Square pricing in 2026: every plan, what it costs and who it suits
Let's put real numbers on Square and what each plan gets you. A payments & pos tool, Square comes with paid plans only. The paid plans below reflect its published pricing when this page was written.
All-in-one payments, POS hardware and business tools tailored to retail and hospitality. Square is a paid tool, so plan to buy in once you have validated fit. All-in-one payments, POS hardware and business tools for retail and hospitality, with invoicing and basic banking.
Plans & pricing tiers
| Plan | Price (approx.) | What's included |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0/mo | 2.6% + $0.15 in-person card |
| Plus | ~$49/mo per location | Industry-specific advanced features |
| Premium | ~$149/mo per location | Lowers in-person rate to 2.4% + $0.15 |
Pricing here reflects published tiers at the time of writing; confirm current costs, billing cycle and local taxes with the vendor.
Prices verified 2026-06-28 from public vendor pricing. Plans and prices change — always confirm on the vendor's own site. No price here is guaranteed.
What you're paying for
What the paid plans put in your hands with Square:
- All-in-one payments with in-person, online and keyed card acceptance
- POS app that adapts to retail, restaurant and appointment businesses
- POS hardware range (Reader, Stand, Terminal, Register, Handheld)
- Square Banking (checking/savings) with instant access to sales
- Add-ons: Payroll, Loyalty, Marketing, Online
Which capabilities land on which plan depends on the tier, so use the table above to match features to budget.
Which plan to pick
Square is built for retail, restaurants and in-person sellers needing POS plus payments. For that profile the Plus plan (~$49/mo per location) is the sensible entry, and you climb tiers only once in-person payments demands it.
Is Square worth it?
Paid access starts at roughly $0.1 per month. For retail & hospitality, the entry tier is usually enough to get real value; you mainly move up a plan when you need in-person payments. On a tight budget, line the cheapest paid plan up against the alternatives first.
Pricing watch-outs
- Instant transfers cost 1.75%.
- In-person 2.6% + $0.15; online 2.9% + $0.30; keyed 3.5% + $0.15 on the Free plan.
- Square Checking has no monthly fees; instant transfers cost 1.75% ($25 min, $10,000 max).
Drawn from independent reviews and the vendor's own plan details (see sources below).
Square keeps pricing relatively flat per tier, so the main decision is which plan's features you need rather than how heavily you'll use it.
Pricing FAQ
Does Square have a free plan?
Square is a paid tool without a standing free plan; check its site for any current trial or money-back window.
How much does Square cost?
Its cheapest paid plan, Plus, lists at ~$49/mo per location. Paid access starts at roughly $0.1 per month. The exact bill depends on billing cycle and how many seats or how much usage you need.
Is there a cheaper alternative to Square?
Other payments & pos tools cover the same job at different price points; compare their entry tiers before you decide.
Is Square worth the price for retail & hospitality?
For retail & hospitality it generally earns its cost at the entry tier; if that's only a side need, weigh it against a cheaper specialist first.
Which Square plan should I choose?
For retail, restaurants and in-person sellers needing POS plus payments, the Plus plan (~$49/mo per location) is the usual place to begin; only climb a tier once in-person payments genuinely calls for it.
Sources
Figures and facts on this page are drawn from the following Square sources, so you can verify them yourself: