7 Best Mobile Credit Card Processing Solutions of 2024

As a small business owner with small sales tickets, one of the best payment processing options available to you is the mobile credit card processor. Freelancers, sole proprietors, and other small businesses use the mobile credit card processing solution because of its numerous business advantages.

Some of these benefits include no monthly or annual fees (you only pay a processing fee for each transaction) and no mandatory long-term contract obligation.

The cost of setting up and running a mobile credit card processor is low, you do not need to buy any costly equipment. All you need is a card reader and a mobile payment processing app.

Mobile credit card processors allow businesses to accept card payments from any location in the world with a smartphone. With so many mobile credit card processing solutions in the market, choosing a reliable and beneficial one can be a challenge.

Reading mobile credit card processor reviews can help you find the best mobile merchant services for your business needs.

In this article, you will learn about 7 of the best mobile credit card processors and the critical features to look out for before choosing an option. You will also get detailed information about mobile credit card processing fees and rates and mobile credit card readers.

Let’s get started.

Best Mobile Credit Card Processing Solutions

1. Square

Best Credit Card Processing App that Offers Multiple Fee Waivers

Square is a general mobile payment processing service founded in 2009 by Jim McKelvey and Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey. With services suitable for small businesses that need a simple processing solution and brick-and-mortar shops, Square presents the whole business industry with multiple credit card payment processing and point-of-sale (POS) solutions.

After signing up with the payment processing solution, Square’s mobile payment software is free to download with no monthly fees charged for your mobile payment processing. This makes the solution beneficial to start-ups and new businesses.

Square offers a variety of business tools, including payroll software, business banking and loans, and website template options. You also enjoy multiple integrations through the payment processing app as well as Payment Card Industry (PCI) compliant services, meaning all your transactions are secured.

Pricing

Square’s mobile card processing services come through three pricing schemes: In-person Payments, Remote Payments, and Custom Builds. The in-person payment option is suitable for businesses that accept payment through a POS.

The remote payments option is great for businesses that accept payments through websites, invoices, or phones, while the custom builds option offers you APIs and SDKs to manage payments in-person, in-app, and online.

There are no extra startup fees, authorization fees, refund fees, PCI-compliance fees, statement fees, or business card fees charged by the payment processing software. The same rate is charged for all types of credit cards.

Square follows a flat-rate pricing structure, where a set percentage plus a few cents are charged per transaction no matter the total sale amount or type of credit card used.

Variations only exist depending on the type of transaction you process; whether online, in-person, or keyed-in transaction. In-person sales attract the lowest fixed processing fees. Square also provides discounts for certain high-volume clients

2. PayPal Credit Card Processing

Best Mobile Credit Card Processor for Cross-Border E-Commerce Transactions

One of the more popular names on the list, PayPal is a payment solution founded in 1998 that offers mobile credit card processing services for small businesses that wish for a simple payment processing experience.

This credit card processor for phones is offered through its PayPal Checkout solution. PayPal remains a great option for businesses that conduct business overseas as it is available in more than 200 countries and supports more than two dozen currencies.

Through PayPal’s Business app, you manage all your transactions on the go, including crucial aspects of your company such as sales tracking, invoicing, and access to customer information on your phone or tablet.

A wide range of integrations for business software and hardware are also offered by the payment solution. These include point-of-sale (POS) systems like Vend and Lavu and accounting software like Intuit QuickBooks.

PayPal does not give you 24/7 phone support, however, you still enjoy 24/7 message center support. Some of the best PayPal alternatives include Due, Stripe, Dwolla, Apple Pay, and Payoneer.

Pricing

PayPal also implements an easy-to-understand fixed-rate pricing structure without accompanying monthly fees. However, some additional features come at a cost. These include fraud protection, recurring payments, and buyer authentication services.

When you use the PayPal Here App with a card reader for in-person sales, it costs 2.7% per transaction. For online transactions, PayPal charges 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction.

3. SumUp

Best Mobile Credit Card Processing Solution that Offers High Security Through Multiple Compliance Certifications

Another reliable payment solution on the list, SumUp provides you with a free mobile application to directly send remote payments and invoices. You can also additionally customize your product catalog, taxes, and receipts with the free app.

