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Mercury vs Square

Mercury and Square are both payments & billing tools. Mercury is aimed at small businesses and developers, while Square is aimed at small businesses. Mercury costs less, from $29.90/mo versus $49/mo for Square. Both have a free plan.

Mercury

Banking built for startups

Square

Payments and POS for small businesses

PricingFreemium · $30Freemium · $49
Starting price$29.90/mo$49/mo
Free planYesYes
Free trial——
Built forSmall businesses, DevelopersSmall businesses
Platformsweb, ios, androidweb, ios, android
CountryUS · 2017US · 2009
Rating——

Choose Mercury if

US-incorporated startups.

  • Fast, founder-friendly onboarding
  • No monthly fees on core
  • Excellent UI

Look elsewhere if: Non-US entities.

Choose Square if

Small brick-and-mortar businesses in supported countries.

  • Free POS software
  • Simple flat-rate pricing
  • All-in-one for small businesses

Look elsewhere if: Online-only SaaS (Stripe).

Mercury vs Square pricing

Mercury

  • Mercury$0Banking, cards, invoicing, bill pay, expense management
  • Plus$29.90/moRecurring invoices, ACH debit invoicing; 15% off annually
  • Pro$299/moRelationship manager, NetSuite categorizations

Square

  • Square Free$0In-person 2.6% + 15¢, online 3.3% + 30¢
  • Square Plus$49/location/moIn-person 2.5% + 15¢, online 2.9% + 30¢
  • Square Premium$149/location/moLowest fees: in-person 2.4% + 15¢, online 2.9% + 30¢
  • Square ProCustomFor businesses processing over $250K/year

Mercury · Key features

  • Business checking and savings
  • Debit and credit cards
  • Treasury and yield
  • Invoicing and bill pay
  • International wires
  • API and integrations

Cons

  • US entities only
  • Cash deposits limited
  • Not a full-service bank

Square · Key features

  • POS software and hardware
  • Online store and invoices
  • Appointments and loyalty
  • Payroll and team management
  • Banking and loans
  • Restaurant and retail features

Cons

  • Limited country availability
  • Fees higher than interchange-plus at scale
  • Account holds possible

Mercury vs Square: FAQ

Which is cheaper, Mercury or Square?

Mercury starts at $29.90/mo and Square at $49/mo. Both prices are checked on the vendors' own pricing pages.

Do Mercury and Square have a free plan?

Yes, both Mercury and Square have a free plan; paid plans add more usage and features.

Not sure yet?

Mercury vs Square (2026): Pricing and Features