Feature by feature, for a pet store
| What a pet store needs | GetPetStorePOS | Square for Retail |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $39/mo per store | Free plan; Plus about $89 per location per month |
| Card payments | Works with your own processor | Square Payments |
| Food repeat orders / subscriptions | Built in | Not a core retail feature when checked; via other Square products or apps |
| Grooming bookings | Built in (Shop & Groom) or add-on | Separate product (Square Appointments) |
| Pet profiles with notes | Several pets per customer, notes at checkout | Customer notes; no pet records |
| Lot & best-by dates | Built in, oldest lot sold first | Not built in when checked |
| Loyalty | Included | Paid add-on (Square Loyalty) |
| Online store | Auto-generated, included | Square Online (free and paid plans) |
| Arabic / Urdu screens | Yes | No |
| Sold in UAE / Pakistan | Yes, AED and PKR pricing | Not available there |
What Square for Retail does well
A fair comparison says where the other option is stronger.
- A genuinely free starter plan
- Very polished hardware and payments in one
- Huge ecosystem of add-ons and integrations
Which one should you pick?
Pick GetPetStorePOS if…
- You groom or plan to
- Food auto-ship is a big part of your sales
- You need best-by dates on food
- You want to keep your own processor
- You trade in the UAE or Pakistan
Pick Square for Retail if…
- You want a free plan above all
- You already use Square Payments and like it
- You do not groom and sell few consumables
Switching? Read how to move your products and customers. Other comparisons: vs Lightspeed Retail · vs Shopify POS · vs Gingr.
GetPetStorePOS vs Square for Retail: questions
Is Square good for pet stores?
Square works well for small general retail and has a free plan. Pet-specific needs — pet profiles, food subscriptions, best-by dates and grooming in one place — need extra Square products or apps. GetPetStorePOS includes them.
Is GetPetStorePOS cheaper than Square?
Square’s free plan costs nothing per month but uses Square’s processing. Square for Retail was listed as “Free plan; Plus about $89 per location per month” when we checked; GetPetStorePOS Shop is $39 and Shop & Groom $69, with loyalty and grooming included.
Can I keep my Square card reader?
Square readers work with Square’s own software. With GetPetStorePOS you use a processor and terminal of your choice and record the tender at the register.
Can I import my products from Square?
Yes. Export your item library from Square as a CSV and import it; our onboarding team maps the columns for free.
Does Square track expiry dates?
When we checked, lot and expiry tracking was not a built-in Square for Retail feature. Check Square’s current feature list before deciding.
Which is better for grooming?
GetPetStorePOS puts the grooming book and retail on one ticket. With Square you would use Square Appointments alongside the retail POS.
When was this comparison checked?
Prices and features were checked on 18 October 2026 from Square’s public pages and third-party listings. Vendors change prices often — check before you buy.
Can I try both?
Yes. Square has a free plan and GetPetStorePOS has a 30-day free trial with no card.
See the difference with your own catalogue.
Send us an export from your current POS and we will show it running in GetPetStorePOS on a demo.
30-day free trial, no cardNo contract — cancel any timeReply within 1 business day