Square
Accept payments online, in-person, or on the go with a free POS system, invoicing, and built-in business tools for inventory, booking, and banking.
Use Cases
Free Tier
$0/mo — pay only processing fees (2.6%+15¢ in-person, 3.3%+30¢ online)
How to Maximize the Free Tier
Square's free plan includes unlimited invoicing, a basic online store, POS app, item library, and booking — all with zero monthly cost. To maximize it: use the free POS app for in-person sales (lowest fees at 2.6%+15¢), send invoices for service businesses (same rate), and set up the free online ordering profile for e-commerce. Avoid the paid Plus plan unless you need loyalty programs or advanced POS features. ACH bank transfers cost 0.75% (capped at $5) and are great for large invoices. Watch for the higher online rate (3.3% vs 2.6% in-person) — if you sell both ways, route where possible.
Getting Started
Sign up at squareup.com → verify your business → connect your bank account for deposits → download the Square POS app or set up online payments via the developer dashboard → create your first item or invoice → start accepting payments.
Pros
- All-in-one platform: POS, invoicing, online store, booking, banking, and inventory management bundled together at no extra cost
- Developer API: Full REST API with SDKs for web, iOS, and Android — PCI-DSS compliant payments with just a few lines of code
- Instant access: Free plan available immediately with no approval process — start accepting payments within minutes
Cons
- Higher online fees: Online transactions cost 3.3%+30¢ on the free plan, which is higher than competitors like Stripe (2.9%+30¢)
- US-centric: Full feature set and best pricing are only available in the US, Canada, UK, Australia, Japan, and Ireland
- Limited customization: The free online store is basic — serious e-commerce needs the paid Plus plan or a separate platform