If you’re choosing a payment provider to connect to your Show&Tour account, the best option usually comes down to how you run your business. Some providers are stronger for bookkeeping, some are better for in-person payments, and some are built more for flexible online invoicing. Show&Tour supports multiple invoicing integrations so you can choose the workflow that fits your business best.
This guide breaks down the main differences between QuickBooks, Square, Stripe, and Wave, including what each provider is best known for, what payment types they support, and the fees they publish as of May 14, 2026.
1. QuickBooks (https://quickbooks.intuit.com/)
QuickBooks is best known for combining invoicing, payments, and bookkeeping in one ecosystem. Intuit says customers can pay QuickBooks invoices using credit cards, debit cards, ACH bank payments, Apple Pay, PayPal, or Venmo, and QuickBooks also supports in-person payments.
What QuickBooks is best for
Businesses already using QuickBooks Online
Photographers who want payments and accounting closely connected
Teams that want invoice tracking and reconciliation in one place
What stands out about QuickBooks
Strong bookkeeping tie-in
Online invoices with built-in payment options
ACH bank payments
Apple Pay, PayPal, and Venmo support
In-person payment support
QuickBooks fees published at the time of this article
Cards and digital wallets: 2.99%
ACH bank payments: 1%
In-person payments: 2.5%
Keyed-in cards: 3.5%
QuickBooks takeaway
QuickBooks is usually the cleanest option if you want your payments tied closely to your books. It is less about payment flexibility and more about keeping the financial side of your business organized.
2. Square (https://squareup.com/)
Square is best known for making it easy to take payments both online and in person. Square says its invoicing tools include unlimited invoices, recurring invoices, deposit requests, automatic reminders, custom invoice templates, and ACH bank transfer payments through invoices.
What Square is best for
Businesses that want simple invoicing
Photographers who may also collect payments in person
Teams that want access to card readers and POS tools in the same ecosystem
What stands out about Square
Easy invoice setup
Recurring invoices and reminders
Deposit requests
ACH payments through invoices
Strong in-person payment ecosystem
Square fees published at the time of this article
Online or invoice card payments: 3.3% + 30¢ on Square Invoices pricing, while Square’s general payments fee page also shows 2.9% + 30¢ for online or invoice payments on some tiers
ACH bank transfer via invoice: 1%, $1 minimum, $10 cap
Tap, dip, or swipe: 2.6% + 15¢, with lower rates shown for some plans
Manual entry or card on file: 3.5% + 15¢
Square takeaway
Square is a good middle-ground option. It is simple, familiar, and especially appealing if you want straightforward invoicing while keeping the door open for in-person card payments.
3. Stripe (https://stripe.com/)
Stripe is best known for flexible online payments and a more customizable invoice experience. Stripe says its invoicing supports hosted invoice pages, no-code invoice creation from the Dashboard, and broad payment support. Stripe also says its hosted invoice page can securely collect payments without extra implementation code.
What Stripe is best for
Businesses that are primarily online
Photographers who want a polished digital invoice payment experience
Teams that want broader payment flexibility and more advanced online workflows
What stands out about Stripe
Hosted invoice pages
No-code invoicing from the Dashboard
Broad payment method support
ACH Direct Debit support
Strong online-first flexibility
Stripe fees published at the time of this article
Domestic card payments: 2.9% + 30¢
ACH Direct Debit: 0.8% with a $5 cap
Stripe Invoicing: 0.4% per paid invoice on Starter or 0.5% per paid invoice on Plus
ACH timing note: Stripe’s docs say ACH Direct Debit can take up to 4 business days to receive acknowledgement of success or failure
Stripe takeaway
Stripe is usually the most flexible option for online payments. If your priority is a modern online invoice flow and broader payment support, Stripe is often the strongest fit.
4. Wave (www.waveapps.com)
Wave is best known for giving small businesses invoicing, payments, and accounting tools in one simple platform. Wave says users can create invoices, accept online payments, and manage bookkeeping from the same system.
What Wave is best for
Smaller businesses that want invoicing and accounting in one place
Photographers who want a simpler accounting-plus-invoicing workflow
Teams that want unlimited invoicing without a large software commitment upfront
What stands out about Wave
Invoicing and accounting together
Online credit card and bank payment options
Mobile invoicing
Faster payout messaging for card payments
Optional Pro plan for added features and discounted first card transactions each month
Wave fees published at the time of this article
Credit card payments: 2.9% + $0.60 per transaction
American Express payments: 3.4% + $0.60 per transaction
Bank payments (ACH/EFT): 1% per transaction, $1 minimum
Wave Pro plan: $190 USD per year billed annually, with discounted fees on the first 10 card transactions each month for active Pro businesses
Wave takeaway
Wave is a strong option if you want a lightweight accounting-and-invoicing setup without jumping into a more complex platform. It feels closest to QuickBooks in spirit, but generally more small-business-simple in how it presents the workflow. That comparison is an editorial judgment based on the published product positioning from both companies.
Side-by-side summary
Here’s the simplest way to think about it:
Choose QuickBooks if you want payments tied closest to your accounting workflow.
Choose Square if you want easy invoicing and may also accept payments in person.
Choose Stripe if you want the most flexible online payment experience.
Choose Wave if you want a simpler accounting-and-invoicing setup for a small business workflow.
What about invoicing inside Show&Tour?
If your main goal is to send invoices as part of your delivery workflow, Show&Tour gives you a built-in way to keep payment tied to the same client experience your clients already use. Show&Tour’s invoicing and delivery pages are built so clients can view the project, pay the invoice, and access their media in one place, and Show&Tour’s integrations page specifically lists QuickBooks, Stripe, Square, and Wave among its invoicing integrations.
For many real estate photographers and media providers, that means a simpler workflow:
Keep project delivery and payment in one client experience
Let clients view the project, pay, and access media without jumping between tools
Use pay-to-download so payment can happen before final files are released
Just as important, Show&Tour does not charge any extra fees to send invoices through your Show&Tour account. You can send as many invoices as you want without paying extra invoice-sending fees to Show&Tour.
That makes Show&Tour a strong option for users who want a cleaner client experience, a more professional delivery workflow, and fewer moving parts between sending the project and getting paid.
Pricing disclaimer
The fees listed in this article were reviewed on May 14, 2026 using the official pricing, support, and product pages from QuickBooks, Square, Stripe, and Wave. Payment providers can change their pricing, plan structure, payout timing, invoice features, and transaction fees at any time. Square’s pages already show different rates depending on plan, and QuickBooks notes different “accurate as of” dates on some of its pricing materials, so you should always verify the latest pricing directly with the provider before making a final decision.
Please make sure to manually review the latest pricing on each provider’s website before choosing which one to connect to your Show&Tour account.
If you have questions or need further assistance, feel free to contact our support team at [email protected]
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