Credit card readers for Android give business owners the option to accept debit and credit card payments in-store or on the go using their Android devices. The best Android card readers are affordable, integrate with the rest of your point-of-sale (POS) system and accept popular payment types. Aside from the cost of the Android card reader itself, remember to factor in processing fees, too.
All of our picks for the best credit card readers for Android are chosen by our editorial team, who follow strict editorial guidelines to ensure fairness and accuracy in our coverage to help you choose the right card reader for your company. We independently evaluate Android-compatible credit card readers as part of their larger POS systems, scoring them on capabilities, cost, integrations and other features. View our full methodology.
Here are NerdWallet’s top picks for the best credit card readers for Android users.
Best Credit Card Readers for Android
Calculate your monthly cost estimate
Input your business’s monthly transaction details and we’ll help you sort from the best valueProduct | Cost Estimate | Payment processing fees | Cost Estimate | Learn more | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Clover Go Learn more on Clover Go's secure website | Get an estimated monthly cost for your business. | 4.0/5 Best for Quick deposits | In-person: 2.6% + $0.10 Online: 3.5% + $0.10 | $0.00 Payments plan; $14.95 Essentials plan. | Get an estimated monthly cost for your business. | Learn more on Clover Go's secure website |
PayPal Zettle | 4.0/5 Best for Accepting a variety of payment methods | In-person: 2.29% + $0.09 Online: 2.89% + $0.49 | $0.00 | |||
SumUp Plus Learn more on SumUp Plus' secure website | 3.5/5 Best for Android credit card reader with a screen | In-person: 2.75% + $0.00 Online: 2.9% + $0.15 | $0.00 | Learn more on SumUp Plus' secure website | ||
Square Reader Learn more on Square Reader's secure website | 5.0/5 Best for Integrating with full POS setups | In-person: 2.6% + $0.10 Online: 2.9% + $0.30 | $0.00 Starts at $0/month for unlimited devices and locations. | Learn more on Square Reader's secure website | ||
Stripe Learn more on Stripe Payments' secure website | 5.0/5 Best for Customization | In-person: 2.7% + $0.05 Online: 2.9% + $0.30 | $0.00 | Learn more on Stripe Payments' secure website |
Our pick for
Quick deposits
If your business’s cash flow is tight, you can pay an extra 1.5% per transaction to have the funds processed with Clover Go deposited into your bank account within minutes. Clover’s card reader is also a good option for businesses that use other POS hardware products from Clover’s wide selection.
Clover Go
Learn more
on Clover Go's secure website
Monthly fee
$0.00
Payments plan; $14.95 Essentials plan.
This credit card reader by Clover works with phones and tablets via Bluetooth. It accepts chip, swipe and contactless payments.Read full review
Pros
- Charges via standard USB charger.
- Uses passcodes for employees.
Cons
- Takes about 2 hours and 20 minutes to charge.
- Requires a monthly fee for advanced POS features.
Our pick for
Accepting a variety of payment methods
PayPal Zettle’s card reader lets customers tap or dip their cards and use digital wallets from Apple, Samsung and Google. You can also use the free app to generate PayPal or Venmo QR codes for each transaction. From there, customers can scan the code with their smartphones and pay.
PayPal Zettle
Monthly fee
$0.00
PayPal Zettle delivers the essentials at a relatively low cost with a small commitment. On top of accepting credit and debit cards (customers can either dip or tap them to the device), Zettle accepts other payment methods like Venmo, PayPal and digital wallets. But consider other options if you want features like customer loyalty and email marketing programs. Although Zettle can expand through hardware, it doesn’t offer plan upgrades or those types of add-ons.Read full review
Pros
- No monthly software fees for accepting in-person payments.
- No long-term contract or termination fees.
- Accepts a variety of payment types, including Venmo and PayPal payments.
- Inexpensive card reader with a keypad, plus built-in payment processing and a free mobile app lets you quickly accept in-person payments on the go.
Cons
- Online transaction rates are difficult to parse out, and selling online may involve additional monthly charges.
- No offline mode.
Our pick for
Android credit card reader with a screen
Unlike some of its competitors, the SumUp Plus card reader includes a keypad and screen that shows customers their total, asks them to tap their card and then prompts them to leave a signature, if necessary, using the merchant’s smartphone. The screen also displays how much battery life is left on the device.
SumUp Plus
Learn more
on SumUp Plus' secure website
Monthly fee
$0.00
The SumUp Plus credit card reader works through Bluetooth with Apple and Android devices and promises more than 500 transactions on one charge.Read full review
Pros
- Accepts chip, swipe and contactless payments.
- Has a screen to display transaction details.
Cons
- Has less robust POS software features than other card readers.
