Head to head
Square vs Tyro
Which card machine keeps more in your pocket? We rank both purely on total monthly cost — then weigh contract, settlement and reviews. Independent, with no paid placements.
The Compayr verdict
Weighing cost, contract and reviews together, Tyro edges out Square as the stronger all-round choice for most merchants.
Tyro lands about $55/month — roughly $657/year — cheaper at a sample $42,500 in monthly card sales.
Choose Square if you want…
- little or no fixed monthly fee
- a cleaner, more flexible contract
- stronger independent merchant reviews
Choose Tyro if you want…
- the lowest all-in monthly cost at a typical volume
- a lower headline card rate
- cheaper hardware to get started
Side by side
| Feature | Square | Tyro |
|---|---|---|
| Total cost / month | $618/mo | $563/mo |
| Card rate (ex-GST) | 1.45% | 1.27% |
| Fixed monthly fee | $0 | $23 |
| Hardware from | $65 | $0 |
| Chargeback fee | $0 | $0 |
| Settlement speed | Next business day | Next business day (same-day to Tyro Bank account) |
| Contract | No lock-in | Rented terminal |
| Merchant rating | 4.6/5 | 3.9/5 |
Figures ex-GST, estimated at a sample $42,500 in monthly card sales. A highlighted cell marks the better result on that row.
Square
Best for: Cafes, retail and pop-ups that want an all-in-one till, hardware and a quick online store with no lock-in.
Tyro
Best for: Hospitality and retail wanting deep POS integrations and least-cost routing.
Leaning towards Tyro?
Run your own numbers by sector in our free calculator — or let us audit and negotiate for you.
Compayr may earn a referral fee when a merchant switches via our links. This never affects rankings, which are based purely on lowest total monthly cost. Quote-only providers are never ranked as cheapest while a complete-cost option exists. Rates last verified 2026-07-19. This head-to-head is generated from published pricing and independent review scores — always confirm current pricing with each provider before switching.