How Square's referral program works — and how to launch one like it
The referrer gets No processing fees on up to $1,000 in card sales over 180 days (or $20 off select hardware); the friend gets No processing fees on up to $1,000 in card sales over 180 days (or $20 off a Square Reader).
Banking & payments · Usage credits · Verified October 20, 2026
Square referral program terms
| Referrer gets | No processing fees on up to $1,000 in card sales over 180 days (or $20 off select hardware) |
|---|---|
| Friend gets | No processing fees on up to $1,000 in card sales over 180 days (or $20 off a Square Reader) |
| Earned when | The referred business is new to Square, activates through the link, and processes a payment of at least $1 |
| Limits | Free processing ends at $1,000 in sales or 180 days, whichever comes first |
| Who can join | US sellers; referrals must be in the same country as the referrer's business |
| Payout | Waived fees are reimbursed with each deposit; free processing applies automatically if no reward is chosen within 30 days |
Source: Participate in Square's referral program, read on October 20, 2026. Terms change and can differ by country; the source page decides.
More from Square's terms
UK, Ireland, and Australia use local-currency equivalents.
The same terms in a RefRef Referral Widget. An illustration built by RefRef, not Square's own widget.
What this structure costs on your numbers
Take a plan of $50 a month: $600 in the first 12 months, at a 70% gross margin. Keeping half of the gross profit leaves a reward budget of $210 for each referred customer. These are example figures, not Square's.
Square's rewards are not money, so their cost is what the extra usage costs you to serve. Compare that cost per referred customer with the budget above.
Usage credits
Start from the “Credits for both” template
Rewards are product credits, such as AI generations or compute, instead of money.
- Create a free RefRef account and add your Project.
- Create a Program from the “Credits for both” template.
- Set the rewards: 1,000 USD of fee-free card sales for the referrer, 1,000 USD of fee-free card sales for the new customer, or your own amounts.
- Install the landing script and send the signup and purchase Events. RefRef connects each customer to their referrer and records the Rewards.
Questions about Square's referral program
01What does Square's referral program give?
The referrer gets No processing fees on up to $1,000 in card sales over 180 days (or $20 off select hardware); the friend gets No processing fees on up to $1,000 in card sales over 180 days (or $20 off a Square Reader). RefRef summarized this from Square's own page on October 20, 2026; check that page for the current terms.
02When is the Square reward earned?
The referred business is new to Square, activates through the link, and processes a payment of at least $1.
03Is there a limit on Square referral rewards?
Free processing ends at $1,000 in sales or 180 days, whichever comes first.
04How do I launch a program like Square's?
Create a RefRef Program from the "Credits for both" template, then set the amounts to your own: 1,000 USD of fee-free card sales for the referrer, 1,000 USD of fee-free card sales for the new customer. RefRef tracks each referral from the shared link to the paid customer and records the Rewards that your rules give.
05Is RefRef affiliated with Square?
No. RefRef is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Square. This page describes Square's public program terms to show how the same structure works in RefRef. To join Square's program, use Square's own site.
Programs like Square's
Not affiliated with Square
Square is a trademark of its owner. RefRef is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Square. This page summarizes Square's public program terms in RefRef's words to explain the program's structure; it is not an offer, and it has no referral codes.
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