Maroo and Square both support invoices and online payments, but they approach an event business from different centers.
Maroo focuses on wedding and event client finances, CRM, contracts, payment schedules, contractor payouts, and related tax-document administration.
Square combines invoices with a broad point-of-sale, hardware, appointments, marketing, commerce, banking, and operations ecosystem.
This comparison uses official sources checked August 21, 2026. Prices, processing rates, surcharge availability, plan limits, and features can change, so verify the linked pages and account terms.
The right choice depends on online versus in-person volume, card and ACH mix, fee allocation, contractor needs, and which platform should own the client record.
Maroo's Starter CRM and associated core features are free for businesses invoicing under $5,000 per month within published limits. Paid plans raise limits and lower published processing rates.
Square's current Invoices plans combine online and in-person payments with estimates, contracts, recurring invoices, reminders, reporting, and wider Square products.
| Workflow | Maroo | Square |
|---|---|---|
| Primary focus | Wedding/event client finances and contractors | Broad commerce, POS, and business operations |
| Free plan | Starter CRM/core within limits | Square Free; processing applies |
| Fee recovery | Eligible fee pass when configured | Limited card-surcharge beta plus service charges |
| POS/hardware | Not published | Reader, Terminal, Stand, Handheld, Register |
| Recurring billing | Recurring invoices; distinct from installments/Autopay | Recurring invoices and schedules |
| Contractor workflow | Payouts, W-9 requests, 1099 options | Not the same connected workflow |
| Appointments | Separate tool | Square Appointments |
| Plan | Price | Published fit |
|---|---|---|
| Starter | Free | Under $5K/month invoicing within limits |
| Business | $50/month or $600/year | Higher limits and lower published rates |
| Pro | Custom | Custom scale and terms |
| Plan | Price | Published fit |
|---|---|---|
| Square Free | $0/month | Core payments and business tools |
| Square Plus | $49/month per location | Expanded features and lower selected rates |
| Square Premium | $149/month per location | Largest included feature/support set |
Maroo Business is $50 per month, or $600 per year. Square Plus is $49 per location per month and Premium is $149 per location per month; Square Free has no monthly subscription. Review Square's current fee page because transaction categories and legacy account rates can differ.
Subscription cost and processing cost are separate. Compare the plan, payment type, transaction count, location count, and who absorbs or recovers each eligible fee.
Maroo's current payment page publishes card and client ACH rates by plan and supports passing eligible fees when properly configured.
If a Maroo Business user passes every eligible processing fee and absorbs no other transaction fee, the business-side cost is only the $50 monthly subscription, or $600 per year; clients pay the shifted eligible fees. Passing shifts the fee and does not eliminate it.
The old claim that Square has no fee-recovery option is outdated. Square now documents a U.S. credit-card surcharge open beta for eligible in-person transactions and Square Invoices on the web.
Square says surcharges apply to credit cards, not ACH, debit, tips, offline payments, or split tender, and are not supported on every Square channel. Square also documents separate service charges. Confirm the intended use, disclosures, card-network rules, and applicable law.
Large deposits make percentage fees visible, but ACH caps and surcharge eligibility can materially change the result. For example, Square Plus and Premium currently cap invoice ACH fees at $10 per payment, while Square Free does not list that invoice cap.
Square can fit businesses that combine invoices with point of sale, appointments, retail, marketing, or day-of transactions.
1. In-person payments. Square's hardware lineup includes Reader, Terminal, Stand, Handheld, Kiosk, and Register options, while Maroo does not publish a POS hardware product.
2. Appointment booking. Square Appointments provides online booking, staff calendars, reminders, deposits, prepayments, and resource-management options by plan.
3. Payment breadth. Square supports online and in-person cards, invoices, ACH, cash/check recording, Afterpay, wallets, and other methods with method-specific terms.
4. Commerce ecosystem. Square connects payments to point of sale, online selling, gift cards, marketing, loyalty, inventory, and other operational products.
5. ACH economics. The current invoice ACH rate is 1% with a $1 minimum; Plus and Premium list a $10 cap per invoice payment, and Square publishes separate Square Checking treatment.
6. Recurring and milestone billing. Square Invoices includes recurring invoices, deposits, reminders, and payment schedules, with plan-specific customization and batch features.
1. Free CRM/core workflow. Starter provides CRM and associated core features at no subscription cost within the published monthly invoicing threshold and limits.
2. Event-focused invoicing. Maroo's invoicing supports one-time invoices, installments, reminders, and recurring invoices. Recurring invoices are distinct from installments and Autopay.
3. Contractor administration. Maroo connects B2B ACH payouts within limits to individual and bulk W-9 requests and published 1099 preparation, e-filing, and mailing options.
4. Qualified fee passing. Maroo supports shifting eligible processing fees when properly configured; Square's current surcharge beta is narrower by payment type and channel.
5. Accounting and automation. Maroo publishes a QuickBooks Online integration plus Zapier, Make, and API options on applicable plans.
A business can use Maroo for client-financial and contractor workflows while using Square for in-person or commerce workflows.
Maroo can own:
Square can own:
A two-system setup needs an explicit system of record for contacts, contracts, invoices, payment status, refunds, contractors, and accounting. Square Free may be sufficient for occasional in-person use; do not assume both paid subscriptions are required.
Assumptions: 40, 100, or 200 equal $2,500 online card payments; Square Plus at 2.9% + $0.30 plus $588 annual subscription; seller absorbs fees. Maroo Business is $600 annually and passes every eligible modeled fee, with no other transaction fee absorbed. The example excludes surcharge recovery, ACH, refunds, disputes, international cards, hardware, and custom pricing.
The visual compares business-side cost under those exact assumptions. It is not a universal savings claim or a quote.
Square can be much less expensive when customers pay by capped ACH or when an eligible surcharge recovers card cost. Maroo's modeled business cost remains $600 only when every eligible fee is passed and no other transaction fee is absorbed.
Square can fit businesses that need in-person payments, hardware, scheduling, commerce, marketing, or a broad small-business ecosystem.
Maroo can fit wedding and event businesses that prioritize a free CRM/core workflow, event invoicing, qualified fee passing, contractor payouts, W-9/1099 administration, and published accounting or automation options.
Neither platform has a universal cost advantage. Square's capped invoice ACH and current surcharge beta can materially reduce seller-side cost, while the qualified Maroo Business fee-pass scenario leaves a $600 annual business subscription cost.
Test one representative online card invoice, one ACH payment, one refund, and one in-person transaction before deciding whether one platform or a hybrid stack fits.
Review Maroo's current plans, Square's current Invoices pricing, and the exact payment settings available to the business before migrating.
Can Square businesses add a credit-card surcharge? Square currently documents a U.S. open beta for eligible credit-card surcharges in Square Invoices on the web and certain in-person products. It does not cover every method or channel. Confirm account eligibility and current rules.
Is Maroo's CRM free? Yes. Starter's CRM and associated core features are free for businesses invoicing under $5,000 per month within published limits. Processing, contracts, tax documents, and other per-use charges can still apply.
Can a business use both? Yes. Maroo can manage selected client-financial and contractor workflows while Square handles point-of-sale or commerce needs. Define system ownership and reconciliation before connecting them.
Does Square support recurring invoices? Yes. Square Invoices lists recurring invoices and flexible schedules. Maroo also supports recurring invoices, which are distinct from installments and Autopay.
Last checked August 21, 2026. Verify current pricing, processing rates, surcharge eligibility, plan limits, and regional availability directly with Maroo and Square.
