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PayPal vs Square
January 14, 2024 | Author: Sandeep Sharma
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PayPal is an international e-commerce business allowing payments and money transfers to be made through the Internet. Online money transfers serve as electronic alternatives to paying with traditional paper methods, such as cheques and money orders. PayPal is the faster, safer way to send money, make an online payment, receive money or set up a merchant account.
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Accept credit cards on your iPhone, Android or iPad. Send invoices free with Square Invoices. Signing up for Square is fast and free, and there are no commitments or long-term contracts like with alternative services.
PayPal and Square are both prominent digital payment platforms, but they differ in their approach and target audience. PayPal is a widely recognized online payment system that allows individuals and businesses to make electronic transactions, including purchases, money transfers, and payments. It operates on a global scale, supporting transactions in various currencies and offering additional features such as buyer and seller protection. On the other hand, Square is a financial technology company that provides a suite of services tailored primarily for small businesses. It offers a range of solutions, including hardware and software for point-of-sale payments, online payment processing, inventory management, and invoicing. Square focuses on empowering small businesses with tools to facilitate payment acceptance and streamline operations.
See also: Top 10 Online Payment platforms
See also: Top 10 Online Payment platforms
PayPal vs Square in our news:
2024. PayPal launches Tap to Pay on iPhone for business
PayPal has announced the rollout of "Tap to Pay" for merchants utilizing iPhones through the Venmo and Zettle applications in the U.S. This feature, facilitated by PayPal, enables businesses to accept contactless card and digital wallet payments directly on their iPhones without incurring extra expenses or requiring additional hardware. Following its introduction for Android phone merchants eight months prior, Tap to Pay allows merchants not only to accept payments from cards or digital wallets such as Apple Pay or Google Pay but also to incorporate taxes, receive tips, issue receipts, and process refunds seamlessly. PayPal assures that funds from transactions are promptly deposited into the merchant's Venmo or PayPal Zettle account. For each sale via the tap-to-pay method across Zettle and Venmo, PayPal applies a charge of 2.29% + 9¢.
2024. PayPal to pilot new AI-powered updates including Smart Receipts
PayPal is incorporating AI-driven personalization features. Among the introduced enhancements is the "CashPass" cash-back program, known as "Smart Receipts," which offers personalized recommendations, improved checkout and guest experiences. Additionally, the company is rolling out Venmo improvements tailored for small businesses and a new merchant offers platform. The CashPass feature within the app provides customers with access to a multitude of personalized cash-back offers, utilizing AI to curate recommendations based on individual shopping behaviors. Users can easily click on preferred offers, shop at the respective brand, and complete transactions using PayPal. The app will regularly present new offers, encouraging users to check for updates frequently.
2023. PayPal launches PYUSD stablecoin for payments and transfers
PayPal revealed its own stablecoin, named PayPal USD (PYUSD), designed for facilitating payments and transfers. Issued by Paxos Trust Company, PYUSD is secured by U.S. dollar deposits, short-term U.S. Treasuries, and comparable cash equivalents. The stablecoin's gradual rollout to U.S. customers represents a groundbreaking move by a major U.S. financial institution. Eligible U.S. PayPal users can now engage in various transactions using PYUSD, such as transferring it between PayPal and compatible external wallets, making person-to-person payments, funding purchases at checkout, and converting supported cryptocurrencies to and from PYUSD. PayPal emphasizes transparency by disclosing exchange rates and associated fees during cryptocurrency transactions, including crypto checkouts.
2021. Square acquires buy-now, pay-later company Afterpay for $29 billion
Square has reached an agreement to acquire Afterpay, an Australian buy-now, pay-later service, in an all-stock transaction valued at approximately $29 billion. This acquisition stands as one of the largest in Australian history. Square has announced its intention to incorporate Afterpay into both Cash App and Seller. Cash App facilitates payments and money transfers for customers, while Seller caters to retailers. Following the integration, Cash App users will have the ability to manage their Afterpay payments directly within the app, and Seller merchants will be able to offer Afterpay as a payment option to their customers.
