As a small business owner, you need an easy way to accept payments from your clients. Square is a top point-of-sale and payment processing software for small businesses, but it’s not your only option.
HoneyBook’s online payment tools allow clients to pay with just a few clicks to keep cash flowing. Plus, HoneyBook offers invoicing, scheduling, and contracting features you won’t get with Square.
Let’s compare HoneyBook and other top Square alternatives to see what’s right for your business.
Key takeaways
- HoneyBook is a top Square alternative for client-focused small businesses that need integrated payments, contracts, scheduling, and more.
- Square is a popular payment processing tool and point-of-sale platform for small businesses.
- Many businesses look for Square alternatives that have invoicing features and other tools to manage the entire client lifecycle.
Square alternatives: Top platforms to know and compare
| Best for | Notable features | Payment processing fees | |
| Square | New businesses who need a low-cost or free POS software | Payment processing, customizable online site, loyalty programs, basic banking | Starts at 2.6% + $0.15 per transaction for card processing |
| HoneyBook | Client-focused small businesses | Integrated content management system (CMS), invoicing, contracts, proposals, and scheduling | Starts at 2.9% + $0.25 per transaction for card processing |
| Shopify | eCommerce features for businesses of any size | Customizable online store with built-in marketing and shipping | Starts at 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction for card processing |
| Toast | Restaurant-focused payments and POS support for small businesses | Restaurant management features including online ordering, inventory, and employee scheduling | Varies per plan, but generally ranges from 2.49% to 3.69% + $0.10 to $0.15% per transaction for card processing |
| Clover | Simple, easy-to-use POS system for businesses of any size | Wide variety of POS hardware options, online payments and invoices | Starts at 2.3% + $0.10 per transaction for card processing |
| Lightspeed | For multi-location businesses with complex inventory | Extensive inventory management features and AI support | Starts at 2.6% + $0.10 per transaction for card processing |
HoneyBook
HoneyBook is a comprehensive client management platform for small businesses. It goes beyond payment processing to manage the entire client lifecycle, from start to finish.
AI-powered automations mean less time spent on manual tasks and more on the client experience. In particular, HoneyBook streamlines the invoicing and payment process for consistent cash flow. Reasonable HoneyBook payment fees, recurring payment options, and a variety of payment methods create a great experience for both you and your clients.
Who HoneyBook is best for
HoneyBook is best for professional service providers, creatives, and other small business owners who need an all-in-one client management platform.
Key features
- Flexible online payment options
- Invoice templates
- Small business CRM
- Proposal and contract templates with e-sign features
- Online scheduling
- Financial management and tracking
- Customizable automations and AI support
What people love about HoneyBook
HoneyBook users love that the platform centralizes key business processes in one place. It’s user-friendly and easy to set up without disrupting your existing projects. HoneyBook also offers an extensive range of integrations to fit with your existing tech stack.
How can HoneyBook improve
Unlike Square, HoneyBook doesn’t offer an in-person POS system, but they do accept tap to pay. It’s very effective for client-based businesses that process online payments, but may not be the right fit for brick-and-mortar retail stores or restaurants that need card readers or other payment processing hardware.
HoneyBook reviews
Source: G2
Source: G2
Shopify
Shopify is a commerce and payments platform that is one of the top Square competitors. The platform is best known for its eCommerce features, with tools to build an online store and process shipments. Shopify also offers POS software for processing payments in person.
Who Shopify is best for
Shopify is best for growing merchants who need both in-person and online payment processing options, plus basic marketing and inventory management features.
Key features
- Online store with pre-built templates
- Order and inventory management
- Customizable online payment processor with options for global payments
- Shopify POS system for in-person transactions
- Social media product marketing
What people love about Shopify
Shopify customers love that they can set up a professional online store without coding experience and that there are extensive customization options for product pages, pricing, checkout flows, and other customer interactions with ease.
How Shopify can improve
Some customers note that Shopify’s transaction and processing fees quickly add up, which can eat into profit margins.
Shopify reviews
Source: G2
Source: G2
Toast
Toast is a POS software built primarily for restaurants, although the platform also supports some retail operations. It’s one of the top Square alternatives for small businesses.
