	You might be using an unsupported or outdated browser. To get the best possible experience please use the latest version of Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Microsoft Edge to view this website.

advisor
Business
Best Credit Card Payment Apps

Advertiser Disclosure Updated: Mar 30, 2024, 2:15pm

Best Credit Card Payment Apps Of 2024

Katherine HaanContributor

Katherine Haan is a small business owner with nearly two decades of experience helping other business owners increase their incomes.

Cassie BottorffEditor

Cassie is a deputy editor collaborating with teams around the world while living in the beautiful hills of Kentucky. Focusing on bringing growth to small businesses, she is passionate about economic development and has held positions on the boards of directors of two non-profit organizations seeking to revitalize her former railroad town. Prior to joining the team at Forbes Advisor, Cassie was a content operations manager and copywriting manager.

Katherine Haan,

Katherine HaanContributor

Katherine Haan is a small business owner with nearly two decades of experience helping other business owners increase their incomes.

Cassie Bottorff

Cassie BottorffEditor

Contributor, Editor

Rob WattsManaging Editor, SMB

With over a decade of editorial experience, Rob Watts breaks down complex topics for small businesses that want to grow and succeed. His work has been featured in outlets such as Keypoint Intelligence, FitSmallBusiness and PCMag.

Reviewed

Rob Watts

Rob WattsManaging Editor, SMB

Managing Editor, SMB

Reviewed

Updated: Mar 30, 2024, 2:15pm

Editorial Note: We earn a commission from partner links on Forbes Advisor. Commissions do not affect our editors' opinions or evaluations.

A credit card payment app can help small businesses save time and money, especially if they’re not ready for a full point-of-sale (POS) system, but still need the ability to take credit and debit card payments. The best credit card payment apps offer features such as invoicing, digital receipts and accounting integrations. Other features include the ability to accept Apple Pay and Google Pay, tips and provide support for multiple currencies. There are many credit card payment apps available, and Forbes Advisor did the research to find the best ones.

Best Of

Show Summary

Featured Partners

Stax

First Month Free

$99 per month, 7 cents to 15 cents per transaction plus interchange rate

Stax

On Stax's Website

Finix

Save up to 40% on credit card processing

Transparent subscription-based pricing with 0% markup on interchange fees

Finix

On Finix's Website

Payment Depot

$0 Setup & No Cancellation Fees

Customized Interchange+ Pricing - Rates as low as 0.2% - 1.95%

Payment Depot

On Payment Depot's Website

Paysafe

SAVE or get a $200 gift card + FREE payment equipment*

Industry-low rates starting at $0.15 batch fee + 0% Cash Discount Plans available

Paysafe

On Paysafe's Website

The Best Credit Card Payment Apps Of 2024

Lightspeed POS: Best overall
eHopper POS: Best for tight budgets
Clover: Best for quick-service restaurants
Square POS: Best for a free card reader
SumUp: Best for occasional use
Revel Systems POS: Best for open application programming interface (API)
Erply: Best for low processing fees
Shopify POS: Best for multichannel sellers
PayPal Zettle POS: Best for social selling
Stripe POS: Best for customization

Best Overall

Lightspeed POS

In-person fees start at

2.6% plus 10 cents

Card reader

Custom pricing

On Lightspeed's Website

2.6% plus 10 cents

Custom pricing

Editor's Take

The Lightspeed POS (formerly ShopKeep by Lightspeed) credit card payment app lets you accept payments in store and on the go. Take PCI-compliant payments and receive end-to-end encryption, unlimited fraud monitoring, upfront pricing, third-party integrations and plug-and-play setup. Whether you use the app via mobile or an iPad, you can take all major debit and credit cards, Apple Pay and Google Pay.

Learn More: Read our full Lightspeed POS review.

Who should use it:

Lightspeed POS is a well-rounded option for your credit card payment app needs, but it’s particularly suited for small businesses that need to take credit card payments both in store and on the go.

