Comparison · Updated September 27, 2026
Zeller vs Square for Australian businesses
Zeller
B+
Zeller is a Melbourne payments and business-banking company founded in 2020 by Ben Pfisterer, who had led Square's Asia-Pacific team, and Dominic Yap, and launched in May 2021. It sells an EFTPOS terminal outright — the Zeller Terminal 1x and the newer Zeller Terminal 2, both listed at A$99 on promotion in September 2026 — with no monthly rental, no lock-in contract and a flat 1.4% on every in-person card, American Express included, falling to 1.2% when payments run through its free Zeller POS software. Every merchant gets a Zeller Transaction Account and debit card at no cost, with card takings settled into it nightly and available the next business day at an outside bank. It also offers invoices, a virtual terminal, Tap to Pay on iPhone and Android, corporate expense cards and, from April 2026, a UK operation priced at 1.3% on domestic Visa and Mastercard. The company reached a valuation above A$1 billion ten months after launch on the back of a A$100 million Series B in March 2022 and says more than 100,000 Australian businesses use it. Zeller Australia Pty Ltd holds an Australian financial services licence and is a principal member of Mastercard; merchant funds are held in a segregated account at Cuscal rather than in a bank deposit. The pricing is among the simplest in the Australian market and the hardware is well regarded; the recurring complaint is the one every fintech acquirer attracts — funds frozen pending documents, with slow answers.
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
Zeller and Square sell the same kind of deal in Australia: a flat rate on every card, American Express included, no monthly fee, no lock-in and hardware you buy outright. The difference is in the numbers and in what surrounds them. Zeller (a B+ on Payment Review) charges 1.4% including GST in person, sells its terminal for A$99 on promotion (A$199 standard), settles the same night into a free Zeller Transaction Account with a debit card, and answers the phone 24/7. Square (an A) charges 1.6% in person and 2.2% online and keyed, sells a A$65 Reader and a A$329 Terminal, pays out next day to any Australian bank, weekends included, and wraps payments in a much broader free software kit: POS, online store, invoices, appointments and an app marketplace. With no fixed fees on either side in person, Zeller is 0.2 points cheaper on every in-person sale. Online, Zeller's 25-cent fee makes Square cheaper on invoices under about $50.
Key Takeaways
- ✓In person, Zeller charges 1.4% including GST and Square 1.6%, both on every card including Amex and with no per-transaction cents, so Zeller is cheaper at every ticket size: $20 a month less on $10,000 of card sales.
- ✓Zeller Terminal is A$99 on promotion (A$199 standard); Square Reader is A$65 and Square Terminal A$329. Both offer free Tap to Pay on a phone, and neither requires terminal rental or a monthly fee.
- ✓Online the gap narrows and can reverse: Zeller invoices cost 1.7% + 25¢ against Square's flat 2.2%, so Square is cheaper on invoices under $50, and on internationally issued cards, which Zeller charges 2.9% + 25¢.
- ✓Zeller settles the same day into a free transaction account with a debit card and supports customers 24/7; Square pays out next day to any bank, weekends included, and staffs phones Monday to Friday 9am–5pm Melbourne time.
- ✓Square's free software goes further — an online store, retail, restaurant and appointments POS, and an app marketplace — while Zeller's free POS is newer and aimed at cafés, hospitality and small retail.
Zeller
Zeller suits counter-based Australian businesses — cafés, shops, trades, market stalls — that take most payments in person and want the lowest published flat rate, a cheap terminal, their takings in a free account the same night and support that answers at any hour.
Square
Square suits businesses that sell online as well as in person, or need retail, restaurant or appointments software beyond a basic POS, and want payouts to the bank they already use, including at weekends.
The Verdict
It Depends on Your Needs
Why?