When compared to Square, Toast includes more restaurant-specific business management features. This includes options for online ordering, marketing, inventory management, payroll, scheduling, and more.
Who Toast is best for
Toast works best for both fast-casual and full-service restaurants that need a payment solution and business management tools.
Key features
- Restaurant-focused POS system
- POS hardware, including mobile card reader and self-ordering kiosks
- Online ordering that integrates with food delivery options
- Restaurant marketing and loyalty program
- Inventory tracking
- Scheduling and payroll for employees
- Multi-location management
- Financial management and reporting features
What people love about Toast
Toast users enjoy the platform’s flexible payment solutions. The POS system is easy for both employees and their customers to use. Many users also appreciate the platform’s extensive business management features and visibility.
How Toast can improve
Many users note that Toast’s POS system doesn’t mix with third-party hardware options. That means if you’re already using a payment terminal from a different brand, you’ll need to switch to Toast hardware.
Toast reviews
Source: G2
Source: G2
Clover
Clover is a POS system for retail, restaurants, healthcare organizations, and other in-person service providers. Clover is primarily known for their retail POS hardware options, although the software also supports online ordering. On top of that, Clover supports invoicing and online payments for professional service providers.
Who Clover is best for
Clover is best for small businesses who need easy-to-use POS systems with basic inventory management and financial reporting.
Key features
- Extensive retail POS hardware, including both mobile and countertop options
- Invoicing and online payment processing for service providers
- Financial and inventory reporting
- Online store and appointment scheduling
- HIPAA-compliant POS system for healthcare providers
What people love about Clover
Clover’s POS software is easy to use with minimal training or setup, so it’s helpful for businesses that have a large employee base. Clover also offers transparent reporting for visibility into your daily transactions.
How Clover can improve
Clover could offer more extensive customization and business management options. Some users also note that Clover’s customer service can vary significantly depending on the specific products you’re using.
Clover reviews
Source: G2
Source: G2
Lightspeed
Lightspeed is another one of the top payment apps like Square currently on the market. They offer payment processing and POS systems for retail stores, restaurants, and golf courses, as well as a variety of business management tools, which include inventory management, payroll, marketing, and AI support.
Who Lightspeed is best for
Lightspeed is best for established multi-location businesses that need detailed inventory management.
Key features
- POS system with hardware and scanners
- Built-in payment processing
- Detailed inventory management
- eCommerce website builder and plugin
- Employee scheduling and payroll
- Customer loyalty program with email and SMS marketing
What people love about Lightspeed
Customers love Lightspeed’s advanced inventory management features, which are flexible enough to support multi-location businesses across a variety of industries. These features help businesses know when to restock and how much to order to meet demand.
How Lightspeed can improve
Many users note that Lightspeed’s system is complex, so it can take time to learn how to use all the features and find the information you’re looking for.
Lightspeed reviews
Source: G2
Source: G2
Finding the payment processor that works for you
As a small business, you need an online payment processor you can rely on. The right payment processor means getting paid quickly after each project or sale, which is key for money management.
When choosing a payment processor, there are a few things to keep in mind. The first is the total cost, including monthly subscriptions, transaction fees, and hardware fees if you’re using an in-person POS system. These fees should be realistic for the price of your services, without cutting into your profit margins.
Ease of use and transparency are also key considerations when choosing a payment processor. You should be able to access your payments quickly, without extensive setup. Depending on your customer base, you may also need a payment processor that supports global payments or recurring payments.
That’s where HoneyBook comes in. HoneyBook is the best all-in-one tool for service businesses.
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FAQ
Who is Square’s biggest competitor?
Square has several prominent competitors. HoneyBook is a top competitor for service-based businesses, while Toast and Clover are top competitors for restaurant and retail POS.
What are the top 4 payment apps?
HoneyBook, Square, Stripe, and PayPal are four of the top payment apps for businesses. HoneyBook is a top choice for small, client-facing businesses, as it offers integrated invoicing, scheduling, and contracts in addition to payments.
What is the downside of Square?
Square’s biggest downside is its lack of built-in client management capabilities. This requires users to switch back and forth between apps to process payments. To avoid this, business owners can use an integrated platform like HoneyBook instead, which has a built-in CRM and other client management features.