Pros & Cons

Transparent fees
Discounts for processing over $250,000
Accept Apple Pay and Google Pay

Must use Lightspeed Payments for lowest rates
Hardware pricing not transparent

Best for Quick-Service Restaurants

Clover

In-person fees start at

2.3% plus 10 cents

Card reader

$49

On Clover's Website

2.3% plus 10 cents

$49

Editor's Take

Customers can use the Clover app to order ahead, reorder favorites and pay for their orders on the go. They can also earn and track rewards. Clover integrates with third-party tools, so you can customize your credit card payment experience. It offers a $49 card reader and plans that start at $0 per month. Clover also provides 24/7 customer support.

Learn More: Read our full Clover review.

Who should use it:

Clover is a credit card payment app best suited for quick-service restaurants that want to offer mobile ordering and payments.

Pros & Cons

Has customer loyalty programs
Customers can use the app to reorder their favorite dishes
Integrates with third-party tools

Customers report issues with support

Best for Tight Budgets

eHopper POS

In-person fees start at

Free

Card reader

Free

Via partner site

Free

Editor's Take

The eHopper POS app is available for Android, iOS, Windows PC and Poynt terminal. You’ll get free card processing as well as a free e-commerce site. The POS software is free, and eHopper will send you a free payment terminal so you can take payments on the go. You won’t pay any monthly fees, making it ideal for small businesses on a budget.

Learn More: Read our full eHopper POS review.

Who should use it:

The eHopper POS is a great credit card payment app for small businesses that need to take credit card payments on the go, but don’t want to pay any monthly fees.

Pros & Cons

Free credit card processing
Get notifications when you need to order more inventory
Includes a free payment terminal

Its iOS app doesn’t have great reviews

Best for a Free Card Reader

Square POS

In-person fees start at

2.6% plus 10 cents

Card reader

Free and up

Via partner site

2.6% plus 10 cents

Free and up

Editor's Take

You can use the Square credit card payment app with or without a Square card reader. The free credit card reader plugs into your smartphone’s headphone jack, and you can use it to take credit and debit card payments. Square also offers features such as digital receipts, inventory management and integrations with accounting software.

Learn More: Read our full Square POS review.

Who should use it:

Square is a credit card payment app best suited for businesses that want a free, easy-to-use credit card reader.

Pros & Cons

For a fee, get instant deposits
Offers text message marketing
Send digital invoices

Some user complaints about money getting held up and customer service issues

Best for Occasional Use

SumUp

In-person fees start at

2.75%

Card reader

$39-plus

Read Forbes' Review

2.75%

$39-plus

Editor's Take

With SumUp, you won’t pay a monthly fee. Instead, pay a flat 2.75% for each in-person transaction. Its app is free, and you can send invoices directly from it. Plus, send receipts, handle taxes and customize your catalog. The app comes via iOS and Android, includes a dashboard where you can download reports, and there’s free email and phone support. It takes one to two business days for funds to hit your account.

Learn More: Read our full SumUp review.

Who should use it:

SumUp is a credit card payment app best suited for businesses that only need to take credit card payments occasionally.

Pros & Cons

No monthly fee
The app is free
Includes free email and phone support

Processing fee is higher than most on this list

Best for Open API

Revel Systems POS

In-person fees start at

Custom

Card reader

Custom pricing

Via partner site

Custom

Custom pricing

Editor's Take

Revel Systems has a cloud app as well as an iPad app. The credit card payment software includes features such as inventory management, bill splitting, mobile payments, chip cards, integrations, multiple location management, kitchen management and customizable tech. Its API is open, so you can integrate with the tools you already use.

Learn More: Read our full Revel Systems POS review.

Who should use it:

Revel is a credit card payment app best suited for businesses that need an open API for credit card payments.

Pros & Cons

Customizable
Kitchen management
Accept chip and mobile payments

Onboarding fee of $674-plus
Processing rates and hardware fees aren’t transparent

Best for Low Processing Fees

Erply

In-person fees start at

2.6% plus 10 cents

Card reader

Free

2.6% plus 10 cents

Free

Editor's Take

Erply has many apps: customer display, customer registry, point of sale and Stocktake. Each works to help small businesses with credit card payments, inventory management, sales reporting and a variety of processing fees, depending on which partner it pairs you with. Its point-of-sale app is free and comes with a basic CRM, basic reports, some email support and integrations.

