Square's free invoice tier is great if you just need to bill a customer who already said yes. It doesn't follow up on quotes you haven't won. It doesn't remind on overdue invoices automatically the way trades need. It doesn't request reviews. CurbBid does all three.
Square Invoices is a free, popular invoicing tool with a paid Plus tier at $20/month for advanced features. It's perfect for shops that already use Square POS and just need a clean invoice. CurbBid is built for trades that need the whole quote-to-paid-to-reviewed loop running on autopilot.
Square's free tier is real and unlimited for invoices. Pay 2.9% + $0.30 on cards, 1% on ACH (capped at $5) (source). Great for solo guys with 10 invoices a month. The trouble is Square wasn't built for trade quote follow-ups, and the trades-specific structure (line items, scope of work, deposit/progress billing) isn't its strength.
Square sends auto-reminders for unpaid invoices. What it doesn't do: text the homeowner three days after a quote with no answer. That's a different automation. CurbBid runs both.
Square doesn't have a review-request automation tied to invoice payment. CurbBid does — by default, on every plan.
| CurbBid | Square Invoices | |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly price | $399 (Pro) or $999 (Max) | Free tier OR Square Plus $20/mo, Premium higher |
| Per-user charges | None | None on the invoice product |
| Setup time | Just as fast — same league | Fast — Square is also 'minutes to first invoice' |
| All features on every plan | Yes — no feature gating | Tiered (Free, Plus, Premium) |
| Quote follow-ups (auto) | Default | No — manual |
| Invoice reminders (auto) | Default | Yes |
| Review requests (auto) | Default | None native |
| Quote-to-invoice flow | Built for trades | Estimate → invoice exists, but generic |
| Card processing fee | 1% (Pro) or 0% (Max), Stripe pass-through | 2.9% + $0.30 cards; 1% ACH (capped $5) |
| Free trial / guarantee | 30-day money-back | Free forever for the invoice product |
| Best for | Residential trades 1–5 crew | Generalists, retailers, food service, freelancers |
Square Invoices is genuinely better than CurbBid if you only invoice and never quote, you already use Square for in-person POS, you want a $0 monthly fee, or you do under 10 invoices a month and don't need quote-follow-up or review-request automation. For a contractor who already has a Square card reader, the free invoice tier is a great place to start. CurbBid is the natural next step the day Square stops following up for you.
Start free. Setup is fast and the price is flat. If CurbBid doesn't pay for itself in 30 days, get every penny back.