Most small business owners don’t need another shiny tool. 

They need clarity: is this system going to make me money, or is it just another expense?

Square POS is sold as the all-in-one answer. One platform for payments, hardware, inventory, reporting, and even customer loyalty. 

Sounds solid. 

But here’s the question that matters: does it actually deliver for small businesses, or does it just add more costs?

This review is straight to the point. You’ll see:

• What Square POS really is (beyond the marketing).
  
  

• How the pricing works, including where the fees add up.
  
  

• The features that can help or hold back your business.
  
  

• Whether Square POS is worth it, or if another system would serve you better.
  
  

Read this before you commit; you’ll save yourself time, and maybe money.

What is Square POS?

Square started in 2009 with one idea: let anyone take card payments using a small reader plugged into a phone. 

That simple card reader turned into a full-blown ecosystem. 

Today, Square POS isn’t just about swiping cards; it’s a platform that runs the front and back end of a business.

Here’s what that means:

• Payments everywhere - at the counter, on the move, online, over the phone.
  
  

• Hardware variety - from the tiny Square Reader to full countertop registers and the new Square Handheld.
  
  

• Business operations - inventory tracking, staff scheduling, advanced reporting, customer loyalty, and even loans.
  
  

Whose is it built for? Pretty much any small to medium business:

• Restaurants (quick service, full service, takeaway, pubs).
  
  

• Retail stores (from single shops to multi-location chains).
  
  

• Beauty and wellness (salons, spas, barbershops, fitness studios).
  
  

• Service-based businesses (home repair, healthcare, professional services).
  
  

• Mobile vendors and pop-ups (markets, events, festivals).

Why do so many small businesses use it?

• Low barrier to entry - you can start free, pay only when you process payments.
  
  

• Scales as you grow - add tools like loyalty or marketing when you need them.
  
  

• One ecosystem - instead of juggling five different apps, everything connects in one dashboard.
  
  

In short, Square POS is more than a payment system. 

It’s positioned as the “operating system” for small businesses, simple enough to get started with, but deep enough to run complex operations if you stick with it.

Key Features of Square POS (Explained for Small Businesses)

Square POS’s value comes from how the features solve everyday problems small businesses face. 

Here’s how to think about them:

Hardware and Flexibility

• Square Reader → quick, low-cost option for mobile card payments.
  
  

• Square Terminal → portable device for chip, PIN, and contactless.
  
  

• Square Stand → turns an iPad into a full POS with built-in card acceptance.
  
  

• Square Register → full countertop setup for busy retail or restaurants.
  
  

• Square Handheld → pocket-sized POS for tableside orders and on-the-go sales. 
  
  

→ Why it matters: You don’t have to over-invest. Start small, upgrade as your business scales.

Omnichannel POS Selling

• In-person transactions at the counter or tableside.
  
  

• Online POS integration with Square’s store or payment links.
  
  

• On-the-go POS with handhelds and readers.
  
  

• Remote payments through invoices and card-on-file.
  
  

→ Why it matters: Square isn’t just a till; it unifies all sales points under one POS system so your inventory, payments, and reports stay in sync.

Business Tools Beyond Payments

• Team Management → staff scheduling, permissions, tip tracking.
  
  

• Customer Directory → auto-build profiles, track loyalty, manage gift cards.
  
  

• Marketing Tools → send targeted email and SMS campaigns.
  
  

• Reporting & Analytics → sales trends, profit margins, and performance insights.
  
  

• Square Loans → unlock business funding based on your sales history.
  
  

→ Why it matters: replaces multiple separate subscriptions, keeps operations lean.

Integrations and APIs

• Works with popular accounting, ecommerce, and booking apps.
  
  

• APIs allow you to build custom workflows if your business has unique needs.
  
  

→ Why it matters: You’re not locked into one ecosystem; you can adapt Square to the way you already run your business.

The bottom line: Square POS is less about “features” and more about eliminating inefficiencies. It’s the difference between running five disconnected tools versus managing everything in one ecosystem. 

For small businesses, that translates to fewer moving parts, less time wasted, and more focus on serving customers.

Square Point of Sale Features

Square markets its POS as “all the features you need to run your business.” 

Here’s what that actually looks like in practice:

• Payments → Accept cards, contactless, Apple/Google Pay, invoices, and gift cards. Tap to Pay works on iPhone/Android. One flat rate, no hidden fees.
  
