7 Best Credit Card Payment Apps: 2022

A complicated point-of-sale (POS) system is not required for every company. Credit card payment apps allow you to accept credit card payments on the move or in-store after downloading them to your smartphone or tablet. The majority of them have a card reader, as well as checkout with taxes and receipts.

We looked at a lot of apps to come up with the top seven credit card payment apps for 2021:

• Square is the best credit card payment app overall.
• Zettle (PayPal) is ideal for firms that sell across borders and on social media.
• Shopify is the best option for online companies that need an in-person sales app.
• PayAnywhere is the best option for restaurants, pubs, and food trucks.
• GoPayment by QuickBooks is ideal for freelancers and QuickBooks users.
• Clover is ideal for liquor shops and other high-risk enterprises who wish to choose their own payment processor.
• SumUp is best for solopreneurs and small-business owners.

How Did We Pick the Best Credit Card Apps?

Our researchers have not only studied but also utilized several of these systems. We paired that knowledge with real-world company ratings to discover the most user-friendly and then looked at other critical characteristics for small companies, such as affordability, adaptability, and core functionality.

Because of its simplicity of use and free POS, Square came out on top of our rankings. It’s a versatile software that may be used by hobbyists or full-time retailers that have a shop and an eCommerce website.

25% of the overall score

Features of Card Payment Apps

20% of the overall score

The best credit card payment software, whether for usage or as a POS system, feature cheap transaction costs and no monthly subscriptions. Although no one matched all of our criteria, Square and Payanywhere came the closest, with Clover coming in last.

25% of the overall score

These criteria took into account the platform, fee transparency and ease, and approved payment methods. All the products performed well, but PayPal Zettle was the only one to get a perfect grade.

20% of the overall score

We looked into how quickly you get paid, chargeback policies and costs, integrations, and payment and sales-related business operations.

15% of the overall score

When it comes to receiving payments, ease of use is crucial. We looked to user reviews for feedback from those who had used the system for a long period.

20% of the overall score

This is a value score that considers features, cost, popularity, and other factors such as stability, choices, and user experience. Square grabbed the top with a perfect score of 5, while Payanywhere and SumUp tied for last place with 3.75 points apiece.

Square is the best credit card payment app overall.

Square

4.41 OUT OF 5

Pros

• Simple to use
• There are several integrations.
• Card reader for free
• Free POS

Cons

• Support hours are limited.
• The transaction costs are greater than those of many of the other companies on the list.

Pricing

• A Basic POS system is available for free.
• $60/month for an advanced point-of-sale system
• The processing charge for transactions with a card-present: 2.6 percent + 10 percent per transaction
• The processing cost for keyed-in transactions is 3.5 percent plus 15 percent per transaction.
• Card readers start at $49 and go up from there (the first one free)
• Terminals start at $299.
• For Plus plans, there is a Free trial for 30 days period.

Add Ons:

• $35 per month for Team Plus
• $34 per month in payroll + $5 per employee
• Starts at $15 per month for marketing.
• Starts at $45 per month for a loyalty program.

Square began as a payment processor and has now expanded to include a variety of features, some of which are free and others that require a fee. Nonetheless, it often appears on our rankings of the best software for POS, payment processing, restaurants, hairdressers, and other businesses. It provides POS and inventory software for just payment processing costs, making it a suitable alternative for the solopreneur or hobbyist—a feature shared by many of our credit card applications. It does, however, provide a sufficient toolset for small enterprises, and it can expand with you thanks to its add-ons and connectors.

Square received the top rating of 4.41 out of 5 stars, despite receiving greater ratings on other lists. It received 4 stars or better on every other score and a perfect score from our expert. However, its transaction fees are greater than those of the majority of the companies on our list, resulting in a loss of points.

