Square POS is known for its transparent, no-surprise pricing, which appeals to small and medium-sized businesses. But is it the best choice for your business? In this guide, we break down Square’s costs — from monthly subscriptions to transaction and hardware fees — and compare it to alternatives like KORONA POS.

Square Pricing: A Quick Glance

Square POS Pricing Overview

Square offers several software plans tailored to different business types. Here’s a quick breakdown of Square POS pricing:

Square POS Free

• Monthly fee: $0
• Processing fees: 2.6% + 15¢ per in-person transaction; 3.5% + 15¢ for manually entered payments.
• Key Features: Sales analytics, inventory management, multi-location support, mobile invoicing, card on file
• Hardware required: Square reader, Stand, Terminal, or Register for accepting chip, tap, and magstripe payments.

Square for Retail

• Free Plan: $0/month/location — includes basic inventory and online selling features.
• Plus Plan: $89+/month/location — adds advanced inventory tools, vendor management, staff management for unlimited team members, and discounted processing rates.
• Premium Plan: Custom pricing — includes all advanced features, custom rates, and dedicated onboarding support.

Square for Restaurants

• Free Plan: $0/month/location — supports one countertop POS device, basic order and reporting tools.
• Plus Plan: $69+/month/location — includes advanced inventory, floor plan customization, kitchen display system (KDS), and 24/7 support.
• Premium Plan: Custom pricing — designed for larger operations; includes advanced software features and custom rates.

Square Appointments

• Free Plan: $0/month/location — includes unlimited staff accounts, free booking website and social media integrations, integrated payments, automatic text and email reminders, automated contracts, and a marketplace app for beauty and personal care discovery.
• Plus Plan: $29/month/location — includes everything in Square Appointments Free, plus customer confirmation texts and emails, cancellation policy and fees, class scheduling, waitlists, and appointment reports.
• Premium Plan: $69/month/location — includes everything in Square Appointments Plus, plus advanced access, scheduling features, resource management, custom staff commissions, and custom contract fields.

Square Payment Processing Fees

Square’s payment processing is straightforward but can get pricey depending on your volume and method.

Standard fees:

• In-person payments: 2.6% + 10–15¢ per swipe, dip, or tap.
• Online payments: 2.9% + 30¢ per transaction.
• Manually keyed-in payments: 3.5% + 15¢ per transaction.
• ACH transfers: 1% per transaction (minimum $1).
• Afterpay installments: 6% + 30¢ per transaction.

Free Processing Fee Calculator

Want to find out how much you might spend on fees with Square POS? Use our free processing fee calculator below to run the numbers:

Square Hardware Pricing

Square offers several hardware options to fit different setups:

Square Terminal

Square Card Readers

Square Register

Square Stand

Square Hardware Kits

While the Terminal and the Reader are adequate for the simple types of small businesses, most retailers need something with a bit more functionality. Square’s hardware kits are the most popular option for these needs.

Square Register Kit

Mobile POS Kit for Square Reader

Square Register Retail Kit

Square Stand Kit

Square Stand Kit for Restaurants

Extra Square POS Features & Add-Ons

For businesses requiring more advanced features, Square POS offers a suite of additional features. These additional tools enable businesses to manage finances, accept remote payments, and foster stronger customer relationships.

Square Loyalty

• Price: Starts at $45/month/location
• Use: Create customer loyalty programs to encourage repeat visits

Square Loans

• Allows eligible businesses to access fast financing based on a business’s sales history, with repayments as a percentage of daily sales.

Virtual Terminal

• Fee: 3.5% + 15¢ per transaction
• Use: Accept payments over the phone or manually from any internet-enabled device. No additional hardware is required, and all transactions are processed through Square.

Customer Directory

• Free tool to manage customer data and purchase history

Text Message Marketing

Pricing for Square’s Text Message Marketing is $10/mo plus an additional amount based on the total number of messages sent.

Email Marketing

Square’s e-mail marketing tools include unlimited email sends, POS integration, prebuilt campaign templates, and coupon redemption. Pricing is $15 per month plus an additional monthly fee based on the number of customer contacts.

Square Payroll

Square Payroll is a native employee scheduling software that supports both hourly and salaried employees, as well as contractors, and offers direct deposit, automatic tax withholding, and timecard integration features. Square offers two different payment options for its Payroll feature:

• Full-service payroll: $35/mo plus a $6 monthly fee per person paid
• Contractor-only payroll: $6/mo per person paid

Square POS Customer Reviews

Like any POS system, Square has its pros and cons. Let’s take a look at what people have to say about Square POS on Software Advice:

Positive Reviews

Square’s hardware is praised for its plug-and-play functionality. The consistent software-hardware integration ensures a smooth experience, even on mobile devices. Here are other pros of using Square:

• Easy to use: Square’s setup is incredibly straightforward, with a clean interface that’s perfect for beginners
• Efficient invoicing: Creating and sending invoices is quick, allowing easy payment collection via email
• Flexible payment options: Supports multiple hardware and payment methods.

Complaints

Some users have encountered issues with system updates that alter the layout and disrupt workflows. Another frequent concern is occasional delays caused by random account reviews, which can temporarily restrict access to funds.

Here are other common negative reviews about Square:

• Frequent updates: Mandatory updates often change settings locations, causing inconvenience for regular users
• Account holds: Occasional random checks can lead to temporary bans on withdrawing funds, impacting cash flow
• High transaction fees: Processing fees can be high, especially for businesses handling large transactions
• Difficulty reaching support: Some users complain about the customer support at Square, claiming that getting phone assistance takes far too long

Square POS Alternatives and Competitors

Square POS Alternatives: Why Consider KORONA POS

KORONA POS offers a range of features that make it ideal for retail stores, from its intuitive interface to its sophisticated feature set. Some of the most noteworthy features of KORONA POS include: 

Automatic Minimum and Maximum Inventory Levels

Most point of sale software supports manual inventory restocking. If you have nearly 1000 products, this process can take hours. However, KORONA POS simplifies this task with its auto-stock replenishment feature, saving you significant time and effort.

Processing-agnostic

KORONA POS is processing-agnostic, meaning merchants have the flexibility to use any payment processor with their POS. It’s especially ideal for vape shops, liquor stores, and other businesses that require flexibility in their payment options. 

Security

KORONA POS implements strict security measures, including regular vulnerability testing and encrypting all payment data following industry standards (PCI-DSS). You can also enable two-factor authentication in KORONA Studio.

Flexible Integrations

KORONA POS also provides seamless integrations with various online platforms, such as eCommerce and loyalty software, so merchants can handle online and offline operations from a single point of sale system. An open API allows any retailer to easily develop custom integrations into the platform.

Real-Time Inventory Tracking

With robust inventory tracking, you can always stay on top of your store’s inventory levels and be sure that you have the right amount on hand without worrying about overstocking or running out unexpectedly. Square does not offer in-depth inventory management, supplier relationship management, stock notifications, or automated inventory features.

Comprehensive Reports and Analytics

The reports and analytics tool in KORONA POS allows you to track and monitor your retail store’s performance in real-time so that you can make informed decisions about how best to run your business. With detailed insights into every aspect of your sales data, KORONA POS also makes forecasting easier.

Square POS Pricing Wrap-Up

Square POS is a user-friendly, transparent choice for many small businesses, especially those just getting started. However, higher processing fees and limited advanced features may make it less ideal for high-volume or niche retailers.

Looking for more flexibility, advanced inventory tools, and lower long-term costs? Check out KORONA POS — a fully customizable solution that adapts as your business grows.

Square POS Pricing FAQs