Square

Square charges 1.6% per tap, dip, or swipe for all card types accepted in person, including Visa, Mastercard, eftpos, and American Express. There is no separate rate for different card networks.

Online payments through Square cost 2.2% per transaction. This applies to Square Online, payment links, and invoices paid by card.

Square's standard plan is free (Free). There are no monthly account fees, no setup fees, and no lock-in contract. You only pay when you take a sale.

Square settles to your nominated bank account on the next business day by default. An Instant Transfer option is available at a fee of 1.5% per transfer for merchants who need funds sooner.

Square does not charge a chargeback fee (Free) or a refund fee (Free). The transaction fee on the original payment is not returned when a refund is issued, but there is no additional charge.

No. Square does not currently offer least-cost routing in Australia. All contactless debit transactions are processed through the card network branded on the card (Visa or Mastercard) rather than being routed through eftpos.

The Square Reader starts at $65. The Square Terminal is a standalone device that costs more. Square hardware is purchased outright with no ongoing rental fee.

The Square POS app is free with no monthly software fee ($0/mo). You pay only when you take a card payment, so it suits businesses with variable trade volumes.

Square charges 1.6% per tapped, dipped, or swiped card transaction in Australia. Keyed-in and online transactions carry a higher rate. There is no additional per-transaction fee on top of the percentage.

Square hardware starts from From $65 for a card reader. Additional terminals can be added at no extra monthly software charge, so the incremental cost of adding a second register is low.

Square supports offline mode: it queues card transactions locally and processes them once connectivity is restored. Australian regulations require disclosure when a terminal is offline, so Square prompts staff accordingly.

Square is month-to-month with no lock-in contract. You can start, pause, or cancel at any time without early-termination fees.

Square connects with over 300 third-party apps including Xero, MYOB, and WooCommerce. Most accounting integrations sync sales, taxes, and refunds automatically.

Square for Restaurants is a dedicated hospitality module that adds table management, course firing, and floor-plan views. The same Square account covers both retail and restaurant modes, making it versatile for mixed-format venues.

Yes. Square Online has a permanently free plan with no monthly fee. You can list unlimited products and accept online payments. On the free plan you pay only the per-transaction processing fee; there is no monthly platform charge.

The Plus plan is $36/mo (Plus) and the Premium plan is $99/mo (Premium) (annual billing). Paid plans remove the Square-branded domain requirement, unlock abandoned cart emails, and provide additional customisation options.

Square processes online payments in Australia at 2.2% (Free/Plus), 1.9% (Premium) per transaction. This rate applies to all Square Online plans and is the same whether you are on the free plan or a paid plan.

Square charges 0% platform transaction fee on top of its processing rate. You pay only the processing rate per transaction, with no separate platform surcharge.

Yes. Square Online and Square POS share a single inventory and order management system. Online and in-store orders, stock levels, and product listings all sync automatically, making it a convenient choice for businesses that sell both online and in person.

Square Online offers a genuinely free entry point and tight integration with Square POS, which suits small retail and hospitality businesses. Shopify has a much larger app ecosystem, more advanced multi-channel selling tools, and better scalability for high-growth stores, but requires a paid monthly plan from the outset.