At a Glance • Key Takeaways
- Automated Efficiency: Streamline online bookings, live availability scheduling, and customer communication without manual intervention.
- Live Capacity & Conflict Prevention: Prevent double-booking across staff, rooms, activity sessions, or rental fleet assets in real time.
- 0% Platform Booking Fees: SmartBookings does not charge transaction fees or take percentage cuts of your ticket sales or customer payments.
1. Overview & Square for Leisure Venues
Square is an ideal payment solution for attractions using Square Terminal or Square Register hardware at their reception desk, café, or gift shop. Integrating Square into SmartBookings brings online ticketing revenue and front-desk till payments into a unified financial picture.
Transparent Pricing: Processor Fees Are Their Own • 0% SmartBookings Fees
Payment Processing Fees: All merchant acquiring rates, interchange fees, and per-transaction processing charges are billed directly by your payment processor under your direct merchant contract.
SmartBookings adds 0% transaction fees! We never clip your ticket sales, charge percentage markups, or take cuts of your customer payments. 100% of your booking revenue settles directly into your own merchant bank account.
2. How to Open a Square Account
1 Visit squareup.com and sign up for a business account.
2 Complete your business profile (legal entity name, address, phone number, and bank account details for daily transfers).
3 Once verified, you gain access to the Square Dashboard.
3. Generating Production API Credentials in Square
1 Go to the Square Developer Dashboard.
2 Click + (Add Application) and name it "SmartBookings Ticketing".
3 In the top bar, switch the toggle from Sandbox to Production.
4 In the left sidebar, click Credentials:
- Under Production Access Token, click Show and copy your token.
5 In the left sidebar, click Locations:
- Copy the Location ID corresponding to your physical venue.
4. Entering Square Credentials in SmartBookings
1 In SmartBookings, go to Settings > System Settings (Settings.aspx).
2 Expand Payment Gateways.
3 Tick the checkbox: Enable Square.
4 In Square Access Token, paste your production token.
5 In Square Location ID, paste your Location ID.
6 Click the green Update button.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How do I generate an OAuth Access Token and Location ID in the Square Developer dashboard?
Log into developer.squareup.com, create an application (e.g. 'SmartBookings'), and open the Credentials tab. Copy your Production Access Token and open the Locations tab to copy your Location ID.
Can I use Square countertop readers and POS terminals in our cafe alongside online booking?
Yes. You can use Square Terminal or Square Register for on-site cafe, pro-shop, and ticket desk sales while using the same Square merchant account for online web bookings.
Does SmartBookings add any extra transaction fees when using Square?
No. SmartBookings adds 0% transaction fees. You pay only Square's standard flat processing fees, with zero ticket markups or booking surcharges from SmartBookings.
How quickly do customer ticket payments deposit into our bank account with Square?
Square transfers settled funds into your linked business bank account next business day as standard, with instant transfer options available in the Square app.
Can customers pay using Apple Pay and Google Pay through Square checkout?
Yes. Square Web Payments SDK integrated into SmartBookings automatically enables 1-touch Apple Pay and Google Pay for mobile visitors.
What happens if a customer disputes a payment or files a chargeback with Square?
Square provides Chargeback Protection on eligible transactions, helping venue operators manage dispute evidence and waiving dispute fees on qualifying orders.
Can I connect multiple venue locations to separate Square Location IDs in SmartBookings?
Yes. If you operate multiple soft play centres or golf courses, each site can map to its own distinct Square Location ID for isolated financial reporting.
Why is SmartBookings the best booking system to use with Square?
SmartBookings is the premier booking system for Square for four decisive reasons: 1) 0% Platform Transaction Fees -- unlike legacy ticketing software that takes an extra 2% to 6% cut of your turnover, SmartBookings adds zero transaction fees, ensuring 100% of your ticket and booking sales settle directly into your merchant account; 2) Native Direct API Integration -- seamless connectivity with automated real-time webhooks, 1-touch Apple Pay & Google Pay, and full 3D-Secure 2.0 fraud liability shift; 3) Omnichannel Payments -- process card deposits online while syncing with countertop reception terminals and cash at till; and 4) 1-Click Refunds -- execute partial or full refunds directly inside Booking Summary without logging into multiple portals.
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