Square is a flat-rate payment processor and point of sale system that lets a Canadian business start taking cards with a $69 reader, no monthly fee, and no contract. It is a strong fit for new businesses, markets, cafés, and salons with small average sales, and businesses with large debit tickets should compare Interac rates, because Square charges a percentage on Interac where most competitors charge a flat fee.
This review covers what Square costs in Canada, how much its Interac pricing adds on larger sales, what the hardware and software plans cost, how invoicing, the online store, and payouts work, and how payroll works for Canadian Square users, since Square Payroll is a US product. If you are comparing processors, read it alongside our Square vs Moneris vs Helcim fee comparison.
How we evaluated
This review is research-based: we did not open a Square account or process payments with it. We read Square's Canadian pricing pages for payments, Retail, Restaurants, Appointments, Invoices, and Square Online, its Canadian hardware shop, and its Canadian support centre articles on fees, transfers, refunds, and offline payments. All prices are in Canadian dollars and were checked in September 2026.
We judged Square on what drives a Canadian owner's real cost: the credit rate, the Interac rate at different ticket sizes, hardware, monthly software fees, fees outside processing, and how fast money reaches your bank. We compared those numbers with the published rates of Helcim and Moneris.
Pricing in Canada
Square charges one flat rate per payment type, and the same rate applies to every card brand, including American Express. Square bills in CAD, and the Free plan has no monthly fee.
| Feature | Square rate (Free plan) |
|---|---|
| In-person credit (tap, chip, swipe, Tap to Pay) | 2.5% |
| In-person Interac debit | 0.75% + 7¢ |
| Online (Square Online, invoices paid online) | 2.8% + 30¢ |
| Keyed-in or card on file | 3.3% + 15¢ |
| Cards issued outside Canada | Extra 1.5% |
| Monthly fee | $0 |
| Instant transfer | 1.5% of the transfer |
A few details from Square's Canadian support centre matter for your bookkeeping:
- Fees apply to the full amount, including tax and tip. On a $100 sale with 13% HST and a $15 tip, you pay 2.5% on $128, not $100.
- Refunds do not return the fee. If you refund a customer, Square keeps the original processing fee.
- No fee for chargebacks, PCI compliance, account inactivity, or early termination. Square lists all of these as free.
- International cards cost 1.5% extra, on top of the base rate, for in-person and online payments. This does not apply to Interac.
- Custom rates are available if your annual sales exceed $250,000; you contact Square's sales team for a quote.
Square's pricing FAQ says you can upgrade, downgrade, or cancel your plan at any time.
How much does Square charge on large Interac sales?
On a large debit sale, the flat Interac fees Moneris and Helcim charge come in well below Square's percentage-based fee. Square charges 0.75% of the sale plus 7¢, so the fee grows with the ticket; Moneris Flat Rate charges 12¢ per in-person Interac transaction, and Helcim's Canadian fee disclosure lists 12.5¢ for a tap on its first volume tier.
| Feature | Square (0.75% + 7¢) | Moneris Flat Rate (12¢) | Helcim tap (12.5¢) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $20 sale | $0.22 | $0.12 | $0.125 |
| $100 sale | $0.82 | $0.12 | $0.125 |
| $500 sale | $3.82 | $0.12 | $0.125 |
| $1,500 sale | $11.32 | $0.12 | $0.125 |
| $3,000 sale | $22.57 | $0.12 | $0.125 |
Square costs more than 12¢ on any debit sale above about $7, so on most sales the flat-fee processors cost less on Interac.
Worked example: a small auto repair shop. Say you take 60 Interac payments a month averaging $400, or $24,000 in debit.
- Square: 0.75% × $24,000 = $180.00, plus 60 × 7¢ = $4.20, for $184.20 a month
- Moneris Flat Rate: 60 × 12¢ = $7.20 a month
- Helcim (tap): 60 × 12.5¢ = $7.50 a month
That is a difference of about $177 a month, or roughly $2,120 a year, on debit alone. For a market vendor with 300 debit sales averaging $15 ($4,500), the difference is much smaller: Square charges $54.75, and a flat 12¢ fee would be $36.00.
