Head to head
Razorpay vs Square
As a payments API, Square rates higher on the APIbenchmarks Index, 85.9 to 82.2, a 3.7-point gap. Here is how they compare on each criterion.
Criterion by criterion
| Criterion | Razorpay | Square |
|---|---|---|
| Documentation & DX | ||
| Reliability | ||
| Ecosystem & SDKs | ||
| Accessibility | ||
| APIbenchmarks Index | 82.2 | 85.9 |
Specifications
| Razorpay | Square | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | India-first developer payments suite | Omnichannel (online + in-person) payments |
| Free tier | Free test mode + no monthly fee; ~2% per transaction live | Free APIs/SDKs + sandbox; sellers pay per transaction |
| Pricing | Per transaction (~2% + GST) | Per transaction (2.6% + $0.15 in-person) |
| Official SDKs | 11 languages | 12 languages |
Is Razorpay better than Square?
On the APIbenchmarks Index, Square rates higher (85.9 vs 82.2). It leads on the four weighted criteria, but price is reported separately, so the best choice still depends on your budget.
Verdict in one line
Square leads by 3.7 points (85.9 vs 82.2) and wins 3 of 4 criteria.
Winner by criterion
| Criterion | Winner | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Documentation & DX | 82 | 86 | |
| Reliability | 80 | 86 | |
| Ecosystem & SDKs | 80 | 84 | |
| Accessibility | 88 | 88 | Tie |
Choose Razorpay if… / choose Square if…
- →your use case matches its focus: india-first developer payments suite
- →documentation & dx matters most to you (86 vs 82)
- →reliability matters most to you (86 vs 80)
- →ecosystem & sdks matters most to you (84 vs 80)
- →you need broad SDK coverage (12 official SDKs vs 11)
- →your use case matches its focus: omnichannel (online + in-person) payments
Pricing side by side
- Model
- Per transaction (~2% + GST)
- Free tier
- Free test mode + no monthly fee; ~2% per transaction live
- Standard (domestic)2% per transaction
- International CardsUp to 3% per transaction
- International Bank Transfers1% per transaction
- UPI QR Codes0.99% per transaction
- Subscriptions~0.9-1% add-on
- EnterpriseCustom
- Model
- Per transaction (2.6% + $0.15 in-person)
- Free tier
- Free APIs/SDKs + sandbox; sellers pay per transaction
- Square Free$0/mo
- Square Plus$49/mo
- Square Premium$149/mo
- Online API2.9% + 30¢
- ACH via API1%, $1 min, $5 cap
- Custom / EnterpriseCustom
Vendor-published pricing, verified 2026-06-27 (Razorpay) and 2026-06-27 (Square).
SDK and language coverage
Both · 7
Node.jsPHPPythonJavaRuby.NETGo
Only Razorpay · 4
AndroidiOSFlutterReact Native
Only Square · 5
Web Payments SDK (JavaScript)In-App Payments SDK (iOS)In-App Payments SDK (Android)React Native pluginMobile Payments / Terminal SDK
Strengths and weaknesses
- +Flat, transparent 2% pricing charged only on successful transactions, with no setup fee or annual maintenance charge
- +Best-in-class documentation and integration kits, repeatedly cited by developers as the easiest Indian gateway to integrate
- +Broadest Indian payment-method coverage: UPI, cards, netbanking, wallets, EMI, pay-later in one API
- –Customer support is the most common complaint, slow ticket resolution and repeated loops, especially during peak periods
- –Risk-driven settlement holds can freeze funds for extended compliance reviews, a recurring Trustpilot grievance
- –Transaction fees viewed as slightly higher than competitors like Cashfree and PayU
- +Single API and account unifies online, in-app, and in-person (omnichannel) payments
- +Transparent flat-rate pricing with no monthly fee, PCI fee, or minimums on the free tier
- +Broad payment-method support: cards, Apple/Google/Cash App Pay, ACH, Afterpay, gift cards
- –Risk-driven account freezes and fund holds with little notice are a recurring, serious complaint
- –Phone support limited to first 90 days; slow, hard-to-escalate help for complex issues
- –Flat-rate pricing becomes expensive at high volume versus interchange-plus processors
Razorpay vs Square: questions
- Which has better documentation, Razorpay or Square?
- Square scores higher on documentation and developer experience: 86 vs 82 out of 100.
- Which is more reliable, Razorpay or Square?
- Square scores higher on reliability: 86 vs 80 out of 100.
- Do Razorpay and Square have a free tier?
- Razorpay: yes (Free test mode + no monthly fee; ~2% per transaction live). Square: yes (Free APIs/SDKs + sandbox; sellers pay per transaction).
- How are Razorpay and Square priced?
- Razorpay: Per transaction (~2% + GST). Square: Per transaction (2.6% + $0.15 in-person).
- Which has more official SDKs?
- Square lists 12 official SDKs, Razorpay lists 11.