Square

Square is a commerce platform that lets businesses of all sizes accept payments and manage their operations, famous for making it possible for anyone to take card payments easily. Square began by letting small merchants accept credit cards using a simple reader plugged into a phone, democratising card acceptance for businesses that previously found it too complex or expensive. It has since grown into a comprehensive commerce ecosystem, but its core mission remains the same: making it easy for any business to accept payments and run its operations, whether in person, online, or both.

The platform provides point-of-sale hardware and software for taking payments in person, the ability to accept payments online and through invoices, and a growing suite of tools that help businesses operate — including inventory management, sales reporting, customer engagement, appointment booking, and even financial services like business banking and loans. Everything is designed to be accessible to small businesses without technical expertise, with transparent pricing and easy setup, so a new business can start accepting payments and managing sales quickly. This combination of easy payment acceptance and operational tools makes Square a one-stop platform for many small businesses.

Square is used by small businesses, retailers, restaurants, service providers, and sellers of all kinds who need to accept payments and manage their operations simply and affordably. The value is accessible commerce: it removes the barriers that once made accepting card payments difficult for small businesses, and adds the tools they need to run and grow, all in an approachable package. For a café, shop, market stall, or service provider, Square provides everything needed to take payments and manage sales without complexity or large upfront costs. By making payment acceptance and business management accessible to everyone, Square has empowered countless small businesses to operate more easily and professionally, cementing its role as a foundational tool for small-business commerce.