GoCardless vs Square Pricing (2026)
How do these two stack up on price? Here's what each one costs, what you get, and where the value sits.
| GoCardless | Square | |
|---|---|---|
| Starts at | Custom | $49/mo |
| Number of plans | 4 | 4 |
| Free plan | — | |
| Free trial | — | |
| Pricing model | usage-based | flat-rate |
Standard
- Collect payments
- Easy payment management
- International payments
- Flexible Direct Debit setup
- 350+ integrations
- Customisable checkout
- Security and compliance
- 24/7 customer support
Advanced
- Collect payments
- Easy payment management
- International payments
- Flexible Direct Debit setup
- 350+ integrations
- Customisable checkout
- Security and compliance
- 24/7 customer support
- Reduce failed payments
- Enhanced identity checks
Pro
- Collect payments
- Easy payment management
- International payments
- Flexible Direct Debit setup
- 350+ integrations
- Customisable checkout
- Security and compliance
- 24/7 customer support
- Reduce failed payments
- Enhanced identity checks
- Enhanced fraud protection
- Challenge chargebacks
Custom
- Fully customised package
- Volume-based discounts
- Dedicated customer support
Square Free
- POS app for any payment
- Online site
- Item library
- Invoicing
- Booking
- Checking and savings accounts
Square Plus
Popular- POS features for every industry
- Lower processing fees
- Loyalty rewards program
- Email and text message marketing
- Staff management
Square Premium
- 24/7 priority support
- Advanced reporting
- Lowest processing fees
- More text message marketing
- No gift card load fees
Square Pro
GoCardless vs Square FAQ
- Which one is cheaper?
- One or both use custom pricing, so it depends on your specific needs.
- Can I use either one for free?
- Square has a free plan. GoCardless doesn't — you'll need to pay from day one.
- How do they charge?
- Different approach here. GoCardless uses usage-based pricing, while Square goes with flat-rate. That changes the math depending on your team size and usage.
- Which one is a better deal?
- Depends on what you need. GoCardless: GoCardless is positioning as a specialist bank debit alternative to card networks like Stripe, undercutting card processing fees significantly for recurring billing use cases. They're not the cheapest payment processor outright, but they're the premium option within the ACH/BACS/SEPA pull-payment niche — targeting subscription businesses tired of card interchange fees. Square: Square sits in the accessible middle — not as cheap as Stripe for pure online processing, not as enterprise-heavy as Adyen or Worldpay. They're clearly targeting SMBs and brick-and-mortar businesses who want an all-in-one POS ecosystem without a complex contract.
Still deciding? See the best GoCardless alternatives or the best Square alternatives, ranked with verified pricing.
Keep tabs on both.
We'll monitor pricing changes for GoCardless and Square and let you know when something moves.