Features

Although the magstripe reader is free, the chip reader costs $49. (Image courtesy of Square)

• Payment Processing: While Square’s capabilities weren’t ideal, it fared better than the majority of the others on our list. Square provides a fully functional register that works on smartphones, tablets, and point-of-sale devices and includes inventory monitoring, taxes, and discounts, among other features. It also has a built-in webshop. When the internet is unavailable, you may still sell in offline mode.
• Square includes separate systems for stores, restaurants, and appointment-based businesses such as salons and spas, and it’s on our list as the best for all of them. Although the other processors on our list may be utilized in a variety of sectors, Square went out of its way to tailor its systems for consumers.
• Square is ranked No. 1 on our list of top free iPhone credit card readers and No. 27 on our list of best mobile credit card readers, with a 4.8 out of 5 rating based on over 270,000 reviews in the Apple App Store. It has 4.4 stars and over 134,000 ratings on Android. It’s the top-rated mobile POS app among users, as well as the most popular by a factor of ten.
• Square’s free POS and moderate transaction rates make it ideal for the occasional farmer’s market or conference vendor, but it can also scale to meet the needs of the ambitious entrepreneur. Create a POS system, stock it with items, and create customer lists. As your business expands, you can use Square to integrate more services like loyalty and payroll, as well as third-party programs like QuickBooks, Wix, BigCommerce, Zoho, and others.
• Chargeback protection: Among the credit card processors on our list, Square is the only one that waives up to $250 in chargeback costs each month. For a small firm or a solopreneur, this should be enough. The majority of credit card app providers charge per failed transaction, while SumUp charges per dispute to cover bank expenses.
• You don’t have to take our word for it when it comes to ease of use. Of the companies on our list, Square has the most reviews and the greatest user satisfaction score: 4.68 out of 5 on third-party software review sites, and 4.67 on average for mobile.

PayPal Zettle is the best option for social and cross-border transactions.

Zettle by PayPal

4.19 OUT OF 5

Pros

• Processing of international payments
• Very simple to use
• Transaction rates are low.

Cons

• Account freezes.
• There is no offline mode.
• There is no free card reader available.

Pricing

• A Basic POS system is available for free.
• 2.29 percent + 9 percent per transaction for card-present transactions
• 3.49 percent + 9 percent per transaction for keyed-in processing
• Card readers start at $29 and go up from there.
• Terminals start at $249.

PayPal Zettle is an alternative to PayPal Here. This application has received a lot of positive feedback from European users. PayPal is a global payment processing giant, catering to both the solopreneur and worldwide corporation. PayPal is an excellent option for social selling since it can be added practically everywhere. Additionally, you may accept PayPal payments in addition to other forms of payment. This, paired with its completely free system and transaction-only costs, makes it an excellent alternative for both enthusiasts and major corporations.

Zettle has a 4.19 out of 5-star rating from us. Its score was affected by the lack of offline processing, as well as the cost of card readers and customer service. Users rave about Zettle software, but not so much about PayPal.

Pricing

POS: Using PayPal’s payment processing, Zettle’s full POS solution is free. There are no premium plans available, such as Square’s.

Payment Processing: For card-present purchases, PayPal Zettle charges 2.29 percent + 9 cents, and for keyed-in transactions, it charges 3.49 percent + 9 cents. The prices are the most affordable on our list, however, PayPal’s costs will change on August 2, 2021. Its rates are more complicated than others, with rates for online sales, virtual terminal sales, contributions, and countries all having separate rates. These may be found on the price page.

Hardware: Zettle card readers cost $79 for the first one, with the second one reduced to $29. It does not have a free reader like Square or PayAnywhere. Zettle offers hardware POS kits for $249-$399, making them one of the most affordable POS systems on our list. Touch screens, receipt printers, and other accessories are included in the kits.

Features

Contactless, chip and swipe payments are all accepted with the Zettle card reader.

