Shopify Tap & Chip Card Reader Review

This handy mobile card reader works seamlessly with the Shopify POS app. It's easy to use and accepts multiple forms of payment.

WRITTEN & RESEARCHED BY
Jason Vissers
Expert Contributor

Last updated onUpdated January 21, 2025

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Shopify Tap & Chip Card Reader

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Total Rating	4.6
Pricing4.4
Ease Of Use5.0
Features4.6
Customer Service4.8
User Reviews4.7

Shopify Tap & Chip Card Reader At A Glance

The Shopify Tap & Chip Card Reader works with Shopify’s POS app, enabling you to take chip, contactless, and mobile wallet payments on the go
Use of the Shopify Tap & Chip reader requires a paid Shopify subscription
Backed by Shopify’s extensive feature package, the Shopify Tap & Chip reader is an excellent mobile selling solution

Pros

Easy to use
Excellent mobile app
Accepts chip and contactless/NFC transactions
No additional monthly fee to use multiple readers
Starter plan includes POS, online selling, & gift cards

Cons

Does not process magstripe transactions
High processing fees on Starter plan
Only works with Shopify Payments
No offline selling mode

Table of Contents

What Is The Shopify Tap & Chip Card Reader?
Shopify Credit Card Reader Pricing
Overall Design
Features & Software
Ease Of Use
Customer Service & Support
Shopify Credit Card Reader Reviews
Final Verdict On The Shopify Tap & Chip Card Reader

What Is The Shopify Tap & Chip Card Reader?

Shopify’s Tap & Chip Card Reader is a handy mobile credit card reader that works seamlessly with the Shopify POS app and accepts cutting-edge forms of payment for a reasonable price.

Shopify Credit Card Reader Pricing

Pricing4.4
Hardware 4.8
Payment Processsing 3.8

Shopify earns strong marks in this category due to its competitive hardware prices and processing rates (for every plan other than Starter, anyway). The significant monthly fee for the Basic Shopify plan (the lowest-tier plan that gives you a full online store and competitive processing rates) and the high transaction fees incurred when using the Starter plan prevent us from giving the reader an even higher score here.

Pricing Overview

Item	Value
Pricing Starts At	$5/month
Contract Length	Month-to-month & annual options on all plans except Plus, which requires a 1-3 year term
Processing Model	Flat-rate
Card-present Transaction Fee	2.4%-5% + $0.00-$0.10
eCommerce Transaction Fee	2.5-5% + $0.30
Equipment Cost	$49

As you can see, the Tap & Chip Card Reader sells for $49, which is a good price for a simple, user-friendly card reader that accepts tap and chip payments. The charging dock costs extra, however (see “Extra Costs” table below).

Extra Costs

Shopify Tap & Chip Card Reader Extra Costs	Price
Charging dock	$40
POS Pro	$79/month ($89/month billed monthly)
Chargeback Fee	$15 (in the US)

Shopify also charges extra if you use a third-party processor to take payments, but this is kind of a moot point when it comes to the Chip & Tap Reader because this device will only work with Shopify Payments.

Monthly Plans

As for the cost of payment processing on this reader, that depends on your Shopify plan. Here’s what you’ll pay per transaction and per month:

Shopify Tap & Chip Card Reader Plans	Price	When To Use
Starter	$5/month and 5% + $0.00-$0.30/transaction	If you are just starting out and want to launch a simple online store and sell products through social media, email, SMS, product links, or in person via Shopify POS Lite.
Basic	$29/month ($39 billed monthly) and 2.6-2.9% + $0.10-$0.30/transaction	If you are a solopreneur and want a fully featured online store and in-person sales with Shopify POS Lite.
Shopify	$79/month ($105 billed monthly) and 2.5-2.7% + $0.10-$0.30/transaction	If you have a small team and want Basic features plus additional shipping discount, shipping insurance, and additional staff logins.
Retail	$79/month ($89 billed monthly) and 2.6-2.9% + $0.10-$0.30/transaction	If you sell primarily in person but want more advanced POS features than you can get with Starter/Shopify POS Lite. Includes 1 POS Pro location & limited online store.
Advanced	$299/month ($399 billed monthly) and 2.4-2.5% + $0.10-$0.30/transaction	If you have a growing business and want Shopify plan features plus additional staff logins, custom reports, enhanced chat support, and more.
Plus	$2,300/month with 3-year term ($2,500 for 1-year term). Transaction fees are customized.	If you have a more complex business. Includes 50 markets, unlimited staff accounts, wholesale/B2B sales, 200 POS Pro locations, and more.

One good thing about Shopify’s monthly pricing is that you are not charged an additional monthly fee for each additional device you use. This means that you can use multiple Shopify Chip & Tap readers (or other Shopify POS hardware devices) and your monthly fee will not change. Number of staff accounts and inventory locations do have some limitations depending on plan tier, however.

