Zeller and Square are the two names most Australian small businesses weigh up when they want simple card payments without a bank contract. Both are pay as you go, both skip monthly fees and lock-ins, and both ship hardware you can be trading on the same day. The difference comes down to the rate you pay and how much else you want the provider to do.
Pricing and rates compared
Zeller's headline is a flat 1.4% in person, including on American Express, which undercuts Square's 1.6%. On $15,000 of monthly card takings that is roughly $30 a month back in your pocket before you count anything else, so a cafe or shop that takes most payments at the counter will usually pay less with Zeller.
Online flips the comparison into a maths problem. Zeller charges 1.7% plus $0.25 a transaction, while Square charges a flat 2.2%. The break even sits near a $50 order: above it Zeller is cheaper, below it Square's no fixed fee structure wins because the 25c hurts small baskets. The calculator above lets you set your in person and online split and your average transaction so you can see which way your own numbers fall. Both providers refund chargebacks for free, so that is not a deciding factor between them.
Who each one is built for
Zeller is the Australian all rounder. Alongside the terminal you get a free business transaction account and card, so it doubles as light banking, which appeals to owners who want their takings, account and card in one place at the lowest counter rate.
Square is the ecosystem play. The same account runs a free online store, invoicing, payment links, appointments and a full POS, so a business that sells across a counter and online, or wants one system for everything, gets more from Square even at the slightly higher in person rate.
Australian support and settlement
Both are built for Australia and settle to an Australian bank account, with next business day settlement as standard. Zeller settles into its own bundled business account, which is part of why it appeals to owners wanting banking and payments together. Both provide local support, and neither ties you to a fixed term, so switching later is low risk. Settlement timing and support quality are close enough that they rarely decide the choice on their own.
Switching and getting started
Because there is no contract either way, moving is simple: order the hardware, create the account, and start taking payments, usually within a day. If you are leaving a bank terminal, keep it active for a short overlap so you are never without a way to take cards, then return it once your new device is settling reliably.
Hardware and support
Zeller's terminal is a full standalone device with its own screen and receipt printing options, where Square's $65 reader pairs to a phone or tablet. That is why Square is cheaper to start but Zeller feels more like a dedicated till out of the box. Both offer local Australian support.
Pros and cons for this matchup
Zeller wins on the in person rate, Amex parity at 1.4% and the bundled business account, but starts dearer on hardware at $99. Square wins on the cheapest entry reader at $65 and a far deeper online and POS ecosystem, but its 1.6% in person and flat 2.2% online cost more for counter heavy, larger ticket businesses.
The verdict
If you take most payments at the counter and want the lowest rate plus a built in business account, Zeller is the pick. If you sell online as well as in person, or you want one provider for your store, invoices and POS, Square's ecosystem makes it the better all rounder despite the slightly higher in person rate. Set your real split and average transaction in the calculator above to confirm which is cheaper for you.