About Square

Square, a product of Block, Inc. (formerly Square, Inc.), is a comprehensive technology company and financial services provider. Founded in 2009 by Jack Dorsey and Jim McKelvey, it revolutionized payment processing by offering an easy-to-use Point-of-Sale (POS) system. Its initial product was a small, square-shaped card reader (the source of the name) that allowed sellers to accept card payments using a smartphone or tablet.

Today, Square offers an extensive suite of software and hardware tools that help businesses of all sizes manage their operations. These services include:

  • Payment Processing: Accepting card, contactless, and digital wallet payments.
  • Point-of-Sale Systems: POS solutions for various industries like retail, restaurants, and beauty services.
  • Business Operations: Inventory management, staff and payroll scheduling, customer bookings, e-commerce, and invoicing.
  • Financial Services: Small business banking and loans.

It is a market leader in POS systems, particularly for small and medium-sized businesses.

Square Affiliate Program Overview

The Square Affiliate Program is a service that allows partners to earn a commission by referring new businesses (merchants) to Square’s products and services, leading to activations and qualifying sales. Affiliates are provided with custom tracking links and banners to post on their promotional channels. The program is designed to attract partners who can reach entrepreneurs and businesses interested in financial, payment, and e-commerce solutions.

Factor Description
Industry Financial Services, Technology, E-commerce, Point-of-Sale (POS)
Product Type Physical Hardware (Card Readers, Terminals, Registers) and Software Subscriptions (POS, Payroll, Appointments, Invoices)
Affiliate Program Type CPA (Cost Per Acquisition) / CPS (Cost Per Sale)

Square Affiliate Program Offers

Square provides affiliates with the necessary tools and favorable terms to promote their various products. Key aspects include promotional materials, a generous cookie duration, and a clear policy on acceptable content and traffic sources.

Factor Description
Promotional Materials Custom tracking links, banners, and other creative assets.
Affiliate Cookie Duration Typically ranges from 30 to 45 days, which is a generous timeframe for prospects to convert on a business-focused product.
Accepted Traffic Source Websites, blogs, email lists, and relevant social media following. Prohibited: Incentivized, robot traffic, and most paid search (PPC) campaigns using Square’s trademarked terms.
Accepted Countries Affiliates are accepted from anywhere in the world, provided the affiliate network supports the country of residence. Commissions are typically paid in U.S. dollars.
Explicit Content Prohibited. Websites containing objectionable, offensive, pornographic, or erotic content are not eligible.
Religious or political content The general focus is on content relevant to business, finance, and technology. Generally, sites with overly offensive or objectionable content are prohibited.

Square Affiliate Commissions & Payments

The Square Affiliate Program rewards affiliates with competitive, action-based commissions. The commission structure is varied, allowing affiliates to earn a significant bounty depending on the specific product or service the referred customer activates or purchases.

Factor Description
MLM Not applicable; it is a standard affiliate marketing program, not a multi-level marketing scheme.
Commission Rate Varies significantly, often a flat fee per action (CPA). Ranges from approximately $5 to $200 per action (e.g., a lesser amount for a hardware purchase, a higher amount for a first transaction with a service like Square for Restaurants).
Commission Structure Predominantly a flat-rate CPA model, based on the customer completing a qualifying action (e.g., account activation, hardware purchase, or first transaction).
Payout Frequency Typically monthly (e.g., Net 30, meaning payment is made 30 days after the end of the month the commission was validated).
Payout Methods Standard affiliate payment methods are generally supported, such as PayPal or Bank Transfer, depending on the affiliate network.
Minimum Payout Common minimum thresholds in similar programs are around $50.

Suitable Affiliates for Square Affiliate

The Square Affiliate Program is best suited for individuals or entities that can reach an audience of current and aspiring business owners, entrepreneurs, freelancers, or small-to-medium business decision-makers. The content should focus on topics like finance, business growth, technology, e-commerce, and point-of-sale solutions.

