7 Best Credit Card Readers for Android: Go Mobile in 2025

Accepting payments on the go is no longer a luxury – it’s essential. From food trucks and market stalls to mobile repair services and pop-up shops, Android phones have become a powerful hub for running a business. But turning that phone into a reliable point-of-sale system is where things can get complicated.

There are many credit card readers built for Android, but not all of them deliver a smooth checkout experience. Some readers only support certain payment types, others can’t operate offline, and a few don’t even work with newer Android versions. You don’t want to waste money on a device that doesn’t deliver.

To save you time (and money), I researched the best credit card readers for Android. My top recommendation is Paysafe’s Android credit card reader, which you can actually receive for free with a merchant account. Plus, you’ll get low transaction fees and payment support in 120+ markets.

You can get started with Paysafe now or keep reading to learn more about my other top picks.

What We Look For in the Best Credit Card Readers for Android

While the features you need in a mobile card reader will vary depending on your business needs, some can make or break a device’s usefulness. Here are the features I kept an eye out for.

• Portability. The best mobile card readers are lightweight and easy to carry, which is ideal when taking payments on the go. Every payment processor on my list offers at least one easily portable Android mobile card reader. If you need a full POS device, many offer bulkier (but more feature-heavy) mobile terminals.
• Connectivity. Mobile credit card readers typically connect to your device via Bluetooth or headphone jack. However, many modern Android smartphones don’t have a headphone jack. I’ve prioritized Bluetooth mobile readers, but I’ve included a headphone jack device for businesses that use older smartphone models.
• User-friendly app. Most mobile credit card readers must be connected to a mobile POS (mPOS) app on your Android smartphone to work. My recommended payment processors offer feature-packed and intuitive mPOS apps that make accepting payments on the go easy.
• Pricing. Typically, compact mobile credit card readers cost significantly less than a full POS card terminal, making them an affordable option for all businesses. The processors that made the cut offer budget-friendly Android mobile readers and competitive rates.

1. Paysafe: Best Readers for Small Businesses Selling High-Ticket Items Globally

Paysafe’s free EMV mobile reader is well-suited to low-volume, high-value transactions. The free Android mPOS app is compatible with Android 8+ and processes chip and magnetic stripe payments, but not contactless. While you can purchase a Glover Go to cover this, customers purchasing high-ticket items like antiques, luxury goods, or one-to-one coaching may prefer the former, more secure payment methods.

You can also keep your payment processing costs low thanks to Paysafe’s low transaction fees starting at 0.99% + 25¢ (debit cards) (debit cards), with monthly fees of around $16.00. Additionally, Paysafe supports processing in over 120 markets and multiple currencies, positioning it as an ideal partner for companies aiming to reach a global customer base.

Selling high-value items increases your risk of fraudulent attempts. Thankfully, with Paysafe’s Encytro Advantage program, you can get reimbursed for covered fraudulent and other types of chargebacks. This costs a flat monthly fee per location instead of paying for every chargeback, which can work out cheaper in the long term.

Features and Benefits

• On-the-go management. The Paysafe Mobile Pay app allows you to manage inventory and transactions directly from your Android device. You can also access reports, issue refunds, and send SMS and email receipts, among other operations.
• Vindicia software. Paysafe partners with Vindicia, a sophisticated platform for managing subscriptions and recovering payments. It allows you to automate subscription-based billing to support cash flow and automatically recover up to 50% of failed credit card transactions.
• 250+ payment methods. Paysafe accepts various payment methods, including credit and debit cards, digital wallets, EFT, ACH, and multiple local payment methods, catering to diverse customer preferences.
• High-risk merchant accounts. Paysafe serves various high-risk industries like crypto, forex, and gaming, offering tailored solutions that address specific payment processing challenges.

Read our expert Paysafe review for more information.

2. Leaders Merchant Services: Best Android Credit Card Readers for Versatile Needs

Leaders Merchant Services (LMS) offers two standout Android options: the Clover Go and SwipeSimple mobile readers. Clover Go is especially beneficial if you want to accept a wider variety of payment methods, including checks. Clover Go becomes an affordable, space-efficient countertop POS when mounted on the Go Dock, ideal if you don’t need a complete POS station.

