*Pricing and features were researched on November 3, 2026, and are subject to change.
Switching from Square is about more than choosing a lower rate. This guide will help you use your own Square statement to estimate the in-person cost difference and see for yourself how much you can save with GoDaddy Payments.
- Compare eligible in-person card volume and transaction count from the same statement period, not monthly sales alone.
- GoDaddy Payments does not charge a fixed per-transaction fee. Square’s listed Free and Plus rates include $0.15 per eligible tap, dip, or swipe card transaction. This can add up easily — especially for high-volume businesses like coffee shops.
- The comparison includes each provider’s relevant monthly plan cost, so you can see the difference beyond the headline percentage rate.
- GoDaddy offers free POS terminal valued up to $399. If your business processes substantial card volume, contact Sales to discuss pricing tailored to how you process. To make the switch more manageable, we also provide personalized setup, migration, and 24/7 support.
What Square and GoDaddy Payments fees should you compare?
A payment processing comparison needs two numbers: the percentage of each sale plus the fixed amount charged for every transaction. A percentage difference becomes more important as sales volume rises. A fixed charge becomes more important as transaction count rises, particularly for businesses that take many smaller payments.
Square charges 2.6% + $0.15 for in-person payments on Square Free and 2.5% + $0.15 on Square Plus. Square Plus is listed at $49 per month per location. Square’s current payment-fee page is the source to check before making a decision, because rates and terms can change.
GoDaddy Payments lists a standard in-person rate of 2.5% + $0 and 2.3% + $0 with Point of Sale Plus. The GoDaddy Payments fee schedule lays out the rate by transaction type and subscription. Point of Sale Plus is currently $28.99 per month with an annual plan.
Square and GoDaddy Payments: in-person costs compared
This table shows a standard-rate illustration and a paid-plan illustration for comparison purposes.
| In-person comparison path | Square listed cost | GoDaddy Payments listed cost |
|---|---|---|
| Standard rate | Square Free: 2.6% + $0.15 per transaction. | Standard in-person rate: 2.5% + $0 per transaction. |
| Paid plan rate | Square Plus: 2.5% + $0.15 per transaction. $49/month per location | Point of Sale Plus: 2.3% + $0 per transaction. $28.99/month with an annual plan |
Rates and plan prices are US published figures checked October 22, 2026. The examples cover in-person payments only. Rates, plans, and offers can change.
How much could you save on $15,000 in monthly in-person sales?
This example assumes one location accepting $15,000 in eligible in-person card payments across 300 transactions in one month with a $50 average ticket.
Square Plus calculation
- Percentage fee: $15,000 × 2.5% = $375.00
- Fixed transaction fee: 300 × $0.15 = $45.00
- Monthly plan fee: $49.00
- Estimated monthly total: $469.00
GoDaddy Payments Point of Sale Plus calculation
- Percentage fee: $15,000 × 2.3% = $345.00
- Fixed transaction fee: 300 × $0 = $0
- Monthly plan fee: $28.99
- Estimated monthly total: $373.99
Cost savings when you switch to GoDaddy Payments: $469.00 − $373.99 = $95.01 per month, or $1,140.12 over 12 months if volume, transaction count, rates, and plan prices remain unchanged.
How to calculate your Square vs. GoDaddy Payments savings
Gather these inputs from the same statement period:
- Eligible in-person card volume and transaction count.
- Your current plan and actual percentage and fixed transaction rates.
- Recurring plan fees, number of locations, and any additional required charges.
Use processed card volume, not total business revenue or bank deposits. Calculate each provider’s cost using its applicable rates:
Monthly cost = (eligible card volume × percentage rate) + (transaction count × fixed fee) + plan fees
Here's a little more background:
- Eligible card volume: In-person card payments processed during the statement period.
- Transaction count: Number of eligible tap, dip, or swipe transactions.
- Percentage rate: The applicable processing percentage.
- Fixed fee: The amount charged per transaction.
- Plan fees: Relevant recurring monthly subscription costs.
Subtract GoDaddy’s estimated cost from Square’s estimated cost, then account separately for hardware and other excluded costs. Use your actual statement rates for legacy or negotiated pricing rather than substituting the published example rates.
For the published paid plan rates above, the estimated monthly difference can be written as:
Estimated monthly difference = (monthly in-person sales × 0.2%) + (number of in-person transactions × $0.15) + $20.01
The first term reflects the difference between the published 2.5% and 2.3% rates. The second captures Square’s $0.15 fixed fee. The final $20.01 reflects the difference between Square Plus at $49 per month and GoDaddy Payments Point of Sale Plus at $28.99 per month with an annual plan.
At the same $15,000 in monthly sales:
- 150 transactions produces a difference of $72.51 per month.
- At 600 transactions, the estimate would be $140.01 per month.
