges the rest of the hardware list price if you leave within a year of installation.
SpotOn
SpotOn suits full-service restaurants and bars that want 24/7 phone support on every plan, card money in under 30 minutes for 0.2%, and an installer to build the menu and train staff, and that will accept per-station fees and SpotOn's cancellation terms.
Square
Square suits new, small and counter-service restaurants, cafés and food trucks. It needs no contract, charges one rate on every card brand, includes online ordering and, on Plus, loyalty and marketing, and runs on hardware you buy outright.
Overall Winner
🏆 Winner
Square
Aexpert grade
Runner-up
SpotOn
Why?
Square is the better choice for most restaurants, which matches the site's grades (A against B-). It charges one rate on every card brand, has no contract and no exit fee, and its fee is per location, so adding a second or third station adds nothing to the software fee. Its Plus plan includes online ordering, loyalty and marketing, which SpotOn sells as add-ons. The two are close on rate. On $60,000 a month at a $40 average ticket with two stations, Square Plus comes to about $1,774 a month in fees and software, SpotOn's POS Essentials about $1,805 and Square Premium about $1,814, before SpotOn's higher Amex rate. SpotOn is the stronger pick for a full-service restaurant that values 24/7 support without paying $149 a month for it, same-day funding at 0.2%, and a vendor that builds the menu and installs the system. That restaurant should read SpotOn's exit terms before signing, especially on All-In.
Feature by feature
Detailed Comparison
Filter Options
Plans and monthly software (US, USD)
| Feature | SpotOn | Square |
|---|---|---|
| $0-a-month plan | All-In: $0 per station, POS hardware included | Square Free: $0 per location, hardware bought separately |
| SpotOn pays for All-In's hardware and software through a higher card rate (2.79% + 20¢). The plan also has a monthly processing minimum and a two-year minimum term, and SpotOn does not publish the minimum in dollars. Square Free has no minimum and no term, but it leaves out several restaurant features (see below). | ||
| Main paid plan | POS Essentials: $55 per station a month, month-to-month | Plus: $49 per location a month; Premium: $149 per location a month |
| SpotOn's fee is multiplied by the number of stations; Square's is flat per location. At one station SpotOn costs $6 a month more than Square Plus; at three stations it costs $165 against $49. Square Plus and Premium include a 30-day free trial and can be cancelled or switched at any time. | ||
| Restaurant features on the cheapest plan | Ordering, payments, table layouts, menu management, reporting, 24/7 support Winner | No split checks, bar-tab pre-authorisation, tableside ordering or timecards on Free |
| From Square's restaurant plan comparison table. All four are included on Plus and Premium, so Plus at $49 a month is Square's realistic starting point for a full-service room. Square Free does include open checks, the orders tab, pickup and local delivery, and an online ordering page. | ||
| Custom pricing | Build Your Own: custom rates and bundles for multi-unit and high-volume groups | Square Pro: custom pricing for businesses processing over $250,000 a year |
$0-a-month plan
SpotOn
All-In: $0 per station, POS hardware included
Square
Square Free: $0 per location, hardware bought separately
SpotOn pays for All-In's hardware and software through a higher card rate (2.79% + 20¢). The plan also has a monthly processing minimum and a two-year minimum term, and SpotOn does not publish the minimum in dollars. Square Free has no minimum and no term, but it leaves out several restaurant features (see below).
Main paid plan
SpotOn
POS Essentials: $55 per station a month, month-to-month
Square
Plus: $49 per location a month; Premium: $149 per location a month
SpotOn's fee is multiplied by the number of stations; Square's is flat per location. At one station SpotOn costs $6 a month more than Square Plus; at three stations it costs $165 against $49. Square Plus and Premium include a 30-day free trial and can be cancelled or switched at any time.
Restaurant features on the cheapest plan
SpotOn
Ordering, payments, table layouts, menu management, reporting, 24/7 support
Winner
Square
No split checks, bar-tab pre-authorisation, tableside ordering or timecards on Free
From Square's restaurant plan comparison table. All four are included on Plus and Premium, so Plus at $49 a month is Square's realistic starting point for a full-service room. Square Free does include open checks, the orders tab, pickup and local delivery, and an online ordering page.