On the whole, Shopify’s pricing structure is quite competitive, though Shopify Starter is only appropriate for very occasional/light sales due to the very high per-transaction rates. Our Shopify review details what you’ll get with each Shopify subscription plan.

Overall Design

Let’s examine the Shopify Tap & Chip Card Reader, the dock built to work with it, and the devices’ respective packaging.

: Tap & Chip Card Reader packaging

: Back of the packaging contains device info

: The dock’s packaging

: The card reader in its packaging

: The contents of the sleeve in the packaging: a payment acceptance sticker, quick-start guide, and a legal notice

: One of the two charging cords packaged with the reader

: The dock in its packaging

: The dock (sold separately) by itself

: The back of the dock — note the charging port and the port by which you can attach the dock to your countertop

: The dock with the reader attached.

: The reader in my hand.

: The back of the reader — note the power button and the USB-C port.

Measuring 2.83 x 3.39 x 0.51 inches and weighing 0.2 pounds, the Shopify Tap & Chip Card Reader is a small, light device. If you plan to accept occasional card payments with the device in your hand, it shouldn’t be a problem. However, the device doesn’t come with a clip or holder to secure it.

For that reason, you’ll likely want to pair it with the dock Shopify offers for the device, which is sold separately. The dock holds the reader securely in place and keeps it charged, and it also comes with a bolt and nut so that you can mount it to a countertop. The dock holds the device very securely, so you won’t need to worry about the reader coming loose.

The one issue I have with the dock is that it can be a bit difficult to remove the reader from the dock when you want to separate the two.

Looking at the card reader itself, the power button and the USB-C charging port are both on the back of the device. Along the top of the device, there are four lights (they aren’t visible when off) that double as both battery indicator lights and payment status indicator lights.

The reader also comes with a short USB charging cord (no wall plug included). Thankfully, the dock comes with a much longer 6-foot USB charging cord.

Shopify Tap & Chip Reader Hardware Specs

As you would expect of a device called Tap & Chip Card Reader, both EMV/chip card transactions and NFC/contactless transactions are accepted. Specifically, the reader will accept the following:

Visa and Visa Debit
Mastercard and Debit Mastercard
American Express
Discover
Apple Pay
Google Pay

You’ll need to pair your reader with a Shopify POS-enabled device via Bluetooth. The following devices can connect to the reader:

iPhone: iPhone 5 or better running iOS 11.4 or higher
iPad Air: Generation 2 or better running iOS 11.4 or higher
iPad: Generation 4 or better running iOS 11.4 or higher
iPad Mini: Generation 2 or higher running iOS 11.4 or higher
iPad Pro: All iPad Pro models running iOS 11.4 or higher
Android: Android device running version 5.0 (Lollipop) or higher

As for battery performance, Shopify states the following: “The Tap & Chip Reader takes one to two hours to charge fully. After the reader’s fully charged, its battery should last for a week of selling.” Of course, if you’re using the dock, you won’t need to worry about the state of the battery.

Additionally, you must use Shopify Payments as your payment processor to use the Tap & Chip Reader.

Features & Software

Features4.6
Device Hardware Features 5.0
Device Software Features 4.2

Our Shopify POS review provides the full scoop on Shopify’s POS app, but we’ll provide the Cliffs Notes version here.

shopify pos

Here’s just some of what you’ll get with Shopify POS, with more details on specific features below.

Shopify Tap & Chip Card Reader Features	Availability
Multi-Store Support
Contactless Payments
Multi-Channel Selling
Gift Cards
Customer Loyalty
Marketing Tools
Online Ordering
Inventory Management
Reporting
Menu Management	With Shopify Pro add-on
Delivery Management	With Shopify Pro add-on
EBT Acceptance	With Forage integration
Employee Management
Text Messaging

Note that the availability of some features depends on which Shopify add-ons or integrations you purchase. However, certain features, like gift cards, are available across all plans.

Payment Features

Accept Two Or More Payment Options: Shopify POS allows you to split tenders and accept more than one payment type in a single transaction.
Gift Cards: Create gift cards that are redeemable either in-store or online.
Custom Payment Options: One of Shopify POS’s most unique features is the ability to generate custom payment options. Want to accept personal checks, gold coins, or Monopoly money as payment? This is how you do it.
Multiple Sales Channels: Create a “Buy Button” to paste into your website and/or social media channels. Sell items from wherever you want — not just directly from your Shopify online store.

Checkout Features

Automatic Tax Calculations: Shopify POS automatically calculates sales tax based on the location of your store. Additionally, you can set up custom taxes for specific products or orders.
Shipping Addresses: You can store a customer’s address and contact details so that you can ship their orders in the future.
Custom Receipts: You can fully customize both your digital and printed receipts. This requires the Shopify POS Pro add-on, though.

