PayPal Here Joins Mobile-Pay Apps Already ThereWhen PayPal launched its newest mobile payment platform, it joined a wide selection of existing services. Here's a breakdown of the leaders.

ByGwen Moran

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

PayPal Here, Joins Others Already ThereEBay的此外t service PayPal revolutionized how we pay for online purchases. And two years ago, the payment giant attempted to change how we use our phones when it introduced its PayPal Mobileapp, which offers to transfer money from one person to another by bumping phones together. And though it would make sense for PayPal to continue its reign in payment innovations, the company appears to be the last to arrive at themobile-payment party.

Earlier this month, PayPal with a heaping helping of pomp, launched its mobile payment systemPayPal Here, which runs on a person's smartphone through a downloadable app and uses a small plastic reader to swipe cards. The company boasted last week that it signed up more than 1,000 new users per hour in its first day.

Though PayPal remains a juggernaut in the online-payment space, the question is, is PayPal too late to make a dent with business customers?

The new platform joins incumbent systems like Jack Dorsey'sSquare,Intuit's GoPayment, and North American Bancard'sPay Anywhere, among others. Square, alone, claims more than a million users and merchants and a spokesperson says the company processes more than $4 billion annually. But, it's a sector that's growing, says Todd Ablowitz, founder of Double Diamond Group, LLC, a Centennial, Colo., payment systems consultancy. "The entrance of PayPal shows that this is a very real market, with an increasing number of options for target merchants," he says.

Related:For Some Businesses, Square Register Can Replace Traditional Point-of-Sales Tools

Cynthia Wahl, for one, says she loves Square. The co-founder ofTexas Toast Culinary Tours, a Fort Worth, Texas-based tour company, says she routinely uses her Square system to sign up last-minute attendees on their tours—an important financial catch-all for the two-year-old company.

"It's so simple to use," Wahl says. "We signed up in about five minutes and were taking credit cards immediately. The money is in our account the next day. It just seems like Square is looking out for the small business owner."

But features vary from provider to provider. Texas Toast doesn't run tours every month, so Wahl is loathe to pay a monthly fee, which is an option with one of the services. But Ablowtiz says it might make sense for those with a high volume of mobile transactions to opt for a monthly fee and a lower swipe rate. Your business may need to accept multiple forms of payment, generate invoices or process transactions internationally -- features that vary from app to app.

So, how do the main players stack up? Here's our breakdown to help you evaluate the right mobile system for your business:

Square - Paypal Here - Pay Anywhere - Intuit GoPayment
Cost of app and reader Free Free Free Free
Swipe fee per transaction 2.75% 2.7% 2.69% 2.7% per transaction or monthly fee of $12.95, plus 1.7% per transaction
Keyed fee
(numbers entered manually) per transaction
3.5%, plus 15 cents 3.5%, plus 15 cents 3.49%, plus19 cents 3.7% per transaction or monthly fee of $12.95, plus 2.7% per transaction
Monthly minimum No No No No
Card brands accepted Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express
Other forms of payment accepted Cash PayPal, Check (U.S. only) No No
Funds available Next business day Same day via PayPal or three business days Two business days Two to three business days
Accepted platforms Android, iOS Android, iOS Android, iOS Android, iOS
Invoicing ability from app Yes Yes No No
International use (available to foreign-based merchants) No Canada, Hong Kong, Australia No No
Syncs with accounting programs No No Quickbooks Quickbooks

Wavy Line
Gwen Moran

Writer and Author, Specializing in Business and Finance

GWEN MORANis a freelance writer and co-author ofThe Complete Idiot's Guide to Business Plans(Alpha, 2010).

Editor's Pick

Related Topics

Business News

Kristen Bell and Dax Shepard's Family 'Stranded' at Boston Airport During 9-Hour Delay: 'We Made Quite a Home Here'

The actors spent $600 on pillows and blankets while waiting for their flight.

Business News

What Is a 'Lazy Girl Job'? New TikTok Trend Empowers Women to Work However They Want

The trend began as a way for women to find more free time during their days.

Business News

Kevin O'Leary Slams Anheuser-Busch CEO's Listening Tour, Says It Won't Stop Bud Light Backlash for One Huge Reason

Anheuser-Busch U.S. CEO Brendan Whitworth announced plans to hear consumers out this summer.

Business News

'We're Not There Yet': Meta Focuses on User Retention for Threads Amidst Significant Drop in Engagement

Meta's new Twitter competitor, Threads, experienced a substantial drop in engagement, losing more than half of its user base after its initial launch.

Business Culture

I Started My Business In My Mom's Basement at the Age of 17. Here are 5 Rules I Wish I Had Known, But Had to Learn the Hard Way

There is no easy way to break this to you, but you are the least important person in your business!

领导

5 Ways to Turn Rejection Into Resilience

As I've built my company, I've grown a much thicker skin when it comes to rejection — and so can you. Here's how.