Square Invoices lets you send unlimited invoices, recurring invoices, estimates and contracts on every Square plan, including $0-a-month Square Free, and customers can pay by card, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Cash App Pay, ACH bank transfer or Afterpay. Per Square’s published pricing (checked October 2026), card-paid invoices cost 3.3% + 30¢ on Square Free and 2.9% + 30¢ on Square Plus ($49/mo. per location) and Premium ($149/mo. per location), and ACH costs 1% with a $1 minimum, capped at $10 on Plus and Premium. Square payment links and Virtual Terminal carry no monthly fee; Square says Subscriptions doesn’t either. Rates can change, so confirm current pricing with Square.
What do Square Invoices include on the free plan?
On Square Free you can send unlimited invoices by email, text or shareable link, and customers can pay by card, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Cash App Pay, ACH bank transfer or Afterpay. You can request deposits, send automatic reminders, accept tips, and save a customer’s card on file to automate billing (check the rate; Square prices card-on-file payments at 3.5% + 15¢). Weighing bank transfer against cards? See ACH or card for invoices.
Recurring invoices are included; scheduled ones go out at 10 a.m. in your time zone, and the customer gets a receipt for every payment. Square also integrates with QuickBooks Online and Xero. Published limits worth knowing:
- Size: invoices up to $1 million, with partial payments of up to $50,000 toward the balance.
- Recipients: up to nine per invoice. Invoices sent by text can’t use automatic reminders or extra recipients.
- Attachments: up to 10 files totaling 25 MB.
- Currency: no multi-currency acceptance.
| Feature | Square Free | Plus & Premium |
|---|---|---|
| Unlimited and recurring invoices | Yes | Yes |
| Deposits, reminders, estimates, contracts | Yes | Yes |
| Milestone payment schedules | — | Yes |
| Custom templates and custom fields | — | Yes |
| Batch invoices (Dashboard only) | — | Yes |
| Multi-package estimates; auto-convert to invoice | — | Yes |
| Require contract signature before payment | — | Yes |
| ACH fee on invoices | 1%, $1 min | 1%, $1 min, $10 cap |
How do Square estimates and contracts work for contractors?
Square aims its estimates at contractors, electricians, HVAC, cleaning, home and repair, automotive and professional services. You build them in the Square Invoices app or in services mode of Square Point of Sale, and send them by email, text or link. More in Square for service businesses.
Square Contracts is free, attaches to Invoices, Estimates and Appointments, and includes a downloadable TX Home Improvement Contract template. Square says it is not a law firm and can’t give legal advice, so have your attorney review any contract you rely on. A typical quote-to-paid flow:
- 1. Estimate: quote the job, or on Plus or Premium offer several packages in one estimate.
- 2. Contract: attach a contract for e-signature (up to 20 recipients); on Plus or Premium, require the signature before payment.
- 3. Deposit: request an initial deposit.
- 4. Convert: turn the accepted estimate into an invoice, automatically on eligible paid plans.
- 5. Milestones: on Plus or Premium, split the balance by percentage or amount on one invoice.
Afterpay can’t be used on recurring invoices or payment schedules, so on a milestone job billed through Square, customers can’t choose Afterpay; offer card or ACH instead.
What are Square’s invoice fees in 2026?
Sending an invoice is free; Square charges when the customer pays, based on payment method and plan. The fee comes out of the full payment, including tax and tip, before funds transfer to your bank. Rates below are Square’s published pricing, checked October 2026, and can change; confirm them in Dashboard. For every other rate, see our full guide to Square fees.
On big tickets, Square caps ACH invoice fees at $10 on Plus and Premium, and says ACH deposited into Square Checking carries $0 processing fees.
| Customer pays by | Square Free | Square Plus | Square Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Card, online or via invoice | 3.3% + 30¢ | 2.9% + 30¢ | 2.9% + 30¢ |
| ACH bank transfer (invoice) | 1%, $1 min | 1%, $1 min, $10 cap | 1%, $1 min, $10 cap |
| Keyed card or card on file | 3.5% + 15¢ | 3.5% + 15¢ | 3.5% + 15¢ |
| Afterpay | 6% + 30¢ | 6% + 30¢ | 6% + 30¢ |
| Non-U.S. card (added on top) | +1.5% | +1.5% | +1.5% |
| Monthly plan fee | $0 per location | $49 per location | $149 per location |
Auto-charging a saved card can bill at Square’s card-on-file rate (3.5% + 15¢) rather than the invoice rate, and Square says invoices accept several payment methods at different rates, so check which rate your Dashboard shows before you set up autopay. If your account is still on a legacy Square plan, Square’s legacy fee list shows 3.3% + 30¢ for invoices; moving to Free, Plus or Premium is one-way, since Square says you can’t switch back.
When does Square Plus pay for itself on invoices?
