The largest and most famous name in mobile payment is Square. It was created in 2009 with a very simple but very creative thought: to help any businesses, small businesses, in particular, accept cards from anywhere, anytime. The company has digitized how we buy and sell, and enabled us to move into a world where financial inclusion is limitless. 

Founded in 2012, it’s the solution for millions of merchants worldwide. To run and scale their businesses by offering startups and SMBs literally everything they need to sell anyplace and do business with ease. From small cafés to pop-up shops, this has become the core of millions of businesses so they can accept money online, securely and without any hassle.

Square is a multi-purpose solution for companies and people to make payments, sell and scale. It provides online payments, which are integrated with its POS systems, e-commerce solutions, and mobile apps. So here’s a quick guide to Square’s payment services online. 

Setting Up a Square Account. 

Sign-Up process

It involves the following procedure:

• Head to the [Square website](https://squareup.com) or open the Square mobile app. 
• Go to Sign Up or Create Account. 
• Fill in your details:  
• Full name.  
• Email address.  
• Business name (optional).  
• Business Type.  
• Set a password and accept the terms of service. 
• Click Sign Up to sign up. 

Account Verification

Share basic business information like: 

• Business Category.  
• Bank account number for payouts. 
• Check your identity with a state ID (in different countries). 
• Prepare your tax information if needed. 

Setting up online payments

Connecting to a bank account:

• Create a new account on your Square Dashboard. 
• Head over to Settings > Bank accounts. 
• Fill in your bank account information (account number and routing number). 
• Check the account with a small Square deposit confirmation. 

Payment Methods Supported:

• Bank Cards (Visa, Mastercard, American Express, etc.) 
• Cryptocurrencies (Apple Pay, Google Pay) 
• Bank wire transfer (non-refundable in some areas).

Accepting payments online

For Square Online Store:

• Sign in to your Square Dashboard. 
• Click “Online > Website” and Open an Online store for Free. 
• Edit layout, products/services and price. 
• Post the website and start receiving payments. 

Corresponds to other websites

• Square API or plugins to connect Square with WordPress, Wix or Shopify. 
• Do the integration process based on your platform. 

Payment Links 

• Go to **Invoices > Payment Links** on your Dashboard. 
• Make a payment URL or QR code. 
• Tweet the link, and share it on social media or text. 
• Clients click and pay safely. 

Virtual Terminal

• Create an account on Square Dashboard. 
• Navigate to Virtual Terminal.  
• Fill out customer payment information by hand for card-not-present. 
• Pay and send a receipt. 

Sending Invoices with Square

• Authenticate on your Dashboard or the mobile app. 
• Login to Invoices and tap on Create Invoice. 
• Update customers, products and payment details. 
• Email the invoice or direct link. 
• Payment online: Online payment may be done by any type of payment option chosen by customers. 

Receiving payments 

• Funds are paid to your registered bank account in 1-2 business days. 
• Instant transfers are available for a charge. 

Managing subscriptions and recurring payments

• Go to Subscriptions on your Dashboard. 
• Configure recurring bills for clients. 
• Select billing schedule, pricing and customer communications. 
• Paid by the plan automatically.

Tracking transactions and analytics 

Navigate to Dashboard > Reports to see: 

• Sales trends.  
• Payment methods used.  
• Customer behaviour.  

Learn to apply insights for business success. 

Square Fees  

• Transaction fee: 2.6% + $0.10/transaction (country dependent). 
• High Volume Merchant Fees: Custom Fees are available. 
• Add-ons for instant transfers and premium services. 

Security features

• PCI DSS compliance to make sure the transactions are safe. 
• All payment data is encrypted. 
• Fraud detection by risk monitoring. 

Troubleshooting and Support

• Payments don’t recover: Check your connection and card information or call Square Support. 
• Account holds: Do all verification procedures. 
• Customer support: Get live chat, email or phone support through the Square help centre. 

Take away

Square’s scalable online payments solution offers adaptability and scale for small businesses of all sizes. With this guide, you can set up and operate online payments easily while using Square’s services to expand your business.

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