Custom pricing
SpotOn
Build Your Own: custom rates and bundles for multi-unit and high-volume groups
Square
Square Pro: custom pricing for businesses processing over $250,000 a year
Best For Your Business
Recommendations based on your business type
New café, food truck or counter-service spot
Recommended
Square
Square Free or Plus needs no contract. Hardware is bought outright from $59 for a reader or $299 for a Terminal, and there is no installation fee. SpotOn would add $55 per station a month, or a two-year All-In term.
Full-service restaurant or bar with three or more stations
Recommended
Square
Square's $49 or $149 fee is per location, while SpotOn's $55 is per station: $165 a month for three stations. At three or more stations, Square Premium has both a lower fee and a lower rate (2.4% + 15¢) than POS Essentials, and it includes 24/7 support. Below about $100,000 a month, Square Plus is cheaper still.
One- or two-station full-service restaurant that wants 24/7 support
Recommended
SpotOn
SpotOn includes 24/7/365 support on every plan. Square offers it only on the $149-a-month Premium plan; Plus has weekday phone support only. POS Essentials' 2.45% + 15¢ also undercuts Square Plus once a single station processes more than about $12,000 a month.
Restaurant that needs card money the same day
Recommended
SpotOn
SpotOn's Rapid Fund arrives in under 30 minutes, including weekends and holidays, for 0.2% a deposit. Square's instant transfer costs 1.95%, unless you use Square Checking.
Restaurant with a large share of American Express diners
Recommended
Square
Square charges the same rate on Amex as on other cards. SpotOn's POS Essentials charges 3.19% + 15¢ on Amex, 0.74 points above its standard in-person rate.
Operator short on capital who wants hardware included
Recommended
SpotOn
SpotOn's All-In plan includes POS hardware and software for $0 a month, which Square does not offer. You pay for it through a 2.79% + 20¢ rate, a processing minimum and a two-year term, so ask for the minimum in dollars and the exit cost in writing.
SpotOn: Best for 3 use cases
Square: Best for 3 use cases
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this comparison
It depends mostly on how many stations you run. SpotOn's POS Essentials charges 2.45% + 15¢ in person and $55 per station a month. Square Plus charges 2.5% + 15¢ and $49 per location. With one station, SpotOn is cheaper above about $12,000 a month in card sales. With two, it needs about $122,000 a month. With three or more, Square Premium (2.4% + 15¢, $149 per location) beats POS Essentials on both fee and rate. SpotOn also charges 3.19% + 15¢ on American Express, where Square charges the same rate as other cards.
Yes. SpotOn's pricing page lists 2.45% + $0.15 in person and 3.45% + $0.15 keyed on POS Essentials, and 2.79% + $0.20 and 3.79% + $0.20 on All-In. The Build Your Own plan for multi-unit and high-volume groups is quoted. SpotOn's own pages disagree on the Amex per-transaction fee, which appears as both $0.15 and $0.25.
Square does not. Its plans can be cancelled or switched at any time, and its fee page lists no early termination fee. SpotOn's POS Essentials is month-to-month, but All-In has a two-year minimum term and processing minimums. SpotOn's restaurant POS terms page, dated December 2019 and still published, charges the rest of the hardware list price if you cancel within a year of installation. Financed hardware must be paid off in full if you cancel before the 20 instalments are finished.
Both fund the next business day for free. SpotOn's Rapid Fund delivers money in under 30 minutes after you batch out, 365 days a year, for 0.2% a deposit. Square's instant transfer costs 1.95%, and new sellers are limited to one a day of up to $2,000. Square says funds in a Square Checking account are generally available immediately.
SpotOn includes 24/7/365 support on every plan. Square's phone support runs 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Pacific on weekdays on Plus, and only for the first 90 days on Free. 24/7 phone support comes only with the $149-a-month Premium plan. Chat and email support are available on every Square plan.
Both offer a way to, by different methods. SpotOn will configure dual pricing, where the POS shows a card price and a lower cash price. Square offers an automatic credit card surcharge of up to 3%, currently in open beta. It applies only to in-person credit cards, cannot exceed your cost of acceptance, and is unavailable in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts and Puerto Rico. State rules differ, so check yours first.
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