VitaPay and Square: two ways to price a card payment.
Square publishes flat rates that depend on the plan: a free plan and two paid monthly plans with lower in-person and online rates, and custom pricing for larger businesses.
How Square prices, from its own pages.
Square charges a flat percentage plus a fixed amount per payment, and the rate depends on the plan. Its pricing page lists a free plan and two paid plans, Plus and Premium, charged per location per month, with lower rates on the paid plans. Manually entered cards and cards on file have their own rate on every plan.
Published standard US rates
- 2.6% + 15¢In person, Square Free planSquare pricing page, checked September 21, 2026
- 2.5% + 15¢In person, Square Plus planSquare pricing page, checked September 21, 2026
- 2.4% + 15¢In person, Square Premium planSquare pricing page, checked September 21, 2026
- 3.3% + 30¢Online and invoices, Square Free planSquare pricing page, checked September 21, 2026
- 2.9% + 30¢Online and invoices, Plus and Premium plansSquare pricing page, checked September 21, 2026
- 2.9% + 30¢Online payments through Square’s APIs, all plansSquare pricing page, checked September 21, 2026
- 3.5% + 15¢Manually entered or card on file, all plansSquare pricing page, checked September 21, 2026
Published monthly plans
- $0 a monthSquare Free, per locationSquare pricing page, checked September 21, 2026
- $49 a monthSquare Plus, per locationSquare pricing page, checked September 21, 2026
- $149 a monthSquare Premium, per locationSquare pricing page, checked September 21, 2026
Square says a business processing over $250,000 a year can ask whether it is eligible for custom pricing and processing fees. It does not name interchange-plus or publish the custom rates. Square pricing page.
Where each model tends to fit.
Who Square suits
Newer and smaller businesses that want a published rate, a free plan to start on and hardware they can buy off the shelf, with point-of-sale software included.
Where interchange-plus is typically clearer
For a business with steady or growing card volume, interchange-plus usually makes the statement easier to audit: interchange and network assessments are passed through at cost and the processor margin is one stated line on top. When costs move, you can see whether it was the card mix or the processor.
Whether it costs less depends on your card mix, your average sale and the margin you are quoted, which is why VitaPay quotes in writing against your own statement rather than publishing a headline rate.
VitaPay and Square, point by point.
| Compared | VitaPay | Square |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Interchange and card-network assessments passed through at cost, plus a VitaPay margin as low as 0.05% + $0.05 per transaction, depending on monthly volume and average ticket size. Or a flat 2.7% + $0.10 per transaction. | Flat rate per transaction, published, varying by monthly plan |
| Published standard rates | Interchange + as low as 0.05% + $0.05, depending on monthly volume and average ticket size; or a flat 2.7% + $0.10. Exact pricing confirmed in a written quote. | 2.6% + 15¢ In person, Square Free plan 2.5% + 15¢ In person, Square Plus plan 2.4% + 15¢ In person, Square Premium plan 3.3% + 30¢ Online and invoices, Square Free plan 2.9% + 30¢ Online and invoices, Plus and Premium plans 2.9% + 30¢ Online payments through Square’s APIs, all plans 3.5% + 15¢ Manually entered or card on file, all plans |
| Contract terms, as publicly stated | No long-term contract and no early termination penalty. | No locked-in contracts, and plans can be cancelled or switched at any time, as stated on its pricing page. Source: Square pricing page |
| Hardware, as publicly stated | Terminals are sold rather than leased. A phone or tablet you already own can also be used. | Sold outright or paid in monthly instalments, subject to credit approval. The hardware page does not say whether Square devices work with other processors. Source: Square hardware page |
| Statement transparency | Interchange and assessments appear on the statement at cost, with the VitaPay margin shown as its own line. | One flat rate per transaction for each payment type and plan, with interchange and network costs included in it rather than shown separately. |
When Square may be the better fit.
If you are just opening, take a small amount by card, or want to be set up in an afternoon with hardware you can buy today, Square’s free plan and published rates may suit you better than a quoted account. Square also says businesses processing over $250,000 a year may be eligible for custom pricing, which is worth asking about before you compare.
Common questions.
What does Square charge for a card payment in the US?
Square’s rates depend on the plan. On September 21, 2026, its pricing page listed 2.6% + 15¢ in person and 3.3% + 30¢ online on the free plan, lower rates on the paid Plus and Premium plans, and 3.5% + 15¢ for manually entered or saved cards on every plan.
Does Square offer custom pricing?
Square says businesses processing over $250,000 a year can ask whether they are eligible for custom pricing and processing fees. It does not name interchange-plus.
Sources and date checked.
Every statement about Square on this page was read on its own website. Prices and terms change; check the source before relying on them.
- Square pricing page Checked September 21, 2026
- Square hardware page Checked September 21, 2026
Other comparisons: VitaPay and Stripe, VitaPay and Toast, VitaPay and Shift4
Compare against your own statement.
Send us a recent statement and we will separate interchange and network costs from the processor’s share, then quote you in writing. No long-term contract and no early termination penalty.