Processing your mobile credit card transactions with SumUp remains safe and secure as the service operates following the multiple security standards in the card payment industry.

SumUp offers a card reader which you purchase separately without any rental contract. Alongside a one-year warranty, you enjoy zero recurring costs, free delivery of the device, and compatibility with iOS and Android apps. You also have access to a free dashboard and reporting features, direct payouts to your bank account within 1-2 days, and through telephone and email.

Pricing

SumUp’s mobile credit card processing services are available to you through three options: In-Person, Remote, and Invoicing. The In-person plan is suitable for swipe, chip, or contactless POS transactions and is accompanied by a flat 2.75% fee.

The remote plan is best for payments made through phones or payment links. The invoicing plan is suitable for additional invoice processing services through the SumUp App. You enjoy a 30-day money-back guarantee on the purchase of a card reader.

4. Clover

Best Mobile Credit Card Processor for Restaurants

Clover is another service that offers highly competent point-of-sale (POS) systems, payment processing, customer engagement, and employee management tools and solutions. It has facilitated the processing of over 400 million unique credit card transactions in 2020 alone.

This mobile credit card processing solution is available in countries outside the United States, including Canada, Austria, Germany, United Kingdom, Ireland, and Argentina. Alongside its virtual payment management terminal through mobile applications, you have access to a variety of POS devices and accessories.

You have access to multiple integrations with multiple accounting and payroll software as well as dedicated solutions for restaurant owners. These include a Clover Online Ordering feature, 3rd-party order and delivery options, and a scan to order feature where your guests scan a QR code to browse through your digital menu.

Clover additionally comes with features like rewards programs, bar tabs, and inventory management options. It offers a variety of POS systems ranging from terminals to portable devices.

With the Clover Go app, available on Google Play and Apple App stores, you take payments from anywhere. Your customers get to place orders or participate in your loyalty program.

Pricing

Clover features a flat-rate pricing structure and its services are only available through two plans: Clover Essentials and Clover Register.

Clover Essentials payment processing cost 2.6% + $0.10 per transaction for in-person transactions and 3.5% + $0.10 for each keyed-in transaction. Clover Register payment processing costs 2.3% + $0.10 per transaction for in-person transactions and 3.5% + $0.10 for each keyed-in transaction.

Clover has different credit card hardware plans: the flex plan, the go plan, the mini-plan, and the shop station plan. The flex plan offers you a mobile app and costs $69. The go plan comes with a card reader that allows you to swipe and tap payments from your phone. It costs $499.

The mini-plan is accompanied by a compact, fully-featured device. Its pricing starts at $749. The shop station plan offers you its largest and fastest POS system. Its pricing starts at $1,349. All devices are fully purchased while Clover collects fees on transactions. You also enjoy a 60-day return and refund grace.

5. Stax by Fattmerchant

Best Mobile Credit Card Processing Solution with Extended Functionality and Add-ons Through Advanced API

Stax by Fattmerchant is a Florida-based payment technology company that offers mobile credit card processing solutions for a variety of business types. With this service, monthly fees exist, however, this is complemented with very low transaction costs.

Alongside integrated e-commerce support, Stax presents you with a variety of card readers and point-of-sale (POS) systems for purchase. You enjoy integrations with a variety of online payment gateways as well as optional add-ons like integrations with QuickBooks and your online store.

Some other add-ons include card organization options, sales tracking, and capabilities to create branded websites and receipts.

Stax provides 24/7 phone support to all tiers of customers as well as application programming interfaces (APIs) to integrate Stax with a variety of other business software. This credit card processor for phones helps you to properly streamline your business workflow through APIs.

Pricing

Stax adopts a subscription-plus-fixed-rate transaction model. Pricing comes through multiple plans split across three solution categories: small business, large business, and SaaS platforms.

Large business pricing is accompanied by a payments API and advanced analytics. SaaS platform pricing is additionally characterized by risk management services and mobile SDKs, among others. All prices are determined by a quote.

