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(855) 351-2274Company Overview
This article is focused on credit card processing using Square for established businesses and industries, such as retail, food service, and ecommerce. The article provides an in-depth review of Square’s point of sale options and card readers, as well as an analysis of user reviews. It also examines common complaints and fees associated with Square’s credit card processing, comparing them to traditional merchant services companies.
Square’s Card Reader and POS
We will also provide an analysis of Square’s card readers and point-of-sale options, including the Square Reader for contactless and chip as well the company’s retail and restaurant POS. These hardware options are compatible with a range of mobile devices, including smartphones and tablets, making them an attractive option for businesses that require a portable payment processing solution.
Square’s Additional Features and Services
Additionally, we will cover various services provided by Square, such as its Kitchen Display System, Square Terminal, and Integrated Reservation and Waitlist Management. Readers who are interested in Square’s specific services can find more detailed reviews through links provided in the article.
Square User Reviews
User reviews are a crucial factor to consider when choosing a credit card processing provider. This article provides an analysis of user reviews, highlighting the strengths and weaknesses of Square’s services as reported by actual customers. We also cover common complaints about Square’s services, such as issues with customer support, funding holds, and account stability. By highlighting these complaints, we aim to help business owners understand potential pain points and make informed decisions about whether Square is the right provider for them.
Square’s Fees
Fees are an essential consideration when choosing a credit card processing provider. This article provides an analysis of Square’s fees, including transaction fees, chargeback fees, and hardware costs. We’ll compare Square’s fees to those of traditional merchant services companies, providing businesses with a valuable benchmark for evaluating the cost-effectiveness of Square’s services.
Square Review Video Summary
Is Square Holding Your Funds Right Now?
Before we get started, thousands of merchants have reported payments frozen by Square. If you’re one of the business owners that are using Square, then you might find the following resources helpful:
Started By The Original Twitter Founder
Square was founded in 2009 by Jack Dorsey who also founded Twitter before it was bought by Elon Musk. The company grew rapidly and Square became a public company in 2015 under the “SQ” ticker. The Square corporation rebranded to “Block Inc” in 2021 but continues to operate it’s payment processing services under the Square brand. Much of the company’s success can be attributed to its then unique take on smartphone credit card processing (See: Best Mobile Credit Card Processing Apps) and by being the first to market such technology to small businesses owners as well as everyday people.
Quick Sign-up and Intuitive Design
Signing up for Square’s payment processing is simple: users simply visit Square’s website to fill out a short form and await approval, which typically happens instantly. Once approved, users can choose from hardware options such as a card reader that connects to a phone or tablet via Bluetooth, or a from dedicated point-of-sale devices that can be used on a countertop or taken to the customer. Square has been so successful in the mobile credit card processing industry that it has inspired numerous competitors.
Payment Processing Designed for Specific Industries
Square has placed particular attention on common industries with predictable sales patterns and low risk of fraud and chargebacks. Below are the business types that Square targets with its marketing.
Square for Restaurants and Bars
Square offers an extensive suite of services and products for the food and beverage industry, catering to various business types. Below, we explore Square’s specialized features and solutions for quick-service restaurants, full-service restaurants, bars, food trucks, bakeries, and catering services. First we’ll cover features that are found with all the industry specific POS options.
Staffing and Scheduling
Square’s software solutions provide bars and restaurants with tools to manage their unique staffing needs more effectively. Time tracking and role-based permissions are two features that can help businesses manage their workforce more efficiently. Time tracking allows businesses to accurately track employee hours, manage payroll, and ensure compliance with labor laws. Role-based permissions allow businesses to assign different levels of access to employees based on their job responsibilities, ensuring that sensitive information is only accessible to those who need it.
Offline Payment Processing for Uninterrupted Operations
Square’s offline mode is a valuable feature that ensures seamless payment processing even without an internet connection. This feature is particularly useful for businesses that operate in areas with limited connectivity or are prone to internet outages. With offline mode, businesses can continue to process transactions and accept payments without any interruption, reducing the risk of lost sales or dissatisfied customers. When an internet connection becomes available, Square will automatically sync all offline transactions and update the business’s records. This feature provides businesses with peace of mind, knowing that they can continue to operate even in challenging environments. Overall, Square’s offline mode is a useful tool that provides businesses with flexibility, reliability, and seamless payment processing.
Insights into Product Performance and Customer Preferences
Square’s software solutions provide valuable reporting tools that can help restaurants gain insights into their product performance and customer preferences. By tracking sales data, restaurants can identify which menu items are most popular, track inventory levels, and make informed decisions about restocking and pricing strategies. This can help restaurants reduce waste, optimize their menu offerings, and improve their profitability.
In addition, Square’s reporting features can provide restaurants with insights into customer preferences and purchasing behaviors. By analyzing sales data, restaurants can identify trends and patterns in customer behavior, such as peak ordering times or popular menu items. This can help restaurants tailor their offerings to better meet the needs of their customers and improve their overall dining experience.
Customizable Menu Options for Diverse Products
Square’s software solutions offer customizable menu options and item modifiers that provide restaurant owners with the flexibility to manage a wide range of products with ease. These features allow restaurants to modify, add, or remove menu items quickly and efficiently, making it easy to keep menus up to date and to accommodate customer requests. With item modifiers, restaurants can add specific instructions or preferences to menu items, such as cooking preferences or dietary restrictions, improving the dining experience for customers.
Next, we’ll cover features for specific food and beverage businesses.
Quick-Service Restaurants and Cafes:
Speedy Transactions for Fast-Paced Operations
Square Terminal and contactless payments are tools that can be beneficial for quick-service restaurants and cafes. Square Terminal is an all-in-one device that can process transactions, refunds, and print receipts. This device can help businesses save costs and streamline their checkout process. Contactless payments allow customers to pay quickly and securely without exchanging physical cards or handling cash. This not only speeds up the transaction process but also enhances the overall customer experience. Additionally, contactless payments can improve security and protect against fraud as sensitive payment information is encrypted and securely transmitted during the transaction process.
Mobile Ordering and Pickup Options
Square Online provides an option for quick-service restaurants and cafes to offer mobile ordering and pickup to their customers. This feature caters to the on-the-go nature of customers who want to quickly and easily order their food without having to wait in line or be physically present at the location. With Square Online, customers can place their orders remotely, and then pick up their orders at their convenience. This feature provides greater flexibility and convenience to customers, improving their overall experience with the business. For quick-service restaurants and cafes, this feature can help increase sales, reduce wait times, and improve operational efficiency.
Order Management with Kitchen Display System
The Square Kitchen Display System (KDS) is a tool that aims to help quick-service restaurants manage orders efficiently and provide fast service to customers. With the Square KDS, orders are displayed on a digital screen, allowing kitchen staff to prioritize and manage them in real-time. This helps to reduce wait times, increase order accuracy, and improve overall customer satisfaction. The Square KDS also provides features such as order tracking and timers, which can help staff manage their workload and ensure that orders are prepared and delivered in a timely manner. By streamlining the order management process, the Square KDS can help quick-service restaurants improve their operational efficiency, reduce errors, and provide a better experience for their customers.
Full-Service Restaurants:
Table and Floor Plan Management
Square provides a range of features and tools that enable quick-service restaurants to manage their dine-in services more efficiently. One of the key features of Square for restaurants is its comprehensive table and floor plan management tools. With these tools, restaurants can create and manage floor plans, assign tables to servers, and monitor table status in real-time. This allows staff to coordinate their services more effectively, ensuring that tables are assigned to servers efficiently and orders are taken and delivered promptly.
Pay-at-the-Table Functionality
Square Terminal’s pay-at-the-table functionality allows customers to pay for their meals directly at the table with their credit cards. This feature reduces wait times and provides a more secure transaction process.
Integrated Reservation and Waitlist Management
Square’s Integrated Reservation and Waitlist Management system provides quick-service restaurants with a useful tool to manage their reservation and waitlist processes. With this system, restaurants can manage their reservations and waitlists in one place, simplifying the process and reducing errors. Customers can easily make reservations online, and restaurants can manage them with real-time updates, reducing the risk of overbooking or other scheduling conflicts.
Bars and Nightclubs:
Inventory Management Features
Square’s inventory management tools enable bars an nightclubs to track their alcohol and ingredient stock levels. This feature helps businesses monitor their inventory in real-time and ensures that they have enough supplies. Additionally, Square’s inventory management tools provide insights into which items are popular and which ones need to be restocked, allowing bar owners to make informed decisions about their inventory management strategies.
Tab Management for Accurate Billing
Square’s payment system simplifies opening and closing tabs, reducing billing errors and ensuring accurate charges. With features like tab management and easy payment processing, customers can quickly and easily start and close tabs without confusion or mistakes. This improves the customer experience and helps businesses avoid costly billing errors.
Food Trucks and Mobile Vendors:
Compact and Portable Hardware Solutions
Square Terminal offers a compact, portable solution for quick setup and teardown in mobile food and beverage businesses.
Location-Based Services
Integrate location-based services with Square Online to help customers find and order from mobile vendors.
Catering and Event Services:
Scheduling and Management with Square Appointments
Square Appointments simplifies scheduling and managing events and bookings for catering services.
Efficient Invoicing and Estimates Features
Square’s invoicing and estimates features streamline billing and payment management for catering clients.
Square Restaurant POS Example
Learn more about Square’s food and beverage POS here.
Square Credit Card Processing for Retail Businesses
Square offers a wide range of services and products tailored to the retail industry, accommodating various retail business types. Below, we delve into Square’s specialized features and solutions for brick-and-mortar stores, online retailers, pop-up shops, and specialty retailers.
Brick-and-Mortar Retail Stores
Point-of-Sale System for In-Store Sales
Square for Retail offers a comprehensive POS system with inventory management, customer profiles, and employee management tools, streamlining in-store sales and operations.
Integrated Hardware Solutions
Square Register and Square Terminal provide seamless hardware integration, simplifying transactions and enhancing customer experience.
Advanced Reporting and Analytics
Square’s reporting and analytics features deliver actionable insights into sales trends, inventory management, and customer behavior.
Online Retailers
Easy-to-Use E-commerce Platform
Square Online provides a user-friendly platform for creating customizable, professional online stores that integrate seamlessly with the Square POS system.
Shipping and Pickup Options
Square offer customers a variety of shipping and pickup options, including in-store pickup, curbside pickup, and shipping integration with major carriers.
Secure Payment Processing for Online Transactions
Square’s focus on providing a secure payment processing system ensures safe and reliable online transactions for customers.
Learn more about Square’s retail POS options here.
Other Square Services
Since the launch of the Square card reader and mobile app, the company has rolled out several other services for both business owners and personal use. Below are links to our specific Square reviews for these services.
- Square Register is a point-of-sale (POS) device that is intended as an all-in-one payment terminal for retail businesses. The company has options tailored for retail POS, restaurant POS, food truck POS, coffee shop POS, as well as a few others.
- Square Online Store is an Square’s online store builder for selling products over the internet. The platform is simple to use and quick to set up. The service has no monthly fees and the only cost is the card transaction fees from your sales.
- Square for Retail is Square’s point-of-sale system specifically designed for brick-and-mortar retailers. The service is similar to Square Register but includes a revamped checkout process as well as additional features such as enhanced inventory management, employee accounts, cost of goods sold, purchase orders, vendor lists, and more.