  

• Checkout & Transactions → Custom checkout screens, item modifiers, split bills, offline payments, and quick refunds keep lines moving.
  
  

• Customer Management → POS auto-builds customer profiles, tracks loyalty, captures feedback, and customises receipts.
  
  

• eCommerce Integration → Online store, checkout links, and eGift cards sync with POS so inventory and payments stay aligned.
  
  

• POS Hardware → Options from the low-cost Reader to Register, Terminal, Stand, and Handheld—scalable for any setup.
  
  

• Operations & Reporting → Real-time sales dashboards, inventory tracking with low-stock alerts, and multi-location control.
  
  

• Add-ons → Loyalty, marketing, and team management tools plug into your POS when you need them.
  
  

• Security → Fraud monitoring, dispute handling, PCI compliance, and account controls keep payments protected.
  
  

Bottom line: Square POS combines payments, sales, customers, and operations into one system designed to be the single hub for running your business.

Square POS Pricing Breakdown

Square’s pitch is simple: you don’t pay a monthly fee just to run the POS. You only pay when you take a payment, and you can layer in extras as you grow. 

Here’s how the pricing breaks down:

1. Free Plan (£0/month + fees)

• Use the Square POS app, accept in-person/online payments, and access basic reporting.
  
  

• Works with any hardware (Reader, Terminal, Stand, Register).
  
  

• Ideal for new or small businesses that just need to take payments.
  
  

→  It lets you start with a fully functional POS system at no cost, paying only per transaction.

2. Plus Plan (From £29/month + fees)

• Industry-specific features for restaurants, retail, or appointment-based businesses.
  
  

• Adds tools like advanced reporting, table management, inventory controls, or appointment reminders.
  
  

• Cancel anytime. 
  
  

→ It is designed for businesses where the POS is central to operations (busy cafés, salons, or retailers).

3. Premium Plan (Custom + fees)

• For businesses processing £200k+ annually.
  
  

• Includes custom processing rates, discounts on hardware/software, and tailored support.
  
  

→ It is suited to multi-location or high-volume businesses that need lower transaction costs and enterprise-level POS control.

Key Notes on Processing Fees

• In-person payments → 1.75% per transaction.
  
  

• Online (UK cards) → 1.4% + 25p.
  
  

• Online (non-UK cards) → 2.5% + 25p.
  
  

• Invoices & keyed-in payments → 2.5% per transaction.
  
  

It has predictable, flat-rate pricing across card types, with no hidden merchant service charges.

Add-On Tools (Optional)

• Loyalty → from £25/month.
  
  

• Email Marketing → from £9/month.
  
  

• Advanced Access (staff permissions) → from £20/month per location.
  
  

• Kitchen Display System (KDS) → £15/month per device.
  
  

It helps you start with a lean POS, then bolt on advanced functions only when they’re needed.

Square POS pricing is built to reduce upfront risk. You can start free, pay only transaction fees, and scale into Plus or Premium once your POS setup becomes more complex.

Square POS Cost Example (UK)

Let’s say you’re a small café doing around 100 in-person transactions a month, with an average ticket size of £20.

• Transaction volume: 100 × £20 = £2,000 in card payments
  
  

• Square fee (1.75%): £2,000 × 1.75% = £35 in fees
  
  

• Total payout to bank: £1,965
  
  

Now compare that with other scenarios:

1. Higher volume (500 transactions @ £20):
   
   

   • Total volume = £10,000
     
     

   • Square fees = £175
     
     

   • Payout = £9,825
     
     

2. Larger ticket size (100 transactions @ £100):
   
   

   • Total volume = £10,000
     
     

   • Square fees = £175 (same as above, since it’s % based)
     
     

3. Online payments (1.4% + 25p for UK cards):
   
   

   • Example: 100 online transactions @ £20 = £2,000
     
     

   • Fees = (100 × 25p) + (1.4% of £2,000)
     
     

   • = £25 + £28 = £53 in fees
     
     

   • Payout = £1,947
     
     

💡 Takeaway: Square’s flat-rate model makes costs predictable, but as your volume grows, the fees add up quickly. That’s why some higher-volume businesses switch to alternatives or negotiate custom rates.

Square Reviews: Pros and Cons

Here are the most repeated pros and cons from the reviews:

Pros (repeated often)

• Easy to set up and use - frequently mentioned as simple, quick, and straightforward.