6. Shopify Payments

Best Mobile Credit Card Processing Solution for Shopify Stores

A popular e-commerce platform, Shopify, offers you a suite of services which includes its reliable built-in payment processor, Shopify Payments. Shopify payments allow you to accept credit cards and other payment methods both online or in-person. It is automatically part of your tools if you have an active Shopify account. 

Shopify Payments is PCI compliant and supports 3D secure checkouts, meaning you enjoy extremely secured encrypted payment services.

Although the mobile credit card processor is best suited for businesses with an online presence, options exist for brick-and-mortar retailers through point-of-sale software and hardware.

Shopify supports a variety of traditional credit card brands including Discover, Visa, American Express, Apple Pay, and Google Pay. It also accepts payments in different currencies and gives you transparent access to a complete history of your sales and payments.

Pricing

Shopify Payments automatically accompanies your Shopify account and, due to this, pricing is determined by the Shopify plan you subscribe to.

Shopify’s pricing plans include a basic Shopify plan suited for new businesses, a Shopify plan for growing businesses, and an advanced Shopify plan for scaling businesses. All plans come with a fraud analysis feature and fixed online and in-person credit card rates.

7. Payment Depot

Best Mobile Credit Card Processing Solution with Integrations with Multiple eCommerce Platforms

Processing over $4 billion in transactions per year, Payment Depot is a payment processing service suitable for a variety of industries including retail, B2B, e-commerce, medical, legal, accounting, and other professional services.

Monthly fees exist but transaction processing rates are low and Payment Depot provides free credit card terminals to its customers. Depending on the plan you chose, a point-of-sale (POS) system is provided to you and, if you already own a POS system compatible with Payment Depot, it is reprogrammed for you for free.

You also get to use a virtual terminal offering credit card processing options through a web browser. Users also enjoy integrations with Shopify, Open Cart, Quickbooks, PrestaShop, 3D Cart, BigCommerce, WooCommerce, and Magento, among others.

Pricing

Payment Depot’s credit card processing services are offered through three plans: starter membership plan, most popular membership plan, and enterprise membership plan.

The most popular membership plan comes with breach protection, while the enterprise membership plan additionally comes with a dedicated account manager.

What Features Do I Need to Look For in the Best Mobile Credit Card Processing Solution?

Your credit card processing solution is a very important aspect of running your business, just as important as the bank you work with. Apart from the fees charged or types of cards the processing service is compatible with, a few factors serve as popular characteristics of the top mobile credit card processing solutions in the market.

1. Fraud Protection and Security

Security, especially when it comes to financial activities, is the most important aspect of running a business on the internet. The existence of hackers on the internet is not a new concept. To protect yourself and your customers from credit card fraud, you need to choose a processor that provides sufficient security solutions for your transactions.

Spotting secure solutions have been made a fairly easy task thanks to the existence of different regulatory bodies. Certificates of PCI compliance and EMV compliance are great indications of reliable credit card processing services.

Some other security options that assure you of secure transactions include security code input requirements or the collection of a customer’s zip code before the transaction is completed.

The continual adoption of evolving security technologies is also an indication of consistent security. These technologies, as we have today, include biometrics, tokenization, and end-to-end encryptions.

A mobile credit card processing solution that offers insurance to cover worst-case scenarios also helps you avoid irretrievable financial losses for both you and your customers.

2. Great Customer Support

This is one feature that could only be truly measured through the reviews of other business owners making use of the payment processing solution. However, good customer support, which is responsive, readily available, and offered through real human communication, could also be indicated by the existence of advanced customer support options.

Alongside offering support through chat, email, and international call centers for troubleshooting issues, the top mobile credit card processing solutions additionally offer enhanced assistance. These enhanced support options include onboarding and activation, and regular interviews of business owners to help with any difficulties not reported.

3. Additional Services

Payments through credit cards are not the only way transactions are facilitated over the internet. Therefore, choosing a service that comes with other payment processing solutions for debit cards and invoices helps you create a more seamless financial workflow. Credit card processors should accept mobile credit card payments.

Some other additional services that also prove to be beneficial include credit lines and loans, payroll management, inventory organization, employee management, external platform integrations, and customer engagement options.

