Do card readers accept Apple Pay or Google Pay?

Smartphone and watch payments are a growing market, with more customers than ever before digitally loading their debit and credit cards on to mobile phone apps and ditching wallets.

It just so happens that a concurrent growing market is that of Point of Sale card readers, which is one of the fastest-growing payment markets in the UK, especially amongst SMEs.

Here’s what you need to know about Apple Pay and Google Pay for card readers.

What are card readers?

A card reader is a portable piece of hardware that connects to an app via Bluetooth or GPRS network, and allows customers to pay you via credit card, debit card or a payment app such as Apple Pay or Google Pay.

Card readers connect to software in the form of an app that can be loaded on either a smartphone or a tablet and customised to business needs.

Transactions are chargeable, but all transactions are logged, can be backed up in the cloud and a range of reports can be produced for business monitoring.

What is Apple Pay?

Apple Pay is a mobile payment service that is native to Apple devices – the iPhone, Apple Watch, iPad and Mac.

It allows payments to be made in person at POS terminals, on the internet and within the iOS app store.

It works by storing customer card details digitally, effectively being a way to upload your own card. As well as contactless (NFC) payment, it also integrates PIN, passcode or Face ID for two-factor authentication security.

What is Google Pay?

Google Pay is the Android version of Apple Pay, developed by Google.

It is a digital wallet which allows customers to store multiple cards and make payments online or in person with compatible devices – Android phones, tablets, watches, and native Google devices.

It is the new brand name and amalgamation of what was formerly Android Pay and Google Wallet. It can be used more widely than Apple Pay, as it covers a range of companies running Android, rather than Apple Pay, which is only compatible with iOS devices.

Do all card readers accept Apple Pay and Google Pay?

In the UK, to all intents and purposes, the answer is yes.

There are of course some lesser-known companies that don’t have full compatibility for major payment methods such as Apple and Google Pay, but the most-used vendors now all accept both among their payment options.

The most-used vendors are Zettle, SumUp, Square, and PayPal Here – these cover over 95% of the businesses that have POS systems in-house.

Best card readers

It’s an undeniable truth that both Apple and Google are massive global firms and as such, their payment products are unlikely to be going anywhere any time soon.

Similarly, the card reader market is enjoying a period of rapid growth; it is clearly in the interests of each market to allow maximum compatibility, so card readers like Zettle can be classed as reliable when it comes to accepting multiple payment options for the foreseeable future.

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Top image: Tyler Olson | Shutterstock