Best Credit Card Readers for Android in 2022: Top 6 Picks!
If you want to start processing credit cards on your Android smartphone or tablet, you’ll need to find the best credit card reader for Android. When you’re looking at the best credit card readers, here are some important things to consider before purchasing one: What kind of cards will you be accepting? How important is security? Do you want Bluetooth connectivity? Are you looking to accept NFC payments? What kind of additional features do you need?
#1 – Square
Square’s best feature is that it integrates with Square POS. It’s incredibly easy to use and navigate, and the app interface makes handling transactions a breeze. There are just two main buttons; one to go to your cash drawer, and one to process a transaction. The entire process of scanning the credit card, signing off on it (either via signature or PIN), and printing a receipt for your customer can be done in less than 60 seconds. One of the major advantages is that you don’t need any special hardware if you’re running a smaller business; all you need is an internet connection and a smartphone. With this comes more significant drawbacks, though – it only works within the United States and has limited functionality outside of point-of-sale transactions. On top of this, using Square requires a monthly fee which starts at $275 per month depending on the volume of your business
#1 – PayPal Here: Unlike Square, PayPal Here doesn’t integrate with POS systems but rather focuses on being used as an alternative payment option while out shopping. If you’re looking for something that’s lightweight and won’t drain battery life like some other options then this might be perfect for you
#2 – Intuit GoPayment Card Reader: Intuit’s GoPayment is another popular option because it works with all smartphones and tablets so there’s no need to purchase additional hardware. The downside?
#2 – SumUp
While there are many, many credit card readers to choose from, SumUp has done an excellent job simplishing the experience with a friendly and user-friendly interface. It’s free to download and easy to set up, though they also offer a monthly or yearly fee if you’re looking for even more customization. I loved that all I had to do was pop my phone on the reader and swipe my card across the top of it and it worked great every time with no fiddling necessary. The app is available on both iOS and Android so you can use your preferred device without hassle. This is a great little tool if you’re looking for something quick, simple, and effective.
#3 – PayPal Here
PayPal Here is one of the most popular credit card readers available, largely because it uses PayPal’s proprietary point-of-sale system to work. This can be a great option if you have an account with PayPal and are looking for a more streamlined interface. And there are no monthly fees or contracts – just a one-time cost of $10 to set up the device.
The best part about PayPal Here is that it seamlessly works with your existing accounts to help get your business going quickly and smoothly. You don’t need extra software or hardware and there are no extra steps required from you once it’s set up.
#4 – iZettle
The card reader works with a Bluetooth connection to your phone and is compatible with most standard credit cards. The design of the iZettle reader does not detach from the phone which makes it slightly less portable than other options. The advantage of this design though is that you don’t have to fumble around when taking your card out of your wallet, as you can insert it into the device while it’s still attached to your phone. For added security, you can disable and enable Bluetooth on the iZettle app, so that if you are using an untrusted network, the card reader will not be able to take payments. A notable downside of this product is that as far as card readers go, it’s on the more expensive side.
#5 – Intuit GoPayment
The best part about Intuit GoPayment is that it supports all of the major payment platforms out there, so if you want to offer credit card processing to your customers, this could be the perfect solution. Plus, there are no monthly fees with this app. However, you’ll need a compatible point-of-sale system and an Intuit data plan to get started. And lastly, we noticed a few users had some difficulty with syncing the point-of-sale system with their mobile devices. Other than that, we found Intuit GoPayment to be one of the most effective apps on our list!
Moral (six+ sentences): Our favorite picks are PayPal Here and Square as they’re both easy to use and quite intuitive. If you’re not looking for any bells or whistles, then either will work well for you.
#6 – PayAnywhere
The iPhone app is easy to use and can be used on virtually any tablet. The only downside to this card reader is that it doesn’t work with chip cards. You also have to have the latest version of iOS installed. You can find the PayAnywhere App by visiting the Apple Store or Google Play Store. It costs $2.99 and is rated 4 out of 5 stars on both stores. It’s compatible with IOS 10+, android, Windows, Blackberry, Amazon Kindle Fire, Windows 8 RT/8.1 RT tablets and Windows phones 8+. With over 1 million downloads you’ll never need to worry about compatibility.