This is why a recent payment statement is more useful than monthly sales alone as it gives you both volume and transaction count. And you can see how quickly the fees add up when your processor charges a fixed per-transaction fee.
For the standard rate example, Square Free charges 2.6% + $0.15 per transaction, and totals $435.00 at $15,000 and 300 transactions: $390.00 in percentage fees plus $45.00 in fixed fees.
With GoDaddy Payments’ standard in-person rate at just 2.5% + $0, it totals $375.00. That is an estimated $60 savings per month in just processing fees.
How does GoDaddy Payments Rate Saver affect processing costs?
With an eligible plan, Rate Saver gives you as low as 0% in credit card processing fees for eligible in-person credit transactions with surcharge, and discounts your in-person debit rate to 1.9% + $0.
While Rate Saver isn’t included in the savings calculations above, it is a powerful tool to help you provide options for your customers to pay and helps you save on processing fees either way. It’s important to keep both credit and debit rates in mind when comparing similar options.
Let's use the same example of $15,000 in eligible in-person card payments across 300 transactions in one month with a $50 average ticket, and a 50/50 credit and debit mix. GoDaddy Payments fee with Rate Saver comes to $171.49 a month, while Square Plus is estimated at $259.00 (both including monthly plan cost). With Rate Saver, it’ll save you $87.51 a month, or $1050.12 annually.
| Monthly merchant cost | GoDaddy Payments + Rate Saver | Square Plus + credit surcharge |
|---|---|---|
| Net credit-processing cost | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Debit percentage fee on $7,500 | $142.50 at 1.9% | $187.50 at 2.5% |
| Fixed fee on 150 debit transactions | $0.00 | $22.50 ($0.15 per transaction) |
| Plan fee | $28.99 | $49.00 |
| Total | $171.49 | $259.00 |
| GoDaddy savings | $87.51/month | $1,050.12 over 12 months |
What else should you compare before switching from Square?
Your statement comparison should also include the POS hardware you need, implementation support, the workflows your team relies on, and any custom pricing available for your processing profile.
GoDaddy offers complimentary personalized setup, migration, and 24/7 phone and chat support. We also offer a free Smart Terminal POS device (value up to $399) when you switch, and for high-volume merchants, custom pricing is available as well to help you save more.
Switching from Square without disrupting sales
Export the business data you need, review existing terms, verify devices and accessories, and schedule a controlled cutover. Run both systems in parallel when practical to test checkout before busy hours. Use How to evaluate POS devices when switching as your practical switching checklist.
Get a comparison built around your statement
Ready to compare your own numbers? Contact Sales for a detailed statement-based comparison using your in-person card volume, transaction count, current rates, and required setup. If your business processes substantial volume, ask about custom pricing tailored to how you process. If you are separately considering customer surcharging, explore the Rate Saver savings calculator. That tool models a different choice from the standard-rate examples in this article.
GoDaddy offers a free POS terminal valued up to $399. If your business processes substantial card volume, contact Sales to discuss pricing tailored to how you process. To make the switch more manageable, we also provide personalized setup, migration, and 24/7 support.
Explore GoDaddy Payments to find the right payment solution for your business.
Frequently asked questions
How much can I save by switching from Square to GoDaddy Payments for in-person payments?
In the illustrative $15,000 monthly-volume and 300-transaction example, the estimated difference is $95.01 per month when comparing Square Plus with GoDaddy Payments Point of Sale Plus and including both plan fees for one location. The standard-rate illustration shows a $60.00 monthly processing-cost difference, excluding Point of Sale Plus and other costs. Your result depends on your actual rates, plan, volume, transaction count, and required setup.
Why does Square’s $0.15 per-transaction fee matter?
A fixed $0.15 fee is charged on each eligible in-person payment in Square’s listed pricing, regardless of ticket size. At 300 transactions, it totals $45. At 600 transactions, it totals $90. That is why transaction count belongs alongside sales volume in a payment-cost comparison.
Businesses using a clothing store POS system or fast food POS system benefit from GoDaddy Payments’ absence of a fixed in-person per-transaction fee, with the avoided fixed fees adding up as transaction count grows.
Does the $95.01 example include the Point of Sale Plus subscription?
Yes. The example includes Point of Sale Plus at $28.99 per month with an annual plan, plus the listed 2.3% in-person rate and $0 fixed transaction fee. It also includes Square Plus at $49 per month per location, its 2.5% rate, and its $0.15 fixed transaction fee.
Does this calculation include every type of payment?
No. It estimates in-person card payments only. Invoices, Pay Links, ACH, manual entry, and other payment types can have different rates and should be modeled separately.
What if I use another Square plan or negotiated pricing?
Use the general monthly-cost formula with your actual plan fees and processing rates. Square Premium, legacy plans, custom pricing, and multi-location setups need their own calculation; the $95.01 result applies only to the stated one-location paid-plan example.
