What Credit Cards Are Accepted By Square?

Square is one of the best POS systems for small businesses, and this guide covers which credit cards Square accepts, what hardware and software you’ll need, and why it could be a great fit for your business.

Read on to learn more about Square’s accepted payment types and how to start taking payments quickly and easily.

What Credit Cards Does Square Accept?

Square accepts all US-issued and most internationally issued magstripe and chip cards from:

• Visa
• Mastercard
• American Express
• Discover
• JCB
• Union Pay

Debit cards process the same way as credit cards, with identical transaction fees. Square also accepts prepaid, HSA/FSA, and EDD cards under its standard rates.

Processing fees are automatically deducted before deposits hit your business account. To learn more, check out our full breakdown of Square’s fees.

What Other Forms Of Payment Does Square Accept?

Now that you know which credit cards Square accepts, let’s look at the other ways you can accept payments. Here’s how Square’s versatile payment processing works across multiple channels:

Does Square Accept American Express?

Square accepts American Express, and the processing rate is the same as for other major cards.

Square sellers can also accept American Express in person or online — even without a website — using checkout links or invoices.

Related: If you have a mid-size or large business, you may pay more if you use Square instead of registering for a traditional merchant account. Check out our Square vs. traditional merchant account comparison to find the right payment processing and accounting provider for your business.

How To Accept EBT, SNAP & WIC Payments With Square

Square doesn’t natively support EBT, SNAP, or WIC payments, but you can accept them by integrating Totilpay, a certified POS solution with built-in EBT software.

Totilpay’s monthly pricing varies depending on your business type, and works seamlessly with Square’s existing hardware.

For more guidance, read our small business guide to EBT payments to learn about compliance, compatible card readers, and the best processors for EBT transactions.

Related: Shopify, another all-in-one online and offline selling solution, also allows you to take in-person EBT payments through a third-party solution. Read our Square vs. Shopify comparison to decide which all-in-one platform is right for your business.

Square Cash App Update

Square sellers can now accept Cash App Pay both online and in-person. This function allows customers to pay using their Cash App accounts.

This integration works on supported Square hardware/apps. Standard Square processing rates apply.

Related: If you do more selling online than in person, Stripe may be a better fit for your payment processing needs. Read our Square vs. Stripe comparison before you decide.

Does Square Accept Apple Pay, Google Pay & Other NFC?

Square sellers can accept Apple Pay, Google Pay, and other NFC (near-field communication) or “contactless” forms of payment. Square processes NFC payments as if they were credit card payments.

To accept contactless payments in person, sellers must purchase a Square chip and tap reader because the standard card magstripe or chip reader can’t read NFC signals.

Online sellers just have to enable payment methods like Apple Pay and Google Pay in their Square Online account settings. When that’s enabled, a customer can pay by simply logging onto their Apple or Google account.