A wireless credit card machine lets you take payments from anywhere - the sales floor, a client's home, or the front seat of your work van - without being tied to a register.
How they work
Wireless terminals connect over Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or cellular networks. Each one packs a card reader (for EMV chip, swipe or tap), a display and keypad or touchscreen, an optional built-in printer and a connectivity module, and they sync your transactions straight into your processor and POS.
Why businesses switch
- Take payment anywhere - ideal for pop-ups, mobile appointments and curbside service.
- Faster checkout, with no need to walk customers to a register.
- A clean, wire-free setup with more flexibility.
A catering truck that swapped a wired terminal for a Clover Flex on Wi-Fi and 4G cut checkout times in half and lifted sales by more than 18%.
What to look for
Make sure a machine supports all major payment types (EMV, magstripe and NFC), offers long battery life, is PCI compliant with end-to-end encryption, works with your phone, tablet or POS, and has an offline mode for when the internet drops. Budget for hardware ($129-$600 to buy or lease), monthly service fees (from nothing to around $14.95), and transaction fees (about 2.6% + 10c or interchange-plus) - and watch for hidden support and software charges.
The Cash Swipe angle
You can get a wireless terminal and eliminate 80-100% of your fees at the same time. Cash Swipe's system has wiped out fees for tens of thousands of businesses while paying its agents passive income on the volume they place.