Who should use it:

Erply is a credit card payment app well-suited for businesses that need low processing fees.

Learn more: Read our full Erply pos review.

Pros & Cons

Low processing fees
Offer layaway and split payments
Free hardware

No phone support on free plan

Best for Multichannel Sellers

Shopify POS

In-person fees start at

2.4%

Card reader

$49

On Shopify's Website

2.4%

$49

Editor's Take

Shopify lets you sell credit card payments in person, online and via social media. Its app includes features such as staff management, exchanges, discount codes, off-line cash transactions, unlimited products, reports, analytics, marketing and inventory. Its cheapest plan is Starter, and costs $5 per month, which allows you to sell through social and messaging apps.

Learn More: Read our full Shopify review.

Who should use it:

Shopify is a credit card payment app best suited for businesses that need to sell credit card payments through multiple channels.

Pros & Cons

Sell in person, online and through social/messaging
24/7 support
Build an online store and customers can buy online and pick up in store

No free plan
You pay a monthly fee even if you don’t make a sale

Best for Social Selling

PayPal Zettle POS

In-person fees start at

2.29% plus 9 cents

Card reader

$29-plus

Via partner site

2.29% plus 9 cents

$29-plus

Editor's Take

PayPal Zettle, the replacement for PayPal Here, offers small businesses a quick and easy way to take credit card payments through its app and card reader. Your first reader is $29, and $79 thereafter. It lacks some of the features others on this list have, but it’s simple to use. You can handle your front and back office right from the app, and you can configure discounts on orders before sending off a link to your social media buyer.

Learn More: Read our full PayPal review.

Who should use it:

PayPal Zettle is a credit card payment app best suited for businesses that sell credit card payments through social media channels.

Pros & Cons

No monthly fee
Send invoices
Simple UI

Not as robust as some of its competition
No free card reader

Best for Customization

Stripe POS

In-person fees start at

2.9% plus 9 cents

Card reader

$59-plus

On Stripe's Website

2.9% plus 9 cents

$59-plus

Editor's Take

Stripe comes with a whole host of developer tools to make the app everything your business needs, which is why it’s best recommended for tech-savvy businesses. You can use its pre-built payment forms or create your own, and there are plenty of integrations available. It integrates with third-party tools and allows you to accept payments in more than 135 currencies. You’ll get 24/7 phone, chat and email support, as well as tech support via Discord.

Learn More: Read our full Stripe review.

Who should use it:

Developers or small businesses with in-house tech teams should use Stripe to create a credit card payment app that’s customized to their business.

Pros & Cons

No monthly fee
Supports 135-plus currencies
24/7 phone, chat, email and Discord support

Not as intuitive to use as others on this list
Learning curve is steep

Forbes Advisor Ratings

Company	Forbes Advisor Rating	Best For	In-person fees start at	Card reader	Learn More CTA text	Learn more CTA below text
Lightspeed POS	4.6	Best Overall	2.6% + $0.10	Custom pricing	Learn More	On Lightspeed's Website
eHopper POS	4.5	Best for Tight Budgets	Free	Free	Learn More	Via partner site
Clover	4.5	Best for Quick-Service Restaurants	2.3% + $0.10	$49	Learn More	On Clover's Website
Square POS	4.4	Best for a Free Card Reader	2.6% + $0.10	Free and up	Learn More	Via partner site
SumUp	4.1	Best for Occasional Use	2.75%	$39-plus	Learn More	Read Forbes' Review
Revel Systems POS	4.0	Best for Open API	Custom	Custom pricing	Learn More	Via partner site
Erply	4.0	Best for Low Processing Fees	2.6% + $0.10	Free	View More
Shopify POS	3.9	Best for Multichannel Sellers	2.4%	$49	Learn More	On Shopify's Website
PayPal Zettle POS	3.9	Best for Social Selling	2.29% + $0.09	$29-plus	Learn More	Via partner site
Stripe POS	3.9	Best for Customization	2.9% + $0.30	$59-plus	Learn More	On Stripe's Website

Methodology

To come up with the best credit card payment apps, Forbes Advisor considered dozens of credit card processors and narrowed it down to the ten best, based on factors such as credit card acceptance methods, features, ease of use, customer service and processing fees. We weighted each data point to determine our ranking.