• Online sales: PayPal may be used to collect payments almost anywhere, and your client does not require a PayPal account to do so. As a result, you may collect payments everywhere, from your online shop to a customer’s online chat. Zettle, on the other hand, only works with a few eCommerce platforms to sync online sales.
• PayPal accepts payments in over 200 countries and 100 currencies, while Zettle began in Europe. As a result, it makes it simple to process sales in-store, across borders, and in many currencies.
• Versatility and Scalability: Zettle, like Square, caters to a broad variety of applications. PayPal is used by both hobbyists and huge enterprises, while Zettle is better suited to small firms and solopreneurs.
• PayPal’s Zettle mobile app is available for Android and iOS. It has over 38,600 reviews and a 3.9 rating on Android. It seems to be new to iOS, with just 11 reviews and a 3.9 out of 5 ratings. It is important to remember that it needs iOS 10 or Android 5.0 or later.

Shopify is the best option for online stores that need in-person sales

Shopify

Overall Score: 4.05 OUT OF 5

Pros

• Reliable
• Inventory management software with a large number of options
• Dedicated to eCommerce
• Several integrations

Cons

• Third-party processors are subject to additional fees.
• There are no free POS machines available.
• There is no free card reader available.

Pricing

• $29-$299 per month for a POS system
• The processing charge for cards that are present: 2.4 percent—2.7 percent
• Processing cost for keyed-in transactions starts at 2.4 percent + 30 percent per transaction.
• Card readers start at $29 and go up from there.
• Terminals start at $179.
• Free trial for 14 days

Check out Shopify if you sell more online than in person and need a fully-featured webshop to go with your credit card processing. It’s one of the top eCommerce solutions available today, and it made our list of the best virtual terminals and multichannel POS systems. Square or Zettle, which provide their own shop or link with other eCommerce platforms and have a free POS for in-person sales, are good options if you’re not ready to give up your current internet business or simply need a basic solution.

In our review, Shopify received a 4.05 out of 5 ratings. Its checkout functionality and multichannel sales tools are fantastic. However, it was chastised for charging to utilize a third-party merchant account (as opposed to Clover and Payanywhere), for not having a free card reader, and for charging for chargebacks.

Pricing

POS: You must acquire Shopify’s eCommerce software in order to utilize their credit card processing. Depending on the services you choose, plans range from $29 to $299 per month. If this is too much processing power for you, have a look at the other processors on our list.

Payment Processing: The transaction costs you pay are determined by the plan you choose; the more costly plans have lower rates. You may use your own payment processor, but Shopify will charge you a fee for doing so, which may cancel out the benefit.

Card readers from Shopify start at $29 and include a stand. Chip and swipe is the cheapest option, although touchless is available for $49. The retail kit, which includes a touch screen and a rudimentary card reader, costs $179. They are the most affordable option on the list.

Features

Shopify offers a variety of card readers, with prices beginning at $29. (Image courtesy of Shopify)

• Multichannel sales: The more locations you may offer your products, the more sales and devoted consumers you’ll have. Shopify makes it simple to connect to platforms like eBay, Facebook, and other social and online venues. Several of the applications on our list, such as PayPal, enable you to add a purchase button, but Square also allows for complete integration.
• Want to add a new source of revenue or grow your inventory through dropshipping? Shopify has its own dropshipping company, Oberlo, and interfaces with hundreds of them.
• Reductions on shipping: If you handle mail orders, sell on eBay, or ship a lot of your items, Shopify is worth looking into only for the shipping discounts. There is no other credit card processor on our list that does this, and depending on your volume, you may be able to cover the cost of the software with your savings.
• Protection against credit card fraud: Small companies are more vulnerable to friendly and criminal credit card fraud than big organizations. Machine learning algorithms in Shopify evaluate transactions for questionable charges and alert you to them. It’s one of the most effective POS fraud prevention systems available. Chargebacks, on the other hand, are subject to a fee. If that’s a worry, consider Square, which waives chargeback costs up to $250.
• Shopify’s iOS app has 4.6 out of 5 stars from over 7,000 users. It has 4.1 stars and over 18,400 ratings on Android. This app is either well-liked and well-functioning, or it gets one-star ratings from users who can’t get it to operate properly.

