Square mobile payments review vs CenPOS mobile payments
This Square mobile payments review focuses on the differences between Square and CenPOS, a fast growing payment processing platform. While they serve different markets, the contrast information will also help you in comparing other apps such as Payware mobile, or RoamPay. As a disclosure, your writer can offer most mobile applications to merchants, except Square.
| Square | CenPOS | Comments | |
| FUNCTION | Sale, refund for 60 days. Full refunds only. | Sale, void, repeat sale, auth, force, create token, return, credit. Tips and sales tax also shown. Robust reporting with 7 years data stored. Optionally automatically presents key entered transactions as MOTO so merchant is not required to have signed receipt, reducing chargeback risk, plus optimizes for lower credit card processing fees. | Square is a single user single account solution.CenPOS cloud is a scalable solution with remote use deployment and a virtual terminal to manage user permissions and access. CenPOS supports all sales functions any merchant desires, plus offers strict user permission controls, for example, blocking refunds if desired. |
| Payment processing | Requires Square payments | Works with all major credit card processors | If you have an existing merchant account, add CenPOS for a multi-channel payment solution for all your payment sources.If you do not have a merchant account. Square is a low cost way for the occasional credit card processing need such as lawn,and other small business services. |
| Deposits | Next day Card not present- if over $1000 in 7 days, then any amount over $1000 will be deferred deposit for 30 days. Deposits are net fees. | Processor dependent – usually next day or 2 days. Deposits equal sales less refunds. Fees are deducted via ACH once per month. | CenPOS does not control your deposits. Your merchant services provider does. Square nets fees from every transaction, making reconciliation more challenging. |
| Costs | 2.75% swipe, 3.5% and $.15 if key entered. No monthly fees, no start up fees, pay only if you use. | CenPOS- per quote, transaction fee, percentage fee, or some combination. Typical merchant cost is $100/mth and up. Processing- per merchant agreement. Average effective rate for wholesale merchants is 1.25% for swipe and 2.2% for key entered. | Square is simple and predictable, with no monthly fees, a perfect solution for the occasional small business or non-profit need. While it’s hard to estimate in broad terms for all vertical markets, it’s simple math for those knowledgeable about the complexities of credit card processing that over $500,000 in credit card revenue would fare better with CenPOS and a wholesale merchant account than Square. CenPOS merchant fees are drafted via ACH once per month. |
| HARDWARE | Small white mini-jack | IDTech readers including IDTech Shuttle, IDTech iMag Pro, IDTech UniMag II. Choose only encrypted magnetic stripe readers for PCI compliance. | A painful problem with the flimsy Square reader is the width is not conducive to a ‘good’ swipe. Merchants frequently have to swipe over and over before it’s read by the app. I personally observed this issue in a real sale situation. Additionally, users report they are flimsy and break easily.ID Tech recently added a new product for phone jacks (all Androids use phone jack card reader) that has a rubber piece that helps keep it from slipping. Droid mobile payments users have always lamented the slip problem for all brand readers. |
| Hardware cost | free online or $9.99 at retail stores, with $10 rebate | $35-139 | If you have an Apple product, choose a reader that plugs in to the bottom. Users prefer them to reduce retries and for the sturdier feel. |
| COMPATIBILITY | iPad, iPhone, Android | iPad, iPhone, Android, iTouch, PC, Mac | |
| EXTRAS | Claims consumers can also store cards (Card Case) to use at retail stores, but there are no stores advertising they accept Square. Supports Connect to cash drawer | Virtual Terminal, Dashboard, Retail signature capture, EBPP, Recurring billing, Online Payments | Square is a good option for contractors and small businesses with limited needs.CenPOS is a better solution for operations that include multiple payment acceptance points, including retail, online, key entered, kiosk and mobile. CenPOS is an entire PCI compliant payment solution that can be integrated with your software. Open source shopping carts, ERP, secure online pay pages and more. |
 Square uses the audio jack only. |
 IDtech imag pro, above, plugs into the power slot on an iPhone. It is shown with an unknown software screen.CenPOS mobile app screen below.  |
Comparing CenPOS and Square is like comparing apples and oranges. They are nothing alike, but they both have a place in the mobile payments space.
WHERE TO BUY
Square can only be purchased online at Square.com. It is not available through resellers or through any other source. They do not have an affiliate program.
CenPOS is sold through direct agents and resellers. There is also a referral program. Click here to become a CenPOS agent, reseller, or referral partner. Click here to become CenPOS customer or call the hotline at the top of this web page.
Tags: CenPOS, mobile payments, square
