Handheld terminals are mobile card readers for payments, inventory, and operations. But the industry is evolving: businesses can now accept payments on traditional mobile card readers and on the consumer devices in their pockets. Tap to Pay allows users to accept contactless in-person payments with only an iPhone or Android using embedded near-field communication (NFC) technology.

Below, we explain how handheld payment devices are changing and how to choose the right one for your business.

What’s in this article?

• What is a handheld payment device?
  
• Which industries commonly use handheld payment devices at point of sale?
  
• What features should businesses look for when choosing a handheld payment device?
  

What is a handheld payment device?

A handheld payment device is a mobile device that lets businesses accept payments without being tethered to a checkout counter or desktop. Along with accepting payments, some handheld payment devices also allow you to scan barcodes, check inventory, or print receipts.

Here are a few ways to accept payments on the go:

• All-in-one card reader: Use a single device that runs your point-of-sale (POS) app and accepts payments from cards or digital wallets without needing to connect to a phone or tablet.
  
• Card reader + peripheral: Attach a card reader to a compatible peripheral device running your POS app, often a phone or tablet, and connect the two via Bluetooth. This option allows you to accept cards and digital wallets, but it’s often less compact.
  
• Tap to Pay: As an alternative to traditional card readers, Tap to Pay allows you to accept contactless payments from physical cards and digital wallets directly on compatible iPhones and Android devices. No extra hardware is required. This option is often better for businesses that want to avoid the initial cost and upkeep of hardware.
  

The main advantage of both handheld payment devices and Tap to Pay is putting real-time business functions into your team’s hands—on the sales floor, at a client site, or in the field—so they can take action instantly.

Which industries commonly use handheld payment devices at point of sale?

Handheld card readers and Tap to Pay are used anywhere a transaction happens away from a fixed checkout counter, or where speed, mobility, and direct customer interaction make a difference. While their use cases are broad, some industries have made them integral to how they operate. Let’s take a closer look.

Retail

In retail, handheld devices allow businesses to create new customer experiences away from the traditional checkout line. Floor-based checkout helps avoid long lines and can increase conversion. Associates can look up real-time inventory or product information while assisting shoppers. Mobile checkout supports more personalized service, which is especially useful in high-touch environments, such as apparel or specialty retail.

Restaurants and hospitality

Restaurants use handheld devices for tableside ordering and payments, which speeds up service and limits back-and-forth. Payments can be processed on the spot by swiping, dipping, or tapping a card or digital wallet. Faster turnarounds improve table availability and allow staff to work more efficiently.

Hotels, stadiums, and theme parks also use them for concession sales or in-room billing. The common thread is portability: the ability to bring payments to where the customer is, rather than the other way around.

Pop-ups, events, and mobile vendors

Pop-ups and seasonal businesses often rely on mobile devices to act like a full storefront, even if their setup is temporary. Businesses without a fixed location (e.g., food trucks, market stalls, event booths) often use handheld devices as their entire POS system. This makes it easy for entrepreneurs to accept payments on-site and track their inventory in real time. Some mobile readers support offline mode, which allows businesses to accept payments even if service is unavailable.

Field sales and service

When services are rendered at the customer’s location—whether it’s home repairs, medical services, or B2B sales—handheld devices let workers close the loop on-site. This functionality reduces manual paperwork and back-office processing, which can cut delays and improve cash flow. Vendors can accept payments as soon as the job is done, customers can sign directly on a device screen if needed, and—depending on the device—receive an email or physical receipt on the spot.

What features should businesses look for when choosing a handheld payment device?

The right handheld payment device for your business depends on where and how you’re using it. But across industries, a few features consistently make the difference between just getting the job done and actually improving your operations. Here’s what to pay attention to when evaluating devices.

Payment capabilities

Support for multiple card networks and digital wallets can prove especially important for global businesses or locations frequented by tourists.

Stripe Terminal, for example, allows you to accept major cards and digital wallets on handheld hardware, and integrate payments into your own POS app. It offers optional payment capabilities such as customizable tipping for hospitality, dynamic currency conversion to allow a customer to pay in their preferred currency, and surcharging—or adding a fee—to credit card transactions to offset processing costs, subject to regional availability.

Connectivity

If your team is constantly on the move, look for devices that allow you to accept payments seamlessly, even when Wi-Fi or cellular service isn’t available. If you’re frequently selling goods in remote places, cellular backup might be a priority. If you deal with inconsistent Wi-Fi access, consider a device that supports offline mode, so you can accept payments while the internet is out and sync them with your POS system as soon as Wi-Fi is available again.

Battery life

Choose a device that can handle a full shift of active use. This means looking for:

• A solid baseline of battery life (8–12 hours)
  
• Charging docks or multidevice cradles for easier overnight recharging
  

Durability and design

Customer-facing teams such as retail associates might prefer a lightweight, modern design that feels more like a phone than a rugged industrial item. Some businesses even use devices that match their brand aesthetic on the floor. Depending on your environment, you might need:

• Drop resistance (of at least four to five feet onto concrete)
  
• Ingress protection (IP) ratings for water and dust resistance
  
• Screens that are easy to read in sunlight
  
• Devices that can handle vibration, grease, and a range of temperatures
  

Software compatibility and flexibility

Seek out flexibility and compatibility with your existing systems, especially when you’re scaling across locations or teams. Before committing to a handheld payment device, check whether:

• It’s compatible with your POS
  
• You can install custom apps, such as loyalty programs, if desired
  
• There are software development kits (SDKs) or application programming interfaces (APIs) that let you integrate the device with your existing stack
  

Stripe Terminal allows users to integrate payments with their custom POS system or use integrations prebuilt for many enterprise POS applications.

Security

Handling payments and customer data calls for high security standards. Look for:

• End-to-end encryption for every transaction
  
• Added point-to-point encryption for industries such as healthcare and education
  
• PCI-compliant hardware
  
• Secure device authentication and tamper resistance
  
• Optional features such as PIN access, if required by local regulations or card networks
  

Unified reporting and integration

A payment device’s true value comes from how well it fits into your broader operation. Stripe helps businesses unify their in-person and online commerce so mobile payments aren’t siloed; they feed into the same dashboards, customer relationship management (CRM) tools, and analytics systems as online payments.

Cost and support

Hardware should be cost-effective over the long term and backed by a provider that won’t leave you scrambling when issues arise. Look beyond the sticker price and ask about any recurring software or support fees, if and when a vendor support team is available if something breaks or malfunctions, and whether you can manage devices centrally.

Choosing the right handheld payment device is ultimately about finding the right fit for your business. The best device is one that fades into the background and lets your team work faster, more confidently, and with fewer obstacles. That can only happen when hardware, software, and operations are matched up from the start.

Stripe Terminal supports many devices for on-the-go payments, including an all-in-one reader, card readers that can be connected with peripherals via Bluetooth, and Tap to Pay.

Barcode and QR code scanning

In retail, inventory, ticketing, or logistics, your device’s scanning performance is key. Look for:

• 1D and 2D scanner support (for barcodes and QR codes)
  
• Fast, reliable reads—even in poor lighting or around reflective surfaces
  
• The ability to scan from phone screens (which is useful for mobile tickets and loyalty programs)
  
• Optional long-range scanning, if you need to reach a higher shelf or scan items at a distance