Store Management Features

Integration With Accounting Software: Shopify POS can integrate with accounting software, including QuickBooks and Xero.
Order Histories: View all past orders, whether made in-store or online.
Multiple Staff Accounts: This option is available with the more advanced Shopify POS plans.
Reporting: Shopify POS gives you several analytical tools, including dashboards that track sales, orders, and traffic patterns.

Product Management Features

Product Organization: You can organize your products in just about any way you want. You can also offer multiple sizes, materials, and color options for your products, each with its own price, weight, SKU number, etc.
Inventory Management: Shopify’s advanced inventory management system makes tracking your best-selling items easy and keeps tabs on what items are the most cost-effective.
Barcode Support: Each product can either be assigned an existing barcode or fitted with a new one.

One feature this Shopify reader doesn’t have is the ability to take offline payments. Unfortunately, this issue isn’t limited to this reader; no Shopify POS devices allow you accept payments without an internet connection.

Ease Of Use

Ease Of Use5.0
Initial Setup 5.0
Device Use 5.0

I didn’t have any trouble setting up this device, as the process is nearly self-explanatory. What’s more, the knowledgebase and training videos available through the app ensure that you should be able to perform basic Shopify POS functions.

All told, we’re giving this card reader a perfect score in this category. I truly don’t see how the device and associated software could be any easier to use.

Compared to the experience of using a “traditional” merchant account to process payments, the Shopify payment ecosystem is much easier to navigate for the average small business and startup outfit. With no contracts to sign, a built-in payment processor, and an extensive array of integrations, you’ll be free to focus the lion’s share of your energies on growing your business.

Getting Started With The Shopify Tap & Chip Reader

Getting your Shopify reader ready for selling is a breeze. Do the following, and you’ll be prepared to accept payments:

Charge your card reader. When the reader is fully charged, all four battery indicator lights on the top of the device will light up. This should take one to two hours.
Download and install the free Shopify POS app onto your mobile device.
Open the app and log in to your Shopify store (sign up for an account if you haven’t already).
Press the power button on the back of the reader to turn it on.
At this point, the reader should connect to the app via Bluetooth automatically (make sure you have Bluetooth enabled on your mobile device). To check that the connection has been made, touch the Home button in the lower left of the app, then select Settings from the menu that comes into view. Next, scroll down to the link that reads Set up hardware. Select Card Reader from the next menu and then select Tap & Chip. At this point, if your reader is on, the app should discover it. A Connect card reader link should display. When I did this, I got a message saying, “Pairing failed — already paired,” as the pairing had already happened automatically.

The device comes with a USB charging cable but no wall plug, so if you don’t have a wall plug handy, you’ll need to connect the cable to a laptop or battery pack to charge. If you use the reader with the dock accessory, the dock will need to be plugged in — and it doesn’t come with a wall plug, either. However, the dock’s 6-foot USB cable should give you some flexibility in terms of device placement.

Let’s discuss how you accept payments with the reader. To accept a tap payment, do the following:

From the Shopify POS Select payment screen, tap Credit.
Tap the contactless payment card or device on the face of the card reader and hold it in place until the four blue notification lights appear. When Shopify POS displays a Payment received message, the transaction is complete.

To accept a chip payment:

From the Shopify POS Select payment screen, tap Credit.
Allow the customer to insert their card. The chip should face up toward the Shopify logo.
If a signature is required, allow the customer to sign their name on the signature screen. When a customer is happy with their signature, they tap Submit signature.
When the transaction is successful, choose whether to provide a receipt and then tap Start new order. The customer can now remove their card.

Customer Service & Support

Customer Service4.8
Personal Support 4.5
Self-Service 5.0

Shopify’s customer support has a better reputation than some other commerce giants. The quality and swiftness of Shopify’s support are typically regarded as quite good. With a wide range of helpful support options, an extensive knowledgebase, and several tutorial videos on YouTube, the Shopify Tap & Chip Reader earns a great score in this category.

Shopify Tap & Chip Card Reader Customer Service	Availability
Phone Support
Email Support
Support Tickets
Live Chat
Dedicated Support Representative
Knowledge Base or Help Center
Videos & Tutorials
Company Blog
Social Media

This isn’t to say that we haven’t seen public complaints regarding the company’s customer support. However, this isn’t surprising for such a sizable company, and we see lots of positive feedback regarding Shopify’s customer support as well.

Shopify offers 24/7 direct customer support via phone, live chat, email, and Twitter and provides a wide array of supplementary support options as well, including forums, developer docs, YouTube tutorials, and PDF guides on specific topics.

Shopify Credit Card Reader Reviews

User Reviews4.7
Customer Feedback 5.0
Review Site Aggregate 4.5

Shopify earns a strong score in this category, as the company’s services are generally well-received on popular user review sites. Of course, there’s room for improvement here as well.

