Mobile credit card processing allows merchants to sell products and accept card payments from almost anywhere with a smartphone or tablet. The best mobile credit card processor should be reliable, have affordable transaction fees, come with a free business management app, and function offline.
Based on our evaluation, the best mobile credit card processors are:
- Square: Best overall mobile credit card processing app
- Helcim: Best for interchange-plus processing fees
- Payment Depot: Best for custom rates
- SumUp: Best for small mobile businesses
- PayPal Zettle: Best for occasional sales and PayPal users
- Shopify: Best for ecommerce businesses expanding to in-person sales
Accept payments anywhere customers are: In-person, Online, Remote, Buy Now Pay Later |
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Best Mobile Payment Processors Compared
Our Score (Out of 5) | Monthly Fees | Card-present Rates | Card Reader | Tap to Pay* on Mobile | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | 4.68 | $0 | 2.6% + 10 cents | Free magstripe; $49 for chip and tap | âś“ |
 | 4.38 | $0 | Interchange plus 0.15% + 6 cents to 0.4% + 8 cents | $99 | iPhones only |
 | 4.36 | $0 | Interchange plus (0.2% to 1.95%) | $49 | âś• |
 | 4.13 | $0 | 2.75% | $39-$99 | âś“ |
 | 4.11 | $0 | 2.29% + 9 cents | $29 for first; $79 after | âś“ |
 | 4.05 | $39-$399 | 2.4% + 10 cents to 5% | $49 | iPhones only |
Card-reader Type | Offline Payments | Same-day Deposit | Apple Store Reviews | Google Play Store Reviews | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tap and dip (additional reader for swipe) | âś“ | Available for a fee (1.75% per transfer) | 4.8 out of 5 | 4.7 out of 5 |
| Tap and dip | âś• | N/A (1-2 business days) | 2.6 out of 5 | 2.9 out of 5 |
| Tap, dip, and swipe | âś“ | N/A (Next business day) | 4.8 out of 5 | 4.6 out of 5 |
| Tap, dip, and swipe with PIN pad | âś“ | N/A (1-3 business days) | 3.6 out of 5 | 3.7 out of 5 |
| Tap and dip with PIN pad | âś• | Available for a fee (1.5% per transfer) | 3.0 out of 5 | 3.2 out of 5 |
| Tap and dip | Limited | N/A (1-3 business days) | 4.5 out of 5 | 3.1 out of 5 |
Why You Can Trust Fit Small Business
The Fit Small Business Editorial Policy is driven by our company mission to “deliver the best answers to people’s questions.” This involves our thorough research and expertise to provide accurate, clear, and authoritative information to meet our audience’s needs and goals.
I have over five years of order and payment processing experience and have been evaluating, testing, and writing about point-of-sale and payment solutions for over two years.
You can learn more about our evaluation in the methodology section below.
- More than five years of combined experience in order and payment processing
- Evaluated 12 providers across 28 data points
- Fact-checked
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Square: Best All-purpose Mobile Credit Card Processor
Pros
- Mobile, in-store, and online sales channels
- Free top-rated POS
- Instant signup; no application or approval required
- Grows with you—business tools, banking, and payroll add-ons possible
Cons
- Expensive for large businesses
- Account instability
- Not suitable for high-risk or high-volume businesses
- It can be difficult to reach customer service
What We Like
Square is our pick for the best mobile credit card processor for small businesses. This mobile payment processing option has no monthly or startup fees, and the application process is easy. You can get up and running in no time with the free POS app while you wait for the free magstripe credit card reader to arrive.
If you have a compatible iPhone or Android device, you can start credit card mobile processing using your mobile device as a card reader. The app works offline and has an excellent inventory program.
