Compare
Pavo vs Square
$35.30 against $52.15 in total fees on a $1,000 sale paid by link or QR, cashed out in minutes. Square’s fee per sale is lower. Pavo costs less in total because cashing out costs $0.
Fees on a $1,000 sale
US rates, cashed out to the bank in minutes.
| App | Fee per sale | Cash out in minutes | Total fees |
|---|---|---|---|
| In person, by tap on iPhone | |||
| Pavo | $29.15 | $0.00 | $29.15 |
| Square | $26.15 | $18.99 | $45.14 |
| By link or QR | |||
| Pavo | $35.30 | $0.00 | $35.30 |
| Square | $33.30 | $18.85 | $52.15 |
By tap you pay $15.99 less with Pavo. By link or QR, $16.85 less.
Square’s fee per sale is lower than Pavo’s. Pavo costs less only in total, because Pavo charges $0 to cash out in minutes and Square charges 1.95%.
Waiting for a standard payout? Square costs less. Standard payouts have no fee with Pavo or Square, so on a $1,000 sale you pay $26.15 with Square and $29.15 with Pavo by tap, and $33.30 against $35.30 by link or QR.
Instant cash out opens at your first sale. While you’re new it is capped: up to $100 a day until your first standard payout arrives, then up to $500 a day. Fine print
Common questions
Is Pavo cheaper than Square?
Only in total, when you cash out in minutes. Per sale, Square costs less: 2.6% + 15¢ per tap against Pavo’s 2.9% + 15¢. Square then charges 1.95% to cash out in minutes, and Pavo charges $0. On a $1,000 tap that is $45.14 in total with Square and $29.15 with Pavo.
When does Square cost less than Pavo?
When you wait for a standard payout. Square’s standard transfer has no fee, so on a $1,000 sale Square costs $26.15 by tap against Pavo’s $29.15, and $33.30 by link or QR against $35.30.
Do I need a card reader?
No. With Pavo, the customer taps their card or phone on your iPhone with Tap to Pay. On any phone or computer you can send a pay link or show a QR code. There is nothing to buy.
How fast do I get my money?
In minutes, if you cash out. In the United States, Pavo’s instant cash out is open from your first sale: up to $100 a day until your first standard payout arrives, then up to $500 a day until you have 90 days of sales with no disputes or fraud flags. Standard payouts arrive on their own: about a week for your first, then two business days.
What does it cost to cash out?
$0 with Pavo, standard or in minutes. Square charges 1.95% of the amount to cash out in minutes, taken after its processing fee. Standard transfers have no fee with either.
Is there a monthly fee?
No. Pavo is $0 a month, with no contract and no minimum. You pay only when a customer pays you.
Fine print
Comparison: what a seller pays on a $1,000 card sale, then cashing the rest out to a bank in minutes. Pavo today: 2.9% + 15¢ per tap with Tap to Pay on iPhone, 3.5% + 30¢ per pay link or QR code, no fee to cash out instantly. Square, $0-a-month plan: 2.6% + 15¢ per tap, dip or swipe, 3.3% + 30¢ online, and 1.95% per instant transfer. Square’s instant fee is taken on what is left after the processing fee. Square’s standard transfer has no fee. Square Checking holds sales right after each payment with no transfer fee; the table counts money sent to your own bank. Published US rates, checked October 28, 2026. Square is a trademark of Block, Inc. PayPal is a trademark of PayPal, Inc. Pavo is not affiliated with either.
For US sellers, Pavo’s instant cash out is open from your first sale. It sends $10 or more to an eligible bank or debit card, up to 3 times in 24 hours: up to $100 a day until your first standard payout arrives, then up to $500 a day until you have 90 days of sales with no disputes or fraud flags. Standard payouts have no fee either: about a week for your first payout, then two business days in the United States.
See also Pavo vs PayPal and all of Pavo’s fees.