Square vs Stripe vs Tyro: Which Payment Terminal Is Best for Australian Tradies?

and does not constitute financial, tax or legal advice. Always consult a

Getting paid on-site by card is increasingly expected by Australian

clients. A tradie who can only take bank transfer is increasingly at a

disadvantage when competing with businesses that offer tap-and-go

payment on completion. The question is which card payment solution to

use -- and for tradies in the field, the options have expanded

significantly.

This guide compares the three most relevant payment platforms for

Australian tradies: Square, Stripe and Tyro, covering transaction fees,

hardware costs, settlement speed, and which type of business each suits

best.

What You're Actually Comparing

Card payment for tradies involves two things: the physical terminal (or

the phone-based reader) and the payment processing platform behind it.

The platform determines the transaction fees, settlement speed,

reporting, and integration with your accounting software. The hardware

determines how you actually take payment on site.

Square

Square is the most widely used card payment solution among small

Australian tradespeople. Its appeal is simplicity: there are no monthly

fees, no terminal rental, and no lock-in contract. You buy the reader

outright (the Square Reader for contactless and chip is around $65),

connect it to your phone or tablet, and pay a flat transaction fee of

1.6% on every card tap or dip.

The Square Reader connects via Bluetooth and works with both iOS and

Android. The Square app handles payments, sends digital receipts, and

provides basic transaction reporting. Square integrates with Xero and

other accounting software, and settlements appear in your bank account

the next business day.

Square also offers more advanced hardware -- the Square Terminal is a

standalone device with a built-in receipt printer, suitable for tradies

who want a more professional presentation, though at a higher upfront

cost (approximately $399).

The 1.6% flat rate is competitive for smaller transaction values. For

high-value transactions (a $3,000 bathroom renovation payment, for

example), 1.6% is $48 -- which is worth considering against the cost of

waiting for a bank transfer.

Stripe

Stripe is primarily known as an online payment processing platform, but

it offers in-person payment through the Stripe Reader (approximately

$99) which works via Bluetooth to the Stripe app. Transaction fees are

1.7% for card-present transactions.

Stripe's main strength is its flexibility and its developer ecosystem --

it's extensively customisable for businesses that want to build payment

into their own software or website. For a tradie looking for a simple

tap-and-go solution in the field, Stripe's in-person offering is capable

but the setup is slightly more technical than Square's.

Where Stripe shines for tradies is online payment links -- you can send a

client an invoice with a payment link and they pay by card online

without a terminal present. This is useful for commercial clients,

interstate invoicing, or clients who prefer to pay from their computer

rather than on site.

Tyro

Tyro is a different proposition from Square and Stripe. It's an

Australian-founded specialist payments company focused on businesses

with physical presence, including hospitality, retail and professional

services. Tyro offers EFTPOS terminals that accept all card types

(including American Express), EFTPOS, tap-and-go, and even EFTPOS

cash-out.

Tyro's terminals are typically rented rather than purchased outright --

monthly rental starts at approximately $29/month -- and transaction fees

are typically in the 0.7-1.8% range depending on your monthly volume and

contract terms.

The Tyro Go app allows you to accept payments through your phone using a

Bluetooth reader, making it practical for field use. Tyro integrates

with major accounting platforms and settles the next business day.

Tyro's main advantage is often better rates at higher volume and strong

EFTPOS acceptance (some Square and Stripe readers have had issues with

traditional EFTPOS cards in the past, though this has improved). For

tradies doing frequent high-value transactions, Tyro's rate negotiation

potential at higher volumes is worth considering.

Transaction Fee Comparison

At 1.6-1.9% per transaction, card payment fees are not trivial for

tradies. On $30,000 of monthly card transactions, fees would be

$480-$570 per month. On $100,000 of monthly card transactions, that's

$1,600-$1,900.

Bank transfer costs you nothing in transaction fees and should remain

your primary payment method for large invoices. Card payment is most

sensible for:

• Smaller jobs where the convenience value outweighs the fee (under

$500)

• Clients who specifically want to pay by card for points or

convenience

• On-site completion of jobs where waiting for a bank transfer creates

awkwardness

• Situations where immediate payment is preferred over waiting for

bank transfer to clear

Surcharging

Under Australian consumer law, you're allowed to pass the card

processing fee on to the client as a surcharge, provided the surcharge

doesn't exceed your actual cost of acceptance. Many small businesses do

this -- "a 1.6% card surcharge applies" -- which effectively makes card

acceptance free to the business.

The surcharge must be disclosed clearly before payment is made and must

not exceed your actual cost. Some clients dislike surcharges; others

accept them as standard. If you choose to surcharge, make sure it's

disclosed on your invoices and quote documents.

Which One for Your Trade Business?

Square is the best starting point for most tradies -- zero monthly fees,

easy setup, reliable hardware, and clear flat-rate pricing. Start with

Square if you're new to card payments or have lower monthly card

transaction volume.

Stripe is worth considering if you want online payment links integrated

into your invoices, or if you're building a more sophisticated payments

setup for your business.

Tyro suits tradies with higher monthly transaction volumes who want to

negotiate rates, or those who need robust EFTPOS acceptance and are

comfortable with a monthly rental model.

All three are reliable, well-supported platforms. For most tradies,

starting with Square and reconsidering at higher volumes is the path of

least resistance.