- Square Cash is a direct peer-to-peer cash transfer service that is linked to a user’s debit card. Cash sends payments via email and smartphone and allows for free transfers of funds between users. The service is not targeted at business owners, but they may use it to make payments outside of a business setting.
- Square Capital is a Square’s business loan program that can be activated from the dashboard in the Square Register. Square Capital allows merchants to receive a large upfront cash amount and then pay that total back over time with a fixed percentage of their daily credit card sales, similar to a merchant cash advance.
- The company has also recently launched several other service including a virtual terminal that can be used on any device, an self-serve orders app called “Square Order,” an online invoicing feature called “Square Invoices,” an online scheduler called “Square Appointments,” and an offline processing mode that enables merchants to capture payments even when their internet is down.
Industries Square Does Not Serve: Prohibited Businesses
While Square offers an extensive suite of services and products catering to a wide range of industries, there are certain businesses that it does not serve due to legal, regulatory, or compliance reasons. This short section highlights industries and business types that are prohibited according to Square’s list of restricted industries. Attempting to process payments with Square in the following business types will result in your funds being withheld and the termination of your account.
Regulated Products and Services
Square does not support businesses that deal in the sale or distribution of regulated products and services, such as narcotics, marijuana, drug paraphernalia, e-cigarettes, firearms, ammunition, and explosives. The company does, however, provide payment processing for CBD businesses (See: Best CBD Payment Processors)
Adult Content and Services
Businesses involved in adult entertainment, products, or services—including but not limited to pornography, escort services, and adult live chat features—are not supported by Square (See: Best Adult Industry Payment Processors).
Financial and Legal Services
Square does not cater to businesses offering certain financial and legal services, such as investment and credit services, bankruptcy attorneys, collection agencies, and payday loans (See: Best High-RIsk Merchant Account Providers).
Gambling and Betting
Businesses involved in gambling, lottery, or betting activities, including online gambling sites, sports forecasting, and odds-making, are not supported by Square (See: Best Merchant Accounts for Gambling Businesses).
Illicit or Unethical Activities
Square prohibits any business involved in illicit or unethical activities, including those that promote hate speech, harassment, discrimination, or that violate intellectual property rights.
High-Risk Products and Services
Businesses dealing with high-risk products or services, such as telecommunications equipment, prepaid phone cards, phone unlocking services, or those that pose a high risk of fraud or chargebacks, are not supported by Square (See: Best High Risk Payment Processors).
Square Customer Complaints & Reviews
Here's What Users Think
Complaint Summary
|
Total Online Complaints
2,300+
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Live Customer Support
Active Merchants Only
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Most Common Complaint
Fund Holds
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Lawsuits
Yes
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Square Alternatives
We recommend Helcim as the top alternative to Square. Both services offer an easy to use mobile payment processing device that works with most mobile devices and tablets. Helcim offers a month-to-month contract, no monthly or annual fees, customer support phone line, next-day funding, extremely low processing fees, and QuickBooks integration. Helcim has also been consistently reviewed as one of our top-rated processors since we first reviewed it almost ten years ago. We feel that the company provides all the functionality that Square offers with a much smoother customer experience. For more information please read our full Helcim Review. If you operate a “high-risk” business, please out list of high-risk credit card processors.
Where Square Falls Short
Another area that Square comes up short in this review is its customer service. Square has racked up a lot of complaints (more than 2,300 just in our comment section below). The majority of reviews complaint of virtually nonexistent phone support and funding holds. Additionally, the company has not been active in attempting to resolve online complaints.
Square / Block Lawsuits
The company has defended against several lawsuits:
- In 2018, Square settled a class-action lawsuit filed against its food delivery service “Caviar”. The company was alleged to have withheld money from delivery workers left by customers as gratuities from 2012 to 2015 and agreed to pay $2.2 million dollars under the settlement.
- We have found evidence of multiple other lawsuits from the last few years. In 2019 Square was accused of mishandling the way it dealt with information concerning payments for medical procedures. The suit was dismissed with prejudice later that year.
- In another class-action suit, Square faces charges of holding large amounts of funds from merchant accounts that it deemed high risk. Square has received numerous complaints relating to these charges over the years, and this case is ongoing.
- A 2021 class-action suit has been brought against Square and other major credit card processing companies over what the complainants call price-fixing over the use of the interchange fee.
- A potentially major suit was brought against Square CEO Jack Dorsey in 2021, in which a Twitter shareholder claims that Twitter gives “broad access” to user data to advertisers and that Square, Dorsey’s other company, has “benefitted wildly from this disregard for privacy.” The suit has wide-ranging implications for Square if it succeeds, as it seeks to remove Dorsey from Twitter and force both companies to undergo major reforms.
Square Customer Support Options
The company appears to rely too heavily on customer service provided by email, its support forum, and social media. The company does have a customer support phone number that operates from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. PDT (see How to Contact Square), but merchants and business owners must request and receive a code from the Square website in order to actually reach a representative.
Only Active Accounts Get Real-time Help
Phone support codes are only provided to active Square merchants, meaning that deactivated accounts will be unable to reach support. It is our position that deactivated accounts are the businesses who have the greatest need for phone support. Business owners who prefer to have access to full-time, in-house support staff are better off choosing a conventional merchant account provider.
Long Wait Times
Merchants are waiting up to several days for a response from Square, by phone or email. Many users also report that Square has not satisfactorily responded to their support requests. Many Square reviews report disbelief that a company as large as Square lacks direct phone support.
Beware Square Phishing Scams
At the time of a previous update, numerous non-Square users claimed to receive emails from Square regarding non-existent accounts. These emails stated that Square was having trouble depositing sales into the user’s account. It went on to instruct the to supply account details to receive their payment. These emails are very likely to be Square phishing scams. Such scams are designed to trick users into providing personal information. They do not have any connection to the actual company Square. If you receive a suspicious email regarding your Square account, forward it to [email protected].
Square BBB Rating and Report
Our Better Business Bureau Profile Assessment
BBB Summary
|
Product & Service Complaints
3,626
|
Billing & Collection Complaints
1,115
|
Advertising & Sales Complaints
65
|
|
Guarantee & Warranty Complaints
18
|
Delivery Complaints
199
|
Note: We have adjusted this company’s BBB rating according to our own standards. To better understand why we adjust BBB ratings, please see our Rating Criteria.
Square’s BBB Complaints on the Rise
As of this update, the Better Business Bureau is reporting an “A+” rating for Square despite 5,023 complaints filed in the last 36 months. Square complaints have skyrocketed since we first published this review in April of 2011.
How the Complaints Break Down
Of the 5,023 total complaints, 3,626 are regarding problems with service, 1,115 with billing and collection, 199 with delivery problems, 65 with advertising and sales issues, and 18 due to guarantee or warranty issues. The BBB previously added a note stating that it has received many complaints regarding Square’s fund-withholding procedures. Square responded by quoting its Terms of Use policies and referring to the help section of its website. It does not seem to have made any tangible change to its fund-holding policy in response to this notice. Square has resolved 1,773 complaints while the remaining 3,250 either were resolved. It should be noted that fewer complaint appear to be getting resolved compared to previous updates.
What Merchants Say
Square has also received 381 informal reviews to its BBB profile, with only 6 positive in tone and 375 negative. The most recent review describes potentially fraudulent charges and a lack of customer service:
********************** took money from our new business account. A recent new startup business. They claimed it was from a different business that was closed long ago, that was in someone else’s name. It had nothing to do with us. We provided them with all the documentation they requested yet they kept trying to debit the account, costing us a lot of money in fees. We were eventually forced to close the account just to stop them from debiting. Fortunately the bank manager had been through this with customers who use ********************** before and sided with us. The ********************** “Customer Success” team was absolutely horrific. It literally took weeks to speak to a real person. They lied to us multiple times, on recorded calls. Even telling us, more than once, that the “Recovery Team” doesn’t have phones (yes, they actually said that)They have done nothing to resolve the costs they incurred us. They cannot give us any details of the supposed transaction(s), dates, company, customer or any other information on why they fraudulently (in my opinion) took money to begin with. We have, to date, spent over 40 hours trying to resolve this issue with **********************. Finally, after nearly two months a real person called. The end result was they still refuse to pay us back for what they cost us and still insist we owed them money. They offered to issue us a “******” for the amount!. The thing is, we DON’T owe them. Never have.
This merchant would be better served by one of our top-rated processors.
A “C” Performance
Due to the company’s high complaint count compared, we have adjusted the BBB’s rating to a “C” for the purposes of this review.
Square Fees and Rates
A Closer Look at the Contract
Cost Summary
|
Swiped Rate
2.60% + $0.10
|
Keyed-in Rate
3.5% + $0.15
|
E-Commerce Rate
2.90% + $0.30
|
|
Monthly Fees
$0
|
Square’s Processing Fees are Simple
One of the most appealing aspects of Square for business owners is the lack of monthly or annual fees. In fact, there are none of typical of the typical fees found with most other traditional merchant services providers, such as activation fees, monthly fees, gateway fees, PCI Compliance fees, downgrade fees, and early termination fees. Square has no additional monthly fees outside of transaction fees. This means that there are no costs incurred if a business owner doesn’t make any sales.
Fees by Transaction Type
Square used to offer a very competitively priced magnetic stripe card reader, but following the switch to chip cards in the U.S., users are encouraged to purchase the chip card reader at a still-low cost of only $49. The company offers a single processing fee option for all merchants using Square Reader or Square Register.
Square’s fees are:
- 2.6% + $0.10 for swiped transactions
- 3.5% + $0.15 for keyed-in transactions
- 2.9% + $0.30 per sale through Square e-commerce
How Square’s Costs Compare
Square’s swipe rate is about 0.80% higher than what a business could achieve with a well-negotiated traditional merchant account. The keyed-in rate is about 1% higher for the same industries. If you are new business and looking for competitive rates, see our recommended credit card processors. If you are an established business looking for lower fees, consider our independent statement audit service to eliminate hidden processing costs.
High Volume Businesses, Heed Caution
Square does not verify the credit history of its prospective customers so it uses sophisticated systems to avoid fraud losses. The company states that there are no transaction limits, per sale or month. However, such marketing is misleading because numerous Square reviews report that large sales trigger funding holds. Additional, reviews also reports that a high number of sales over a short period can trigger a hold. The policies regarding such holds are not disclosed and no advance warning is given.
Square’s Previous Rolling Reserve Policy
Until November 2013, Square placed holds on funds of card-not-present sales if over $2,002 was charged within any seven-day period. This meant that if a merchant processed $2,100 in sales within seven days, the extra $98 would be held by Square for 30 days. This policy caused confusion among users because Square did not provide any warning before the $2,002 limit was reached. Square now says that merchants can process transactions of any type and size without worrying about a processing limit, but this is not entirely true.
Related: How to Stop Square From Holding Your Money
Square’s Current Fraud Triggers
Square’s current primary tactic to limit fraud is less transparent than its previous rolling reserve policy, which is why it has a low score in this section. Square seems to rely on undisclosed algorithmic “risk factors” to automatically hold business transactions that it considers suspicious. The payment processing system appears to flag many legitimate transactions, causing problems for some merchant accounts. Complaints have emerged that Square has randomly placed lengthy holds (over 30 days) on funds, even those swiped in person, without explanation or notification. When a transaction is flagged, Square will either contact the merchant for more information about the merchant or transaction, or deactivate the merchant’s account.