PayAnywhere: Best for Restaurants, pubs, and food trucks

Payanywhere

Overall Score: 4.03 OUT OF 5

Pros

• Chip card reader for free
• Low-ticket transactions get great rates.
• Employee management and scheduling

Cons

• Complaints regarding fees that aren’t disclosed
• Hardware that is too expensive

Pricing

• 2.69 percent card-present processing charge
• Processing cost for keyed-in transactions starts at 3.49 percent plus 19 cents per transaction.
• Card readers start at $29.95. (first is free)
• Terminals are available for rent starting at $9.95 per month.

While Square has a restaurant system, Payanywhere’s POS system has useful features for food businesses ranging from food trucks and hot dog stands to sit-down restaurants, such as split payments and delivery service connections. It has a low card processing cost, particularly for small-ticket purchases. Even better, it is completely free to use for staff scheduling and time monitoring.

Payanywhere has a 4.03 out of 5 ratings, only behind Shopify, but if you don’t need online functionality, Payanywhere may be a better option. It features speedier payment timeframes than the majority of the processors on our list, as well as 24/7 phone and chat assistance. It receives negative feedback from consumers, in part due to unexpected expenses, although users are generally happy with the service.

Monthly fees: Payanywhere offers a free plan, as well as unique pricing options for which you must contact Sales. The pay-as-you-go option is free, but the swipe rate is greater. Custom quotations with cheaper transaction rates are available, however, there are monthly costs. We’ve seen costs as high as $12.95 per month.

Payment Processing: Transaction fees for card-present transactions are 2.69 percent, and 3.49 percent + 19 cents per transaction for card-not-present sales. These are competitive, particularly with card-present payments for low-ticket items. You may also request a personalized quote by calling. It may be less expensive than most of the credit card applications on our list, depending on the number of sales, however, Clover, with its extensive merchant services, may provide better pricing.

Hardware: The first card reader is free; additional card readers cost $29.95 or $49.95 if you want one that also accepts contactless payments. The countertop and portable solutions may be leased or bought outright. Rentals range from $9.95 to $39.95 a month and may include a software price. Prices range from $249 to $1,000, plus software costs, which is a tad high compared to the other systems on our list. Many Clover resellers provide rentals, and other systems, like Square, offer payment plans as well.

Features

• Payanywhere costs just 2.69 percent for card-present transactions, making it more affordable for low-ticket purchases. While this % is larger than the other card processors on our list, Payanywhere may be less expensive when you include it in the flat cents costs. Payanywhere is less expensive than Square if your transactions are often around or below $110. Payanywhere’s current rates are less expensive than Zettle’s for transactions under $22.50.
• Payanywhere’s restaurant features include open tabs, split payments, and tip functionalities, making it a suitable alternative for eateries. It also works with GRUBBRR, a delivery system. Payanywhere is a fantastic alternative to Square for restaurants, and if your tickets are modest, such as in food trucks, you may save money. Offline mode means your restaurant won’t close if the internet goes down, and you’ll be able to carry your food stand with you everywhere you go.
• Staff management: Unlike the majority of the credit card apps on our list, Payanywhere features free employee management capabilities via Homebase. Hiring tools, time clocks, and scheduling, as well as staff sales monitoring, are all included. It’s an excellent asset for a small company or restaurant with a high worker turnover rate.
• Payanywhere offers next-day financing, with a cutoff time of 10 p.m. If you have later hours, you can have a “same-day” funding option with a 10:30 a.m. cutoff time, which means your overnight transactions will be deposited later that day. (Deposits made on Saturday and Sunday will be available on Monday.) This method has the quickest turnaround time of all the systems on our list and, even better, there are no additional costs. Do you need actual same-day funding? You may get it for an extra 1% on every transaction.
• On Android, Payanywhere offers two apps: an SDK app and a POS app. With 4,241 votes, the POS app gets a rating of 3.9 out of 5 stars. (With 9 votes, the SDK app gets 3.7 stars.)

GoPayment: Best accounting software for QuickBooks users and freelancers.

