Best Mobile Credit Card Processors of 2023
Meaghan has provided content and guidance for indie retailers as the editor for a number of retail publications and a speaker at trade shows. She is Fit Small Business’s authority on retail and ecommerce.
Anna’s experience in business and finance led her to work for a US risk mitigation company in Singapore. She has contributed to POS and payments topics in the Retail section across Fit Small Business.
This article is part of a larger series on Payments.
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
- Clover Go: Best for businesses with an existing merchant account
- SumUp: Best for small, mobile businesses with low-volume sales
- Shopify: Best for ecommerce businesses expanding to in-person sales
- PayPal Zettle: Best for occasional sales and PayPal users
- Payment Depot: Cheapest for small businesses with high-volume sales
Best Mobile Payment Processors Compared
Card-present Rates | Card-not- Present Rates | Monthly Fees | Offline Payments | Card Reader | Mobile App User Review | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | 2.6% + 10 cents | 3.5% + 15 cents | $0 | ✓ | Free magstripe; $49 for chip and tap | Apple Store: Google Play: |
 | 2.6% + 10 cents | 3.5% + 10 cents | $0–$14.95 | ✓ | $49 (Tap, Dip, Swipe) | Apple Store: Google Play: |
 | 2.75% | 3.25% + 15 cents | $0 | ✓ | $35–$99 (Tap, Dip, Swipe) | Apple Store: 2.6 out of 5 Google Play: 2.9 out of 5 |
 | 2.4%–2.7% | 2.4% + 30 cents to 2.9% + 30 cents | $0–$89 | Limited | $49 (Tap, Dip, Swipe) | Apple Store: 4.5 out of 5 Google Play: 3.3 out of 5 |
 | 2.29% + 9 cents | 3.49% + 15 cents | $0 | ✕ | $29 for first; $79 after (Tap, Dip, Swipe) | Apple Store: 3.3 out of 5 Google Play: 4.1 out of 5 |
 | Interchange + 8 cents | Interchange + 15 cents | $59–$99 | ✓ | $49 (Tap, Dip, Swipe) | Apple Store: 4.8 out of 5 Google Play: 3.2 out of 5 |
*Rates will vary depending on your processor. The rates shown are from Fiserv (First Data).
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.
When You’ll Grow Out of Square
Square is geared toward small businesses and individuals, as is PayPal. Once your business grows and is consistently processing over $10,000 monthly, you can get lower fees and a better overall value by switching from either of those to solutions like Payment Depot or Stax, which offer interchange-plus pricing.
If your business is ecommerce, you’ll likely want a mobile payment processor that’s connected to your online store. In this case, Shopify offers a much more robust online selling solution, and its mobile POS app is the best for multichannel sales.
If You Already Have a Merchant Account
If you already have a merchant account and just need a mobile card reader, Clover is a popular mobile POS and hardware solution that works with many merchant accounts.
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Square: Best All-purpose Mobile Credit Card Processing
Square
Overall Score:
4.69 / 5
What We Like
- 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
What's Missing
- Expensive for large businesses
- Account instability
- Not suitable for high-risk or high-volume businesses
- It can be difficult to reach customer service
Square Pricing
- 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
- Invoices and ecommerce transactions: 2.9% + 30 cents
- Chargeback fee: Waived up to $250
Square Features
- Next-day deposits
- Instant payouts for a 1.5% fee
- Free invoicing
- Free online ordering page
- QR code payments
- Offline processing
Square is the best mobile credit card processor for small businesses. The mobile payment processing option has no monthly or startup fees, and the application is easy. You can get up and running in no time with the free POS app while you wait for the free credit card reader to arrive. The app works offline, is compatible with Android and iOS, and has an excellent inventory program.
Square’s transaction fees are the most expensive on our list. However, it offers the most features. For example, it has banking services, something only PayPal offers to a lesser degree. It has specialty POS software for restaurants and appointment-based businesses, something only Clover offers. Square also has an online store; Shopify, for example, charges for this, although Shopify offers greater features.
That said, Square does offer custom volume discounts for businesses processing over $250,000 annually with average transactions over $15. It also has checking and savings, payroll, and other plans you can add as your needs grow.
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First free, additional $10 | $49 |
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4.8 out of 5, 311,800 Reviews | 4.0 out of 5, 144,000 Reviews |
Want to learn more before you decide? Read our full Square Payments review.