More Transparency Needed For Risky Transactions
This protocol lets Square publicly claim that it does not hold merchants’ funds because the withheld funds technically belong to “deactivated” Square merchants instead of “active” Square merchants. Square’s policies on fund holding and risk mitigation are very unclear and make the service risky for higher volume merchants. Square needs to do a better job of educating merchants about transactions that could lead to account deactivation. Steps the company could take include issuing a warning before processing transactions that will be held, immediately informing merchants when transactions have been held, and communicating with merchants throughout the hold process.
Some Minor Improvements Could Raise Square’s Rating
In most respects, Square has favorable pricing and contract terms for merchants. It has a simple signup process, affordable equipment costs, no monthly fees or long-term contracts, and easy-to-understand pricing. However, sudden account deactivation can greatly impact a merchant’s operations, so the grade for this section will not reach “A” until Square improves its risk mitigation procedure.
Square Jobs and Employment
Hiring Standards and Ethical Marketing Assessment
Key Points
|
Employs Independent Resellers
No
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Advertises Transparent Rates
Yes
|
Discloses All Important Terms
No
|
|
Telemarketing/Door-to-Door
No
|
Working at Square, Employee Sentiment
We take into account a company’s employee sentiment as it can have a direct impact on the client experience. Overall, employee reviews of Square have been positive, with many employees praising the company’s innovative culture, talented colleagues, and commitment to diversity and inclusion. Many also appreciate the opportunities for career growth and development, as well as the company’s focus on work-life balance and employee well-being.
However, some reviews have also highlighted challenges such as long work hours and high expectations, as well as issues with communication and transparency. Additionally, some employees have raised concerns about pay and benefits, particularly for those in entry-level or support roles.
Overall, Square appears to be a highly regarded employer, with a strong focus on innovation, employee development, and diversity and inclusion. However, as with any workplace, there may be some areas for improvement, and individual experiences may vary.
How Square is Different from Traditional Merchant Account Providers
Square differs greatly from traditional credit card processors in how it markets its POS systems and sells its service. Most merchant account providers hire poorly trained outside independent agents. These agents are trained to set high fees in exchange for big commissions. Square instead relies on online marketing and partnerships and does not hire outside sales agents. Nearly all of Square’s users sign up directly through the homepage of the company’s website. Square has also benefited from an enormous amount of online buzz and word-of-mouth promotion.
Beware of Processing Limitations
Square markets its pricing with a straightforward and easy-to-understand message. However. the company fails to mention anything about its fraud mitigation policies. These policies have caused significant problems for many businesses and some have complained of large financial losses. Numerous Square reviews accuse the company of misleading marketing. These complaints stem from the company’s fund holding policies and lack of warning on the type of transactions that can trigger holds. There are several industries, that can be found on this page, deemed as “high-risk” that will find themselves at the mercy of Square’s underwriting and fraud prevention systems. Such businesses would be better served by a high-risk merchant account.
Square Review Summary
Our Final Thoughts and Opinions
Square is a great card processing option for entry level and low volume businesses. The company is definitely on the right track with providing an easy credit card processing solution with no long-term commitments and no monthly fees. However, several Square reviews from high volume merchants report murky fund holding policies and poor customer support. It appears that Square is best suited for individuals or small business owners who have an occasional need to accept a credit card payment, such as babysitters, flea market vendors, or small retail and restaurant businesses. The service does not appear to be a good fit for merchants that either have a high volume of credit card sales or that sell high-ticket items.
Learn even more about Square’s services here.
If you found this article helpful, please share it!
Mohsin Zamir
Square is the worst service ever. They don’t pay you on time except for the first payment. They don’t get back to you or follow up on anything. You have to wait for weeks to get any type of response from them. You won’t even know what’s happening with your account. Please do yourself a favor and DO NOT GO WITH SQUARE!!!
John
I was told how great this system is….. Well I bought the reader at Best Buy (worst electronics store ever) and it got worse from there… after 20 times of deleting all the info & app., reinstalling it all again and getting the same error message “The operation couldn’t be completed. (kQHTTPOperationErrorDomain error 422) I sent an email each hour (for 6 hours) with no response, then I found your site and have been calling ever since (just two days)…. With the same results, no response, at least I only got burned for 10 bucks….. Cheaper than a bad movie & I wouldn’t EVER DO BUSINESS WITH THEM NOW
Gretchen
I process cards without the card present. Many for outside of the US. Australia has only a four digit postal code. Canada has six characters with three letters and three numbers alternating. The Square system insists on having a five digit numerical zip code entered with no work arounds. This is a defect in their system and a problem. Sometimes you can get around it by entering a US code but this doesn’t always work. Have had two customers that cards used to work with Intuit that now won’t work with Square at all.
Shirin
I have had problem with square since two years ago, no way of contacting them, they keep my money for says, now since 10 days ago did not deposit mt money I. My account and they are not contacting me either, I am all for suing them now
Mark
I learned about Square Up last year at a Locksmith meeting from a fellow Locksmith who began to use Square for his credit card processing. I used Intuit via my computer at the office. To become a “mobile” credit card acceptor (I’m a mobile Locksmith) it was quite cumbersome and would have to subscribe to a cellular telephone contract with the purchase of a cellular credit card processing machine. Pay the telephone fees and such.
I had a laptop computer in my truck and decided to try a swipe reader with a USB plug. You had to have an internet air card to be able to go online then go to the site then swipe the card to process…..WOW!
I gave up on all that and just took my chances by accepting the credit card number and signature waiting until I got to the office to key the transactions in my computer. Intuit as well as many others knew they had you and really took advantage of this in their fees as well as service. I would do my best to stay clear of any intuit products of services if I can help it. I use Quickbooks Pro out of necessity though would be hard pressed to say it is the best accounting software. It isn’t.
I skeptically began using Square Up. I liked the fact that they charged one fee for all cards, had no monthly fees or contracts.
When you sign up with Square they keep a certain amount of your earnings for a period of time then release it. I was furious. Not only are they making money on the fees but keeping billions of dollars throughout the entire user system earning sick interest on our money made me ill.
I was confused at how they processed as well as the receipts and statements.
To communicate with anyone with Square was only through Twitter. I hated it and still do.
The dashboard has been changed multiple times. Oh forgot to mention that often when I go to accept a card on my telephone I have to sign in. The customer waiting while I enter my info. Just keep me signed in and leave it unless I say otherwise.
2.75% is okay rate. Not great or even good. 3.5% plus 15 cents per keyed in transaction is ridiculous.
I want to print the transaction receipt for my records from my computer and just want the basic info on it (you can see the customers receipt in your account dashboard but try to print a simple copy) and I have to put it in Excel spreadsheet? I just want to have a simple receipt to staple to my invoice that the customer signed. They don’t have a print button on the page.
Yes, they are getting better but as for now it is an option I have and when another opportunity (other than the thieves at Intuit who stole the idea Duh Intuit, I continually complained about the service and prices and I hope this hurts).
So, I will use Square Up as a means to an end but will jump ship as soon as a better product becomes available.
In a nut shell:
Square has a decent product. The service is one of the worst I’ve dealt with as far as simple communication. They distance themselves from you voraciously.
It works.
Cost is okay.
Swipe is finicky and does not work as well as it should.
Convenient.
After they scam you for a few months or so you will begin getting your money quickly and regularly.
All in all I would give Square a 6 out of 10
Jeri
Has anybody received a receipt showing that a charge was made that you didn’t make. It looks like a credit card that I keyed in 5 months ago. I can’t find anywhere to get help!
G
(415) 375-3176 extension 181 will get you a voice mail.
Kazi
I use square for my business and it is a great Disappointment lately when it comes to customer service
I use swipe and my app is up to date but the Manual entry option has disappeared on my app
It does not allow one dollar minumun for cards and even no support for it
EMail replies not coming i am thinking changing to anothere company where atleast i can have Email or phone help if meeded
It has become a lousy company trying to save money on most important feature that is customer service
Out source to any 3rd wolrd country like India for cheap labore may solve this issue
Dan Robinette
I have been experiencing many customer service related issues or lack thereof customer service. I have been caught in their $2002.00 rolling every 30 day trap and they are litereally holding thousands of dollars in THEIR account. Another major issue for me has been their follow up on funds being available. On many occasions, 10+, they indicate the funds will be available on a certain date, again due to the rolling $2002. policy and the funds do not show up. Of course as a client, there is NO access to customer service, they say its better that way!
Also after using their system for more than 60 days, their response to my complaints was to send me an email asking me to send them my FEIN and State tax certificate, send me my email address or vailidate my business through the yellow pages or other sources, they asked for 3 months of bank statements and asked me to send them all of the invoices and/or statements for all my client billings. Totally unacceptable and to date I have spent more than 12 hours trying to resovlve these issues. I’m no closer to closure than I was 12 hours ago. I’m a small business and having funds on hold is a BIG deal for me. I would not recommend this company to anyone looking for a CC processor. For all the hassles of doing business with them, as they say in the south…it just ain’t worth it ya’ll!!!
Cynthia
Have you applied for an increase? My products are high priced items and range from $2,000 to $20,000. So I immediately applied for the increase. I received up to $10,001 in a 7 day period. I have had 3 purchases in the last 6 months and in all cases by funds were received the next business day. I have not have an over $10,000 situation. But I would suggest you apply for the increase if you are going to go over that $2000 limit on a 7 day period.
Crystal
Overall, I am happy with Square’s service. So far, I have had no problems with funds being held. In general, the program works wonderfully, and I really like the register. However, the one time I needed help because the answer wasn’t available on their help page, I couldn’t find any way to contact Square. I had a customer call about a charge that showed up on his credit card statement but didn’t show up on our transaction history, so I couldn’t refund it. Square’s shoddy customer service makes mine look poor when I can’t do anything about it.
SM
Not a fan. We have charged $100,000s of dollars and when I needed service, I couldn’t get a phone call. A customer disputed a charge and my e-mails to Square resulted in return e-mails 1-3 days later that were unclear. I included in my e-mails MULTIPLE times “Please call me so we can resolve this in 5 minutes”…never got a call and it took months to get the issue resolved.
I would pass on Square. If you do go with them, MAKE SURE YOU NEVER DO A PHONE CHARGE AND HAVE EVERY CHARGE SIGNED. IF THERE ARE CONNECTION ISSUES, HAVE THE CLIENT DO A SIGNED CC SHEET AND IMPRINT THEIR CARD.
randy
We decided to try out square when we saw the product at a local apple store.BIG MISTAKE!!!!After 3 months of ok service they decided we were a high risk.They held over 10,000 dollars of our money.Customers got their products and are happy and square got paid.They stated that they could hold our funds for 180 days.Well its now been 185 days and quess what.When we inquired about when our funds would be released,4 days later we got a e-mail stating we are still a high risk and they would review again in 3 months.How is this allowed to happen is this America?
Daniel
If you get paid more than a couple thousand a month DO NOT USE THIS PRODUCT. I am fighting them at the moment about a VERY large amount of money being held for at least a month. Due to fine print policy. There No. is 1-415-375-3176 ext 181 took me a lot of foot work to even find this.
Reyn Mansson
I sell advertising. I did a bunch of $300 to $500 charges and they are went smoothly, never more than $2000 in a week I guess. Then I got an annual renewal for $4500 and discovered the over $2002 rule. They got the money from the clients card but were going to hold it for 30 days. After the ads would have run. No phone number, 36 hours to reply to email.
