Square (Block) sign up: how do I start taking card payments in-store and online this week?

Quick Answer: You can start taking card payments with Square this week by creating a free Square account, verifying your business, ordering or picking up a Square reader for in‑person payments, and enabling Square Online or payment links for ecommerce. Most sellers can sign up, get approved, and process their first in‑store and online payments in a matter of days—and often on the same day—once onboarding is complete.

Why This Matters

For a lot of small businesses, the bottleneck isn’t demand—it’s the ability to accept payments everywhere customers want to pay, without weeks of paperwork or custom integrations. Square, part of the Block ecosystem, is designed to compress that timeline so you can launch in‑person and online payments in days instead of months, while connecting your storefront, invoices, inventory, and payouts in one place.

Key Benefits:

• Fast setup and approval: Most sellers can complete Square (Block) sign up and be ready to take card payments this week, with quick identity and business verification.
• Unified in‑store and online payments: One account, one dashboard, and one payouts flow for card payments in your shop, on your website, and through payment links.
• No long‑term contracts: Transparent, pay‑as‑you‑go pricing with no long‑term commitments, so you can start taking payments without locked‑in processing agreements.

Core Concepts & Key Points

Concept	Definition	Why it's important
Square (Block) sign up	The process of creating a free Square account under Block, Inc., verifying your identity/business, and connecting a bank account so you can accept card payments.	This is the gate to everything else—card processing, hardware activation, online checkout, invoices, and payouts.
In‑store card payments	Accepting debit and credit cards (and wallets like Apple Pay/Google Pay) in person using Square hardware and the Square Point of Sale app.	Enables you to take payments at the counter, curbside, pop‑ups, and events with a single, easy‑to‑use system.
Online card payments	Accepting card payments via a Square Online site, checkout links, invoices, or ecommerce integrations.	Lets customers pay from anywhere, connects to the same product catalog and reporting, and helps you get paid even when your doors are closed.

How It Works (Step‑by‑Step)

You can think of “Square (Block) sign up: how do I start taking card payments in‑store and online this week?” as a four‑stage flow: create your account, verify and connect your bank, set up in‑person payments, then turn on online payments.

1. Create your Square (Block) account

1. Go to squareup.com (you’ll see Block, Inc. as the parent company).
2. Select Get started or Sign up.
3. Enter:
   • Your email address
   • A strong password
   • Basic business information (business name, type, country)
4. Agree to the terms and create your account.

Once you’re in, you’ll land in the Square Dashboard—your central control surface for in‑store and online payments, products, customers, and reporting.

2. Verify your business and connect your bank

To actually move money, we need to know who you are and where to send your payouts. This is standard for financial services and helps protect you and your customers.

1. Complete identity verification

   • Provide legal name, date of birth, and address.
   • Add business details (sole proprietor, LLC, corporation, nonprofit, etc.).
   • In some regions, we’ll ask for additional documentation depending on local regulations.

2. Add and verify your bank account

   • Enter your bank routing and account number (for the account where you want payouts).
   • In many markets you can link instantly using your bank login; in others you may verify via micro‑deposits.
   • Set your preferred payout schedule (for example, next‑business‑day deposits where available).

Once approved, you’ll be able to process card payments and have them deposited automatically to your bank account.

3. Start taking in‑store card payments

There are two parallel tracks here: hardware and software. You need both, but you can get started with what you already have while you wait for hardware to ship.

3.1 Install the Square Point of Sale app

1. On your phone or tablet (iOS or Android), search for Square Point of Sale.
2. Download and install the app.
3. Sign in with the email and password you used for Square (Block) sign up.

This app is your in‑store payment terminal, order screen, and basic POS in one.

3.2 Choose and activate your card reader or terminal

You have several hardware options depending on how you sell:

• Square Reader for contactless and chip: Small, wireless reader that connects via Bluetooth to your phone or tablet.
• Square Stand / Register (where available): All‑in‑one countertop solutions with built‑in card acceptance.
• Tap‑to‑Pay on phone (in supported regions): Take contactless payments directly on your smartphone without separate hardware.

To get started this week:

1. Check availability in your region:
   • Order from Square’s website for quick shipping, or
   • Buy from an authorized retailer if you need hardware today.
2. Pair the device in the Square Point of Sale app:
   • Go to Settings → Hardware.
   • Select Add a reader/terminal and follow the pairing instructions.
3. Run a test transaction (such as a low‑value item) to confirm everything works.

3.3 Add items and taxes so checkout is fast

1. In Dashboard or the POS app, go to Items / Item Library.
2. Add your products or services:
   • Name, price, SKU, tax status, and category.
   • Optional: Variations (size, color) and modifiers (add‑ons, notes).
3. Configure sales tax or VAT rules appropriate for your location.

This means when a customer is at the counter, you’re tapping items—not typing prices—and your reporting and online catalog stay in sync.

