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Square’s Point of Sale Application Programming Interface, or POS API, is ideal for developers who want to build a custom point-of-sale for in-person payments. Our point of sale API allows you to integrate the Square payments flow (and utilise our beautifully designed contactless card reader) into a customised POS that suits your business’ unique needs.
Square’s POS API is perfect for businesses that want to build upon the out-of-the-box capabilities of our Square Point of Sale app. For example, if you have recently shifted your restaurant operations to include delivery and takeaway options, Square’s restaurant POS system is flexible enough to accommodate any service changes you may be adding or removing. If you own a custom furniture store, you might need complex order forms for customised item specs. Museums and events sometimes have unique ticketing requirements and payments. Professional services might need custom order management workflows such as assessment and delivery dates. In all these cases, developers can create a customised POS app that integrates easily with Square’s POS API to take care of the payment flow process. Jobber and simPRO, for example, are both apps that use our point of sale integrations to take in-person payments.
What is an API in a POS system?
Let’s get some of these definitions out of the way. API stands for application program interface, which sounds complicated, but it essentially means a set of routines, rules, and tools that allow a programmer to create connections between two or more software systems. There are typically two ways of POS integration with an API—integrating your point-of-sale system with another eCommerce, CRM, or accounting software or using a third-party solution like Square.
Whatever your business, if you need a POS that’s perfectly tailored to your unique needs, Square’s POS API offers you fully integrated payment processing without having to build your own payment flow from scratch. Our standard Point of Sale app is a powerful tool that allows millions of merchants to run their businesses from top to bottom. By using our POS API, you get access to all these tools along with the workflows you need in your specialised POS app. You’re able to view all your transactions in Square’s online Dashboard and take advantage of all the reporting and analytics you get from selling with Square. Our point-of-sale API is PCI-DSS compliant, our fees are competitive, and our sellers get paid fast.
Why we made our API POS
We started our payments company so anyone anywhere could take credit and debit card payments. Creating our POS integration API is a continuation of that mission. We’ve built a really solid payments infrastructure and want to allow people to build on top of it. Our API POS is a great way to support businesses that have more complicated POS needs than what we’re able to provide with our standard offering.
How does the point-of-sale (POS) API work?
Our POS integration API uses an app switch, meaning the app switches between your custom POS and Square’s Point of Sale app to process a payment. With just a few lines of code, you’re ready to initiate a transaction from your POS. Once initiated, it automatically switches you into the Point of Sale app. There you can swipe or dip cards or tap devices for NFC payments. After the payment flow, the app switches back to your custom POS. It’s simple and easy.
What POS features can I expect?
- Quick, easy POS integration API
- Cutting-edge payment hardware that accepts magstripe credit and debit cards, EMV chip cards, and contactless (NFC) payments, including Apple Pay
- PCI compliance using end-to-end encryption
- Quick transfers: merchants see payments in their bank accounts in one to two business days
- Offline payments
How much do payments with Square’s POS API cost?
Payments made with Square’s point-of-sale API are charged at Square’s standard rates. It’s just 1.6% per card swiped, dipped, or tapped. Manually entered transactions are charged at 2.2%. Rest assured, there are no monthly fees, long-term contracts, or commitments. It’s always free to integrate Square’s POS API into your software.
Square’s POS API is a PCI-compliant point-of-sale solution
PCI compliance can be a real headache for developers. The PCI Security Council’s stringent requirements are set up to make sure all companies accept, process, store, and transmit credit card information safely. Which is really important but can be a lot to take on for developers who aren’t payments experts. Fortunately, Square takes on the burden of staying PCI compliant. No checklists, assessments, or audits required.
FAQ:
Is Square’s POS API right for me?
Square’s point-of-sale API is a payments API that’s appropriate for in-person payments. To take online payments, check out our E-Commerce API, or create your free online store. If you’re building your own POS app, you can use Square’s POS API to take care of payments. Our POS system API triggers an app switch that takes the merchant from your custom app to Square Point of Sale to complete the transaction.
| API | Best for: |
| [E-Commerce API][14] | [Online payment services][13] and custom e-commerce stores, payment processing, and customer management |
| [Point-of-sale API][16] | In-person payments, custom point-of-sale (POS) applications |
| [Items API][17] | Item and inventory management |
| [Reporting API][18] | Sales reporting and analytics |
| [Employee Management API][19] | Managing employee roles and permissions, including easy management of hours worked across locations |
| [Other APIs][20] | Managing customer data, managing online stores, and tracking inventory |
What makes Square’s POS API the best way to accept in-person payments?
Square’s POS API is fast to integrate with just a few lines of code. It facilitates PCI compliant payments- credit card information never hits your app. And Square has payment hardware that’s simple, stylish, and secure.
What currency are sales processed in?
Sales on Square’s POS API are made in Australian dollars.
Does Square’s POS API offer instant transfers?
Yes, our POS integration API transfers sellers’ payments into their bank account. Payments are fast and secure, and they are transferred in one to two business days. If sellers want their funds faster, they can opt for next-day business transfers.
Do I still need a payment gateway with Square APIs?
No, you don’t need a payment gateway or merchant account when you use Square’s Payment APIs. All you need to start selling with Square is an Australian checking account and a free Square account. It takes just a couple of minutes to sign up for a Square account and no credit check is needed.
Where can I find more information about POS integration/API documentation?
There are more resources on the Square website for developers interested in learning about POS API integration and API documentation.
