Merchant One vs. Square Comparison

Merchant One vs. Square Highlights 

Who Is Merchant One for? 

Merchant One is a general payment processor that can be used by businesses in many different industries. Although it doesn’t have a POS system of its own, it is compatible with and sells Clover hardware, along with a number of other third-party credit card processing equipment. Merchant One excels in two main areas: customer service and processing rates. 

Most credit card processors provide a dedicated account rep only to their higher tier (higher monthly fees and/or higher volume) merchants, whereas with Merchant One, every customer has one. This single point of contact makes it easier to communicate with the company and resolve issues. In addition, it has a 98% approval rate, making it a good choice for business owners with less-than-perfect credit.

Since Merchant One has interchange plus pricing, its processing rates are low. There is no per transaction fee, so it is less expensive for high- and low-volume businesses. However, because it focuses solely on payment processing, it is a better choice for established businesses that are already using comprehensive software to manage inventory, customers and other parts of its business. 

Learn more in our comprehensive review of Merchant One.

Who Is Square for? 

Square was the first payment processor to offer mobile credit card readers. Now, it also has a whole line of proprietary in-store equipment, including attractive and easy-to-use POS hardware and software. If you want a top POS system, it is included in the basic plan for no monthly fee. Other features, such as inventory management, marketing, and payroll and employee scheduling, cost extra.

Because there are no monthly fees for the basic plan and it is easy and quick to apply with no credit check or documentation required, Square is a good choice for startup businesses. If you want industry-specific features in your POS, you will need to pay a monthly fee of $29, which gives you access to specialized POS features. 

The industry-specific POS options provide a robust solution to retail, restaurants and appointment-based businesses at a price lower than other payment processors. These brick-and-mortar businesses will appreciate the attractive customer-facing hardware options and in-house support. 

Learn more in our complete review of Square.

Merchant One vs. Square Comparison

Here’s how Merchant One and Square stack up on important criteria when choosing a payment processor.

Monthly fee

Merchant One

Merchant One’s monthly fee is currently $13.95. While reasonable given its low processing fees, even this small fee can hinder startup businesses that have little revenue coming in. 

Square

Square’s base plan has no monthly fee and includes a lot of functionality, including general POS, invoicing, virtual terminal, online checkout and employee management. Other payment processors typically charge a fee for these features. There are advanced features at Square requiring a monthly fee, including $45 loyalty programs, $15 email marketing, and payroll, which is $35 plus $6 per employee per month. Note that for contractor-only payroll, Square’s fee is $6 per employee paid per month.

Payment processing costs

Merchant One

Merchant One has low interchange-plus pricing. This means there is a small upcharge on top of the rate that is set by and paid to each type of credit card provider (Visa, Mastercard, Discover, etc.). Many other credit card processors, including Square, include the interchange rate and their markup into one combined rate, which is higher than interchange-plus. 

Merchants have to pay the interchange rate in addition to the Merchant One markups. For card-present transactions, it’s 0.29% to 1.55%. For card-not-present transactions, it’s 0.29% to 1.99%, meaning the actual rate paid is higher than the listed rate.

For example, at the time of writing, the interchange rate for Visa for a card presented in person at a retailer, performance threshold Preferred/Infinite is 2.10% plus $0.10. So a merchant in this category doing business with Merchant One would actually be paying this rate plus Merchant One’s markup, or 2.129% plus $0.10, which is still less than Square’s processing rate. 

It is important to note that interchange rates vary based on several factors, including card brand (Visa or Mastercard), the type of business, whether it is a credit or a debit card, and whether the card is a specialized card, such as a business credit card or a rewards card.

The FD-130 credit card reader is one of several readers that Merchant One gives new merchants for free when they open a merchant account. Source: Merchant One

Square

Square’s payment processing rate depends on both whether the card is physically present, which is standard, and on the Square service that is used. When a card is tapped, dipped or swiped, the processing fee is 2.6% plus $0.10 per transaction. This is the rate regardless of which brand card is used, what type of business it is or any special card characteristics. The flat rate makes it more affordable to accept cards that typically have a higher rate, such as American Express.