On Australian card-acceptance costs Zeller wins almost every row: 1.4% against 1.6% in person on every card and ticket size, 1.7% against 2.2% on phone orders, a A$99 terminal against a A$329 Square Terminal, a free account and debit card the takings land in the same night, and support around the clock. Square wins on what surrounds the payment: a free online store, retail, restaurant and appointments software, an app marketplace, next-day payouts to any bank at weekends, loans, a better Trustpilot score — and cheaper invoices under $50 or on international cards. Payment Review grades Square an A and Zeller a B+, and that gap reflects Square's broader product rather than its price. A business that takes most of its money over the counter should choose Zeller; one that sells online too or needs more software than a café POS should choose Square.
Feature by feature
Detailed Comparison
Filter Options
In-person pricing (AUD, Australian rate cards, September 2026)
| Feature | Zeller | Square |
|---|---|---|
| In-person card rate | 1.4% incl. GST on all cards, including Amex Winner | 1.6% on all cards, including Amex |
| Both are flat percentages with no per-transaction cents, so the 0.2-point gap holds at every ticket size. Zeller states its rate includes GST. Square's rate card does not state GST treatment: Square Australia community moderators (2017, 2020) say its Australian fees are GST-inclusive and it issues monthly GST tax invoices for them, while its General Terms say fees are exclusive of GST unless expressly stated. If GST were added, Square's rate would be 1.76%, so Zeller is cheaper either way. Square's 1.6% applies to sellers who signed up on or after 30 May 2024; earlier sellers pay 1.9% on Reader, Stand and Tap to Pay unless on a paid plan that offers 1.6%. | ||
| Integrated or promotional rate | 1.2% through Zeller POS on Zeller Terminal; Tap to Pay 1.1% promo to 31 Oct 2026 Winner | None published |
| Zeller lists the 1.2% on its pricing page and, in its promotion terms, as an ongoing discount from 1 September 2026 for payments integrated between Zeller POS and Zeller Terminal; it is not available to merchants already on a rate below 1.4%. The 1.1% Tap to Pay rate is a promotion for new customers onboarding after 13 August 2026 and selected existing customers, reverting to 1.4% after 31 October 2026. | ||
| Tap to Pay on a phone | 1.4%, free Zeller App Winner | 1.6%, free on iPhone and Android |
| Phone orders (MOTO) keyed on the device | 1.7% incl. GST Winner | 2.2% |
| Square's 2.2% covers any manually keyed payment or card on file, on the POS, invoices or Virtual Terminal. | ||
| Custom pricing threshold | Over $250,000 a year in card payments | Over $250,000 a year in sales, average ticket over $15 |
In-person card rate
Zeller
1.4% incl. GST on all cards, including Amex
Winner
Square
1.6% on all cards, including Amex
Both are flat percentages with no per-transaction cents, so the 0.2-point gap holds at every ticket size. Zeller states its rate includes GST. Square's rate card does not state GST treatment: Square Australia community moderators (2017, 2020) say its Australian fees are GST-inclusive and it issues monthly GST tax invoices for them, while its General Terms say fees are exclusive of GST unless expressly stated. If GST were added, Square's rate would be 1.76%, so Zeller is cheaper either way. Square's 1.6% applies to sellers who signed up on or after 30 May 2024; earlier sellers pay 1.9% on Reader, Stand and Tap to Pay unless on a paid plan that offers 1.6%.
Integrated or promotional rate
Zeller
1.2% through Zeller POS on Zeller Terminal; Tap to Pay 1.1% promo to 31 Oct 2026
Winner
Square
None published
Zeller lists the 1.2% on its pricing page and, in its promotion terms, as an ongoing discount from 1 September 2026 for payments integrated between Zeller POS and Zeller Terminal; it is not available to merchants already on a rate below 1.4%. The 1.1% Tap to Pay rate is a promotion for new customers onboarding after 13 August 2026 and selected existing customers, reverting to 1.4% after 31 October 2026.
Tap to Pay on a phone
Zeller
1.4%, free Zeller App
Winner
Square
1.6%, free on iPhone and Android
Phone orders (MOTO) keyed on the device
Zeller
1.7% incl. GST
Winner
Square
2.2%
Square's 2.2% covers any manually keyed payment or card on file, on the POS, invoices or Virtual Terminal.
