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# Stripe or Square: Which Payment Provider Should I Use?

# Stripe or Square: Which Payment Provider Should I Use?

Fleetwire takes renter payments through **Stripe** or **Square**. Both handle the basics: card payments at checkout, payment links, invoices, and refunds. Stripe has more rental features, especially **security deposit holds** and **saving the renter's card** so you can charge it later.

**Short answer:** if you want to hold deposits or charge for tolls, damage, or extra days after the trip, choose **Stripe**. If you already run your business on Square and want all your sales in one place, Square works. You'll just charge deposits and refund them afterward.

Fleetwire doesn't add a fee on top of either one. You pay only Stripe's or Square's own processing fees.

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## Side by side

| | Stripe | Square (Beta) |
|---|---|---|
| Card payments at checkout | ✅ On your booking page | ✅ Renter is sent to a Square payment page |
| Payment links and invoices with a **Pay** button | ✅ | ✅ |
| Full and partial refunds from Fleetwire | ✅ | ✅ |
| **Security deposit as a hold** (not a charge) | ✅ At checkout, on payment links, and on invoices | ❌ The deposit is charged with the rental, and you refund it after the trip |
| **Authorize now, capture later** (Booking Capture Mode) | ✅ | ❌ |
| **Save the renter's card and charge it later** (tolls, damage, extra days) | ✅ | ❌ Send a payment link instead |
| ID verification with [Stripe Identity](https://help.fleetwire.io/en/article/setting-up-stripe-identity-in-fleetwire-3nbsc4/) | ✅ | ❌ Needs a Stripe account |
| Charges in your company currency | ✅ | ✅ |

---

## Why deposit holds matter

With a **hold**, the deposit is set aside on the renter's card but not charged. When the car comes back undamaged, you release it. There's no charge or refund, and no processing fee on the deposit. If there's damage, you capture some or all of it.

Card holds last about 7 days, then expire automatically. For bookings made further ahead, take the deposit at pickup instead. See [How to Authorize and Capture Credit Card Holds](https://help.fleetwire.io/en/article/how-to-authorize-and-capture-credit-card-holds-nioofs/) and [Set Up and Adjust Security Deposits](https://help.fleetwire.io/en/article/set-up-and-adjust-security-deposits-1h3shjc/).

With Square, the deposit is charged along with the rental. To return it, refund it from the booking after the trip.

### Charge the rental and hold the deposit in one payment link (Stripe)

When you send a payment request from a booking in the dashboard, turn on **Hold security deposit**. The renter pays the rental and the deposit is held on the same card, all from one link. The pay page shows what's charged now, what's held, and how long the hold lasts.

---

## Connect only one provider

Connect **either** Stripe **or** Square, not both. When both are connected, Fleetwire uses just one of them for checkout, payment links, and refunds, and you can't choose which. That can send payments somewhere you don't expect.

**To switch providers:**

1. Go to [Settings > Integrations > Payment providers](https://tenant.fleetwire.io/settings/payment-providers).
2. On the provider you're leaving, open its menu and choose **Disconnect**.
3. Connect the one you're keeping.
4. Make a test booking on your store to confirm checkout works.

Switching doesn't move past payments. They stay in the account that took them. To refund one after you switch, use that provider's own dashboard.

Only a company admin can connect or disconnect a payment provider.

---

## Set up your provider

- [Connect Stripe to Accept Payments](https://help.fleetwire.io/en/article/connect-stripe-to-accept-payments-747u5f/)
- [Connect Square Payments to Fleetwire](https://help.fleetwire.io/en/article/connect-square-payments-to-fleetwire-1hg2hi2/)
- [Payment Options at Checkout](https://help.fleetwire.io/en/article/payment-options-at-checkout-q2oa4x/)

Not sure which fits your business? [Book a 20-minute call](https://tidycal.com/fleetwire/20-minute-meeting) and we'll go through it with you.