The same logic applies to credit on big invoices. A $1,500 invoice paid online costs $42.30 with Square (2.8% + 30¢). If you key in the card number over the phone instead, it costs $49.65 (3.3% + 15¢). Tapping the card in person costs $37.50.
Square hardware prices in Canada
You buy Square hardware outright; there is no rental. The Square Reader works with a phone or tablet running the free Square POS app.
| Feature | Price (CAD) |
|---|---|
| Square Reader (2nd generation) | $69 |
| Square Stand | $249 |
| Square Kiosk | $249 |
| Square Terminal | $399 |
| Square Handheld | $449 |
| Square Register (2nd generation) | $999 |
Square's fee article also lists Tap to Pay on iPhone and Tap to Pay on Android at the standard 2.5% credit and 0.75% + 7¢ debit rates, so you can accept contactless payments on a compatible phone without buying a reader at all.
Offline mode and Interac
Square can take card payments without internet, with limits. According to its Canadian support centre, a Square Reader session lasts up to 24 hours, and you must upload offline payments within 72 hours or they expire and cannot be recovered. You are responsible for any offline payment that is later declined, expired, or disputed. Most important for Canada: Interac debit cards do not work offline, and the app prompts the customer to try a different card.
Square POS plans: Retail, Restaurants, and Appointments
Every Square POS version has a Free plan, and the paid plans add features rather than lowering fees much. Square's general pricing page lists Plus plans from $35/month and Premium at custom pricing.
| Feature | Free | Plus | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Square for Retail | $0 | $79/mo per location | Custom |
| Square for Restaurants | $0 | $60/mo (1 countertop device per location) | Custom |
| Square Appointments | $0 (single location) | $35/mo per location | $85/mo per location |
| Free trial on Plus | Not applicable | 30 days (Retail, Restaurants); trial offered (Appointments) | Not stated |
Retail. The Free plan includes the POS app, basic inventory, and an online store. Retail Plus adds barcode label printing, bulk inventory intake, cross-location stock transfers, cost of goods sold reporting, and stock forecasts. It also lowers in-person credit to 2.45%, but that 0.05% saving only covers the $79 fee once you process about $158,000 a month in credit, so choose Plus for the inventory tools, not the rate.
Restaurants. The Free plan allows unlimited locations and unlimited countertop POS devices; a Square kitchen display costs $20/month per device. Restaurants Plus includes one countertop device per location (extra devices are $40/month each), unlimited kitchen displays, item-level bill splitting, reopening closed bills, live sales reporting, and 24/7 support (the Free plan has weekday support). Square's restaurant pricing page states no long-term contract is required. Premium is available if you process more than $250,000 a year in credit card sales.
Appointments. The Free plan covers one location with unlimited staff calendars, online booking, and text and email reminders. Plus ($35/month per location) adds multiple locations, class booking, a waitlist, Google Calendar sync, and cancellation and no-show fee policies. Premium ($85/month per location) adds resource management and advanced staff management. No-show and cancellation fees are charged at the online rate of 2.8% + 30¢.
For how Square compares with Shopify POS, Lightspeed, and Moneris Go as a full point of sale, see our best POS systems in Canada review.
Square Invoices and payments for service businesses
Square Invoices is free to use, and you pay only when a client pays by card. The Free plan includes unlimited invoices, estimates, and contracts with e-signatures, plus deposits and recurring invoices. Invoices Plus costs $30/month (with a 30-day free trial) and adds milestone payment schedules, multi-package estimates, batch invoicing, and custom templates.
Clients can pay online at 2.8% + 30¢, in person at the standard card rates, or you can charge a card on file at 3.3% + 15¢. Recording cash and cheque payments is free.
Two things to check. First, Square's Canadian invoice pricing page does not list a low-cost bank transfer or EFT option, so a large invoice paid by card carries the full percentage fee (Helcim, for comparison, publishes EFT payments capped at $6 under $25,000). Second, Square's pages list different figures for in-person debit on Invoices Plus: the Invoices product page lists 10¢, while the Invoices pricing page lists 0.75% + 7¢ on both plans. Confirm your rate in your Square Dashboard under Pricing and subscriptions before relying on the lower figure.
