Comparison · prices checked 2026-10-18
RetailPOS Studio vs Square for Retail
Square for Retail is a polished, popular system, and for many small shops in the US it is a sensible default. This page lines it up against RetailPOS Studio on the things retail owners ask us about most: price per location, serial and IMEI tracking, supplier balances, payments and where each one is sold. Prices checked 18 October 2026 from public sources; plans change, so check both vendors before you decide.
| RetailPOS Studio | Square for Retail | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $35 per location / month (Counter) | $49 per location / month (Plus plan) |
| IMEI / serial tracking | IMEI or serial number per item, on Stockroom and Chain | Serial number tracking available on paid retail plans; check current plan |
| Warranties | Named warranties with a duration, printed on the invoice | No built-in warranty records per item; check current plan |
| Purchase orders | Purchase orders, receiving and purchase returns | Purchase orders on paid retail plans |
| Supplier ledgers | Supplier ledger with pay terms, payments and running balance | Vendor lists and purchase orders; no running supplier balance ledger |
| Reward points | Reward points included on every plan | Square Loyalty is a separate paid subscription |
| Multi-store | Multi-store with stock transfers on Chain | Multiple locations, each billed per location |
| Online store | Online store generated from your catalogue, on every plan | Square Online store, set up separately from the POS catalogue sync |
| Card processing | Works with your own card processor | Card payments run through Square Payments |
| Arabic / Urdu | English, Arabic, Urdu, Spanish and Chinese interface and receipts | English, Spanish, French and others; check for Arabic and Urdu |
| UAE and Pakistan | Sold in the USA, the UAE and Pakistan | Not sold in the UAE or Pakistan |
| Contracts | No contract; cancel any time | Month to month |
Competitor details from public pricing pages and reviews, checked 2026-10-18: Square for Retail pricing (Square help center). Vendors change plans; confirm before deciding.
Which one should you pick?
Pick Square if you want card payments, hardware and software from one company, sell only in the US, and rarely track serial numbers. Pick RetailPOS Studio if you sell phones or electronics and need IMEI, warranties and supplier ledgers, if you want to keep your own card processor, or if you trade in the UAE or Pakistan, where Square is not sold.
Where Square for Retail is strong
- Payments, hardware and software from one company, with fast deposits
- A large app marketplace and many integrations
- Very easy first-day setup for simple catalogs
- A free plan for shops that only need the basics
Where RetailPOS Studio is strong
- IMEI, serial numbers and warranties per item on Stockroom
- Supplier ledgers with pay terms and running balances
- Keep your own card processor
- Sold and supported in the USA, the UAE and Pakistan, in Arabic and Urdu too
Switching
How to move from Square to RetailPOS Studio
- STEP 1
Export your products and customers
Download your item library and customer list from Square as CSV files. Keep the original files untouched so you can always go back to them.
- STEP 2
Map the columns
Match their columns to ours: name, SKU, barcode, category, cost, selling price, tax, stock per location. Our import template shows every field, and we check the file with you on a switching call at no charge.
- STEP 3
Import, then recount
Import products and customers, then do a fresh stock count before you trust the numbers. Counts drift in every system, and a switch is the cheapest moment to reset them.
- STEP 4
Run both for a weekend
Keep Square open in the background for your first busy weekend while you sell on RetailPOS Studio. When the totals match your expectations, cancel the old subscription.
Full switching guide A Square for Retail alternative that keeps your processor
Spec sheet · FAQ