10 BEST Credit Card Processing Apps for Smartphones in 2024

Tired of hauling bulky terminals around when you need to take payments on the road? There’s an app for that. Mobile point-of-sale (mPOS) apps make it easier than ever to manage your business on the go.

However, with almost every credit card processor on the market offering some kind of mPOS solution, it can be difficult to determine which is the best one for your business.

After all, some only let you take keyed-in payments, while others come with additional costs that can eat into your budget. Combine that with the lack of transparency from many credit card processors, and you can end up paying more than you should for an mPOS solution that doesn’t suit your needs.

That’s why I’ve compiled this list of the best credit card processing apps on the market today. From feature-rich mPOS apps that let you manage your payments on the go to industry-leading virtual terminal solutions, you’re bound to find a solution that fits your needs. Leaders Merchant Services (LMS) offers both of these mobile payment solutions, which is why it’s my top recommendation.

Without any further ado, these are the best mobile credit card processing solutions for your business.

What We Look For in the Best Credit Card Processing Apps

Just because a processor offers a mobile app doesn’t mean it’s necessarily the right one for your business. Here’s what I looked for when researching mPOS apps to compile this list.

• Device compatibility. You’ll need the flexibility to download an mPOS app to all your devices, which is why I’ve only included apps that work on both iOS and Android operating systems.
• Payment methods. mPOS apps vary in the payment methods they let you accept. I’ve only included options that support a wide range of payment methods, so it’s always convenient for your customers to pay you on the go.
• User experience. You’ll need an mPOS app that’s easy to use with an intuitive interface and robust infrastructure. Otherwise, the payment process can be frustrating for both you and your customers.
• Pricing. Keyed-in card payments often come with a higher markup or transaction fee. All the payment processors on this list offer budget-friendly card-not-present (CNP) rates, so taking payments using your mPOS app won’t put too much of a dent in your profits.
• Security. Every app on this list is fully PCI compliant, so you can be confident your data is protected by the same end-to-end encryption and tokenization you’d expect from a countertop POS solution.

1. Leaders Merchant Services: Secure mPOS Solution

Leaders Merchant Services (LMS) offers three free mPOS apps through Authorize.net, Clover Go, and SwipeSimple. Whatever mPOS solution you choose, LMS offers industry-low rates starting at $9.00/month and ~2% + 0¢ per in-person transaction to help minimize your payment processing costs.

Authorize.net’s mPOS app is free with an Authorize.net subscription, which also provides access to its trusted payment gateway and virtual terminal. It lets you collect customer tips, create a stock catalog, categorize items, and apply custom tax rates. You can process keyed-in transactions and accept EMV, swiped, and contactless payments with a compatible card reader.

With the Clover Go app, you can capture credit card information with your device’s camera and use Tap to Pay on iPhone to process contactless payments without any additional hardware. The Clover Go app is free to download, but accessing some features might require an additional software subscription.

If you purchase Clover or SwipeSimple equipment through LMS, you can use the Clover Go app or the SwipeSimple app for free. These apps work without an internet connection so you can process offline payments.

Features and Benefits

• Advanced security. Authorize.net offers an Advanced Fraud Detection Suite with customizable filters, allowing you to decide whether to manually review or block suspicious payments. Clover Go encrypts every transaction end-to-end, safeguarding your customers’ data.
• Email receipts. Once you’ve taken payment, you can send a receipt via email from any of LMS’ mPOS apps. Authorize.net’s app also allows you to add custom notes to the header or footer, which is a great way of making customers aware of any policies or guarantees.
• Mobile business management. The Clover Go and SwipeSimple apps feature a dashboard that lets you track sales and employee performance, identify popular items, and manage most of your business from your mobile device.
• 24/7 technical support. If you need help setting up the apps or you want a safety net, don’t worry – LMS, Authorize.net, and Clover offer 24/7 technical support. This is a major benefit if you provide field services for emergency callouts.

Read our expert Leaders Merchant Services review to learn more.

2. PAYARC: Robust Mobile App for Managing Your Business on the Go

PAYARC’s proprietary mobile app is free to use but is currently only compatible with Apple smartphones running iOS 12.0 or later. Using PAYARC’s services on a flat rate plan is also free – you only have to pay a per-transaction fee of 2.49% + 30¢ (in-person) and 2.9% + 30¢ (online). If you run a high-volume business, its membership plans, starting at $69.00/month, with lower transaction fees of 0% + 15¢ (in-person & online), could save you money.