If invoicing is your main need, compare dedicated tools in our invoicing software review.
Square Online store
Square Online has a Free plan that syncs with your Square POS inventory and supports pickup, local delivery, and shipping. The Free plan shows Square branding, and a custom domain starts on Plus. Paid plans are billed in CAD:
- Free: $0/month, 2.8% + 30¢ per online transaction
- Plus: $36/month billed annually, 2.8% + 30¢, adds a custom domain (with one year of domain credit on annual plans), themes, removal of Square branding, QR code ordering, and subscriptions
- Premium: $99/month billed annually, with a lower online rate of 2.5% + 30¢
Square's plans page says prices differ if you pay monthly instead of annually, and it shows the annual prices, so check the monthly figure at checkout. For a larger catalogue or a store that is the core of your business, see Shopify vs WooCommerce in Canada and our guide to starting an online store in Canada.
Does Square Payroll work in Canada?
No. Square Payroll is a US product (its pricing page lists US federal and state tax filings, at $35/month plus $6 per person paid), and Square's Canadian site does not offer it as of September 2026. There is no payroll page on squareup.com/ca, and payroll is not in the Canadian product menu.
What Square offers in Canada is Square Shifts, for scheduling, time tracking, and payroll prep. Shifts Free covers up to five team members, and Shifts Plus starts at $4.50 per team member per month. Square's Canadian App Marketplace also lists third-party workforce tools marked as available in Canada, such as Push Operations, which includes payroll.
For actual pay runs, CPP and EI deductions, T4s, and records of employment, you need a Canadian payroll provider. See our best payroll software in Canada review and our Wagepoint review. Payroll rules vary by province and situation, so ask an accountant to confirm your setup.
How fast does Square pay you?
Square's standard transfers are free and usually arrive in 1 to 2 business days. Payments taken before 5 PM PT (8 PM ET) arrive the next business day; later payments arrive by the second business day. There are no transfer limits on the standard schedule, and Square says it does not hold funds based on the amount or type of transaction.
- Instant transfers: 1.5% of the amount, available 24/7 to your linked debit card's bank account. A $2,000 instant transfer costs $30. You need at least $25 in your balance, and new sellers start with one instant transfer per day of up to $500, rising to as much as $5,000 as your account builds history.
- Manual transfers: you choose when to move money; it arrives the next business day at no cost.
- Square Card: a free Mastercard for your Square balance with no monthly fees, so you can spend sales as soon as they come in. Ordering it stops automatic transfers to your bank account.
What we like and what to know
Square's strengths are published prices, no fixed costs, and one account that covers in-person, online, invoice, and booking payments. Keep in mind the percentage-based Interac rate, the flat credit rate at higher volumes, and that payroll runs through a separate Canadian provider.
Square
Strengths
- Free plan with no monthly fee and no contract
- $69 reader, and hardware bought rather than rented
- Every price published in CAD
- One flat 2.5% in-person rate for all card brands, including Amex
- Free chargeback handling and free standard transfers
- Retail, Restaurants, Appointments, Invoices, and Online from one account
Good to know
- Interac is 0.75% + 7¢, so the fee scales with the sale ($3.82 on $500)
- Interac payments need an internet connection
- Keyed-in and card-on-file payments cost 3.3% + 15¢
- Flat rate stays the same when interchange falls, as with the 2024 cuts
- Processing fees stay with Square when you refund a customer
- Payroll runs through a separate Canadian provider; Square Payroll is US-only
Square
Who Square is for (and when another processor fits better)
Square fits businesses that want to start taking payments quickly, with no monthly fee and no contract, and whose average sale is small.
