Credit card readers for iPhone pair with a mobile point-of-sale (POS) app to help small businesses accept and process credit card payments. Ultimately, the best credit card reader for your iPhone should accept at least chip and contactless payments, be compatible with your POS system and offer cost-effective payment processing fees.
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These credit card readers for iPhone meet the criteria.
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Square
Square Reader
NerdWallet Rating
5.0
Bonus Amount
20% off hardware
Requirements to qualify
Read Review
Learn more
on Square's website
Best Credit Card Readers for iPhone
Best Credit Card Readers for iPhone
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Monthly fee
$0.00
Starts at $0/month for unlimited devices and locations.
Learn more
on Square's website
Pros
- Has a compact design.
- Square Reader for magstripe and POS app are free.
- Magstripe reader doesn’t have to be charged.
Cons
- Free Square Reader only lets you swipe cards; must purchase upgraded Square Reader to accept contactless and chip payments.
- Square Reader for contactless and chip payments takes roughly two to three hours to charge.
Square Reader
Best for Integrating with full POS system
Monthly fee
$0.00
Starts at $0/month for unlimited devices and locations.
Learn more
on Square's website
Pros
- Has a compact design.
- Square Reader for magstripe and POS app are free.
- Magstripe reader doesn’t have to be charged.
Cons
- Free Square Reader only lets you swipe cards; must purchase upgraded Square Reader to accept contactless and chip payments.
- Square Reader for contactless and chip payments takes roughly two to three hours to charge.
Pros
- Has volume discounts.
- Includes colored countertop stand, but is also portable enough to use on the go.
Cons
- Processing rates may increase if monthly transaction volume drops.
- No full POS register options to pair with.
Pros
- Has volume discounts.
- Includes colored countertop stand, but is also portable enough to use on the go.
Cons
- Processing rates may increase if monthly transaction volume drops.
- No full POS register options to pair with.
Monthly fee
$0.00
Payments plan; $14.95 Essentials plan.
Learn more
on Clover's website
Pros
- Can purchase from third-party payment processors.
- Uses passcodes for employees.
- Accepts chip, swipe and contactless payments.
Cons
- Takes about 2 hours and 20 minutes to charge.
- Requires a monthly fee for advanced POS features.
Clover Go
Best for Quick deposits
Monthly fee
$0.00
Payments plan; $14.95 Essentials plan.
Learn more
on Clover's website
Pros
- Can purchase from third-party payment processors.
- Uses passcodes for employees.
- Accepts chip, swipe and contactless payments.
Cons
- Takes about 2 hours and 20 minutes to charge.
- Requires a monthly fee for advanced POS features.
Monthly fee
$0.00
for card readers only; $99 for Connect Lite plan; $199 for Connect Plus plan; $289 for Connect Pro plan.
Learn more
on SumUp's website
Pros
- Accepts chip, swipe and contactless payments.
- Has a screen to display transaction details.
- Can complete more than 500 transactions before having to recharge.
Cons
- Has less robust POS software features than other card readers.
SumUp Plus
Best for iPhone credit card reader with a screen
Monthly fee
$0.00
for card readers only; $99 for Connect Lite plan; $199 for Connect Plus plan; $289 for Connect Pro plan.
Learn more
on SumUp's website
Pros
- Accepts chip, swipe and contactless payments.
- Has a screen to display transaction details.
- Can complete more than 500 transactions before having to recharge.
Cons
- Has less robust POS software features than other card readers.
Pros
- No monthly fee.
- Transparent pricing.
- Can process all three payment types.
Cons
- No screen to display transaction details.
- POS software is not as advanced as some competitors.
- $3.99 per month inactivity fee for 12 months without a transaction.
Pros
- No monthly fee.
- Transparent pricing.
- Can process all three payment types.
Cons
- No screen to display transaction details.
- POS software is not as advanced as some competitors.
- $3.99 per month inactivity fee for 12 months without a transaction.
Pros
- 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.
- Low in-person processing fees for a flat-rate processor.
Cons
- Accepting online transactions involves additional monthly fees, depending on your gateway.
- No offline mode.
Pros
- 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.
- Low in-person processing fees for a flat-rate processor.
Cons
- Accepting online transactions involves additional monthly fees, depending on your gateway.
- No offline mode.
Pros
- No monthly fee.
- Transparent pricing.
- Has a screen to display transaction details.
Cons
- Doesn't process swiped payments.
- Requires a QuickBooks account, which starts at $30 per month.
Pros
- No monthly fee.
- Transparent pricing.
- Has a screen to display transaction details.
Cons
- Doesn't process swiped payments.
- Requires a QuickBooks account, which starts at $30 per month.
