Square Rates by Subscription — Free, Plus & Premium
A plan-by-plan breakdown of the processing fees and software features you get on each Square subscription tier, plus how our 4% cash discounting model stacks up for bigger setups.
Figures sourced from Square's official fee schedule. See Square's help article →
Square Free
$0/mo
Best for new storefronts testing the waters or single-location shops.
Square Plus
From $29/mo per location
Better in-person rate plus advanced tools for retail, restaurants, and appointments.
Square Premium
Custom (higher volume)
Square's lowest published card-present rate for merchants processing $250K+/yr, per Square's published pricing. Rates are set by Square and can change.
Processing fees by plan
What Square charges per transaction on each subscription tier.
| Payment type | Free | Plus | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tap, dip, or swipe (in-person) | 2.6% + 15¢ | 2.5% + 15¢ | 2.4% + 15¢ |
| Online checkout | 3.3% + 30¢ | 2.9% + 30¢ | 2.9% + 30¢ |
| Online API | 2.9% + 30¢ | 2.9% + 30¢ | 2.9% + 30¢ |
| ACH bank transfer (via invoice) | 1%, $1 min | 1%, $1 min, $10 fee cap | 1%, $1 min, $10 fee cap |
| ACH bank transfer (via API) | 1%, $1 min, $5 fee cap | 1%, $1 min, $5 fee cap | 1%, $1 min, $5 fee cap |
| Manual entry / card on file | 3.5% + 15¢ | 3.5% + 15¢ | 3.5% + 15¢ |
| Afterpay (Buy Now Pay Later) | 6% + 30¢ | 6% + 30¢ | 6% + 30¢ |
| Cash or check | Free | Free | Free |
| Bitcoin payments | 0% until 2027 | 0% until 2027 | 0% until 2027 |
Software & support by plan
Beyond rates — here's what unlocks on Plus and Premium.
| Feature | Free | Plus | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Point of Sale software | Free | Included | Included |
| Advanced reporting & analytics | Included | Included | |
| Team management & shift scheduling | Basic | Advanced | Advanced |
| Multi-location inventory / menu sync | Limited | Included | Included |
| Dedicated account manager | Included | ||
| Priority phone support | Included | Included |
Which plan fits your storefront?
Pick Free if…
- You're just opening and want to test volume
- You process under ~$25K/yr on cards
- You're OK with basic reporting
Pick Plus if…
- You run retail, restaurant, or appointments
- You want lower in-person rate & advanced tools
- Multi-location inventory/menu matters
Pick Premium if…
- You process $250K+/yr on Square
- You want Square's lowest published card-present rate (2.4% + 15¢)
- You want a dedicated account manager
Or skip processing fees entirely with 4% cash discounting
Whichever Square plan you're on, our 4% cash discounting model passes the processing cost to card-paying customers via a posted service fee — while cash payers get the discounted price. Your effective processing cost drops to 0%, and additional Square hardware (extra Registers, printers, drawers, scanners, handhelds) is included.
On $50K/mo card volume
Save ~$1,300+/mo
vs Square Free 2.6% + 15¢
On $100K/mo card volume
Save ~$2,500+/mo
vs Square Plus 2.5% + 15¢
On $250K/mo card volume
Save ~$6,000+/mo
vs Square Premium 2.4% + 15¢
Illustrative estimates only; actual savings depend on ticket size, mix, and card types. Cash discounting is subject to state law and card-brand rules.
A few important notes
- Rates and features are per Square's US fee schedule and can change; always confirm on Square's fee article.
- Some Square products (Retail, Restaurants, Appointments, Payroll, Marketing, Loyalty, Online) have their own subscription pricing on top of these plans.
- JustPayments is an independent, processor-agnostic consultant — we'll help you pick the plan and pricing model that actually fits your ticket sizes and margins.
Not sure which plan (or model) is right?
Book a quick 15-minute call with Michael and we'll map your ticket size, monthly volume, and hardware needs to the plan (or 4% cash discounting setup) that fits your business. Actual pricing and savings vary by provider, program, and approval.