The best mobile card readers offer competitive transaction fees and sync with your POS system. Their available payment options — like magstripe, chip and contactless — may also influence your decision.
Lisa Anthony is a former NerdWallet writer covering small-business. Before Nerdwallet, she had more than 20 years of experience in banking and finance.
Karrin Sehmbi is an editor and content strategist on the small-business team. She has covered small-business software and lending since 2022 and has more than sixteen years of editorial experience in the fields of educational publishing, content marketing and medical news. She has also held roles as a teacher and a tutor.
Hillary Crawford writes about small-business software at NerdWallet and is certified in QuickBooks Online and web design. Her previous roles include news writer and associate West Coast editor at Bustle Digital Group, where she helped shape news and tech coverage. She's appeared on Cheddar News and also worked as a policy contributor for GenFKD. Hillary earned a bachelor's degree with high honors in political science from the University of Michigan.
Email: <a href="mailto:hcrawford@nerdwallet.com">hcrawford@nerdwallet.com</a>.
Lisa Anthony is a former NerdWallet writer covering small-business. Before Nerdwallet, she had more than 20 years of experience in banking and finance.
Karrin Sehmbi is an editor and content strategist on the small-business team. She has covered small-business software and lending since 2022 and has more than sixteen years of editorial experience in the fields of educational publishing, content marketing and medical news. She has also held roles as a teacher and a tutor.
Hillary Crawford writes about small-business software at NerdWallet and is certified in QuickBooks Online and web design. Her previous roles include news writer and associate West Coast editor at Bustle Digital Group, where she helped shape news and tech coverage. She's appeared on Cheddar News and also worked as a policy contributor for GenFKD. Hillary earned a bachelor's degree with high honors in political science from the University of Michigan.
Email: <a href="mailto:hcrawford@nerdwallet.com">hcrawford@nerdwallet.com</a>.
Ryan Lane is an editor on the small-business team and a NerdWallet authority on student loans. He spent more than a decade as a writer and editor for student loan guarantor American Student Assistance and was a managing editor for publisher Cell Press. Ryan’s work has been featured by The Associated Press, USA Today and MarketWatch, and he previously co-authored the U.S. News & World Report Student Loan Ranger blog. Email: <a href="mailto:rlane@nerdwallet.com”">rlane@nerdwallet.com</a>.
Ryan Lane is an editor on the small-business team and a NerdWallet authority on student loans. He spent more than a decade as a writer and editor for student loan guarantor American Student Assistance and was a managing editor for publisher Cell Press. Ryan’s work has been featured by The Associated Press, USA Today and MarketWatch, and he previously co-authored the U.S. News & World Report Student Loan Ranger blog. Email: <a href="mailto:rlane@nerdwallet.com”">rlane@nerdwallet.com</a>.
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Lisa Anthony is a former NerdWallet writer covering small-business. Before Nerdwallet, she had more than 20 years of experience in banking and finance.
Karrin Sehmbi is an editor and content strategist on the small-business team. She has covered small-business software and lending since 2022 and has more than sixteen years of editorial experience in the fields of educational publishing, content marketing and medical news. She has also held roles as a teacher and a tutor.
Hillary Crawford writes about small-business software at NerdWallet and is certified in QuickBooks Online and web design. Her previous roles include news writer and associate West Coast editor at Bustle Digital Group, where she helped shape news and tech coverage. She's appeared on Cheddar News and also worked as a policy contributor for GenFKD. Hillary earned a bachelor's degree with high honors in political science from the University of Michigan.
Email: <a href="mailto:hcrawford@nerdwallet.com">hcrawford@nerdwallet.com</a>.
Lisa Anthony is a former NerdWallet writer covering small-business. Before Nerdwallet, she had more than 20 years of experience in banking and finance.
Karrin Sehmbi is an editor and content strategist on the small-business team. She has covered small-business software and lending since 2022 and has more than sixteen years of editorial experience in the fields of educational publishing, content marketing and medical news. She has also held roles as a teacher and a tutor.
