Card readers
A credit card reader or terminal is a device that you can use to accept credit and debit card payments by tapping, inserting, or swiping cards, or by manually entering card information. Card readers are typically small card-swipe devices that plug into your Shopify POS device. An external reader is usually a separate, standalone piece of hardware.
On this page
Accepted card types
Shopify's supported card readers accept payment from all major types of credit card, as well as Debit Mastercard and Visa Debit cards.
In Canada, the Swipe card readers can't accept payment from debit cards that are Interac only (for example, Interac cards that aren't Debit Mastercard or Visa Debit).
If you use an external card reader, then you need to check with your payment processor which card types your terminal accepts.
Choose a card reader
When choosing a card reader to accept payments in person with Shopify POS, your options depend on the country where your business is located, as well as your preferred payment provider. You can use Shopify POS with a Shopify-supported card reader or an unsupported external card reader:
- Supported card readers are integrated with Shopify POS, so you can take a payment from Shopify POS, and then the details for the transaction display in Shopify in the order's Timeline. To use a supported card reader, your store needs to be in a supported country and use Shopify Payments.
- Unsupported external card readers are purchased from a third-party source. You can find an external terminal provider anywhere in the world, and because the payment is processed outside of Shopify, you don't have to set up a specific payment provider in your Shopify admin.
You can still choose to use an external card reader when you're located in a country with supported card readers available. However, the disadvantages of an external terminal are that you need an account with your terminal provider, and that Shopify displays the payment status of an order but not any transaction details.
If you're located in a country that doesn't have a Shopify-supported card reader available, then you must use an external card reader to process payments in person with Shopify POS.
| Card reader | Availability | Payment processor |
|---|---|---|
| Tap & Chip Reader | United States | Shopify Payments |
| WisePad 3 terminal | Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, New Zealand, Singapore, Spain, United Kingdom | Shopify Payments |
| Shopify POS Go | Australia,Canada, Ireland, United Kingdom, United States, Italy, New Zealand, Belgium, Denmark, Netherlands, Spain, Germany, Finland | Shopify Payments |
| POS Terminal | Australia, Canada, Ireland, United Kingdom, United States, Italy, New Zealand, Belgium, Denmark, Netherlands, Spain, Germany, Finland | Shopify Payments |
| External card terminal | Anywhere | Payment is processed by your terminal provider outside of Shopify. |