Square Rates and Fees, in Plain Terms
What Square's own pricing page says it charges, sorted by how you take the payment: in person, online, by invoice, or keyed in by hand.
Square rates and fees are two different things, and Square's pricing page keeps them apart. There is a per-transaction rate you pay each time a card is used. On top of that sit monthly plans, and some plans change the rate itself. Here is what the page says, sorted by how a business actually takes money in.
How Square's pricing is structured
Square's pricing page says its plans start at no cost and have no hidden fees or locked-in contracts. You only pay when you take a payment. The page also says processing fees vary based on the Square plan you choose. So the rate you pay depends on your plan. You can cancel or switch plans anytime.
In-person card rates
These are the tap, dip, or swipe fees that apply when a card is present at your counter. Square's pricing page says in-person card payments run from 2.6% + 15¢ to 2.4% + 15¢, depending on the plan. The page also says you can accept every major card, Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover, all for the same processing fees. One rate covers all four brands.
To see how a rate like this plays out on a real ticket, read a forty dollar sale at the counter.
Online and invoice card rates
Online fees apply to card payments made online or through an invoice. Square's pricing page says online and invoice card payments run from 3.3% + 30¢ to 2.9% + 30¢, depending on the plan.
There is a third lane for developers. Square's pricing page says online API fees apply to card payments made within an app's workflow using Square's payments APIs. Those cost 2.9% + 30¢.
Manual entry and card on file
Square's pricing page says manual entry or card on file payments cost 3.5% + 15¢.
Other payment types on the page
Square's pricing page lists rates for payment types beyond cards:
- Afterpay payments cost 6% + 30¢.
- EBT card payments for SNAP-eligible items cost 1.8% + 5¢.
- ACH bank transfer via invoice applies to payments made on invoices with an ACH bank transfer. ACH bank transfer via API applies to ACH transfers through the Web Payments SDK and Payments API.
- Cash or check payments are free.
The page also says an additional fee applies to payments made on credit or debit cards issued outside of the United States.
Monthly plan fees
Square's pricing page says the monthly fee per location is $0, $49 or $149, and Square Plus and Square Premium charge it per location. With Square Free there are no monthly subscription costs, and you only pay processing fees when you take a payment.
Every plan, the page says, includes end-to-end encrypted payments, active fraud prevention, next day transfers, and offline payments. The plans also let you send estimates, contracts, and invoices, schedule appointments, and manage staff calendars.
Add-ons priced separately
Some tools are priced separately from the plans:
- Square Hardware options start at $59.
- Square Payroll runs full-service payroll starting at $35 per month plus $6 per person paid.
- Kiosk software carries a monthly fee per device, on top of your Square Plus or Square Premium cost. It is not available in Square Free. The Square KDS app is also not available in Square Free.
- Text message marketing allowances differ by plan. Square's pricing page says Square Plus includes 500 text messages per month per account, then you pay 3¢ per text. Square Premium includes 2,500 text messages per month per account, then you pay 1.5¢ per text.
What Square's page says is free
A few items on Square's page carry no fee or no additional fee. Cash and check payments are free. There are no additional fees when a gift card is redeemed. And the page says you can transfer funds to an external bank account the next business day for free, or instantly for a fee. If you are weighing that instant option, paying to be paid tonight covers what speed costs.
Custom pricing for higher-volume businesses
Square's pricing page says businesses that process over $250,000 per year can talk to its team about custom pricing and processing fees. If your card volume has grown past that line, the published rates are not your only option.
Confirm prices before you sign up
Every number above comes from Square's pricing page. Square says these pricing changes are designed to make its pricing simpler and give you more flexibility. Published prices change. Read Square's own page on the day you sign up. Check the rate for the plan you choose, since the same payment can cost different amounts on different plans.