Square fees at a glance
Square’s published Canadian rates, as read on October 22, 2026:
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Credit or prepaid card, in person | 2.5% |
| Debit card, in person | 0.75% + 7¢ |
| Online | 2.8% + 30¢ |
| Keyed in, card on file or Virtual Terminal | 3.3% + 15¢ |
| Cards issued outside Canada | An extra 1.5% |
| Monthly plan fee | $0 on Free, from $35 on Plus, custom on Premium |
| Standard transfer to your bank | Free |
| Instant transfer | 1.95% per transfer |
The sections below give the details and Square’s own wording.
Who they are
Square sells card processing, point of sale software and hardware. This page covers Square in Canada, using its Canadian pages. Square’s footnotes name Square Canada, Inc. as the issuer of Square Card and Square Loans, and Square Technologies, Inc. as the issuer of its hardware payment plans.
How their pricing works
Square uses flat-rate pricing: one published rate per type of sale. Square’s pricing page says: “You pay the same base rate for every credit card. Visa, Mastercard, American Express and domestic cards all cost the same rate.”
| Type of sale | Rate | Published? |
|---|---|---|
| Credit or prepaid card, in person | 2.5% | Yes |
| Debit card, in person (chip, PIN or tap) | 0.75% + 7¢ | Yes |
| Online (card not present) | 2.8% + 30¢ | Yes |
| Keyed in, card on file, or Virtual Terminal | 3.3% + 15¢ | Yes |
| Cards issued outside Canada | An extra 1.5% | Yes |
| Custom rates, over $250,000 a year in card sales | “Contact sales” | No |
The fee is taken from the whole sale. Square’s support article says fees “are taken out of the total amount of each transaction, including tax and tip,” and are deducted before the money is sent to your bank account.
Square’s support article also says rates “may vary based on plan type” and points merchants to their Square Dashboard for the rates on their own plan.
How flat rate compares with other models: Flat Rate vs Interchange Plus vs Tiered.
Plans
| Plan | Monthly price | Published? |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0, plus transaction rates | Yes |
| Plus | From $35 a month, plus transaction rates | Yes, as a starting price |
| Premium | “Custom” | No. “Contact sales” |
Square’s restaurant pricing page lists its restaurant plans separately: Free at $0, Plus at $60 a month per location with one countertop device (+$40 a month for each added device), and Premium with custom pricing. Under “Processing rates per transaction”, that page lists the same in-person rates for restaurants: “2.5% for all major credit cards” and “0.75% + 7 cents per debit chip and PIN or tap” (as read on October 11, 2026). More in Card Processing for Restaurants.
Other published fees
| Fee | Amount | Where listed |
|---|---|---|
| Instant transfer to your bank | 1.95% per transfer | Pricing page and help article |
| Standard transfer (“as soon as the next business day”; the pricing page also says “one to two business days”) | Free | Pricing page and help article |
| Gift card load | 2.5% of the amount loaded | Support article |
| Afterpay | 6% + 30¢ per transaction | Pricing page |
| Chargeback fee | The pages we read do not say | — |
| PCI fee | The pages we read do not say | — |
What you will see on the statement
Square’s support article says fees are taken off each sale before the money is transferred, and that merchants can see processing fees by location in the Square Dashboard. On flat rate, interchange and network fees are not shown as separate lines. The pages we read do not show a sample statement.
Contract length and cancellation
- Contracts: Square’s hardware page says “Square has no long-term contracts or equipment fees. Cancel anytime.”
- Plans: Square’s pricing page says you can “upgrade, downgrade or cancel your plan at any time.” Its restaurant page says “No long-term contract required.”
- Early termination fee: none is mentioned on the pages we read.
More on termination fees in general: Early Termination Fees: How They Work.
Hardware and what it costs
Square sells its hardware. Prices from its Canadian hardware page:
| Item | Price | Or in instalments |
|---|---|---|
| Square Reader (2nd generation) | $69 | — |
| Square Terminal | $399 | $34 a month over 12 months |
| Square Stand | $249 | $21 a month over 12 months |
| Square Handheld | $449 | $38 a month over 12 months |
| Square Register (2nd generation) | $999 | $84 a month over 12 months |
Square says its payment plans are issued by Square Technologies, Inc., at 0% APR, on orders of $59 to $5,000, and are subject to credit approval. Its pricing page also says you do not need to buy Square hardware to use Square. See Equipment Leases.
Who they say their pricing is for
Square’s pricing page describes Plus as having “advanced features designed specifically for restaurants, retailers or appointment-based businesses,” and Premium as a “bespoke plan” for complex operations. Custom processing rates “may be available pending eligibility”.
Limits and conditions to know about
- Quebec: Square’s restaurant pricing page says Square products “are not compatible with the online sales recording module (WEB-SRM) or other mandatory billing requirements in Quebec,” and points to an integration with a WEB-SRM certified POS.
- Square Loans are not available in Quebec, according to Square’s pricing page.
- International cards: the 1.5% extra applies to in-person, online and card-not-present sales, but not to Afterpay or Interac payments, according to Square’s support article.
Where to check their current pricing
- Square’s Canadian pricing page (squareup.com/ca/en/pricing).
- Square’s support article on fees.
- Your own Square Dashboard, which Square says shows the rates for your plan.
Where to go from here
On flat rate, the useful number is your effective rate: total fees divided by total sales. The effective rate calculator works it out. For debit pricing, see Interac Debit: How It Is Priced. Square’s US prices are on Square (United States).
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