Clover Go: Best for Existing Merchant Account Holders
Clover Go
Overall Score:
4.33 / 5
What We Like
- Works with a variety of merchant accounts
- Supports barcode scanning
- Robust smartphone POS
- Easy to use
What's Missing
- Pricing and contract varies depending on who you sign up with
- Monthly fee
- Poor customer service
Clover Go Pricing*
- Monthly fee: $0–$14.95
- Card reader: $49
- Card-present transactions: 2.6% + 10 cents
- Keyed-in transactions: 3.5% + 10 cents
- Chargeback fees: $25
Clover Features
- Proprietary 3-in-1 card reader
- Add multiple employees and permission levels
- Extensive app market
- Offline processing
*Pricing from Clover website for Clover Go product. Available at different rates through resellers and other merchant service providers.
Clover offers everything a standard mobile processor does, including payment processing, inventory management, and analytics reporting. After Square, Clover has the most feature-packed point-of-sale app on this list. Specific plans include credit card pre-authorization, next-day deposits, exchanges, a detailed item library, and a weight-scale integration.
What makes Clover interesting is that it requires a traditional merchant account. You can either set up your account through Fiserv, which owns Clover, or one of its authorized resellers. (Fiserv offers three plans for Clover, with different prices.) While Clover provides more variety than any other app on our list, the pricing and support you receive can vary greatly depending on which merchant account provider you choose.
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4.7 out of 5, 17,000+ Reviews | 4.7 out of 5, 1,200+ Reviews |
Learn more in our comparison of Clover vs Square or our Clover review.
SumUp: Best for Small Mobile Businesses With Low-volume Sales
SumUp
Overall Score:
4.20 / 5
What We Like
- Includes a virtual terminal
- Pay-as-you-go subscription
- Free payment app
What's Missing
- Poor user reviews for mobile app
- Does not support high-risk merchants
- Limited ecommerce integrations
SumUp Pricing
- Monthly fee: $0
- In-person transaction: 2.75%
- Online transaction: 3.25% + 15 cents
- Virtual terminal processing: 3.25% + 15 cents
- Card reader: $35–$99
- Chargeback fee: $0
SumUp Features
- Supports 3-in-1 mobile device-based and stand-alone card readers
- Easy two-step setup
- Inventory management tools
- 1–2 business days deposit speed
After its most recent upgrades, SumUp began making its way up our rankings by offering a unique line of advanced, yet cost-effective mobile card reader solutions. Its card readers are some of the most advanced in the industry, supporting both mobile-device-compatible and standalone card readers. User interface ranges from the basic 3-in-1 (swipe, chip, and tap) reader to touch-screen keypads—and all at an affordable price point ($35–$99).
SumUp charges a flat, per-transaction fee of 2.75%, which is most economical for small ticket sales. The other options on this list charge a 10–30 cent transaction fee, which can be expensive for businesses selling $5–$20 items. Although the mobile app user reviews have not improved (even after significant upgrades), ratings are still expected to climb and improve as this provider catches up on features.
At the moment, SumUp provides in-person payment processing methods, as well as a virtual terminal and online invoicing solution. It also includes a basic inventory management system plus a suite of application programming interfaces (APIs) and software development kits (SDKs) for customizing payment features.
However, SumUp can still use additional flexibility with ecommerce and multichannel sales integrations. We recommend SumUp for small retailers and other mobile businesses that have simple inventory needs and an average ticket sale well below $50.
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$35 ($49 with dock) | $99 |
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2.6 out of 5, 130+ Reviews | 2.9 out of 5, 53,400+ Reviews |
If you are running a fully mobile small business, read our full SumUp review and find out if its mobile-first payment solution is the right fit for you.
Shopify: Best for Online Businesses Needing a Mobile App for In-person Sales
Shopify
Overall Score:
4.14 / 5
What We Like
- User-friendly and intuitive interface
- 24/7 support
- Powerful reporting tells you which items are most likely to sell
- Integrates multichannel selling
What's Missing
- Costs at least $29/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
Shopify Pricing
- Monthly fee: $0–$89
- Card reader: $49 chip and tap
- Card-present transactions: 2.4%–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
- Additional fee if not using Shopify Payments: 2%
- Chargeback fee: $20
Shopify Features
- 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
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 ecommerce platforms and scores very well for mobile apps and merchant services. 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—133 countries. Its transaction fees are close to Square’s, and, like Square, it offers some business services. However, while Square has banking, Shopify has marketing and shipping tools.
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(iOS and Android) $49 | (iOS) $49 |
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4.5 out of 5, 7,300+ Reviews | 3.3 out of 5, 1,600+ Reviews |
If you sell primarily online, then it’s worth learning more about Shopify; read our review here. Also, learn more about Shopify vs Square.