- Monthly fee: $0
- Card reader: Free magstripe, $49 chip and tap
- Card-present transactions: 2.6% + 10 cents
- Keyed-in transactions: 3.5% + 15 cents
- Ecommerce transactions: 2.9% + 30 cents
- Invoices: 3.3% + 30 cents per transaction (free plan), 2.9% + 30 cents (paid invoice plan)
- Chargeback fee: Waived up to $250
- Next-day deposits
- Instant payouts for a 1.75% fee
- Free invoicing
- Free online ordering page
- QR code payments
- Offline processing
- Tap to pay on iPhone or Android
Square Card Readers
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First free, additional $10 | $49 |
Square Mobile App
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Square POS App for iOS 4.8 out of 5; 482,000+ reviews | Square POS App for Android 4.7 out of 5; 230,000+ reviews |
Square Offers the Best All-around Payment Solution
In general, we recommend Square as the best all-around mobile payment processor for its free iPhone and Android processing solutions, affordable and high-tech mobile card readers, and feature-rich payment app.
Square rated best overall in:
- Best Card Readers for iPhone
- Best Card Readers for Android
- Best Card Readers for Small Businesses
- Best Credit Card Payment Apps
Helcim: Best for Interchange-plus Processing Fees
Pros
- Interchange-plus pricing
- Automatic volume discounts
- Free POS and online store software
Cons
- Only for businesses in the US and Canada
- Limited integrations
- No same-day or instant deposit option
What We Like
Though we recommend Square as the best overall mobile credit card processor, once your business grows and is consistently processing more than $10,000 monthly, you can get lower fees and a better overall value by switching to solutions like Helcim.
Helcim’s interchange-plus pricing structure and automatic volume discount allow businesses to save on processing costs.
Although account approval is not instant, it’s relatively swift and usually takes 24 hours or less. There are no monthly or setup fees, and credit card processing on mobile and without a card reader is easy using tap to pay on iPhone. The mobile app offers complete functionality as the web version, so accepting payments, accessing reports, and managing inventory can all be done from your mobile device.
- Monthly subscription fee: $0
- In-person (swipe, dip, tap) transaction fees: From Interchange plus 0.15% + 6 cents to 0.4% + 8 cents
- Online/Keyed-in transaction fees: From Interchange plus 0.15% + 15 cents to 0.5% + 25 cents
- Invoice transaction fees: From Interchange plus 0.15% + 15 cents to 0.5% + 25 cents
- Ecommerce transaction fees: From Interchange plus 0.15% + 15 cents to 0.5% + 25 cents
- ACH/bank transfer fees: 0.5% + 25 cents
- American Express cards: Additional 0.10% + 10 cents
- Interchange-plus pricing
- Automatic volume discounts
- Next-day deposits
- Free invoicing
- Free online ordering page
- QR code payments
- Tap to pay on iPhone
- Surcharging option
Helcim Card Readers
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Helcim Card Reader $99 | Helcim Smart Terminal $329 (or $29 for 12 months) |
Helcim Mobile App
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Helcim POS App for iOS 2.6 out of 5; 45 reviews | Helcim POS App for Android 2.9 out of 5; 97 reviews |
Helcim is included in many of our top lists:
- Best Online Credit Card Processing Companies
- Best Free Merchant Accounts
- Cheapest Credit Card Processing Companies
Payment Depot: Best Mobile Credit Card Processing with Custom Rates
Pros
- Custom interchange-plus fees
- No monthly fees
- Free equipment and equipment programming
Cons
- US merchants only
- Lacks native recurring payment processing
- Pricing not disclosed
What We Like
Payment Depot offers low custom rates without any monthly, setup, or cancellation fees. Businesses that process a higher volume of transactions every month or those with unique processing needs may benefit from negotiating their rates with Payment Depot instead of going with fixed rates with other providers.
Because it is a dedicated payment processor, Payment Depot can offer secure payment processing and reliable software to small, growing businesses.
As for mobile payments, Payment Depot partners with SwipeSimple for credit card processing. If you already have a merchant account, SwipeSimple might also be a partner provider. You can add tips, save payment information, use a product catalog, and process returns. Note that Payment Depot also offers free equipment reprogramming and free equipment to qualified merchants.
