Rates checked 1 November 2026
Card fee calculator: Square vs Stripe for Australian invoices
Put in your usual invoice and how many you send a month. See the fee on each payment, what lands in your account and the yearly total for Square Invoices, Stripe through Free Invoice App and a plain bank transfer. Since 1 October 2026 the fee is yours to carry, so it is worth knowing.
- Square 2.2% on invoices
- Stripe 1.65% + A$0.30, no platform fee
- Bank transfer A$0
- Published Australian rates
Your invoices
Australian cards, standard published rates, and every invoice paid by card. Bank transfer is shown so you can see what you keep when a client pays that way.
Starter includes 7 sends a month; the yearly total picks the plan that covers your volume.
Swipe sideways to see all three.
| Line | Bank transferYour bank details printed on a Free Invoice App invoice | Card via Free Invoice AppLower card costStripe at 1.65% + A$0.30, no platform fee | Square Invoices2.2% on an invoice paid online |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fee per invoice | A$0.00 | A$14.33 | A$18.70 |
| You receive | A$850.00 | A$835.67 | A$831.30 |
| Card fees a month | A$0.00 | A$143.30 | A$187.00 |
| Plan | ProA$9.00 a month | ProA$9.00 a month | Square Invoices FreeA$0 a month |
| Total a year | A$108.00 | A$1,827.60 | A$2,244.00 |
On a A$850.00 invoice, Square charges A$18.70 and Stripe through Free Invoice App charges A$14.33. Over 10 invoices a month that is A$524 a year less in card fees with Stripe. The yearly total adds Pro at A$9.00 a month, because 10 invoices is more than Starter's 7 sends; Square Invoices Free has no monthly fee.
Stripe’s 30 cents means Square is cheaper below A$54.55; above that, Stripe through Free Invoice App costs less on every invoice.
Card fees in Australia at a glance
Standard published rates for an Australian business, and what each one takes from a A$1,000 payment. Custom-rate accounts and older Square sign-ups pay differently, so the provider’s own page is the final word.
Swipe sideways to see every column.
| How the client pays | Rate | On A$1,000 |
|---|---|---|
| Bank transfer, details printed on the invoiceFree on every Free Invoice App plan. | No fee | A$0.00 |
| Card via Free Invoice App, Australian cardStripe's standard rate, fees include GST. Free Invoice App adds nothing. | 1.65% + A$0.30 | A$16.80 |
| Card via Free Invoice App, card issued overseasLower international pricing announced by Stripe from 1 April 2027. | 3.5% + A$0.30, plus 2% if converted | A$35.30 |
| Square Invoices, paid onlineAlso keyed-in cards, cards on file, Square Online and Virtual Terminal. | 2.2% | A$22.00 |
| Square, card tapped or inserted in person1.9% for sellers who signed up before 30 May 2024. | 1.6% | A$16.00 |
Monthly plans: Free Invoice App Starter is A$0 with 7 invoice sends a month and Pro is A$9/month with 250; Square Invoices Free is A$0 and Square Invoices Plus is A$30 a month. The calculator adds the plan your volume needs to the yearly total.
Square or Stripe: the fee on common invoice sizes
Square charges a flat percentage. Stripe charges a lower percentage plus 30 cents. The 30 cents matters on small payments and disappears on large ones, so the two cross at A$54.55: below that Square is cheaper, above it Stripe is, and the gap grows with the invoice.
| Invoice | Square Invoices | Stripe via Free Invoice App | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| A$50.00 | A$1.10 | A$1.13 | Square A$0.03 less |
| A$150.00 | A$3.30 | A$2.78 | Stripe A$0.52 less |
| A$500.00 | A$11.00 | A$8.55 | Stripe A$2.45 less |
| A$850.00 | A$18.70 | A$14.33 | Stripe A$4.37 less |
| A$2,000.00 | A$44.00 | A$33.30 | Stripe A$10.70 less |
| A$5,000.00 | A$110.00 | A$82.80 | Stripe A$27.20 less |
| A$10,000.00 | A$220.00 | A$165.30 | Stripe A$54.70 less |
You cannot add a card surcharge any more. Here is what you can do.
Until 30 September 2026 an Australian business could pass its card acceptance cost on as a surcharge, capped at what the card actually cost it. On 1 October 2026 the Reserve Bank removed the rule that stopped card networks banning surcharges, and eftpos, Mastercard and Visa introduced no-surcharge rules from that day. American Express, PayPal and UnionPay chose to do the same. Payment providers have been switching the surcharge function off in their terminals and invoicing tools, and an invoice issued before the date but paid after it is caught too.
- 1Price it in. The Reserve Bank's own answer: card costs belong in your prices like rent and insurance. On a A$850 job paid through Stripe that is A$14.33, about 1.7% of the job.