While Clover Go supports offline processing, SwipeSimple extends this capability, storing transactions for up to 30 days. This feature makes SwipeSimple ideal for businesses operating remotely, such as food trucks, street vendors, fair sellers, and home repair services.

LMS allows you to negotiate your plan. If you process elsewhere, it promises to meet or beat your current rates. If it can’t, you’ll get a $200 gift card. LMS’s monthly fees are around $9.00, and its per-transaction fees of ~0.15% + $0 are among the lowest rates in the industry. You can also get your equipment for free, but only if you sign a long-term contract.

Features and Benefits

• Free Android POS apps. The Clover Go and SwipeSimple apps allow you to create and send invoices, view transactions, monitor your business performance, and handle various tasks directly from your Android device.
• Flexible order management. The Clover Go app lets you open, edit, and delete items or take payments later without needing to close out a transaction and start over. This feature saves you time and lets you take payments faster.
• One-touch tipping function. The one-touch tipping function on Clover Go is particularly useful for restaurants, taxi services, and hair and beauty services, among others. On top of facilitating quick and easy tipping for customers, you can also process full or partial refunds, returns, and exchanges swiftly.
• Prolonged functionality. The SwipeSimple mobile card readers have a long battery life. You can process between 600 and 1,000 transactions before recharging your card reader. This longevity ensures you can serve customers efficiently throughout the day without interruption.

Read our expert Leaders Merchant Services review for more details.

3. PaymentCloud: Free Android Card Reader for High-Risk Businesses

PaymentCloud offers 5 free mobile card readers to choose from, helping you minimize up-front costs. These include Payanywhere 3‑in‑1, SwipeSimple B200, SwipeSimple B250, Walker 2.0, or Walker C2X. All five support Android and let you accept magnetic‑stripe and chip (EMV) payments, while the Payanywhere and SwipeSimple B250 can handle contactless payments.

The Payanywhere 3-in-1, SwipeSimple B200, and SwipeSimple B250 all support offline payments, making them perfect for outdoor events or remote locations. However, if you’ve got a decent internet connection, then the Walker card readers have the strongest battery life, supporting 4,000+ transactions on a single charge.

PaymentCloud has a specialized plan for high‑risk businesses. Its per-transaction fee is 3.95% + 15¢, and the monthly fee is $14.00. While these rates are slightly higher than standard plans, they reflect the increased risk typically involved in servicing high-risk industries.

Features and Benefits

• High approval rate. PaymentCloud approves approximately 98% of applications from high‑risk businesses, so there’s a good chance it will accept your business even if you’ve been rejected elsewhere.
• Great Android compatibility. SwipeSimple devices are compatible with Android 5+, and Payanywhere 3-in-1 works with versions 5.1+. This gives you plenty of options to use with older devices.
• Fraud prevention and protection. You get fraud tools like IP tracking, automatic alerts, temporary payment holds, AVS/CVV validation, 3D Secure, and consumer data tracking. You also get chargeback protection and help with settling disputes.
• Business integrations. PaymentCloud integrates with dozens of tools, including Shopify, WordPress, Slack, HubSpot, WooCommerce, and BigCommerce. These integrations help streamline operations and keep your business workflows connected.

See our expert PaymentCloud review for more information.

4. CardX: Best Credit Card Reader for Surcharges

CardX offers the MagTek card reader for processing credit and debit card transactions, and it’s compatible with Android 4.4+. When customers pay with a credit card, they incur a 3.5% customer surcharge surcharge to cover your payment processing fees. However, if they use their debit card, you will only have to pay a modest fee of 1% + 25¢.

CardX’s technology detects debit cards in real time, so even if a customer mistakenly selects “credit” and skips PIN entry, the system still treats it as debit and avoids applying a surcharge. This helps you lower the risk of compliance issues and provides a smoother checkout flow that doesn’t require manual verification.

The Magtek card reader doesn’t support contactless payments like Apple Pay and comes with a one-time cost of $120. While I would have preferred CardX to offer at least one free reader, it does allow you to buy its hardware outright, rather than rent it on a monthly basis.