Square Plus costs $49 a month per location and cuts the card rate on invoices from 3.3% + 30¢ to 2.9% + 30¢, a saving of 0.4% of card-paid volume. Here is the arithmetic on Square’s published rates:
- $2,500 invoice by card: $82.80 on Free ($2,500 × 3.3% + 30¢) vs. $72.80 on Plus or Premium ($2,500 × 2.9% + 30¢).
- Same invoice by ACH: $25.00 on Free (1%) vs. $10.00 on Plus or Premium (capped), or $0 into Square Checking.
- Afterpay on a $2,000 invoice: $120.30 on every plan ($2,000 × 6% + 30¢), vs. $66.30 by card on Square Free ($2,000 × 3.3% + 30¢); Plus doesn’t lower it.
- Card break-even: $49 ÷ 0.4% = $12,250 a month in card-paid invoices per location.
- ACH example: five $3,000 ACH payments a month cost $150 on Free and $50 on Plus, a $100 gap that covers the fee by itself.
For invoicing alone, below those volumes and without a need for milestones or batch invoicing, Square Free is usually the right call; if you also take in-person payments, Plus’s lower 2.5% + 15¢ tap rate shortens the break-even. Premium’s extra $100 a month adds a lower in-person rate, 24/7 phone support and advanced reporting, not a lower invoice rate. Plus and Premium each include a free 30-day trial; run it during a real billing month.
How do Square payment links work, and what do they cost?
A payment link is a checkout page you create once and share anywhere: a text, an email, a social post, a buy button on your site, or a printed QR code. One link can collect from many customers, who pay by card, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Cash App Pay or Afterpay. For the wider picture, see online payment options compared.
From Square Dashboard, a link can collect a payment, sell an item, accept a donation, or sell an event or class, one time or recurring. Add buyer-entered amounts, tips and up to two custom fields. Need a full storefront? See Square Online. Square says it takes three steps:
- Name it: a deposit, a class seat, a catering order.
- Price it: a fixed price, or let the buyer enter the amount.
- Describe it: add the details, then share it as a link, buy button or QR code.
Payment links have no monthly fee, but Square publishes two rates: 3.3% + 30¢ per online transaction on its Payment Links page (footnoted for new Square customers) and 3.5% + 15¢ on its Virtual Terminal page. Confirm yours in Dashboard. Links can’t be created from the Square Restaurants POS, Appointments POS or Invoices apps.
What is Square Virtual Terminal, and when should you use it?
Square Virtual Terminal turns a computer into a card terminal through a web browser on Windows or Mac, with no hardware. It takes payments by phone, mail, text or email, accepts cards and Square Gift Cards, and records cash or check.
Square’s Virtual Terminal page lists no monthly fee, 3.5% + 15¢ for typed-in, card-on-file or payment link transactions, and 2.6% + 15¢ for in-person tap, dip or swipe (Square’s pricing page lists 2.5% + 15¢ on Plus and 2.4% + 15¢ on Premium). Afterpay goes out as a link at 6% + 30¢; Square says the link expires if you close the window or the customer doesn’t pay as soon as they open it. Square ties the higher keyed rate to risk, since the cardholder isn’t present. Our field-payments guide breaks down the real cost of keyed cards.
Use it for call-in orders; when the customer can click a link, an invoice usually costs less. On a $400 phone order:
- Keyed in Virtual Terminal: $400 × 3.5% + 15¢ = $14.15.
- Invoice paid by card, Square Free: $400 × 3.3% + 30¢ = $13.50.
- Invoice paid by card, Plus or Premium: $400 × 2.9% + 30¢ = $11.90.
- Where the invoice wins: on Square Free, any payment over $75 (3.3% + 30¢ beats 3.5% + 15¢ above $75); on Plus or Premium, any payment over $25.
Square lists no chargeback fee, but if a customer wins a dispute, Square doesn’t refund the processing fee. Heavy on phone orders? Read our chargebacks guide.
Square Subscriptions or recurring invoices: which should you use?
Square Subscriptions suits plans customers can sign up for themselves, like memberships, a monthly box or a recurring donation, and Square says it has no monthly cost. Recurring invoices fit ongoing work billed to a known client, like monthly bookkeeping. For recurring ACH, Square’s Bank on File saves a customer’s bank details to bill automatically.
Subscriptions also offer optional free trials, fixed-length or open-ended plans, and pausing. Selling subscriptions on your Square website is listed as a Plus and Premium feature.
| Square Subscriptions | Recurring invoices | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Memberships, boxes, donations customers can join themselves | Ongoing work for a known client |
| Schedules | Weekly, bi-weekly, monthly, quarterly, bi-annual, annual | Daily, weekly, monthly, yearly |
| Sign-up | QR code, link or embedded button | You send the invoice |
| Monthly software cost | None, per Square | Included on all plans |
| Published card rate | Not listed separately on the new-plan table | 3.3% + 30¢ Free; 2.9% + 30¢ Plus and Premium when the client pays online. Autopay from a saved card may bill at the 3.5% + 15¢ card-on-file rate; confirm in Dashboard |
Subscriptions can’t change a plan’s price after creation, enforce minimum terms, track entitlements like class counts, or be managed from Android devices, including Square Terminal, Register and Handheld. Square’s developer docs list 2.9% + 30¢ for U.S. online payments made through its APIs, including the Subscriptions API, while its legacy-plan fee list shows 3.3% + 30¢ for subscription payments, so confirm your rate in Dashboard.