I cancelled the charge and then recharged $2001 and they locked that up for 30 days too.
I found Intuit Payment Solutions, they gave me a $15,000 limit and they have lower rates. With a $12.95 monthly fee they charge just 1.7% for swipes and 2.7 for key in charges
DO NOT USE SQUARE, Go search out GoPayment Intuit Payment Solutions.
J Greer
Negative review after negative review… What? You think it’s just a few rotten apples? Well then feel free to read yet one more negative review on Square. Is it easy and a convenient way for a small business to charge their customers? Yes. Would you think that in a service provider business where the sale is your services not an item that Square would perhaps be more protective that once services are rendered the Buyer should be disallowed from claiming they didn’t get the service? Well it seems not to matter. Seven months after providing services it appears a customer can dispute a payment and Square will, just like everyone states, immediately take the money right from your account with no forewarning or allowance for the business owner to provide proof of the services or contract for same. No warning. Zero, zip, nada. You provide the service. The customer receives it. You think you got paid but noooooo, think again….months later they snatch it right back when you least expect it or are prepared for it. But hey, the customer got the service and Square got paid. That’s all that matters it appears. Like others I disputed the charge back of thousands of dollars, provided contract documents to Square (after the charge back hit), followed their procedures and even provided written documents from the customer showing they did in fact approve of and receive the services. You would think that would be sufficient evidence right? Months later after disputing the charge back, here I still sit. Still waiting to see the return of the money earned at the first of the year. Oh did I mention I am also out the commissions paid to the sales agent on this? That is of course in addition to the money lost to Square. Will I recommend Square to anyone? NOPE. Have I used Square since? NOPE. Will I use it again? NOPE. If you can use another processor do it! Or better yet just take a check and cash it. My new method of providing services. You want services? Great. Cash or good check only please. At least with a bad check I have the local law enforcement to help out. Apparently business owners are the low people on the totem pole these days. No wonder there’s fewer and fewer jobs and our economy is a mess. Between the politicians and various financial muggers not much positive left.
MYP
I never seen anything like this before, square will have to change many things, specially customer service system and responds system to different claims or we will take them to court. I as a business owner of 3 different companies use them as my merchant services because of the convenience I saw in it but I now regret because funds are holding, funds are been withdrawn from bank account with out any explanation, takes weeks to get any response. We all ready looking into their Privacy Policy and Commercial Entity Agreement very carefully studying every detail. Hopefully judgement system will help protect small business owners from discrimination.
Daniel
Let me know what you find out because im in the same boat right now. Thanks.
paul
please let me know what happens been waiting over 30 days for funding from stupid square would like to sue the ……….out of them
Craig
Yes I believe this company is much too big to not offer a better customer service solution. Who ever heard of a bank that you cannot call? I believe this company is setting themselves up for a huge class action lawsuit. It also appears to me that monies held for excessive periods of time should be paid back with interest. Just my simple observations.
Vibhakar Modi
I signed up for Square for my small real estate business. I learned first hand what the elitist, pompous, Silicon Valley thinking and attitude is all about.
There is no phone number anywhere on the site to call, no cheap customer service people in India or Phillipines chat your problem away, and certainly no help on the most fundamental of all help topics: My Card Reader Does Not Work.
I think Square will disappear as a company (not by being bought out, but by being outdone by other more customer friendly companies) in due time. For now the pomposity and elitism seem to have won, but you know what, they have also got a rabid badmouther working against them now. This is a message to the 22 year old paper billionaires who, upon receiving 100 million in VC funding, start to imagine themselves to be sitting next to Gods. I wish they would understand that their riches and success depend on this one small thing in the entire process, called THE CUSTOMER.
Vincetta Thompson-Othman
I have lost all of my patience with Square. My husband and I operate 2 buisnesses 1 Taxi Cab (medallion owned) 1 Catering buisness which go to separate banks and secrete accounts. We unintentionally mixed up our devices which made the customer name different. Simple hahaha NOT!! I emailed my hard copy of the original transaction in March well in July they put a hold on my husbands account holding over $600 without warning. They want access to my account which the accounts are not linked. I have been waiting over 4 months for a resolution. BEWARE OF THE HELP DEPARTMENT BECAUSE THEY DO NOT HELP THE CUSTOMER. I AM FILING A COMPLAINT WITH THE BBB. WATCH OUT!!
Richard Affolter
Recenty began using Square and am mostly pleased, except the unavailability of actual support. Twice credit cards did not scan. Repeated swipes then went instantly to cash transaction, I cannot get someone to remove this from my records. Why would a specific credit card reader even use dash? Square needs to offer a way to contact a person to handle issues.
Mumtaz Wani
It is almost impossible to contact Square. There is no telephone number on their site. There is no company information and address. If they fail to deposit your money in the account how can you reach or sue them. Is it a scam?
Arnie
You can cell their number which I found online. It is (415) 375-3176. The automated computer basically hung up on me after providing me with an email address which is [email protected]/square_com I had a transaction that was supposed to be deposited into my account and never was. It says it was on the site and when I checked my bank statement, nothing. I’m waiting to hear back from them.
Robert Refugio
I have had nothing but problems with this Square company. charge a client a credit of over $3000. and Square went back and forth with me on line only, now 2 weeks later and not getting any of my money and no human contact i am not using them again. I still have not received my money.
Robert Refugio
Angela
I wish I would have known how horrible the “customer service” would be with Square Up before signing up. They are impossible to reach someone live and if they respond to an email within 24 hours, it usually takes 3-4 clarification emails to get a clear answer. I’m switching over to a new system immediately. It’s impossible to run a business effectively with such poor customer relations.
Tom's Service
The fee’s were not spelled out when I signed up to get a card reader. I had to do research to find that manual card number input charges 3.5% + .15. Also I did not know that they hold funds that are over a certain amount. I got an e-mail that a lesser amount would be issued and could not at first figure what that lower amount was. Checking your web site answered it. Not pleased with Square’s practices and no live support. Not a way to operate a company. I always had good relations with all my customers doing service work. May look into another company to do credit cards.
Thanks for your site.
Nikki Wilbanks
I have had square for about 6 months. I quit using it 2 months ago and now there saying someone from 3 months ago is disputing a charge. So they froze my BANK account and took out close to 300.00 and sent en email asking if I wanted to challenge this to email them and wait for a response. I tried to call but got hung up on. I didn’t read anywhere that they can freeze your bank account!! That is my money not there’s. I want to close my account with them after this is over but just like trying to talk to a person I cant find where that is possible. I don’t know what to do. I cant use my debit card for anything no groceries no gas nothing! Wtf I just might have to get a lawyer. Do not use square. Use intuit go payment.
cindy
Got it thought it would be great,,,that holding funds thing???? THE WORST! The Square is only good if you sell vegetables at a farmer’s market.
I sell big ticket items and a lot of orders over the phone so the whole concept falls short for me, because a lot of my sales are keyed in.
Now I am waiting 30 days for money I need now,
I might use it here and there with only cards present, other wise I am a slave to the old fashioned terminal.
so much for cutting costs in my small business and getting money into my account faster.
Derek Smart
Square started out awesome, but with 12,000+ of my deposits on hold with no disputes, refunds or credits make one wonder. We have had no issues with square since sept of 2011, all of the sudden and thru no fault of my own, my account is under review and they are holding my money. We have over 10 case numbers pending and all we get is a generic computer generated response. I would only recommend square to someone that might have an instance every now and then that they need to accept a credit card. Do not expect your money in a timely manner, especially I’d the transaction is significant . To Square, u suck!
Bill's Repair
Square is the worst decision we have made with this business! We had several transactions back in May with one of them over $2800, one for $500 and one for $51. They told us that we had exceeded their $2002 policy and that if we didn’t want our funds held we would need to refund the $2800 payment to the card holder (even though we had the legitimate charges for it and verbal permission from the card holder to run it). We did refund the $2800 payment that same day and took a different method of payment from the customer. That was May 20, 2012…here it is July 23, 2012 and we STILL have not been deposited the $551 payment that has been held for over two months now.
As stated by others, Square’s customer service is non-existent and they have REFUSED to answer my emails that have been sent weekly.
DO NOT USE THIS COMPANY IF YOU DO ANYTHING OVER $1000!!!!!!
~V~
BA
Just started with http://www.cardpaymentoptions.com/square_com on the advise of a JP Morgan Chase Business Banking Associate.
Seemed straight forward enough, all seemed well at first.
Now entire sales history with http://www.cardpaymentoptions.com/square_com (two transactions) is gone, no customer service and, of course, Chase has no response.
All software is up to date, FYI.
Will wait another 48 – 72 hours for some response from http://www.cardpaymentoptions.com/square_com. Sent multiple inquires. Nothing so far. (415) 375-3176 goes nowhere… some voice greeting “www.cardpaymentoptions.com/square_com” then goes to busy signal.
Things not looking quite right with http://www.cardpaymentoptions.com/square_com.
ugowak
I agree. The processing fee is a bit high but i do not mind due to no contract and most of my payments are checks
david k
i have a small auto repair shop in the redlands,ca area. square up is good in the beginning only. they have NO CUSTOMER SERVICE THAN CAN BE REACHED BY PHONE AND ONLY BY EMAIL. EVEN WITH EMAIL THEY WILL REFER YOU TO THE ONLINE WEB SITE HELP SECTION, THE COMPANY SUCKS, GO WITH INTUIT PAYMENTS BETTER BY 1000%
B.Johnson
Ive had Square for 6 months, & found it easy to use, & convienient. I have an ocasional need to accept credit cards for usually 1000 dollars or less. It does take a few days to have the money deposited into your account, but its no big deal.
However, I’ll NEVER use them again. They initiated a “chargeback” for almost $1000, over 3 months after the transaction was complete, with absolutely no explanation to this date (over a month now). For those like me who do not know what a chargeback is, its basically they reach into your bank account and rob you of your money without warning. Of course, when you try and contact them, there is no response, and no “human” to talk to. I personally got the e-mail run-a-round – basically a bunch of smoke up my —. I had no money in my account, so I was overdrawn by $1000, which meant more fees. My bank Chase, thought this was b.s., and replaced the funds, pending a dispute charge by myself, as Square repeatedly took THAT money, 3 times total!! Finally Chase got with it, & changed the account number, and it has stopped. All the while, Square’s e-mails keep coming,”sorry, we are working hard to resolve this issue for you” – what jerks! It turns out, the customer who I had charged the $1000 in the first place, decided 3 months later, that he would like his money back, and simply told his credit card company (American Express), and the rest is history.I definately felt that the time for any “disputes” with my $1000brother charge was long passed…..
DO NOT USE SQUARE if you are like me and cant afford to take a hit like this!
Mamaral
Squareup.com is the worst experience I ever could have had. They violated the trust we automatically give credit card processers, at least the trust I gave them. Shame on me. I had a customer that in my opinion, was trying to pull a fast one, get me services for free, get reimburse through their cc provider and also our company.
We were notified by square asked to respond, which we did. They immediate debited our account. Letting square know We decided to reimburse the customer, because it wasn’t,t worth the aggregation or potential negative reviews. We provided square with the information and a copy of the customer acknowledging receipt of payment from us and Sqare still has our company money weeks later. They stated the had the release from the other Big cc processing company and have not refunded us-customer has been paid over three months. Truly a unprofessional company with the worst customer service I have ever experienced.