Featured Partners

Stax

First Month Free

$99 per month, 7 cents to 15 cents per transaction plus interchange rate

Stax

On Stax's Website

Finix

Save up to 40% on credit card processing

Transparent subscription-based pricing with 0% markup on interchange fees

Finix

On Finix's Website

Payment Depot

$0 Setup & No Cancellation Fees

Customized Interchange+ Pricing - Rates as low as 0.2% - 1.95%

Payment Depot

On Payment Depot's Website

Paysafe

SAVE or get a $200 gift card + FREE payment equipment*

Industry-low rates starting at $0.15 batch fee + 0% Cash Discount Plans available

Paysafe

On Paysafe's Website

How To Choose a Credit Card Payment App

When choosing a credit card payment app, you’ll want to consider which credit cards are compatible with the app, as well as the credit card processing fees. Some charge higher processing fees, but don’t charge a monthly fee. Others charge a monthly fee and lower processing fees.

You’ll also want to think about the features you need. Some credit card payment apps come with basic features, such as inventory management, sales reporting and integrations. Others come with more robust features, such as customer relationship management (CRM), marketing tools and employee management.

Finally, you’ll want to consider the customer service and support options. Some credit card payment apps offer 24/7 customer support, while others only offer email or chat support during business hours.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Do I need a credit card payment app?

You don’t need a credit card payment app, but it can make it easier to accept credit card payments. If you’re a small business owner, a credit card payment app can help you save time and money. It’s especially useful on the go or when you can’t afford a larger POS system.

How much does a credit card payment app cost?

The cost of a credit card payment app varies. Some credit card processors charge a monthly fee while others charge a per-transaction fee. Some credit card processors charge both a monthly fee and a per-transaction fee.

What are the benefits of using a credit card payment app?

The benefits of using a credit card payment app include the ability to accept credit card payments, save time and money, and access features, such as inventory management, sales reporting and integrations.

Do credit cards process on weekends?

Credit card processing is a 24/7/365 activity, and credit cards are processed on all weekends and holidays. However, merchant deposits typically occur on business days, so credit cards processed on a Friday might not be deposited until the following Monday or Tuesday, depending on the payment processing service’s funding schedule.

Next Up In Business

Information provided on Forbes Advisor is for educational purposes only. Your financial situation is unique and the products and services we review may not be right for your circumstances. We do not offer financial advice, advisory or brokerage services, nor do we recommend or advise individuals or to buy or sell particular stocks or securities. Performance information may have changed since the time of publication. Past performance is not indicative of future results.

Forbes Advisor adheres to strict editorial integrity standards. To the best of our knowledge, all content is accurate as of the date posted, though offers contained herein may no longer be available. The opinions expressed are the author’s alone and have not been provided, approved, or otherwise endorsed by our partners.

Katherine Haan

Contributor

Katherine Haan is a small business owner with nearly two decades of experience helping other business owners increase their incomes.

Cassie Bottorff

Editor

Was this article helpful?

The Forbes Advisor editorial team is independent and objective. To help support our reporting work, and to continue our ability to provide this content for free to our readers, we receive compensation from the companies that advertise on the Forbes Advisor site. This compensation comes from two main sources. First, we provide paid placements to advertisers to present their offers. The compensation we receive for those placements affects how and where advertisers’ offers appear on the site. This site does not include all companies or products available within the market. Second, we also include links to advertisers’ offers in some of our articles; these “affiliate links” may generate income for our site when you click on them. The compensation we receive from advertisers does not influence the recommendations or advice our editorial team provides in our articles or otherwise impact any of the editorial content on Forbes Advisor. While we work hard to provide accurate and up to date information that we think you will find relevant, Forbes Advisor does not and cannot guarantee that any information provided is complete and makes no representations or warranties in connection thereto, nor to the accuracy or applicability thereof. Here is a list of our partners who offer products that we have affiliate links for.

lorem

Are you sure you want to rest your choices?