QuickBooks GoPayment

Pros

• QuickBooks is fully integrated.
• Invoicing is included in the package.
• For freelancers, a cost-effective package is available.

Cons

• QuickBooks is required.
• There is no online shop.

Pricing

• $15–$150 each month (for QuickBooks)
• Processing charge in person: 2.4 percent plus $25 per transaction
• Processing cost for keyed-in transactions starts at 3.4 percent + 25 cents per transaction.
• Discounted pricing is available for high-volume customers.
• Card readers start at $49 and go up from there.
• Terminals start at $119
• Free trial for 30 days

QuickBooks is a popular accounting program for both individuals and corporations. It features a payment processor called GoPayment, which you can download on your phone and use on your computer. It’s an excellent option for freelancers, particularly artists, authors, and individuals who work for a company while also producing products to sell. Its accounting and invoicing capabilities make it simple to keep track of both sides of your freelancing business.

On our list, GoPayment received a 4 out of 5 ratings. Overall, it’s a good system. You can do a lot of things using QuickBooks, notably invoicing and bookkeeping. However, GoPayment, like Square, does not operate with any other payment processors, despite the fact that QuickBooks is quite easy to integrate.

Features

The card reader and charger for QuickBooks have a distinctive form. The charger is an additional expense. (Image courtesy of QuickBooks)

• Accounting: QuickBooks is the greatest accounting software on our list, and the freelancer plan is just $15 per month, making it quite reasonable. It’s also a strong accounting system that works with a variety of applications, including the majority of the ones on our list.
• Artists and authors who work on commission or contract as well as sell their tangible works would enjoy the flexibility to send invoices and set up regular payments. When the invoice is seen and paid, you’ll be alerted. Invoices are also available via Square and Shopify.
• B2B: QuickBooks is on our list of top B2B payment systems, and we prefer it for freelancers. It’s a solid contender here, with QuickBooks-integrated invoicing, pricing that favors large-ticket products, and competitive ACH transfer rates.
• You may choose the accounts where particular payments go if you use numerous accounts to keep track of your money. No other payment system on our list is as versatile as this one.
• With over 7,300 votes, the QuickBooks GoPayment app for Android has a rating of 4.2 out of 5 stars. Users awarded it 4.8 stars and over 6,000 reviews in the Apple store. It is tied for the best-rated iOS app on our list with Square.

Clover: Best choice for liquor stores, CBD, vape shops, and other high-risk businesses.

Clover

3.72 OUT OF 5

Pros

• A payment processor.
• Offline mode
• Used on a global scale

Cons

• It doesn’t keep track of its resellers.
• Add-ons are required.

Pricing

• $9.95-$39.95/month for the first device ($69.95/month with Table Service) POS system
• The processing charge for transactions with a card-present: 2.7 percent + 10 percent per transaction
• The processing cost for keyed-in transactions is 3.5 percent plus ten percent per transaction.
• Card readers start at $99 and go up from there.
• Terminals start at $499.
• 30-day free trial

Prices may vary depending on the reseller.

Clover is one of the most popular POS systems in the world, because of its ability to resell its technology to hundreds of merchant services. As a consequence, you can select a payment processor that utilizes Clover for its credit card processing software if you operate in a high-risk business. However, it’s also a great technique for general usage, so don’t dismiss it if you sell more everyday things.

Clover received a 3.72 out of 5-star rating. The number of resellers it works with has an impact on the quality of its credit card processing agreements and chargeback procedures. It received great grades for features in terms of the processor and POS software, despite the fact that it does not handle certain services such as subscriptions. Aside from the comparatively low POS cost, Clover’s transaction rates and hardware fees, as listed on Fiserv, make it one of the most expensive systems on our list, earning it a 2.5 pricing grade.

