Square Contactless and Chip Reader: Best Overall for Small Business

• Starts at $49.00 per reader
• Accepts chip and contactless payments
• Includes free POS software and subscription
• Requires separate magstripe reader for swipe payments
• Requires iOS or Android device, app, and subscription

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Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.

Square continues to stand as one of the more popular mobile payment solutions for the small business owner, and its Contactless and Chip Reader is the most widely used regarding payment acceptance on the go. This compact, portable reader is compatible with all iOS and Android, making it versatile for most small business owners, allowing them to accept chip and NFC (contactless) payments virtually anywhere.

The POS reader comes complete with a free system, including Square's intuitive app and cloud-based features, making it excellent for small businesses looking to streamline the payment process. However, Square continues to keep competitive transaction fees, but older card swipe transactions will require an additional magstripe reader, which can be purchased separately if needed.

Square evolved its platform and features since its initial launch, with additional advanced reporting and more comprehensive management of the inventory. It would help to track sales and customer data but is still subject to paying Square's transaction fees that accrue over time if your volume of sales becomes too high.

Shopify's Build Your Own Bundle: Best All-in-One POS Solution

• Starts at $29.00 per month for Shopify subscription
• Accepts swipe and chip payments
• Prints receipts and stores cash
• Includes Shopify Tap & Chip Card Reader, Chip & Swipe Reader, Retail Stand, Receipt Printer, Cash Drawer, and Barcode Scanner

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If you have a physical store, and you want something more than just the most basic mobile card reader, then Shopify's Build Your Own Bundle is the way to go. This all-in-one solution lets you accept every form of payment, store cash securely, and even print receipts for your customers. This bundle contains the Shopify Tap & Chip Card Reader, the Chip & Swipe Reader, the Shopify Retail Stand for iPad, the Bluetooth receipt printer, the cash drawer, and the barcode scanner.

Shopify's POS system works on iOS and Android. Since the bundle comes with an iPad stand, you must supply or acquire an iPad. Equipment in this package costs above $100 each, so it is more of an investment compared to a more simple mobile card reader. However, if you already use Shopify for your online store and need a robust, long-term POS solution that will handle a lot of different forms of payment simply and effectively, this package is an ideal solution.

Ingenico iCT220 Dual Com Terminal: Best Credit Card Terminal

• Starts at $129.00 per reader
• Accepts swipe, chip, and contactless payments
• Features user-friendly and private PIN pad
• Does not include POS or merchant processing
• Requires separate connection to POS system (ethernet/cellular)

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One of the most traditional card readers, but still highly ranked, is the Ingenico iCT220 Dual Com Terminal. This is safe, versatile, and will pretty much have all of the business needs that are outside just a mobile reader. It takes so many forms of payment that it's a great brick-and-mortar option or for businesses that have a dedicated point-of-sale. Although the terminal is more expensive than mobile options, it offers many more features, including security chip-and-pin functionality and contactless payments. Its flexibility also comes from the fact that it supports most POS systems, making the device a very flexible addition to any retail operation.

While it doesn't come with a POS system and merchant processing built into it, the iCT220 is free to be integrated with any business's existing setup, which makes it a perfect payment terminal.

PayAnywhere 2-in-1 Bluetooth Credit Card Reader: Cheapest Credit Card Reader

• Starts at $33.87 per reader
• Accepts magstripe and EMV chip cards
• Includes access to PayAnywhere’s Payments Hub
• Charges a 2.69% transaction fee
• Does not accept chip or contactless payments

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The cheapest option is the PayAnywhere 2-in-1 Bluetooth credit card reader. Provided your business only comes up against magstripe and chip cards, this should be good enough. For a small business, pop-up stores, mobile vendors like food trucks, or boutiques, this at slightly under $40 is a good value. And although it's pennies on the dollar, it still includes access to the Payments Hub of PayAnywhere-a suite of business tools and a virtual terminal to manage payments and transactions.

However, this user does not like newer forms of payments such as contactless (NFC) payments. This may make it less attractive for persons who desire to pay by a mobile wallet such as Apple Pay or Google Pay. Further, customer service reviews for PayAnywhere vary between good and bad. Therefore, any business that needs support in some manner would need to weigh this advantage/disadvantage of PayAnywhere.

For business owners with tighter budgets or for someone else who needs a no-frills payment solution, the PayAnywhere 2-in-1 Bluetooth Reader remains a good option.

MagTek 21040145 SureSwipe Reader: Most Flexible Credit Card Reader

• Starts at $68.87 per reader
• Connects to any USB-enabled device
• Allows swipes in any direction
• Requires separate POS terminal, device, and merchant account
• Doesn’t accept chip or contactless payments

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The MagTek 21040145 SureSwipe Reader would be one reliable, budget-friendly choice that businesses might look for something easy and flexible in order to get the job of swiping cards done. This reader will be one of the most popular choices through among small companies, especially those firms using older point-of-sale systems or that need a hassle-free method to process straightforward credit card transactions.

One of the best features of the reader is that it will work on any USB-enabled device-on can be a PC, Mac, or existing POS terminal. This reader provides flexibility to swipe the cards in any direction so as the process might speed up the purchase and handling process. There are no separate drivers required so setting up this equipment is free from much hassle.

However, this reader only accepts magstripe payments, will not accept chip (EMV) or contactless payments like Apple Pay or Google Pay, may not be an advantage for businesses that anticipate taking a variety of different payment types. You also have to have a separate POS terminal and merchant account to use it so adds more on your total cost and setup time for your business.

Your business won't need the latest payment methods, and you need an uncomplicated and reliable solution. The MagTek SureSwipe Reader will be a good choice for simple transactions, but if you need more modern payment types, you'll better consider the competition.