Our pick for
Integrating with full POS setups
Square offers a variety of POS hardware options — including countertop registers, handheld terminals and mobile card readers — for retail stores and restaurants, along with free POS software plans for both. Its Android credit card reader is ideal for business owners that sell entirely on the go, or have brick-and-mortar locations and attend the occasional pop-up.
Square Reader
Learn more
on Square Reader's secure website
Monthly fee
$0.00
Starts at $0/month for unlimited devices and locations.
Square’s Reader accepts chip cards and contactless methods including Google Pay, Samsung Pay and Apple Pay. It uses a pay-as-you-go structure, so you don’t have a monthly fee and pay only when customers are charged. Square’s processing rates are competitive and come with POS features that include reporting and inventory management.
Pros
- Accepts chip credit cards and digital wallets.
- Doesn’t require a contract or monthly fee.
Cons
- Doesn’t accept magstripe credit cards.
- Doesn’t have a screen to show transaction details.
- Doesn’t accept offline payments.
- Doesn’t print receipts.
Our pick for
Customization
Business owners with developer experience will appreciate Stripe’s flexible Terminal tools that let you customize in-person payment experiences. You can use its card reader alongside your own POS app or integrate payments data with other third-party apps for inventory or customer relationship management.
Stripe
Learn more
on Stripe Payments' secure website
Monthly fee
$0.00
Stripe’s Reader M2 doesn’t require a contract and comes with pay-as-you-go pricing for accepting magstripe and chip cards as well as digital wallets. The reader requires you to use a software development kit, or SDK, to integrate it with your application, so some coding knowledge is helpful. But the POS comes with a lot of features that make customization and integrations easier.
Pros
- Highly customizable online checkout options.
- No termination fees or long-term contracts.
- 24/7 phone and chat support.
- Can process transactions in more than 135 currencies.
Cons
- Doesn’t sell full countertop POS terminals.
- Deposits can take up to two business days.
Our picks for the best credit card readers for Android
Clover Go
Best for quick deposits
Why we like it: Clover Go’s sleek design is easy to use on the go. You can accept all credit cards along with Apple Pay, Samsung Pay and Google Pay, and it takes offline payments when you lose Wi-Fi or a cell signal. While you’ll have to choose a monthly plan, Clover offers a free option with basic POS features, including processing payments and sales tracking. Read our full Clover review.
- $0 for Payments plan.
- $14.95 for Essentials plan.
- $49 for chip, swipe and contactless Clover Go card reader.
- $599 for Clover Flex mobile POS with printer.
- $799 for Clover Mini POS.
- $1,699 for Clover Station Solo.
- $1,799 for Clover Station Duo.
- 2.6% plus 10 cents for in-person transactions.
- 3.5% plus 10 cents for online or keyed-in transactions.
- Accepts magstripe and chip credit cards along with digital wallet payments.
- Accepts offline payments.
- Has a free monthly plan available.
- Doesn’t have a screen to view transaction details.
- Doesn’t print receipts.
- Requires paid monthly plan for advanced features.
PayPal Zettle
Best for accepting a variety of payment methods
Why we like it: PayPal’s Zettle accepts credit cards, digital wallet payments and QR codes for PayPal accounts. With no monthly fee, the platform offers a cheaper option for businesses that need to accept payments on the go. Read our full PayPal Zettle review.
$0.
- $29 for first card reader; additional readers cost $79. Price includes USB cable.
- $199 for terminal only.
- $239 for terminal with barcode scanner built in.
- $249 for Store Kit Mini (screen terminal with card reader).
- $339 for Store Kit Portable kit with mobile card reader and printer.
- $499 for Store Kit Standard (adds printer).
- $699 for Store Kit Plus (adds barcode scanner).
- 2.29% plus 9 cents for in-person and QR code transactions.
- 3.49% plus 9 cents for manual-entry card transactions.
- 2.89% plus 49 cents for online card payments.
- 2.99% plus 49 cents for invoicing (payment made with card).
- 3.49% plus 49 cents for invoicing (payment made with PayPal).
- Accepts chip and contactless payments and digital wallets.
- Creates QR codes for an additional payment method.
- Has a screen to show transaction details.
- Doesn’t require a contract or monthly fee.
- Doesn’t swipe magstripe credit cards.
- Doesn’t support offline payments.
- Doesn’t print receipts.
SumUp Plus
Best for Android credit card reader with a screen
Why we like it: The SumUp Plus reader is small but efficient, processing magstripe and chip cards as well as Apple Pay and Google Pay. It includes a screen to show transaction details and charges pay-as-you-go processing fees so you pay only when you charge customers. Read our full SumUp review.
$0.
- $54 for SumUp Plus card reader.
- $64 for SumUp Plus cradle bundle.
- $99 for SumUp Solo touchscreen.
- $169 for SumUp Solo Printer Bundle.
- $799 for SumUp POS bundle.
