Square Fee Calculator
See your exact Square fee and net payout using current 2026 rates.
The charge below covers the fee so your net lands on the amount above.
In person
Online or invoice
Manually keyed or card on file
Average sale lets the tool count the per-transaction fixed fee. Leave a channel blank if you do not use it.
Rates reflect Square’s published US pricing, verified June 2026. In person 2.6% / 2.5% / 2.4% + $0.15 on Free / Plus / Premium. Online and invoice 3.3% + $0.30 on Free, 2.9% + $0.30 on Plus and Premium. Manually keyed or card on file 3.5% + $0.15 on all plans. Confirm current rates on Square’s pricing page.
When using Square to accept payments, understanding how much you’ll pay in fees (and how much you’ll actually take home!) is essential.
That’s where our Square Fee Calculator (above) comes in. Just enter the transaction amount, and you’ll instantly see how much Square will deduct and what you’ll take home.
After using the calculator, read on to understand how Square’s fees work and why calculating them is important for your business. If you want a bigger-picture view of what your overall Square POS pricing will cost you, use the Square POS pricing calculator below.
How much will Square take from your sale?
Square takes a percentage of each sale plus a fixed per-transaction fee, and the rate depends on how the payment is taken. On the Free plan, in-person card payments cost 2.6% plus $0.15, online and invoice payments cost 3.3% plus $0.30, and manually keyed or card-on-file payments cost 3.5% plus $0.15. A $100 in-person sale on the Free plan carries a $2.75 fee, so you receive $97.25. Square deducts the fee before the deposit reaches your bank account, so the calculator above shows your real payout on any amount and payment type.
Square fees by plan and payment type (2026)
Square uses flat-rate pricing, so every Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover payment is charged the same published rate for its transaction type. The rate drops as you move from Free to a paid plan, and Square deducts it before your deposit reaches the bank.
Square Processing Rates by Plan
| Payment type | Square Free | Square Plus | Square Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| In person (tap, dip, swipe) | 2.6% + $0.15 | 2.5% + $0.15 | 2.4% + $0.15 |
| Online or invoice | 3.3% + $0.30 | 2.9% + $0.30 | 2.9% + $0.30 |
| Manually keyed or card on file | 3.5% + $0.15 | 3.5% + $0.15 | 3.5% + $0.15 |
Plus costs $49 per month per location, and Premium costs $149 per month per location. The Free plan has no monthly fee. Our Square POS pricing guide breaks down each plan, its add-ons, and hardware costs in full.
Other payment methods carry their own rates:
- ACH bank transfer (via invoice): 1%, $1 minimum
- Afterpay (buy now, pay later): 6% + $0.30, and you are paid the full amount upfront
- Cash App Pay: the same rate as the matching card transaction type
- Cash or check: free, no processing fee
- Instant or same-day transfer: 1.95% per transfer, while standard next-business-day transfer is free
Rates reflect Square's published US pricing, verified June 2026.
How to calculate Square fees
A Square fee follows one formula: Square fee = (sale amount × percentage rate) + fixed per-transaction fee. Your payout is the sale amount minus the fee. To work it out:
- Find the rate for your payment type and plan.
- Multiply the sale amount by the percentage rate.
- Add the fixed per-transaction fee.
- Subtract the fee from the sale amount to get your payout.
On the Free plan, a $100 sale works out like this:
- In person: ($100 × 2.6%) + $0.15 = $2.75 fee, and you keep $97.25.
- Online or invoice: ($100 × 3.3%) + $0.30 = $3.60 fee, and you keep $96.40.
- Manually keyed or card on file: ($100 × 3.5%) + $0.15 = $3.65 fee, and you keep $96.35.
Paid plans lower the percentage on in-person and online card payments, so use the calculator above for your plan and average sale.
How to lower your Square fees
If you have started to wonder whether Square's fees are too high for your margins, a few changes lower your effective rate without changing how you run the business.
- Take cards in person whenever you can. The in-person rate of 2.6% + $0.15 on Free sits well below the 3.5% + $0.15 you pay to key a card in by hand.
- Watch the fixed fee on small sales. A $4 charge loses $0.15 to the flat fee no matter what, so combine small purchases into one payment where you can.
- Move up a plan once the math works. Plus costs $49 per month and cuts the online rate from 3.3% to 2.9%, which pays for itself at roughly $12,250 in monthly online card sales.
- Use ACH for large invoices. At 1% with a $1 minimum, a bank transfer beats card rates on high-dollar bills.
- Add a surcharge or a card minimum where state law and card-network rules allow, so card fees come off the customer instead of your margin.
What changed in Square's 2026 pricing
Square overhauled its pricing in late 2025 and raised two rates that reach most sellers. The in-person fixed fee rose from $0.10 to $0.15 per transaction. The Free-plan online and invoice rate jumped from 2.9% + $0.30 to 3.3% + $0.30, a real increase for anyone who sells online. Square also folded its old per-industry plans into three tiers: Free, Plus, and Premium. Our Square POS review covers what each tier includes beyond the headline rates. One point still works in your favor: Square charges no chargeback fee, while most processors add $15 to $25 per dispute.
When Square's flat rate starts costing you
Flat-rate pricing is predictable, and that is its strength for new and lower-volume sellers. The trade-off shows up as you grow. A flat 2.6% or 3.3% carries a built-in markup over the real interchange cost, so the more you process, the more that markup adds up. High-volume and high-risk retailers, including liquor stores, vape shops, convenience stores, and dispensaries, often pay more under a flat-rate plan than they would on an interchange-plus plan that reflects the actual card network cost plus a fixed margin. If that sounds like your store, it pays to weigh the Square POS alternatives built for higher volume before you lock into a flat rate.
KORONA POS is processor-agnostic, so you pick your own payment processor and negotiate the rate instead of accepting one built-in number. For a store running six figures a year in card volume, the gap between a flat rate and a competitive interchange-plus rate can cover staff or inventory. See your real cost with a free demo.
Speak with a product specialist and learn how KORONA POS can power your business.
Frequently asked questions
How much does Square charge per transaction?
Square charges 2.6% + $0.15 for in-person card payments on the Free plan, 3.3% + $0.30 for online or invoice payments, and 3.5% + $0.15 for manually keyed payments. Plus and Premium lower the in-person and online percentages.
Does Square refund the processing fee on a refund?
No. When you refund a customer, Square returns the sale amount but keeps the original processing fee. You absorb that fee on every refunded transaction, so factor it into your return policy and your pricing.
Does Square charge a chargeback fee?
No. Square does not charge a separate chargeback fee, unlike most processors that add $15 to $25 per dispute. You can still lose the disputed amount if you do not win the case, but there is no extra penalty.
How do I calculate my Square net payout?
Multiply the sale amount by the percentage rate, add the fixed per-transaction fee, then subtract the total from the sale. On a $100 in-person Free-plan sale, the fee is $2.75, so your net payout is $97.25.
Can I pass Square fees on to customers?
In many states you can add a surcharge or set a card minimum to offset Square fees, subject to card-network rules and local law. Square offers surcharging tools where allowed. Confirm the rules for your state before turning it on.
Is Square cheaper than Stripe or PayPal?
It depends on your payment mix. Square and Stripe price in-person and online card payments closely, with small per-transaction differences. The cheaper option comes down to your average ticket and channel, so compare each one against your real volume.
