PayPal vs Square
PayPal vs Square, compared side by side on 21 data points: what each one does, how big it is, what it has raised, the tech running each site, and what users report. We score both out of 100 on traction, team and visibility: PayPal is on 77/100 and Square on 67/100.
Where each one leads
PayPal
- our overall score: 77/100 against 67/100
- headcount: 36,810 against 55
- funding raised: $9.9B against $10.0M
- LinkedIn following: 1,680,583 against 380
Square
Leads on none of the measures we hold for both companies.
At a glance
| Measure | PayPal | Square |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | A global leader in digital payments, enabling individuals and businesses to send, receive, and manage money online. | An all-in-one financial services platform providing point-of-sale systems, payment processing, and business management tools. |
| Category | Fintech, Payments, Digital Payments, Embedded Finance | Fintech, Payments, Fintech & Payments, Digital Payments |
| Sells toBusiness model | B2C | B2B |
| Offering | Platform | Platform |
| Founded | 1998 | 2009 |
| Headquarters | San Jose, United States | San Francisco, United States |
| Status | Active | Active |
Size, funding and growth
| Measure | PayPal | Square |
|---|---|---|
| Employees | 36,810 | 55 |
| Total funding | $9.9B | $10.0M |
| Latest round | Series D | Series A |
| Valuation | Not published | $30.0M |
| LinkedIn followers | 1,680,583 | 380 |
StartupHub scores
Our own 0-100 ratings. They measure company strength and site quality, not which product suits you.
| Measure | PayPal | Square |
|---|---|---|
| StartupHub scoreOur 0-100 rating | 77/100 | 67/100 |
| Traction | 60/100 | 52/100 |
| Team | 70/100 | 60/100 |
| Community | 8/100 | 8/100 |
| Search visibility | 58/100 | 44/100 |
| Quality | 90/100 | 78/100 |
| Agent readinessHow well an AI agent can read and act on the site | D (57/100) | D (56/100) |
| Domain ratingLink authority, 0-100 | 95/100 | 93/100 |
Technology
Detected on each public site, so it reflects the marketing stack as well as the product.
| Measure | PayPal | Square |
|---|---|---|
| CDN | Not detected | Cloudflare |
| Frameworks | Tailwind CSS, Bootstrap | Tailwind CSS |
| Payments | PayPal | Square |
What users say
| Measure | PayPal | Square |
|---|---|---|
| Reddit sentimentThreads we track | Not published | 0 positive, 2 negative across 3 threads |
“After two years of processing payments, with zero notice, and zero reason given Square closed our account Saturday in the middle of the day. I wish I could say we are alone, so many folks have posted on the BBB that this makes me think that”r/smallbusiness
PayPal vs Square: common questions
Which is better, PayPal or Square?
On our 0-100 score PayPal rates higher (77/100 against 67/100). The score weights traction, team, visibility and profile completeness, so it reflects company strength rather than which product suits you. We compare the two on 21 data points above: read the rows that match what you are buying for.
How do PayPal and Square compare on the numbers?
PayPal leads on our overall score (77/100 against 67/100), headcount (36,810 against 55), funding raised ($9.9B against $10.0M), LinkedIn following (1,680,583 against 380).
What do real users say about PayPal and Square?
Square: 0 positive and 2 negative mentions across 3 Reddit threads we track, mostly in r/smallbusiness.
Read the full PayPal review and pricing or the Square review and pricing. You can also browse other PayPal alternatives we track.