The 5 Best Credit Card Readers & Terminals for Small Businesses 2023

From EMV chip readers to traditional terminals, we picked the best credit card readers for processing transactions.
Best overall
square contactless chip and card reader
Square Contactless and Chip Reader
4.3 out of 5 stars
4.3
$49.00
  • pro
    Accepts chip and tap payments
  • pro
    Charges 2.6% *& $0.10 swipe fees
Best all-in-one POS
shopify start up bundle
Shopify's Build Your Own Bundle
4.2 out of 5 stars
4.2
Prices vary
  • pro
    Provides complete POS solution
  • pro
    Works with iPad and iOS app
Best terminal
Ingenico credit card reader
Ingenico iCT220 Dual Com Terminal
3.8 out of 5 stars
3.8
$129.00
  • pro
    Features user-friendly, portable design
  • pro
    Accepts swipe, chip, and tap payments
Cheapest reader
PayAnywhere Mobile Card Reader
PayAnywhere Mobile Card Reader 2-in-1
3.7 out of 5 stars
3.7
$33.87
  • pro
    Costs less than $30.00
  • pro
    Charges flat 2.69% swipe fees
Most flexible
mag tek credit card reader
MagTek 21040145 SureSwipe Reader
3.5 out of 5 stars
3.5
$68.87
  • pro
    Powers up through USB port
  • pro
    Works with any USB-enabled device

Data as of 2/8/23. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.

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There are hundreds of different card readers on the market—some are mobile and some are packed with point-of-sale features.

We chose Square’s Contactless and Chip Reader as our number one pick because it’s mobile and it connects you to Square’s top-notch POS system.

Whether you go with the Square reader or something else, this article will help you choose the best credit card reader for your business and point-of-sale (POS) system.

Compare the best credit card readers & terminals

Credit card reader
Business.org's rating
Lowest price
Payment types accepted
POS system
Learn more
4.3 out of 5 stars
4.3

$49.00

Chip & tap (swipe w/ separate included swipe reader)

Square mobile app (iOS & Android)

4.2 out of 5 stars
4.2

Prices vary

Swipe, chip, and contactless

Shopify mobile app (iOS & Android)

3.8 out of 5 stars
3.8

$129.00

Swipe, chip & tap

Any compatible system

3.7 out of 5 stars
3.7

$33.87

Swipe, chip

PayAnywhere mobile app (iOS & Android)

3.5 out of 5 stars
3.5

$68.87

Swipe

Any compatible system

Data as of 2/8/23. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.

Square Contactless and Chip Reader: Best overall for small business

square contactless chip and card reader
Square
4.3 out of 5 stars
4.3
Starts at
$49.00 per reader
  • pro
    Accepts chip and contactless payments
  • pro
    Includes free POS software and subscription
  • con
    Requires separate (but included) magstripe reader for swipe payments
  • con
    Requires iOS or Android device, app, and subscription

Data as of 2/8/23. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.

There’s a reason we picked Square as the best mobile credit card reader and app for small business—actually, there are several reasons. Square readers connect to any iPhone, Android phone, or tablet to accept payments from just about anywhere. And our favorite Square credit card reader is the $49 Contactless and Chip Reader. It’s light, it’s compact, and it can accept EMV chip cards and NFC payments.

No magstripe reader, you ask? Square also throws in a free swipe reader with your contactless and chip reader purchase. One potential drawback: you’ll need to use Square’s free mobile app to use the reader and pay Square’s transaction fees, which are 2.6% + 10¢ for swiped, dipped, and tapped transactions or 3.5% + 15¢ for keyed transactions.

bullet
Important processing terms

In this article, we discuss two specific kinds of payment acceptance.

  • Near field communication (NFC). Also called contactless payments, NFC technology allows customers to pay with smartphones and other devices using software like Apple Pay and Google Pay.
  • Europay, MasterCard, Visa (EMV). EMV is an internationally standardized method for making payments with microchip-enabled credit cards. EMV technology allows for greater security than traditional magstripe payments.