PAYARC’s mobile app lets you keep your entire business in your pocket. You can use it to manually key in transactions, add tips, process refunds, collect signatures, and issue email or SMS receipts. It also serves as an on-the-go business management tool, giving you access to real-time sales data, reports, and analytics.

If you’re a registered 501(c) organization, you can get discounted payment processing through PAYARC. Coupled with its free mobile app, which lets you collect donations on-the-go, PAYARC can help your non-profit reach even more potential supporters.

Features and Benefits

• Fraud-prevention features. PAYARC’s mPOS app is packed with security features like Address Verification (AVS) and Card Verification Value (CVV), tokenization, data encryption, and other security protocols that protect you from fraud.
• PCI-DSS compliance. PAYARC’s mobile app meets this industry standard, ensuring the protection of customers’ credit and debit card details. You won’t need to pay extra for PCI compliance to use the mobile app.
• NFC-enabled mPOS. You can purchase or lease Dejavoo’s Z1 mPOS terminal through PAYARC to process EMV and near-field communication (NFC) payments. The latter option enables your customers to pay using their smartphone or smartwatch.
• International processing. PAYARC supports businesses with worldwide customers. You have a choice of a few payment gateways to process international transactions, including Planet Payment, which lets you collect payment in local currencies.

Read our detailed PAYARC review for more information.

3. ProMerchant: Advanced Payment App and Free Card Reader

For a low monthly fee of $7.95, ProMerchant customers get access to the Payanywhere app and Bluetooth card reader for free. With a 2-in-1 credit card reader, the Payanywhere app lets you accept EMV chip and magstripe cards. You can also consider the 3-in-1 credit card reader if you want to add contactless payment options like Apple Pay.

The Payanywhere app offers two payment themes: Terminal and Retail. The Terminal option allows you to enter transaction amounts, while the Retail theme lets you process payments by selecting items from your inventory. Regardless of your preference, you’ll be able to customize tip amounts and collect e-signatures from customers.

Through the Offline Transactions feature, you can accept payments through the mPOS app and credit card reader even if you don’t have an internet connection. This means you’ll never miss a sale due to connectivity issues – you can save transactions and process them once you have internet access. That said, you might experience some technical issues from time to time. Users report that the app runs slower than usual and crashes occasionally.

Features and Benefits

• Online merchant portal. The Payanywhere app includes the Payments Hub merchant portal. Through this portal, you can monitor transactions, track inventory, access sales reports, and manage your staff.
• Widely compatible. The app and hardware are compatible with Android (Android 5.1 and later) and Apple (iOS 14.7 and later) mobile devices.
• Spanish support. Payanywhere is one of the rare mPOS apps that offers Spanish support in addition to English.
• Fast funding. Funds processed through the Payanywhere app are available the next day and, in some cases, even on the same day.

To learn more about its features, read our full ProMerchant review.

4. Flagship Merchant Services: Accept Cards, Cash, or Checks With Your mPOS

One of the best things about Flagship Merchant Services is that it understands no two businesses are alike. It offers you the choice of interchange-plus or tiered pricing and you’re encouraged to negotiate for the best rates for your business. Perhaps it shouldn’t be surprising, then, that its mPOS solution is just as flexible.

MobilePay by Paysafe (formerly iPayment MobilePay) doesn’t just allow you to key in credit card payments – you can also settle transactions with cash and checks. You’ll also be able to accept both one-off transactions and partial payments toward invoices. So, even without a mobile card reader, you can still offer your customers multiple payment methods.

This is particularly useful for businesses with technicians or contractors that take payments on site, as well as smaller businesses that attend external events like craft fairs and farmers’ markets. There is a catch, though – MobilePay only supports up to 10 devices at a time, so it might not be suitable for larger enterprises.

Features and Benefits

• Secure mobile payments. MobilePay by Paysafe uses end-to-end encryption and two-factor authentication to keep your customers’ financial data secure.
• Inventory management. With a synced inventory management system, you can see what products you have in stock before you make remote sales, and any sales you make will automatically update your inventory count.
• Role-based permissions. Keep your business data secure by ensuring only authorized users have access to your back office through Paysafe.
• Cloud-based solutions. Whenever you accept payments, update inventory, or manage transactions on the app, anyone else logged into your Paysafe account will be able to see your activity.

