Quick answer
For a small business that sells at craft fairs and markets, the PayPal Card Reader has the lowest in-person rate here: $29 for your first Card Reader and $0.78 in fees on a $30 sale. Square costs a little more per sale ($0.93) and a $59 reader, but it is the only option here whose offline mode we could confirm on its own pages. SumUp and Shopify come to $0.88 per sale, and Shopify also needs a paid plan of $39 a month.
Nation, an AI store builder, publishes this page. It is pre-launch, with a waitlist on withnation.ai, so it is not in the list or the fee example. See where Nation fits.
How we compared
Every reader here was checked against the same four questions, read for a US seller who takes card payments at a stall.
- Reader price What the card reader costs once, before your first sale. Some companies also let you take tap payments on a phone with no reader.
- In-person rate The percentage and fixed fee on a card-present sale, tapped, dipped or swiped, on the company's free or starting plan.
- Offline mode Fair halls and outdoor markets often have weak signal. A reader that stores card payments offline keeps the line moving.
- Payout speed How soon the money from a weekend market reaches your bank, and what it costs to get it faster.
Mobile card readers at a glance
Each option is shown on its free or starting plan with its standard reader. The source and check date for every number are listed under each option and at the end of the page.
What each reader costs on a $30 market sale
Rates are easier to compare on one sale than as percentages. Example: one $30 item sold at a craft fair, paid by tapping or dipping a US card. On Square Free that sale pays 2.6% + 15¢ on Square Free.
- PayPal Card Reader (Zettle) $0.78 no monthly plan Card present 2.29% + $0.09 $0.78
- PayPal Tap to Pay $0.78 no monthly plan Card present 2.29% + $0.09 $0.78
- Stripe Reader M2 $0.86 no monthly plan In person 2.7% + 5¢ $0.86
- SumUp $0.88 no monthly plan Card present 2.6% + 10¢ $0.88
- Shopify POS $0.88 plus $39 a month In person 2.6% + 10¢ $0.88
- Square Reader baseline $0.93 no monthly plan In person 2.6% + 15¢ $0.93
Assumes a $30 item, a US card tapped or dipped in person, no tips, no tax and no instant payout. Keyed-in card numbers cost more: PayPal charges 3.49% + $0.09 for them. Stripe's Tap to Pay on a phone adds $0.10 per authorization to its in-person rate; the chart uses the Stripe Reader M2, which does not.
Shopify is the only option here with a required monthly plan. The table shows how many $30 sales a month it would take for Shopify's lower fixed fee to cover its plan against Square Free.
At craft-fair volumes, no paid plan here costs less overall than Square Free. Shopify's plan makes sense mainly if you already run an online store on Shopify and want to sell at your stall from the same account.
Each card reader in detail
Every option gets the same five lines: price, fees per sale, what it is strong at, who it is best for and its main limit.
The baseline. Square's contactless and chip reader works with the Square Point of Sale app on Square Free.
- Price
- Square Reader for contactless and chip is $59. The swipe-only reader is first reader free. There is no monthly fee on Square Free.
- Fees per sale
- 2.6% + 15¢ on Square Free for tap, dip or swipe. Tap to Pay on a phone with no reader is 2.6% + 15¢ per tap.
- Strong at
- Offline payments at venues with weak signal. Offline payments are processed automatically when you reconnect your device to the internet.
- Best for
- Market and fair sellers who want one free app for in-person and online sales.
- Limit
- Offline payments are declined if you do not reconnect within 24 hours of taking your first offline payment, and you are responsible for any expired, declined, or disputed payments accepted while offline.
PayPal's point of sale, formerly Zettle. PayPal Zettle is now PayPal Point of Sale. The reader takes chip and PIN cards, contactless (NFC) cards, and digital wallets.
- Price
- $29 for your first Card Reader, then $79 for each extra reader. no monthly fees, startup fees, or long-term commitments.
- Fees per sale
- 2.29% + $0.09 on card-present sales. Keyed-in cards are 3.49% + $0.09.
- Strong at
- The lowest in-person rate here, and a reader with up to 8 hours of battery life.
- Best for
- Sellers who already use PayPal and want the cheapest reader and rate.
- Limit
- Sales land in a PayPal business account first. You can set up free automatic transfers for next-day access, or pay 1.50% of amount transferred for an instant transfer.
Tap to Pay in the PayPal app turns a phone into the reader. Tap to Pay is $0 with the PayPal app, plus card-present rates and fees.
- Price
- Tap to Pay is $0 with the PayPal app, plus card-present rates and fees. A card reader is optional at $29 for your first card reader.
- Fees per sale
- 2.29% + $0.09 per transaction on card-present sales, the same rate as the PayPal Card Reader.
- Strong at
- Starting with no hardware cost at all.
- Best for
- Sellers testing a first market or taking only a few card sales a day.
- Limit
- Tap only: chip and swipe cards need a reader. The phone also has to hold its charge for the whole event.
A card-reader company with no monthly minimums and one in-person rate on every plan.
- Price
- Card readers start from $54. The Solo reader is $99. The base plan is $0/month.
- Fees per sale
- 2.6% + 10¢ for card-present sales. Cash sales are free: you don't have to pay for cash transactions.
- Strong at
- Payouts: SumUp offers next-day payouts on every plan.
