Square Virtual Terminal

Accept and record payments on your computer.

Get started in minutes, no monthly fees.

What’s a virtual terminal?

A virtual terminal turns your computer into a payment card terminal. It’s perfect for remote billing or taking credit and debit cards over the phone.

Make payments simple to accept and track.

Charge cards from your computer

Key in and charge credit and debit card payments from any browser. No special equipment or devices required.

Record all types of payments

Accept and record cash, cheques, Square Gift Cards and other payments from your computer.

Request payments via text

Send customers a secure payment link via text so they can enter their card information privately and pay from anywhere.

Split any transaction

Split any transaction across different payment methods, including cash, Square Gift Cards or multiple credit and debit cards.

Take buy now, pay later payments

Allow customers to pay in instalments with Clearpay. There’s no risk. You get paid in full immediately, while they pay four interest-free instalments over six weeks.

Learn more about Clearpay ->


Streamline your business with easy-to-use tools built into your POS.

Speed up checkout.

Charge customers by selecting items or scanning them with a USB barcode scanner. You can also add discounts and VAT to any sale.

Issue professional receipts.

Email, text or print professional receipts for every payment from your computer.

Schedule recurring payments.

Bill your customers for recurring payments on a weekly, monthly or yearly basis and securely store customer card information on file.


Manage and run your business more easily.

Keep track of your business

Stay up to date using the real-time reporting tools in your Square Dashboard.

Learn more about Square Dashboard >

Build lasting customer relationships.

Create customer profiles with notes about your customers, see their purchase histories and save their card on file to make checkout quick.

Learn more about Square Customer Directory >

Access your funds quickly

Get paid as fast as the next day so you can control when your funds get sent to your bank account.

Learn more about your transfer options >

Take in-person payments, too.

Customise your solution to fit your needs

Connect Square Terminal wirelessly with your computer for smooth in-person transactions.

Accept every kind of payment

Let customers pay with contactless, chip and PIN, Apple Pay or Google Pay. Record cash, cheques, Square Gift Cards and other payments with your computer.

See how to use Virtual Terminal for in-person payments.

Integrated with the rest of your business.

  • Automatically sync with other Square solutions like Square Point of Sale, Square Invoices and more.
  • Quickly export Virtual Terminal transactions to accounting software such as Xero.
  • Easily download and analyse records with data tools like Microsoft Excel and Google Sheets.

We’ve got you covered.

Data security

We keep card data safe from end to end and track fraudulent cards to protect you and your customers.

Dispute management

When payment disputes occur, our team of experts deals with the bank for you so you can focus on your business.

All-in-one setup

Your Square account gives you everything you need to take payments – no need to visit a bank.

Online refunds

Process customer refunds for payments directly from your online Square Dashboard.

Customer support

Our highly trained support team is available via phone or email. Use online resources, such as the Square Seller Community forum and Square Support Centre, to find answers to many common questions.

Pricing

Monthly fee

£0

per month

Remote processing fee

2.5%

per typed-in transaction or payment link

In-person processing fee

1.75%

per contactless or chip and PIN transaction
Buy Square Terminal >

Buy now, pay later payments.

Allow customers to pay in instalments with Clearpay. There’s no risk. You get paid the full amount, while they pay four interest-free instalments over six weeks.

Monthly fee

£0

per month

6% + 30p

per transaction

(Available for payment links sent via SMS or in-person payments)

Set up your free Square account now.

Start taking payments from your computer in minutes.

FAQs

What can I actually do with Virtual Terminal?

You can use Virtual Terminal to charge customers, itemise sales and create recurring payments to save time and get paid faster.

Why are Virtual Terminal payments priced differently?

Manually entered, keyed-in card transactions are a potentially higher risk than contactless or chip and PIN transactions because the cardholder isn’t standing in front of the seller where an ID can be checked or a PIN requested to authorise the sale. So card networks put measures in place to protect against this potentially higher risk of fraud, including charging Square higher fees.

How can I get started with Square Virtual Terminal?

First, you need to sign up for your free account with Square. In Square Dashboard, click Virtual Terminal, then Take a Payment. Enter the amount and click Charge. More detailed steps below.

Does Virtual Terminal work for Windows or Mac?

Both. Square Virtual Terminal works as a Mac POS system or a Windows POS system. Because it’s browser-based, it’s just a digital POS that lets you offer payment card processing, regardless of what operating system you use.

What is the difference between a quick charge vs an itemised sale?

A quick charge is when you want to enter just the amount of the transaction. An itemised sale is possible after setting up an item library for your items or services, which provides you with better insights into sales and gives your customers more detailed receipts.

Explore other ways Square can help run and grow your business.

Take care of your entire business with Square software. Our tools are designed for desktop, tablet and mobile, so your business is always on hand.

Invoices

Send customisable invoices and get paid fast from anywhere with Square.

EPOS

Manage, grow and run your business with all-in-one integrated EPOS software from Square.

Inventory Management

Manage your inventory faster from anywhere with Square’s free inventory management software.

Gift Cards

Boost sales and bring in new customers by easily selling gift cards online or in-person.