Get started with Tap to Pay on Android
Accept contactless payments anywhere on the go with just your Android phone – no card reader needed. With Tap to Pay on Android, you can securely accept Samsung Pay, Apple Pay, Google Pay and NFC-enabled cards wherever you are. Simply enter an amount, tap charge and then have your customer tap their card or device with tap-to-pay capabilities to complete the transaction.
Tap to Pay on Android is currently available with Square Point of Sale, Square Invoices, Square Appointments and Square for Restaurants.
Pricing, Compatibility and Transaction Limits
Square sellers using Tap to Pay on Android will pay a per-transaction processing fee of 1.9% for payments processed in Square Point of Sale, Square Appointments (Free), Square Invoices (Free and Plus) and Square for Restaurants (Free, Plus and Premium). If you are subscribed to Square Appointments (Plus or Premium), you’ll pay a per-transaction processing fee of 1.6%. This payment method is compatible with all contactless cards and digital wallets such as Apple Pay, Google Pay and Samsung Pay. Accept any Australian-issued and most international contactless cards with a Visa, Mastercard, American Express and bank-issued eftpos chip card. To know if a card is contactless, look for the ‘wave’ symbol.
Note: You’ll need to be running Android 9 or later to use Tap to Pay on Android.
Tap to Pay on Android has a per-transaction limit for contactless payments (Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay) of $50,000 and a per-transaction limit for physical contactless EFTPOS cards of $100 and $250 for all other card brands.
Android settings for Tap to Pay on Android
To manage the settings on your Android device for Tap to Pay on Android:
Ensure that your phone is running Android 9 or later.
Navigate to your device Settings > Connections > NFC and Contactless Payments.
Toggle on Contactless Payments to enable. Toggle off Contactless Payments to disable.
Ensure ‘Developer options’ are turned off on your phone.
Note: Steps may vary depending on your specific Android device. Check out our compatibility page to see if your Android device is compatible with Tap to Pay on Android.
Manage app settings for Tap to Pay on Android
You can enable/disable Tap to Pay on Android at any time through the compatible Square apps (Point of Sale, Invoices, Appointments and Restaurants).
From the navigation bar at the bottom of your screen, tap ≡ More.
Tap Settings, then tap Hardware.
Choose Tap to Pay > toggle on to enable.
Toggle off Tap to Pay to disable.
Note: Due to the manufacturer’s specification, some same phone models may be compatible with Tap to Pay on Android in one country, but not in another country. Follow the steps above and check that the Tap to Pay option is available. If it is, your device is compatible. If you don’t see the Tap to Pay option, check out our compatibility page to view compatible devices.
Accepting payments
Review the steps below on accepting Tap to Pay on Android payments in Square Point of Sale, Square Appointments, Square Invoices and Square for Restaurants.
- Navigate to Checkout and add items from your Library or use the Keypad to enter a custom amount.
- Tap Review Sale and then tap Charge.
- Select Tap to Pay and have your customer select a tip amount, if applicable.
- If you don’t see the Tap to Pay payment option, select Enable Tap to Pay or check that you’ve successfully enabled NFC in your device settings.
- On the checkout screen, you’ll see the reader animation with the message ‘Hold card to back of phone’.
- Position your phone close to your customer, and allow them to tap and hold either a card or any NFC-type devices (i.e. Apple Pay, Google Pay, Apple Watch, etc.) to the back of the phone.
- You’ll hear an audible beep once the payment is accepted, signifying a successful transaction.
- Once the payment is complete, allow your customer to choose their desired receipt method.
- Navigate to Checkout > Appointments > Go to calendar and select an appointment.
- You can also add items or services from your Library or use the Keypad to enter a custom amount.
- Tap Review and Check Out or Review Sale and then tap Charge.
- Select Tap to Pay and have your customer select a tip amount, if applicable.
- On the checkout screen, you’ll see the reader animation with the message ‘Hold card to back of phone’.
- Position your phone close to your customer, and allow them to tap and hold either a card or any NFC-type devices (i.e. Apple Pay, Google Pay, Apple Watch, etc.) to the back of the phone.
- You’ll hear an audible beep once the payment is accepted, signifying a successful transaction.
- Once the payment is complete, allow your customer to choose their desired receipt method.
Note: If the Invoice is already created, start from step five.
- Navigate to Invoices and tap the ‘+’ option to start creating an Invoice.
- Add customers and items to your invoice.
- Tap Preview and send > Send Invoice.
- Tap X on the confirmation screen.
- Tap the created invoice from the Invoices tab.
- Tap Add payment > choose the amount > Next.
- Choose Tap to Pay.
- Follow the on-screen prompts to complete the payment.
Note: If you attempt to process a payment using Tap to Pay on Android that is over $100 with a physical contactless eftpos card or over $250 with a physical contactless card (Visa, Mastercard, American Express), your customer will be prompted to enter the card PIN to complete the transaction. This is due to the cardholder verification method (CVM) limits set by the card issuer.
Find answers to commonly asked questions about Tap to Pay on Android via our FAQ.