How to use the Square fee calculator
- Pick Fee on a payment or What to charge (the price that leaves you a set amount).
- Enter the amount and how the customer pays: in person, online or by invoice, keyed in, or by ACH bank transfer on an invoice.
- Choose your Square plan: Free, Plus or Premium.
- Add how many payments like this you take a month. The plan table then shows what each plan costs you in fees plus subscription.
Square fees in 2026 (US)
| Payment | Free | Plus ($49/mo) | Premium ($149/mo) |
|---|---|---|---|
| In person: tap, dip, swipe | 2.6% + 15¢ | 2.5% + 15¢ | 2.4% + 15¢ |
| Online checkout & card invoices | 3.3% + 30¢ | 2.9% + 30¢ | 2.9% + 30¢ |
| Keyed in or card on file | 3.5% + 15¢ | 3.5% + 15¢ | 3.5% + 15¢ |
| Invoice paid by ACH | 1% (min $1) | 1% (min $1) | 1% (min $1) |
Plan prices are per location. Businesses with more than $250,000 a year in card sales can ask Square for custom rates.
Square fees at common amounts (Free plan)
| Sale | In person | Online / invoice | Keyed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| $10 | $0.41 | $0.63 | $0.50 |
| $25 | $0.80 | $1.13 | $1.03 |
| $50 | $1.45 | $1.95 | $1.90 |
| $100 | $2.75 | $3.60 | $3.65 |
| $250 | $6.65 | $8.55 | $8.90 |
| $500 | $13.15 | $16.80 | $17.65 |
| $1,000 | $26.15 | $33.30 | $35.15 |
Free, Plus or Premium?
Do the maths with your own volume in the plan table. As a rough guide, Plus saves 0.1% in person and 0.4% online. The online saving covers the $49 at about $12,250 of online sales a month; the in-person saving needs about $49,000 a month. Below that, upgrade only if you need the extra features, such as advanced inventory, staff tools or more online store options.
Square for craft fairs, markets and pop-ups
Square is the go-to reader for craft fairs and markets because it works offline, takes tap-to-pay on a phone and has no monthly fee. On a $25 handmade item you pay 80¢. Build that into your price: work out a price that covers materials, time and fees with the markup calculator, and how many items you must sell to cover a booth fee with the break-even calculator. If you also sell online, compare Etsy's fees and see whether selling on Etsy is worth it.
Square vs Stripe and PayPal
In person, Square (2.6% + 15¢) and Stripe Terminal (2.7% + 5¢) cost almost the same on a typical sale. Online, Stripe's 2.9% + 30¢ beats Square's Free plan 3.3% + 30¢, and PayPal Checkout's 3.49% + 49¢ costs the most. Check your own numbers with the Stripe fee calculator and the PayPal fee calculator.
See your real profit after fees
Till is a small business profit planner: record each sale and its fees, and see your real profit, the tax to set aside and what you can pay yourself. Flip does it item by item for resellers. Both have a free demo with sample data.
Square US rates checked October 2026; an estimate, not financial advice.
Frequently asked questions
What are Square's fees in 2026?
How much does Square take from $100?
Is Square Plus worth it?
Does Square charge a monthly fee?
Does Square refund fees on refunds?
How do I avoid Square's keyed-in fee?
Written by
Finance Specialist & Editor, VaultlyApps
Emma Whitfield writes and edits the VaultlyApps money guides and free calculators. Her focus is US household finance — budgeting on a real paycheck, paying down credit card and student debt, emergency funds and savings goals, renting — and the money side of freelancing and small-business income, from pricing and profit margins to self-employment tax. Every guide is researched against primary sources such as IRS publications and the CFPB, every number is checked in our tested calculators, and tax content is reviewed each year when new IRS figures come out. Emma is not a licensed financial adviser or tax preparer; her work is general education, not personal advice.
Researched against primary US sources, checked against independent calculators and reviewed by a finance expert on our team. Written for US readers — general education, not financial, tax or legal advice. Editorial policy · Disclaimer
