6 Best Credit Card Payment Apps for 2021

Growing businesses should consider Square as its credit card processor because of its ease of use and wide range of features that let you grow your system with your business needs. Solopreneurs with limited stock or sales can take advantage of the simple mobile app and free card reader, while brick-and-mortar stores can design a POS system that works online and in-store. Square also integrates with other software. The rates are simple and competitive.

Based on our scoring system, Square stands out as the best card payment app in terms of  scalability, backed by solid POS features to support new and growing businesses. It earned a total score of 4.34 out of 5, with high marks across the board, edging out PayPal for first place with its business-friendly chargeback policy and integrated sales features.

Square is also our top choice for small business POS systems and mobile credit card processing. It offers great value by bundling payments and software together in one free account.

PayPal Here has long been a leader in payment processing, and its payment app, PayPal Here, is one of the most highly regarded apps by users. In addition to being able to process just about any kind of payment, it handles international currencies. It does not have an extensive POS app, but it does let you track sales by time, product, and even employees. You can access your funds with a PayPal debit card or have them transferred to your bank account. With basic and competitive pricing, it’s one of the best credit card processors for just about any business.

A note of caution, however. PayPal can hold funds for first-time sellers, sellers who have not used the app in a while, and sellers whose pattern has changed. It may also hold funds if your swiped or keyed-in payments exceed $500 in a week. If you need to process more than that or want an app with more sales features, then consider using Square.

In our evaluation, PayPal scored a total of 4.20 out of 5, with high marks for card payment app-specific features, ease of use, and pricing. While it has an advantage over Square for its ability to accept international payments, PayPal’s lack of sales features to support small and medium businesses prevented this provider from earning the top spot.

If you use QuickBooks, TurboTax, or Mint, you can get Intuit GoPayment for your card processing needs. The app requires QuickBooks Payments to work, which incurs a monthly fee but gives you tools for business accounting and payment processing. GoPayment is not a full POS system, but you can create inventory lists, set taxes, and create discounts. If you need a more complex solution, it will integrate seamlessly with QuickBooks POS but not a third-party solution.

In our evaluation, QuickBooks GoPayment earned a total score of 3.88 out of 5, earning high marks for ease of use and expert score. Intuit GoPayment edged out Shopify for its pricing, particularly because it offers a free card reader and lower in-person transaction fees. However, the cost of QuickBooks’ POS system is quite steep, and small business owners who want to add sales features would be better off using Shopify or Square.

If you are looking for credit card processing and great software for an online store, then Shopify may be the right choice for you. Shopify has two apps: Shopify POS Lite, a POS application for occasional sellers (such as for fairs or markets), and Shopify POS Pro, a more robust solution that handles multiple stores, marketing campaigns, and more.

Regardless of which app you choose, you need a Shopify plan, which incurs a monthly fee but provides you with an online store. POS Lite is included for free with each plan, whereas POS Pro requires an additional monthly fee.

All things considered, Shopify earned an overall rating of 3.79 out of 5, trailing closely behind QuickBooks GoPayment. It earned high marks for ease of use and expert score, in particular, for its solid online platform and round-the-clock customer support. However, comparatively pricey subscriptions, strict chargeback policies, and mixed user reviews prevented Shopify from getting a higher score. If you do need a free app, Square or PayPal Here would be a better choice.

Payanywhere is a mobile credit card app that also offers hardware terminals. It’s a good choice for restaurants and food services because it has features for split payments, open tabs, and tips. In addition, it has an autopay feature for recurring payments.

If you only sell goods occasionally, this is not the best choice, as Payanywhere charges an inactivity fee for accounts that are not active after 12 months. If you’re more of an occasional seller, Square or PayPal Here are the better choices.

After our evaluation, Payanywhere scored a total of 3.44 out of 5. Like Square, Payanywhere offers a free software plan along with the first card reader for free. On the other hand, the app itself needs improvement, as reflected on the mid-range ratings it received from Android and Apple users who tried the platform.

SumUp is a handy credit card payment app that works well for solopreneurs and independent businesspeople. Like Square and PayPal Here, it can receive payments in-person and via links, phone, and invoice. The app has a basic product catalog that allows photos and tax rates, revenue reports for tracking sales and taxes, and allows you to accept tips and cash. You can send receipts via the app as well.

Based on our evaluation criteria, SumUp scored a total of 3.38 out 5, with high marks for free features like payment links, Text2Pay, virtual terminal, and invoicing. User reviews from App Store and Google Play are somewhat mixed. SumUp also lacks third-party integrations and chargeback protection that most businesses would want in a card payment app provider.