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RecruitIntroduction to Square Pricing: A Comprehensive Guide
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Square is one of the best-known and widely used point-of-sale (POS) systems in the world. Available in the US, the UK, Australia, Canada, France, Ireland, and Spain, this system was launched in 2009 and now has more than 4 million users.
Square is owned by Block, Inc. and, along with Afterpay, Bitkey, CashApp, Proto, and Tidal, is one of this technology company’s cloud solutions. Block is generally transparent with its pricing and the Square system is no exception. However, these prices are scattered across the Square website and could be more clearly explained.
In this review, we’ll look at what this system is used for, the surprisingly extensive set of additional services it offers, and Square’s pricing for 2025.
Square Pricing Structure
While we’ve just seen Square’s core services and product line, this provider also offers an extensive list of additional services that can be added to any subscription package. Square’s pricing is available online, though this information can be confusing, so we’ve simplified things by collecting most of its prices here for you:
| Square Services | Price |
|---|---|
| Square POS Platform Subscription | Free Plan Plus Plan: $29/month Premium Plan: Custom Pricing |
| Square Hardware | Register: $799 (or $39/month for 24 months) Terminal: $299 (or $27/month for 12 months) Kiosk: $149 (or $14/month for 12 months) Stand: $14/month for 12 months Reader (contactless & chip): $59 Reader (magstripe): Free Register Kit: $1,219 |
| Online Store Subscription | Free Plan: $0/month + 2.9% + $0.30/transaction Plus Plan: $29/month + 2.9% + $0.30/transaction Premium Plan: $79/month + 2.6% + $0.30/transaction |
| Virtual Terminal Subscription | $0/month 2.6% + $0.15/transaction (tap, swipe, dip) 3.5% + $0.15/transaction (manual or link) |
| Full-Service Payroll | $35/month + $6/person/month |
| Contractor-Only Payroll | $6/person/month |
| Invoicing Service | Free Plan: $0/month + 3.3% + $0.30/invoice (card) or 1% (ACH) Plus Plan: $20/month + 2.9% + $0.30/invoice (card) or 1% max $10 (ACH) |
| Email Marketing | Starting at $15/month |
| Direct Message Marketing | Starting at $20/month |
| Payment Links | 3.3% + $0.30 per online transaction |
| Afterpay Installment Payments | 6% + $0.30 per installment payment |
| Gift Cards | Starting at $0.50/card + 2.5% load fee + standard processing fees |
| Loyalty Programs | Starting at $45/month per location |
| Checking Services | Free |
| Savings Accounts | Free (1% annual interest yield) |
| Loans | No interest; set fees based on loan amounts |
REMOTE PEOPLE FURTHER READING
For a more in-depth review of Square, you can check out our detailed review.
Square’s Main Services
Square primarily provides POS and payment platform services as its main business, helping merchants collect card payments both in person and online.
It also provides services to help clients manage a wide array of business operations. Square also sells hardware to help merchants bill customers, take orders, and receive payments in shops or through mobile devices.
Most Square prices are based on monthly service fees, and many of its services offer both free and paid tires.
The main services that Square offers include:
- Payment platform subscription: free, Plus plan with a set fee, or Pro customized monthly plans
- Payment hardware: paid for up-front or in monthly installments
- Online store support: free, Plus, and Premium monthly plans plus transaction fees
- Virtual terminal service: free subscription plus processing fees
- Payroll: full-service payroll for employees with monthly fee or contractor-only payroll, both with per person per month fees
Square’s Main Service Plans Explained
We’ve just had a look at the prices Square charges for its wide range of products and services, with some based on monthly subscriptions and others charged per transaction or per activity. However, pricing alone isn’t enough and we’ll now look deeper into what each of these services actually provides.
Square Point of Sale System
Square offers four different POS apps for different kinds of businesses: Square of Retail, Square for Restaurants, Square Point of Sale, and Square Appointments.
