Square POS review (2026): features, pros and cons, pricing
Free-to-start POS from Block that bundles its own card processing, with paid per-location plans for retail and restaurants.
Verdict at a glance
Square POS is a free-to-start POS from Block that bundles its own card processing, with paid per-location plans for retail and restaurants. Reviewers praise its ease of use, quick setup and reporting.
Pros
- Easy to use and quick to set up.
- Strong card payment experience and reporting.
Cons
- Processing fees and upfront hardware costs add up.
- Support access complaints are common across POS vendors, check before buying.
What is Square POS?
Free-to-start POS from Block that bundles its own card processing, with paid per-location plans for retail and restaurants. It is built for single-shop retailers and service businesses that want to start at $0 software and merchants who want one vendor for hardware, payments and online store. Square POS was founded in 2009 and is based in Oakland, US (Block, Inc. principal office; no formal headquarters).
Category: POS Systems
Square POS key features
| Feature | What we found |
|---|---|
| Hardware and terminals | Square sells its own handheld, terminal, register, stand and kiosk hardware (hardware prices not confirmed by the vendor) |
| Payment processing terms | Square-only processing; 2.6% + 10c in person on Free, 2.5% + 10c on Retail Plus. |
| Inventory management | Free plan includes basic inventory tools and unlimited items; G2 inventory sub-score 8.7/10. |
| Online and omnichannel sales | Free online store included on Retail Free plan. |
| Industry features | Separate Retail, Restaurants and Appointments products. |
| Reporting and analytics | Reviewers on G2 praise reporting (G2 summary) |
Square POS pricing
Pricing for Square for Retail in the US has three tiers. Free costs $0 per month, with 2.6% + 10c in person. Plus is $89 per location per month, billed monthly, with 2.5% + 10c in person on the Retail POS when signed in to a Plus account. Premium is custom, and Square says it may be offered above about $250K a year in processing. There is no long-term contract stated on the pricing page. Hardware is sold separately and its prices are not listed, so budget for it. Restaurants and Appointments have their own plan ladders.
| Plan | Price | Unit | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | per month | Retail POS app, online store, basic inventory; 2.6% + 10c in person |
| Plus | $89 | per location per month | 2.5% + 10c in person on Retail POS when signed in to Plus account |
| Premium | Custom | Custom pricing may be offered above $250K/yr processing |
Prices for Square for Retail (US). Restaurants and Appointments have separate plan ladders not confirmed by the vendor here.
Who Square POS is best for
Best for
- Single-shop retailers and service businesses that want to start at $0 software.
- Merchants who want one vendor for hardware, payments and online store.
Not ideal for
- Businesses that want to choose their own payment processor.
- High-volume merchants sensitive to flat-rate processing.
Square POS alternatives
CloverSmall restaurants and retailers wanting bundled hardware plus software.
Shopify POSMerchants already running a Shopify online store who add physical locations.
ToastRestaurants, bars and cafes needing table service, kitchen display and online ordering.
SumUpMicro-merchants and market stalls wanting no monthly fee.
LightspeedMulti-category retailers needing deeper inventory and reporting.
Epos NowSmall retail and hospitality shops wanting bundled hardware.
What Square POS really costs
Square POS publishes a starting price but few details about how the bill grows, so the real cost depends on the quote. Use the questions below to turn a sales conversation into a number you can compare.
Questions to ask about price
- Is there a minimum number of seats or a minimum annual spend?
- What is the discount for annual billing, and can we start monthly?
- Which features we need sit in add-ons or a higher plan, and what do they cost?
- How much can the price rise at renewal, and is the increase capped in the contract?
- Are there one-time costs for implementation, onboarding or data migration?
Is Square POS worth the price?
It is good value for single-shop retailers and service businesses that want a $0 software start and one vendor for hardware, payments and an online store. It gets expensive for high-volume merchants, because flat-rate processing is the largest cost and Plus trims the in-person rate by only 0.1 point. Merchants who want to pick their own processor will find it awkward, since Square is the processor.
Worth it if
- Single-shop retailers and service businesses that want to start at $0 software.
- Merchants who want one vendor for hardware, payments and online store.
Look elsewhere if
- Businesses that want to choose their own payment processor.
- High-volume merchants sensitive to flat-rate processing.
Pricing details most reviews leave out
- Retail Plus discount on in-person rate is only 0.1 percentage point (2.6% to 2.5%) and applies only on the Retail POS signed into Plus.
- Software and processing are tied: Square is the processor, so leaving means replacing hardware.
- Premium plan is quote-only and pitched at merchants above about $250K annual volume.
Square POS compared
Our verdict on Square POS
Square POS is free to start: the Square for Retail Free plan costs $0 per month and includes the retail POS app, an online store and basic inventory. The cost comes from card processing, 2.6% + 10c in person on Free, and from hardware, which Square sells itself. For a single shop that wants one vendor for software, payments and an online store, the entry price is hard to beat.
The paid Plus plan is $89 per location per month, and its main benefit is a lower in-person rate of 2.5% + 10c on the Retail POS when signed in to a Plus account. That is only 0.1 percentage point, so Plus pays back only at serious volume. G2 reviewers complain that processing fees and upfront hardware costs add up, and Square is the processor, so leaving usually means replacing hardware.
Square POS FAQ
What is Square POS used for?
Square POS is a free-to-start POS from Block that bundles its own card processing, with paid per-location plans for retail and restaurants. Reviewers praise its ease of use, quick setup and reporting. It suits single-shop retailers and service businesses that want to start at $0 software.
Is Square POS really free?
The software can be. Square for Retail Free costs $0 per month and includes the POS app, an online store and basic inventory. You still pay processing fees, 2.6% + 10c in person, and for any hardware.
How much does Square POS Plus cost per location?
Plus is $89 per location per month. It lowers the in-person Retail POS rate from 2.6% + 10c to 2.5% + 10c when signed in to the Plus account.
Can I use another payment processor with Square POS?
No. Processing is Square only, so software and payments are tied together. Leaving Square means replacing the hardware as well.
About Square POS
- Founded
- 2009.
- Headquarters
- Oakland, US (Block, Inc. principal office; no formal headquarters)
- Employees
- About 6,000 (Block, Inc., 2026, after Feb 2026 layoffs)
- Funding or owner
- Public (Block, Inc.)
Listed in: POS Systems
Sources
Every fact on this page comes from Square POS's own pricing, product or documentation pages, G2 and company records, checked on October 24, 2026. Unknown values are left out instead of estimated.