• Fast payouts - many users report next-day or very prompt transfers.

• Low/transparent transaction fees - appreciated especially by small businesses and charities.
  
  

• Reliable for day-to-day use - consistent performance once accounts are active.
  
  

Cons (repeated often)

• Account reviews and fund holds - sudden freezes, 90-day holds, or transfer limits after payments.

• Poor or unhelpful customer support - reports of slow, generic, or dismissive responses.

• Device/software update issues - forced updates causing long delays during transactions.
  
  

• Onboarding/verification delays - multi-day approval or unexpected compliance checks disrupting operations.
  
  

How UseTapp Fixes These Issues

• Zero hardware drag: No terminals, no rentals, no contract. Your phone is the reader—fewer failures, updates, or replacements.
  
  

• Lower total cost: Start free, fees from 1.49% (Starter) or 1.29% (Pro). No pricey add-ons for basics—POS, eShop, bookings, and AI are built in.
  
  

• Live in minutes: AI sets up your shop/menu in ~60 seconds. Start taking payments fast (KYC still required for payouts).
  
  

• Omnichannel without sprawl: In-person Tap to Pay, online shop, gift cards, bookings, and payment links—one app, one dashboard.
  
  

• Smarter operations: AI insights forecast demand, suggest upsells, and cut admin—turn transactions into repeat revenue.
  
  

• Lean compliance: Tap to Pay, encryption, PCI/GDPR aligned—no extra terminals to certify.
  
  

• Happier front of house: Fast tap payments, digital receipts, easy bill flow—less friction, more throughput.
  
  

Things to plan for (and easy wins)

• Payout cadence: Starter = weekly. Want Square-like speed? Switch to Pro for daily payouts—still hardware-free and lower fees.
  
  

• Chargebacks/holds: Card-network rules apply to everyone. Tapp simplifies visibility and response, but no provider can “turn off” disputes.
  
  

• Deep niche integrations: Tapp covers core needs in-app (POS, eShop, bookings, reporting). If you rely on very specific third-party tools, sanity-check fit first.
  
  

• Connectivity: Runs on your phone’s Wi-Fi/4 G. If you operate in dead zones, plan a hotspot or coverage check.
  
  

About UseTapp

Tapp (often written “UseTapp”) is a hardware-free POS + eShop you run entirely from your phone. 

It lets you take contactless payments (Tap to Pay), sell online, take bookings, send digital receipts, and track everything without card terminals or long contracts.

Pricing 

Alt-text: Usetapp Pricing

• Tapp Starter: £0/mo, fees from 1.49%, weekly payouts.
  
  

• Tapp Pro: £29/mo, fees from 1.29%, daily payouts, priority support + AI extras.
  
  

14-day Pro trial available

If your Square frustrations are hardware costs, add-on creep, setup friction, and too much admin, Tapp is decisively more streamlined and cost-effective, while giving you built-in online sales, bookings, and AI growth tools out of the box. 

Opt for Pro if you want daily payouts and the sharpest fees; otherwise, Starter keeps costs near zero and still modernizes your stack.

Conclusion: Is Square POS Worth It for Small Businesses?

Square is still a safe, full-stack POS for UK cafés, salons, retail, and services, especially if you want lots of hardware options and mature add-ons. But costs can climb with extras, and you’re still tied to terminals.

Tapp flips the model: no terminal, no contract, just your phone. You get Tap to Pay, an AI-built eShop in ~60 seconds, online gift cards, bookings, and an AI dashboard that spots trends and suggests upsells. Pricing stays simple.

Choose Square if you want:

• A traditional countertop setup with dedicated hardware.
  
  

• Deep, enterprise-style feature sets you plan to layer over time.
  
  

• A known ecosystem you’ve used before across multiple locations.
  
  

Choose Tapp if you want:

• Fast start (no hardware, go live from your phone).
  
  

• Omnichannel by default (Tap to Pay, eShop, links, bookings) without bolt-ons.
  
  

• Lower overhead and fewer moving parts, with AI insights doing the heavy lifting.
  
  

If you’re a UK small business that wants modern payments without terminals or contracts, try Tapp. 

Start on Starter (free) or test Pro (14-day trial) and see how running your POS from your phone and letting AI do the admin can save time and lift sales.