See more benefits for small businesses in our Flagship Merchant Services review or take a look at our list of the best credit card processing for small businesses.

5. Stax: Best All-in-One Payment App With No Markups on Transactions

Stax is a fully featured, all-in-one payment platform that comes with a proprietary mPOS solution. Its mobile app enables you to do (nearly) everything that you can do on a desktop or countertop device. The app is included in your monthly fee.

Stax’s Pay app works on iOS or Android, and it allows you to take keyed-in payments. It can even use the device’s camera to capture card details to speed up the transaction process. Plus, if you’ve got a customer card stored on file, you’ll be able to process a sale with just a few taps. It also automatically syncs with your other devices, which means your inventory, reporting, and customer relationship management (CRM) software are always up to date.

Stax’s mobile solution is ideal for high-volume businesses with multiple locations. If you process over $8,000/month and can budget for Stax’s monthly subscription starting at $99.00, you can save up to 40% on your payment processing bill with a 0% markup on transactions. But if you don’t, consider Leaders Merchant Services a more budget-friendly alternative.

Features and Benefits

• Invoicing. From the Stax app, you’ll be able to set up, edit, and send invoices. It’s a useful feature to have if you regularly travel to client premises, as you’ll be able to keep your invoices updated while you’re on the road.
• Email/text receipts. Stax’s mPOS app will automatically send customers a receipt via email or text. You’ll also be able to customize digital receipts with your company’s branding.
• Deposit management. Not only can you take deposit payments on Stax’s app, but you’ll be able to reconcile them against your payments list in real time.
• Mobile readers. You can connect mobile card readers to your app via Bluetooth, which will allow you to take swiped, chip-and-pin, and contactless payments without needing a bulky terminal.

Read our expert Stax review to see more great payment features.

6. Chase Payment Solutions: Contactless Payments and Fast Funding on the Go

Chase Payment Solutions offers the free Chase Point of Sale (POS) app that allows you to process keyed-in transactions without additional hardware. When you pair it with its mobile card reader, you can process contactless payments on the go.

The QuickAccept program gives you access to additional mobile solutions like shareable payment links, enabling you to request payments via email or text. This gives your customers direct access to your online checkout page rather than redirecting them to a third party to complete the purchase. The program has no monthly fee, but it’s only available to Chase Business Complete Banking merchants.

The Chase Mobile App is compatible with iOS and Android mobile devices, but Chase Payment Solutions doesn’t have the same universal application as a processor. You can’t program its any of its limited POS options, which means that you’ll be out of luck if you ever decide to switch processors. Chase’s mobile app also isn’t compatible with third-party POS hardware, which could be a problem if you’ve already invested in equipment.

Features and Benefits

• No-fee same-day deposits. QuickAccept provides immediate access to your funds. Mobile payments made between Sunday through Friday and processed before 8:00 PM (EST) are deposited the same day at no extra cost.
• Accept international cards. The Chase POS app and card reader allow you to accept international cards using the swipe, dip, or tap payment methods. This is especially important if your business operates in tourist-heavy areas.
• Discount options. The mobile app allows you to easily implement discounts on the go to support your promotional activities. This can be crucial in developing customer loyalty and stimulating repeat business.
• Uninterrupted service. The Chase POS app allows you to set up employee accounts that can stay logged in for up to 12 hours, ensuring smooth service throughout the entire shift and beyond. This is especially helpful if you manage multiple employees who use the app to process payments remotely.

You can learn more by reading our expert Chase Payment Solutions review.

Other Notable Credit Card Processing Apps for Smartphones

7. POS Pros

Although POS Pros lacks a proprietary mobile app, it offers several third-party mPOS solutions. If you choose to invest in a premium brand like Clover, the free Clover Go app allows you to accept payments, manage your entire business from a robust dashboard, and configure payment features like discounts, tips, and tax rates to suit your business.

I should note that using these third-party solutions might incur additional fees for their software. For example, some configurations in the Clover Go app require subscribing to Clover-supported service plans. Still, POS Pros is worth considering if you need advanced POS hardware as it offers the widest POS selection in the industry.

