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Square is a legitimate, widely used POS run by Block, Inc., with a $0 plan, published flat rates, no long-term contract and hardware from $59, which makes it one of the easiest systems for a small business to start on. The main risk is account holds: Square's payment terms let it delay payouts or require a reserve when it sees risk, and held funds and sudden account closures are the most common complaints on Trustpilot and the BBB. The BBB rates Square, Inc. A+ with 3,146 complaints in three years.
- Company
- Square, Inc., part of Block, Inc., Oakland, California4
- Plans
- Square Free $0, Square Plus $49 and Square Premium $149 a month per location, as listed October 20261
- In-person card rate
- 2.6% + 15 cents (Free), 2.5% + 15 cents (Plus), 2.4% + 15 cents (Premium)1
- Online and keyed rates
- Online 3.3% + 30 cents on Free, 2.9% + 30 cents on Plus and Premium; keyed or card on file 3.5% + 15 cents on all plans1
- Hardware
- Reader $59, Stand $149, Terminal $299, Handheld $399, Register (2nd generation) $8992
- Contract
- No long-term contract; Plus and Premium have a 30-day free trial and can be canceled or switched anytime1
- Payouts
- Next business day transfers to an outside bank for free, or instant transfers for a fee1
- BBB
- Square, Inc.: A+, accredited since April 2021, 3,146 complaints in 3 years4
Pros
- $0 plan with published, flat card rates
- No long-term contract or cancellation fee
- Hardware from $59, or none with Tap to Pay
- Restaurant, retail, appointments, invoices and online store in one account
- Highly rated apps and next-business-day payouts at no charge
Cons
- Square can hold payouts or require a reserve when it sees risk
- Keyed payments cost 3.5% + 15 cents
- Phone support on the Free plan ends after 90 days
- Flat rates cost more than interchange-plus at higher volume
- Advanced features, plus the KDS and Kiosk apps, need a paid plan and per-device fees
Best for: Small retailers, cafes, food trucks and service businesses that want to start selling today with no monthly fee or contract.
Skip it if: You process high-ticket or irregular sales where a payout hold would hurt, or your volume is high enough that interchange-plus pricing would save you money.
Square for Restaurants vs. competitors
| Company | Monthly software | In-person card rate | Starter hardware | Contract |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Square | $0, $49 or $149 per location | 2.6%, 2.5% or 2.4% + 15 cents | $59 reader | None |
| Clover | $0 to $89.95 for the first device (Wells Fargo) | 2.40% to 2.60% + 15 cents (Wells Fargo) | Compact $349 (Wells Fargo) | Varies by seller |
| Shopify POS | $39 to $399, plus $89 per location for POS Pro | 2.4% to 2.6% + 10 cents | Monthly subscription | |
| SpotOn | $0 (All-In) or $55 per station | 2.79% + 20 cents (All-In); 2.45% + 15 cents | $297 handheld | 2 years on All-In |
| Helcim | $0 | Interchange + 0.40% + 8 cents (up to $50,000 a month) | $199 reader | None |
Square for Restaurants pricing at a glance
Square POS plans, as listed October 20261
| Fee | Square Free | Square Plus | Square Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly, per location | $0 | $49 | $149 |
| Tap, dip or swipe | 2.6% + 15 cents | 2.5% + 15 cents | 2.4% + 15 cents |
| Online or invoice card | 3.3% + 30 cents | 2.9% + 30 cents | 2.9% + 30 cents |
| Keyed or card on file | 3.5% + 15 cents | 3.5% + 15 cents | 3.5% + 15 cents |
| ACH via invoice | 1%, $1 minimum | 1%, $1 minimum, $10 cap | 1%, $1 minimum, $10 cap |
| Non-U.S. cards | Extra 1.5% | Extra 1.5% | Extra 1.5% |
| KDS app per device | Not available | $30 a month | $20 a month |
| Kiosk app per device | Not available | $50 a month | $30 a month |
| Phone support | 6am to 6pm PT weekdays, first 90 days | 6am to 6pm PT weekdays | 24/7 |
Businesses processing over $250,000 a year can ask Square for custom rates. Afterpay costs 6% plus 30 cents and EBT 1.8% plus 5 cents. Hardware is sold separately.
