The 8 Best Mobile Card Readers For Android Phones & Tablets

Square features in a lot of our articles, as it is one of the best mobile processing options out there. Square ranks near the top when it comes to features, pricing, hardware — you name it. As for Square Point of Sale, this free app (yes, it’s free) has more features than your standard mobile POS app, even if it doesn’t quite match the abilities of a full-fledged POS system.

Like other PSPs, Square is best for small businesses processing less than $10K/month. Square’s processing rates are less affordable for businesses with large transaction sizes. Larger and higher-risk businesses also stand to benefit from the superior account stability of a dedicated merchant account.

Combining mobile point-of-sale features with payment processing, an online store, and much more, Square’s business services ecosystem is ever-expanding, yet accessible for even the smallest business. Square is high on our list of the best POS systems, and here’s why:

• A free magstripe card reader and a contactless + chip card reader, both Android-compatible
• All-in-one POS devices with built-in card readers (Square Register and Square Terminal)
• Payment processing with flat-rate pricing
• A free website builder
• Square Online checkout links for selling online via email or social media
• Order and inventory management
• Invoicing
• Barcode and label printing
• Multilocation management
• Square Payroll
• Buy now, pay later

POS Software Pricing

• Square POS: $0/month
• Square For Retail POS: $0-$60/month/location
• Square For Restaurants POS: $0-$60/month/location

Card Reader For Android Pricing

• Square Reader For Magstripe: $0
• Square Reader For Contactless & Chip (second generation): $59
• Square Reader For Contactless & Chip (first generation): $49
• Square Terminal: $299
• Square Register: $799

Payment Processing Rates

• In-Person Payments: 2.6% + $0.10 per transaction
• Online Payments: 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction
• Keyed-In Payments: 3.5% + $0.15 per transaction

You can use Square on a month-to-month basis — there are no long-term contracts to sign, no early termination fees, and no monthly minimums. Just know that because Square is a payment service provider (or PSP) and not a merchant account provider, you’ll face an increased risk of withheld funds and account terminations should Square’s hair-trigger algorithm detect suspect activity (rightly or wrongly).

Clover Go is the mobile app linked to the Clover suite of POS products. All Clover devices are sold with a Fiserv merchant account. If you already use a countertop Clover solution such as Clover Station or Clover Mini and you want to go mobile with your POS, the Android-friendly Clover Go app is the obvious answer because it’s built to be an extension of the full Clover POS app.

With a capable Android-compatible mobile card reader, a solid (if not amazing) mPOS app, and a Fiserv merchant account, Clover Go is a solid mobile processing solution so long as you buy it from a reputable provider. You may not get all the features Square offers, but you’ll get a full merchant account and the stability that comes along with it.

Clover Go features include:

• Android-compatible chip + swipe + NFC card reader
• Payment processing with flat-rate pricing (when purchased through Clover directly)
• Paperless receipts
• Basic sales tracking
• Basic inventory management
• Employee permissions and shift management
• Client database
• Detailed sales reports
• Tax reporting
• Bookkeeping integrations

Before we get to the pricing sections, know that various entities sell Clover. The pricing shown below applies when you buy from Clover directly, but if you sign up with a Clover reseller, rates & fees will vary.

POS Software Pricing

• Clover Payments: $0/month
• Clover Essentials (Includes More Features): $14.95/month

Card Reader For Android Pricing

• Clover Go Reader: $49

Payment Processing Rates

• In-Person Payments: 2.6% + $0.10 per transaction
• Keyed-In Payments: 3.5% + $0.10 per transaction

Buy direct from Clover, and you’ll get month-to-month pricing with no long-term contracts. However, you may be able to get a better deal on pricing with certain resellers, such as National Processing. If you sign up for National Processing, you’ll get a free Clover Go, and you’ll pay a $10 monthly fee and interchange plus a 0.2% + $0.10 markup per transaction.

However, be warned that there are many shady Clover resellers out there that employ independent sales reps to rope merchants into terrible agreements: multi-year contracts with early termination fees, equipment leases, predatory fees & rates, etc. Avoid local sales agents like the plague. Either sign up directly with Clover or go with a large reputable reseller like National Processing.

SwipeSimple’s card readers and mobile app comprise a solid mobile sales solution. However, your pricing, contract terms, and customer support will be determined by the reseller you get SwipeSimple from. While this process means more work on your part, it does mean that you can shop around for the best deal.