Features and Benefits

• Custom POS terminal & software. In addition to the card reader, CardX provides a Verifone VX520 POS terminal with EMV Quick Chip and its proprietary software pre-installed. There’s a $35 monthly rental fee for this POS terminal, though.
• Free signage for surcharge disclosure. CardX gives you free signage that clearly explains your surcharging policy, helping you maintain transparency and compliance with credit card network rules.
• Consolidated payments. CardX consolidates the purchase price and credit card surcharge into a single, seamless charge, meeting the requirements set by credit card networks. This unified amount appears as one line item on your customers’ credit card statements, ensuring clarity and minimizing confusion.
• CardX Lightbox. For online payments, CardX Lightbox lets you embed a payment form that pops up within your site. Customers don’t leave your page to pay, which improves conversion.

Read our comprehensive CardX review for more features.

5. Stax: A Great All-in-One Mobile Payment Solution

If you need a comprehensive and flexible mPOS solution, then Stax is a great option. Stax offers a free ChipperTM 2X BT mobile reader when you sign up. The Chipper mobile reader accepts EMV, swiped, and contactless payments, making it suitable for almost all kinds of businesses. On top of that, this pocket-sized Bluetooth reader is convenient to carry around wherever you go.

If the Chipper doesn’t work for your business, Stax also offers a free terminal instead of the Chipper reader. It has many Dejavoo options, from modern touchscreen mobile terminals to more traditional keypad options. You can purchase the industry-leading Clover Flex if you need a state-of-the-art mPOS device.

Whether you get a mobile card reader or a mobile terminal (except for Clover), your monthly fee will cover the software you need to accept payments on the go. However, starting at $99.00, Stax’s monthly fee may be considered pricey if you process less than $8,000 a month. Still, businesses processing a high volume of card sales can potentially save up to 40% with Stax thanks to its low transaction fees of just 8¢ + interchange (in-person).

Features and Benefits

• Invoicing. The Stax Pay app allows you to create and manage invoices on the go. By assigning payments to invoices on the app, you can save yourself (or your office team) hours of administrative time. You can also set up recurring invoices and scheduled payments, giving your customers even more options on how they can pay.
• Device flexibility. If you’ve already got a Bluetooth mobile card reader, don’t worry – you can still use this with Stax Pay. This makes Stax a great option even if you already have all the mobile card readers you need.
• Industry-leading security. Stax is Level 1 PCI compliant, so your mobile payments are protected by end-to-end encryption and tokenization of all sensitive information. Stax’s software is also HIPAA compliant, making Stax Pay an ideal solution for healthcare providers.
• Digital receipts. Whenever you take a payment using the Stax Pay app, you can send a receipt via text or email. Even better, you can customize your receipts with your company’s branding and contact information.

Read our comprehensive Stax review to see more mobile solutions.

6. Payment Depot: Best Mobile Reader for Inconsistent Card Volumes

Payment Depot offers the SwipeSimple B250 card reader, which connects to your Android device via Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. It accepts contactless, EMV, Quick Chip, and magnetic stripe payments.

Thanks to its offline functionality, the SwipeSimple B250 is ideal for your business if you regularly work in rural areas. Whenever you set the mPOS app to Offline Mode, SwipeSimple will store all payments taken on your mobile card reader and automatically process them when you reconnect to your cellular network or Wi-Fi.

Payment Depot’s interchange+ model is great for businesses with fluctuating sales. With zero monthly fees and transparent rates ranging from 0.2%-1.95%, you’ll always know exactly what each transaction costs, without the burden of fixed expenses. That said, Payment Depot may not be the best fit for businesses that depend on rapid cash flow, as it doesn’t offer same-day payouts.

Features and Benefits

• Free Dejavoo terminals. Payment Depot includes a free Dejavoo terminal with every plan. These support EMV chip, magstripe, NFC/contactless, and mobile wallet payments like Samsung Pay and Apple Pay. It’s also compatible with Android 5+, so it will suit most phones and tablets.
• 24/7 risk monitoring team. Payment Depot’s team constantly tracks shifts in banking regulations and emerging fraud tactics to alert you to potential threats and offer solutions before issues arise.
• Fast and easy onboarding. You get a quick setup, with no long contracts, cancellation fees, or major delays. Within 24 hours, you can be up and running with your mobile reader and terminal.
• E-commerce integrations. Payment Depot connects with major gateways and platforms like Authorize.Net, Stripe, PayPal, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, and Shopify.

