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Software solution

Square Retail POS

A retail checkout and inventory system that keeps store sales, stock, and online orders connected

Square Retail POS combines checkout, inventory, and reporting for U.S. retailers that need a clearer view of what is selling and what needs replenishing. It supports in-store and online sales, real-time stock updates, barcode-based catalog work, purchase orders, vendor records, discounts, refunds, exchanges, and retail reports.

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Built for your day-to-day

How it fits your business

A Free plan covers core selling, while Plus adds deeper inventory and purchasing tools and Premium adds multi-location workflows and 24/7 phone support. Merchants can run it on Square Register, Square Handheld, Square Terminal, Square Stand with a compatible iPad, or a Square Reader paired with a mobile device. Published rates and plan availability should be rechecked before purchase.

Key capabilities

What you can do

  • Keep stock aligned across selling channels

    Square says inventory updates in real time across locations and channels, helping a retailer reduce overselling when the same catalog is sold at the counter and online. Plus adds inventory management and stock intake; Premium adds cross-location returns, fulfillment, and transfer orders.

  • Make catalog and receiving work less manual

    Retail teams can search or scan GTIN barcodes, import an existing catalog in bulk, create SKUs, receive stock in bulk, maintain vendor profiles, and create purchase orders. Barcode-label printing is available with supported label dimensions, templates, and printers.

  • Support everyday retail checkout

    The system supports tap, chip, swipe with the appropriate reader, digital wallets, Cash App Pay, discounts, full or partial refunds, store-credit refunds, exchanges, and age-verification prompts for restricted products. Afterpay is available subject to eligibility and its customer terms.

  • Choose a counter, floor, or mobile setup

    Square Register is a two-screen countertop POS; Square Handheld adds a built-in barcode scanner for floor selling and stock work; Square Terminal includes a receipt printer; Square Stand uses a compatible iPad; and Square Reader connects to an iOS or Android device.

  • Turn sales data into retail decisions

    Retail reporting includes sales detail, cost-of-goods-sold tracking, sell-through visibility, aging inventory, and slow-moving-stock analysis. These tools can help a store decide what to reorder, discount, or stop carrying.

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Product details

Plans and what changes by tier

Square Free is $0 per month per location and covers core POS selling, item/SKU setup, discounts, refunds, and sales reporting. Square Plus is $49 per month per location and adds retail inventory management, stock intake, vendor and purchase-order tools, cost-of-goods-sold and inventory reporting, and related advanced workflows. Square Premium is $149 per month per location and adds cross-location returns and fulfillment, transfer orders, and 24/7 phone support. Square states that Plus and Premium have 30-day free trials and can be canceled or changed; custom pricing may be available for businesses processing more than $250,000 annually, subject to eligibility.

Published U.S. processing fees

The published in-person rate is 2.6% + $0.15 per tap, dip, or swipe on Free, 2.5% + $0.15 on Plus, and 2.4% + $0.15 on Premium. Online or invoice card payments are 3.3% + $0.30 on Free and 2.9% + $0.30 on Plus or Premium. Manual entry or card-on-file payments are 3.5% + $0.15. Afterpay is 6% + $0.30, while cash or check is free. An additional 1.5% applies to cards issued outside the U.S.; fees can differ under custom pricing. These are transaction-type rates, not monthly subscription prices.

Hardware, connectivity, and limitations

Current U.S. list prices shown by Square include Square Register (2nd generation) at $899, Square Handheld at $399, Square Terminal at $299, Square Stand at $149, and Square Reader for contactless and chip at $59, before tax. The listed installment examples are financing offers subject to credit approval, a 15% APR, purchase limits, and state restrictions; they are not cash prices. Stand requires a compatible USB-C iPad. Reader requires an iOS 16+ or Android 9+ device and Bluetooth LE. Register and Handheld require network access for normal operation; offline payments can be declined unless the device reconnects within 24 hours, and the merchant bears expired, declined, or disputed-payment risk. Magstripe generally requires a separate Square Reader for magstripe.