SwipeSimple combines two capable Android-friendly card readers with a strong mobile POS app that provides a good amount of feature strength, examples of which include:

• SwipeSimple B200 (chip + magstripe) and B250 (NFC + chip + magstripe) card readers
• Item catalog
• Inventory management
• Invoicing
• Offline mode
• In-app reporting
• Discounts
• Tax settings
• Tips

SwipeSimple’s main drawback is that it isn’t offered directly by the company. Instead, you’ll need to buy it through a reseller. The reseller will determine the pricing. SwipeSimple resellers whom we like include Host Merchant Services and National Processing. Each of these providers will set you up with your own merchant account, giving you heightened account stability over a payment service provider like Square.

Card Reader For Android Pricing

The cost of the Swipesimple B200 and B250 will be determined by the reseller.

Payment Processing Rates

Likewise, the cost of payment processing will be determined by the reseller you purchase SwipeSimple from. However, you can get interchange-plus pricing for SwipeSimple from our preferred vendors, which means that you’ll be able to find very competitive per-transaction rates.

Contract terms will vary depending on the reseller you go with. That’s why your choice of SwipeSimple reseller is so important. Look for a provider that will offer you month-to-month agreements with no early termination fees, monthly minimums, or equipment leases.

Payment service provider SumUp offers an inexpensive Android-friendly card reader and processing fees that benefit merchants with small average tickets. If you’re a smaller seller needing a simple, straightforward mobile processing option, you’d do well to consider SumUp.

While SumUp’s 2.75% per-transaction fee isn’t going to save you boatloads over the alternatives, low-volume sellers with small transaction sizes may save a modest amount if they use SumUp instead of Square, as Square’s 10-cent per-transaction fixed fee really adds up when you take a lot of payments under $10.

Having said that, SumUp doesn’t offer all the bells and whistles Square offers. See our Square vs. SumUp comparison for a closer look at how the two stack up.

SumUp features include:

• An Android-compatible card reader (and a standalone touchscreen reader)
• Flat-rate payment processing with no fixed per-transaction fee
• Item library
• Product variants
• Tipping
• Cash recording
• Basic analytics
• Multiple tax rates
• Email/text receipts
• QR code payments

POS Software Pricing

SumUp does not charge a monthly fee for its POS software.

Card Reader For Android Pricing

• SumUp Plus: $39
• SumUp Solo: $129

Payment Processing Rates

• In-Person Payments: 2.75% per transaction
• Keyed-In & Payment Link Payments: 3.25% + $0.15 per transaction
• Invoiced Transactions: 2.9% + $0.15 per transaction

SumUp offers the kind of terms we like to see: pay-as-you-go, no long-term contracts, and no early termination fees or monthly minimums.

People know Shopify as an eCommerce giant, but not everyone knows that Shopify POS is available as a standalone payment processing option for small retail businesses that need a mobile app for selling at markets, fairs, or pop-ups but don’t need a full-fledged online store.

Shopify is great for merchants who want to take mobile payments and sell online as well, whether with a full online store or via social media. It isn’t quite as capable as Square on the POS front, but Shopify’s lack of a fixed fee in its in-person processing rates works to the advantage of most smaller merchants.

If you want more advanced features, such as professional reports, eCommerce automations, and additional shipping options and discounts, you’ll need to sign up for one of the pricier Shopify plan tiers.

However, Shopify doesn’t charge any per-device subscriptions, so $79-$105/month (depending on whether you pay monthly or annually) for the Shopify standard plan gets you a very powerful eCommerce plan, discounted processing rates, plus a POS that runs on unlimited devices with features that bring it on par with traditional POS apps. Shopify’s Basic plan, while offering less advanced functionality, is also a pretty good deal for its lower price point, as you’ll see.

The $39/month Basic Shopify plan ($29/month if paid annually) gives you access to the Android-friendly Shopify POS app along with other tools and features:

• Tap + chip + swipe card reader, compatible with Android
• Flat-rate payment processing with no fixed per-transaction fee
• Reporting
• Gift cards
• Split tickets
• Invoicing
• Online store builder
• Sell on social media
• Embeddable buy buttons
• Sync inventory on multiple sales channels

POS Software Pricing

Shopify subscriptions that include Shopify POS start at $39/month ($29/month if billed annually).

Card Reader For Android Pricing

• Shopify Tap & Chip Card Reader: $49
• Shopify POS Go: $399

Payment Processing Rates

• In-Person Payments: Starts at 2.7% per transaction
• Keyed-In, Online, & Invoiced Payments: Starts at 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction

Note that with Shopify’s two more advanced subscription tiers, you’ll pay less for processing, but you’ll be paying $105/month and $399/month, respectively ($79/month and $299/month if paid annually).

Shopify offers month-to-month and annual billing. There’s no early termination fee or monthly minimum. If you choose annual billing, be aware that Shopify does not issue refunds following plan cancellations.

With interchange-plus pricing and a strong feature lineup, Helcim provides a solid mobile processing option for businesses processing upward of $5K-$10K/month. It’s also a scalable option — you can use it either for mobile processing only or on a tablet or desktop.