- Best for
- Sellers who want their market takings in the bank the next day without paying for it.
- Limit
- Payment links and QR codes cost 3.25% + $0.15, more than the in-person rate.
Stripe's in-person payments, for sellers who already take online payments through Stripe.
- Price
- The Stripe Reader M2 is $59.00. There is no monthly fee: None (pay-as-you-go).
- Fees per sale
- 2.7% + 5¢ for domestic cards. Tap to Pay on a phone adds $0.10 per authorization.
- Strong at
- Stripe lets you manage online and in-person payments in one place, with Instant Payouts that arrive within minutes for 1.5%, minimum fee of 50¢.
- Best for
- Sellers whose website or shop already runs on Stripe.
- Limit
- Stripe typically schedules your first payout within 7–14 days, so the first market's money is slow to arrive.
Shopify's point of sale for sellers with a Shopify online store. Casual in-person selling is included with every Shopify paid plan.
- Price
- Basic plan $39 a month. The Shopify Tap & Chip Card Reader is $49.
- Fees per sale
- 2.6% + 10¢ in person on Basic with Shopify Payments.
- Strong at
- If you already pay for a Shopify plan, casual in-person selling adds no monthly cost: it is included with every Shopify paid plan.
- Best for
- Sellers who already pay for a Shopify store and add markets and pop-ups.
- Limit
- The plan fee is due every month, even in months with no markets, and US payouts take 3 business days.
Which one fits you
You want the lowest cost per sale and per reader.
PayPal Card Reader (Zettle)
$29 for your first Card Reader and $0.78 on a $30 sale, with no monthly fee.
Your fair or market has weak or no signal.
Square Reader
Square stores offline payments, and they are processed automatically when you reconnect your device to the internet. Reconnect within 24 hours of taking your first offline payment.
You are trying your first market and do not want to buy hardware.
PayPal Tap to Pay or Square Tap to Pay
Both turn a phone into the reader. PayPal charges 2.29% + $0.09 per transaction and Square 2.6% + 15¢ per tap.
You want weekend takings in the bank fast without a fee.
SumUp or Square
SumUp offers next-day payouts on every plan, and Square offers a free next-business-day transfer.
You already sell online with Shopify or Stripe.
Shopify POS or Stripe Reader M2
Stripe lets you manage online and in-person payments in one place. Shopify's casual in-person selling is included with every Shopify paid plan.
Where Nation fits
Nation
Category: an AI store builder
Nation says one description of what you make builds the store, then agents handle orders, customers and delivery and run ads, content and social posts, with you approving the work. It does not sell card readers, so it is not compared here.
Limits today
- Status: pre-launch, with a waitlist on withnation.ai.
- Pricing and fees: not announced yet.
- Shopper marketplace: no shopper marketplace has been announced.
- Track record: no independent reviews or public stores yet.
Nation publishes this page. Nation is not ranked here and is not part of the reader list or the fee example.
Describe what you makeDisclosure and method
Nation, an AI store builder, publishes this page. Nation is not ranked here and is not part of the reader comparison.
The list covers six ways a US small business can take card payments in person with a phone or a mobile reader. No company paid to be included, and none of the links are affiliate links.
Every price and rate was read on the company's own pricing, hardware or help page, with the oldest check on 2 Oct 2026. Each option's section names its source, and the full list is below.
Questions about card readers for small business
What is the best credit card reader for small business?
The best credit card reader for a small business that sells at fairs and markets depends on signal and cost. The PayPal Card Reader has the lowest rate here, $0.78 on a $30 sale. Square costs $0.93 on the same sale, but its offline mode stores payments when the signal drops.
How much does a card reader cost?
A card reader costs nothing to $99 for the options here. Tap to Pay on a phone needs no reader. The PayPal Card Reader is $29 for your first Card Reader, Shopify's reader is $49, Square's and Stripe's chip readers are $59, and SumUp's Solo is $99.
Can I use my iPhone as a card reader?
You can use an iPhone as a card reader with Tap to Pay in the Square, PayPal, Stripe or Shopify app. Shopify needs an iPhone XS or newer and Stripe an iPhone XS or later. Square charges 2.6% + 15¢ per tap, PayPal 2.29% + $0.09 per transaction, and Stripe adds $0.10 per authorization to its in-person rate. Chip and swipe cards still need a reader.
What is the best card reader for craft fairs?
The best card reader for craft fairs is one that keeps working when the hall has weak signal. Square's offline mode stores card payments and processes them when you reconnect, as long as that happens within 24 hours of taking your first offline payment. If signal is not a problem, the PayPal Card Reader is cheaper per sale at 2.29% + $0.09.
Do mobile card readers charge a monthly fee?
Most mobile card readers here charge no monthly fee. Square Free, PayPal, SumUp and Stripe charge only per sale, and SumUp has no monthly minimums. Shopify POS is the exception: in-person selling is included with every Shopify paid plan, and the Basic plan is $39 a month.
How fast do card reader payouts reach my bank?
Card reader payouts reach your bank at different speeds. SumUp offers next-day payouts, Square offers a free next-business-day transfer, PayPal offers free automatic transfers for next-day access and Shopify Payments takes 3 business days in the US. Stripe typically schedules a new account's first payout within 7–14 days.