Choosing the right card reader for your Shopify store

There are a variety of options for processing in-person card payments using card readers. Review this article to learn more about how to choose the right card reader based on your specific business location and needs, along with the types of cards that you can accept with these devices.

Accepted card types

All major credit cards are accepted by Shopify-supported card readers, including Debit Mastercard and Visa Debit cards.

Tip

If you have trouble swiping a Debit Mastercard or Visa Debit card with a Swipe reader, then try entering the card number manually.

In Canada, Swipe card readers can't process payments from debit cards that are exclusively Interac. For example, Interac cards that aren't branded as 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.

Note

To process a POS transaction in person using Shopify Payments and a Shopify card reader, the country and currency information must match that of your physical store's location. Refer to Country and currency compliance for selling in person.

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.

Note

Some card readers have been discontinued. Learn about which card readers are no longer supported.

Shopify-supported card readers

Shopify-supported card readers integrate directly with Shopify POS. Transactions carried out through these card readers automatically sync with Shopify, displaying in the order's Timeline. To use a Shopify-supported card reader, your store must meet the following requirements:

• Your store must be located in a supported country.
• You must use Shopify Payments.

Note

The card readers using Shopify Payments can't process card transactions when Shopify Payments is in test mode. You must deactivate test mode to complete a transaction with a credit card. Learn more about processing test transactions with Shopify POS.

Explore the collection of Shopify POS card reader options tailored for diverse geographical regions, detailing their availability, models, and compatible payment processing options as outlined in the series of following tables.

Shopify POS card readers in North America

Explore the range of Shopify POS card readers available across North America, detailing their models and compatible payment processing options.

Shopify POS card readers in North America: Models and payment processing options.

Card reader	Availability	Payment processor
Tap & Chip Reader	United States	Shopify Payments
WisePad 3 terminal	Canada	Shopify Payments
POS Terminal	Canada, United States	Shopify Payments

Shopify POS card readers in Europe

Discover the selection of Shopify POS card readers available throughout Europe, each paired with their respective payment processing solutions.

Shopify POS card readers in Europe: Models and payment processing options.

Card reader	Availability	Payment processor
WisePad 3 terminal	Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, United Kingdom	Shopify Payments
POS Terminal	Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, United Kingdom	Shopify Payments

Shopify POS card readers in Asia-Pacific

Review the available Shopify POS card readers across the Asia-Pacific region, highlighting their models and the associated payment processors.

Shopify POS card readers in Asia-Pacific: Models and payment processing options.

Card reader	Availability	Payment processor
WisePad 3 terminal	Australia, New Zealand, Singapore	Shopify Payments
POS Terminal	Australia, New Zealand, Singapore	Shopify Payments

Universal Shopify POS card readers

Identify universally compatible Shopify POS card readers that can be used anywhere, along with their payment processing capabilities.

Universal Shopify POS card readers: Models and payment processing options.

Card reader	Availability	Payment processor
External card terminal	Anywhere	Payment is processed by your terminal provider outside of Shopify.

Discontinued Shopify POS card readers

Learn about the status of Shopify POS card readers that have been discontinued, including their latest availability and payment processing capabilities. For comprehensive information on all discontinued models and their recommended replacements by region, refer to the Discontinued card readers for the Shopify POS app and their replacements article. This resource provides detailed guidance on transitioning to newer, supported devices.

Discontinued Shopify POS card readers: Availability details.

Card reader	Status	Payment processor
Shopify POS Go	Shopify POS Go is no longer available for sale.	Shopify Payments

Shopify POS app iOS and Android device compatibility requirements

The Shopify POS app is available for only iOS and Android devices. It's not available for laptop or desktop computers.

The Shopify POS app works with devices that meet the following requirements:

List of iPhones, iPads, Android devices, and POS Go, plus the required generations and operating systems, that work with the Shopify POS app.

Device	Description
iPad	Generation 5 or higher running iPadOS 15 or higher
iPad Air	Generation 2 or higher running iPadOS 15 or higher
iPad mini	Generation 4 or higher running iPadOS 15 or higher
iPad Pro	All iPad Pro models running iPadOS 15 or higher
iPhone	iPhone 7 or higher running iOS 15 or higher
POS Go	POS Go running the latest Shopify-provided software updates
Android	Phone or tablet running official Android version 10.0 or higher, with Google Play Services and Google Mobile Services enabled

The Shopify POS app no longer supports iOS 14 or lower. With older versions of iOS, you can continue to use the app but you can no longer update it. To take advantage of bug fixes and new features, you need to update your device to iOS 15 or higher. If that isn't possible, then switch to using Shopify POS on another device that is running iOS 15 or higher.

Note

Some Shopify POS features, such as Tap to Pay, might require newer devices or newer operating system versions. Keeping all operating systems up-to-date is strongly encouraged to ensure the best security for your data.

The Shopify POS app doesn't support beta operating systems. For security, Shopify POS isn't supported on operating systems modified through "jailbreaking", "rooting", or other similar techniques, and requires a locked and unchanged bootloader.

You should only obtain the Shopify POS app from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store directly.

iOS 15 permission requirements

If you update your device to iOS 15 or higher and use third-party Shopify apps, then you might need to activate Cross-Website tracking in your iOS settings. Cross-Website tracking lets third-party Shopify apps that you install in your Shopify admin stay connected in Shopify Inbox, Shopify Point of Sale, and the Shopify app.

To activate Cross-Website tracking, complete the following steps:

1. Open the Settings app on your device.
2. Tap Shopify, Shopify POS, or Shopify Inbox.
3. Activate Allow Cross-Website Tracking.

External card readers

External card readers are available from third-party sources. These are useful particularly in the following cases:

• You're located in a country without Shopify-supported card readers.
• You prefer a specific external terminal provider available globally.

Considerations when using external card readers

Review the following operational details and requirements for using external card reader options with Shopify POS:

• Availability in supported countries: Even if Shopify-supported card readers are available in your country, you can still opt to use an external card reader. This might be due to personal preference or specific features offered by external providers.
• Payment provider flexibility: With external card readers, there's no need to configure a specific payment provider within your Shopify admin.
• Provider account requirements: Using an external terminal requires having an account with your selected terminal provider. This setup is crucial as it facilitates the processing of payments.
• Mandatory use in certain regions: If your business operates from a location where Shopify-supported card readers aren't available, then you will need to use an external card reader to process payments in person with Shopify POS.
• Limited Shopify integration: Although Shopify displays the payment status for transactions made through external card readers, it doesn't provide any transaction details. This might affect your ability to track detailed payment information directly within Shopify.