Happy Valley

Payhip vs Square

Payhip and Square are both E-commerce tools. Payhip is aimed at creators, while Square is aimed at small businesses. Payhip costs less, from $29/mo versus $49/mo for Square. Both have a free plan.

Payhip

Sell digital downloads, courses and memberships

Square

Payments and POS for small businesses

PricingFreemium · $29Freemium · $49
Starting price$29/mo$49/mo
Free planYesYes
Free trial——
Built forCreatorsSmall businesses
Platformswebweb, ios, android
CountryGB · 2011US · 2009
Rating——

Choose Payhip if

Creators selling digital goods.

  • Cheaper than Gumroad
  • VAT handled
  • Free plan

Look elsewhere if: Physical goods.

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).

Payhip vs Square pricing

Payhip

  • Free Forever$05% transaction fee; all features
  • Plus$29/mo2% transaction fee
  • Pro$99/mo0% transaction fee

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

Payhip · Key features

  • Digital downloads
  • Courses and coaching
  • Memberships
  • EU VAT handling
  • Affiliates and coupons
  • Store builder

Cons

  • Less discovery
  • Design limits
  • Fewer integrations

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

Payhip vs Square: FAQ

Which is cheaper, Payhip or Square?

Payhip starts at $29/mo and Square at $49/mo. Both prices are checked on the vendors' own pricing pages.

Do Payhip and Square have a free plan?

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

Which is better for small businesses, Payhip or Square?

Square lists small businesses as a core audience, while Payhip is aimed more at creators.

Not sure yet?