Square POS Free Plan 2026: What's Included & What's Not
Honest breakdown of the free tier limits and features
Square POS pricing varies by team size and features, ranging from $0 to $149 per month in 2026. Your actual cost depends on the tier you choose, contract length, and negotiated discounts.
Use the interactive pricing calculator to estimate your exact cost based on team size and requirements.
- Free tier: No free tier available
- Billing: Monthly and annual (save 15-20%)
- Hidden costs: Add ~35% for implementation, support, and training
Square POS's free plan is available indefinitely with no time limit.
What's Included in the Free Plan
- Unlimited devices and locations
- Inventory management
- Sales reports
- Digital receipts
- Team management
- Square Online store
- Contactless payments
- Gift cards (activation fees apply)
- Customer directory
- Payment links
- eCommerce integration
What's NOT Included (Paid Only)
- Everything in Free
- Reduced processing fees: 2.5% + 10¢ per sale
- Custom permissions
- Advanced inventory management
- Multi-location management
- Automated reorder points
- Smart cash tracking
- Item-level margin reporting
- Category management
- Vendor management
- Customer engagement tools
Free Plan Limits
| Limit | Free Plan | Paid Plans |
|---|---|---|
| transactionFees | 2.6% + 10¢ in-person, 2.9% + 30¢ online | Unlimited/Higher |
| advancedFeatures | Not included | Unlimited/Higher |
You'll Need to Upgrade When...
- You exceed the user limit
- You need features like Everything in Free or Reduced processing fees: 2.5% + 10¢ per sale
- You require premium support or SLA guarantees
- You need to remove branding or watermarks
- You need advanced integrations or API access
Hidden Restrictions on Free Plan
- Square POS branding may appear on your content or communications
- Support is limited to community forums or email with longer response times
- Export options may be restricted or include watermarks
- API access is typically limited or not available
- Advanced reporting and analytics require paid plans
Free vs Paid: Which Do You Need?
Free Plan is Enough If...
- You're an individual or very small team
- You need only basic features
- You don't mind usage limits
- Branding on output is acceptable
- Community support is sufficient
You Need Paid If...
- Your team is growing beyond limits
- You need advanced features
- Professional branding is required
- You need priority support
- Integrations/API access is critical
Free vs Plus Plan Comparison
| Free $0 | Plus $49/location/month | |
|---|---|---|
| Features | 11 included | 11+ included |
| Support | Community/Email | Priority Support |
| Branding | Square POS branding | Your branding |
| Best For | Small businesses and startups wanting free POS software with pay-per-transaction pricing | Growing businesses processing $15,000+ monthly wanting lower fees and advanced inventory features |
Frequently Asked Questions
01 Is Square POS free?
Yes, Square POS offers a forever free plan with 11 core features included. However, there are limits on transactionfees, advancedfeatures that may require upgrading.
02 What's included in Square POS's free plan?
Square POS's free plan includes: Unlimited devices and locations, Inventory management, Sales reports, Digital receipts, Team management, and 6 more features. Key limits include transactionFees: 2.6% + 10¢ in-person, 2.9% + 30¢ online, advancedFeatures: Not included.
03 What's NOT included in Square POS's free plan?
The free plan excludes: Everything in Free, Reduced processing fees: 2.5% + 10¢ per sale, Custom permissions, Advanced inventory management, Multi-location management. You'll also have Square POS branding and limited support options.
04 When should I upgrade from Square POS's free plan?
Consider upgrading when: you hit user or storage limits, need features like Everything in Free or Reduced processing fees: 2.5% + 10¢ per sale, require premium support, or want to remove branding. The cheapest paid plan starts at $49/location/month.
05 Is Square POS's free plan really free forever?
Yes, Square POS's free plan is available indefinitely with no time limit. However, feature and usage limits may restrict what you can do without upgrading to a paid plan.
Get Square POS pricing updates
We'll notify you when pricing changes or new free features are added.