tech from europe
Square

The best alternatives to Square

6 European alternatives · updated 12 October 2026 · How we select

Square’s flat-rate pricing and lock-in to its own payment processor drive many EU businesses to seek alternatives with interchange-plus rates and the freedom to switch providers. Some need deeper POS customization, while others prioritize keeping transaction data in Europe under GDPR.

In short

Square covers pos & payments, online sales, inventory & purchasing, customer & appointments and staff & restaurant ops. European alternatives: SumUp, Odoo Point of Sale, Epos Now, CSY Retail Systems and Tillpoint and 1 more. By area: SumUp, Odoo Point of Sale and Epos Now for POS & payments; SumUp, Odoo Point of Sale and Epos Now for online sales; SumUp, Odoo Point of Sale and Epos Now for inventory & purchasing; SumUp, Odoo Point of Sale and Epos Now for customer & appointments; Epos Now, Tillpoint and Zonal for staff & restaurant ops.

European alternatives to Square

SumUp🇬🇧 GB

London-based POS system with EU-hosted data, no monthly fees and transparent transaction pricing for small businesses.

Replaces Square’s POS, online sales, inventory and customer tools for small businesses.

POS & paymentsOnline salesInventory & purchasingCustomer & appointmentsFrom $2.6★ 4.1 (61531 reviews)Import from Square: ✓ via CSV export · source
EU hostingGDPRISO 27001
SumUp vs Square →
What users praise and criticise
  • Straightforward setup process, often completed in under 10 minutes from unboxing to first payment
  • No monthly fees and low entry cost (card readers from £39), making it highly accessible for small businesses and seasonal sellers
  • Transparent and fair transaction fees, easy to calculate for low-volume merchants
  • Customer service responsiveness is frequently criticized for poor communication, unreachable hotlines, and lack of feedback on critical issues like refunds or failed payouts
  • Account verification processes are described as overly complex and cumbersome
  • Percentage-based transaction fees become less economical for high-volume merchants (over £50k annual turnover), making fixed-fee alternatives more attractive
Odoo Point of Sale🇧🇪 BE

Open-source POS system with offline mode, EU hosting, and real-time inventory sync for retail and restaurants.

Replaces Square’s POS, online sales, inventory and customer tools for retail and restaurants.

POS & paymentsOnline salesInventory & purchasingCustomer & appointmentsFrom €24.90/user/mo★ 3.7 (4759 reviews)
EU hostingGDPROpen SourceFree planISO 27001
Odoo Point of Sale vs Square →
What users praise and criticise
  • Extensive feature set covering POS, inventory, accounting, and customer data in one platform
  • Deep integration with the broader Odoo ERP system, enabling seamless synchronization across modules
  • Modular design allows businesses to add only the applications they need
  • Steep learning curve and complex onboarding, particularly for non-technical users
  • Inconsistent support quality and delayed responses, with some users reporting hidden costs
  • Performance issues at scale, especially in multi-company or multi-location setups
Epos Now🇬🇧 GB

UK-based cloud POS for retail and hospitality with 100+ integrations and EU data hosting.

Replaces Square’s POS, online sales, inventory, customer and staff tools for retail and hospitality.

Covers all of Square★ 4.4 (26435 reviews)
EU hostingGDPR
Epos Now vs Square →
CSY Retail Systems🇬🇧 GB

UK-based EPOS system for retailers with loyalty, multi-store sync and remote access.

Replaces Square’s POS, online sales and inventory for retailers with multi-store sync.

POS & paymentsOnline salesInventory & purchasing
CSY Retail Systems vs Square →
What users praise and criticise
  • Reliable and stable retail management system with minimal downtime
  • Intuitive touchscreen interface designed for fast transaction processing in shops
  • Powerful stock management with real-time tracking and reporting
Tillpoint🇬🇧 GB

UK cloud POS system with 25+ modules for retail, hospitality and multi-location businesses.

Replaces Square’s POS, online sales, inventory, customer and staff tools for retail and hospitality.

