Mobile Card Readers for Small Business

A mobile reader lets you take cards where you sell. This guide covers what Square and Stripe publish about readers and phone-based options, read on 2026-10-16, and what to check before you buy. Prices, models and features change, so confirm on each provider’s site. This is general information, not financial advice.

Prices providers publish

• Square. Its hardware page lists the Reader for contactless and chip at $59, Square Terminal at $299 (or $27 a month over 12 months), Square Handheld at $399 (or $37 a month over 12 months) and Square Stand at $149. Its Reader for magstripe page says the first one is free and additional readers are $10.
• Stripe. Its pricing page lists the Stripe Reader M2 at $59.00 and the Reader S700 and S710 at $299.00 each.
• Clover. Its FAQ says devices are bought or leased as part of a software and hardware plan, and that Clover devices bought from other sellers cannot be used with other payment processors.

Using your phone instead

Apple says Tap to Pay on iPhone lets a supported payment app accept contactless cards, Apple Pay and other digital wallets without extra terminals or hardware. Stripe prices it at $0.10 per authorization on top of its in-person rate; Square lists Tap to Pay on iPhone and Android with no additional hardware needed. See contactless payments and Tap to Pay. A reader still helps if you need chip or PIN entry; ask your provider which payments each option supports.

What it costs per sale

Square’s Free plan lists in-person processing at 2.6% + 15¢; Stripe lists 2.7% + 5¢ for domestic cards with Terminal. For a $12 coffee that is $0.46 at Square (2.6% of $12 is $0.312, plus $0.15) and $0.37 at Stripe ($0.324 plus $0.05); for a $60 order, $1.71 and $1.67. Arithmetic from published rates, not quotes. Small sales make the fixed fee matter more; use the processing fee calculator for your average sale.

Connectivity and offline mode

Square’s pricing page explains that offline payments are processed automatically when you reconnect your device, and will be declined if you do not reconnect within 24 hours of taking your first offline payment. By enabling offline payments you are responsible for any expired, declined or disputed payments accepted while offline, and Square is unable to provide customer contact information for payments declined offline. It also says offline payments are not supported on Square Reader for contactless and chip (1st generation, v1 and v2). If you work in places with weak signal, read those terms before relying on offline mode.

Checklist before you buy

1. Does the reader work with the app and plan you want, and can it be used with another processor later?
2. Which payment types does it accept: tap, chip, swipe, PIN?
3. What happens if the signal drops? (Test it where you sell.)
4. What is the total of reader, any plan fee, and processing at your average sale?
5. What does the provider charge for disputes? See chargeback fees by provider.

For food trucks specifically, see merchant accounts for food trucks. To compare full POS systems, see how to choose a POS system.

What we did not verify

We did not verify battery life, receipt options, card reader model compatibility with specific phones, shipping costs or taxes on hardware, or Clover’s device prices. We did not test any reader hands-on.