The Event Success Blog

Welcome to a new series of posts from Ettend: Essential Apps. In these posts we will cover some great mobile apps that have a lot of potential for event planners.

What does it do: accept credit card payments through your mobile device

What devices are supported: iPhone, iPad, Android

How much does it cost: Free, 2.75-3.5% + $0.15 per transaction

Launched in early 2010 with a private pilot, mobile payment service Square offers a simple, low cost way for vendors to accept credit card payments. While the curb appeal of Square is its simple design and all-important smartphone compatibility, many will also appreciate its low cost.

There are no startup, gateway, monthly, early termination, or hidden fees to use Square. The mobile app AND hardware are free once you are approved for the service. Square takes a relatively low 2.75% + $0.15 per transaction fee, though you’ll pay 3.5% + $0.15 if you manually key in a transaction rather than swiping it. Considering that giant Paypal charges up to 2.9% + $0.30, Square is extremely competitive.

The card scanner itself is a small (wait for it) square that attaches to the headphone jack of your smartphone (or iPad). Just plug the square in, launch the free Square app, and you’re ready to start accepting payments from any credit card, even Amex!

Square’s features don’t end with accepting payment, as every payment is recorded along with the customer information you enter. You can then access this data and analyze your sales performance. Want to know how many wobbly widgets you sold today? Square can tell you that and more.

Read more about Square in this TechCrunch post or visit Square’s website.