Earlier this morning, Square announced a new component of their business model tailored for small business owners, the Square Stand. Square Stand is curiously released on the heels of Business in a Box, a complete point-of-sale system featuring a cash register, optional printer, and iPad stand by Heckler Design. Combining an integrated card reader, swivel, and an accessories hub for plugging in supported hardware such as select barcode scanners, the Square Stand turns the iPad into a central sales terminal.

 Ready to use in minutes, Square Stand works with Square Register, the free point of sale application, and gives merchants access to real-time analytics, robust reporting, and a delightful experience for their customers. Square Stand features an integrated card reader that keeps information secure from swipe to payment, and easily connects to the hardware accessories businesses need, including a receipt printer, kitchen printer, cash drawer, and barcode scanner. Merchants can lock their iPad in place and secure the stand to their countertop, making it easy to tilt and rotate the stand and complete orders quickly. Square Stand works with an iPad 2 or 3, with a version for iPads with Lightning connectors available later this year.

Emphasis mine: the Square Stand currently supports recent models with the 30-pin connector. The benefit of having a Square Stand is for the professional appearance, sturdier reader, added security, and integration with a wider variety of accessories, but the total cost for the new stand and Square’s recommend accessories is $796. Business owners on a budget still might be better served by Business in a Box, which offers the basics and a couple of traditional Square Readers for only $499 with a printer. Square Stand itself is expected to be available online and at retail outlets like Best Buy later this year for $299.