While Payment Depot offers custom pricing, here are the rates we have recently been quoted:
- Monthly fee: $0
- Card reader: $49
- Card-present transactions: Interchange plus 0.2% to 1.95%
- Keyed-in transactions: Interchange plus 0.2% to 1.95%
- Chargeback fee: Varies, from acquiring banks and passed on to merchants
- Mobile powered by SwipeSimple
- Supported by Stax payment processing tools
- Wholesale interchange-plus pricing
- Free equipment reprogramming available
Payment Depot Card Readers
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(Usually $49) Contact Payment Depot for pricing |
Payment Depot Mobile App
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SwipeSimple for iOS 4.8 out of 5, 5,100+ reviews | SwipeSimple for Android 4.6 out of 5, 2,100+ reviews |
Payment Depot frequently makes our “best of” lists, including:
SumUp: Best for Small, Mobile Businesses With Low-ticket Sales
Pros
- Includes a virtual terminal
- Pay-as-you-go subscription
- Free payment app
Cons
- Poor user reviews for mobile app
- Does not support high-risk merchants
- Limited ecommerce integrations
What We Like
SumUp offers a unique line of advanced yet cost-effective mobile card reader solutions. Its card readers are some of the most affordable in the industry, offering 3-in-1 (swipe, chip, and tap) readers at $39. Merchants also have the option of using any compatible iPhone or Android device as a contactless card reader for mobile phone credit card processing
Mobile credit card payments with SumUp costs 2.75%—most economical for small ticket sales. Other options on this list charge a 10- to 30-cent transaction fee, which can be expensive for businesses selling $5 to $20 items. SumUp is a great alternative to Square if you have a mobile business and with ticket items averaging anywhere between $20-$50.
- Monthly fee: $0
- In-person transaction: 2.75%
- Online transaction: 3.25% plus 15 cents
- Invoicing: 2.9% + 15 cents
- Virtual terminal processing: 3.25% plus 15 cents
- Card reader: $39 to $199
- Chargeback fee: $10 (refundable)
- Supports 3-in-1 mobile device-based and standalone card readers
- Easy two-step setup
- Inventory management tools
- One to three business days’ deposit speed
- Tap to pay on iPhone or Android
SumUp Card Readers
 |  |
$39 ($49 with dock) | $129 ($199 with printer) |
SumUp Mobile App
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SumUp Credit Card Reader App for iOS 3.6 out of 5; 400+ reviews | SumUp Credit Card Reader App for Android 3.7 out of 5; 103,000+ reviews |
SumUp appears on several of our “best of” lists, including:
PayPal Zettle: Best for Occasional Payments & PayPal Users
Pros
- Easy to set up and use
- Affordable for small, occasional transactions
- Instant payout to your PayPal account
- Trusted by consumers
Cons
- Account stability issues
- Limited inventory management features
- Weekly limit for swiped and keyed-in payments
- May freeze funds at any time; 30-day hold on funds over weekly limit
What We Like
PayPal is a popular and versatile mobile credit card payment processor. It works online and in person, with other payment processors, or on its own. PayPal also does not charge monthly fees for inactivity, making it great for the solopreneur and hobbyist needing only occasional payment processing. Like Square, PayPal can deposit sales instantly, but fees are slightly better.
Zettle’s mobile card reader comes with a PIN pad at a significantly affordable price when compared to Helcim. It also recently launched a standalone mobile POS with a built-in card reader that cost $199. If you are not keen on purchasing a card reader, PayPal Zettle has tap to pay on iPhone and Android, so you may use any compatible mobile device as your contactless card reader.