Clover Go: Best for quick deposits
Why we like it: The Clover Go is a compact, portable card reader that connects to comprehensive POS software. Clover’s Essentials plan, which has a monthly fee, includes extra features such as tax reporting, real-time sales tracking and a customer database. The reader is able to accept payments even when your device is offline, although transactions won’t go through until you’re back online. Read our full Clover review.
Accepts: Magstripe, chip and contactless payment methods.
- $0 for Payments plan.
- $14.95 for Essentials plan.
- $199 for chip, swipe and contactless Clover Go card reader.
- $349 for countertop card reader.
- $749 for Clover Flex mobile POS with receipt printer.
- $699 for slimmer Flex Pocket with no printer.
- $849 for Clover Mini POS.
- $799-$899 + $25 per month for kitchen display system.
- $1,799 for Clover Station Solo.
- $1,899 for Clover Station Duo.
- $3,499 + $34.95 per month for self-ordering kiosk.
- 2.6% plus 10 cents for in-person transactions.
- 3.5% plus 10 cents for online or keyed-in transactions.
- The reader processes all three types of payments.
- Clover's transaction fees are transparent.
- Free monthly plan option available.
- The POS software is well developed.
- It doesn't have a screen to display transaction details.
SumUp Plus reader: Best iPhone credit card reader with a screen
Why we like it: SumUp’s Plus reader can process more than 500 transactions on a single power charge. It has a screen to display transaction details, so you won’t have to share your personal device with the customer. SumUp offers a free app to use with the reader, which includes functionality for sales tracking and reporting and the ability to send digital receipts to customers. It doesn’t charge a monthly fee and doesn’t require a contract. Read our full SumUp review.
Accepts: Magstripe, chip and contactless payment methods.
$0.
- $54 for SumUp Plus card reader.
- $64 for SumUp Plus cradle bundle.
- $99 for SumUp Solo touchscreen.
- $169 for SumUp Solo Printer Bundle.
- $499 for POS Lite and Solo Bundle.
- SumUp POS is quote-based.
- 2.6% plus 10 cents for in-person transactions.
- 2.90% plus 15 cents for online invoice transactions.
- 3.5% plus 15 cents for card-not-present transactions.
- The reader processes all three payment types.
- There is no monthly fee.
- Fees are transparent and easy to understand.
- It has a screen to display transaction details.
- The free app has less functionality than some competitors’ offerings.
» MORE: Best mobile POS systems
Payanywhere 3-in-1 reader: Best for reputation management tools
Why we like it: Payanywhere’s versatile card reader comes with low in-person payment processing rates with no fixed fee on top. This makes it a cost-effective option for businesses with smaller transaction totals — for example, in-person transactions of $10 or less. Also included with the card at no additional cost is Payanywhere’s simple POS with basic functionality that includes inventory management and reporting. Read our full Payanywhere review.
Accepts: Magstripe, chip and contactless payment methods.
$0.
$59.95.
- 2.69% for in-person transactions.
- 3.49% plus 19 cents for online, keyed and virtual terminal transactions.
- Payanywhere doesn't charge a monthly fee for its POS app.
- Transaction fees are transparent.
- The 3-in-1 reader can process all three payment types.
- It doesn't have a screen to display transaction details.
- Payanywhere's POS software is not as advanced as that of some competitors.
- There's a $3.99 per month inactivity fee for 12 months without a transaction.
Square Reader: Best for integrating with full POS system
Why we like it: Square’s free POS software is among the most feature-rich out there; it can give you the full range of business management capabilities, including customized and digital receipts, invoicing, customer profiles for repeat buyers, inventory management and more. Square also offers Tap to Pay on iPhone, which lets merchants accept card payments using only a regular iPhone with the Square POS app. Customers hold their cards or their own iPhone wallets near the merchant's phone to pay. Read our full Square review.
Accepts: Depends on which version of the Square Reader you purchase; The free Square Reader for magstripe only accepts swiped payments; The upgraded Square Reader accepts chip and contactless payment methods.
- $0 for Square POS, Restaurant, Retail and Appointments Free plans.
- $29 for Square Appointments Plus plan.
- $69 for Square Appointments Premium and Square Restaurants Plus plans.
- $89 for Square Retail Plus plan.
- $165 for Square Restaurant Premium plan.
- Custom pricing for Square Retail plan.
- $0 for Square magstripe-only card reader ($10 for each additional reader) or if using Tap to Pay for iPhone (iPhone not included).
- $59 for Square Reader contactless and chip card reader.
- $149 for Square Stand iPad POS or Square Stand Mount (iPad not included; monthly financing available).
- $149 for Square Kiosk for self-serve ordering.
- $299 for Square Terminal mobile card reader with built-in printer (monthly financing available).
- $399 for Square Handheld portable POS system with built-in barcode scanner (monthly financing available).
