Square vs Barclaycard- compare card readers

When you’re choosing a card reader, you need one that fits in with the way you and your customers do business. Square is one of the most popular card reader providers, and Barclaycard has been offering card readers for a number of years as part of its support for business customers. So which one is better? We put both brands through their paces.

Square vs Barclaycard: provider overview

Square and Barclaycard are some of the bigger brands dominating card reader market, offering slick and afforable machines to their business customers. In this guide, we are comparing 2 of their most popular machines.

The Square Reader vs the Barclaycard Flex Mobile: product overview

The Flex Mobile and the Square Reader are the go-to products from each provider: how do they compare?

Compare rates and fees

One of the most important things to look at when you’re comparing card readers is the difference in the rates and fees each provider charges: not just the headline cost of each product, but the more ‘hidden’ fees too. For further explanations of the different charges you might come across in your research, use our handy guide.

The Barclaycard Flex Mobile and Square card readers are both at the less pricey end of the market, but the way they charge is quite different.

For example, Barclaycard charges no upfront fee for the Flex Mobile, while the Square Reader is . However, the Flex Mobile comes with a monthly fee (plus VAT), whereas the Square Reader charges no monthly fees at all. On the other hand, the Square Reader’s monthly transaction fee is a little higher, at compared to the Flex Mobile’s .

Compare features

Despite being similar products, there are some subtle differences.

For example, the Square Reader was designed with contactless cards in mind, so customers will have to use a connected device like a smartphone or tablet if they need to enter a PIN. The Flex Mobile has a keypad, so customers can enter their PIN straight into the device.

For a full insight into the different features you should look out for when comparing card readers, you can use our helpful guide.

Bottom line

There’s a lot to like about both providers, but we think that for many businesses Barclaycard is the way to go. This is in part because both Barclaycard’s readers offer a great ease of use for customers who aren’t using contactless, whereas if your customers need to enter a PIN with Square you’ll have to either hand over your connected smartphone if you’re using the Square Reader, or fork out for the much pricier Square Terminal.

On the other hand, if your customers are almost all contactless users, you might prefer to opt for the sleeker design of Square’s card readers. The Square Reader works out cheaper than either of the Barclaycard options if your takings are less than £6660 a month.

In the end, it’s up to you: just make sure you take the time to compare the two providers thoroughly before choosing the one that’s right for your business. Compare both ranges in full below.

Compare the Square and Barclaycard range