- Pros: Looks stylish. No contract. Simple fees. Cheaper than most tills. Very user-friendly.
- Cons: Purchase cost too high for some (but financing available). Only works with Square’s POS software and card processing.
- Choose if: You don’t want to use a commercial-grade tablet for the point of sale and prefer the simplicity of Square.
Overview
In brief
What is it?
Our opinion
In detail
Pricing
Tech specs
Software features
Customer support
What is Square Register?
Square Register is a complete point of sale (POS) terminal with a large touchscreen for the till software and detachable, customer-facing card terminal. It is an elegant piece of equipment designed by Square, though the style is clearly inspired by Apple.
Register includes free POS software that can be upgraded to more specialised Square POS systems. You don’t need an iPad or other commercial-grade tablet – instead, you benefit from having a dedicated POS terminal that people would not steal, and cashiers can only use it for Square’s own features.
Photo: MobileTransaction
Square Register is a two-part tablet register and card terminal.
The card terminal is a mini tablet in its own right, but with slots for chip and swipe cards and NFC technology for contactless payments. The screen turns into a keypad when a PIN is required, and can display things like transaction totals.
Square Register only works with Square’s own payment processing and POS software, but can integrate with a cash drawer, receipt printer and more. You can also view online sales, access click-and-collect orders and accept online payments, so there is no need for a separate computer to manage your business.
Prefer a card reader with iPad app? Learn about Square Reader
| Square Register criteria | Rating | Conclusion |
|---|---|---|
| Product | 4.8 | Good/Excellent |
| Costs and fees | 4.1 | Good |
| Transparency and sign-up | 4.8 | Good/Excellent |
| Value-added services | 4.5 | Good/Excellent |
| Service and reviews | 4 | Good |
| Contract | 5 | Excellent |
| OVERALL SCORE | 4.5 | Good/Excellent |
There’s good value in having a checkout that only works for that purpose. Consumer tablets are attractive to steal, but Square Register doesn’t have consumer apps. Its card machine, pay-as-you-go card processing and free POS software with complimentary online tools are other benefits that a small business can save money on.
“It was just really straightforward for us to unpack Square Register, set it up and run the software from the get-go. A real joy to use.”
– Emily Sorensen, Senior Editor, MobileTransaction
The main question is whether Square’s software is sufficient for your retail or hospitality business. You’re “stuck” with Square features on the Register, so make sure the POS system has all the features you need before the purchase.
Best for: Merchants preferring a no-contract, all-in-one POS and payments system with online selling tool included.
Square Register pricing
There is no contract with Square and no account creation fee when signing up.
You just purchase Square Register upfront for $1,099 including GST, or $92 with GST per month in interest-free instalments over 12 months. It also comes with a two-year guarantee.
| Cost | |
|---|---|
| Square Register price | Upfront: $1,099 incl. GST Interest-free instalments: $92 incl. GST/month for 12 months |
| Shipping | Free |
| Account | Free setup, no contract lock-in |
| Monthly fee | None |
| Transaction fee | 1.6% per card payment |
| Refunds | Transaction fee is retained |
| Chargebacks | Free |
| Bank transfers | 1-2 business days: Free Instant: 1.5% fee |
There are otherwise no monthly fees for the hardware or Square Point of Sale software installed on the Register. All card transactions – regardless of the type of card being used – cost 1.6% per transaction to process. There are no extra transaction charges for foreign, premium or corporate business cards.
If you want specialised software features, you can subscribe to free or paid retail, restaurant or appointment POS systems from Square, which can be used on Register.
| Register software | Subscription fee* |
|---|---|
| Square Point of Sale | Free |
| Square for Restaurants | Free: Free Plus: $129/mo per location |
| Square for Retail | Free: Free Plus: $109/mo per location |
| Square Appointments | Free: Free Plus: $40/mo Premium: $90/mo |
*Including GST.
Chargebacks and processing refunds are free.
“Square merchants really value the Instant Transfers option when they need funds straight away after card transactions.”
