Square for Retail vs Zettle by PayPal
Side-by-side from the Top 11 ranking of The 11 Best POS Systems for Retail (2026). Last verified June 17, 2026.
The short answer
Square for Retail ranks higher on Top 11 (#3 vs #9) for Retail store owners choosing a point-of-sale system. The top choice for new retailers due to its powerful free plan and simple setup.
At a glance
| Square for Retail | Zettle by PayPal | |
|---|---|---|
| Top 11 rank | #3 / The 11 Best POS Systems for Retail (2026) | #9 / The 11 Best POS Systems for Retail (2026) |
| Score (out of 9.4) | 8.8 | 7.6 |
| Best for | Best for small businesses | Best for mobile payments |
| Pricing | $ ($0 to $60/mo) | $ ($0/mo) |
| HQ | San Francisco, USA | Stockholm, Sweden |
| Founded | 2009 | 2010 |
Square for Retail
The top choice for new retailers due to its powerful free plan and simple setup.
squareup.com/us/en/point-of-sale/retailZettle by PayPal
A simple and portable POS for merchants on the go.
www.paypal.com/us/business/pos-systems/zettleMethodology and scoring weights live at /methodology. No vendor pays for placement — see about.