warebywareby vs square online.
square online gives you a free ordering site that works with square’s card readers. wareby is a marketplace where people within 25 miles find local makers. here’s what each costs and who each is for.
on this page
1at a glance2what each is3fees4the free plan5finding shoppers6home bakers7using both8when square online wins9questions10sourcessquare online’s free plan costs $0 a month and 3.3% + 30¢ per online sale, so a $35 order costs you $1.46. it works hand in hand with square’s card readers, which is great if you also sell at markets. but the free plan shows square’s branding and can’t use your own web address, and shoppers only come if you send them. wareby is free to open, takes 10% plus 3% + 30¢ when you sell, and lists your shop for shoppers within 25 miles who are looking for makers near them.
wareby vs square online at a glance
| what we compared | wareby | square online |
|---|---|---|
| what it is | a marketplace of verified local shops | a website and ordering page, tied to square’s card readers |
| monthly fee | $0 on open. $29 or $79 for more tools | $0 on free, $49 on plus, $149 on premium (per location) |
| online sale fees | 10% on open (8% or 6% on paid plans) + 3% + 30¢ | 3.3% + 30¢ on free, 2.9% + 30¢ on plus and premium |
| fees on a $35 order | $4.85 on the free plan, $3.45 for founding shops | $1.46 on free, $1.32 on plus |
| who brings the shoppers | shoppers within 25 miles find you, plus your own link | you do |
| your own web address | on found and loved | on plus and premium, not on the free plan |
| preorders | on loved | retail preorders on plus and premium |
| pickup and local delivery | built in: pickup windows and your own delivery area | built in on every plan, with your staff or third-party couriers |
| selling in person | online orders only. qr code signs (found and loved) send people at your stall to your shop | square’s card readers, from 2.6% + 15¢ a tap on free |
| who checks the seller | a real person checks every shop before it opens | anyone can open a store |
| who’s behind it | a small company in minneapolis | block, inc., a public company |
marks the better side for local makers and shoppers. fees checked october 12, 2026.
what’s the difference between square online and wareby?
square online is a website builder from square, the card reader company. you get an ordering site for pickup, delivery or shipping, and your online and in-person sales land in the same square account. it’s popular with cafes, bakeries and market vendors who already tap cards on a square reader.
wareby is a marketplace for verified local businesses. shoppers within 25 miles come to wareby to find makers near them, then check out once across several shops.
what does it cost to sell on square online vs wareby?
here’s a $35 online order on each, from square’s plans page and wareby’s plans:
| on a $35 order | square free | square plus | wareby free | wareby founding |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| monthly plan | $0 | $49 | $0 | $0 |
| sale fee | $0 | $0 | $3.50 | $2.10 |
| card processing | $1.46 | $1.32 | $1.35 | $1.35 |
| fees on this order | $1.46 | $1.32 | $4.85 | $3.45 |
| you keep, before any monthly plan | $33.54 | $33.68 | $30.15 | $31.55 |
per sale, square online’s free plan costs less than any wareby plan, and we won’t pretend otherwise. what it doesn’t include is anyone looking for you: square online is your own site, so every order comes from people you send to it.
square changed its plans in october 2025. there’s now one set of plans for everything square: free, plus ($49 a month per location) and premium ($149 a month per location). online card payments are 3.3% + 30¢ on free and 2.9% + 30¢ on plus and premium.
what can’t square online’s free plan do?
- use your own web address. connecting a custom domain starts on plus
- hide square’s branding. the free plan’s footer shows that your site is built with square
- take retail preorders for a set date and time. that’s on plus and premium
- show live shipping rates at checkout. that’s premium only
pickup, local delivery and ordering windows are on every plan, free included.
who brings the customers?
with square online, you do: your instagram, your market regulars, google. it works well when people already know you.
on wareby, shoppers within 25 miles see your shop in “new near you” and when they search for what you make. that’s what the sale fee pays for. your own link works too, and on loved, orders through it have no sale fee.
what about home bakers?
both work for cottage food, as long as you hand orders over yourself. square online offers third-party couriers for delivery, but in minnesota a home baker can’t use them today, because the person who made the food (or their employee) has to deliver it. more on cottage food and apps.
on wareby, food is always pickup or delivery by the shop, never a courier, so the rule is built in.
can you use square and wareby at the same time?
yes. plenty of market vendors keep a square reader at the stall and use wareby so people nearby can order between markets. wareby doesn’t ask you to sell only on wareby.
when is square online the better pick?
square online is the better fit if:
- you already sell in person with a square reader and want online orders in the same place
- you have regulars who will order from your own site, and you want the lowest cost per sale: the free plan is 3.3% + 30¢
- you run a cafe or shop with staff, and need in-store pickup, curbside and couriers
if you want people nearby to find you, not just the people who already know you, that’s what wareby is for.
questions people ask
is square online free?
there’s a free plan: $0 a month, with 3.3% + 30¢ per online card payment. it shows square’s branding, can’t connect your own domain, and doesn’t include retail preorders. plus is $49 a month per location.
is wareby cheaper than square online?
not per sale. on a $35 order, square’s free plan takes $1.46 and wareby’s free plan $4.85. wareby’s fee pays for shoppers within 25 miles finding your shop, which a site of your own doesn’t do.
can i use square online for a cottage food business?
yes, for taking orders and payment. in minnesota you still hand each order over yourself: pickup at your home, or delivery by you or your employee, not a courier.
does square online bring you customers?
no. it’s your own website. shoppers come from links you share, google and social media. wareby lists your shop for shoppers within 25 miles.
can i use square and wareby at the same time?
yes. wareby doesn’t ask you to sell only on wareby.
sources
- square: online store plans
- square: payment processing fees
- square: new plans and pricing (october 2025)
- square support: the square online website footer
- minnesota statutes 2024, section 28A.152
- minnesota department of agriculture: cottage food law guidance
- wareby: seller plans
we checked every fee and fact about square online on october 12, 2026, on its own pages where it has them. fees change, so check theirs before you decide. spot something out of date? email hello@shopwareby.com and we’ll fix it.
square and square online are trademarks of block, inc. wareby isn’t affiliated with, sponsored by or endorsed by block, inc.. the opinions here are ours.
we started tandoco, a small bakery in minneapolis, and sold under a blue tent at farmers markets before we built wareby. our story