– Emily Sorensen, Senior Editor, MobileTransaction
Standard settlement, where transactions reach your bank account in 1-2 business days, is free. If you want funds instantly, an additional fee of 1.5% is applied.
Square Register: tech specs
Square Register is a purpose-built, 13.25“ touchscreen apparatus with a crisp-clear screen for the POS interface and detachable, customer-facing card terminal with a touchscreen as well. The whole thing weighs 1.8 kg with a total height of 25.4 cm.
It uses an Android operating system, but you can’t access consumer Android apps – only Square software. Register connects to the cloud over WiFi or an Ethernet cable for the software and card payments to function.
It accepts card payments via chip, contactless and swipe from Visa, Mastercard, American Express, JCB, eftpos, Apple Pay, Google Pay and Samsung. And if you don’t want to pay the transaction fee, it’s now possible for new users to add a surcharge to transactions to recoup the fee.
Photo: Square
The card terminal can attach to the back.
The card terminal at the front can be placed on the main Register facing the customer, or detached and placed closer to the customer.
At the moment, it is limited what you can display on the terminal screen. It adapts to the payment method required, guiding the customer to insert a card or tap the screen, becoming a PIN pad when relevant. During transactions, payment amounts show on the screen.
When it is not in use, your company name and logo can be displayed.
The Register kit comes with a 1-metre cable between the main body and card terminal to keep them paired, but you can buy a 2-metre cable for $15 + GST. The (included) main power cable has to be plugged in at all times.
Photo: Square
Square Register works with a cash drawer, receipt printer and barcode scanner.
Compatible receipt printers, barcode scanners, scales and cash drawers can be connected with Square Register. These can be bought from the Square website or other point of sale stockists. You can also use Square Terminal as a portable terminal connected to your Square account, but this works independently from Register.
Photo: MobileTransaction
Square Stand (left) doesn’t have a tablet, whereas Square Register (right) is a tablet register.
An alternative point of sale (POS) register is Square Stand, but this requires an iPad for the POS software. The stand has built-in contactless and chip card reading capabilities instead of a separate card terminal like Square Register. They both look great on a countertop, and we think they would elevate an ordinary point of sale to a smart, modern-looking checkout experience.
Point of sale software
With Square’s POS software, the Register really comes to life through the colourful, user-friendly interface designed to make sense even for new users.
The following POS systems work with Square Register.
Square Point of Sale: Free app with general features for all sectors. Features include product library, customer library, employee accounts, sales reporting, split bills, eGift cards and much more. Learn more in our Square review.
Square for Restaurants: Free and paid plan for restaurants. Features include table management, order management, service charge settings and much more. Learn more in our Square Restaurant review.
Square for Retail: Free or paid plan for retailers. Features include useful stock management tools, vendor management, exchanges, the option to print barcode labels and more. Learn more in our Square Retail review.
Appointments: Free for one user and monthly plan for several users. Ideal for appointment scheduling, managing rooms or resource bookings, combined with a POS interface.
Register cannot be used with non-Square software, so you need to be sure that the above software is sufficient for your needs long-term.
The cool thing about Square is its many integrations with online tools like payment links, an online store, email invoices and QR codes that can be printed for touch-free ordering. With these, you can adapt to store closures and remote payments easily, while all transactions are recorded in Square’s sales reports along with in-person sales.
Customer support
While other Square users can only phone the Australia-based customer support on weekdays between 9am-5pm (Melbourne time), buying a Square Register includes 24/7 helpline support. You can email the customer service team, but it may take a couple of days to receive a response through this channel.
Since Square Register is a new product in Australia, user reviews of it are limited to the US where it has been offered for a few years. Our general impression is that merchants are happy with Square Register, citing its user-friendliness, cool looks and thoughtful features.
A potential downside is that you’re dependent on Square’s available software features, so if the company lags behind on features you want, there’s nothing else to do than wait for it. The US is further ahead with the rollout of features.
