Editorial take
Why it stands out
Model software subscription + processing + hardware—Square’s value is the bundle, not raw bps alone. Keyed and online rates differ materially.
Loading
Tool profile
Payments and commerce platform for in person and online sales, invoicing, and point of sale workflows.
Retail adding ecommerce without two payment stacks
Square is omnichannel commerce: card readers, Square POS, Square Online, invoices, and developer APIs for eligible sellers.
squareup.com/us/en/pricing (March 2026) cites in-person card-present rates starting around 2.6% + $0.15 per tap, dip, or swipe, with lower 2.5% and 2.4% + $0.15 tiers shown for higher subscription plans on the same page family. Online or card-not-present payments show around 3.3% + $0.30 on an entry online row and 2.9% + $0.30 on other online or invoice rows in the fetched tables—always match the flow (POS vs Online vs Manually keyed vs Invoice) to the correct line.
Hardware (readers, terminals) is purchased separately. Higher-tier Plus or Premium software subscriptions add monthly software fees with processing discounts per marketing grids—export the combo your storefront actually uses.
Quick fit
Editorial take
Model software subscription + processing + hardware—Square’s value is the bundle, not raw bps alone. Keyed and online rates differ materially.
What it does well
Primary use cases
Fit notes
Compare with
Pressure-test this pick against nearby alternatives.
Pricing snapshot
Square's current US Free plan pricing is 2.6% + 15 cents for tap, dip, or swipe, 3.3% + 30 cents for online or invoice payments, 2.9% + 30 cents for Online API payments, and 3.5% + 15 cents for manual entry or card on file. Square Plus lowers in-person payments to 2.5% + 15 cents and online or invoice payments to 2.9% + 30 cents; Premium lowers in-person payments to 2.4% + 15 cents. Monthly software and location fees are separate.
Gumroad
Free planIndie creators selling ebooks, templates, and courses
Creator commerce platform for selling digital products, memberships, and online downloads.
Not ideal for complex B2B invoicing or usage billing.
