5 Best Credit Card Readers for Android 2020

Credit card readers for Android phones and tablets make it easy for merchants to make sales and accept credit cards anywhere, from food trucks to trade shows. With the advanced POS technology provided by several services and robust card readers, you can even use them in your brick-and-mortar store.

Sometimes the best credit card reader for your specific needs will not be the top one on the list. Take this 3-question quiz to see which products best meet your specific needs:

How We Evaluated Card Readers for Android

When selecting the best credit card readers for Android, we started with the basics. They had to be PCI compliant and had to be able to process magnetic stripes or EMV chips. Nearly all accept touchless/contactless payments as well. Then, we evaluated using the following criteria:

• Cost: Does the company charge per transaction or include a monthly fee? How much do the readers cost?
• Ease-of-use: You’ll notice nearly all the apps on our list have a 4-star or higher rating. We considered customer feedback on the app as well as the service.
• Point-of-sale: Does it have a full POS system or a simple inventory tracker?
• Business management tools: Does the company integrate with accounting software, offer analytical or marketing tools, or financial assistance?

Square: Best Overall Credit Card Reader for Android

Overall, we found Square the best credit card reader for Android because it’s easy to use, secure, and trusted by consumers. Plus, it comes with an excellent POS system that lets you run your business efficiently, whether you are a busy retailer, a food truck, or sell your goods at the occasional craft fair.

The POS system is great for restaurants, retail, and service industries, and the mobile card reader makes it easy to take your show on the road. The swipe reader is also free, but the chip reader, which is more secure, costs $49.

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Square Mobile Payments Pricing

• Monthly fees: None
• Card-present transaction fees: 2.6% + 10 cents
• Card-not-present transaction fees: 3.5% + 15 cents
• Online payments and invoices: 2.9% + 30 cents
• Android card reader price: Free swipe card reader; $49 for chip card reader

Square Payments lets customers sign for purchases, including options for adding tips, then send digital SMS or email receipts.

Square Mobile Payment Features

• Best feature: Square’s free online POS system is great for the crafter who does the occasional weekend fair but is powerful enough for restaurants or brick-and-mortar stores.
• mPOS app: 4.4 stars on Google Play. In addition to taking payments, you can manage your inventory, issue and track invoices, and analyze trends. Users especially praise its reliability and convenience.
• Payment types: Credit cards, touchless, online, gift cards, international cards but not cross-border (i.e., you must be in the country where you activated your Square account).
• Business management tools: You can make customer lists with contact information and notes, and message customers through the app. The POS system is robust enough for restaurants and service industries, with categories, photos, and appointment tools.
• Fraud protection: Square offers free dispute management, active fraud prevention, and notification of suspicious activity. You can add risk management for 6 cents per transaction.

Discover more about why Square is the best credit card reader for Android devices by visiting our Square Payments review page.

PayPal Here: Best Android Card Reader for Small Sellers

PayPal is among the most popular solutions for taking payments online because it works equally well for small businesses or hobbyists who sell their wares. The mobile card reader is easy to use, syncs to your PayPal account, and even accepts cross-border payments, a big help if you attend trade shows outside your home nation.

Plus, PayPal Here accepts PayPal payments, offering your customers an additional convenient payment option, which can lead to more sales.

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PayPal Here Pricing

• Monthly fees: None
• Card-present transaction fees: 2.7%
• Card-not-present transaction fees: 3.5% + 15 cents
• Online and invoicing: 2.9% + 30 cents
• Cross-border transactions: Additional 1.5%
• Android card reader price: $19.99 for the swipe card reader. Chip and tap readers, $24.99 to $99.99 depending on style.

PayPal Here Features

• Best feature: The cross-border capability makes it perfect for individuals who do trade shows in other countries. It costs a little extra but is worth the convenience.
• mPOS app: 4.5 stars on Google Play. The swipe card is simple, and there is a basic POS system. Users praise its convenience and versatility. Those that complained usually had login issues or problems with funds being withheld or frozen.
• Payment types: Credit cards, touchless, online, international, cross-border.
• Business management tools: In addition to the POS system, you can create custom invoices or project bids. You can set up deals and notices to people who abandoned a cart. You can also get instant funds transfers for a 1% fee (up to $10 surcharge).
• Fraud protection: In addition to standard fraud protection, PayPal has advanced machine learning and analytics to detect fraud. Dispute management and chargeback protection included. PayPal also offers working capital loans, business loans, and a business credit card.

Read more about why PayPal Here is one of the most popular and convenient mobile payment solutions by visiting our PayPal Here review page.

QuickBooks GoPayment: Best Android Card Reader for QuickBooks Users

GoPayment is a great choice for QuickBooks users, especially those who process large payments and want ACH transfer capabilities as well. The magnetic stripe and chip reader are free, and the chip-and-touchless reader is among the least expensive of those we reviewed. While it promises quick deposits, many customers said it took several days for payments to go into their accounts.

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QuickBooks GoPayment Pricing

• Monthly fees: None
• Card-present transaction fees: 2.4% + 25 cents*
• Card-not-present transaction fees: 3.4% + 25 cents*
• Online and invoices: 2.9% + 25 cents*
• ACH payments: 1%*
• Android card reader price: Free chip and stripe reader. All-in-one reader that also accepts touchless payments, $49.

