Square Fee Calculator (2026 Updated Rates)
Square bundles free POS software with flat-rate card processing: 2.6% + $0.15 tapped in person and 2.9% + $0.30 online in the US. Its simple pricing is competitive for small-ticket retail, though keyed-in and BNPL transactions get expensive fast.
Fee breakdown
| Platform | Total fees | Net | vs here | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Square (this page) | $3.20 | $96.80 | baseline | |
| Wise | $0.93 | $99.07 | +$2.27 More 🟢 | PK → |
| Stripe | $3.20 | $96.80 | +$0.00 More 🟢 | PK → |
| Shopify | $3.20 | $96.80 | +$0.00 More 🟢 | |
| PayPal | $3.98 | $96.02 | −$0.78 Less 🔻 | PK → |
| Lemon Squeezy | $5.50 | $94.50 | −$2.30 Less 🔻 | PK → |
| Gumroad | $13.70 | $86.30 | −$10.50 Less 🔻 | PK → |
Square fee quick reference (2026)
| Amount | Total fees | You keep | Take rate | Charge to net it |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $10.00 | $0.59 | $9.41 | 5.9% | $10.61 |
| $25.00 | $1.03 | $23.97 | 4.1% | $26.06 |
| $50.00 | $1.75 | $48.25 | 3.5% | $51.81 |
| $100.00 | $3.20 | $96.80 | 3.2% | $103.30 |
| $250.00 | $7.55 | $242.45 | 3.0% | $257.78 |
| $500.00 | $14.80 | $485.20 | 3.0% | $515.25 |
| $1,000.00 | $29.30 | $970.70 | 2.9% | $1,030.18 |
Square fee formula & hidden costs
payment processing 2.90% + $0.30
Worked example: $100.00 gross → $3.20 fees → $96.80 net. Reverse gross-up: charge = (target + fixed) / (1 − rate) → to net $100.00 charge $103.30.
Hidden fees to watch
- Keyed-in and card-on-file payments cost 3.5% + $0.15 — the most expensive Square channel.
- Afterpay/BNPL orders cost 6% + $0.30, more than double the online card rate.
- Square keeps the processing fee when you refund a customer.
- Instant transfers cost 1.75% of the transfer amount (standard next-day deposits are free).
- Square Payroll, Loyalty and advanced POS tiers bill separately from processing.
How to pay less in Square fees
- Use the reverse calculator to pass fees to the client explicitly instead of eating them.
- Batch small orders — fixed per-order fees dominate sub-$10 transactions.
- Avoid currency conversion inside the platform; settle in your own currency via a multi-currency account.
- Compare QuickBooks — Small-business accounting and self-employed tax tracking.
Frequently asked questions
What does Square charge on a $100 in-person sale?
Tapped, dipped or swiped cards cost 2.6% + $0.15 — on $100 that is $2.75, leaving you $97.25. Online checkout on the same amount costs $3.20.
How much should I charge online to receive exactly $100 from Square?
($100 + $0.30) / (1 - 0.029) = $103.30. The $3.30 fee brings you back to exactly $100.00 net.
Why is my keyed-in fee so much higher?
Manually entered and card-on-file transactions carry more fraud risk, so Square prices them at 3.5% + $0.15 — nearly a full point above the in-person rate.
Does Square refund processing fees on refunds?
No — like Stripe, Square keeps the original processing fee when you refund a payment.
Is Square cheaper than Stripe for online payments?
They are identical online in the US (2.9% + $0.30). Square wins on in-person (2.6% + $0.15) and UK/AU flat rates, while Stripe wins on ACH/large invoices and currency features.