These apps allow you to start using the Square system, making sales, and collecting payments for your business. While there is a free option, you can gain access to advanced features like inventory tools, team management, reports, and automated reminders by buying the Pro Plan for $29/month. Custom pricing is also available for clients that require specialized services.
Hardware
In most cases, you’ll need hardware to run Square’s system and while some of it can work on different machines, Square offers its own hardware to make things centralized.
You’re able to buy equipment directly or on payment plans that last 12 or 24 months. You can also buy the components separately for your various needs or purchase hardware kits to create whole POS terminals. This hardware connects directly with the Square POS system to process and save all of your orders and sales automatically.
Online Store
Square is aware that many businesses are turning away from brick-and-mortar to create online stores. It has created a POS system to help these stores build their websites, sell on social media, manage customer accounts, and arrange shipping.
Clients can use a free subscription and only pay transaction processing fees or subscribe to Pro ($29/month) and Premium ($79/month) plans that offer increased customization, more support, and reduced transaction fees.
Virtual Terminal
Clients can turn their computers into virtual payment terminals to bill customers remotely and take credit card payments over the phone. This is set up by pairing a Square terminal to a computer, taking payments by phone, email, or text, or through the Square Charge desktop app.
It’s free to start using this service, and Square only charges you when you collect payments. You pay 2.6% + $0.15 for each card tap, dip, or swipe payment and 3.5% + $0.15 for each payment from a payment link or manually entered card.
Payroll
Square offers payroll services for clients who need help managing their staff teams. Square can onboard new workers, track their time and attendance, and calculate their salaries, tax withholdings, and benefits contributions for each pay period. It will pay workers by check, direct deposit, or CashApp (a Block, Inc. sister app). It also files federal and state taxes for you.
This service costs $35/month plus $6/month per employee. If you only work with 1099 contractors and no W-2 employees, you can pay only $6/month per contractor.
Invoice Services
Clients who need to invoice their customers can subscribe to Square invoice services that let them send unlimited invoices for small processing fees. A basic free plan is available but the $20/month Plus plan adds payment schedules and advanced invoice customization.
Email Marketing
With Square, businesses can send marketing emails to their customer lists and track the results of their campaigns. They pay set monthly fees based on the number of customers they reach, with pricing starting at $15/month for up to 500 customers, $30/month for 501-1000 customers, and $40/month for 1001-2000 customers.
Direct Message Marketing
Similarly, Square offers direct text message marketing services as well. These marketing plans are also charged monthly based on the number of texts you send, starting from $20 for up to 200 messages to $195 for as many as 25,000 messages.
Payment Links and Afterpay Installment Payments
If you want to make it easier for clients to buy your products and services, you can create links to send them or set up installment-based payment plans. Square charges simple processing fees for link and installment payments.
Gift Cards and Loyalty Programs
Square helps you build customer engagement by offering gift card services and loyalty programs. You can create gift cards with customized artwork and branding, and Square charges a production fee for each, plus transaction fees for card redemptions. You can also use Square to create a loyalty program and track its effectiveness for a monthly fee based on the number of loyalty visits you receive.
Banking Products
So much money flows through Square daily that it has decided to set up banking services to help its clients manage their funds. It lets them set up checking and savings accounts with no fees. They can also secure loans through Square. These loans have set fees and no interest and their payback is performed by automatically deducting a percentage of sales each month through the Square POS system.
Choosing the Right Square Plan and Services
Square offers a wide range of financial services, including its POS system and related products. Choosing the right one depends on the type of business you operate and your unique needs, but Square has options for businesses of all types.
Thankfully, Square is up-front with its fees so that you can quickly compare Square pricing in 2025 to that of other providers to choose the right option for your business.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can test out a Square POS for 30 days with no obligation. This includes free access to the POS system and the use of a hardware set. You can also test out add-on services for free at any time.
No, all Square services are billed monthly which means you can upgrade or change plans at any time.