PayPal Zettle: Best for Occasional Payments & PayPal Users
PayPal Zettle
Overall Score:
4.13 / 5
What We Like
- Easy to set up and use
- Affordable for small, occasional transactions
- Instant payout to your PayPal account
- Trusted by consumers
What's Missing
- 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
PayPal Zettle Pricing
- Monthly fee: $0
- Card reader: $29 for the first; $79 after
- Card-present transactions: 2.29% + 9 cents
- Keyed-in transactions: 3.49% + 9 cents
- QR code transactions: 2.4% + 5 cents to 1.9% + 10 cents
- Invoices and other commercial transactions: 3.49% + 15 cents
- Chargeback fee: $20
PayPal Features
- Accept PayPal and Venmo payments
- Proprietary 2-in-1 card reader w/ PIN pad
- Payouts in 1–2 business days
- Instant access to funds with PayPal balance
- Simple product catalog
- Configure tax and tip settings
PayPal is one of the most popular payment processors because of its versatility. It works online and in person, and with other payment processors or on its own. Plus, it even handles international sales. It also does not charge monthly fees for inactivity. This makes it great for the solopreneur and hobbyist as well. Like Square, PayPal can deposit sales instantly, but rather than charging, it limits this to deposits into your PayPal account.
PayPal recently replaced PayPal Here with Zettle. As of this writing, Zettle’s US version still has a long way to go before it can become as feature-rich as Here, although Zettle’s interface is more modern. We can expect more significant improvements as PayPal develops it further—but right now, Square’s sales features are more robust.
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$79, first one discounted $29 | $49 |
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3.3 out of 5, 330+ Reviews | 4.1 out of 5, 41,500+ Reviews |
Learn more about PayPal Zettle through our Zettle review and our comparison of Square vs PayPal.
Payment Depot: Best for Small, Fast-growing Businesses
Payment Depot
Overall Score:
4.09 / 5
What We Like
- No mark-up transaction fee
- 90-day money-back guarantee
- Free equipment and equipment programming
What's Missing
- Low processing limits
- Lacks native recurring payments processing
- US merchants only
Payment Depot Pricing
- Monthly fee: $59–$99
- Card reader: $49
- Card-present transactions: interchange + 8 cents
- Keyed-in transactions: Interchange + 15 cents
- Chargeback fee: Varies, from acquiring banks and passed on to merchants
Payment Depot Features
- Mobile powered by SwipeSimple
- Supported by Stax payment processing tools
- Next-day funding available
- Offline processing
Payment Depot has adopted feature upgrades since it was acquired by Stax (formerly Fattmerchant). It now offers all-in-one subscription-based plans, wholesale transaction rates, and Stax payment processing tools at a more affordable price range. And, because it is a dedicated payment processor, Payment Depot can offer secure payment processing and reliable software to small, growing businesses processing up to $500,000 per year.
As for mobile payments, Payment Depot partners with SwipeSimple for credit card processing. With the SwipeSimple mobile payments app, you can add tips, save payment information, use a product catalog, and process returns. You can also view analytics reports and accept payments offline like Square and PayPal.
Note that Payment Depot also offers free equipment reprogramming and free equipment to qualified merchants.
Payment Depot Card Readers
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SwipeSimple B250 (Usually $49) Contact Payment Depot for pricing |
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4.8 out of 5, 4,400+ Reviews | 3.2 out of 5, 1,000+ Reviews |
Payment Depot Mobile App
Learn more about Payment Depot in our review.
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%
Pricing
20%
Payment Types
20%
Mobile Features
20%
Account Features
20%
Expert Score
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
*Percentages of overall score
Mobile Credit Card Processing Fee Calculator
Compare your estimated monthly fees when using our recommended mobile credit card processors.
Mobile Credit Card Processing Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the cheapest mobile credit card processor?
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.
Can I use a mobile credit card reader for my restaurant?
Most credit card processors are compatible with restaurant point-of-sale systems. However, depending on your business model, some processors are better than others. Square offers an outstanding POS system with its native payment processor, Square Payments. Monthly fees start at $0 so it’s the best option for small and startup restaurants. Find the best credit card processor for your restaurant.
How much does it cost to accept credit card payments in person?
For low-volume businesses, transaction fees for accepting credit card payments are at a flat rate. PayPal Zettle, for instance, charges 2.29% + 9 cents (one of the lowest), and SumUp in-person payment processing costs 2.75% per transaction—both with no monthly fees. High-volume businesses can get better rates with alternatives like Helcim, Payment Depot, and Stax.
Learn more in our guide to credit card processing fees.
Is it possible to accept credit card payments for free?
There is really 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 mobile credit card processing or an established store looking to take your business on the go, you need a solution that is 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 is a great mobile credit card processing company 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 point-of-sale features you need to manage a business on the go. Visit Square to get started with a free account and mobile card reader.