I haven’t seen many reviews of the Tap & Chip Card Reader specifically — this section refers to reviews of Shopify POS and Shopify as a whole.

Negative Shopify Credit Card Reader Reviews & Complaints

While Shopify POS and Shopify both come in for more praise than criticism, there are several common complaints.

Offline Functionality: Shopify POS’s lack of offline functionality has been a sticking point for some users. Some services allow you to continue to process transactions during an outage, but not Shopify.
Extra Costs: Some have found the cost of using Shopify to be significantly higher than is initially apparent once they find that they need to purchase software/feature add-ons to have the functionality they need.
Bugs: Many users have complained about bugs and errors harming their experience.
Poor Service With Shopify Payments: Many users have faulted Shopify Payments for withholding payments. However, this is a risk common to third-party processors. Read our article on avoiding account holds and terminations to learn more.

Positive Shopify Credit Card Reader Reviews & Testimonials

Overall, Shopify’s services are very well-received by users, especially when compared to similar services. Here’s what people tend to like about Shopify.

Ease Of Use: Merchants have raved about the supreme simplicity and ease of use of both Shopify POS and Shopify as a whole. Simply put, there are a few easier ways to start a shop and begin selling, both online and in brick-and-mortar settings.
Inventory Management: Many customers have noted how easy it is to import inventory and how well Shopify POS handles a wide variety of products.
Good Customer Service: While not everyone loves Shopify’s customer service, the mere fact that Shopify offers a phone line and live chat with 24/7 availability places it ahead of many competitors. Plenty of users have praised the support staff’s friendliness and helpfulness as well.
Extendability: Many user reviews have noted Shopify’s interconnectedness with the rest of the eCommerce software universe.

Final Verdict On The Shopify Tap & Chip Card Reader

Shopify Tap & Chip Card Reader Review Summary
Pricing Range	$5-$2,500/month
Choose If You Need	You want an EMV/NFC credit card reader that works with Shopify POS or Shopify online store. You want a card reader with an inexpensive monthly plan for occasional mobile sales. You want mobile processing with a month-to-month plan and online selling features.

The Shopify Tap & Chip Card Reader is a fine device and, at $49, is competitively priced for a reader that accepts EMV and NFC/contactless payments. Backed by Shopify’s extensive suite of payment services, the Tap & Chip Reader earns an excellent score. To be truly useful in a retail setting, you’ll need to use it with the dock that is, unfortunately, sold separately.

Still, even when taking this into consideration, the Tap & Chip Reader is a powerful and cost-effective retail commerce tool.

As another option to take mobile payments with Shopify, you can use Shopify with Tap to Pay. (However, this won’t allow you to accept chip cards, only contactless payment methods.)

Finally, make sure you out the best credit card readers for small business for some additional options.

POS Hardware & Mobile Credit Card Reader Rating Methodology

We spend hours researching and evaluating each POS hardware and mobile payments device that we review at Merchant Maverick, placing special emphasis on key characteristics to generate our product ratings.

Weighted Rating Breakdown

Pricing 40%

Features 25%

Ease Of Use 20%

Customer Service 10%

User Reviews 5%

When rating POS hardware (which might include registers, mobile card readers, and other similar devices), we use a 38-point rubric that looks at pricing, ease of use, features, customer service, and user reviews. We weigh each section differently to calculate the total star rating.

Pricing: 40% of the total star rating
Ease of Use: 20% of the total star rating
Features: 25% of the total star rating
Customer Service: 10% of the total star rating
User Reviews: 5% of the total star rating

Each section is further broken down into granular, weighted subsections, in which we look at specific attributes, like whether reduced fees are available for multiple terminals, which payment processing options are available, and how well the hardware integrates with POS or payment processing software apps. We’re also paying careful attention to hardware’s relative cost, any associated fees, and whether financing is available, among other things.

Learn more about how we rate POS hardware.

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Jason Vissers

Expert Contributor at Merchant Maverick

Jason has been writing about small business software platforms, services, and financing since 2015. Jason’s expertise has been featured in Yahoo Finance, Time/NextAdvisor, Home Business Magazine, CreditCards.com, GoBankingRates, TheLadders.com, and other publications. He has a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from San Diego State University and currently lives in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

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Shopify Tap & Chip Card Reader

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After hours of in-depth research and evaluation, we can confidently recommend this brand to our readers. Get started today and see Shopify Tap & Chip Card Reader for yourself.

The Merchant Maverick Seal of Approval 🏆

Shopify Tap & Chip Card Reader

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After hours of in-depth research and evaluation, we can confidently recommend this brand to our readers. Get started today and see Shopify Tap & Chip Card Reader for yourself.

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