Square POS - Free for Small BusinessesFREE
No monthly fees, no contracts, no hardware required to get started. Square is used by 4 million+ small businesses and takes about 10 minutes to set up.
- ✓ Free to start - no monthly software fees
- ✓ Free card reader included
- ✓ Works on any phone, tablet, or computer
- ✓ No contract - cancel anytime
- ✓ Online store included for free
No credit card required to create your account. You only pay a small fee when you take a payment.
Who Uses Square POS?
Square works for almost any type of small business. Unlike restaurant-specific systems like Toast or retail-focused platforms like Lightspeed, Square is built to be flexible across industries.
If you accept payments in person, online, or on the go - Square handles it with no monthly fee.
Is Square POS Really Free?
Yes - the software is genuinely free
Square POS software costs $0 per month with no setup fees and no contracts. You download the app, create an account, and start taking payments. The only cost is a small processing fee when you actually make a sale - 2.6% + 15 cents for in-person transactions. If you don't sell anything, you pay nothing.
What do you get on the free plan?
The free plan includes everything most small businesses need - payment processing, basic inventory tracking, sales reporting, a customer directory, invoicing, and a free online store. You're not getting a crippled trial - it's a fully functional POS system at no monthly cost.
Do you need hardware?
No. Square works on any iPhone or Android using Tap to Pay - no hardware required at all. If you want a card reader, Square sends you a free magstripe reader when you sign up. More advanced hardware like the Square Terminal ($299) or Square Register ($799) is optional.
What's the catch?
The processing fees are slightly higher than interchange-plus processors, which makes Square less cost-effective for very high-volume businesses. Square also occasionally places holds on accounts with unusual activity. For most small businesses under $250K/year in card volume, neither of these is a real issue.
Ready to get started?
Create your free Square account in minutes. No credit card required, no monthly fees, no contracts.
Get Square FreeUsed by 4 million+ businesses worldwide.
Want to learn more first?
POSUSA is a point of sale company serving restaurants, retailers, and small businesses. Since 2011, we've sold, installed, and reviewed thousands of POS systems — and now we build our own. Whether you need our free POS or help finding the right fit, we're here to help.