Helcim’s Android card reader may be pricier than the other options on this list, but the more you sell, the more Helcim’s low transaction fees will compensate for that. Add in the stability of a traditional merchant account, and you have a mobile sales package with a lot of appeal for higher-volume sellers.

Helcim’s features include:

• An Android-compatible card reader with a display and PIN pad
• Payment processing with interchange-plus pricing
• Customer management
• Inventory tracking
• Foodservice management
• Email receipts
• Batch history
• Card on file
• SMS payments
• QR code payments

POS Software Pricing

Helcim does not charge a monthly fee for POS software.

Card Reader For Android Pricing

The Android-compatible Helcim Card Reader sells for $109. Helcim also plans to roll out a standalone touchscreen Smart Terminal with a built-in thermal printer in the summer of 2023, which will sell for $349.

Payment Processing Rates

As we explain in our guide to interchange-plus pricing, interchange fees are affected by a number of factors, including card type and card security features. However, Helcim does provide the following estimates as to your average rates:

• In-Person Payments: 1.94% + $0.08 per transaction
• Keyed-In & Online Payments: 2.51% + $0.25 per transaction

With pay-as-you-go pricing and no early termination fees, monthly minimums, or even a monthly fee, Helcim offers the great terms and flexibility of Square & Stripe while also giving you your own merchant account.

PayPal is a juggernaut of commerce, and if you want to sell online, accepting PayPal is an easy solution. If you want to accept payments in person, PayPal’s free mobile POS app, PayPal Zettle, is a very solid option.

PayPal’s Android-compatible mPOS solution, Zettle, offers rates lower than that of Square and other PSP competitors while connecting you to PayPal’s vast ecosystem of business tools. As for POS features, PayPal Zettle isn’t quite as robust as Square, and PayPal generally recommends integrating with one of its POS partners if you need more advanced software features.

If you’re curious about how PayPal Zettle compares to Square, see our Square vs. PayPal article.

Let’s go through PayPal Zettle’s features:

• An Android-compatible card reader with a display and PIN pad
• Flat-rate payment processing
• In-app invoicing
• Same-day funding to your PayPal account
• PayPal and Venmo QR code payments
• Item library
• Reports
• Discounts
• Support for register setup
• Refunds and partial refunds

We soured a bit on PayPal after the company raised its online processing rates, but its in-person processing rates are actually very competitive.

POS Software Pricing

PayPal Zettle does not charge a monthly fee for POS software.

Card Reader For Android Pricing

Your first PayPal Zettle Reader costs $29. Any additional readers cost $79.

PayPal also offers the standalone touchscreen Zettle Terminal for $199.

Payment Processing Rates

• In-Person Payments: 2.29% + $0.09 per transaction
• Online Payments: 2.59%-3.49% + $0.49 per transaction, depending on the circumstances
• Keyed-In Payments: 3.09% + $0.49 per transaction + $30/month

Thankfully, PayPal offers pay-as-you-go agreements with no early termination fees and no monthly minimums. Of course, as with other payment service providers, you’ll want to minimize the chance that you’ll face an account hold or termination.

QuickBooks GoPayment is a mobile payment app and card reader that works with Android phones and tablets.

If you use QuickBooks Online for accounting (or if you want to), the GoPayment app is a handy tool for processing mobile sales, plus you’ll get a full QuickBooks merchant account, giving you account stability. However, it doesn’t make sense to use otherwise, as $30/month is a lot to pay for accounting features you don’t need or want.

Feature-wise, GoPayment doesn’t quite stack up with the likes of Square. However, if you’re already a happy QuickBooks user (you’ll need a QuickBooks Online subscription to sign up for GoPayment), you’ll be able to integrate with the QuickBooks platform, giving you a solid mobile processing solution. Features include:

• An Android-compatible card reader
• Flat-rate payment processing
• Easy QuickBooks Online integration
• Item library
• Item sync
• Discounts
• Invoicing
• Expense tracking
• Reports

POS Software Pricing

The GoPayment mPOS software doesn’t carry a monthly fee itself, but in order to use GoPayment, you’ll need a QuickBooks Online subscription. The cheapest QuickBooks Online subscription costs $30/month ($15 for the first three months).

Card Reader For Android Pricing

The chip + tap QuickBooks Card Reader sells for $49.

Payment Processing Rates

• In-Person Payments: 2.4% + $0.25 per transaction
• Invoiced Transactions: 2.9% + $0.25 per transaction
• Keyed-In Transactions: 3.4% + $0.25 per transaction

With QuickBooks GoPayment & QuickBooks Online, you’ll be using QuickBooks Payments for processing. With QuickBooks Payments, there are no long-term contracts, early termination fees, or monthly minimums.