They ruin it for other companies that are Internet virtual companies, by violating the trust factor, not making it possible to speak with them on the phone etcc I feel like they ripped is off and there is nothing we can do.
Still waiting for our money.
MARIO
We used Square on our online website because we were having trouble with paypal and we were trying to find a solution with Square but all we found was a $2415 on HOLD for the next 6 months thank you Sqaure.
i tried to call but a get a machine and then hangs up.
Dont ever used this type of card processing company.
Lisa Council
I am wondering how long it will take for the funds to be processed to my account, I never received the 10.00 that was redeemed for buying the square. Lets not start off on the wrong foot I am all for supporting but I dont need to be beat in the process
Mike Elliott
Square has been a nightmare. No phone support and their online support may not actually exist. Don’t use this company. Pay more to a company that can actually support you and stay away from Square.
Doreen D
I own a game ranch and needed a way of taking credit cards. Square seemed like the ideal thing, WRONG !!! With partial payments being received how are we as business owners suppose to buy the necessary things to run a business?. Someone needs to come up with a better idea as this one is NOT going to work. Maybe when and if this thing gets worked out in a positive direction it will be a good thing, I have over $5000 floating out there that I can not get my hands on.
Jon
After the confirmation deposit in my bank I thought I was ready to accept cc payments only to find after my first transaction of $2,500.00 with a swiped cc they wanted to confirm again.This time with 2 (instead of one like the first time) small deposits into my bank. I’m still waiting for this to happen so I can collect my payment!
marlene marshall
I felt surprised to find that Square charges 2.75 percent plus 15 cents which I did not know plus days before I even made my first transaction with the square .49 cents was charged to my bank account . Now I know that is not a lot of money but will they do that every week or month…..and if you multiply that by thousands of members.it does add up. I do not like their easy access to my account and it is hard to find a contact number.
Gene
The 49 cent withdrawl was the second step of Square verifying your bank account.
The first step was a 49 cent deposit. (+.49 – .49 = $0.00)
This isn’t a recurring charge, it occurs only when you add a new bank account to Square.
Steve Doriss
I used Square for the first time today and will not use it again. The card reader didn’t work with my client (although it had checked out prior to that,) and since I had to enter the card number, funds are being witheld for a month. This doesn’t work for me. And as others have mentioned, customer service is non-existent. I immediately switched to a company with a lower rate, 24/7 phone customer service and no witholding of funds.
Brian
I just ran my first square transaction yesterday at about 3:45 PM. Today at 11:30 AM the funds are in my online account showing as a pending transaction. They wihtheld the the 2.75% just as we agreed. This system is wonderful as compared to the prior processing company and the leasing company that I had rented my terminal from for $45 per month for 4 long miserable years. Square is helping me so much and is so perfect for my business that I just cannot say enough good about this. I love it!
masons limousine
Please deposit all my money. I have product and bills to pay. It’s been waaaaaasssy over 7 days since a deposit and yes it’s been under 2,000.00. I hate your company. I will encourage all my Facebook,twitter, yelp, instagram and clients to not use your services. It’s the worst. It’s not fair this company pays me it decides to. I have been in business for over 13 years and I have never know a company inconsistency that has been as poor as this square company. I’ve try to email and you send me every excuse. None in which reguarding to my deposited in my account. I sent the square account verification numerous of times and it keep saying “there are a few erroros”. I am a dissatisfied customer all around the least you can do to help me with depositing my money in my account ASAP. I can’t describe how disappointed I am in this company.
I am not happy with not being able to speak with a customer service. Also you send me an application after you have taken my money and now I can’t get my money because you want me to verify more information. This company should have asked me for all that information at first before you start accepting my payment, I just want my money deposited so I can move on.
Phillip CPO
Hi there,
Just to be clear; this is a review of Square, not Square’s website or help forum.
James
This company is LOUSY. Absolutely NO SUPPORT. You cannot get through on their “support” line. They do not answer emails. They hold your funds. They do NOT deposit within 24 hours as they are contracted to do,
They have MANY, MANY Better Business Bureau complaints.
Michael A
Terrible, non-existent customer service. Just got the device and attempted to register. Register failed due to a “domainerror”. The Square Ap offers no work around, no direct recourse, email or otherwise, for help with such registration glitches and I’ve waited now two days sans any response to my detailed error report to them. Now, after learning about their non-disclosure complaints, their F rating at BBB, their capricious, algorithm driven hold backs, I’ve decided to toss their reader in the trash and move on.
Brian
Even though I had previously used my Square, they wanted to re-confirm my bank account info, supposedly taking 1-3 days. After 5 days with ZERO communication from Square, I looked into it. Square has NO CUSTOMER SERVICE PHONE NUMBER. They don’t post one anywhere on their site, and the one that I found via Google search only gives you a recording with their web address!
The information that Square already had for my bank account and had successfully deposited with is now somehow inadequate. There has been no attempt to verify my account according to Bank of America. As it turns out, the info IS all correct, with the only discrepancy being that I didn’t include my middle initial under the name heading. Again, Square had already deposited successfully with this same information, and suddenly decided that it wasn’t good enough, not bothering to tell me while my funds from a client were frozen!
I like the flat 2.7% charge, but it’s hard for me to imagine that I shouldn’t switch to a slightly higher rate to ensure that I can actually get to my money! i usually appreciate and go with market innovators like Square, but if they can’t successfully administer their business and everyone else has caught up in terms of technology then they deserve to be passed up by established companies that understand customer service!
Scott
Square has indeed held up our deposit, but worse than that is the fact that we cannot even get them to refund the money to our client. We used them for one transaction and we won’t use them again.
kenetra maffett
Please deposit all my money. I have product and bills to pay. It’s been waaaaaasssy over 7 days since a deposit and yes it’s been under 2,000.00. I hate your company. I will encourage all my Facebook,twitter, yelp, instagram and clients to not use your services. It’s the worst. It’s not fair this company pays me it decides to. I have been in business for over 13 years and I have never know a company inconsistency that has been as poor as this square company. I’ve try to email and you send me every excuse. None in which reguarding to my deposited in my account. I sent the square account verification numerous of times and it keep saying “there are a few erroros”. I am a dissatisfied customer all around the least you can do to help me with depositing my money in my account ASAP. I can’t describe how disappointed I am in this company.
Please deposit my money so I can be done with your I don’t understand. I have been trying to send you my verified application but it keeps saying error. What government issued documentation. I just want you to deposit my money and I do not want to use your service anymore. I don’t like you this company conduct there service.
I am not happy with not being able to speak with a customer service. Also you send me an application after you have taken my money and now I can’t get my money because you want me to verify more information. This company should have asked me for all that information at first before you start accepting my payment, I just want my money deposited so I can move on.
This is my 10th email and 1st reveiw
Herbert Guinup
I am a mobile notary for 28 years in Tampa, Fl., I came accross Square through a neighbor who has a small business and shared his experiences with me in using Square. All positive!… I do alot of Notary Weddings, and find this added convience for my customers allowing them to pay with a credit card has increased my volume and bookings. My only complaint is tech support. In setting up my profile page both my logo and feature spaces are overlapping and I can’t seem to get them apart. Thanks Square for providing a means of taking credit cards without monthly fees. For a small business owner in the new economy, every quarter saved, helps…… I look forward to a long business relationship with you….
PLEASE HELP ME FIX MY LOGO AND FEATURE PROBLEM….
Thanks,
Erich
Successfully and happily used Square to process credit card transactions for three months and suddenly the terminal required me to make my location available. Likely through an update I had just done. I don’t NEED location tracking for any of my other software and I consider it an invasion of privacy to be FORCED to activate for a program I had already used for 3 months without activation. Tried to contact Company and realized all their support was self-help and no cust service phone number was available. Cancelled my account and signed up immediately with Go Payment through Intuit. Slightly higher percentage but the 24 hour live cust service is worth it. Just started with them. Hope they won’t disappoint me as quickly and severely as SQUARE
Check out Go Payment…..Cancel Square!!!
David
Unbelievably horrible custoemr service! Not only did they place a hold on the funds, but the hertofore mentioned 2.75% transaction fee jumped to 3.5% because we had to manually key in the card number. Even when the funds are deposited there is yet another ‘Transaction’ fee to do so. Despite emailing for the removal of the hold [which they ask you to do] no one has gotten back to us. When you call their phone number you are asked to stay on the line for assistance or dial the extension of the party you are trying to reach. Don’t bother becuase you are then transferred to a voice recording telling you to go on line and submit your question. Don’t try pressing “0” for the operator either! I tried that and pressed 1, 2, 3, and so on but it kept going back to the recording. I doubt we will continue to use Square unless someone calls and “Squares” away these issues.
Joe Cunningham
this company is a rip off and will hold your money after your clients have been charged and square up is paid hold time can be up to 30 days BEWARE OF THIS UNSCRUPULOUS COMPANY
dudley pratt
they have held mine for 56 days now
Douglas Hume
We used to be able to contact them on the customer service number . .they closed that back door for some reason and that concerns me … I also wonder why they have no “Void” option for a mis-run cc. Every other company I have been with has a void transaction option. A “Void” and a “refund” are two totally different things . .a void erases the transaction . .wile a refund is issued when the is a customer service issue.
I am nearing the end of my rope with square. I have been with them over 2 years and without direct access to a live human when I have an issue is inexcusable. They are a business and should have 24 hour support for those who need help or a way to have someone call you back immediately. My customer simply put the charge on the wrong card . .busy people do that . .now he might have to wait 7 days to get everything straightened out . . some people cant wait 7 days to have 500 put back in their account . . anyway . . If the do not fix this . .I will be looking for a new provider who is willing to answer customer concerns on a phone rather than trying to save money by doing everything over the internet . . .
Douglas Hume
Anthony Elwood
I thought I would update you on some contact information for your benefit. I was finally able to get a live person at Square. The telephone number is (415) 375-3176 x 219 is eventually a Live person (don’t leave a voicemail) . I sent them numerous emails, kind of an expose’ on their personal information, including the CEO’s home address …. ( Jack P. Dorsey, originally from St. Louis, Missouri) now lives in San Francisco, CA. I also made contact with Ryan Jones, the “compliance Officer..” I was able to ascertain their home addresses and other relevant and personally identifiable information. I also spoke to their legal counsel. That stated, they were more concerned about my giving out their personal information than fixing the issue. I switched to Intuit processing this morning, BTW. Of course, they intended to try and hold funds on some bullshit security concern, and I beat them to it once I read all of the reviews. There were no issues or complaints with my account. I telephoned Bank of America and their fraud department was able to simply take the money back, even before I requested that the refund be processed through Square, back to the client which paid me. When I did reach square, they actually tried to get me to process with them on a continuing basis. Wow. I also submitted the refund request through square, this way they cannot hold the payment as in the horror stories you’ve read on here, this way the client gets their money and they can re-pay me at a later date. SQUARE does not intend to change its policy and they plan to continue to unlawfully hold funds from hard working people like you and I. It appears to me that they are engaged in fraud, that is, keeping the money until the people eventually go away. Today, they met their match and even tried to threaten me with criminal charges..lol (for releasing their information).
Debbie Lehmer
Thank you, What do I do now? I just canceled my other debit service. They will not verify my bank
account and no $ has been transferred. I knew it was funny when I canceled my other service,
she did not say a word! Damn! Is there another phone service? I invested in new phone and internet access to have this Square?
