Best Credit Card Readers for Small Businesses
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Input your business’s monthly transaction details and we’ll help you sort from the best valueProduct | Cost Estimate | Payment processing fees | Cost Estimate | Learn more | ||
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Square Reader Learn more on Square Reader's secure website | Get an estimated monthly cost for your business. | 5.0/5 Best for Overall card reader | In-person: 2.6% + $0.10 Online: 2.9% + $0.30 | $0.00 Starts at $0/month for unlimited devices and locations. | Get an estimated monthly cost for your business. | Learn more on Square Reader's secure website |
Helcim card reader Learn more on Helcim card reader's secure website | 4.5/5 Best for Interchange-plus pricing | In-person: 0.4% + $0.08 Online: 0.5% + $0.25 Plus interchange | $0.00 | Learn more on Helcim card reader's secure website | ||
Clover Go Learn more on Clover Go's secure website | 4.0/5 Best for Using third-party payment processors | In-person: 2.6% + $0.10 Online: 3.5% + $0.10 | $0.00 Payments plan; $14.95 Essentials plan. | Learn more on Clover Go's secure website | ||
SumUp Plus Learn more on SumUp Plus' secure website | 4.0/5 Best for Compact card reader with a screen | In-person: 2.6% + $0.10 Online: 3.5% + $0.15 | $0.00 for card readers only; $99 for Connect Lite plan; $199 for Connect Plus plan; $289 for Connect Pro plan. | Learn more on SumUp Plus' secure website | ||
PayPal Zettle | 4.0/5 Best for Accepting PayPal and Venmo | In-person: 2.29% + $0.09 Online: 3.49% + $0.09 | $0.00 | |||
Square Terminal Learn more on Square Terminal's secure website | 5.0/5 Best for Low-cost handheld terminal | In-person: 2.6% + $0.10 Online: 2.9% + $0.30 | $0.00 Starts at $0/month for unlimited devices and locations. | Learn more on Square Terminal's secure website | ||
Toast Go 2 | 4.0/5 Best for Restaurant-specific terminal | 2.49% + $0.15 if you buy hardware upfront; 3.09% + $0.15 for pay-as-you-go option. | $0.00 Starter Kit; $69 Point of Sale plan; custom Build Your Own plan. | |||
Clover Flex Learn more on Clover Flex's secure website | 4.0/5 Best for Terminal for a variety of industries | In-person: 2.6% + $0.10 Online: 3.5% + $0.10 | $0.00 and up. | Learn more on Clover Flex's secure website |
Our pick for
Overall card reader
Square’s selection of mobile card readers, including a free option, sets it apart from other providers and lets you start accepting card payments almost immediately. You can pair the free magstripe reader or the chip reader with the Square app on your smartphone to get started.
Square Reader
on Square Reader's secure website
Starts at $0/month for unlimited devices and locations.
Pros
- Has a compact design.
- Accepts chip, swipe and contactless payments.
Cons
- Doesn't swipe credit cards.
- Takes roughly two to three hours to charge.
Our pick for
Interchange-plus pricing
If you’re looking for an alternative to flat-rate payment processing fees, Helcim is worth considering. Merchants pay each transaction’s interchange fee, which is set by card networks, plus Helcim’s set margin. This means your business saves when a customer uses a card with lower interchange rates.
Helcim card reader
on Helcim card reader's secure website
Pros
- Has volume discounts.
- Has robust POS software features.
- Includes countertop stand, but is also portable enough to use on the go.
Cons
- Processing rates may increase if monthly transaction volume drops.
Our pick for
Using third-party payment processors
Most credit card readers require you to use their in-house payment processing services, but that isn’t the case with Clover. Other payment processing companies — including ones that offer individual merchant accounts, as opposed to aggregated — sell Clover hardware, too.
Clover Go
on Clover Go's secure website
Payments plan; $14.95 Essentials plan.
Pros
- Charges via standard USB charger.
- Uses passcodes for employees.
Cons
- Takes about 2 hours and 20 minutes to charge.
- Requires a monthly fee for advanced POS features.
Our pick for
Compact card reader with a screen
The SumUp Plus card reader includes a screen that lets customers know their total and when it’s time to tap their cards. It also has a touchscreen keypad that lets you manually key in credit card numbers instead of having to key them into your smartphone app in card-not-present transactions.
SumUp Plus
on SumUp Plus' secure website
for card readers only; $99 for Connect Lite plan; $199 for Connect Plus plan; $289 for Connect Pro plan.
Pros
- Accepts chip, swipe and contactless payments.
- Has a screen to display transaction details.
Cons
- Has less robust POS software features than other card readers.
Our pick for
Accepting PayPal and Venmo
PayPal’s card reader can be a good choice for businesses that need to accept alternative payment methods, like PayPal and Venmo. It also accepts Google Pay, Apple Pay and Samsung Pay.
PayPal Zettle
Pros
- No monthly software fees for accepting in-person payments.
- No long-term contract or termination fees.
- Accepts a variety of payment types, including Venmo and PayPal payments.
- Inexpensive card reader with a keypad, plus built-in payment processing and a free mobile app lets you quickly accept in-person payments on the go.
Cons
- Accepting online transactions involves additional monthly fees, depending on your gateway.
- No offline mode.
Our pick for
Low-cost handheld terminal
Handheld terminals, like this one from Square, take mobile card readers a step further by incorporating a screen and additional POS features. Compared to other portable terminals, Square's is one of the less expensive options at $299.
Square Terminal
on Square Terminal's secure website
Starts at $0/month for unlimited devices and locations.
Pros
- Doesn't require a separate device.
- Shows transaction details.
- Is compact and easy to use.
Cons
- Can take over four hours to charge.