Hillary Crawford writes about small-business software at NerdWallet and is certified in QuickBooks Online and web design. Her previous roles include news writer and associate West Coast editor at Bustle Digital Group, where she helped shape news and tech coverage. She's appeared on Cheddar News and also worked as a policy contributor for GenFKD. Hillary earned a bachelor's degree with high honors in political science from the University of Michigan.
Email: <a href="mailto:hcrawford@nerdwallet.com">hcrawford@nerdwallet.com</a>.
Ryan Lane is an editor on the small-business team and a NerdWallet authority on student loans. He spent more than a decade as a writer and editor for student loan guarantor American Student Assistance and was a managing editor for publisher Cell Press. Ryan’s work has been featured by The Associated Press, USA Today and MarketWatch, and he previously co-authored the U.S. News & World Report Student Loan Ranger blog. Email: <a href="mailto:rlane@nerdwallet.com”">rlane@nerdwallet.com</a>.
Ryan Lane is an editor on the small-business team and a NerdWallet authority on student loans. He spent more than a decade as a writer and editor for student loan guarantor American Student Assistance and was a managing editor for publisher Cell Press. Ryan’s work has been featured by The Associated Press, USA Today and MarketWatch, and he previously co-authored the U.S. News & World Report Student Loan Ranger blog. Email: <a href="mailto:rlane@nerdwallet.com”">rlane@nerdwallet.com</a>.
NerdWallet's content is
fact-checked for accuracy, timeliness, and relevance by humans.
It undergoes a thorough review process involving writers and editors to ensure
the information is as clear and complete as possible. Learn more by checking
our
Editorial Guidelines.
Content was accurate at the time of publication.
Why trust NerdWallet
250+ small-business products reviewed and rated by our team of experts.
80+ years of combined experience covering small business and personal finance.
75+ categories of best business software selections.
NerdWallet's small-business software content, including ratings, recommendations and reviews, is overseen by a team of writers and editors who specialize in business software, including payment processing, accounting and payroll. Their work has appeared in The Associated Press, The Washington Post, Nasdaq, Entrepreneur, ABC News, Yahoo Finance and other national and local media outlets. Each writer and editor follows NerdWallet's strict guidelines for editorial integrity to ensure accuracy and fairness in our coverage.
Advertiser disclosure
You’re our first priority.
Every time.
We believe everyone should be able to make financial decisions with
confidence. And while our site doesn’t feature every company or
financial product available on the market, we’re proud that the guidance
we offer, the information we provide and the tools we create are
objective, independent, straightforward — and free.
So how do we make money? Our partners compensate us. This may influence
which products we review and write about (and where those products
appear on the site), but it in no way affects our recommendations or
advice, which are grounded in thousands of hours of research. Our
partners cannot pay us to guarantee favorable reviews of their products
or services. Here is a list of our partners .
NerdWallet's small-business software content, including ratings, recommendations and reviews, is overseen by a team of writers and editors who specialize in business software, including POS systems, payment processing, accounting and payroll. Their work has appeared in The Associated Press, The Washington Post, Nasdaq, Entrepreneur, ABC News, Yahoo Finance and other national and local media outlets. Each writer and editor follows NerdWallet's strict guidelines for editorial integrity to ensure accuracy and fairness in our coverage.
Offline mode not offered with chip card and contactless payments reader.
Phone support on weekdays only.
Square is a strong overall choice for credit card processing because of its transparent pricing, lack of a monthly fee and free magstripe card reader. With no contract required, it’s easy to try Square before deciding to purchase additional hardware or upgrade to a plan with more features.
Offline mode not offered with chip card and contactless payments reader.
Phone support on weekdays only.
Square is a strong overall choice for credit card processing because of its transparent pricing, lack of a monthly fee and free magstripe card reader. With no contract required, it’s easy to try Square before deciding to purchase additional hardware or upgrade to a plan with more features.
Businesses save when customers use cards with low interchange rates.
Offers free POS software.
Offers volume-based discounts automatically.
No termination fees, long-term contracts or PCI compliance fees.