Square for Restaurants, step by step
Create a free account
Sign up online with your business and bank details. Square verifies your identity and business before payouts start.
Choose a plan
Start on Square Free or try Plus or Premium free for 30 days. All three include restaurant, retail and appointment modes.
Add hardware or use your phone
Use Tap to Pay on iPhone or Android, or buy a reader, Stand, Terminal, Handheld or Register.
Sell and get paid
Card sales, minus fees, transfer to your bank the next business day for free, or instantly for a fee.
Cancel or switch
Change or cancel paid plans from your account settings; you keep access through the end of the billing period.
Square legitimacy and licensing
Yes. Square is run by Block, Inc., a publicly traded company, and it is one of the most widely used POS systems in the U.S. The Square Point of Sale app has about 606,000 App Store ratings averaging 4.8. The BBB rates Square, Inc. A+ and lists it as accredited since April 2021, with 3,146 complaints in three years.
Block’s biggest regulatory actions have involved Cash App, not Square’s seller tools. In January 2025 the CFPB ordered Block to pay up to $175 million over Cash App fraud handling, and state regulators separately ordered $80 million for anti-money laundering failures.
Square POS pricing explained
Square merged its separate restaurant, retail and appointments subscriptions into three plans. Square Free is $0 a month with in-person card sales at 2.6% plus 15 cents. Square Plus is $49 a month per location at 2.5% plus 15 cents. Square Premium is $149 a month per location at 2.4% plus 15 cents and adds 24/7 phone support.
The break-even math is simple. Plus saves 0.1% on in-person sales, so it pays for itself on rate alone at about $49,000 a month in card-present volume. Premium saves 0.2% over Free, which covers its $149 at about $74,500 a month. Below those levels, pay for Plus or Premium only if you need their features, such as KDS, kiosks, advanced inventory or texting.
Online sales cost 3.3% plus 30 cents on Free and 2.9% plus 30 cents on paid plans. Keyed cards cost 3.5% plus 15 cents on every plan, and non-U.S. cards add 1.5%.
What you get with Square
Every plan includes the POS app for any payment type, an item library with inventory, invoices, a basic website or online store, booking, and Square checking and savings accounts. Paid plans add advanced restaurant, retail and appointment features, contracts, staff tools like shift scheduling and tip pooling, and marketing texts. Square Payroll ($35 a month plus $6 per person) and hardware are sold separately.
Hardware runs from a $59 reader to a $149 Stand for your iPad, a $299 Terminal with a printer, a $399 Handheld and an $899 Register. Most devices can be financed over 12 or 24 months.
Key Takeaway: Square (Expert Score: 4.5/5.0)
Square earns an Expert Score of 4.5/5.0 from BestGuide, ranking it among the top point-of-sale providers for small businesses. Its strongest criterion is Services at 90%, reflecting a broad suite of integrated tools from payments to payroll. Over 4 million sellers use Square, and its free card reader option makes it accessible for startups.
Square earns an Expert Score of 4.5/5.0 from BestGuide, making it a leading choice for small business owners who need an all-in-one payment and business management platform. This Square review is based on our expert panel’s analysis of over 40 expert reviews and user feedback. We found that Square excels in ease of use and transparent pricing, with no monthly fees for its basic plan. If you are evaluating Square reviews and comparing point-of-sale systems, this analysis will help you decide if Square fits your business.
Compare Square with other top-rated Small Business Tools providers to see how it stacks up.
What customers say about Square for Restaurants
Recurring themes across the review sites and complaint records listed above, not individual quotes.
Common praise
- Fast setup and an easy interface for staff
- No monthly fee to start and published rates
- One system for in-person sales, invoices, online store and appointments
- Business loans and next-day payouts that help cash flow
Common complaints
- Funds held for weeks or accounts frozen with little explanation
- Account closures after risk reviews
- Support that is hard to reach, with handoffs between agents
- Plan changes that raised monthly costs
- Lost chargebacks
Square complaints: holds, closures and support
The pattern in Square’s complaints is consistent. Sellers report payouts held for weeks, accounts deactivated after a risk review, chat-first support with handoffs, and lost chargebacks. Square’s payment terms allow it to delay payouts or require a reserve if it sees elevated risk, and its general terms let it close an account at any time for any reason.
- Fill in your business details fully and match your bank account name to your business.
