Square Fee Calculator
Estimate Square fees for online or in-person payments, what you keep after fees, and how much to charge for a target net payout.
Calculator
US online: 2.9% + $0.30
Results
Estimated Square fee
$3.20
Net payout
$96.80
Effective rate
3.20%
Fee as a share of the invoice amount
What this means
Effective rate is close to the posted percentage on this invoice size. Always confirm your actual processor schedule.
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Square Fee Summary
Square charges a percentage fee plus a fixed fee that depends on how the card is accepted. This calculator estimates fees, net payout, and reverse invoices using US baselines of 2.9% + $0.30 online and 2.6% + $0.10 in-person.
Explanation
Fee amount is Square’s estimated cut for the selected schedule.
Net payout is the invoice minus that fee.
Effective rate shows the true percentage cost for that payment size and channel.
US baseline rates this calculator models:
- Online / card-not-present: 2.9% + $0.30
- In-person / card-present: 2.6% + $0.10
- Volume discounts, ACH, or specialty products: confirm in Square’s docs for your account
Business implication: in-person rates are usually cheaper; keyed or online payments cost more—plan markup by how customers pay.
Step-by-step example
Online example for a $100.00 charge (2.9% + $0.30):
- Percentage: $100.00 × 2.9% = $2.90
- Fixed: $0.30
- Total fee: $3.20; net $96.80
In-person at 2.6% + $0.10 on $100.00: fee $2.70, net $97.30.
Formula
Online: Fee = (Amount × 0.029) + 0.30
In-person: Fee = (Amount × 0.026) + 0.10
Net = Amount − Fee
Invoice for target net = (Target Net + Fixed) ÷ (1 − Percent)
Helpful tips
- Prefer card-present when you can—lower fixed and percentage fees stack in your favor.
- Online and invoicing often look like “Stripe-like” 2.9% + $0.30; don’t assume in-person rates apply.
- Compare the same amount on Stripe and PayPal, or use the Processor Comparison tool side by side.
- To raise the charge so you still keep your target net, try the Fee Pass-Through Calculator.
FAQ
How much does Square charge?
Square’s commonly published US baselines are about 2.9% + $0.30 for online or card-not-present payments and 2.6% + $0.10 for in-person card-present payments. Your product, volume, or region can change the rate—confirm in Square’s fee docs for your account.
Are Square online and in-person fees different?
Yes. Square commonly publishes lower in-person card-present rates than online or keyed-in rates. This calculator lets you switch between a US online baseline (2.9% + $0.30) and an in-person baseline (2.6% + $0.10).
Does Square charge the same for invoices and online checkout?
Online and card-not-present channels often use the higher online schedule. Confirm the exact product (Point of Sale, Online Checkout, Invoices) in Square’s fee documentation for your account.
Can I pass Square fees to customers?
Many businesses bake processing costs into prices. Whether you can add an explicit surcharge depends on card network rules and local law—verify before adding a line-item fee.
How accurate is this calculator?
It models two widely cited US Square schedules. Volume discounts, ACH, or specialty card types can change your rate. Use Square’s reports for exact accounting.
Related tools
Key terms
Processing fee
Definition. The amount a payment processor charges to accept a card or digital payment.
In simple terms. Most online processors charge a percentage of the payment plus a fixed per-transaction amount. The fee is how the processor gets paid for authorization, settlement, fraud tools, and payouts.
Fee ≈ (rate × transaction amount) + fixed fee
Example. On a $100 charge at 2.9% + $0.30, the fee is about $3.20 and you keep about $96.80 (before refunds or chargebacks).
Common mistake. Comparing only the percentage rate and ignoring the fixed fee—or assuming every payment method uses the same rate.
Related calculators. Stripe Fee Calculator, PayPal Fee Calculator, Square Fee Calculator, Processor Comparison Tool
Related terms. Net payout, Effective rate, Fee pass-through
Net payout
Definition. What you actually receive after processing fees are deducted from a payment.
In simple terms. Customers pay the invoice amount; the processor keeps its fee; the remainder is your net. Pricing and cash-flow decisions should use net, not the sticker invoice total.
Net payout = invoice amount − processing fee
Example. Invoice $250, fee $7.55 → net payout ≈ $242.45.
Common mistake. Planning expenses from the full invoice amount and discovering shortfalls after fees clear.
Related calculators. Stripe Fee Calculator, Fee Pass-Through Calculator
Related terms. Processing fee, Effective rate, Fee pass-through
Effective rate
Definition. Total processing cost as a percentage of the payment amount.
In simple terms. Because of fixed per-transaction fees, small payments often have a higher effective rate than large ones—even at the same posted rate.
Effective rate = processing fee ÷ payment amount
Example. A $3.20 fee on $100 is a 3.2% effective rate. The same structure on a $20 charge is a much higher effective rate.
Common mistake. Using the advertised percentage alone when comparing processors or pricing low-ticket items.
Related calculators. Stripe Fee Calculator, Processor Comparison Tool
Related terms. Processing fee, Net payout
Notes & Assumptions
Fee model based on commonly published US Square online and in-person schedules. Confirm current rates on Square payments fees.
Last reviewed: July 2026