Read our expert Payment Depot review for more info.

7. Chase Payment Solutions: Same-Day Funding for a Small Extra Fee

Chase Payment Solutions is a good choice for small businesses that need quick access to their money. Through Chase QuickAccept, you get same-day payouts if you deposit your Android mobile transactions into a Chase Business Banking account. Or, if you’re happy to wait a little longer, you’ll get next-day payouts as standard, even without a Chase banking account.

Your Business Banking account includes the Chase Card Reader, which accepts tap and dip payments and keyed-in payments through the Chase POS app. Compatible with Android 8 and above, it can process 120 transactions on a single charge and recharges in as little as one hour. It’s an ideal solution for selling goods at craft fairs or taking deposits from customers.

To use Chase QuickAccept, note that you need a Chase Business Complete Banking account that costs $15/month. However, you can reduce this fee (and completely negate it!) by accepting payments through Chase QuickAccept, which is a great deal for small field services businesses.

Features and Benefits

• Two-in-one mPOS app. Chase’s mPOS app allows you to manage transactions, create and send payment links, and more. It also doubles as your banking app, so you can manage all your business’s finances in one place.
• Two mPOS options. On top of Chase’s proprietary mPOS app, you’ll also be able to use Authorize.net – you’ll just have to purchase an Authorize.net reader separately.
• Low-cost mobile reader. The Chase Card Reader is only $90, which makes it one of the most affordable options on the market. The only downside is that the Chase Mobile Checkout app, which you’ll need to control the reader, is only compatible with Android 12+.
• Industry-specific software. Chase also offers several industry-specific software, including invoicing, event management, and subscription management tools. These work with Chase’s payment processing to fully optimize your payment process.

Get more information in our in-depth Chase Payment Solutions review.

What’s the Best Credit Card Reader for Android?

One of the great things about Android card readers is that many payment processors offer them for free or at a discount. However, it’s not always easy to know which options actually provide a smooth checkout flow, hassle-free transactions, and compatibility with modern Android versions. That’s why I’ve done the hard work of researching the best options for you.

If you sell high-value items at low volumes, Paysafe offers a free EMV Android card reader and low transaction fees, helping you maximize profits. It also supports international processing in 120+ markets, making it easy for your business to cater to a global customer base.

If you’re looking for the lowest possible rates tailored to your business, LMS offers Clover Go and SwipeSimple card readers and is willing to negotiate prices. Plus, if you already have a payment processor, LMS guarantees to match or beat your current processing fees.

For those operating in high-risk industries, PaymentCloud provides a free Android card reader from a range of 5 options – and a 98% approval rate. It also has a specialized plan for high-risk businesses.

FAQ

Which credit card readers work with Android phones?

Paysafe gives you a free EMV mobile reader. You can connect it to your device with Paysafe’s Mobile Pay app on Android versions 8.0 and above to process chip and magnetic stripe card payments.

Which card reader has no monthly fee?

You can get most credit card readers for a one-time fee. Some payment processors even provide mobile readers for free to their merchants. For instance, PaymentCloud offers 5 free card readers to choose from, including PayAnywhere 3-in-1, SwipeSimple B250, and Walker C2X.

Can Android phones read credit cards?

Yes, Android phones can read credit cards if you connect them to a mobile credit card reader that’s compatible with your current Android version. Some payment processors even offer apps that let you capture card details without a reader. Depending on your chosen mPOS solution, you can use your Android phone to swipe, dip, or tap customers’ cards.

Do Square card readers work with Android?

Yes, but I don’t recommend using Square. Square’s mobile card readers are proprietary (i.e., you can only use them with Square), and the service isn’t too reliable. You’ll end up paying some of the most expensive interchange rates on the market, too. You’re better off using Leaders Merchant Services if you need low, negotiable processing fees and a versatile Android card reader.

How do I get a free mobile credit card reader?

Most of our top recommended payment providers will give you a free mobile card reader when you open a merchant account. This is usually on the condition that you return the reader if you close your account. For more options, see our list of providers of free credit card readers.