Square
6.2/10Square is a payments and point-of-sale platform from Block that lets small businesses take card and ACH payments, send invoices, and run payroll.
Data last updated November 2026 · Our methodology
Overview
Square, made by Block Inc., is a commerce platform built around payment processing. Its finance features include Square Invoices (estimates, recurring invoices, deposits, automatic reminders, and card or ACH payment), Square Payroll for US employees and contractors, and Square Checking and savings accounts that receive payouts. It suits US small businesses such as retailers, restaurants, service providers and freelancers who take payments in person and online and want invoicing tied to the same account. Pricing is mostly per transaction. The Free plan costs nothing per month. Invoices paid by card cost 3.3% plus 30 cents, ACH costs 1% with a $1 minimum, and in-person payments cost 2.6% plus 15 cents. Square Plus, reported at $49 per month, lowers invoice card fees to 2.9% plus 30 cents and adds custom templates, batch invoices and payment schedules. Premium is priced through sales. Payroll is billed separately: $35 per month plus $6 per employee, or $6 per contractor on the contractor-only plan. Payroll connects with QuickBooks and Xero, and Square offers more than 100 app integrations. Square is not an accounting system. It has no general ledger, bank reconciliation, expense tracking or multi-currency invoicing, so most businesses pair it with separate bookkeeping software.
Our Rating
Who Square is best for
Best software for Small BusinessGood fit
Card payments, invoicing and payroll are built for small US merchants and have no monthly fee on the Free plan.
Free invoicing with recurring invoices and estimates, paid only per transaction, suits solo sellers.
Less suited
There is no general ledger or bookkeeping workflow, so accountants have to work in a separate accounting tool.
Reviewers say Square lacks advanced reporting, customization and a general ledger for large organizations.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- No monthly fee on the Free plan, which still includes recurring invoices, estimates and reminders
- Payments, invoices, payroll and banking sit in one account with published per-transaction rates
- Full-service payroll files federal and state taxes and sends W-2s and 1099s, and Square is an IRS-certified reporting agent
- ACH invoice payments are capped at $10 on paid plans, and ACH deposits into Square Checking have no fees
Cons
- Not an accounting system: no general ledger, bank reconciliation or expense tracking
- No multi-currency invoicing, and sales tax can only be added to individual line items
- Reviewers say card fees on large invoices are high, and keyed-in cards cost 3.5% + 15¢
- Users report support that is hard to reach, plus held funds or closed accounts
Key Features
Not included
- Expense Management
- General Ledger
- Multi-currency
Square Pricing
Free
- ACH via invoice at 1%, $1 minimum
- In-person payments at 2.6% + 15¢
- Online and invoice card payments at 3.3% + 30¢
- POS app, online site, booking, checking and savings accounts
- Invoicing with recurring invoices, deposits, reminders and estimates
Plus
- Multi-package estimates
- In-person payments at 2.5% + 15¢
- ACH via invoice at 1%, $1 minimum, $10 cap
- Loyalty program, marketing and staff management
- Online and invoice card payments at 2.9% + 30¢
- Custom invoice templates, batch invoices, payment schedules
Premium
- Gift card loads at 0%
- In-person payments at 2.4% + 15¢
- Online and invoice card payments at 2.9% + 30¢
Frequently Asked Questions
On the Free plan, card payments cost 3.3% + 30¢ and ACH costs 1% with a $1 minimum. On Plus and Premium, card payments cost 2.9% + 30¢ and ACH is capped at $10.
The full plan costs $35 per month plus $6 per employee. The contractor-only plan costs $6 per contractor. There are no contracts.
No. It has no general ledger or bank reconciliation. Payroll integrates with QuickBooks and Xero for bookkeeping.
Reviewers report that Square Invoices does not support multiple currencies, and cards issued abroad add a 1.5% fee.
Square says businesses with more than $250,000 in annual sales can contact sales for custom rates.
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Ranked near Square in Finance Software
See Square in the listSquare is #144 in Finance Software by our score.
