Square charges a flat 1.6% on every card transaction — with no negotiation and no volume discounts. We compare Square to alternatives so you can make an informed decision.
What Square actually charges Australian merchants in 2026.
Square charges 1.6% on every transaction regardless of card type — Visa, Mastercard, eftpos or Amex. No blended rate. No card-type differentiation.
No terminal rental fee but you purchase or lease Square hardware. Square Reader, Square Terminal and Square Register are purchased outright. Hardware is not transferable to other providers.
Base plan is $0/month. Square for Restaurants: $69/month. Square for Retail: $109/month. Counter Service Restaurant: $149/month. These are on top of the 1.6% transaction rate.
$15 per dispute. This is charged regardless of whether the chargeback is won or lost.
Square does not negotiate rates. Whether you process $5,000/month or $500,000/month, the rate remains 1.6%. There is no volume discount pathway.
Blended rates distinguish between low-cost eftpos transactions and higher-cost credit cards. Square doesn't — all cards attract the same 1.6%, which often means eftpos transactions are overpriced.
How Square compares to other payment providers in Australia.
| Provider | Rate | Terminal Fee | Monthly Fee | Lock-in | Negotiable | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Square | 1.6% flat | $0 (software subs extra) | $0 base | No | No | Low volume / side hustle |
| Tyro | 1.2–1.8% blended | $29–$49/mth | $0 | 3yr common | Rarely | Mid-size retail |
| Zeller | 1.4% flat | $0 | $0 | No | No | Small café / retail |
| UrPay Recommended | from 1.19% negotiated | $0 | $0 | No | Yes — always | Any volume, 500+ POS |
At low volumes the simplicity of Square outweighs the cost of switching.
Square's all-in-one hardware and software ecosystem removes setup complexity for new businesses.
If you don't want to negotiate and are comfortable paying more per transaction for zero admin, Square delivers that.
At $20K/month, 1.6% = $320/month in fees. A negotiated rate of 0.95% = $190/month — a $130/month difference that compounds.
Square requires its own ecosystem. If you already run a specialist POS for hospitality, retail or health, Square won't integrate.
From 1 October 2026, the 1.6% you were surcharging comes directly off your margin. At $100K/month that is $1,600/month. A negotiated rate of 1.0% saves $600/month.
Free comparison in 24hrs. Your volume. Your card mix. Your actual savings.