What's free on Square, and what costs money?
The software is free. Taking card payments isn't. That's how Square makes its money, and it's the same deal you get from nearly every free POS.
Free on Square Free
- The Square Point of Sale app, for counters, restaurants, appointments and more
- Tap to Pay on a compatible iPhone or Android phone, no reader needed
- A free online site with ordering and booking
- Invoices and estimates
- Appointments with staff calendars
- An item library with simple stock counts and low-stock alerts
- Sales reports and a daily summary email
- Offline card payments on supported Square hardware
- Standard transfers to your bank
- Chat and email support
Costs money
- Card processing. A fee on every card payment, in person, online or keyed in. Keyed-in cards cost the most.
- Hardware. Card readers, Stand, Terminal, Handheld and Register are yours to buy if you want them.
- Paid plans. Square Plus and Square Premium charge a monthly fee per location.
- Add-ons. Kitchen display, Kiosk and Payroll, each billed on top.
- Extras. Instant transfers, and a fee when you load gift cards on Free.
Every rate and plan fee is on our pricing page, and every device with its price is on Square rates and hardware.
When do you start paying for Square?
On your first card sale, and only then. Here's how the costs usually show up as a business grows.
- Signing up
Nothing to pay
Download the app, add your items and start ringing up sales. There's no setup fee and no contract to sign.
- First card sale
Processing starts
Square keeps a small fee from each card payment before the rest lands in your bank. Cash and checks you record yourself cost nothing.
- When you want gear
Hardware, once
A reader, a stand for your iPad or a countertop register is a one-time purchase. You can skip it entirely and use Tap to Pay on your phone.
- When you outgrow Free
A plan or an add-on
If you want loyalty, staff scheduling or deeper inventory, Plus or Premium adds a monthly fee. Both come with a free 30-day trial.
Do you need a paid Square plan?
Most small businesses don't, at least not at first. You'd look at Plus or Premium when you want one of these:
- A loyalty program, or email and text marketing to your customers
- Staff scheduling, timecards and tip pooling
- Full inventory tracking with purchase orders
- A kitchen display instead of kitchen tickets on a printer
- Advanced reporting, or phone support around the clock on Premium
- A lower in-person card rate once your volume makes the monthly fee pay for itself
If none of those ring a bell, stay on Free. Our guide to free vs paid POS has the signs you've outgrown a free plan, and our features page lists what Free includes in full.
What are the catches with Square Free?
There's no hidden monthly fee, but a few things are worth knowing up front.
You pay on every card sale
Free software doesn't mean free payments. The fee comes off each card sale, and it's the biggest cost most sellers have on Square.
Square readers only work with Square
You can't move a Square reader to another processor if you switch later. Some third-party printers, cash drawers and scanners do work with Square.
Phone support is for starters
On Free you get phone support on weekdays for your first 90 days. After that it's chat and email, unless you're on Premium.
Offline has limits
Offline cards work on supported Square hardware, not on Tap to Pay or keyed-in cards, and a card that declines once you reconnect is your loss. Our offline POS guide explains the rules.
Want to see how Square Free stacks up against other free plans? Our best free POS systems roundup compares them, and Square vs Loyverse goes head to head with the other big free option. For the bigger picture on free POS costs, read is a free POS really free?
Questions people ask
Is Square free to use?
Yes. Square Free has no monthly software fee and no contract. You pay a processing fee on each card payment, and cash costs nothing. Current rates are on our pricing page.
Can I pass card fees on to customers with Square?
Yes, in most of the US. Square has a built-in card surcharge setting that adds a fee to card payments automatically, and it now applies to invoices paid on Point of Sale too. State and territory laws decide whether you can use it, so check your state first. You turn it on in your Square Dashboard under Settings > Account & Settings > Payments > Credit card surcharges.
Does Square charge a monthly fee?
Not on Square Free. Square Plus and Square Premium charge a monthly fee per location, and add-ons like Kiosk and Payroll are billed on top. You only pay those if you pick them.
Do I have to buy Square hardware?
No. Tap to Pay on a compatible iPhone or Android phone takes contactless cards with nothing plugged in. Add a reader, a stand or a register later if you want one. Devices are on Square rates and hardware.
Can I cancel Square anytime?
Yes. There's no long-term contract on Square Free, and you can switch plans or stop using it whenever you like. Hardware you've bought is yours to keep.
Is Square Free enough for a small business?
For most, yes. It covers the POS, an online site, invoices, appointments, simple stock tracking and reports. Look at Plus or Premium when you want loyalty, staff scheduling, full inventory or a kitchen display.