ALTUpdated 2026-10-18
Looking for a Square alternative for your hardware store?
Store owners look for a Square alternative when the catalogue grows past a few thousand items, contractors want tabs, or the store is outside the US.
- 01Selling the same item by box and by piece
- 02Contractor accounts with credit limits and pay terms
- 03Bin locations for big catalogues
- 04Choosing your own card processor
- 05Selling in the UAE or Pakistan
Square alternatives worth a look
Hardware Store POS this site
Per-store pricing from $59/mo; units and sub-units, contractor credit and terms, rack-row-position, quotations, online store; USA, UAE and Pakistan; Arabic and Urdu.
Pricing →
Lightspeed Retail
Strong inventory and multi-store; priced per register tier.
We don't make this one. Check their site for current plans.
Paladin POS
Hardware-focused US system; quote-based, per-user pricing.
We don't make this one. Check their site for current plans.
Moving off Square, in short
- Export products, customers and stock from Square to CSV.
- Map the columns into our import template (we help on Yard and Branches).
- Import, label one aisle, ring test sales.
- Run both for a week, then switch on a quiet day.
Q&ASheet set · FAQ
Square alternative questions
- What is the best Square alternative for a hardware store?
- It depends on what pushed you away. For pack units, contractor terms and bin locations at a published per-store price, Hardware Store POS fits; for other needs, Lightspeed Retail or Paladin POS may suit better.
- Why do hardware stores leave Square?
- The usual reasons: selling the same item by box and by piece; contractor accounts with credit limits and pay terms; bin locations for big catalogues.
- How long does switching take?
- A prepared item file imports in under an hour; most stores run both systems for a week, then switch on a quiet day.
- Will I lose my sales history?
- Products, customers, balances and stock move across. Old sales history usually stays as an export or report from the old system for your records.
- Is there a free trial?
- Yes, 21 days, no card to start.
- Is this list biased?
- We make one of the products listed, so yes, read it knowing that. We list the others with honest notes and dated prices so you can check them yourself.
- Can I keep Square for card payments?
- Square processing is tied to Square's POS. With Hardware Store POS you use a processor or bank of your choice and record card payments at the till.
- Can I import my Square items?
- Yes. Export items and customers from Square to CSV, then map them into our import template. See switching.
Bring your export. We'll map it with you.
Send a Square export and we show you, on a demo, exactly how it lands in Hardware Store POS.
21-day free trial · no card to start · no contract