8. CreditCardProcessing.com

CreditCardProcessing.com offers mobile processing solutions through third-party vendors. Using the free SwipeSimple mobile app, available on iOS and Android, you can key in transactions. You can also use it in combination with a card reader to accept physical credit cards with dip, swipe, and contactless tap methods. CreditCardProcessing.com also gives you access to Authorize.net’s free mPOS app.

While its interchange-plus fees are competitive, CreditCardProcessing.com does charge additional fees for many features, including access to customer support. You can likely negotiate a better interchange deal with Leaders Merchant Services. However, if you’re processing a high volume of credit card sales, it’s worth considering its competitively priced Flat Rate plans, which work in a similar way to Stax’s membership pricing.

9. Square

The free Square Point of Sale app offers efficient and diverse payment processing, including offline transactions, on both iOS and Android devices. It allows you to process tap-to-pay payments with just your phone, which can save your business a significant amount in POS fees.

If you purchase the Square Reader, you can access more contactless payment options like QR codes and payment links. The app also allows you to process gift cards and rewards cards to increase customer loyalty.

Square offers notable benefits but it doesn’t suit every business. High-risk merchants, in particular, should be aware that Square can freeze funds and terminate accounts without prior warning. However, low-risk businesses with low-to-medium sales volumes can benefit from Square’s flexible, easy-to-navigate platform.

10. Helcim

Compatible with both iOS and Android devices, the Helcim app offers unlimited user accounts at no additional cost so you can scale your business without incurring extra expenses. Moreover, it lets you set user permissions, giving each team member access to specific features and data. You can also accept in-person payments without Helcim’s card reader.

Unlike some processors, Helcim doesn’t offer a free card reader nor does it provide support for third-party ones. This could be a problem if its basic proprietary reader doesn’t meet your needs – especially since it doesn’t support swiped transactions. That said, Helcim can be ideal for new businesses with elementary needs due to its straightforward yet feature-rich app, flexible monthly contracts, and transparent pricing.

Take Payments Anywhere With the Best Credit Card Processing Apps

It’s hard enough to find a payment processor that offers affordable rates, let alone one that also provides a great mPOS system for taking payments on the go. Not only is every mPOS solution on this list an excellent option for most businesses, they’re offered by some of the best – and most affordable – payment processors on the market.

My top recommendation is Leaders Merchant Services (LMS), which offers the free Authorize.net mPOS app, a highly secure mobile processing solution with an extensive set of features. LMS also gives you access to the Clover Go and SwipeSimple mobile apps, which support offline processing. In combination with its low custom rates, LMS offers the best deal on mobile payment processing for most businesses.

If you need an all-in-one mPOS and business management tool, PAYARC’s free proprietary mobile app lets you take your business everywhere. You’ll also get access to robust invoicing tools and international payment processing support on mobile.

If you need to process payments remotely, ProMerchant offers the free PayAnywhere app and Bluetooth card reader. These two work even without an internet connection, ensuring you’ll never miss a sale.

To recap, here’s what you need to know about the best credit card processing apps.

FAQ

Is there a mobile app to take credit card payments?

Yes! Most modern credit card processors offer a mobile app, or mPOS, that allows you to take card payments while you’re on the go. For instance, Leaders Merchant Services (LMS) offers three free feature-rich mPOS apps that enable you to take various types of card payments.

mPOS apps are ideal if you regularly sell products or services outside of your main business location or want to save on POS hardware by using your mobile phone as one.

Which platform offers the best mPOS app for credit card payments?

I recommend you check out Leaders Merchant Services (LMS) for mobile credit card payment processing. On top of its fantastic mPOS solutions with a ton of features, you’ll get some of the best rates on the market tailored to your business.

Can I use my phone as a card machine?

Yes, and it’s really easy to do so. Just bear in mind that most payment apps can only take keyed-in payments. To take chip-and-pin, swiped, or contactless transactions, you’ll need to purchase additional hardware or choose a payment processor like ProMerchant, which offers a free card reader and an mPOS solution that lets you take contactless payments on any Android or iOS device.

Is there an app to scan credit cards?

Stax’s mPOS app can scan credit cards. You’ll also be able to scan credit cards with the Clover Go mPOS app, which is offered by Leaders Merchant Services (LMS) and POS Pros. It’s a great feature to have to speed up the payment process, and you won’t have to carry a card reader when you’re on the go.