Please, Help
Debbie
Jim McErlean
I have been trying to contact Square.Com for 5 days. There seems to be no customer support or any way to contact them, Their customer service number just hangs up on you. This is a very shoddy way to do business. This could be a great service , but it seems like they are really dropping the ball.
I have payments to process, but will not do so until I can speak to someone live. Email responses have come up to 3 days later , and then do not even address the problem. So you need to send another email and the result is a simple problem still unresolved after weeks.
Carrie White
Same thing here, I made a large “Swiped” transaction, money held, sent everything they needed and no response….NOTHING other than an automated message. Does anyone know of a way to cancel the transaction safely so I can go another route with the Customer? I cant even get them to respond!
Eric Johanson
THE SQUARE IS THE WORSE DECISION I EVER MADE! These jokers have held my funds for two weeks! I wish I could get an explanation. However, the customer service is so convoluted and rude I cant get any “square” answers. They say a “flat 2.7” its just not true they are adding in other costs and disguise other charges into visas cost on their bill. I hate them! I’m getting a merchant account next week. Any one know any good companies?
John M
Help anyone,
Here is my issue. Two weeks ago my I phone was stolen out of my truck and I use square for my merchant processing. Yesterday I received a call from one of my customers lawyers threating to file a law suit against me because I use square for processing and they are not PCI compliant or something like that. He stated that his client’s credit card info was on my phone and the people that stole my phone got his credit card info off of the phone. The customer of mine had over $9000 in fraudulent charges to his credit card and now he is stating that the credit card company is not going to cover them. The lawyer is saying that I am responsible for these charges but I don’t have that kind of money and my insurance company is no help. All I sold to this customer was some baseball cards for $75. Anyone have any suggestions, is this even true???? There would be no way the customer could know my phone was stolen, so that is why I kind of believe it.
Thanks John,
Phillip CPO
Hi John,
Based on my understanding of the Square app, it does not store credit card information on the phone and therefore the data can’t be stolen if you lose your phone. I would proceed with caution because it sounds like this could be some sort of scam.
Matt123654
Sounds fishy… Tread carefully! Be careful what you say, because it is up to the lawyer to find out the source of the leak. Don’t incriminate yourself in any way (telling them your phone was stolen definitely won’t help you!).
Square doesnt store credit card numbers on your device. He is right in that square is not PCI compliant, because credit card info isn’t encrypted when swiped. The only thing I can think of is if someone who has access to your phone installed a program/app to “listen” in on the square card swipes and store the card info (the card swipes are converted into simple unencrypted audio anyways!). Then that person could later plan to steal your phone once you’ve collected enough card swipes, giving them access to that cc data. That’s really the main risk w square I believe. Do you associate w any shady or potentially risky people that may participate in this sort of behavior?
Be very careful my friend. It is the responsibility of the merchant (YOU!) to ensure they follow pci compliance. Users of a non PCI Compliant device could be open not only to lawsuits but can also be held personally liable for any and all costs associated with a data breaches that result in credit card fraud. If you can verify that this is not some sort of scam but rather a serious legal issue, then get a lawyer! The lawyer will have to prove that it was your transaction with this individual that caused the cc data leak in order for you to pay the $9k. But, if other customers come forward and claim something similar, you will be in trouble, bc the cc companies will then be able to identify you as the source of the info leak.
Best of luck my friend.
Kirk b
We have been dealing with our current merchant for years we found out that square was cheaper than other merchants.we switched big mistake!!!!!! We have a plumbing buisness and our transactions are any were from $500.00 to $10.000 on a good week we were in compliance and have been in buisness fir 29 years .next thiing I know they say we are at high risk? And shut our services off and we have to wait 30 days gor our transaction funds to be deposited to our bank. This crazy!!!
lisa
BEWARE of Square Up. We use it for two of our companies. One company usually has charges of around $500,,,,and Square has worked every time. Our other company process much higher ticket items and we currently have $19k sitting in our Square account and no way to get the funds. SQUARE UP HAS NO COMPLAINT DEPARTMENT. It looks like everything is automated by email. I am done waiting on them and I am gonna talk to the Attorney General tomorrow. My advice is NOT to use this company,,,,,,the are deceptive and dishonest.
peter
Please ..Do You people actually read any of the disclosures…This system is not meant for large transactions, but Mom and Pop shops like deli’s, bake shops, and face to face businesses, not online businesses. just look at the commercials they run..and the type of business they’re showing .. really stop trying to make out its the company fault for doing what every one wants online protection for on face to face transactions… I process 10-30 transaction a day and never had any problems with next day deposits.
crystal
peter!! well good for you!! but Iam a smalll business..im a Hair stylist and i made up to $400 in deposits and my funds didnt hit my account!! i made sure my account was linked properly with Square..i recieved the “micro deposits so i know that my account is linked properly with Square!! they have my money that i worked hard for and SQUARE deserve to be sued!! people work hard to make money to provide for our families!! they dont even have a legit Customer service to help us out so it a fishy business!! you can continue to use them since it works for you!! but for us that has been frauded!! I NEED ANSWERS in why MY DEPOSITS DIDNT HIT MY ACCOUNT I HAVE A FAMILY TO TAKE CARE OFF!! not TO BE RIPPED OFF BY SOME SMOKEY MIRROR COMPANY THAT IS TAKING MY MONEY!!
Donna
I have used SQUARE for 2 years now….. Never had a problem I see face to face and do about $500.00- $1500.00 a day with no deposit problems…It is a breeze using them on my iPad . Love the square.
Jan
I’ve been using Square the past year for our farm. I don’t think we’ve ever had an individual payment over $100, and most are less than $30. We sell a lot at farmer’s markets and out of our greenhouse. Never had a problem, so far–knock on wood–and deposits are quick and without issue. I have to say that Square works well for our small transactions that are simply too few to warrant spending the $ each month for a regular credit card account. Frankly, I am surprised that folks would use it for large transactions, and not surprised that there are problems associated with those.
Larry
Quit simply this company sucks. They screwed up My VERY FIRST TRANSACTION! Because it was $3200 they sent a message saying that because of suspicious activity my account was on hold till they obtained verification from me. I sent them numerous items and none were good enough. They finally sent a reply saying that after review they decided that I was a high risk! AND you cannot contact them! They cost me the account and I am in the process of suing them.
Anna
Is there anyway we can all come together and lawyer up against this company . They are also holding my money . I did everything I was supposed to and still I’m denied access to recover my money, they got there’s so they could care less to give me what is mine:(
Erinn
I am a new business that accepts credit cards, unfortunately, I signed up with SQUARE. Square has been taking a $10.00 fee out of every purchase I charge, regardless of amount. I ran a card for $21.00 a couple days ago, they deposited the entire amount, then immediately deducted $10.00 from it. I will NEVER use Square again, ever. There is NO customer service, NO way to speak with a real person and NO way to get help without just scrolling through numerous other complaints…what a a SCAM! My review gives them NO STARS and an F- I am returning to Intuits GoPayment, they were AWESOME! low fees, phone customer service and free readers in unlimited amount…sorry I ever left them to begin with!
Jane
Square has been a NIGHTMARE to deal with! I had one client who decided to cancel her website after a month, and I wrote her a check to refund her. Well, she still went to AMEX to dispute it, then Square contacted me for the dispute and asked for copies of the check that I refunded her and I sent them, along with an email from the client acknowledging receipt of the check. Guess what? They took the funds out of my bank account anyway, and still have not refunded it to me as of yet! This is going on a few weeks, and a lot of very angry emails and responses are slow, phone calls go to voicemail… Don’t do it! Square will totally rip you off!
James
I have been dealing with the same, for$926 every couple of days they take out.
Ken
We really like Square…EXCEPT customer service. It is as bad as portrayed online. Almost zero way of contacting and the phone # just gives a 20 second “Thank you for calling. Visit our website.” then hangs up.
Jay Shew
ABSOLUTE NIGHTMARE IN PROGRESS…….
So i was fooled into using square like many of you before me. I was unaware of their hold on anything over $1,000 on keyed transactions, which is 100% my own fault for not reading the fine print. The part that sucks is that they HELD ALL THE MONEY >>>OVER 3,000<<<
That being said i thought i would receive my money after the 30 days waiting period.
After the long waited 30 days passed, i still had not received my funds. After numerous emails, i was contacted by someone requesting a government issued ID and invoices for my sales. FINE, i was pissed off that they didn't request this information earlier but WHATEVER.
I provided the information that they requested and had to follow up over and over and over for another week, until i got another email requesting my business registration. OKAY… WHY DIDN'T YOU GUYS ASK WHEN WE SET UP THE ACCOUNT?!?!? Let me remind you that its already been 40 days since the day of the transactions.
Realizing i had no chance to argue or fight these guys, i complied and forwarded them my information. After another week of emailing them over and over and over, i finally got a response yesterday (47 days from the transaction date). They sent me the below response:
Our Account Services team has concluded a review of your account and has determined it to be high risk. For security purposes, we have elected to deactivate your Square account. You will no longer be able to process transactions using Square.
Any funds currently in your account will be held for 90 days before being released to your linked bank account.
ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!??!?!?!? AFTER HOLDING MY MONEY FOR ALMOST 7 WEEKS YOU GUYS TELL ME THAT YOUR GOING TO HOLD IT ANOTHER 90 DAYS UNTIL YOU RELEASE IT???? THATS ALMOST 5 MONTHS!!!!!!!
THESE GUYS ARE CROOKS!!! SURE I MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN SO KIND IN MY EMAILS TO THEM, BUT WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO?!?!?
I HOPE THIS COMPANY BURNS IN HELL!!!!
(AFTER MY 90 DAYS ARE UP AND THEY RELEASE MY FUNDS)
Jennifer
Square does not deposit our money into our account the next day. If we go over our $2002 limit in payments taken the remaining amount in a 7 day period is held for 30 days! Yes 30 days! This is awful service considering one payment from a customer of ours can easily exceed $2002. We have about 10 angry customers because they have paid for their orders and its past the lead time but we have no money in our account to pay our shops for the completion of these orders. We have over $6000 on hold! We also cannot get new orders going because we cannot pay for the components of our product. To top off this huge inconvenience, When we tried to find a resolution or try to get an increase in our deposit limit I found it takes over 12 hours to get a response from their help desk. Awful Awful service! This situation has caused us to lose business and lose the faith of our clients. We will be switching to a service where we actually have an account rep that we can email directly and has a direct phone line, as well as doesn’t give us a limit of how much of our own money they will deposit into our bank account.
feathers edge painting company
Had the exact same thing happen to me with my customer. I gave them a full refund from my phone and had the client issue me a payment by check. There money will be credited to their account in a few days. I’ll never use this company again and will spend much time telling the world using face book and other media about Square Up. In the long run they’ll suffer more than any of us.
bob bangel
Square sucks!!!!! They have cost me more aggravation, money and time then they are worth. Answer the phone people. Your customer service stinks……
Velmaa Walker
My question is does anyone know how Square would deal with a non-profit fundraiser on one single night for $40,000.00 to $60.000.00? Should we use Square or another merchant account for this fundraiser?
Jay
Hey Velmaa,
I would highly suggest you use someone else. These guys will hold on to everything past $1000.00 for what could turn out to be months. They have had my 3,000 stuck for the last 45 days, and now they said they will take an additional 90 days to put the funds in my account.
Very good sales tactics, dont fall for them and have your fundraised money stuck for half the year.
