# Stripe Terminal alternatives

Title: Stripe Terminal alternatives

Description: In-person payments from the providers in this directory that actually publish a card-present rate. Read November 9, 2026. Source pages linked.

Terminal is Stripe's in-person product. You only need an alternative if you are leaving Stripe entirely, or if the hardware and the point-of-sale software are the thing you wanted in the first place. Square is the direct answer for most small merchants.

## What does Square charge in person?

**Square** is the direct answer for most small merchants. In-person on Square Free is **2.6% + $0.15**, read from Square's US pricing page. The reader, the register, and the processing are one buy. That is the point.

## What does Shopify charge in person?

**Shopify** has in-person rates by plan. On Basic, the US table says **2.6% + $0.10**. You are also buying Shopify.

## What does Helcim charge in person?

**Helcim** publishes an in-person margin of interchange **+ 0.40% + $0.08** at the base tier, and it sells its own reader and smart terminal. Hardware prices are on Helcim's pricing page ($199 for a reader, $349 for a smart terminal). Helcim fits if you already wanted interchange-plus for the online book and you would like the counter on the same statement.

## Who is not a Terminal replacement?

Adyen and the enterprise acquirers do point of sale for large chains. They are not a Terminal replacement for a single shop.

Frame does not publish a card-present hardware program on the pricing page we read. It is not a Terminal alternative.

## Questions

### What does Square charge in person?

Square is the direct answer for most small merchants. In-person on Square Free is 2.6% + $0.15, read from Square's US pricing page. The reader, the register, and the processing are one buy. That is the point.

### What does Shopify charge in person?

Shopify has in-person rates by plan. On Basic, the US table says 2.6% + $0.10. You are also buying Shopify.

### What does Helcim charge in person?

Helcim publishes an in-person margin of interchange + 0.40% + $0.08 at the base tier, and it sells its own reader and smart terminal. Hardware prices are on Helcim's pricing page ($199 for a reader, $349 for a smart terminal). Helcim fits if you already wanted interchange-plus for the online book and you would like the counter on the same statement.

### Who is not a Terminal replacement?

Adyen and the enterprise acquirers do point of sale for large chains. They are not a Terminal replacement for a single shop.

### Where were the figures on this page read?

The sources list names the pages. This edition was read on November 9, 2026. Stripe's US domestic card rate in that reading is 2.9% + $0.30, and a dispute received is $15.

## Sources

Last verified November 9, 2026.

- Stripe pricing: https://stripe.com/pricing?ref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.stripealternatives.com

## Related

- [Stripe Identity alternatives](/stripe-identity-alternatives.md)
- [Stripe Tax alternatives](/stripe-tax-alternatives.md)
- [Stripe Connect alternatives](/stripe-connect-alternatives.md)
- [Stripe Radar alternatives](/stripe-radar-alternatives.md)
- [Stripe Billing alternatives](/stripe-billing-alternatives.md)
- [Alternatives to Stripe products](/stripe-products.md)
- [Stripe alternatives directory](/index.md)
- [Stripe pricing and US card fees](/alternatives/stripe.md)