A Square alternative built around the back office.
Square is a strong, payments-led POS. POS2026 takes a different approach: a subscription app that runs the whole shop, from checkout and stock to suppliers, money owed and profit, without being your card processor.
POS2026 is a Square alternative for shops that want their POS to handle stock, suppliers, customer credit, expenses and profit as well as the sale. Square is built around Square payments and hardware, with a free plan and a fee on each card sale. POS2026 is billed as a subscription and is not a card processor, so you keep your card provider.
This comparison is written by the POS2026 team, so we have tried hard to be fair. Square does a lot well, and for some businesses it is the better choice. The aim here is to show where the two products differ so you can decide which suits your shop.
Square details were checked on 5 November 2026 on Square's UK and US websites. Prices, plans and features change, so confirm them on Square's pricing page before you decide.
Side by side
POS2026 and Square compared.
The differences that matter most to a small shop.
POS2026
Square
How you pay
Subscription billed through Stripe, with a free trial. Plans and prices are shown in the app.
Free plan, plus paid plans (UK Plus from £29 a month; US Plus $49 a month per location), plus a fee on each card sale.
Card payments
Not a card processor. Use the card provider you already have and record how each customer paid.
Card payments run through Square (UK in-person rate 1.75% for UK cards).
Hardware
Runs in a web browser on a computer, laptop or tablet you already own.
Sells its own hardware such as Register, Terminal, Reader and Kiosk, and supports Tap to Pay.
Contract
Subscription with a 30-day money-back guarantee on the first payment for new accounts.
No long-term contract; plans can be changed or cancelled at any time.
App languages
More than 47 languages.
English, French, Spanish, Japanese and Catalan, depending on region.
Currencies
Multi-currency settings.
One currency per account, set by the country it was opened in.
Stock and purchases
Stock levels, low-stock alerts, adjustments, transfers and supplier purchases included.
Inventory tools included; stock intake and purchase orders sit in paid retail tiers (US).
Money customers owe
Due List tracks amounts owed by each customer, with dates and reminders.
Square Invoices for sending invoices to customers.
Expenses and profit
Income, Expense and Loss/Profit modules show profit after costs.
Sales reports and analytics in the Square Dashboard.
Square information checked on 5 November 2026 from squareup.com (UK pricing page, US press release of 6 October 2025, and Square help articles on currencies and languages). Square is a trademark of Block, Inc. This page is not affiliated with or endorsed by Square.
01 · Where Square is strong
When Square may suit you better.
Square has a genuine free plan, so a new business can start taking card payments without a monthly fee. Its own hardware range is broad, from a pocket card reader to a full countertop register, with interest-free payment plans on hardware in the UK. It also has dedicated products for restaurants and appointment-based businesses.
If you want one company to supply your card machine, process your payments and run your till, and you mainly need to take payments quickly, Square is a sensible choice.
02 · Where POS2026 differs
When POS2026 is the better fit.
POS2026 is designed for shops where the work behind the counter matters as much as the sale itself. Every module shares one set of records: a sale reduces stock and adds to income, a delivery from a supplier adds stock and updates what you owe them, and a sale on credit appears on the Due List until it is paid.
Keep your card provider
POS2026 is billed as a subscription and does not process your card payments, so you are free to choose or keep your card machine provider.
Your team's language
Staff can use the app in more than 47 languages, which helps in shops where English is not everyone's first language.
Customer credit built in
The Due List replaces the notebook behind the counter for customers who pay later.
Profit after expenses
Loss/Profit combines product costs, selling prices and recorded expenses into one figure.
03 · Switching
Moving from Square to POS2026.
Most shops switch in stages. Start the free trial, add your best-selling products with their barcodes and prices, and run POS2026 alongside your current set-up for a few days. When you are comfortable, move the rest of your range, your suppliers and your regular customers across. Our guide to switching POS systems walks through each step.
Questions
Common questions.
Straight answers for shop owners, based on what POS2026 actually does.
Is POS2026 cheaper than Square?
It depends on how you trade. Square's free plan has no monthly fee but takes a fee on each card sale, and paid plans add a monthly charge. POS2026 is a subscription and does not take a fee on your sales, though your card provider will still charge for card payments. Compare the total on your own sales volume. POS2026 plan prices are shown in the app when you create an account.
Can I use my Square card reader with POS2026?
POS2026 does not integrate with Square hardware. You can take the payment on any card machine and record the payment method on the sale in POS2026.
Does POS2026 have a free plan like Square?
POS2026 offers a free trial rather than a free plan, and new accounts are covered by a 30-day money-back guarantee on their first payment.
Which is better for a grocery or convenience store?
If you need stock control, supplier purchases and customer credit in one place, POS2026 is built for that. See our grocery store POS and convenience store POS pages.
Is this comparison independent?
No. It is written by POS2026. We have checked Square's details on its own website and linked the sources, but you should confirm current prices and features with Square directly.