Good Luck
dwight robbins
square has had my money for over 3 months and i cant even reach them, they are the worst company i have ever delt with!
Scott
Yes their are some complaints on PCMagizine’s website following the shining review they gave the company. In addition to never using square again, I will also never buy one of their magizines again. Shame on you PC.
Mono Loco
I signed up with Square because of their fee structure and speed of payment . My company uses First Data and Sega, but these processing companies hold the transactions for three days before they deposit it to your account, and there is a monthly fee. This is where Square is more affordable.
Everything went really well for me with the swiped cards, and I have heard of the 30 day hold on non-swipe limit over $1000.00 in a 30 day period. For this reason, as a small company, I used Square for swipe card only and there is no terminal charges.
Now, this is what I don’t get. I knew about their rules and requested for an increase in non-swipe amount due to the fact that I had over $3000.00 called in orders came in. Roberto who was the person I dealt with emailed me and said he had reviewed my account and now my non-swipe amount is now $2000.00. So, I was happy and took up to $2000.00 worth of non-swipe sales. Guess what? They emailed me and said they are holding the $1500.00 because I had exceeded my limited.
I emailed Roberto and asked why they are holding my money after they increased my limited. Roberto copied and pasted a block of answer from their website for me to read. Now, I had already read all that and requested an increase which Roberto emailed me and approved.
So, I emailed back asking why, and he said he will check into it, but never heard back from him again. I looked at my sales history and it says the money will be deposit in 30 days. Yes, $1500 is not much, but the idea that they hold your extra money after they promise you an increase is not correct.
Communication is really poor. Phone number does not work and all answers they give you if any are canned from their website. So don’t waste your time. If you can swipe a card go for it otherwise don’t.
Besides, their fees are not all that great. Today, most companies do not give any service that you paid. First Data outsources their answering service to India- have you even talked to the someone from India. I would rather not deal with it. Nothing personal, but I just don’t have the time.
Overall Square is way better than PayPal. PayPal is a thief. They can hold your money indefinitely and there is nothing you can do about it. They still have $1000.00 of my money, and no one is claiming any responsibility.
Square has no customer service, if you have a problem, lord and behold, get on your knee and say a prayer. It’s like a million to one chance that it will be resolved.
Howard
This company has me extremely frustrated. There is NO support. It had me reset my password by supposedly sending me a reset password within 24 hours. I’ve now asked 3x via email to do this and it’s a week later and I still can’t use my merchant account! The phone number I found via google is just a voicemail that doesn’t even let u leave a message. It cuts u off referring you back to email support which as described above isn’t answered either. What a fiasco.
Diana Bennett
I signed up for the card reader on June 19th. I was able to track the package to the post office the next day through UPS. Once it was delivered to the post office there is no way to track my device. I still have not received it and it is the 28th. Being Naive, I went to the square website to try to complain or at least contact someone to help with the problem. There is no telephone number or e-mail address anywhere that I could find. I need this device for a July 4th event so I am very frustrated to say the least. I’m not sure I should use the device if the other problems stated above are prevalent.
dan
I have never had such difficulty trying to find a phone number for any company I have ever worked with…at the end of the day, we are all judged on how we treat our customers and is obvious to me Square is NOT about customer service…whatever you do, do not make it convenient for a client to talk to anyone live…that would be well, too much like customer service. I think the C- is a very genorous grade. I am taking my business elsewhere.
shirley
my first experience with the Square was at a lost. I lost $51.00 because I did not get a signature from the customer on my phone but did on paper. i emailed the company and to no help from customer service, i stood at a lost for my money and help. i like the service but it really need a lot improving.
Charles durham
Square is a rip off since I contacted customer service 3 times they put my account on hold and isn’t depositing the funds for three months!
Donald ODell
Square is horrible. I have written them 6 times concerning one single issue and it seems they send automated responses that do not answer my questions. They do not read my messages that are not complicated. After a few transactions they asked for allot of extra information to “verify” my account that is ridiculous. Now I have pending charges they won’t pay to me. “Iffy” refunds and…exhaustion is setting in.
I will finish this transaction and run, run, run!
Terry Shields
Same exact thing just happened to me today also. As soon as they make my last deposit I’m gone.
marion barnett
Square has worked well for me UNTIL I wanted to call customer service and found I was unable to talk to anyone. This left me frustrated and wondering why a company would not have a customer service line. I will continue to use the service and pray I do not need to contact them!!
Jennifer
I would suggest changing. We switched to Pay Anywhere. The only difference is we pay $5/mo, we have a customer service line, tech support line, and a specific account agent. There is also no hold or limits for our transactions. We receive all of our money usually in one business day, two at the most regardless of the payment amount. The extra $5/month is worth the peace of mind of having our $$ available when we need it and having someone to call up if there is a problem.
O Randall
Theres no way to contact square but through e-mail, They do not respond back. My money has been on hold since May 2012. Same here every request they want i send in information. Now when i login in to account it sends me to the dashboard. I can’t even get into my account to fill out paperwork square say is needed before square (say) funds will be released (deposited)
Diana Bennett
Now they don’t even have an e-mail address published on their website. I looked everywhere for it.
Wayne Guy
You’ve got to dig deep but it is there…
lois b
While I’ve found Square to be very user friendly and innovative and have had no trouble having money depositied in my account, I have had disturbing problems with customer service. It is practically non exisitent. Beware of charge back disputes since customer service is a joke. It is donewith emails, often weeks in between correspondence, wiht no one who seems very knowlegable or who seems to care. Square sided with a customer who had no proof of his complaint. Square had little interest in my side of the story. I was appalled at how it treated me -their merchant.
I will definitly switch as soon as another competitor has a good system. For me, Intuit is not there yet.
Carol Johnston
My deposit for our school has not been reflected. No number to contact after 3 email attempts, and that State will be wanting to see it deposited and we have no deposit records at the bank for $4000.00 . I need someone to call us as this has placed us in a situation that should not have happened.
william lincoln
We used this system for a fund raiser and were approved and told that all charges would be deposited in our account. The one night event goes of perfect except for Square up. Now they are holding our money and making numerous requirements, some of which are not possible. There contact is non existent. We will see where this goes
Robert Werner
After 3 mo of using Square in my motel business:
Customer support, for all practical purposes, is non-existent. I have had trouble running a card because Square decided to break old versions of apps the second a new version is released. But they did not provide any warnings of this and no error messages identifying the problem.
Could not give a customer a refund due to Square software issue. The suggested giving the customer back the money via some other means. (Such a refund violates the Merchant Agreement.)
Square transactions are not recognized as valid for some government cards.
As a merchant, I need these issues resolved in real time. Unfortunately, their side-walk sale and art festival mentality is not suited for the commercial world.
To their credit: a complete analysis of all transactions on your merchant account. Have never seen anything like this with conventional processors. Never the less, I am looking for a more responsive company.
Gary Rex Erickson
We were having trouble with holding the connection, so had to run the card twice. We only got the charge to show once on our account but our customer was charged twice. If I credit it back I will lose my money. At this time they were going to talk to their bank and get back to us. This was our first time with the square and we are not very happy with it. We will see what happens this week. We may look at the intuit.
Gaspar
SCAM, SCAM, SCAM!!! Do not waste your money or time with these fxxxxx guys!
They have had a review of my account for the last 3 weeks, meanwhile my funds are being held.
I had processed several transactions until they decided they would like to hold on to my money for a while.
They sent me an email requesting EIN, Articles of Organization, Delivery Confirmation, Company Ads, All because of supposed unusual activity.
They claimed review process would take a day and my funds would be released accordingly. I faxed all the documents they requested and I still have not seen my money.
No phone number to call, customer response is non-existent, they hide behind fake help center on there website. You even waive your right to file class action law suit when you set up your square account and agree to there terms.
I filed a complaint with BBB today. Will post an update as it becomes available.
John Tackett
I’ve never had any serious problems before today, I lost alot of sales today because no matter what I did it would always time out, if it keeps happening I will have to go with someone else.
Brooke
This review was a huge asset to me. Thank you so much. After seeing other reviews, yours rounded out exactly what I needed to know and was straight to the point. Choosing square vs. other credit card readers was a big decision for the future of my business, so thanks again.
Kerri
My only advice to you is to stay far far away from this card reader! I have funds that have been on hold for over a month, and I cannot get any customer support. The only way to reach them is via email and you only get automated responses back. “Yada Yada we care about our customers…..blah blah blah”.
From the looks of it, they bit off more than they could chew. Our firm has decided to cease using this service. Don’t be surprised if you hear about them getting in a class action lawsuit. That is the direction they’re heading if you ask me!
I also plan on reporting them to the better business bureau. Save yourself the headache, I wish I would have read more about this before I got myself into an accounting nightmare. I thought this card reader was too good to be true when I got it, and I was right!
Margaret
I was initially thrilled with Square card reader. My first transactions were relatively small, so there was no problem. I got my deposits quickly and the fee was as stated. Recently, a client paid a large bill over the phone. Her card was not present; however, the charge was authorized and legit. First Square made me verify my account by providing documentation I didn’t need to open the account. Then, they authorized the transaction, and put about 15% of the funds in my bank account and are telling me I have to wait another month for the remainder of my payment. I have reviewed all of the advertising I received prior to opening the account and there is absolutely nothing said about withholding portions of my funds (especially, not withholding 85% of it!). I was promised that the funds would be in my account the next business day. Unless I get some resolution quickly, it’s going to be more like 6 weeks! That’s going to make my life pretty darn difficult until Square decides to let go of my money. There’s no phone number to call, so you can’t get a quick response (sorry Square, waiting 24 hours for an unhelpful email is not going to be enough for me). Unless I can come to some fast resolution with Square, I’m going back to my merchant service provider. They’re more expensive, but I’ve NEVER had to wait for my deposit from them AND I can call them 24/7.
Alex Car Sales
Hello before you get involved with square try to educate yourself about them as much as possible they let you charge all your clients and then never make the deposites into your bank account!! Then after you have that problem you literally can NOT get ahold of them by phone because the number never works!! you even try emailing them and they dont respond!! So before they steal your hard earned money in front of your eyes read up on them as much as possible!!
CharlieJ
This is the SAME exact thing that PayPal did to me a few years ago. It seems that they question a transaction and PERMANENTLY put your money on hold. PayPal still has over $6000 of my money — since 2004. Never released to me.
I complained to several states attorneys general, the FTC, the BBB and fraud.org. NOTHING was ever done. PayPal still has my money. I’m guessing Square is heading down the same path. Question a transaction and take your money — FOREVER.
It’s the same scam, under a different name. There is NO oversight and NO regulation of these businesses.
Rachel
Ive been waiting for square to deposit $40 dollars into my account for over 30 days. I sendo more than 20 emails, nobody answer!!! I dont know what to do anymore. Please someone help me!!!
Elisabeth LaMotte
A cardmember questioned a charge in mid March from her Discover Card to my Square account. When she realized she questioned it in error, she immediately contacted Discover and Discover contacted square requesting that they re-issue the charge. Here we are in mid June and they have yet to do so in spite of numerous calls from my the cardmember to Discover and my numerous emails to Square.