2020. PayPal to let buying and selling cryptocurrencies
PayPal has received a conditional BitLicense from the New York State Department of Financial Services and has collaborated with cryptocurrency company Paxos to introduce a new service. This development enables PayPal users in the United States to purchase, hold, and sell cryptocurrencies. Additionally, PayPal has plans to expand this service to more countries in the future. Initially, the supported cryptocurrencies will include Bitcoin, Ethereum, Bitcoin Cash, and Litecoin. Users will have the ability to connect their PayPal accounts to engage in buying and selling cryptocurrencies.
2020. Square acquires inventory management company Stitch Labs
The financial services, merchant services aggregator, and mobile payment company Square has acquired Stitch Labs, a company that specializes in inventory management software. Square, which is widely used by over 33.5 million small businesses for various purposes like accepting credit card payments, tracking sales and inventory, and obtaining financing, aims to enhance its Seller ecosystem by incorporating Stitch Labs' expertise. Currently, Square's functionality falls short of providing a complete inventory and order management system or fully meeting the needs of advanced Stitch Labs users. However, there is potential for Square to expand its software capabilities in the future with the assistance of the Stitch Labs team. In the meantime, we have compiled a list of the best alternatives to Stitch Labs that are currently available on the market.
2018. PayPal Checkout improves personalization
PayPal has unveiled an innovative checkout technology designed for e-commerce websites, enabling the dynamic presentation of the most suitable payment method for individual customers. Instead of cluttering the checkout page with multiple payment options, PayPal Checkout now features "smart payment buttons" that adapt and display the appropriate set of choices based on each customer's location and preferences. This empowers retailers to seamlessly incorporate alternative payment methods, including local wallets and country-specific options, alongside the traditional PayPal button, offering a more tailored and convenient payment experience.
2018. PayPal integrates with Gmail and other Google services
Earlier this year, Google consolidated its payment services into a unified platform called Google Pay, aiming to streamline transactions across its ecosystem and encourage increased usage. Building upon this, Google has now announced a significant integration with PayPal. Users who link their PayPal accounts to their Google Play accounts will have the convenience of making payments and settling bills through PayPal without the need for separate logins or leaving Google services. This deep integration, expected to launch later this year, will encompass popular apps such as Gmail, YouTube, Google Store, and any services utilizing Google Pay. Not only will it support payments, but it will also facilitate peer-to-peer transfers. This collaboration aims to enhance user experience, making transactions seamless and effortless within the Google ecosystem.
2018. PayPal acquired Square of Europe - iZettle
PayPal is making a significant move to strengthen its position in point-of-sale transactions, small businesses, and international markets, aiming to compete with Square, Stripe, and other payment providers. The company has officially announced its acquisition of iZettle, a Stockholm-based payments provider often referred to as the "Square of Europe," in an all-cash deal valued at $2.2 billion. Similar to Square, iZettle has successfully established a strong presence in the point-of-sale market by offering a card-reading dongle that seamlessly connects with smartphones or tablets. This has enabled smaller businesses, previously deterred by high card processing costs, to accept card payments. iZettle has also expanded its services to include various financial solutions for these businesses, ranging from inventory management to loans. By acquiring iZettle, PayPal aims to enhance its capabilities and broaden its reach in the evolving payment landscape.
2018. Square acquired website builder Weebly
Square, renowned for its payment software, has announced its acquisition of Weebly for a sum of $365 million. Weebly specializes in providing user-friendly website-building tools primarily tailored for small businesses and e-commerce companies. The company has successfully secured $35.7 million in funding. Square's objective in acquiring Weebly is to establish a unified solution that caters to entrepreneurs seeking to establish a robust online and offline business presence. This strategic move will also facilitate Square's global expansion, given that 40 percent of Weebly's 625,000 paid subscribers are based outside of the United States.