Who is Square Invoices not the right fit for?
Square’s invoicing suits small businesses that want billing, payments and point of sale in one account with no locked-in contract. Compare alternatives before you commit if one of these describes you. We also carry Clover, NMI and Authorize.net gateways, Biller Genie and our dual pricing program, and we’ll price the alternatives side by side for free.
- You bill in other currencies: Square doesn’t support multi-currency acceptance.
- Big card-paid invoices are routine: a $40,000 invoice paid by card costs $1,160.30 on Plus ($40,000 × 2.9% + 30¢). Steer those customers to ACH, or compare another pricing model.
- You process over $250,000 a year: Square says its standard rates are designed for businesses under $250K a year and invites larger sellers to ask about custom pricing. Compare that quote with interchange-plus or our dual pricing program.
- You sell memberships with minimum terms or class packs: dedicated membership software may fit better.
Square’s phone support on Square Free runs 6am–6pm PT on weekdays, and only for your first 90 days. Through Lone Star Payments, you also have a real person in Dallas / Ft. Worth to call at (214) 838-1818.
- Invoices, estimates, contracts, recurring invoices and payment links all work on Square Free with no monthly fee.
- Per Square’s published pricing (checked October 2026), card-paid invoices cost 3.3% + 30¢ on Free and 2.9% + 30¢ on Plus and Premium; ACH is 1% ($1 minimum), capped at $10 on the paid plans.
- Square Plus ($49/mo. per location) covers itself at $12,250 a month in card-paid invoices, or sooner on large ACH payments.
- On any payment over $75, an invoice paid online by card costs less than keying the card at 3.5% + 15¢, on every plan.
- Square says Subscriptions has no monthly cost (selling subscriptions on your Square website is a Plus and Premium feature), but plans can’t change price, enforce minimum terms or track class counts.
Frequently asked questions
Are Square Invoices free?
Sending them is. Per Square’s published pricing (checked October 2026), unlimited invoices, recurring invoices, estimates, contracts and reminders come with Square Free at $0 a month. You pay only when a customer pays: 3.3% + 30¢ by card on Free, or 1% with a $1 minimum by ACH. Plus and Premium add milestones, batch invoices and custom templates. Rates can change, so confirm current pricing.
What are Square’s invoice fees?
Per Square’s published pricing, checked October 2026, card payments on an invoice cost 3.3% + 30¢ on Square Free and 2.9% + 30¢ on Plus and Premium. ACH costs 1% with a $1 minimum, capped at $10 on Plus and Premium. Afterpay is 6% + 30¢ on every plan, and cards issued outside the U.S. add 1.5%. Confirm current rates before deciding.
How much do Square payment links cost?
Square’s Payment Links page lists no monthly fee and 3.3% + 30¢ per online transaction, footnoted as applying to new Square customers, plus 6% + 30¢ for Afterpay. Its Virtual Terminal page lists 3.5% + 15¢ for payment link transactions. Because Square’s published numbers differ, check your rate in Square Dashboard. Pricing was checked October 2026 and can change.
What does the Square virtual terminal cost?
Square’s Virtual Terminal page lists no monthly fee or commitment: 3.5% + 15¢ for typed-in, card-on-file and payment link transactions, 2.6% + 15¢ for in-person tap, dip or swipe (Square’s pricing page lists 2.5% + 15¢ on Plus and 2.4% + 15¢ on Premium), and 6% + 30¢ for Afterpay. That’s Square’s published pricing, checked October 2026 and subject to change.
How fast do I get paid from a Square invoice?
Square transfers funds to your linked bank as soon as the next business day at no charge, after deducting its processing fee. Instant transfers cost 1.95% per transfer, up to $10,000 each, and new sellers start at one a day of up to $2,000. ACH payments take two to three business days to reach your Square account. Terms checked October 2026.
Can Lone Star Payments set up Square Invoices for my business?
Yes. Lone Star Payments now offers Square to Texas businesses alongside our other platforms. We help you choose a plan, build your item and service list, set up taxes, tipping and team permissions, and train your staff on invoices, estimates and payment links, on-site across Dallas / Ft. Worth or remotely statewide. Square sets rates and handles payouts. Call (214) 838-1818.
Want a Straight Answer on Square Invoicing Costs?
Bring us a few months of invoice and card volume and we’ll put Square’s published costs side by side with the other options we carry, free. If Square fits, we’ll set it up with you and train your team, on-site across Dallas / Ft. Worth or remotely statewide. Call a real person at (214) 838-1818.
Square and related marks are trademarks of Block, Inc., used here to identify the products Lone Star Payments offers. Square pricing and features described on this page are Square’s published information as of October 2026 and can change — confirm current terms when you sign up.