SwiftBill vs Square Invoices:
Free invoicing vs 3.3% payment fee
Square lets you create invoices for free — but takes 3.3% + 30¢ every time a client pays online, and locks you into card-only payments. SwiftBill is free to use, takes no cut of your revenue, and works with any payment method.
$0
SwiftBill — free, no payment fee
Any payment method, keep 100% of invoice
3.3%
Square per paid online invoice
+ 30¢ per transaction, card payments only
What Square's 3.3% fee costs on real invoices
Why freelancers choose SwiftBill
- No payment fee — keep 100% of every invoice
- Accept bank transfer, PayPal, Wise, cash — whatever suits your client
- Clients don't need to pay by card or create any account
- Built for service-based freelancers, not retail POS
When Square Invoices makes sense
- →You already use Square for in-person card payments (retail, salon, food)
- →All your clients prefer paying by card and you want one system
- →You want payment and invoicing in the same Square dashboard
- →You use Square POS hardware and want everything integrated
Frequently asked questions
Is Square Invoices actually free?
Creating and sending invoices with Square is free. But every time a client pays online through your Square invoice, Square charges 3.3% + 30¢ per transaction. On a $1,000 invoice, that's $33.30 gone before it reaches your bank account. SwiftBill invoices have no payment fee — your clients pay you directly via whatever method you include on the invoice.
Does the client need a Square account to pay?
Clients don't need a Square account, but they can only pay by card through Square's payment processing. They can't pay by bank transfer, PayPal, or any other method via a Square invoice. With SwiftBill, you include your own payment details — bank account, PayPal link, Wise, or anything else — so clients pay however works for them.
Who is Square Invoices designed for?
Square Invoices works well for businesses that already use Square for in-person card payments — retail stores, salons, food trucks — and want invoicing in the same ecosystem. It's less ideal for freelancers who invoice remotely and want to accept bank transfers or international payments without card processing fees.
Does SwiftBill take a percentage of my invoices?
No. SwiftBill charges a flat fee ($9/month for Pro) or nothing (free plan). We never take a percentage of your invoiced amount regardless of how much you bill. The money your clients pay goes directly to you through whatever payment method you specify.
Can I still use Square for payments if I invoice through SwiftBill?
Yes. Add your Square payment link or Square.com/pay URL in the payment instructions field on your SwiftBill invoice. Clients can still pay via Square's card processing, and you get the professional SwiftBill PDF without being locked into Square's invoice format.
Keep every dollar you invoice
No processing fee, no payment lock-in. Professional invoices, free forever.