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No monthly fee option- No PCI compliance fee
- No termination fee
- No setup fee
- Loyalty programs
- Mobile card readers
- POS registers
- Online ordering (no extra monthly fee)
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Square
Best for Overall mobile credit card processor
Payment processing fees
In-person: 2.6% + $0.15
Online: 3.3% + $0.30
Online: 3.3% + $0.30
Monthly fee
$0
for Free plan; $49 Plus plan; $149 Premium plan.
Learn moreon Square's website
Pros
- Free magstripe reader.
- No monthly fees with the Free plan.
- Offline mode with magstripe reader.
- No long-term contract.
Cons
- Offline mode not offered with chip card and contactless payments reader.
- Phone support on weekdays only.
Square’s free mobile credit card reader, free POS app, competitive payment processing rates and ease of use put it at the top of our list. Its POS plans also come with an e-commerce site so you can expand your reach online.
Pros
- Free magstripe reader.
- No monthly fees with the Free plan.
- Offline mode with magstripe reader.
- No long-term contract.
Cons
- Offline mode not offered with chip card and contactless payments reader.
- Phone support on weekdays only.
Square’s free mobile credit card reader, free POS app, competitive payment processing rates and ease of use put it at the top of our list. Its POS plans also come with an e-commerce site so you can expand your reach online.
Helcim
Best for High-volume sales
Payment processing fees
In-person: 0.4% + $0.08
Online: 0.5% + $0.25
Online: 0.5% + $0.25
Plus interchange
Monthly fee
$0
on Helcim's website
Pros
- 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 may take up to two business days; same-day deposit option is not available.
- Interchange-plus costs can be difficult to predict.
Helcim’s mobile credit card reader uses interchange-plus pricing, as opposed to flat-rate pricing, and is especially advantageous for high-volume businesses. Its volume discounts kick in once your business makes more than $50,000 in credit card transactions per month.
Pros
- 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 may take up to two business days; same-day deposit option is not available.
- Interchange-plus costs can be difficult to predict.
Helcim’s mobile credit card reader uses interchange-plus pricing, as opposed to flat-rate pricing, and is especially advantageous for high-volume businesses. Its volume discounts kick in once your business makes more than $50,000 in credit card transactions per month.
QuickBooks GoPayment
Best for QuickBooks loyalists
Payment processing fees
In-person: 2.5% + $0.00
Online: 2.99% + $0.00
Online: 2.99% + $0.00
Monthly fee
$0
Pros
- Convenient for QuickBooks users.
- No monthly fee with a QuickBooks account.
- No long-term contract.
Cons
- QuickBooks account is required.
- Customer support is limited to weekdays.
Maybe integrating your accounting software with a separate POS software program feels too complicated or simply not worth the effort. If that’s the case, QuickBooks’ mobile credit card reader and GoPayment app can be a convenient way to accept the occasional in-person payment.
Pros
- Convenient for QuickBooks users.
- No monthly fee with a QuickBooks account.
- No long-term contract.
Cons
- QuickBooks account is required.
- Customer support is limited to weekdays.
Maybe integrating your accounting software with a separate POS software program feels too complicated or simply not worth the effort. If that’s the case, QuickBooks’ mobile credit card reader and GoPayment app can be a convenient way to accept the occasional in-person payment.
Clover Go
Best for Using third-party processors
Payment processing fees
In-person: 2.6% + $0.10
Online: 3.5% + $0.10
Online: 3.5% + $0.10
Monthly fee
$0
Starter plan; $29.95 Essentials plan.
on Clover's website
Pros
- No monthly fees with Starter plan.
- You can process offline sales after you reconnect.
- 24/7 phone support.
Cons
- No free reader.
- May require a contract.
Most mobile credit card readers are only compatible with in-house payment processing services, which don’t always offer the lowest rates. Alternatively, Clover gives you the freedom to choose your payment processor by allowing third-party processors to sell its hardware.
Pros
- No monthly fees with Starter plan.
- You can process offline sales after you reconnect.
- 24/7 phone support.
Cons
- No free reader.
- May require a contract.
Most mobile credit card readers are only compatible with in-house payment processing services, which don’t always offer the lowest rates. Alternatively, Clover gives you the freedom to choose your payment processor by allowing third-party processors to sell its hardware.
PayPal POS
Best for Low card-present processing rates
Payment processing fees
In-person: 2.29% + $0.09
Online: 2.99% + $0.49
Online: 2.99% + $0.49
Monthly fee
$0
Pros
- No long-term contract.
- No monthly fee.
- Low card-present transaction fee rate.
- Daily phone support for businesses.
Cons
- No free reader.
- Money transferred into your PayPal account instead of a bank account.
PayPal POS’s in-person payment processing rates are lower than those of many of its competitors. Plus, in addition to credit and debit cards, you can also accept PayPal and Venmo payments.
Pros
- No long-term contract.
- No monthly fee.
- Low card-present transaction fee rate.
- Daily phone support for businesses.
Cons
- No free reader.
- Money transferred into your PayPal account instead of a bank account.
PayPal POS’s in-person payment processing rates are lower than those of many of its competitors. Plus, in addition to credit and debit cards, you can also accept PayPal and Venmo payments.
Jump to
What is a mobile credit card reader?
How much do mobile card readers cost?
How to choose a mobile credit card reader
» MORE: Best free POS software
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 much do mobile card readers cost?
Mobile card readers can range from $0 to hundreds of dollars. Here's a comparison of our top picks.
Provider | Hardware Costs |
|---|---|
Square |
|
Clover |
|
PayPal |
|
QuickBooks |
|
Helcim |
|
» MORE: Best credit card readers
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.
Methodology
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.