- Monthly fee: $0
- Card reader:Â
- Basic card reader: $29 for the first; $79 after
- Stand-alone mobile POS w/ card reader: $199
- Card-present transactions: 2.29% + 9 cents
- Keyed-in transactions: 3.49% + 9 cents
- Quick response (QR) code transactions: 2.4% + 5 cents to 1.9% + 10 cents
- Invoices and other commercial transactions: 3.49% + 15 cents
- Chargeback fee: $20
- Accept PayPal and Venmo payments
- Proprietary 2-in-1 card reader with PIN pad
- Payouts in one to two business days
- Instant access to funds with PayPal balance
- Simple product catalog
- Configure tax and tip settings
- Tap to pay on iPhone and Android
PayPal Zettle Card Reader
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$79, first one discounted $29 | Zettle Terminal (Stand-alone) $129–$269 |
PayPal Zettle Mobile App
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PayPal Zettle POS for iOS 3.0 out of 5, 800+ reviews | PayPal Zettle POS for Android 3.2 out of 5, 42,900+ reviews |
Learn more about PayPal Zettle with our comparison of Square vs PayPal and analysis of the pros and cons of PayPal for small businesses.
Shopify: Best for Online Businesses Needing a Mobile App for In-person Sales
Pros
- User-friendly and intuitive interface
- 24/7 support
- Powerful reporting tells you which items are most likely to sell
- Integrates multichannel selling
Cons
- Costs at least $29 per month for a full ecommerce store
- No low-stock alerts without upgrade
- 3-in-1 card reader only for iOS
- Can’t process credit cards offline
What We Like
If you want to sell primarily online but need a mobile app for in-person sales, then Shopify could fit the bill. It’s our top pick for best mobile credit card processing for Shopify merchants and our top-recommended ecommerce platform.
Other apps on our list, like Square, come with online stores but none have the power of Shopify. It ties your online store to your mobile POS so that as you sell items, inventory stays up-to-date in both applications.
Like PayPal, Shopify has a wide international reach with transaction fees similar to Square’s. It also offers some business services, such as marketing and shipping tools.
- Monthly fee: $0-$89
- Ecommerce subscription: $39-$399
- Card reader:Â
- Basic Shopify card reader: $49 chip and tap
- Stand-alone mobile POS w/ card reader: $99.75 x4 ($399)
- Card-present transactions: 2.4% to 2.7%
- Keyed-in transactions: 2.4% + 30 cents to 2.9% + 30 cents
- Online transactions: 2.4% + 30 cents to 2.9% + 30 cents
- Chargeback fee: $15
- Supports 3-in-1 and 2-in-1 card readers
- International sales
- Includes online store
- Gift card processing
- Multichannel sales
- Marketing and shipping tools
- Dropshipping functions
- Tap to pay on iPhone
Shopify Mobile Card Readers
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(iOS and Android) $49 | Shopify Go (Standalone) $399 or $99.75 x4 through Shop Pay |
Shopify Mobile App
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Shopify POS App for iOS 4.5 out of 5; 7,400+ reviews | Shopify POS App for Android 3.1 out of 5; 2,300+ reviews |
Learn more about Shopify:
Compare Your Processing Fees
Compare your estimated monthly fees when using our recommended mobile credit card processors.
How We Evaluated the Best Mobile Credit Card Processors
For this update, we prioritized affordability and value for money when evaluating each mobile credit card processor. Our goal is to offer the best recommendations for small merchants—from startups to growing businesses. We made sure each provider is convenient, flexible, and reliable and has low or no upfront costs and competitive processing rates.
We evaluated over a dozen mobile credit card processors based on price, ease of use, the mobile app, reliability, and web-based and general account features, then narrowed the list down to the six best solutions. Click through the tabs below for our full evaluation criteria:
20% of Overall Score
To receive a perfect score, mobile processors need to offer month-to-month billing with no contracts, cancellation fees, chargeback fees, monthly minimums, or strict application processes.
20% of Overall Score
We awarded points for each type of payment each mobile processor can handle, including point of sale, invoice, virtual terminal, and contactless payments. We also awarded points for mobile apps with split tender options and flexible tipping solutions.
20% of Overall Score
The best mobile processors can accept payments offline, operate on iOS and Android devices, issue SMS and email receipts, and be used to manage a product catalog. The best systems also have a free POS app with business management functions like reporting.
20% of Overall Score
We prioritized mobile processors with free 24/7 customer support, fast deposit times (next day or sooner), multiple card reader options, and robust sales tax management.
