Choosing the right card reader for your Shopify store
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.
On this page
- Accepted card types
- Shopify-supported card readers
- Shopify POS card readers in North America
- Shopify POS card readers in Europe
- Shopify POS card readers in Asia-Pacific
- Universal Shopify POS card readers
- Discontinued Shopify POS card readers
- Shopify POS iOS and Android device compatibility requirements
- External card readers
- Using Shopify POS in unsupported countries
Accepted card types
All major credit cards are accepted by Shopify-supported card readers, including Debit Mastercard and Visa Debit cards.
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.
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.
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.
| 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 |
| Verifone Victa Mobile | Available for pre-order in the United States and Canada. | 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.
| Card reader | Availability | Payment processor |
|---|---|---|
| WisePad 3 terminal | Belgium, Czechia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland, United Kingdom | Shopify Payments |
| POS Terminal | Belgium, Czechia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland, 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.
| 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.
| 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 Shopify POS and their replacements article. This resource provides detailed guidance on transitioning to newer, supported devices.
| Card reader | Status | Payment processor |
|---|---|---|
| Shopify POS Go | Shopify POS Go is no longer available for sale. | Shopify Payments |
Shopify POS iOS and Android device compatibility requirements
Shopify POS is available for only iOS and Android devices. It's not available for laptop or desktop computers, or Amazon Fire tablets.
Shopify POS works with devices that meet the following requirements:
| Device | Description |
|---|---|
| iPad | Generation 5 or higher running iPadOS 15.1 or higher |
| iPad Air | Generation 2 or higher running iPadOS 15.1 or higher |
| iPad mini | Generation 4 or higher running iPadOS 15.1 or higher |
| iPad Pro | All iPad Pro models running iPadOS 15.1 or higher |
| iPhone | iPhone 7 or higher running iOS 15.1 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 activated |
Shopify POS 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 15.1 or higher. If that isn't possible, then switch to using Shopify POS on another device that is running iOS 15.1 or higher.
iOS permission requirements
If you update your device to iOS 15.1 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:
- On your iOS device, open the Settings app.
- Tap Shopify, Shopify POS, or Shopify Inbox.
- Activate Allow Cross-Website Tracking.
Considerations for Shopify-supported card readers
Review the following considerations before using Shopify-supported card readers:
- Store type compatibility: Shopify-supported card readers don't work with Pause and Build stores or Development stores. You need an active store with a paid Shopify plan.
- Payment gateway restrictions: Moneris Semi-integrated terminals aren't supported with Shopify POS. You need to use Shopify Payments with a Shopify-supported card reader.
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 for 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.
Using Shopify POS in unsupported countries
If your store is located in a country where Shopify Payments and Shopify-supported card readers aren't available (such as Latin American countries excluding regions where Shopify Payments is supported), you can still use Shopify POS with the following considerations:
- No Shopify hardware stores: Countries without Shopify Payments support don't have regional Shopify hardware stores. You need to source supported hardware from verified third-party retailers.
- External card reader requirement: You need to use a third-party external card reader to process credit and debit card payments. Set up the external reader as a custom payment method in Shopify POS.
- Manual payment marking: After processing payments through your external card reader, you need to manually mark orders as paid in Shopify POS.
- No transaction fees: Shopify doesn't charge transaction fees for payments processed using custom payment methods.