Comparison
WaffleInvoice vs Square Invoices
Square Invoices is the invoicing module that sits on top of Square's payments + POS ecosystem. It's free to use, with payment processing baked into Square's card-acquiring network. WaffleInvoice is a standalone invoicing tool: invoicing, Stripe-Connect payments, recurring billing, estimates, and a client portal - and stops there. This page is for service operators trying to decide between staying inside the Square ecosystem or going standalone. Where Square wins, we will say so plainly.
Quick verdict
Who should pick which?
Pick WaffleInvoice if...
You're a service business that doesn't take in-person card payments. You want branded invoicing with your own Stripe account, recurring billing, SMS reminders, and a real client portal - without committing to Square's payment ecosystem.
Pick Square Invoices if...
You already run Square POS, Square Appointments, or Square Online. You want one ecosystem for in-person + invoice payments and one dashboard for both.
Why we built WaffleInvoice
We built WaffleInvoice for service businesses that don't want their invoicing tool wedded to one payment processor. Square Invoices ties you to Square's processing rates (2.9% + 30c online, with a higher rate on Square Invoices Plus features); WaffleInvoice uses Stripe Connect, so you keep your own Stripe account and Stripe-level pricing. If you're already running a Square POS, Square Appointments, or Square Online store, Square Invoices is the obviously easier choice - the data already lives there. If you're starting from zero and don't need the in-person/retail/POS pieces, that ecosystem becomes overhead.
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See if it fits your workflow in under 5 minutes. Free tier is unlimited invoices, forever.
Create your free account →Side-by-side feature comparison
Where Square Invoices wins, we say so. Anything else would get penalized by Google and wouldn't help you make a real decision.
| Feature | WaffleInvoice | Square Invoices |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free forever (Pro $19/mo) | Free (Plus $20/mo for advanced features) |
| Free tier - unlimited invoices | Yes | Yes |
| Branded invoices | Yes (no watermark) | Yes (Square branding on free tier) |
| Square's free tier invoices include Square branding; removing it / full custom branding lives behind Square Invoices Plus. | ||
| Card payments | Stripe Connect - you keep your own Stripe account | Square processing - 2.9% + 30c online, tied to Square |
| Standalone Stripe means you keep processor choice and negotiate your own volume rates. | ||
| Recurring invoices on free tier | Pro tier (built in) | Recurring lives on free, milestone / scheduled on Plus |
| Estimates / quotes | Yes | Yes |
| SMS payment reminders | Yes - built in (Pro) | Limited - email-first |
| Dedicated client portal | Yes - clients see all past invoices and estimates in one place | Pay links per invoice; no unified portal |
| Customer-facing branded experience | Your brand front and center | Square brand alongside yours unless on Plus |
| In-person card payments / POS | No - we're online-only | Yes - Square Reader / Terminal / Register |
| Ecosystem (POS, Appointments, Online store, Payroll) | No - invoicing-only | Yes - full Square suite |
| Instant deposits | Standard Stripe payouts (2 business days) | Yes - Square Instant Transfer (fee applies) |
| Multi-location / staff permissions | Lightweight team support (Pro) | Yes - location-based roles, deep permissions |
| Loyalty / gift cards / marketing | No | Yes - Square Loyalty, Square Marketing |
| Setup time if not already on Square | Sign up and send your first invoice in minutes | Square account + processing approval |
| Vendor lock-in if you ever leave | Low - Stripe Connect, export to CSV/PDF | Higher - payments, POS, appointments all live in Square |
Pricing and feature info reflects each vendor's publicly listed plans as of May 2026. Square Invoices is a trademark of its respective owner. We are not affiliated with Square Invoices.
Try WaffleInvoice free — no credit card
Free tier is unlimited invoices. Pro is $19/mo and adds recurring billing, Stripe payments, SMS reminders, time tracking, and automation. Cancel any time.