20% of Overall Score
How to Choose Mobile Credit Card Processors
When choosing the best mobile credit card processors, it’s important to look at both the mobile app and the card reader and review its overall reliability, security, and value for money.
Step 1: Identify Your Business Needs
Mobile credit card processing needs differ from one business model to another. For example: restaurants and service professionals may need a mobile app that can handle tips or keep open tabs. Other businesses may need a full stand-alone mobile POS device instead of a simple credit card reader attached to a smartphone.
Every merchant should be familiar with the ins and outs of accepting card payments. Read our guide on how to accept credit card payments in six steps.
Step 2: Evaluate Options Using Mobile Payment Processing Considerations
Whether you run a primarily mobile business or are expanding sales by adding a mobile payment method, there are a number of factors to consider before choosing a mobile credit card processor:
- Card-reader compatibility: So many poor reviews for mobile apps involve problems with connecting (and keeping) mobile devices connected to a card reader. It’s important to check your smartphone’s software compatibility to make sure that your mobile device specs match that of the mobile app requirements.
- Internet connectivity: While you can use your smartphone’s data to keep connected to the internet, experiencing downtime can be expected while on the move. Losing internet connection while processing a payment is a bad experience for both you and your customer.
- Payment methods: Convenience is what makes mobile payment processing popular with both merchants and customers. Be sure that you choose a provider that offers a wide range of payment method options like digital wallets, buy now, pay later (BNPL), and tap to pay.
Step 3: Assess Hardware Reliability
Evaluate a hardware’s reliability before jumping at the opportunity to grab free credit card readers. Make sure that the provider offers ample warranty, accessible technical support, and does not charge a pretty penny for replacement or repairs. You should also read the latest real-life user reviews of both the hardware and payment app.
Step 4: Consider Value-for-Money Features
You should not have to spend so much in monthly fees for a mobile payment processing service with features that your small business currently doesn’t need. Conversely, there’s also no sense in getting a credit card reader for free if it doesn’t come with the payment methods and features you often use, or requires you to pay additional fees for access. Look for a merchant processor that gives you free access to your preferred payment tools while also having advanced features that can grow with your business.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Click through the sections below to learn more about the most common questions we get about mobile credit card processing for small businesses.
For small businesses, the best app for credit card processing is Square. Not only does Square offer the most reliable set of mobile credit card readers but it also provides merchants with free POS software with the built-in online store, invoicing, and employee management tools—all of which you can access from the Square mobile app.
Square does not require an application process so you can start accepting mobile credit card payments in minutes. Transaction rates are competitive and there are no monthly fees, making Square the best value-for-money credit card processing app in the industry.
Square is the overall cheapest when it comes to credit card processing for small businesses, which includes mobile payments and other payment methods. However, there are other affordable credit card payment processors depending on your business size and type. Square and most of the providers in our list can be found in our rundown of the cheapest credit card processing companies.
There are several options to accept credit cards without purchasing a card reader. You can key in your customer’s credit card information to process payments but transaction rates for this method are slightly higher. Another option is to choose a provider that offers tap to pay on mobile, which allows any compatible mobile phone to be used as a card reader.
There is no absolute way to accept credit card payments for free. Even when you operate in an area that allows you to pass merchant fees to your customers, such as credit surcharging, you will still need to budget for monthly charges and incidentals.
Bottom Line
Whether you’re a brand-new business that is starting out with cellphone credit card processing or an established store looking to take your business on the go, the best mobile credit card readers would be ones that are cost-effective, reliable, and easy to use. It’d be even better if you didn’t have to deal with monthly transaction minimums, fees, or contracts.
Square provides great mobile credit card processing for small businesses. It is easy to use, has a full POS, and lets you accept payments anywhere, even offline. No applications, startup fees, or hardware costs mean it’s a risk-free investment. Plus, the Square app comes with the POS features you need to manage a business on the go. Visit Square to get started with a free account and mobile card reader.