Our pick for
Restaurant-specific terminal
Toast's products are made specifically for businesses in the restaurant industry. The Go 2 lets employees take orders and cash customers out tableside to boost efficiency and lessen wait times.
Toast Go 2
if you buy hardware upfront; 3.09% + $0.15 for pay-as-you-go option.
Starter Kit; $69 Point of Sale plan; custom Build Your Own plan.
Pros
- Is designed specifically for restaurants.
- Offers 24/7 support.
- Is versatile and durable.
Cons
- Requires quotes for advanced monthly plans.
- Requires a contract.
Our pick for
Terminal for a variety of industries
The Clover Flex handheld terminal can be used in a range of industries, including retail, service-based and restaurants. And depending on your monthly plan, it can help you manage inventory, view sales data and set up individual logins for employees.
Clover Flex
on Clover Flex's secure website
and up.
Pros
- Works with Bluetooth.
- Paid plans have good POS features.
Cons
- Requires monthly plan for advanced features.
Square Reader
- $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.
- 2.6% plus 10 cents for in-person transactions.
- 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
- $0 for Payments plan.
- $14.95 for Essentials plan.
- 2.6% plus 10 cents for in-person transactions.
- 3.5% plus 10 cents for online or keyed-in transactions.
SumUp Plus
- 2.6% plus 10 cents for in-person transactions.
- 2.90% plus 15 cents for online invoice transactions.
- 3.5% plus 15 cents for card-not-present transactions.
Helcim Card Reader
- 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).
PayPal Zettle
- 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).
Square Terminal
- $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.
- 2.6% plus 10 cents for in-person transactions.
- 2.9% plus 30 cents for online transactions.
- 3.5% plus 15 cents for manually keyed transactions.
- 3.3% plus 30 cents for invoices.
Toast Go 2
- $0 for Starter Kit plan.
- $69 Point of Sale plan.
- Custom plans available.
- 3.09-3.69% plus 15 cents per transaction, if you choose a pay-as-you-go plan.
- 2.49% plus 15 cents for card-present transactions, if you pay for hardware upfront.
- 3.50% plus 15 cents for card-not-present transactions, if you pay for hardware upfront.
Clover Flex
- $0 for Clover Go Payments, Retail Starter and Personal Services Starter plans.
- $14.95 for Clover Go Essentials, Professional Services Starter and Standard and Home & Field Services plans.
- $49.95 for Retail Standard, Personal Services Standard and Advanced and Professional Services Advanced plans.
- $59.95 for Quick-Service Dining Starter and Standard plans.
- $69.90 for Retail Advanced plan.
- $79.90 for Quick-Service Dining Advanced plan.
- $89.95 for Full-Service Dining Starter plan.
- $109.90 for Full-Service Dining Standard plan.
- $129.85 for Full-Service Dining Advanced plan.
- 2.3% plus 10 cents for in-person transactions for most plans, though rates may also vary by hardware type.
- 2.6% plus 10 cents for in-person transactions on Retail Starter, Personal Services Starter and Professional Services Standard plans, as well as Home & Field Services Standard and Advanced plans.
- 3.5% plus 10 cents for online or keyed-in transactions.
- Clover Mini: 4 stars. Small countertop POS systems with built-in card readers, like the Clover Mini, are ideal for businesses that take most of their orders at the counter and need a solution with a small footprint. Read our full Clover review.
- Square Stand: 5 stars. The Square Stand comes with a built-in card reader — you just need to pair it with an iPad and download Square’s POS software. It’s a good solution for small brick-and-mortar or pop-up businesses that need a system they can use at the counter or carry around. Read our full Square review.
- Clover Station Solo: 4 stars. This stationary countertop system has a built-in card reader and can be paired with other hardware, like a cash drawer and tabletop receipt printer. Read our full Clover review.
- Square Register: 5 stars. The Square Register is the company’s fully integrated countertop POS system that can accept magstripe, chip card and contactless forms of payment. It boasts two screens — one for the employee and one for the customer to show transaction details — for a seamless experience. Read our full Square review.
- Clover Station Duo: 4 stars. The Clover Station Duo ups the game with a combination of a 14-inch screen for you and an 8-inch screen for your customers. This makes it easier for customers to confirm orders and pay however they want — credit card, debit card, and contactless payment methods. Designed for retail stores, restaurant environments and service businesses, the Station Duo offers the same features of the Station Solo with more power. Read our full Clover review.
Learn more about credit card processing
Types of credit card readers
![A person looking at a mobile phone.](https://assets.nerdwallet.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/woman-device-desktop.png)
![Hand holding a credit card.](https://assets.nerdwallet.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/hand-holding-card-desktop.png)
![A green credit card.](https://assets.nerdwallet.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/creditcard-desktop.png)
![Some bills and a red card.](https://assets.nerdwallet.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/card-payment-desktop.png)
Hardware
Software
Payment processing
- Square: Our pick for the best overall credit card reader also takes the cake for best free card reader. The Square magstripe reader plugs directly into your smartphone, so it doesn’t have to be charged, and is free when you sign up with Square.
- National Processing: Businesses subscribing to National Processing’s subscription plans may qualify for a free credit card terminal, depending on their processing volume and credit, but you need to reach out for further details.
- PaymentCloud: Businesses signing up for a merchant account through PaymentCloud may be eligible to receive one free piece of POS equipment. The company also works with businesses in high-risk industries.
- U.S. Bank Merchant Services: Businesses working with U.S. Bank Merchant Services can order a free Ingenico Moby/5500 card reader that connects to your smartphone via Bluetooth. It’s a good option for businesses that want to use the same company for banking and payment processing. You can read more about U.S. Bank Merchant Services in our best merchant services roundup.