- Before a large or unusual sale, contact Square so a spike doesn’t trigger a hold.
- Keep receipts, delivery proof and signed estimates to fight chargebacks.
- Don’t depend on same-week payouts for payroll or rent until you have a track record.
Canceling Square
There is no long-term contract. You can cancel Plus or Premium from your account settings and keep access through the end of the current billing period. Square Free has no subscription to cancel, so you can stop using it at any time. Hardware you bought is yours, but some devices only work with Square, and financed hardware still has to be paid off.
Who should skip Square
High-volume sellers often pay less with interchange-plus pricing, such as Helcim, once card sales pass tens of thousands of dollars a month. Businesses in categories Square restricts, or with high-ticket sales and long fulfillment times, are more likely to hit holds. Full-service restaurants that want on-site installation and around-the-clock phone support on every plan may prefer SpotOn or Toast.
Alternatives to Square for Restaurants
- Helcim Interchange-plus pricing usually costs less than a flat rate once your monthly card volume is steady. Read review
- Shopify POS Better if most of your sales are online and you want the store and register on one platform. Read review
- SpotOn A better fit for full-service restaurants that want on-site install and 24/7 phone support on every plan. Read review
- Tap to Pay on your phone If you sell only occasionally, Square Free plus Tap to Pay on iPhone or Android costs nothing until you take a payment.
Square for Restaurants reviews
Written by readers, read by our moderators, never edited by the company.
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Frequently asked questions
Is Square POS free?
Square Free costs $0 a month and you pay only processing fees, 2.6% plus 15 cents for in-person card sales as listed October 2026. Hardware is optional, since you can take payments with Tap to Pay on a phone.
How much are Square's fees?
In person, 2.6%, 2.5% or 2.4% plus 15 cents depending on plan. Online card payments are 3.3% plus 30 cents on Free and 2.9% plus 30 cents on paid plans, and keyed cards are 3.5% plus 15 cents on all plans.
What's the difference between Square Free, Plus and Premium?
Plus ($49 per location) and Premium ($149) lower your in-person rate and add advanced POS features, staff tools, marketing texts and KDS or kiosk access. Premium also adds 24/7 phone support and the lowest card rate.
Does Square have a contract or cancellation fee?
No. Paid plans are month to month with a 30-day free trial, and you can cancel or switch anytime from your account settings.
Why does Square hold funds?
Square's payment terms let it delay payouts or require a reserve when it sees risk, such as a sudden spike in sales, high chargebacks or unusual transactions. Contact Square support and provide invoices or proof of delivery to speed up a review.
How fast does Square pay out?
Square transfers to an outside bank account the next business day for free. Instant transfers are available for a fee, and Square Checking gives access to sales right after each sale.
Is Square good for restaurants?
For counter service, cafes and food trucks, yes. It includes restaurant mode on every plan, with KDS and kiosks on paid plans. Larger full-service restaurants should also quote Toast and SpotOn.
Is Square better than Clover?
Square is easier to price because its rates and plans are published and the same for everyone. Clover's price depends on which bank or reseller sells it, and some sellers require multi-year contracts.
What hardware does Square sell?
A $59 contactless and chip reader, $149 Stand and Kiosk, $299 Terminal, $399 Handheld and $899 Register, as listed October 2026. Many devices can be financed.
Is Square safe to use?
Square is a large processor run by Block, Inc., a public company, and its checking and savings products are provided by FDIC member banks, Sutton Bank and Square Financial Services. For most sellers the bigger practical risk is payout holds and account closures.
Sources (9)
Facts on this page come from company websites, government agencies and regulators, checked on the dates shown. Editorial standards
- Square: Pricing (accessed October 13, 2026)
- Square: Hardware (accessed October 13, 2026)
- Square Support: Switch to the new Square subscription plans (accessed October 13, 2026)
- BBB: Square, Inc. profile (accessed October 13, 2026)
- Trustpilot: Square US reviews (accessed October 13, 2026)
- Square: Payment Terms (reserve for holding funds) (accessed October 13, 2026)
- Square: General Terms of Service (accessed October 13, 2026)
- CFPB: CFPB orders operator of Cash App to pay $175 million (January 16, 2025) (accessed October 13, 2026)
- Apple App Store: Square Point of Sale (POS) (accessed October 13, 2026)
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