Best Mobile Credit Card Processors and Readers

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.
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Best Mobile Credit Card Processors and Readers

Product Best for NerdWallet rating Payment processing fees Monthly fee Learn more
Helcim

Helcim

on Helcim's secure website

High-volume sales

In-person:

0.4% + $0.08


Online:

0.5% + $0.25

Plus interchange

$0

on Helcim's secure website

QuickBooks

QuickBooks GoPayment

QuickBooks loyalists

In-person:

2.5% + $0.00


Online:

2.99% + $0.00

$0

Square

Square

on Square's secure website

Overall mobile credit card processor

In-person:

2.6% + $0.15


Online:

2.9% + $0.30

$0

Starts at $0/month for unlimited devices and locations.

on Square's secure website

Clover

Clover Go

on Clover Go's secure website

Using third-party processors

In-person:

2.6% + $0.10


Online:

3.5% + $0.10

$0

Payments plan; $14.95 Essentials plan.

on Clover Go's secure website

PayPal

PayPal POS

Low card-present processing rates

In-person:

2.29% + $0.09


Online:

3.49% + $0.09

$0

Product Best for NerdWallet rating Payment processing fees Monthly fee Learn more
Helcim

Helcim

on Helcim's secure website

High-volume sales

In-person:

0.4% + $0.08


Online:

0.5% + $0.25

Plus interchange

$0

on Helcim's secure website

QuickBooks

QuickBooks GoPayment

QuickBooks loyalists

In-person:

2.5% + $0.00


Online:

2.99% + $0.00

$0

Square

Square

on Square's secure website

Overall mobile credit card processor

In-person:

2.6% + $0.15


Online:

2.9% + $0.30

$0

Starts at $0/month for unlimited devices and locations.

on Square's secure website

Clover

Clover Go

on Clover Go's secure website

Using third-party processors

In-person:

2.6% + $0.10


Online:

3.5% + $0.10

$0

Payments plan; $14.95 Essentials plan.

on Clover Go's secure website

PayPal

PayPal POS

Low card-present processing rates

In-person:

2.29% + $0.09


Online:

3.49% + $0.09

$0

Best Mobile Credit Card Processors and Readers

Helcim

Best for High-volume sales

Payment processing fees
In-person: 0.4% + $0.08
Online: 0.5% + $0.25

Plus interchange

Monthly fee
$0

on Helcim's website

Helcim

Best for High-volume sales

Payment processing fees
In-person: 0.4% + $0.08
Online: 0.5% + $0.25

Plus interchange

Monthly fee
$0

on Helcim's website

QuickBooks GoPayment

Best for QuickBooks loyalists

Payment processing fees
In-person: 2.5% + $0.00
Online: 2.99% + $0.00

Monthly fee
$0

QuickBooks GoPayment

Best for QuickBooks loyalists

Payment processing fees
In-person: 2.5% + $0.00
Online: 2.99% + $0.00

Monthly fee
$0

Square

Best for Overall mobile credit card processor

Payment processing fees
In-person: 2.6% + $0.15
Online: 2.9% + $0.30

Monthly fee
$0

Starts at $0/month for unlimited devices and locations.

on Square's website

Square

Best for Overall mobile credit card processor

Payment processing fees
In-person: 2.6% + $0.15
Online: 2.9% + $0.30

Monthly fee
$0

Starts at $0/month for unlimited devices and locations.

on Square's website

Clover Go

Best for Using third-party processors

Payment processing fees
In-person: 2.6% + $0.10
Online: 3.5% + $0.10

Monthly fee
$0

Payments plan; $14.95 Essentials plan.

on Clover's website

Clover Go

Best for Using third-party processors

Payment processing fees
In-person: 2.6% + $0.10
Online: 3.5% + $0.10

Monthly fee
$0

Payments plan; $14.95 Essentials plan.

on Clover's website

PayPal POS

Best for Low card-present processing rates

Payment processing fees
In-person: 2.29% + $0.09
Online: 3.49% + $0.09

Monthly fee
$0

PayPal POS

Best for Low card-present processing rates

Payment processing fees
In-person: 2.29% + $0.09
Online: 3.49% + $0.09

Monthly fee
$0

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.
  • $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.

Clover Go

Best for using third-party processors
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
  • $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.

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.
$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).

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.
  • $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.
  • $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.
  • 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.
$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).

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.

How to choose a mobile credit card reader

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.

Android vs. iPhone compatibility

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.
Last updated on June 3, 2025