Covers all of Square★ 3.0 (211 reviews)
Tillpoint vs Square →
What users praise and criticise
  • Intuitive interface and easy setup, praised by both staff and accountants for simplicity
  • Modular design with over 25 specialized apps for inventory, accounting, table management, and reporting
  • Highly responsive and helpful customer support, including positive experiences with reseller teams
  • System instability reported by multiple users, including unexpected downtimes and disruptions
  • Additional hardware costs due to compatibility issues with existing printers
  • Hidden transaction fees (1.5%–2.9%) and high migration costs (up to $5,000)
Zonal🇬🇧 GB

UK-based EPoS and hospitality tech for pubs, restaurants and hotels with multi-site pricing bands.

Replaces Square’s POS and restaurant operations for pubs, hotels and multi-site hospitality.

POS & paymentsStaff & restaurant ops★ 2.4 (7 reviews)
Zonal vs Square →
What users praise and criticise
  • Comprehensive, integrated hospitality technology stack covering EPOS, reservations, kitchen management, hotel PMS, loyalty programs, and analytics from a single vendor
  • Deep industry expertise with over 16,000 UK hospitality clients since 1979
  • Hybrid cloud/on-premise deployment ensures reliability during internet outages
  • High pricing and rigid contract terms, including a £229/month all-in-one rental package, £1,100 upfront deployment fee, and a 36-month minimum contract
  • Poor post-sale customer support with reports of undertrained staff, high account manager turnover, and slow or ineffective responses
  • Onboarding difficulties and insufficient training, making implementation challenging for new users

All Square alternatives at a glance

Which part of Square each alternative covers.

ProviderPOS & paymentsOnline salesInventory & purchasingCustomer & appointmentsStaff & restaurant opsFromRatingImport from Square
Square 🇺🇸 (the tool you are replacing)✓✓✓✓✓$49/mo★ 4.6–
SumUp 🇬🇧✓✓✓✓$2.6★ 4.1 (61531)✓ via file
Odoo Point of Sale 🇧🇪✓✓✓✓€24.90★ 3.7 (4759)–
Epos Now 🇬🇧✓✓✓✓✓On request★ 4.4 (26435)–
CSY Retail Systems 🇬🇧✓✓✓On request––
Tillpoint 🇬🇧✓✓✓✓✓On request★ 3.0 (211)–
Zonal 🇬🇧✓✓On request★ 2.4 (7)–

Prices per user and month in the cheapest paid plan. Ratings are weighted across G2, Capterra, OMR and other portals, with the review count in brackets.

Square: the facts

What to know about the tool you are replacing, with sources.

Headquarters
🇺🇸 US · since 2009
Where your data is stored
No EU data regionData may be processed or stored in the US, Japan, UK, EU, and other countries.
Transfers to the US based on
Standard Contractual Clauses
Contracts
DPA
Price
Free plan · from $49/mo
Rating
★ 4.6 (1,211 reviews)

What users value in Square

  • Easy to set up and use for small businesses
  • Strong integration with third-party apps
  • Reliable payment processing

What they criticise

  • Transaction fees can add up for high-volume businesses
  • Limited customization for advanced POS needs
  • Customer support can be slow

Sources: squareup.com · ai.g2.com · researched 6 October 2026

Moving away from Square

Square exports your data as CSV and XLSX, and its API can read everything out. Via the export files: SumUp. Every import above links its source on the product card.

Frequently asked questions

Which European tool fully replaces Square?

Tillpoint, Zonal, CSY Retail Systems, Odoo Point of Sale, SumUp and Epos Now cover the same core jobs as Square: in-person and online payments, POS, inventory, customer management and reporting.

Which European Square alternative is best for restaurants?

Zonal and Epos Now are built for hospitality and include restaurant-specific features like kitchen display integration and waitlist management. Tillpoint also supports multi-location restaurant operations.

Where does Square keep my data?

Square may process or store your data in the US, Japan, UK, EU and other countries. It relies on Standard Contractual Clauses for transfers outside the EU.

Are there European Square alternatives with EU server location?

Odoo Point of Sale, SumUp and Epos Now host data in the EU.

Can I use Square hardware with a European alternative?

Square hardware is designed for Square’s software. Check with the European alternative you choose whether it supports Square hardware or offers compatible devices.

Do any European Square alternatives offer a free plan?

Odoo Point of Sale offers a free plan. It is also open source.

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