Tap to PayStripe Tap to Pay
1.75%
per transaction
£0
hardware cost
Devices: iPhone & Android
Payout: 2–7 working days
No card reader needed
Free, quick comparison
Tap to Pay (SoftPOS) comparison
Turn an iPhone or Android phone into a card machine with Tap to Pay — no separate hardware needed. Compare UK providers on fees, setup and supported devices.
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Trusted choice
Rated 4.9 out of 5
Tap to Pay
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Tap to PayTide Tap to Pay on iPhone
From 0.79%
per transaction (Sell In-Person plan)
£0
hardware cost
Requires: Tide business account
Payout: Same-day to Tide account
Processed via Adyen
Deal tables sorted by headline rate (low to high)
Rates shown are indicative and depend on your turnover, average transaction value and business type. Final pricing is confirmed by the provider after your quote.
What is Tap to Pay (SoftPOS)?
Tap to Pay, also called SoftPOS, turns a standard NFC-enabled phone into a card machine using the phone's own tap-to-pay hardware — the customer taps their card or wallet directly on your phone, no separate reader required.
It runs through the provider's app and uses the same card networks and security standards as a physical terminal, so transactions are authorised and settled the same way — the only thing that changes is the hardware.
Why compare Tap to Pay providers?
No hardware to buy or charge
Nothing to purchase, carry or keep charged separately — if your phone is on you, you can take a payment.
Fast to start
Download the app, verify your business details and you can typically take your first payment the same day.
Ideal for mobile and low-volume trades
Market stalls, deliveries, callout trades and pop-ups avoid paying for a card machine they'd rarely use at full capacity.
What to look for in a Tap to Pay deal
Device compatibility
Confirm your team's exact phone models are supported — older or budget Android devices are sometimes excluded.
Headline pricing
The percentage or flat fee taken from each payment. Compare on your real volumes, not the marketing rate.
Monthly and hidden fees
Check minimum monthly charges, PCI fees, gateway fees, refund charges and chargeback costs.
Settlement speed
How quickly funds reach your business account — next day makes a real difference to cashflow.
Security and compliance
PCI DSS scope, 3D Secure, tokenisation and fraud screening should be included, not bolted on.
Reporting and integrations
Links to your accounting software, EPOS or online store so takings reconcile automatically.
How does comparing Tap to Pay work?
Tell us roughly how many in-person payments you take a month and whether your team uses iPhone, Android, or both.
We show UK Tap to Pay providers that support your device and business type, with the transaction rate for your profile.
Download the provider's app, complete verification, and you're typically ready to take a payment within the hour.
Funds settle to your bank or provider account on the same cycle as the provider's standard card machine product.
Do I need Tap to Pay?
If you occasionally take card payments away from a fixed till, Tap to Pay removes the cost and hassle of a dedicated mobile card reader.
High-volume fixed retail counters are usually better served by a countertop card machine, since a phone screen isn't built for constant all-day use.
Trades, deliveries and event traders taking occasional payments get the most value, since there's no idle hardware cost between jobs.
How do I choose the best Tap to Pay deal?
Compare the transaction rate first — it's usually close to a standard mobile card machine rate rather than materially cheaper. Then check device compatibility (iPhone model or Android NFC support), whether the provider requires you to also hold their business account, and how quickly funds settle.
How much could I save on Tap to Pay?
A trade taking 15 card payments a month that would otherwise need a £29 mobile card reader saves that hardware cost entirely, while paying a broadly similar per-transaction rate to a physical terminal.
Payment guides
These guides might help.
How payment processing fees work
Interchange, scheme and acquirer fees explained — and which ones you can negotiate away…
Choosing a payment provider
What UK providers check, how long onboarding takes and when a specialist beats your bank…
PCI DSS made simple for small firms
The compliance basics every business handling payments has to meet…
FAQs
Yes. It uses the same PCI-standard NFC payment technology as a physical card machine — card details never touch the merchant's app directly.
Not strictly, but some businesses keep one for customers who prefer chip and PIN, or as a fallback if a phone runs out of battery.
Generally iPhone XS or later on iOS, and most NFC-enabled Android phones running a recent Android version — check the specific provider's supported device list.
No, Tap to Pay needs a live data or WiFi connection to authorise each transaction in real time.
Our services are provided at no cost to you. We may receive a commission from the companies we refer you to, but this does not affect what you will pay for the product you choose.
Written by the Grow Your Business payments team · Updated 25 July 2026