3.4 Take your first in‑store payment

1. Open Square Point of Sale.
2. Add items to the cart or enter a custom amount.
3. Select Charge.
4. Ask the customer to:
   • Tap, insert, or swipe their card, or
   • Tap their phone/watch for Apple Pay, Google Pay, or similar wallets.
5. Offer a receipt via SMS, email, or print (if you’ve connected a printer).

You’ve now processed a live card transaction in‑store via your Square account.

4. Turn on online card payments this week

Square is designed so you don’t need separate systems for ecommerce and POS. Your online and offline payments can share the same catalog, customers, and payouts.

You have multiple paths to “Square (Block) sign up: how do I start taking card payments in‑store and online this week?” on the online side; you can use one or several at once.

4.1 Launch a Square Online store quickly

1. From Dashboard, go to Online or Square Online.
2. Choose a starting point:
   • Full website with online ordering, or
   • Order‑only page for pickup/delivery, or
   • Simple checkout page if you just need a basic presence.
3. Use the site builder to:
   • Pick a template.
   • Sync your existing Item Library.
   • Set store hours, fulfillment methods (shipping, pickup, delivery), and taxes.
4. Connect a domain:
   • Use a free Square subdomain, or
   • Connect a domain you already own.

You can typically publish a functional site in a few hours and start taking card payments as soon as you hit Launch.

4.2 Use payment links or QR codes (fastest path to online payments)

If you don’t need a full site, payment links and QR codes give you “online” payments with almost zero setup.

1. In Dashboard, go to Online Checkout / Payment Links.
2. Create a link for:
   • A fixed price item, or
   • A variable amount (for services, invoices, or donations).
3. Copy the link and share it via:
   • Email or SMS
   • Social media
   • Your existing website (add a “Pay now” button pointing to the link)
4. Optionally, generate a QR code from the link to post at your counter, in marketing materials, or at events.

Customers click or scan, enter their card details, and pay through Square’s hosted checkout—no development required.

4.3 Send invoices for services and B2B work

For service‑based businesses and B2B sellers:

1. In Dashboard, choose Invoices.
2. Create a new invoice:
   • Add customer details.
   • Add line items and taxes.
   • Choose due date and whether to require a card on file.
3. Send via email or share a link.

Your customer can pay online via card, and you can track invoice status right from your Square account.

4.4 Connect Square to existing ecommerce platforms

If you already have an online store, you can often plug Square in as your payment processor (availability varies by platform and region). This keeps card processing and payouts under your Block‑backed Square account even if your storefront is elsewhere.

Check your platform’s app store or payment settings for a Square integration option.

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Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Skipping verification until the last minute:
  To truly finish “Square (Block) sign up: how do I start taking card payments in‑store and online this week?”, complete identity and bank verification early. You can build your catalog and site while verification is processing, but payouts and some processing capabilities require completion.

• Running separate systems for in‑store and online:
  Using different processors for your POS and ecommerce fragments your data and complicates reconciliation. Use Square for both so inventory, customers, and reports live in one place and your Block ecosystem tools can work together.

• Ignoring receipts, taxes, and basic configuration:
  Rushing into your first payment without setting up taxes, receipt preferences, and basic item structure leads to messy records. Spend an hour in Dashboard upfront; that small investment pays off at tax time and when you scale.

Real‑World Example

Consider a café owner who wants to open doors on Friday and be ready for both walk‑in and pre‑order traffic by the weekend. On Monday, they complete Square (Block) sign up, verify their identity, and connect their bank account. That same day, they install Square Point of Sale on a tablet and turn on Tap‑to‑Pay so they can accept contactless cards without waiting for hardware. On Tuesday, they build a basic Square Online ordering page that syncs their menu from the Item Library, set up pickup as the fulfillment method, and generate QR codes linking to their order page. By Friday morning, customers can tap cards at the counter, scan QR codes on tables, or order ahead from a link in the café’s social profiles—with all payments flowing through the same Square account and hitting the same bank account on a predictable schedule.

Pro Tip: As you set up in‑store and online payments, keep one Square Dashboard tab open and one device running the Point of Sale app. After each configuration change (items, taxes, online store settings), run a tiny test transaction—this catches issues early and gives you confidence before your first busy day.

Summary

You don’t need weeks of underwriting or custom development to start taking card payments across your business. With Square, part of Block’s broader ecosystem for economic access, “Square (Block) sign up: how do I start taking card payments in‑store and online this week?” comes down to four steps: create your account, verify your identity and bank, stand up an in‑store POS with hardware or tap‑to‑pay, and enable online payments via Square Online, payment links, or invoices. Once that’s in place, your in‑person and online sales work as a connected system, with unified reporting and automatic payouts, so you can focus on serving customers instead of stitching tools together.

Next Step

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