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Square

Square provides payment processing hardware and software for in-person and online businesses, covering point-of-sale terminals, online checkout and invoicing. In-person card rates run from 2.4% plus 15 cents up to 2.6% plus 15 cents depending on plan, and online rates run from 2.9% plus 30 cents up to 3.3% plus 30 cents, with the Plus plan at $49 a month per location and Premium at $149 a month per location.

By Block, Inc.FreemiumSince 2009Payments

Facts checked on against the sources listed at the end of this page.

Pricing
FreemiumPaid from $49 a month per location for the Plus plan
Open source
NoProprietary
npm downloads a week
454kup 11% on the week before

A good fit for

  • Small and medium-sized businesses needing both hardware and software for in-person payments
  • Businesses that want an online store, invoicing and appointment scheduling in one platform
  • Sellers who want to start free with pay-as-you-go rates before committing to a subscription plan
  • Higher-volume merchants willing to pay a monthly fee in exchange for lower per-transaction rates

Not a good fit for

  • Purely online, developer-first businesses that don't need point-of-sale hardware
  • Merchants wanting the absolute lowest processing rate without any monthly commitment
  • Businesses needing highly customized payment flows beyond Square's standard products

Square pricing

In-person card processing ranges from 2.6% plus 15 cents on the Free plan down to 2.4% plus 15 cents on Premium. Online transactions range from 3.3% plus 30 cents on the Free plan down to 2.9% plus 30 cents on Plus and Premium. Plus costs $49 a month per location and Premium costs $149 a month per location.

PlanPriceWhat you get
Free$0 a month2.6% + 15 cents in-person, 3.3% + 30 cents online, basic POS and online store.
Plus$49 a month per location2.5% + 15 cents in-person, 2.9% + 30 cents online, advanced reporting, team management.
Premium$149 a month per location2.4% + 15 cents in-person, 2.9% + 30 cents online, dedicated support, higher-volume features.

Prices in USD, checked on 27 September 2026. Current prices on squareup.com.

Main features

Point-of-sale hardware
Card readers and terminals for accepting in-person payments.
Online store
Build and sell through an online storefront with integrated checkout.
Invoicing
Send and collect payment on invoices directly through Square.
Appointment scheduling
Booking and scheduling tools for service-based businesses.
Tiered processing rates
Lower per-transaction rates available on paid Plus and Premium plans.

About Square

Square offers both hardware (card readers and point-of-sale terminals) and software for businesses to accept payments in person, alongside an online store builder, invoicing and appointment scheduling tools for a range of small and medium-sized businesses.

Square's pricing structure mixes a free base plan, where you pay a higher per-transaction rate with no monthly fee, against the Plus plan ($49 a month per location) and Premium plan ($149 a month per location), which lower the per-transaction rate in exchange for a monthly subscription.

Made by
Block, Inc.
Free plan
Yes: Square Free plan with pay-as-you-go processing rates and no monthly fee
Available on
iOS, Android, Square hardware terminals, Web (online store), API

Usage and activity

Weekly npm downloads of square, last 12 months.

0200k400k600kOctDecJanMarMayJulOct7 October 2025: 59,974 downloads a week14 October 2025: 63,744 downloads a week21 October 2025: 74,498 downloads a week28 October 2025: 63,679 downloads a week4 November 2025: 79,485 downloads a week11 November 2025: 70,479 downloads a week18 November 2025: 65,365 downloads a week25 November 2025: 63,651 downloads a week2 December 2025: 64,761 downloads a week9 December 2025: 80,848 downloads a week16 December 2025: 82,891 downloads a week23 December 2025: 77,641 downloads a week30 December 2025: 51,321 downloads a week6 January 2026: 67,802 downloads a week13 January 2026: 78,071 downloads a week20 January 2026: 84,754 downloads a week27 January 2026: 94,857 downloads a week3 February 2026: 106,352 downloads a week10 February 2026: 108,485 downloads a week17 February 2026: 119,191 downloads a week24 February 2026: 146,307 downloads a week3 March 2026: 142,964 downloads a week10 March 2026: 139,295 downloads a week17 March 2026: 145,230 downloads a week24 March 2026: 154,807 downloads a week31 March 2026: 158,479 downloads a week7 April 2026: 149,340 downloads a week14 April 2026: 166,930 downloads a week21 April 2026: 174,281 downloads a week28 April 2026: 183,257 downloads a week5 May 2026: 183,682 downloads a week12 May 2026: 198,520 downloads a week19 May 2026: 232,676 downloads a week26 May 2026: 208,615 downloads a week2 June 2026: 212,414 downloads a week9 June 2026: 222,115 downloads a week16 June 2026: 225,314 downloads a week23 June 2026: 242,619 downloads a week7 July 2026: 229,216 downloads a week21 July 2026: 258,057 downloads a week28 July 2026: 254,656 downloads a week4 August 2026: 308,781 downloads a week11 August 2026: 297,855 downloads a week25 August 2026: 332,257 downloads a week1 September 2026: 356,759 downloads a week27 September 2026: 407,090 downloads a week4 October 2026: 453,743 downloads a week

Square alternatives

All 15 alternatives to Square, side by side

Questions about Square

How much does Square charge for in-person payments?

From 2.4% plus 15 cents up to 2.6% plus 15 cents per transaction depending on plan.

Does Square have a free plan?

Yes, the Free plan has no monthly fee but charges a higher per-transaction rate than the paid Plus ($49 a month per location) and Premium ($149 a month per location) plans.

Does Square sell hardware?

Yes, Square offers card readers and point-of-sale terminals alongside its software.

Sources and links

Work on Square? Claim this listing. Something wrong or out of date? Suggest a correction. Stats come from the public GitHub and npm APIs and update every day.

Square: pricing, features and alternatives (2026) | ScratchDB