- 2Offer a discount for bank transfer instead. Discounts for a payment method are still allowed. A line such as "2% discount if paid by bank transfer within 7 days" steers the client and rewards the fast payer, as long as your displayed price is the one most customers pay.
- 3Pick the processor that suits your invoice size. Over A$54.55 an invoice, Stripe's 1.65% + A$0.30 beats Square's 2.2% on every payment. Under it, Square's flat rate wins. A business sending A$2,000 invoices pays A$10.70 less on each one through Stripe.
General information, not legal or tax advice. The Reserve Bank notes that exceptions can exist where a law or network rule allows them, taxi fares for one, and that enforcement sits with the card networks. Check with your payment provider before changing how you charge.
Questions
How much does Square charge for an invoice payment in Australia?
Square lists 2.2% for card-not-present payments, which covers invoices paid online, keyed-in cards, cards on file, Square Online and Virtual Terminal, and 1.6% when a card is tapped or inserted in person (1.9% for sellers who signed up before 30 May 2024). There is no fixed fee per payment, so a A$1,000 invoice paid online costs A$22.00. Square Invoices Free has no monthly fee; Square Invoices Plus is A$30 a month. Read from Square's Australian fee page on 1 November 2026.
How much does Stripe charge in Australia?
Stripe's standard Australian rate is 1.65% + A$0.30 for cards issued in Australia and 3.5% + A$0.30 for cards issued overseas, plus 2% if the payment needs currency conversion. Stripe states the fees include GST. A A$1,000 invoice paid with an Australian card costs A$16.80. Stripe has announced lower international pricing from 1 April 2027. Read from stripe.com/au/pricing on 1 November 2026.
Does Free Invoice App add its own fee on card payments?
No. Card payments through Free Invoice App go to your own Stripe account and you pay Stripe's standard rate only. Free Invoice App adds no platform fee and no per-transaction fee on any plan, including the free Starter plan. Printing your bank details on the invoice so a client can pay by transfer costs nothing at all.
Which is cheaper for invoices, Square or Stripe?
Stripe is cheaper on any invoice over A$54.55, because 1.65% + A$0.30 overtakes a flat 2.2% at that point; below it Square's lack of a fixed fee wins. On a A$1,000 invoice Square charges A$22.00 and Stripe A$16.80; on A$5,000 it is A$110.00 against A$82.80. The calculator on this page does the sums for your invoice size and volume and adds the monthly plan each tool needs at that volume.
Can I add a card surcharge to my invoice?
Not since 1 October 2026. The Reserve Bank removed the rule that stopped card networks banning surcharges, and eftpos, Mastercard and Visa introduced no-surcharge rules from that date; American Express, PayPal and UnionPay chose to follow. A fee added because a customer pays by card is no longer permitted on those networks, and payment providers have been removing the surcharge function from their terminals and invoicing tools. Card costs now sit in your prices like any other overhead. Weekend, public holiday and booking fees that apply however a customer pays are not affected.
Can I still offer a discount for paying by bank transfer?
Yes. The Reserve Bank's FAQ says businesses can continue to offer discounts for particular payment methods, so a term such as "2% discount if paid by bank transfer within 7 days" is allowed. Follow the ACCC's guidance on displaying prices so the headline price is the one most customers pay. Free Invoice App prints your bank details on every invoice, so the client can choose.
Can I claim card fees on my tax?
Card processing fees are a cost of running the business, so they are deductible. Stripe states its Australian fees include GST, so a GST-registered business can generally claim the GST portion as a credit on its BAS using the fee statement from Stripe as the record; check Square's fee schedule for the GST treatment of its fees. This is general information, not tax advice, so confirm your own position with your accountant.
What does a card issued overseas cost?
Through Stripe, 3.5% + A$0.30, plus 2% if the payment has to be converted into Australian dollars, with lower international pricing announced from 1 April 2027. Square publishes a single 2.2% card-not-present rate; check its fee schedule for cards issued outside Australia. If overseas clients are a large part of your work, invoicing in Australian dollars and offering an international bank transfer avoids the conversion fee.
Where do these rates come from and when were they checked?
From Stripe's Australian pricing page, Square's Australian fee page and the Reserve Bank's FAQ on the removal of card surcharges, all read on 1 November 2026. The links are in the sources section at the bottom of the page. Rates change, Stripe has already announced international changes for April 2027, and custom-rate accounts on either provider pay differently, so treat the provider's page as the final word.
Sources
- Stripe Australia pricingStandard online card rates, GST treatment, international pricing. Read on 1 November 2026.
- Square Australia, Understanding Square's processing feesCard-present and card-not-present rates. Read on 1 November 2026.
- Reserve Bank of Australia, Removal of Card Payment Surcharges FAQWhich networks banned surcharging and from when, discounts, exceptions. Read on 1 November 2026.