Regardless of all these features, the best mobile credit card processing solution is one that caters to your peculiar business needs.

Choosing a mobile credit card processing solution is dependent on the type and size of your business, your cash flow, level of reinvestment, payroll, expenses, and other transactional outflows involved in running your business. Therefore, features to look out for in a mobile credit card processing solution need to sufficiently cover these peculiarities.

Mobile Credit Card Processing Fees and Rates

Mobile credit card processing services generally operate a fee structure that is cheaper and smaller than that of their full-service counterparts.

Unlike full-service processing solutions, the top mobile credit card processing services even waive regular fees such as set up fees, monthly fees, monthly payment gateway-related fees, early termination fees, or PCI compliance or noncompliance fees.

Monthly fees tend to be discomforting for a lot of businesses, especially small-scale businesses that only process a small number of transactions per month. So, rather than adopting these fees, top mobile credit card processing services implement a flat-rate structure. With a flat-rate structure, you pay a fixed rate per transaction.

A flat rate typically takes two forms: a percentage of the whole transaction volume and, in some cases, a percentage that is additionally charged alongside a little service fee. Flat-rate pricing that includes an additional service fee typically consists of a transaction volume percentage lower than when only a percentage is charged.

For example, rather than paying a monthly $15 fee, a US-based mobile credit card processing solution charges you 1.8% of the transaction volume on average. Services that additionally charge a $0.5 fee per transaction, for instance, could charge 0.5% of the transaction volume.

Nonetheless, one fee that proves to be unavoidable is the chargeback fee, which is charged when a customer disputes a payment and the transaction is then reversed. This is more common with online sales.

While most of the top services charge the same rate regardless of the type of transaction, some charge a slightly higher rate for American Express and international cards. Payment services also charge different rates for debit and credit card processing while using a full-service payment processor results in you having to pay set up and monthly fee, among others.

Mobile Credit Card Readers

Mobile credit card processing solutions require minimal pieces of equipment to work. All they basically need is a phone or tablet with an internet connection, a credit card payment app installed on this device, and a mobile card reader to interact with the card.

Mobile credit card payments are never feasible without a card reader so, because of this, a lot of processing services provide you with one for free. Sadly, card readers that come for free are typically devoid of any form of EMV compliance.

EMV cards are smart cards that come protected with a pin or signature as well as other advanced security technologies. Free card readers typically do not possess this security technology, may not be compatible with Europay, Mastercard, or Visa cards, and, consequently, limit your payment options.

You could also accrue chargeback fees from your payment processing service. So, upgrading or purchasing a card reader that accepts EMV chip cards allows you to extensively prevent card fraud and keep your financial environment from having any loopholes.

Some of the best mobile EMV card readers are also equipped with NFC capabilities. There is compatibility with a wide variety of payment methods, meaning you get to receive payments through swiping of magstripe cards, dipping of EMV chip cards accompanied by a pin, and tapping contactless cards for swift payments.

Mobile wallets like Apple Pay or Google Pay also allow you to make payments by tapping your phones on a card reader. A top card reader possesses compatibility with this intuitive option.

Top mobile card readers are also characterized by in-built receipt printing and barcode scanning capabilities. Card readers also form a part of a fully equipped payment terminal consisting of a cash drawer, separate barcode scanner, separate receipt printer, mobile applications, a virtual terminal, business management, and employee management tools.

What is the Best Mobile Credit Card Processor?

The best mobile credit processor for you depends on the needs of your business. With so many mobile credit card payments solutions in the market claiming to be the best for you, it is important to take a deeper look into these processors beyond their bold statements on their websites.

If you are looking for a secure mobile credit card processing solution that offers you multiple fee waivers with a variety of business tools, Square is the go-to option.

For businesses that engage in cross-border e-commerce transactions and need a suitable credit card processing app to handle their needs conveniently, PayPal Credit Card Processing is a great option. Shopify Payments is the best mobile credit card processing solution for Shopify stores.

If you are in search of a mobile credit card payments solution that offers high security through multiple compliance certifications, SumUp is the go-to pick.

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