Custom pricing threshold
Zeller
Over $250,000 a year in card payments
Square
Over $250,000 a year in sales, average ticket over $15
Best For Your Business
Recommendations based on your business type
Café, food truck or market stall taking card in person
Recommended
Zeller
Every in-person sale costs 0.2 points less at Zeller, 0.4 less through its free POS, the A$99 terminal prints receipts and runs POS Lite, and the day's takings are spendable on the Zeller debit card the same night.
Retailer selling in store and online
Recommended
Square
Square includes a free online store alongside its POS, plus a retail edition; Zeller has no store builder, so you would run a separate e-commerce platform alongside it.
Tradie or service business billing mainly by invoice
Both. Zeller's 1.7% + 25¢ beats Square's 2.2% on invoices above $50 and Square is cheaper below it, while internationally issued cards cost less at Square. Zeller also sells a terminal for on-site payments at 1.4%; Square has fuller invoicing and appointments software.
Salon, clinic or studio that takes bookings
Recommended
Square
Square Appointments adds online booking and automatic reminders with a free tier; Zeller's product list includes no booking software.
Venue trading late or on weekends that wants help after hours
Recommended
Zeller
Zeller's support runs 24/7 and settlement can be moved to a 4am cut-off; Square's standard support is weekdays 9am to 5pm unless you pay for Restaurants Plus.
Business that wants takings paid into the bank it already uses
Recommended
Square
Square pays out to whichever Australian bank you already use, weekends included. Zeller also settles to an outside bank, but on the next business day; its same-night speed needs a Zeller account, which is not covered by the Financial Claims Scheme.
Zeller: Best for 2 use cases
Square: Best for 3 use cases
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this comparison
In person, yes, at every ticket size: Zeller charges 1.4% including GST on every card and Square 1.6%, and neither adds per-transaction cents or a monthly fee. On $10,000 a month of card sales that is $140 against $160. Online it depends on the amount. Zeller invoices cost 1.7% + 25¢ against Square's 2.2%, so Square is cheaper on invoices under $50 and on internationally issued cards, which Zeller charges 2.9% + 25¢.
No. Both charge Amex at the same rate as every other card: 1.4% at Zeller and 1.6% at Square in person.
Zeller Terminal 1x and Terminal 2 are A$99 including GST on promotion, from a standard A$199, bought outright. Square Reader is $65, Square Terminal $329 and Square Handheld $349, bought outright or on interest-free instalments. Both let you take contactless payments on a compatible phone for free.
Zeller settles the same day into its free Zeller Transaction Account, where the money can be spent on the debit card or moved out free in real time; settling to an outside bank takes the next business day. Square pays out the next day to your linked bank, weekends included, at no cost, and instant transfers cost 1.5% — 1.95% from 1 October 2026 under its updated Australian Payment Terms.
No. Zeller's terms say the funds are not covered by the Financial Claims Scheme; they are held on trust in a segregated account at an authorised deposit-taking institution. Square is not a bank either: balances sit in pooled accounts until they are paid out to your own bank.
Not from 1 October 2026. Following the Reserve Bank of Australia's final decision of 31 March 2026, eftpos, Mastercard and Visa are introducing no-surcharge rules from that date, and American Express, UnionPay and PayPal have said they will remove surcharging too. Zeller is switching surcharging off automatically across its products, and Square's updated Payment Terms prohibit it and allow the account to be suspended if a surcharge is not removed within two days. Weekend, public-holiday and booking or service charges are not affected, and Zeller's Service Charge feature continues.
On hours, Zeller: it offers support 24/7 by phone, SMS and email on 1800 93 55 37. Square Australia's phone and live messaging run Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm Melbourne time, on 1800 760 137, with 24/7 phone support included in its Restaurants Plus plan. Square Australia's Trustpilot score is higher, 4.4 from 2,201 reviews against Zeller's 4.1 from 341.
Related Comparisons
Explore more payment processor matchups