Cons
Deposits are available within two business days; same-day deposit option is not available.
Interchange-plus costs can be difficult to predict.
Helcim offers payment processing discounts to businesses that do more than $50,000 in monthly credit card sales, making it a good choice for high-volume retailers. It offers two options for accepting in-person payments: The Smart Terminal is a standalone reader with a built-in receipt printer, and the pocket-sized Card Reader connects to existing mobile devices, like smartphones or iPads.
Businesses save when customers use cards with low interchange rates.
Offers free POS software.
Offers volume-based discounts automatically.
No termination fees, long-term contracts or PCI compliance fees.
Cons
Deposits are available within two business days; same-day deposit option is not available.
Interchange-plus costs can be difficult to predict.
Helcim offers payment processing discounts to businesses that do more than $50,000 in monthly credit card sales, making it a good choice for high-volume retailers. It offers two options for accepting in-person payments: The Smart Terminal is a standalone reader with a built-in receipt printer, and the pocket-sized Card Reader connects to existing mobile devices, like smartphones or iPads.
For QuickBooks users who have an existing account, the QuickBooks GoPayment app may be a low-cost option to consider. There’s no long-term contract and the fees for card-present transactions are similar to other competitors.
For QuickBooks users who have an existing account, the QuickBooks GoPayment app may be a low-cost option to consider. There’s no long-term contract and the fees for card-present transactions are similar to other competitors.
You can process offline sales after you reconnect.
24/7 phone support.
Cons
No free reader.
May require a contract.
Clover Go is similar to Square, but you will need to purchase a card reader for $199 to get started. However, the Payments plan doesn’t have a monthly fee and you’ll get 24/7 phone support when you need it.
You can process offline sales after you reconnect.
24/7 phone support.
Cons
No free reader.
May require a contract.
Clover Go is similar to Square, but you will need to purchase a card reader for $199 to get started. However, the Payments plan doesn’t have a monthly fee and you’ll get 24/7 phone support when you need it.
Money transferred into your PayPal account instead of a bank account.
PayPal POS offers a low-cost card reader for $29 and also has low card-present transaction fees. There’s no monthly fee or long-term contract, plus daily support is available, including weekends.
Money transferred into your PayPal account instead of a bank account.
PayPal POS offers a low-cost card reader for $29 and also has low card-present transaction fees. There’s no monthly fee or long-term contract, plus daily support is available, including weekends.
Our picks for the best mobile credit card readers and processors
Square
Best overall mobile credit card processor
Our editorial take: Square doesn’t require a contract, provides a free magstripe reader and offers a free POS software plan and app. You can opt to purchase a chip card and contactless payments reader and upgrade to the Plus or Premium plans if you want more advanced features. Square's mobile credit card readers can’t print receipts, but you can provide customers with a receipt through text or email. Phone support is limited to weekdays from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. PST. Read our full Square review.
Monthly fee
$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.
Hardware cost
$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).
Payment processing fees
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.
Our editorial take: If you want to use Clover as your payment processor, you can purchase the Clover Go mobile card reader directly through its website. Alternatively, you can also purchase it through resellers that program the reader to work with outside payment processors. This mobile card reader accepts swiped, chip and contactless payments, and the accompanying mobile app is free. Customers can receive their receipt via text or email. For more information, read our full Clover review.
Monthly fee
$0 for Payments plan.
$14.95 for Essentials plan.
Hardware cost
$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.
Payment processing fees
2.6% plus 10 cents for in-person transactions.
3.5% plus 10 cents for online or keyed-in transactions.
PayPal POS
Best for low card-present processing rates
Our editorial take: PayPal POS offers one of the lowest card-present transaction rates. While its mobile credit card reader isn’t free, the first one is relatively inexpensive. The price increases for any additional card readers. You won’t be charged a monthly fee and the POS app is also free. There’s no long-term contract and daily phone support is available for businesses from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. PT. You can text or email your customers a receipt. Payment funds are transferred into your PayPal account, but you can then schedule deposits to your bank account. Read our full PayPal POS review.