- $799 for Square Register two-screen system (monthly financing available).
- 2.6% plus 15 cents for in-person transactions with all free plans.
- 2.6% plus 10 cents for in-person transactions with paid restaurant plans.
- 2.5% plus 10 cents for in-person transactions with paid retail and appointments plans.
- 2.9% plus 30 cents for online transactions.
- 3.5% plus 15 cents for manually keyed transactions.
- 3.3% plus 30 cents for invoices.
- Square fees are transparent.
- Free monthly plan option available.
- Square's POS software is more robust than some competitors’ offerings.
- Square Reader for contactless and chip payments doesn’t let you swipe cards.
- Neither reader has a screen to display transaction details.
PayPal Zettle: Best for alternative payment options
Why we like it: Unlike some competitors, PayPal Zettle works with PayPal and Venmo. All transactions made with Zettle go straight into your PayPal account and can be transferred to your bank. Read our full PayPal Zettle review.
Accepts: Chip and contactless payment methods.
$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.
- $229 for Store Kit Mini (tablet stand with card reader and dock).
- $339 for Store Kit Portable kit with mobile card reader and printer.
- $479 for Store Kit Standard (tablet stand, card reader, dock and 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.
- 2.99% plus 49 cents for invoicing (payment made with card).
- 3.49% plus 49 cents for invoicing (payment made with PayPal).
- Fees are transparent.
- Card reader has a screen to display transaction details.
- PayPal Zettle's POS app offers a variety of features.
- Zettle doesn't process swipe payments.
QuickBooks card reader: Best for accounting integration
Why we like it: If you have a QuickBooks Online account, you can use this card reader to automatically record your transactions in the accounting software. Read our full QuickBooks Payments review.
Accepts: Chip and contactless payment methods.
$0.
- $39 for QuickBooks charging stand.
- $49 for QuickBooks card reader.
- $79 for QuickBooks card reader with charging stand.
For QuickBooks Online users
- 2.5% for in-person payments.
- 2.99% for online and invoiced payments.
- 3.5% for manually keyed payments.
- 1% for ACH transactions.
For QuickBooks Desktop users
Pay as you go plan (no monthly fee):
- 2.4% plus 30 cents per in-person transaction.
- 3.5% plus 30 cents per keyed-in or invoiced transaction.
- $3 per ACH transfer.
Pay monthly plan ($20 monthly fee):
- 1.6% plus 30 cents per in-person transaction.
- 3.3% plus 30 cents per keyed-in or invoiced transaction.
- $3 per ACH transfer.
- There's no monthly fee.
- Processing fees are transparent.
- It has a screen to display transaction details.
- Doesn’t process swiped payments.
- Requires a QuickBooks account.
Helcim card reader: Best for volume discounts
Why we like it: The purchase of a Helcim card reader also gives you access to its robust POS system, a virtual terminal and other tools at no additional cost. Helcim’s interchange pricing model and volume discounts make it a stronger fit for businesses with higher monthly transaction volumes. Read our full Helcim review.
Accepts: Chip and contactless payment methods.
$0.
- $99 for a mobile card reader (with stand).
- $329 for a stand-alone terminal with built-in thermal printer (or 12 monthly payments of $30).
- Interchange plus 0.4% and 8 cents per in-person transaction (if $50,000 or less in monthly card transactions).
- Interchange plus 0.5% and 25 cents per online or manually keyed transaction (if $50,000 or less in monthly card transactions).
- 0.5% plus 25 cents for ACH payments (capped at $6).
- No monthly fees.
- Transparent pricing.
- Has volume discounts available.
- Has robust POS software features.
- Doesn’t accept swiped payments.
Credit card readers for iPhone turn your smartphone into a standalone mobile POS system or an extension of a larger, existing POS system. This gives you the flexibility to accept in-person payments anywhere, whether that’s in your brick-and-mortar storefront or at a pop-up event. Ultimately, brick-and-mortar, mobile and online businesses all have the potential to expand their customer base by adding iPhone credit card readers to their tool kit.
You’ll start by downloading a mobile POS app on your iPhone. Some providers send you an iPhone credit card reader for free and others require you to purchase one — they typically cost around $50, but prices vary. From there, you’ll pair the iPhone credit card reader with the mobile POS app and start accepting payments. Credit card readers either plug directly into your iPhone or connect to it via bluetooth.
How to choose the best credit card reader for iPhone
Explore more payment processing options
Payment processing companies often sell their own proprietary card readers or readers from a third-party company, like Clover. If you didn’t find what you’re looking for in the list above, here are some additional payment processors with competitive rates and hardware options.
Here is more information on how NerdWallet evaluates POS systems, payment processors, their accompanying apps and card readers:
Last updated on May 1, 2024