How the fee is calculated
Online fee = 2.9% × sale + $0.30. In-person = 2.6% × sale + $0.10. Invoices run 3.3% + $0.30. No monthly fee on the free plan.
Home → Payment Processors → Square
Square Fee Calculator — 2.9% + 30¢ Online, 2.6% + 10¢ In-Person
Square charges 2.9% + $0.30 for online transactions and 2.6% + $0.10 for in-person tap/dip/swipe. Enter the sale amount — this calculator uses the online rate.
Worked examples (2026 rates)
| Sale total | Fee | You keep | Effective rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| $10.00 | $0.59 | $9.41 | 5.9% |
| $25.00 | $1.02 | $23.98 | 4.1% |
| $50.00 | $1.75 | $48.25 | 3.5% |
| $100.00 | $3.20 | $96.80 | 3.2% |
| $250.00 | $7.55 | $242.45 | 3% |
Every number above is computed by the same in-browser engine as the calculator, from the published 2026 fee schedule — nothing is hardcoded.
Square's three rates: in person, online, invoiced
Square prices by channel, not by plan: 2.6% + $0.10 for in-person tap/dip/swipe, 2.9% + $0.30 for online transactions, and 3.3% + $0.30 for invoices. There is no monthly fee on the free plan — you pay per transaction only. The channel spread rewards face-to-face selling: a food truck doing $30k/mo entirely in person pays 2.6% plus $0.10 per transaction (~$780 plus per-ticket fixed fees), while the same volume billed through invoices costs 3.3% plus $0.30 each (~$990 plus fixed fees). If you sell both ways, route customers to the cheaper channel where you can (QR at the counter instead of a keyed invoice). This calculator models the online rate; switch to the in-person math for counter sales.
Square vs Stripe: identical online, opposite strengths
Online, the two are dead even at 2.9% + $0.30 — a $100 web sale nets $96.70 either way. The difference is everything around the rate. Stripe is a developer platform: custom checkout flows, subscriptions with sophisticated billing logic, multi-currency, marketplace split payments (Connect). Square is a business-in-a-box: free magstripe reader, $49-$299 contactless terminals, plus bundled POS, appointments, invoices and payroll. Stripe's international cards add ~1.5%; Square simply is not built for cross-border e-commerce. Choose Stripe when payments are a feature inside custom software; choose Square when you need a register by Friday. Many hybrid businesses run Square POS in the store and Stripe on the website.
Hidden costs and freebies in the Square ecosystem
Square's headline honesty — no monthly fee, noPCI compliance fee, no statement fee — hides smaller traps. Keyed-in card entry costs more (about 3.5% + $0.15) than tapping, so train staff to never type a card number when the customer is present. Instant payouts cost ~1.75%, which annualizes brutally if used daily — batch to the free next-day transfer instead. Square's paid Plus plan and hardware are optional, not required. Dispute fees (~$25) are the biggest tail risk on the free plan. And card-present rates only apply to genuine in-person transactions — Square can reclassify risky online volume and back-charge the difference.
FAQ
What are Square's fees in 2026?
2.6% + $0.10 in person, 2.9% + $0.30 online, 3.3% + $0.30 invoiced. No monthly fee.
Square vs Stripe?
Online rates are identical (2.9% + $0.30). Square wins in-person (2.6% + $0.10) with free hardware deals; Stripe wins on developer flexibility.
Does Square charge for a card reader?
The basic magstripe reader is free; contactless terminals cost $49–$299 one-time.
What does Square charge when a customer disputes a payment?
Square assesses a dispute fee (commonly $25 in the US, though promotional waivers appear) on top of the held transaction amount, and the original processing fee is not refunded if you lose. Square represents you before the card issuer if you submit evidence — receipts, tracking, signed delivery — within the deadline. Keeping your dispute ratio low matters beyond fees: a high ratio can trigger holds on all settlements. The cheapest dispute defense is a clear refund policy and same-day shipping with tracking uploaded to the Square dashboard.
Does Square add fees for international cards or keyed-in transactions?
Square is built for the US market and does not add an explicit international-card surcharge line like Stripe's ~1.5% — but foreign-issued cards often fail Square's risk filters or settle at the same 2.9% + $0.30 online rate with higher decline odds. Keyed-in or manually entered card payments (no tap/dip/swipe) cost more than the in-person rate — commonly 3.5% + $0.15 — because card-not-present transactions carry more fraud risk. Always tap or dip when the customer is physically present.
How fast does Square deposit my money?
Standard free transfers to a linked bank account typically arrive next business day, and Square offers instant transfers to an eligible debit card for a small percentage fee (about 1.75% with a minimum). There is no monthly fee on the free plan holding your money hostage, and no rolling reserve for normal-risk businesses. New accounts in higher-risk categories can see delayed first settlements while Square reviews activity.