Features

• Clover is popular among liquor stores, vape shops, and CBD retailers, and specialized websites often promote it in their lists of recommended systems. Square, too, enters similar lists, albeit it does not deal with high-risk accounts. Its security measures and add-ons (some of which are exclusive to Clover) are highly regarded. Furthermore, the POS systems have a camera, allowing you to scan IDs without using a barcode scanner.
• Clover hardware syncs quickly, allowing you to start a transaction on your handheld and finish it at the cash register. Other systems may sync inventory and sales, but just a handful offer this seamless transition.
• Customizable receipts: While the other credit card processors on our list allow you to generate and send digital receipts, Clover goes a step further by allowing you to include coupons, feedback requests, and other features.
• Clover is unusual in that it offers two POS systems: Clover Go G1 and Clover Go G2, which also includes a dashboard. Clover Go G2 performs better on Apple, with a 4.6 out of 5 average user rating and over 10,800 ratings. Clover is one of the best free iPhone credit card readers on our list of the top free iPhone credit card readers. Meanwhile, G1 performs better on Android, with 4.5 out of 5 stars and 2,000+ reviews compared to 3.4 stars and 425 reviews for G2.

SumUp: Best for solopreneurs and merchants with low volume.

SumUp

3.71 OUT OF 5

Pros

• Links to social media
• Invoicing

Cons

• There is no hardware for a POS register.
• Limited support
• Integrations are limited.

Pricing

• $0 in monthly expenses
• 2.75 percent card-present processing charge
• 3.25 percent + 15 percent per transaction for keyed-in processing
• Card readers start at $19.
• Terminals start at $119.
• Money-back guarantee for 30 days

SumUp may be ideal if you require a simple payment processor with just the essentials. It’s a dependable, uncomplicated credit card processor that accepts payments by stripe, chip, and contactless. If you like, you may create an inventory or just handle charges manually with notes. The cost is reasonable, particularly for low-volume and low-ticket purchases. As a result, it’s ideal for amateurs who sell on the side at farmers’ markets or conventions, or in tiny, low-volume kiosks.

SumUp received a 3.71 out of 5 ratings. Clover is great for bigger, busier businesses, while SumUp caters to individuals. It has respectable user ratings, but not as high as some of the others on our list, which hampered its ranking, as did the fact that you had to buy your own card reader.

Pricing

Payment Processing: Its 2.75 percent card-present cost is a bit higher than the others on our list, but the flat rate, rather than percentage-plus-cents, makes it a better value for low-ticket purchases. In this regard, it’s similar to Shopify and Payanywhere, but at a cheaper cost.

Hardware: The card reader costs $19, which is less than the majority of the other items on our list, particularly given it accepts tap as well as chip and swipe payments. However, there isn’t a free reader available. In addition, there is no POS hardware. There are portable card readers, but a tablet is required for a registration system.

Features

SumUp’s readers are $19 apiece and can handle contactless, virtual, swipe, and chip payments. (Image courtesy of SumUp)

• SumUp’s simple methodology and simple card reader make it a convenient tool for accepting payments anywhere. Capterra users rate the ease of use as 4.9 out of 5 stars. The software is described as “stylish and intuitive.”
• Stick to the fundamentals: Not everyone needs a sophisticated point-of-sale system. SumUp allows you to produce personalized receipts, enter inventory with categories and variations, and program in taxes, but it lacks a lot of bells and whistles that take up memory on your tablet or time to master. It includes a few sales reports that provide the most crucial data for calculating profits and losses.
• Cheaper for low-ticket sales: Like Payanywhere, it has low-ticket sales rates. If the amount of your transactions is less than $67, you’ll save money compared to Square. SumUp is less expensive for transactions under $20 when compared to Zettle’s existing pricing.
• SumUp’s mobile app is available for Android and iOS, with 3.5 out of 5 stars (almost 42,000 ratings) and 3.3 out of 5 stars (about 300 reviews), respectively. These are decent ratings, but they are the lowest of our credit card payment applications.

Conclusion

Whether you’re a brick-and-mortar shop with an online store or an artist selling your wares at the local flea market, credit card applications can help you accept payments and keep track of your sales. They may be as basic as SumUp, which just accepts money and moves on, or as complicated as Zettle, which manages social selling and international sales.