Shopify's Build Your Own Bundle. Best all-in-one POS solution

shopify start up bundle
Shopify
4.2 out of 5 stars
4.2
Prices vary
  • pro
    Accepts swipe and chip payments
  • pro
    Prints receipts and stores cash
  • con
    Requires Shopify subscription, starting at $29.00 per month

Data as of 2/8/23. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.

If you run a brick-and-mortar shop and are looking to upgrade from a simple mobile credit card reader and app, we recommend Shopify's Build Your Own Bundle. It’s the best all-in-one solution for accepting credit cards, securely storing cash, and printing customer receipts. The bundle offers a Shopify Tap & Chip Card Reader, a Chip & Swipe Reader, a Shopify Retail Stand for iPad, a bluetooth receipt printer, a cash drawer, and a barcode scanner.

Shopify’s POS software works on iOS and Android, but the bundle only comes with an iPad stand, which means you’ll need to have or purchase an iPad. And each product is above the $100 mark—so, the bundle's equipment is much more expensive than our other credit card reader picks. But if you have a Shopify store and you need a permanent solution for taking every type of customer payment, it’s an excellent option.

Ingenico iCT220 Dual Com Terminal: Best credit card terminal

Ingenico credit card reader
Ingenico
3.8 out of 5 stars
3.8
Starts at
$129.00 per reader
  • pro
    Accepts swipe, chip, and contactless payments
  • pro
    Features user-friendly and private PIN pad
  • con
    Costs $129.00
  • con
    Doesn’t include POS or merchant processing

Data as of 2/8/23. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.

Mobile credit card readers and apps may be the fancy new kids on the block, but that doesn’t mean more traditional credit card terminals are entirely out of fashion. Ingenico is a reputable manufacturer of POS solutions, and its iCT220 Dual Com Terminal is one of the best credit card readers available. Customers can use EMV-enabled cards, use contactless payments like Apple Pay, or swipe their traditional magstripe cards.

The reader features a bright display, easy-to-read buttons, and a PIN-obscuring privacy shield for debit card transactions. You’ll pay more for a terminal than for most mobile card readers. But you can connect the iCT220 to almost any existing POS system—via ethernet cable or cellular communication—and use any major credit card processing provider.

PayAnywhere 2-in-1 Bluetooth Credit Card Reader: Cheapest credit card reader

PayAnywhere Mobile Card Reader
PayAnywhere
3.7 out of 5 stars
3.7
Starts at
$33.87 per reader
  • pro
    Costs under $40.00
  • pro
    Charges low transaction fees
  • con
    Doesn’t accept chip or contactless payments
  • con
    Poor customer service reviews

Data as of 2/8/23. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.

Moving from all-in-one with Shopify to one-and-done with PayAnywhere, the 2-in-1 Bluetooth Credit Card Reader is a simple and cheap way to take customer payments on the go. This reader lets you accept traditional magstripe credit cards and EMV chip cards—a lot of functionality at such a low price tag.

Purchasing a reader also grants you access to PayAnywhere’s Payments Hub, a software package equipped with business management tools, data-driven reports, and a  virtual terminal.

PayAnywhere isn’t the most loved credit card processing company. It’s user reviews complain of poor customer service. But its reader comes with a price tag below $40 and an affordable 2.69% transaction rate. These low costs make the PayAnywhere PAR-1 mobile card reader a smart choice for food trucks, boutique storefronts, and pop-up retailers.

If you need to save a buck and want to process credit cards, the PayAnywhere reader is a great choice.

MagTek 21040145 SureSwipe Reader: Most flexible credit card reader

mag tek credit card reader
MagTek
3.5 out of 5 stars
3.5
Starts at
$68.87 per reader
  • pro
    Connects to any USB-enabled device
  • pro
    Allows swipes in any direction
  • con
    Requires separate POS terminal, device, and merchant account
  • con
    Doesn’t accept chip or contactless payments

Data as of 2/8/23. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.

