How much does it cost to take card payments at a craft show?
Last reviewed September 14, 2026 · Every figure links to its source
Short answer
With the major mobile card readers, an in-person card payment typically costs between about 2.3% and 2.7% of the sale plus a small fixed fee. As of September 2026, Square's Free plan charges 2.6% + 15¢ [1], Stripe Terminal charges 2.7% + 5¢ [2], and PayPal's in-person card rate is 2.29% + 9¢ [3]. On a $40 sale that works out to about $1.19, $1.13 and $1.01 respectively. Typing a card number in by hand usually costs more [1].
Fee on a single in-person sale
| Provider and rate | $20 sale | $40 sale | $100 sale |
|---|---|---|---|
| Square (Free plan) 2.6% + 15¢ | $0.67 | $1.19 | $2.75 |
| Stripe Terminal 2.7% + 5¢ | $0.59 | $1.13 | $2.75 |
| PayPal (in person) 2.29% + 9¢ | $0.55 | $1.01 | $2.38 |
Published in-person rates as of September 14, 2026, rounded to the cent. Excludes hardware, subscriptions, chargebacks and taxes.
Cost on typical craft show sales
The table on this page applies the published in-person rates to common sale amounts. Rates change, so check each provider's pricing page before you choose [1][2][3].
Things that change what you actually pay
- Keyed-in payments: Square charges 3.5% + 15¢ when a card number is typed in rather than tapped, dipped or swiped [1].
- Paid plans: Square's paid plans lower the in-person rate — 2.5% + 15¢ on Plus and 2.4% + 15¢ on Premium — in exchange for a monthly subscription [1].
- Hardware: readers are a one-time purchase; prices vary by model and change often, so check current prices.
- Weak signal at outdoor shows: find out whether your reader has an offline mode and what happens to payments that fail to go through later.
Practical tips for show day
- Bring a charged backup battery and a second way to take payment.
- Keep a cash float in small bills even if most customers pay by card.
- Price with fees in mind: build the percentage into your prices rather than adding a surcharge at the booth, which is subject to card network rules and, in some places, state law.
Sources
- Square — What are Square's fees? — https://squareup.com/help/us/en/article/5068-what-are-square-s-fees — in-person, keyed-in and paid-plan rates
- Stripe — Pricing (United States) — https://stripe.com/us/pricing — Stripe Terminal in-person rate
- PayPal — PayPal business fees — https://www.paypal.com/us/business/paypal-business-fees — in-person card rate