Square is a good fit if you:
- Sell at markets, pop-ups, or events and want a $69 reader or Tap to Pay on your phone
- Run a café, counter-service restaurant, retail shop, or salon with modest average tickets
- Want POS, invoices, online store, and appointment booking under one login
- Value a single predictable percentage over the lowest possible cost
Pick Helcim instead if you:
- Take a lot of Interac on larger tickets (trades, auto repair, furniture, clinics), where a flat 9¢ to 12.5¢ fee beats 0.75% + 7¢
- Process steady credit volume and want interchange-plus pricing that passes through the 2024 interchange cuts
- Invoice clients and want a capped bank payment option
Pick Moneris instead if you:
- Bank with RBC or BMO and want next-day deposits into those accounts
- Want a flat 12¢ Interac rate and are comfortable with rented hardware and a longer merchant agreement
Alternatives
The closest alternatives are Helcim (interchange-plus with flat Interac fees) and Moneris (bank-linked with RBC and BMO). Our Square vs Moneris vs Helcim comparison runs all three through a worked monthly example, and our Helcim review covers Helcim in depth. For a full POS with deeper inventory or restaurant tools, see our best POS systems in Canada review. If you are setting up where your Square deposits will land, compare options in our business bank account review.
Our verdict
4.0Square is the simplest way for a Canadian small business to start taking cards: a $0/month Free plan, a $69 reader, 2.5% on in-person credit, published CAD prices for every product, and no contract. It suits market vendors, cafés, small shops, and salons with small average sales. It rates 4.0 for a general small business because Interac costs 0.75% + 7¢ (a $500 debit sale costs $3.82 versus about 12¢ elsewhere), keyed-in payments cost 3.3% + 15¢, and payroll needs a separate Canadian provider because Square Payroll is not offered in Canada. If your debit tickets are large or your card volume is steady, compare Helcim before you commit.
Frequently asked questions
How much does Square charge in Canada?
Square charges 2.5% on in-person credit, 0.75% + 7¢ on in-person Interac debit, 2.8% + 30¢ online, and 3.3% + 15¢ for keyed-in or card-on-file payments. Cards issued outside Canada cost an extra 1.5%, and the Free plan has no monthly fee.
How does Square's Interac debit fee compare?
On larger sales, flat-fee processors cost less. Square charges 0.75% + 7¢ per Interac transaction, so a $100 debit sale costs 82¢ and a $500 sale costs $3.82, while Moneris Flat Rate charges a flat 12¢ and Helcim 12.5¢ for a tap.
Does Square offer payroll in Canada?
No. Square Payroll is sold in the United States, and Square's Canadian site does not offer it as of September 2026. Square Shifts in Canada covers scheduling and time tracking, and you pair it with a separate Canadian payroll provider.
Does Square have a contract or cancellation fee in Canada?
No. Square's pricing FAQ says you can upgrade, downgrade, or cancel your plan at any time, and its fee article lists no fee for early termination, chargebacks, or account inactivity.
How fast does Square pay out in Canada?
Standard transfers are free and usually arrive in 1 to 2 business days; payments taken before 5 PM PT arrive the next business day. Instant transfers cost 1.5% per transfer, and new sellers start with one instant transfer per day of up to $500.
Does Square refund its fee when I refund a customer?
No. Square's Canadian support centre states that when you refund a payment, the processing fees for that payment are not refunded to you.
Sources
- Square Canada: pricing (checked September 2026)
- Square Canada Support: What are Square's fees (checked September 2026)
- Square Canada Support: Process refunds (checked September 2026)
- Square Canada Support: Set up and edit transfer options (checked September 2026)
- Square Canada Support: Process card payments with offline mode (checked September 2026)
- Square Canada: hardware shop (checked September 2026)
- Square for Retail Canada: pricing (checked September 2026)
- Square for Restaurants Canada: pricing (checked September 2026)
- Square Appointments Canada: pricing (checked September 2026)
- Square Invoices Canada (checked September 2026)
- Square Invoices Canada: pricing (checked September 2026)
- Square Online Canada: plans (checked September 2026)
- Square Canada: Square Card (checked September 2026)
- Square Canada: Square Shifts (checked September 2026)
- Square App Marketplace Canada: Push Operations (checked September 2026)
- Square (US): Payroll pricing (checked September 2026)
- Helcim: pricing (checked September 2026)
- Helcim: Canadian fee disclosures (checked September 2026)
- Moneris: pricing (checked September 2026)