For a simple, affordable, and versatile way to receive payments using a PC, Mac, or existing POS terminal, consider the MagTek 21040145 SureSwipe Reader. This credit card reader connects to any USB-enabled device (like a PC or POS terminal) and gets power through the same connection.

Setup is just as simple: simply plug in the six-foot cable and launch your POS software—no separate drivers required. The biggest downside? The reader is for swipes only—no EMV or NFC payments allowed. Still, the SureSwipe is durable and flexible, and it can upgrade to just about any mobile POS system.

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3 more credit card readers to consider

Our five faves we picked above aren’t the only credit card readers out there—they’re just our favorites. But if you’re looking for more options, we uncovered three more swipe-only credit card readers that might work with your POS system.

Reader
Lowest price
Buy it

2xhome POSMATE USB Mini Credit Card 3 Track Hi Lo Co Magnetic Reader Swiper

$24.43

PayPal Mobile Card Reader

$16.00

Symcode USB Magnetic Stripe Card Reader

$16.99

Data as of 2/8/23. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.

Get the credit card terminals you need

Fill out the form below to help us match you with the perfect credit card terminal solution for your specific business type. From food trucks to medical facilities, every business has specific processing needs we can address.

What’s the difference between a credit card reader and a credit card terminal?

A credit card reader is any device that can translate the encrypted data on a credit card into information that your POS system can use to process a payment.

Most credit card readers can read the information on magnetic stripe cards. Many readers can also accept EMV-enabled cards which are harder to steal information from thanks to their advanced microchip encryption. And nowadays, some readers can take contactless payments using NFC technology, allowing a customer to simply tap their smartphone or smartwatch to the reader.

A credit card terminal—or payment terminal—is a type of reader that typically features a digital display and PIN pad. Credit card terminals usually don’t include their own POS or processing systems but instead connect to a separate system using cables or wireless technology. Terminals are best for brick-and-mortar shops, especially those that have multiple customer registers.

Mobile readers are credit card machines that connect to smartphones or tablets to accept payments from anywhere you can take the reader. The readers often come packaged with a POS application and merchant services account. Mobile credit card readers are excellent for small businesses that need to take mobile payments, such as food trucks, farmer’s market merchants, or retailers with only one register.

Best POS Systems for Small Businesses
Stax
Best processing fees
Toast
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Best for inventory
Shopify
Best for retail shops
Learn more about our top brands.
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Look out
In 2015, the liability for in-store credit card fraud shifted to banks and merchants that don’t adopt EMV chip technology. That means that if you can’t accept chip cards, you could be putting your business at financial risk!

The takeaway

Whether your small business is a traditional retailer, a roving food truck, or a nomadic pop-up shop, you need to accept customer payments on their terms. More customers than ever are going cashless, and new technology allows them to make payments without traditional credit card methods. One of our picks for the best credit card readers should let you help more customers and take more payments.

Now that you've picked out a credit card reader, you may want to consider a point-of-sale system. We've reviewed the top options in our guide to the best small-business POS systems to help you find the best method for processing and tracking payments.

Related content

Best credit card readers FAQ

We believe Square's Contactless and Chip Reader is best because it accepts payments on smartphones and tablets and has rather affordable pricing. It comes with a free swipe reader and is used with the free Square mobile app (which comes with POS software).

That depends on the format of the reader and if you purchase it in a bundle. For the reader alone, the prices on our list vary from $33.87 to $129.00.

Disclaimer

At Business.org, our research is meant to offer general product and service recommendations. We don't guarantee that our suggestions will work best for each individual or business, so consider your unique needs when choosing products and services.

Sources

  1. CNBC, “More Americans Say They Don't Carry Cash,” January 15, 2019. Accessed February 8, 2023.
Andrew Mosteller
Written by
Andrew Mosteller
Former Business.org staff writer Andrew Mosteller covered small business expansion, management and advertising.
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