The really disgraceful thing is that there is absolutely no way to call Square. They pretend that there is, but the number directs you to their web site and then promptly disconnects you!
pete abele
as a seasonal small business owner, I have to say, over the past two months of using square card reader and square register, I’v been very shocked. No problems, almost all of my payments the CC is present. the next day the funds are transferred to my account. It doesn’t matter is if its $45 or $1500, If the cards present it’s transferred. I feel bad for people who didn’t read the information or are trying to use it for active internet businesses for which it wasn’t designed. All I can say is smarten up. It’s designed for small store front or walk-up businesses. I absolutely love square register is made it easier to train employees and reporting is a breeze. if any has questions please feel free to call and ask, i’m not an expert, but it works for me with less hassle.
Greg Figueroa
@Pete Abele what’s the percentage of business that you made by using Square vs. solely taking cash?
Velmaa Walker
Would Square be suitable for a non-profit fundraiser for one night, with charges between $40,000 and $60,000? Should we swipe or does it make a difference, other than fees, for recording these charges? Where do you read all this information about square’s policies? Thanks so much
john h
what are the TOTAL charges? I.e. are there interchange charges over and above square charges. We’ve found that the traditional firms charges get to about 5 to 6 % split about 1/2 each.
thanks,
Rebecca
I don’t want you to hate me either, I did so much research on a merchant service provider before I selected Square. I had read all the negatives, but had a friend who had used it in the same venue without a problem of any sort. So I took the plunge. So far, so good. Here is what I think makes it smooth for us….we are a private physical therapy practice, 90% of our patients pay with cash or checks and 90% are in the range of $100-160 per swipe. So for the 10% who do use a card there are no charges nearing the $1000 mark that appears to be causing so much havoc for folks. Additionally, for us, we had a low volume of people wanting to use their cards Square worked for us because we did not have to have a minimum amount volume per month and thus avoided the monthly fees. We also tag the 2.75% on to the client and therefore it is merely a vehicle of convenience for them. I simply have not had any issues…….. (yet !??#@!) I did email them regarding a status for FSA (flex spending accounts) and have not heard back from them, however, it hasn’t even been 24 hours. Who knows I may be back on here with a different story in a day or two. As a small business owner I hate to see folks in this predicament, lack of cash flow can kill you.
tony
please let us know an update on the FSA charges. We are a sleep center and just about to sign up and most of our charges will be from FSA cards. Thanks for the info
Pat Clark
Square has shown itself to be no responsive, unavailable, and dishonest. There is no voice communication available with Square personnel or management. Count on lots of boiler plate form answers.
Most of our transactions are by phone so the card is rarely swipped in the transaction, and that concerns them. The transactions are B to B. We had $3,000 of a $3,600 transaction held for 30 days without prior notice. Over the period of 10 days I explained the nature of our business, how fees are collected post transaction, and that we have not had a chargeback with our current processor in 7 years. We added Square as processor for convenience as I travel.. They agreed to move our unswipped transactions without hold for up to $5k per day. YET, less than a month later they are holding $2,600 of a $4,000 transaction for 30 days without explanation of hey have not responded o correspondence in three business days.
I have reached to the State Attorney General for support for actions that should not and will it be tolerated.
AVOID THEM!
Brian in NJ
I have been using square for about two months until about 1 week ago when I received an email stating that my account showed unusal activity and therefore all deposits have been suspended. The funny thing is that it also tells me in the same email, i can continue to charge my clients credit card but no deposits will be made to my account. This is RIDICULOUS…. They are currenly holding over 8000 of which 5k was due to me 2wks ago
I have sent several emails and the will not respond to none of them. I have contact the district attorney, and have a meeting on Jun 21 with my lawyer and telivision station about their behavior.
We have to take this further, than just emails and lawyers, this needs to be a national campaign for just, since they have started also advertising on major televisions as well.
Anyone wants to join this, please call me 201-364-4577.
Mersadies B~Philadelphia, PA
B. I will be calling you this upcoming week. I got my reader from the APPLE STORE, here in Philadelphia. I am contacting Apple’s corporate on Monday morning too. I am going to be making a lot of calls about this. I see u are in northern NJ. I am no too far. My number is 267 639 9400 (business line). If no answer LEAVE A MESSAGE, I WILL CALL YOU BACK FOR SURE.
Brian in NJ
Thanks for your reply…. I actually have a North Jersey number, but I live in south jersey. Only about 20 mins from Philly.
I wait to hear from you.
Lea
Apple will do nothing for you, it’s not our product. We didn’t make it, so your call will be futile. Don’t waste your time, I promise that’s all it will be.
Miss E
WOW! I am so upset that all of you have experienced these stammering issues! I am so glad my issue is less than $20. I am so thankful that I stumbled upon this before my business started getting in the thousand dollar range. This is sheer madness! Due to all of these comments I will be ceasing the use of Square as soon as this last payment is deposited. Its really sad that they have no regulation for companies like this so they would be required to have live customer service. I kept searching the site trying to find a number for my issue of my bank info change being declined and came up with nothing, which led me to check for Square reviews….Thanks for sharing your plights! Just know that there is such a good thing here with these comments, you are saving new business owners a world of headache. I will be posting on my facebook page and tweeting this info Shame on you Square and I wish all of you the best in your outcomes!
Elisabeth Soechting
BEWARE OF SQUARE!!!
It is my personal experience – and my suspicion that this is the company’s true “business” – that Square freezes customers’ money with dubious arguments.
I have only made 3 transactions with Square before the trouble started. A friend paid her contribution to my rent because she stayed in my apartment for over a month. And I swiped my own credit card to transfer money from my European bank account to my US one. This was actually one of the reasons why I got Square at the Apple store. I am always interested in new gadgets, and this one seemed handy and useful. When they sold the device to me, and when Square took my money, noone told me that I have to be a business, that all transactions have to have goods and bills – at the Apple store Square card readers are sold to naive customers like me without any explanation.
However, I immediately followed the request to undo the transfer of my own money. I had no idea this was against the rules ofSquare. But despite my immediate compliance, now the real action of the Square Security Department started:
First, an investigation that even for someone from Europe where privacy is not such a sacred good as here in the US, went much too far. What are the transactions for? How will I use Square? Scanned documents of my business (who told me ever that I need to be a business to use Square??? In fact, I have businesses but that’s not the point here.)
And second, “For your security, we have temporarily suspended deposits to your bank account. ” I have over $ 1,500.- in my Square account. For over a month, Square is profiting from the interests of my money, and causing a predicament for me, their customer whom they should serve instead of restrict. To me their statement not only sounds sarcastic – the only security risk to MY money is Square who has been withholding MY MONEY for months now!!!! – but like malversation.
Correspondence with the Square Support Team gives the impression as if these were virtual characters. They don’t even have full names.
The only thing I ever want to have to do with Square again is to get my money deposited and to close my account with them.
If there is, as I suspect, a large number of victims of this company’s malversations, I would be happy to find a way to take legal action against them. At least, I want to warn everyone to stay away from this system.
Mike Glass
Let me know what you find out, I’m desperate to get rid of these square crooks and get my money deposited as well…
Van
Square is a joke. no customer service and when i called it told me to use the online customer service which doesnt answer my question at all. Read a report just now that they have had over 120 complaints filed in 36 months. I will be deleting my account and bashing them on my website. Im a clothing designer and thought it would be easy to do transactions when im on the road. Another Scam here folks. dont get it
Linda Brawner
Terrible customer support. I have been waiting for a response to my email for over week. I keep receiving automated emails that make it appear that they have not read my email.
I was not aware of the $ 1000.00 rule until it was too late.
I am trying to make sure that they do not withdraw funds from my customer’s account. It has been a week and I still do not know if they have done so. I guess I will have to call my customer to find out.
I wish I could talk to a live person so that I could get this resolved.
I do not like doing business with a company I cannot talk to in person !
Iris
Don,t even think about doing business with this square credit card . They are the worst i have ever seen. They hold your money for weeks ask you for all kids of unnecessary paper work that shouldt concern them. they r holding my $5150.00 for 3 weeks now . i will newer ever do any business with them again.
James
DO NOT USE THIS SERVICE. Since May 21, 2012, I’ve been waiting for these folks to release my funds. They are currently holding $2275.00 . Square contacted me with a lame excuse they were concerned about fraud and asked me for all this information: IE: Business license, picture of my business location, and how long I have been in business, and a signed contract from buyer and his CC info, stating that the charges were legitimate. .
I sent all that with the following: A BANK LETTER FOR CREDIT for $250,000. A BANK LETTER OF GOOD STANDING WITH ENDORCEMENTS FROM BRANCH MANAGER, ASKING ANYONE TO CALL HIM TO VERIFY. A COPY OF MY CURRENT CREDIT REPORT, SCORE 854. A LETTER FROM THE CITY STATING THAT I WAS A BUSINESS IN GOOD STANDING FOR OVER 10 YEARS.
I am currenly considering sending them my FIRST BORN, with an American Birth Certificate, but that might not work.
The only other alternative I have is to go to the District Attorney, and have them do a retail theft investigation on Square.
PEOPLE DO NOT USE THIS SERVICE…..BEWARE: YOU GET NOTHING FOR FREE: They send out that little swipping machine, so they can STEAL YOUR HARD EARNED MONEY.
Kim
Has anyone been contacted by a sales rep named “Sunny” and had success answering questions and getting money deposited? We’re having this same issue all are writing about. We’re tempted to answer the questions and cross our fingers, but we’re fearful this Sunny isn’t a Square rep and is, in fact, fishing…
James
OMG
This is my first review
This is the worst company I ever had to deal with
NO phone support ???????
They ran my customers card and won’t transferoney to my account
Going through hell to refound my customers.
Joe Sobodowski
Strongly discourage anyone with $1,000 or more per week in transaction from using Square as a credit card processor. The company does not provide clear information about their policy of up to 30 day holds on release of funds to Merchants They do not provide direct contact for problem resolution. Very dishonorable company!
Carla Boyd
I can see why Square has a C- rating. YOU GET NO HELP FROM THEM!!! I have been trying since last week to contact them get some kind of answer from them. NADA! Nothing! I was trying to switch from Intuit to Square because with Square your money is deposited the next day. I think I can be inconveinanced with waiting a extra day. Intuit is so much more easier to navigate and when you need someone you can actually talk to a warm body!! Saying goes why fix something that isn’t broken. I’m staying with Intuit.
Rya Boyce
I completely agree with all of the other negative comments other merchants have made. This company is terrible, has no customer service, and is completely misleading about their business practices and methods of releasing payments to merchants. Currently, they are holding nearly $5,000 from our business in one of our busiest time of the year and we can no longer fill orders. I collected funds today from a client that I am not able to access for a month? In the meantime, I’ve had to use money from my personal bank account to fill client orders??? Absolutely ridiculous. I cannot even believe that this is legal. Does anyone have ANY advice on how to close your account and receive your funds? Future merchants DO NOT USE THIS COMPANY.
Dan Ferry
Take it to Twitter. It worked for me. State your case and accuse them of the fraud and malpractice that they engage in! They are @SqSupport and @Square
I gave them a public verbal lashing and had my refund processed in hours.
I had read the horror stories from this board and knew i had to take drastic action.
Roberto
Dan please call me @ 1-248-506-7493. I am have problems with the square getting my funds.
strikers detectors
Terrible the worst. Do not use they will keep every dollar you charge to them. I cannot believe this is legal for them to do this. No phone number and High fees They will change rate and not tell you. Then hold all your funds for 30 days or more. With out a reason..DO NOT USE!!!!!!! I HAVE FILED A COMPLAINT WITH THE MANY OTHERS WITH THE BBB.