Affiliate Type Suitability Rationale
Bloggers High Ideal for finance, tech, and small business blogs that review software, POS systems, or offer business growth advice.
YouTubers High Excellent for creating video reviews, tutorials (e.g., “How to set up Square POS”), or business news analysis.
KOL / Influencers High Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs) or Influencers in the business, finance, or e-commerce niche are a perfect fit for promoting business tools.
TikTokers / Livestreamers Medium to High Suitable if the content is focused on business/finance tips, tech reviews, or demonstrating the ease of use of Square’s physical products.
KOC Medium Can promote if they are genuine small business owners or freelancers who actively use and recommend Square to their small audience.
Video Editors Low Not a direct fit, as the program is based on audience reach and promotion, not content creation services alone.

Square Affiliate Software

Square’s affiliate program does not rely on its own in-house affiliate management software alone. Instead, it utilizes partnerships with third-party, professional affiliate networks or software to manage, track, and pay its affiliates.

While Square offers APIs and integrations with various affiliate management platforms like Post Affiliate Pro, Affiliatly, and GoAffPro for merchants using its POS, the specific platform Square uses to run its main affiliate program may be a major affiliate network (like CJ Affiliate, PartnerStack, or similar platforms often used by large financial tech companies). Affiliates typically apply and manage their campaigns through one of these established third-party platforms.

3 Alternatives for Square Affiliate Program

Square is a leader in the Point-of-Sale (POS) and payment processing space. Three strong alternatives with lucrative affiliate/partner programs are Shopify, Stripe, and Lightspeed.

  • Shopify: Focuses heavily on e-commerce and omnichannel retail, offering an affiliate program that pays a significant bounty for referring merchants to paid plans.
  • Stripe: A developer-focused payment processing platform known for its flexibility and APIs, with a partner program designed for system integrators and platforms.
  • Lightspeed: Provides advanced, industry-specific POS systems, particularly strong for retail with complex inventory and high-volume restaurants.

The table below compares key factors (note: specific program details can change, and “Average Bill” refers to the typical customer transaction value or monthly subscription cost).

Comparison Factor Square Affiliate Program Shopify Affiliate Program Stripe Partner Program Lightspeed Partner Program
Industry Focus POS, Payments, Small Business Ops E-commerce, Omnichannel Retail Developer Payments, SaaS, API Integration Retail, Restaurant POS, Complex Inventory
Average Customer Cost Free POS software, plus transaction fees (e.g., 2.6% + 10¢) and paid add-ons/hardware. Monthly subscription plans (e.g., $29/mo to $299/mo) + transaction fees + apps. Transaction fees (e.g., 2.9% + 30¢) for online; no monthly fees typically. High-tier monthly subscription plans (e.g., $69/mo to $399/mo) + payment fees.
Entry Fees (Affiliate) $0 (Free to join) $0 (Free to join) $0 (Free to join) $0 (Free to join)
Withdrawal Threshold Typically around $50 Varies, often $10 or $25 Varies by network, often around $100 Varies by network, often around $50
Payment Frequency Typically Monthly (Net 30) Typically Monthly (Net 30) or Bi-weekly Typically Monthly (Net 30-60) Typically Monthly
Commission Type CPA (Flat fee, up to $200+) per qualified action/activation. High CPA (200% bounty on first-month subscription or flat-rate for Plus) Revenue Share or CPA for referrals and certified partners. Percentage of monthly subscription or CPA (Referral bounty)
Conversion A merchant signs up, activates an account, purchases hardware, or completes a first transaction for a paid service. A referred merchant signs up for and pays for a paid Shopify plan (after a trial). A referred business integrates and processes a minimum transaction volume. A merchant signs up for a paid Lightspeed POS subscription.
Marketing Materials Custom links, Banners, dedicated program manager. Banners, Text Links, Training materials, Lead magnet content. Co-branded materials, Case Studies, Technical documentation. Product guides, Dedicated landing pages, Sales support.