*Lower rates available for some QuickBooks Desktop customers

QuickBooks GoPayment Features

• Best feature: Because it’s a QuickBooks product, GoPayment data syncs naturally with QuickBooks and works with other Intuit products including QuickBooks’ POS system (extra purchase).
• mPOS app: 4.2 stars on Google Play. You can take payments and have them sync automatically with your QuickBooks account. Users praised the ease of use and the card reader but said payments sometimes take two to five days to process.
• Payment types: Credit cards, touchless, online, ACH transfers, and checks, including invoice payments and partial payments.
• Business management tools: Create your inventory lists, manage invoices, or connect to QuickBooks’ POS system (extra charge). Also has card photo capability (for accepting payments without a reader) and works with TurboTax and Mint.
• Fraud protection: FDIC insured, active fraud protection.

To learn more about how GoPayment works with the rest of the QuickBooks ecosystem, read our full QuickBooks GoPayment review.

Shopify: Best Android Card Reader for Ecommerce Businesses

Ecommerce is booming, but there are times when you may want to sell in person, at pop-up shops and markets, or you may have a brick-and-mortar store that complements your online business. If you are using Shopify for your ecommerce store, then the free Shopify POS app for Android lets you take credit cards and other payments anywhere. Plus, since it is ecommerce-focused, Shopify mPOS is ideal for selling products in-person and shipping the orders to customers.

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Shopify POS Pricing

To use the free POS app, you need a Shopify ecommerce account. Ecommerce accounts vary from $9 – $299 per month depending on the plan you have. It has a free swipe-and-chip card reader and a tap-and-chip card reader for $49.

• Monthly fee: $9 – $299 for ecommerce, $0 for Android mPOS app
• Card-present transaction fees: 2.4% – 2.7% per transaction depending on ecommerce plan
• Card-not-present transaction fees: 2.4% + 30 cents – 2.7% + 30 cents per transaction depending on plan

Shopify mPOS Features

• Best feature: Shopify is among the best for ecommerce. In addition to a fully-featured POS system, it offers other sales avenues and processes payments from cash to bitcoin.
• mPOS app: 4.2 stars on Google Play. In addition to running your online store (some limitations), it lets you take payments including cards or cash.
• Payment types: Credit cards, contactless, online, gift card, international, bitcoin, and more.
• Business management tools: Shipping management, inventory management, sync with Shopify POS, Facebook store, analytics and reporting.
• Fraud protection: EMV and PCI certified readers, fraud analysis, plus fraud prevention recommendations (Shopify Plan and higher).

Even though Shopify is best known for ecommerce, it has a robust POS platform for mobile and in-store sales, making it an ideal solution for multichannel sellers. Read our full Shopify POS review for more details.

Payment Depot: Best Low-Cost Android Card Reader for Established Businesses

Payment Depot uses the SwipeSimple mobile app by CardFlight for processing cards. Several companies use this mobile processing option. The advantages come from Payment Depot itself. If you’re processing over $10,000 monthly, you may find this credit card processor more cost-effective, even with the monthly fee. The plans also offer extra business tools and payment processing.

For growing businesses, opting for a more traditional merchant account, like what Payment Depot offers, provides greater account stability and lower processing fees.

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Payment Depot Pricing

You need a Payment Depot plan to take mobile payments. If you have high-volume or high-ticket sales, the lower rates could save you money. You get a free swipe card reader, and SwipeSimple account for mobile payments. You can also purchase a chip and contactless card reader. Payment Depot offers four different plans based on your monthly sales volume.

Payment Depot Pricing Plans

Payment Depot Pricing Plans

Payment Depot and SwipeSimple Mobile Features

• Best feature: It’s rare that we find customers raving about a payment company’s customer service, but Payment Depot reviews on Trustpilot consistently praise Customer Service people for their quick response and taking time to answer questions and resolve issues.
• mPOS app: 4.2 stars on Google Play. You need a SwipeSimple account, which you get free from Payment Depot. It can record cash and credit card sales, prompt for tips, track inventory, and support multiple merchant accounts.
• Payment types: Credit cards, touchless, online, international, and cross-border.
• Business management tools: The SwipeSimple app has inventory and cash register functions. Payment Depot also offers business loans.
• Fraud protection: Rate protection, chargeback monitoring, and risk monitoring, plus data breach protection (Popular plan and up).

Visit our Payment Depot review page to learn more about opening a merchant account.

Bottom Line

To find a great mobile credit card reader, first look at the best payment processors, such as Square Payments, PayPal Here, and Payment Depot. Each has strengths and pricing structures that make it better for specific business types and sizes.

That said, Square is the best overall choice for most small businesses because it is the most versatile and offers the best value with free, user-friendly software. Customers use Square for everything from ringing up brick-and-mortar restaurant orders to taking payments at flea market booths. The POS system handles multiple payment types and can ring up purchases with taxes, tips, and more. Sign up for a free Square account to get started.

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