Nearly every small business owner knows about Square. Even if you aren’t a user, no doubt you’ve heard of it or even considered using their POS platform.
Founded in 2009, Square, Inc. is a merchant services aggregator, financial services, and mobile payment company that serves over two million businesses worldwide. Their system is simple, intuitive, and gets the job done.
Better yet, it interfaces with external hardware and tools to provide as many POS functionalities as possible. This guide will walk through how to find the best receipt printer for Square.
There are a plethora of receipt printer options out there. That’s why, if you’re a Square user, it’s important for you to do your research and make sure the printer you select integrates seamlessly with the platform and provides you with an optimal user experience.
In putting together our list of the top receipt printers for Square, we’ve made sure that all the options below are 100 percent compatible.
During our extensive search process, we determined that the best receipt printer for Square is the Star Micronics TSP143III Ethernet (LAN) Thermal Printer. This receipt printer integrates with technology across the board with Square Stand, iPad, iPhone, Android, Square Register, and Square Terminal.
However, we know that every business has unique and different needs. This guide will help you walk through your options and select the best receipt printer for Square based on your technology and business needs.
We will start with a quick overview of the top five models. Then we will discuss printer connection types, so you understand how each printer connects to your overall POS system. Finally, we will dig deeper into our top five list that includes more detailed information about each model.
What Is the Best Receipt Printer for Square?
Here is the list of our top five picks for receipt printers that can be used with your Square POS system.
Below we will elaborate on each individual printer to provide you with the most detailed information to make the best purchase decision to meet your needs.
Our Top 5 List:
- Star Micronics TSP143III Ethernet (LAN) Thermal Printer ۞ [TOP PICK]
- Star Micronics TSP654IIE3 Ethernet (LAN) Thermal Receipt Printer
- Star Micronics TSP143IIIW Monochrome Direct Thermal Receipt Printer
- Star Micronics mC-Print3 Thermal Printer
- Star Micronics SM-S230i Portable Printer
Understanding Receipt Printers
When evaluating your options for a receipt printer to use with your Square POS system, it is important to understand different types of printers and how they connect into that overall POS system. Let’s unpack this information.
Ethernet Printers
Ethernet printers are probably used more than any other type of receipt printer. This is because of the speed and durability of their printing mechanism.
They connect to your POS system via an ethernet cable so it’s important that you have a device with an ethernet connection port to connect the printer into your POS network.
Because of this, they are meant to be stationary rather than mobile printers that can be moved around. They are designed to print loads of receipts, quickly, over a long period of time.
These printers use thermal printing technology to pump out tickets. Thermal printer technology uses a digital printing process to generate images, words, symbols, etc., using laser-generated, thermal heat to mark the paper.
Thermal printers use specially coated thermal paper and won’t function without that specific type of receipt paper. As the paper passes by the printer’s thermal printing head, heat is applied to produce the desired image or alphanumeric symbols.
This heat, when applied, turns the paper black—essentially burning the image onto the paper. Thermal printers normally only print in black.
Bluetooth Printers
Bluetooth printers receive information via a wireless Bluetooth connection. Because of this, they are slightly slower than ethernet printers, which transmit data directly through a connected cable.
But although they are slightly slower, Bluetooth printers are still powerful tools and can be very effective in filling your printer needs.
However, because of their slower speed, they are not ideal for super busy retail stores or restaurants that need to constantly print new tickets in a rush.
The benefit of using a Bluetooth printer is that it is mobile, unlike ethernet printers. This means you can carry the printer around your store, bring it to someone’s restaurant table to print their receipt, or otherwise move it around at your leisure.
Wi-Fi Printers
Much like Bluetooth printers, Wi-Fi printers receive data wirelessly and are mobile, letting you carry them around and still use them as long as you remain within range of the rest of your POS system.
It’s important to note that when you use a Wi-Fi receipt printer, the printer must be connected to the same Wi-Fi signal as the rest of your system. Otherwise, the connection will be broken and the printer will not receive information sent to it from your main POS terminal.
Also, like Bluetooth printers, they are slightly slower than ethernet printers and are not recommended for businesses that have long queues of customers waiting to check out. It will slow down your checkout process in that context.
Direct USB Printers
USB printers plug directly into your POS terminal, just like ethernet printers. They use a USB cable to connect rather than an ethernet cable. This gives users a very solid and reliable connection they can depend on.
If you use a Square cash register, tablet stand, or POS terminal, your USB receipt printer can connect directly to those components for a seamless connection at all times.
NOTE: If you are using an Android device as your tablet, rather than an iPad, you will need to purchase a USB on-the-go adapter to connect your components.
Our Top 5 Receipt Printers for Square
Below is a detailed rundown of our picks in our search for the best receipt printer for Square. You may be surprised to see that every printer on the list is made by Star Micronics. But that’s because these printers provide the most seamless integration with Square and its other hardware components.
1. Star Micronics TSP143III Ethernet (LAN) Thermal Printer ۞ [TOP PICK]
This receipt printer is our top pick because it is probably the most popular printer on the market. Used by businesses of various types, it is very solid and easy to set up and use.
