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Best Mobile Credit Card Processing Apps

These mobile payments apps provide reasonable and transparent pricing and robust features for almost any industry.

    Erica Seppala
  • Last updated onUpdated

  • Shannon Vissers
  • REVIEWED BY

    Shannon Vissers

    Expert Contributor

Our content reflects the editorial opinions of our experts. While our site makes money through referral partnerships, we only partner with companies that meet our standards for quality, as outlined in our independent rating and scoring system.

We researched the best credit card processing apps based on pricing, hardware, features, ease of use, and overall value. These are our top picks.

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Compare Our Top Picks

ProviderBest ForIn-person Transaction FeesApp CostNext Steps
Best For No Monthly Fees2.4% - 2.6% + $0.15$0+
Best For Basic Mobile Payments2.6% + $0.10$0
Best For QBO Users2.5%$0+
Best For Low Rates2.29% + $0.09 (including QR code transactions)Free
Best For Restaurants2.49% + $0.15$0+/month
Show More Options
Best For High VolumeCustom$0
Show Fewer Options

Square

Best Overall

Best For No Monthly Fees

Square is best for businesses that want a powerful mobile processing app with no monthly software fee.

Square’s free POS app works on iOS and Android and includes built-in payment processing, inventory tools, invoicing, a virtual terminal, online selling, reporting, employee tools, and affordable card readers. It’s one of the easiest ways to start accepting payments without a long-term contract.

Hardware Cost
$0+
Contract Requirement
Month-to-month
Offline Mode

PROS

  • Free magstripe reader
  • Simple processing fees
  • Numerous integrations

CONS

  • Account stability issues
  • Advanced features on paid tiers

SumUp

Best For Basic Mobile Payments

SumUp is best for businesses that want simple mobile processing without extra POS complexity.

SumUp offers a pay-as-you-go mobile payment app, flat-rate processing, affordable card readers, invoicing, tipping, receipts, payment links, QR code payments, basic analytics, and standalone hardware options. It’s a solid pick for low-volume sellers that mainly need in-person payments.

Hardware Cost
$54+
Contract Requirement
Month-to-month
Offline Mode

PROS

  • Easy to set up and use
  • No monthly minimums
  • Next-day payouts available

CONS

  • Account stability issues
  • Limited features

QuickBooks GoPayment

Best For QBO Users

QuickBooks GoPayment is best for QuickBooks users who want mobile payment processing connected to their accounting software.

GoPayment lets businesses accept in-person payments, sync sales with QuickBooks, send invoices and estimates, manage items, apply discounts, and access QuickBooks business tools. Depending on the plan, it may also be a good fit for service businesses with high-ticket sales.

Hardware Cost
$49
Contract Requirement
Month-to-month
Offline Mode

PROS

  • Good for high-ticket businesses
  • Syncs sales with accounting
  • Dedicated merchant account

CONS

  • Pricing is confusing
  • Mixed customer reviews

PayPal Point of Sale

Best For Low Rates

PayPal Point of Sale is best for businesses that want low-cost mobile processing with PayPal and Venmo payment options.

PayPal POS has no monthly fee and supports card payments, PayPal and Venmo QR codes, cash payments, item libraries, discounts, reports, refunds, gift cards, and PayPal business account tools. It’s a great option for mobile sellers that already use PayPal.

Hardware Cost
$29+
Contract Requirement
Month-to-month
Offline Mode

PROS

  • Easy to use
  • Supports PayPal payments
  • Free sub-user accounts

CONS

  • Account stability issues
  • Not ideal for high volume

Toast POS

Best For Restaurants

Toast is best for full-service restaurants that need tableside ordering and payment tools.

Toast offers restaurant-focused handheld hardware, built-in payment processing, online ordering, delivery tools, gift cards, loyalty, marketing, and customer support. Its Pay-As-You-Go plan can reduce upfront hardware costs, but businesses pay higher processing rates.

Hardware Cost
$0+
Contract Requirement
Contract required
Offline Mode

PROS

  • All-in-one POS
  • Android-based system
  • Free plan and hardware available

CONS

  • High transaction fees on free plan
  • Long-term contract and ETFs

Helcim

Best For High Volume

Helcim is best for higher-volume businesses that want mobile processing with transparent interchange-plus pricing.

Helcim has no monthly fee and includes a full merchant account, mobile payments, invoicing, a virtual terminal, product/service catalog, discount codes, tax tools, and automatic volume discounts. Hardware costs more upfront, but processing costs may be lower for businesses with higher sales volume.

Hardware Cost
$199+
Contract Requirement
Month-to-month
Offline Mode

PROS

  • Interchange-plus pricing
  • Automatic volume discounts
  • Strong invoicing tools

CONS

  • Not for high-risk merchants
  • Not for very low-volume businesses

Our Rating Methodology

Each provider gets 10–15 hours of research, is scored by a subject-matter expert, and is reviewed by a second expert before publication. Ratings are not influenced by our referral partnerships.

Fees & Rates
35%
Contract
20%
Products & Services
15%
Sales & Advertising Transparency
15%
Customer Service
10%
User Reviews
5%

The Best Credit Card Processing Apps for Small Businesses

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a mobile POS app?

A mobile POS (mPOS) app lets you take payments from a phone or tablet. Most include built-in payment processing, so you can accept card payments anywhere you have internet or cellular service.

Mobile POS apps work great for food trucks, pop-up shops, event vendors, and service businesses that take payments on the go.

What should I look for in a mobile credit card processing app?

Look for fair processing rates, an affordable card reader, and support for chip cards and contactless payments. Offline mode is also helpful if you sell at events or anywhere Wi-Fi may be unreliable.

A good mobile POS app should also have features like receipts, basic inventory tools, sales reports, and reliable customer support. Also look for month-to-month billing so you’re not locked into a long contract.

Can I accept mobile payments without a card reader?

With Tap to Pay on iPhone or Android, you can accept contactless cards and mobile wallets directly on your phone through supported mobile POS apps.

You can also take payments by sending a payment link, displaying a QR code, or keying in card details through a virtual terminal. Just note that some of these methods may come with higher transaction fees than using a card reader.

Is mobile credit card processing secure?

Yes, as long as you use a reputable mobile processing app. Providers such as Square, Helcim, and PayPal use security tools like encryption and tokenization to help protect card data.

These providers are also PCI compliant, which means they follow industry standards for handling payment information.

Can mobile credit card processing apps work offline?

Apps with offline mode let you take payments without an internet connection and process them once you’re back online.

Just use offline payments carefully. If the card is declined later, you may not get paid for that sale.

Erica Seppala

Erica Seppala

Editor & Senior Staff Writer at Merchant Maverick
Erica has been writing about small business finance and technology since 2008. She joined Merchant Maverick in 2018 and specializes in researching and reviewing business software, financial products, and other topics to help small businesses manage and grow their operations. Her expertise has been cited in MSN, Reader's Digest, Vox, U.S. News & World Report, and Real Simple. She is a Certified ProAdvisor for QuickBooks Online and QuickBooks Payroll, a graduate of Limestone University, and currently resides in Greenville, South Carolina.
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