Plan details

Pricing, fees & eligibility

Explore pricing

U.S. Square Retail plans are Free at $0 per month per location, Plus at $49 per month per location, and Premium at $149 per month per location. Plus and Premium offer 30-day trials. Square says businesses processing over $250,000 per year may be eligible for custom pricing and processing fees.

Upfront hardware (USD)$899
Monthly software (USD)$49

Fees & eligibility

  • In-person tap, dip, or swipe — Free

    Per card-present transaction on Square Free; swipe requires compatible magstripe hardware.

    2.6% + $0.15
  • In-person tap, dip, or swipe — Plus

    Per card-present transaction on Square Plus.

    2.5% + $0.15
  • In-person tap, dip, or swipe — Premium

    Per card-present transaction on Square Premium.

    2.4% + $0.15
  • Online or invoice card payment

    Per online or invoice card payment; published U.S. rates.

    3.3% + $0.30 Free; 2.9% + $0.30 Plus or Premium
  • Manual entry or card on file

    Per manually keyed or saved-card transaction.

    3.5% + $0.15
  • Afterpay

    Per Afterpay transaction; customer eligibility and Afterpay terms apply.

    6% + $0.30
  • International card transaction surcharge

    Applies to cards issued outside the United States.

    Additional 1.5%
  • Cash or check

    Square does not charge a processing fee for cash or check payments.

    Free

Requirements

  • A Square account and a U.S. business/banking setup that passes Square onboarding and payment eligibility checks are required.
  • Square Plus or Premium is required for the advanced retail inventory, purchasing, reporting, and multi-location capabilities described above; Free is limited to the core tier features.
  • A compatible device and internet connection are needed for normal hardware operation; offline mode has a 24-hour reconnection condition and merchant risk for offline transactions.
  • Square Stand requires one of Square's listed compatible USB-C iPad models; Square Reader requires an iOS 16+ or Android 9+ device with Bluetooth LE.
  • Square Register, Handheld, Terminal, Stand, and Reader hardware is optional for accepting payments because Square also supports Tap to Pay, invoices, payment links, and Virtual Terminal, but a staffed retail checkout normally needs a supported POS device.

Pricing and capabilities are recorded from official Square U.S. pages checked on 2026-10-27; Square may change rates, plans, eligibility, or hardware availability.

The $899 hardwareUSD value is the current listed cash price for Square Register (2nd generation), used as the primary countertop reference—not a complete system price and not inclusive of tax, accessories, shipping, or subscription fees.

Installment examples are financing offers issued by Block, Inc.; Square states a 15% APR, purchase limits, state exclusions including AL, DE, MO, MS, NH, and TN, and credit approval requirements.

Offline payments are not risk-free: Square states transactions may be declined after the reconnection window and the merchant is responsible for expired, declined, or disputed offline payments.

Afterpay availability and customer eligibility are subject to Afterpay's terms; late fees may apply to customers.

Custom pricing, hardware discounts, onboarding, implementation support, and account management are not guaranteed and require eligibility review for merchants processing over $250,000 annually.

No image is included because no official Square asset license or marketing permission was verified.

Questions

Frequently asked questions

Does Square Retail POS require a paid subscription?

No. Square Free costs $0 per month per location and includes core retail selling tools. Square Plus is $49 per month per location and Premium is $149 per month per location; the paid tiers add advanced inventory, purchasing, reporting, and multi-location capabilities.

What is the lowest published in-person card rate for Square Retail POS?

The published Premium rate is 2.4% + $0.15 per tap, dip, or swipe transaction. Free is 2.6% + $0.15 and Plus is 2.5% + $0.15. The rate depends on the active plan and transaction type; custom rates may be available only after Square reviews eligibility.

Can a retailer use Square Retail POS without buying Square hardware?

Yes. Square says payments can also be accepted through Tap to Pay on iPhone or Android, invoices, payment links, or Virtual Terminal. For a conventional retail counter, Square lists Register, Terminal, Stand with a compatible iPad, Handheld, and Reader options.

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