Plus, it is fast. It prints at speeds higher than nearly any business would need. Its sleek design is aesthetically pleasing and its compact design lets you position it in tight places for easy storage and access.
You can easily connect it to nearly any other hardware component in your POS system, meaning you won’t have to worry about incompatibility issues with this receipt printer.
Additional Features and Specs
Additional features for the Star Micronics TSP143III Ethernet (LAN) Thermal Printer include the following:
- Connection type: Ethernet
- Printing technology: Thermal
- Square Stand integration: Yes
- iPad (no Square Stand) integration: Yes
- iPhone integration: Yes
- Android integration: Yes
- Square Register integration: Yes
- Square Terminal integration: Yes
- Printer weight: 3.81 pounds
- Typical price: Around US $230
2. Star Micronics TSP654IIE3 Ethernet (LAN) Thermal Receipt Printer
This model offers easy “drop-in” paper loading which minimizes time wasted fumbling around with awkward paper rolls, trying to get them loaded.
It is lightning-fast, with the ability to print up to 60 receipts per minute. It also offers a variety of interface options, making it one of the most versatile printers out there.
User reviews indicate that, while it is very lightweight compared to the others, it is highly reliable and performs at a best-in-class level.
This allows users to leverage this printer without any concern about it breaking down. That’s why many consider it to be the best receipt printer for Square.
Additional Features and Specs
Additional features for the Star Micronics TSP654IIE3 Ethernet (LAN) Thermal Receipt Printer include the following:
- Connection type: Ethernet
- Printing technology: Thermal
- Square Stand integration: Yes
- iPad (no Square Stand) integration: Yes
- iPhone integration: Yes
- Android integration: Yes
- Square Register integration: Yes
- Square Terminal integration: Yes
- Printer weight: 1 pound
- Typical price: Around US $350
3. Star Micronics TSP143IIIW Monochrome Direct Thermal Receipt Printer
This is the only Wi-Fi printer on our list. It lands on our list for a variety of reasons. It features thin paper capabilities that process thinner receipt paper, which provides environmental benefits. Using thin paper also reduces costs for the user.
Its internal power supply—which is necessary for wireless receipt printers—allows you to carry it around the store and print from wherever you need.
It also includes very easy and broad compatibility with other components, making setup and usage a breeze. All of this combined helps us understand why many consider this model to be a top receipt printer for Square.
Additional Features and Specs
Additional features for the Star Micronics TSP143IIIW Monochrome Direct Thermal Receipt Printer include the following:
- Connection type: Wi-Fi
- Printing technology: Thermal
- Square Stand integration: Yes
- iPad (no Square Stand) integration: Yes
- iPhone integration: Yes
- Android integration: Yes
- Square Register integration: Yes
- Square Terminal integration: Yes
- Printer weight: 3.7 pounds
- Typical price: Around US $280
4. Star Micronics mC-Print3 Thermal Printer
This model makes the list for providing the most varied options for connectivity. It can connect to your POS system via an ethernet cable, a USB cable, or Bluetooth. That’s a rare feature to find when looking for a receipt printer for Square.
Integrations are made easier by the various connectivity options offered. Plus, its front paper loading mechanism is super easy to use and won’t cause you to waste time trying to load paper. printer for Square.
Additional Features and Specs
Additional features for the Star Micronics mC-Print3 Thermal Printer include the following:
- Connection type: Ethernet, USB, and Bluetooth
- Printing technology: Thermal
- Square Stand integration: Yes
- iPad (no Square Stand) integration: Yes
- iPhone integration: Yes
- Android integration: Yes
- Square Register integration: Yes
- Square Terminal integration: Yes
- Printer weight: 3.7 pounds
- Typical price: Around US $310
5. Star Micronics SM-S230i Portable Printer
This is the only traditionally Bluetooth printer on our list. It makes up for the slightly slower printing speed with other features that make this a great receipt printer for Square. However, Square recently added the ability to connect via a USB cable for faster printing.
It is mobile and you can carry it around the store, to the table, or place it wherever you want to print receipts. Plus, it is super light, weighing less than one pound, making it great for printing on the go.
It mostly lands on our list because of rave reviews. We sifted through hundreds of reviews to write this article and the Star Micronics SM-S230i Portable Printer has very happy users.
Additional Features and Specs
Additional features for the Star Micronics SM-S230i Portable Printer include the following:
- Connection type: Bluetooth and USB
- Printing technology: Thermal
- Square Stand integration: Yes
- iPad (no Square Stand) integration: Yes
- iPhone integration: Yes
- Android integration: No
- Square Register integration: No
- Square Terminal integration: No
- Printer weight: 7.7 ounces
- Typical price: Around US $270
Buying Your Own Receipt Printer for Square
If you already have a Square point of sale system in place, be sure to check whether the receipt printer you purchase will easily and seamlessly integrate with Square and its other components.
Square’s website lists compatibility for every third-party component you can purchase, including receipt printers.
As always, do your own research but don’t forget to consult POS review sites such as POS Quote. These sites assist consumers when searching for the best POS hardware components to meet their needs.
And don’t forget, these sites also offer visitors a discount of up to 30% on entire POS packages. Simply visit their homepage and complete the yellow form to receive a free quote and up to 30% off your purchase.
