Square per Transaction Cost: Current Prices & Fees

Square charges businesses a processing fee on every card payment they accept. The fee has two parts: a percentage of the sale and a small fixed amount per transaction. Both parts depend on how the customer pays, whether in person, online, or by a card number typed in by hand, and on which Square plan the business uses.

All rates on this page come from one official source, Square's U.S. pricing page, published by Square and checked on Oct 11, 2026. Each row's label shows the fixed per-transaction amount exactly as Square lists it. Square can change its rates, and businesses with high card volume may be offered custom pricing, so confirm current rates on squareup.com before you sign up.

The way a card is accepted has the biggest effect on what you pay. In-person payments with the card present get the lowest rate. Payments where the card isn't present carry a higher rate, because the risk of fraud is higher.

• Tap, dip, or swipe applies when the customer is present and taps, inserts, or swipes a card or phone. On the Free plan, it costs 2.6% plus the fixed amount in the label.
• Online or invoice applies to payments through a Square Online store, payment link, or invoice. It costs 3.3% plus a higher fixed amount, as shown.
• Manual entry or card on file applies when you type a card number into Square or charge a saved card. It costs 3.5% plus the fixed amount shown.
• Afterpay lets customers pay over time in four installments while you get paid right away. It costs 6% plus the fixed amount shown, the highest rate on the list.

Because the fixed part is charged on every transaction, it weighs more on small sales. A coffee shop with many low-value tickets feels the fixed fee more than a furniture store with a few large ones.

Square offers a Free plan and paid subscription plans. On the paid plans, the in-person rate is lower.

The in-person rate drops to 2.5% on Plus and 2.4% on Premium, with the same fixed amount per transaction as the Free plan. The paid plans also charge a monthly subscription fee, which isn't in our data. Check Square's pricing page for the current subscription price and for what each plan includes, since the plans differ in features as well as processing rates.

Is a Paid Square Plan Worth It?

A paid plan makes sense when the savings on processing, plus any features you need, outweigh the subscription fee. To check, multiply your typical monthly in-person card sales by the difference between the Free plan rate and the paid plan rate, then compare the result with the monthly plan price. Low-volume sellers usually come out ahead on the Free plan.

Processing fees aren't the only Square expense.

• You need a card reader or terminal to take in-person payments. Square sells several devices, and their prices aren't in our data.
• Square deposits funds to your bank account on a standard schedule. Getting money instantly or on the same day usually costs an extra fee.
• Some tools, such as payroll, marketing, or advanced inventory features, are separate paid products.
• Check Square's current policy on whether processing fees are returned when you refund a sale.

• Take card payments in person whenever possible, since they carry the lowest rate.
• Avoid typing card numbers by hand. Ask customers to tap or insert their card instead.
• Compare your monthly volume with the paid plans to see if a lower rate pays for the subscription.
• Contact Square's sales team if your business processes a high card volume, since custom rates may be available.