- Card-Not-Present Payments: Accept secure credit and debit card payments over the phone for contact center transactions.
- Online Payment Links: Create and send shareable checkout links via email or SMS for remote payments.
- Recurring Billing: Automate subscription and installment payments for ongoing service contracts.
- Virtual Terminal: Key in card details from any browser-based dashboard without extra hardware.
- Integrated Invoicing: Customize and send digital invoices with embedded payment options.
- Real-Time Reporting: Monitor transaction volume, payment status, and cash flow from a central dashboard.
- Fraud Detection & Risk Monitoring: Built-in tools help flag suspicious activity and reduce chargebacks.
- Omnichannel Payments: Combine phone, online, and in-person payments under one unified account.
- API & Integrations: Connect Square with CRM and contact center systems for streamlined workflows.
Square
Omnichannel payment processing for contact centers and service teams
Updated March 5, 2026
Square Overview
Square provides payment processing tools that contact centers and service teams use to take card-not-present payments, send invoices, and manage transactions from one dashboard. Businesses can accept payments over the phone, via online checkout links, or through recurring billing.
With built-in reporting, fraud monitoring, and hardware options, Square supports both remote agents and in-person payment needs.
Key Features
Pricing
| Plan | Price | Key Features |
|---|---|---|
| Square Free | $0/mo. (Billed Monthly) | POS app for any payment; Online site (ordering, website, or booking); Invoicing and booking tools |
| Square Plus | $49/mo. per location (Billed Monthly) | Everything in Square Free; Lower processing fees (2.5% + 15¢ in-person, 2.9% + 30¢ online); Loyalty rewards and email/text marketing |
| Square Premium | $149/mo. per location (Billed Monthly) | Everything in Square Plus; 24/7 priority support; Advanced reporting and lowest processing fees (2.4% + 15¢ in-person) |
| Square Pro | Contact Sales | Custom pricing for businesses processing over $250,000/year; Hardware discounts; Onboarding, technical specialists, and account management |
Price details: https://squareup.com/us/en/pricing
Pros
Competitor |
Pros |
|---|---|
| Stripe | Square offers a more turnkey setup for contact centers that need virtual terminal access without heavy development work. Pricing is transparent with flat transaction rates, and teams can start taking keyed-in payments quickly without relying on custom API builds or engineering resources. |
| PayPal | Compared to PayPal, Square provides a cleaner back-office dashboard and tighter integration between invoicing, reporting, and payment links. Contact center managers benefit from unified reporting instead of juggling separate merchant and wallet-style interfaces. |
| Authorize.net | Square simplifies onboarding with no separate gateway setup and fewer configuration steps. For service teams that need quick deployment, it removes the complexity of merchant accounts and gateway credentials while still supporting card-not-present transactions. |
| Adyen | Square is generally easier for small and mid-sized contact centers to adopt. There are no enterprise-level contracts required, and the flat-rate pricing structure makes cost forecasting simpler than usage-based enterprise payment platforms. |
| Braintree | Square combines payments, invoicing, and basic business tools in one platform, which reduces the need for multiple vendors. For contact centers that also manage appointments or service orders, this bundled approach lowers software overhead and simplifies training. |
Cons
Competitor |
Cons |
|---|---|
| Stripe | Stripe offers deeper customization and developer flexibility for complex contact center workflows. Square’s APIs are solid but less adaptable for highly specialized routing, multi-entity billing, or advanced subscription logic. |
| PayPal | PayPal’s global brand recognition and wallet adoption can improve conversion in certain markets. Square relies more heavily on standard card processing and may not provide the same level of alternative payment method coverage internationally. |
| Authorize.net | Authorize.net allows more granular control over gateway configurations and fraud filters. Square keeps controls simpler, which works for many teams but may limit advanced risk management customization. |
| Adyen | Adyen supports large-scale global enterprises with multi-currency optimization and localized payment methods. Square focuses more on SMBs, so international contact centers with complex cross-border requirements may outgrow it. |
| Braintree | Braintree supports advanced recurring billing models and complex subscription management. Square’s recurring tools work well for straightforward billing but lack some of the deeper subscription analytics and customization options. |
Reviews
- Trustpilot Review (Rating: 4.2/5): Many customers say Square makes it easy to manage payments and invoices thanks to its user-friendly, intuitive layout, and several mention that funds hit their accounts quickly. One business owner noted they received two price increases within a year, which felt irritating, but still appreciated how fast Square transfers payments and how smoothly it handles day-to-day transactions.