- 2.75% for in-person transactions with SumUp card readers.
- 2.90% plus 15 cents for online invoice transactions.
- 3.25% plus 15 cents for manually keyed card reader transactions or payment-linked transactions.
- 2.6% plus 10 cents for in-person transactions with SumUp POS system.
- 3.5% plus 15 cents for card-not-present transactions with SumUp POS system.
- Accepts magstripe and chip credit cards and digital wallets.
- Has a screen.
- Doesn’t require a contract or monthly fee.
- Doesn’t print receipts.
- Doesn’t process offline payments.
Square Reader
Best for integrating with full POS setups
Why we like it: Square’s Reader accepts chip cards and contactless methods including Google Pay, Samsung Pay and Apple Pay. It uses a pay-as-you-go structure, so you don’t have a monthly fee and pay only when customers are charged. Square’s processing rates are competitive and come with POS features that include reporting and inventory management. Read our full Square POS review.
- $0 for Square POS, Restaurant, Retail and Appointments Free plans.
- $29 for Square Appointments Plus plan.
- $60 for Square Restaurant Plus plan.
- $69 for Square Appointments Premium plan.
- $89 for Square Retail Plus plan.
- $192 and up for Square Restaurant Essentials Bundle.
- Custom pricing for Square Retail Premium plan.
- $0 for Square magstripe-only card reader ($10 for each additional reader) or if using Tap to Pay for iPhone (iPhone not included).
- $49 and up for Square Reader contactless and chip card reader.
- $149 for Square Stand iPad POS or Square Stand Mount (iPad not included; monthly financing available).
- $299 for Square Terminal mobile card reader with built-in printer (monthly financing available).
- $799 for Square Register two-screen system (monthly financing available).
- 2.6% plus 10 cents for in-person transactions.
- 2.9% plus 30 cents for online transactions.
- 3.5% plus 15 cents for manually keyed transactions.
- 3.3% plus 30 cents for invoices.
- Accepts chip credit cards and digital wallets.
- Doesn’t require a contract or monthly fee.
- Doesn’t accept magstripe credit cards.
- Doesn’t have a screen to show transaction details.
- Doesn’t accept offline payments.
- Doesn’t print receipts.
Stripe Reader M2
Best for customization
Why we like it: Stripe’s Reader M2 doesn’t require a contract and comes with pay-as-you-go pricing for accepting magstripe and chip cards as well as digital wallets. The reader requires you to use a software development kit, or SDK, to integrate it with your application, so some coding knowledge is helpful. But the POS comes with a lot of features that make customization and integrations easier, including embedded checkout, currency conversion, reporting, 24/7 support and a developer dashboard. With these features, skilled users can customize their reader to do more than most others on the market. Read our full Stripe review.
- $0 for standard Stripe Connect.
- $2 per account for Stripe Express (for marketplaces) or Stripe Custom (the white-label option that allows businesses to customize the checkout process).
- $59 for Stripe Reader M2.
- $249 for BBPOS WisePOS E card reader.
- $349 for Stripe Reader S700.
- 2.7% plus 5 cents for in-person transactions.
- 2.9% plus 30 cents for online transactions.
- 3.4% plus 30 cents for manually keyed transactions.
- 4.4% plus 30 cents for international card transactions.
- Accepts magstripe and chip cards and digital wallets.
- Doesn’t require a contract or monthly fee.
- Doesn’t accept offline payments.
- Doesn’t have a screen to show transaction details.
- Doesn’t print receipts.
How to choose the best credit card reader for Android
Consider the following features to find the best credit card reader for Android.
POS system compatibility
If your business has a brick-and-mortar location with a full POS setup, make sure your Android credit card reader is either from the same POS system provider or is compatible with it. That way, you can centralize information from in-store and mobile credit card sales under the same software umbrella. This makes it easier to sync the complete data set with your accounting software and run reports.
Costs
Basic credit card readers for Android are typically well under $100 and can be paired with free POS apps for your Android device, making the barrier to entry relatively low. Payment processing fees, on the other hand, must be paid on an ongoing basis and can add up quickly. To compare different credit card processing companies’ fees, plug your customers’ average purchase amount and how many card transactions your business usually accepts each month into the calculator below.
Mobile app
While customers will mostly interact with the card reader itself, you’ll interact more with the Android app it’s paired with. Read each accompanying mobile app’s reviews to check for common pain points and comments on ease of use. If you’d like to take payments with just your Android device (and no card reader), make sure the app includes a Tap to Pay option.
Explore more credit card reader options
Though the list above focuses on mobile card reader picks for Android smartphones and tablets, there are also more robust options for businesses that require receipt printers, barcode scanners, customer-facing displays or cash drawers. For additional mobile card reader, handheld terminal and full POS setup options, see NerdWallet’s roundup below.
Last updated on April 24, 2024