Monthly fee
$0.
Hardware cost
$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).
Payment processing fees
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).
QuickBooks GoPayment
Best for QuickBooks loyalists
Our editorial take: The QuickBooks GoPayment mobile app is a convenient option for QuickBooks accounting users. The POS app is free, and you won’t be tied to a long-term contract. Card-present transaction fees are competitive, but you’ll need a QuickBooks Online account in order to use GoPayment. The cheapest QuickBooks solopreneur plan starts at $20 per month, and customer support is limited to weekdays. Read our full QuickBooks GoPayment review for more details.
Monthly fee
$0 if you already have a QuickBooks Online plan.
$35 for Simple Start plan for new QuickBooks users.
$65 for Essentials plan for new QuickBooks users.
$99 ($45 for first three months) for Plus plan for new QuickBooks users.
$235 ($100 for first three months) for Advanced plan for new QuickBooks users.
QuickBooks Desktop users pay an annual subscription fee for the accounting software.
Hardware cost
$39 for QuickBooks charging stand.
$49 for QuickBooks card reader.
$79 for QuickBooks card reader with charging stand.
Payment processing fees
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.
1% 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.
1% per ACH transfer.
Helcim
Best for high-volume sales
Our editorial take: Unlike many of its competitors that rely on a flat-rate pricing model, Helcim uses an interchange-plus model that has the potential to save high-volume businesses money in processing costs. You can use both of Helcim’s hardware options (the Smart Terminal and Card Reader) to track inventory, email receipts, track sales trends and accept contactless and chip credit card payments. There are no contracts or monthly fees. For more information, read our full Helcim review.
Monthly fee
$0.
Hardware cost
$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).
Payment processing fees
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).
What is a mobile credit card reader?
A mobile credit card reader is a piece of POS hardware that accepts debit and credit card payments. All you need to do is pair it with a mobile app on your smartphone to start taking payments on the go. The company providing the reader usually offers payment processing services, too. That way, you don’t need to integrate the reader with a third-party payment processing company.
Ultimately, mobile credit card readers are a must if your business needs the flexibility to accept in-person payments from more than one location.
Here are the major factors to consider while choosing the right mobile credit card reader and processor for your small business.
POS system integrations
If you operate primarily out of a brick-and-mortar location and already use a POS system, sticking with your current provider is likely the most convenient option when choosing a mobile card reader. If you don’t use a countertop POS register or subscribe to POS software, your options are much less restricted.
Cost
Simple mobile card readers are relatively inexpensive, especially compared to more robust mobile POS systems that come with receipt printers or barcode scanners. In addition to the cost of the hardware itself, make sure to factor in any accompanying monthly POS software subscriptions and payment processing costs. Lots of basic POS software plans are free, but you will need to pay payment processing fees regardless.
While there’s certainly overlap between the best credit card readers for Androids and the top credit card readers for iPhones, some card readers’ apps pair better with one or the other. Make sure to explore reviews of each app in Apple’s App Store or the Google Play store, depending on which type of smartphone you own, so you can ensure seamless credit card processing.
Types of payments accepted
For the most part, mobile card readers let customers “dip” their chip cards or use contactless payments by tapping their phone or card to the reader. The ability to swipe magstripes, however, is becoming less common. Make sure you understand how your customer base prefers to pay you before choosing a reader.
Learn more about credit card processing
Understand the costs associated with accepting credit cards, as well as the differences between in-store, online and mobile sales.
NerdWallet’s ratings of payment processing providers rewards companies whose products and services are priced well and work in a variety of payment scenarios, among other criteria. Ratings are based on weighted averages of scores in several categories, including overall cost, hardware and software options, system capabilities, customer service, contract requirements and integrations. Learn more about how we rate payment processing providers.
These ratings are a guide, but fees, hardware, software and contract requirements can vary widely from business to business and provider to provider. We encourage you to shop around and compare several providers.
NerdWallet does not receive compensation for any reviews. Read our editorial guidelines.
Learn more