What this calculator does
Find out what Square takes from a sale and what reaches your bank. Square's price depends on two things: how the card is taken and which plan you're on. This calculator covers both.
The rates come from Square's US fee pages, checked on October 31, 2026. You can also work backward from the amount you want to keep, or enter a custom rate if Square has given you one.
Where it's used
Why this math matters outside the classroom:
- Coffee carts. An owner sees a $5 tapped sale costs $0.28 and prices drinks with that in mind.
- Plan choices. A shop with $10,000 in monthly online sales works out a $40 saving from a paid plan.
- Invoices. A contractor compares a card invoice with an ACH invoice before billing a large job.
- Bookkeeping. A small business records a $100 sale as $97.25 received plus a $2.75 fee expense.
How to use it
- Choose whether you want the fee on an amount, or the amount to charge.
- Pick how the card is taken and your Square plan.
- Enter the payment amount or the amount you want to receive.
- Read the fee and the amount you keep.
What the inputs mean
- Payment type
- Tapping, dipping or swiping a card costs the least. Online sales and invoices cost more. Typing a card in by hand or charging a card on file costs the most, on every plan.
- Amount you want to receive
- This is the money you want left after the fee.
Formula and method
fee = amount × rate + fixed fee you receive = amount − fee amount to charge = (target + fixed fee) ÷ (1 − rate)
Square charges a percentage of the sale plus a small flat amount. On the Free plan, an in-person sale costs 2.6% plus 15 cents, and an online sale or invoice costs 3.3% plus 30 cents.
Plus and Premium lower those rates. In person, Plus is 2.5% and Premium is 2.4%. Online and invoices drop to 2.9% on both.
ACH invoices are priced differently, at 1% with a $1 minimum. On Plus and Premium, the fee is capped at $10.
Worked example
A customer taps a card for a $100 sale on the Free plan, at 2.6% plus $0.15.
- The percentage part is $100 × 2.6% = $2.60.
- Add the fixed fee: $2.60 + $0.15 = $2.75.
- Take it off the sale: $100 − $2.75 = $97.25.
Result: The fee is $2.75 and you receive $97.25. To receive a full $100, you'd charge $102.82, and the fee would be $2.82.
Understanding the result
A paid plan only helps if the savings beat its monthly price. Going from Free to Plus saves 0.1% in person, which is $10 a month on $10,000 of sales. Online, it saves 0.4%, which is $40 on the same sales. Compare that with the plan's current price, and remember that plans can include other features you may want.
How you take the card can matter more than your plan. The same $100 costs $2.75 tapped, $3.60 online and $3.65 typed in. Having a customer tap instead of reading out a card number saves 90 cents.
Small sales lose a larger share. A $5 coffee tapped on the Free plan costs 28 cents, or 5.6%.
Before you add a surcharge to cover fees, check card network rules and your state's law.
Assumptions and limitations
- Payments are in US dollars to a US Square account, at standard rates.
- The fee is rounded to the nearest cent. Square's own rounding could differ by a cent.
- Cards from other countries cost another 1.5%, which isn't included in the listed options.
- Monthly plan prices, hardware, add-on software and instant transfer fees aren't included.
- Afterpay, EBT, gift cards and bitcoin have their own rates and aren't listed here.
- Custom rates aren't listed. Enter yours with the custom option. Your Square dashboard shows the amount actually charged.
Frequently asked questions
How much does Square charge on $100?
On the Free plan, $2.75 in person, $3.60 online or by invoice, and $3.65 if the card is typed in or on file.
Does Square charge for cash?
No. Square lists cash and check payments as free to record.
Do Apple Pay and Google Pay cost more on Square?
Tapping a phone or watch is treated as a tap in this estimate, at the in-person rate. Google says it adds no fee of its own, and the merchant keeps paying the processor.
Which plan should I choose?
Work out your monthly sales by payment type, multiply by the rate difference, and compare that with the plan's price. If the savings are smaller than the price, the plan has to earn its keep through other features.
How current are these rates?
We read them from Square's fee pages on October 31, 2026. If your rate differs, choose "Enter my own rate".
Sources
- Square: Understanding our fees (checked 2026-10-31)
- Square Support: Learn about Square fees (checked 2026-10-31)
How this calculator is checked
Method: Square US fee pages, read 2026-10-31. Rates are in src/lib/finance/payment-fees.ts. The calculation is covered by automated tests with known reference values and edge cases. Last updated 2026-10-31. Found a problem? Tell us.
Embed this calculator
Put this Square Fee Calculator on your own website or blog for free. Paste this code where you want it to appear: