Credit card readers for Android phones and tablets make it easy for merchants to process sales and accept credit cards anywhere. And while merchants have a wide range of Android credit card readers, the best ones should be affordable, easy to use, reliable, and match your business needs. You will also want a versatile smartphone…
Credit card readers for Android phones and tablets make it easy for merchants to process sales and accept credit cards anywhere. And while merchants have a wide range of Android credit card readers, the best ones should be affordable, easy to use, reliable, and match your business needs. You will also want a versatile smartphone point-of-sale (POS) app that allows you to use your Android card reader with a countertop setup.
Based on my evaluation of 16 options, the best credit card readers for Android are as follows:
*Based on Fiserv rates, fee will depend on your preferred payment processor
If you prefer a hardware-free mobile payment processing solution, check out our list of top credit card payment apps. On top of a credit card reader option, these apps also allow you to process payments using QR codes, card scanners, and even cryptocurrencies straight from your smartphone.
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Square: Best Overall Credit Card Reader for Android
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PayPal Zettle: Best for Occasional Sellers & PayPal Users
Helcim: Best for Lowest Transaction Fees
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SumUp: Cheapest 3-in-1 Mobile Credit Card Reader
Shopify: Best When Starting an Online Businesses
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Chase Payment Solutions®: Best for Free & Fast Access to Funds
Clover: Best for Merchants With A Preferred Payment Processor
Methodology: How I Evaluated the Best Credit Card Readers for Android
For this update, I searched for new Android mobile credit card readers in the market and evaluated them alongside our current list of reputable payment processors. I kept the same 21-point criteria for the rubric and updated the scores for any new provider pricing and features, taking into account overall pricing structure, flexible and scalable features, and card reader and mobile app reliability. I also considered feedback from real-life users in Google Play. I worked extensively to include all significant factors that can affect the best choice for Android credit card readers. However, this guide will be regularly updated to reflect changes in payment industry standards to consistently provide the best answer. As with the best card readers for iOS, Square ranked as our No. 1 for Android systems. Square’s credit and debit card reader performed well on all the criteria, providing the best overall value-for-money features. Click through the box below for our full evaluation criteria:
Methodology weights
Pricing 25%
Card reader features 30%
Account features 25%
Expert score 20%
For pricing, we looked into the fees associated with the use of credit card readers. This includes the cost of the hardware, card-present transaction rates, and other incidental costs such as chargeback and cancellation fees. We also gave points for payment processors that do not charge a monthly account fee.
This evaluates both the card reader hardware and mobile app which includes the variety of payment types, reliability and real-life user reviews, digital receipts, and availability of offline transactions.
This criteria looks into the payment processor’s features such as contract terms, deposit times, customer support quality, payment processing features, as well as range and flexibility of omnichannel features.
This score combines our overall judgment of price, value-for-money, and ease-of-use, with ratings from real-world users on trusted third-party review sites.
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How to Choose the Best Android Credit Card Reader
When choosing the best Android credit card reader for your business, your first priority should be the reliability and durability of your device. It needs to be constantly connected to your mobile payment app to minimize failed transactions while on the go. Android card readers should also be compatible with most versions of the operating software.
Afterward, the next consideration is to ensure that the tools and features available from both the mobile card reader and the payment app are useful to your business type. Value-for-money is also a priority, making sure that you are only paying for card reader functions that your business needs.
Android credit card reader features to consider should therefore include the following:
Reliable and compatible connectivity: Bluetooth is the most commonly used connectivity feature, but make sure the card reader specs match those of your Android phone.
Variety of payment methods: If you are looking to use a mobile credit card reader, you likely intend to accept a wide variety of credit card payment methods. EMV (chip) and NFC (contactless) payments are the most popular ways of accepting card payments, and you want to make sure that your choice of Android credit card reader supports these methods.
Useful mobile payment app features: Most mobile credit card readers are linked to your payment processor’s mobile payment app. Be sure to evaluate the payment app features (you can download them for free) for functions that your business needs before purchasing the mobile credit card reader.
Affordable hardware pricing: Most mobile credit card readers for Android and iOS are very affordable. You can find top payment processors that offer their mobile card readers for less than $50, while others can go as high as $130 with more sophisticated functions. Make sure that you invest in a mobile credit card reader and app that’s most useful to your business type.
On top of these Android mobile credit card reader-specific criteria, you must also consider your overall choice for a payment processor. Monthly account fees and credit card processing rates will make up most of your cost of accepting payments. Contract terms will determine how easy it will be for your business type and size to work with a provider.
Credit Card Readers for Android Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Square is the overall best free card reader app for Android. It is the most well reviewed and consistently highly rated by more than 230,000 users.
Yes, there are Android smartphones that are equipped with credit card capture features using the camera. You can also use tap-to-pay for Android if your smartphone and payment processor support it.
You must download your payment service provider’s mobile POS or payment app on your Android device and sign in to your merchant account (or sign up if you don’t have one yet). From there, you can connect a mobile credit card reader to enable swipe, dip, and contactless payments. If you don’t want to use additional hardware, you can always enable tap to pay (if your Android device and payment processor support it) or manually enter payments on the mobile app.
Mobile credit card readers are generally secure. It employs encryption features such as EMV (chip) and PIN pad security, which means hackers will only get random letters and numbers instead of your customer’s actual credit card information.
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Bottom Line
Most people think of iPads when they think of mobile POS systems, but many payment processors offer great options for Android, too. Some also have their own merchant accounts.
Each provider in our list has features and pricing structures that make it better for specific business types and sizes. However, with the wide variety of Android devices, it’s also important to make sure that the credit card reader you prefer is compatible with your smartphone.
Lastly, consider user reviews to get a concrete idea from merchants with actual experience running their businesses with the mobile app.
All things considered, Square topped our evaluation as the best credit card reader for Android, earning the best scores for pricing and features, including outstanding user reviews. Sign up for a free Square POS account.
Anna Lynn Dizon has over four years of experience in risk mitigation, serving as both a research lead and client liaison. Her fintech journey began at PayPal in customer and technical support, followed by a role in office and finance management for a U.S. company that collaborates with global banks to establish and manage HR and international payment processing.
Since 2017, Anna has been a contributing writer for Fit Small Business, Technology Advice, and TechRepublic, covering fintech and POS software reviews, payment processing guides, eCommerce, inventory management, business startups, and regulatory compliance.
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