For card-not-present transactions, Square charges different rates based on how the charge is processed. For Square Invoices or Square Online Store, the rate is 2.9% plus $0.30 per transaction. If you have Square Online Store Premium, you get a lower rate of 2.6% plus $0.30 per transaction. For any keyed-in transactions or card-on-file recurring charges, the rate is 3.5% plus $0.15 per transaction.

Ease of use

Merchant One

We found Merchant One’s back-end software is easy to use. It has clear labeling of sections and functions, allowing you to run reports, use the virtual terminal and add customer information. However, if you have a POS system, this is a separate system from the Merchant One back-end interface, and you will have to switch between them. A benefit of Merchant One is that it offers Clover POS systems, which are some of the best in the industry and also easy to use. For more details on all Clover offers, check out our full review of Clover.

Merchant One promotes its Clover products but is also compatible with other readers. Source: Merchant One 

Square

Square’s software is integrated with its general POS system, so you have everything in one interface. We like how Square’s software is intuitive and well designed; it is simple to use. In addition, it interfaces seamlessly with a number of popular e-commerce platforms, which we find particularly helpful for those without technical skills.

The Square interface is sleek and simple to navigate. Source: Square 

POS system hardware

Merchant One

If you buy Clover equipment through Merchant One, then you have a nice-looking and fully functional POS system. Its fixed POS terminal, mini tablets and handheld devices are slick, professional and can do everything you want. From accepting digital wallets, such as Apple Pay, to processing NFC payments to taking PIN entries for debit cards, Clover equipment is an adaptive, all-in-one POS solution for modern businesses. 

One benefit of Clover equipment is it’s compatible with multiple processors, which allows you to switch processors in the future without repurchasing equipment. Merchant One is also able to service all Clover products in-house, which is beneficial. Should you run into an issue, getting it corrected won’t be a problem.

Square

Square’s POS system and equipment are just as attractive and functional as Clover’s. Although it is not compatible with other payment processors, you benefit from having software updates from Square. It combines all payment processing functions, like the virtual terminal and reporting, with the other features. 

Square offers a sleek customer-facing interface. Source: Square 

Customer service 

Merchant One

Merchant One provides 24/7 phone support plus email and text-based support. Most importantly, though, Merchant One gives each merchant a dedicated account manager. We believe this really kicks its customer service up to the next level. We like that each customer has a single point of contact to streamline their communication with the company, resolving problems and answering questions more quickly.

Square

Square has limited hours for phone support: Monday through Friday, 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. PT. Although these are long hours, they leave out weekends and early morning hours on the East Coast. It also offers email support, with a response expected between 24 and 48 hours, and online chat support seven days a week, from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. PT. 

Support is also available over social media, and there is an online knowledge base.

Merchant One vs. Square Summary

Merchant One: Best for Established and High-Volume Businesses 

Due to its interchange-plus pricing, Merchant One is more cost-effective for high-volume businesses who process payments frequently. Merchant One also offers a dedicated account rep that can provide a quick resolution to any issues, minimizing disruptions and downtime that may take a toll on a company’s bottom line. The affordable pricing paired with the exceptional customer service is a great combination for established ventures in virtually any industry. 

Square: Best for Startup Retailers and Restaurants

Startups and newer businesses, especially those in the retail or restaurant space, can get started quickly with Square. All that’s needed is to fill out an easy application form and wait for approval that’s essentially guaranteed. Square offers a free plan, which comes with plenty of useful features plus affordable, industry-specific POS systems for retail and restaurant businesses. Since startups can always upgrade to a paid plan once their needs become more advanced, Square is a highly scalable solution perfect for new businesses on a budget.

Anna Baluch contributed to this article.