Please update your browser.
Download the latest version of a supported browser below to get the most out of this website:
SQUARE INSIGHTS
How America spends
Real spending trends from millions of transactions at local businesses — updated monthly. Data covers Sep 1–30, 2026.
Square powers businesses across the US. Square Insights turns aggregated transaction activity into an open look at how people spend and pay at those businesses.
Commerce at a glance
September 2026
$43.60
Average transaction
+0.1% vs. Aug 2026
18.2%
Average tip
When a tip was left, on the pre-tax, pre-tip subtotal
88.0%
Contactless payments
Share of in-person card payments
All figures: US Square sellers, national, Sep 2026. Aggregated and anonymized.
Three-year trends
Contactless payments have grown from 57.0% of in-person card payments in Oct 2023 to 88.0% in Sep 2026. Over the same period cash fell from 19.8% to 16.0% of payments.
Oct 2023: 57.0% → Sep 2026: 88.0%
How spending differs by business type
| Business type | Average transaction | Average tip | Contactless payments |
|---|---|---|---|
| Food & Beverage | $23.60 | 17.6% | 88.1% |
| Retail | $49.04 | 14.9% | 88.0% |
| Beauty & Personal Care | $98.79 | 20.7% | 84.8% |
| Services | $91.51 | 17.3% | 88.8% |
US Square sellers, Sep 2026, national level. Business type is assigned by Square's classification model, not self-reported by sellers. Unclassified sellers are excluded from this breakdown.
From market trends to your business
The trends on this page come from businesses that run on Square. Explore the software and hardware they use to sell in person, send invoices, and take payments remotely.
Frequently asked questions
How much do Americans tip on average?
Across US Square sellers in Sep 2026, the average tip when a tip was left was 18.2% of the pre-tax, pre-tip subtotal, ranging from 14.9% to 20.7% by business type.
Is the US becoming a cashless society?
Contactless payments made up 88.0% of in-person card payments at US Square sellers in Sep 2026, up from 57.0% in Oct 2023. Cash was 16.0% of all payments, down from 19.8%.
What's the average transaction size at US businesses?
The average transaction across US Square sellers in Sep 2026 was $43.63, ranging from about $23.60 at food and beverage businesses to $98.85 at beauty and personal care businesses.
Where does this data come from?
Square Insights is aggregated, anonymized transaction data from millions of payments at US Square sellers. Figures are monthly and national, and never identify any individual business. See “How is this data measured?” below for definitions.
How is this data measured?
Square Insights is based on aggregated, anonymized transaction data from US Square sellers. Figures reflect activity on the Square platform and are not a measure of the total US economy.
No individual business or buyer is identified. Any cut covering fewer than 50 sellers is suppressed, and concentration checks ensure no single seller drives a published number.
Business type is assigned by Square's classification model, not self-reported by sellers. Unclassified sellers are excluded from industry breakdowns.
Average tip is measured when a tip was left, as a share of the pre-tax, pre-tip subtotal. Contactless share is measured against in-person card payments; cash is excluded from that denominator.
How often is this data updated?
Data is refreshed monthly. Each month passes automated validation checks before release. Once published, a month's figures are not revised except to correct an error, which will be noted on this page.
Latest data: Sep 2026. Data as of 2026-10-01.
How do I cite Square Insights?
Cite as “Square Insights, Sep 2026,” with a link to this page. Charts and figures may be reproduced with attribution. Do not use these figures to identify any individual business, and do not present them as a measure of the overall US economy.
Run your business on the same platform behind these insights
Square Insights figures are based on aggregated, anonymized transaction data from US Square sellers and reflect activity on the Square platform only, not the total US economy. This page is informational only. It is not investment advice, research, a recommendation or a solicitation, and is not designed to be a reference for any financial instrument.