Small Business News
Square Launches Tap to Pay on Android for Small Businesses
For years, Square has been synonymous with their mobile card readers that allowed small businesses to turn their cell phones into point-of-sale registers. Now, the company is introducing a new feature that will make it even easier for entrepreneurs to accept payments on the go. As of this week, Square’s Tap to Pay feature is now available for Android users, allowing them to securely accept contactless payments on their device without the need for a card reader or other attachment. This expansion not only applies to small businesses in the United States but also Australia, Ireland, France, Spain, and the United Kingdom.
To get started, businesses will need to have a compatible Android device. In order to confirm compatibility, clients can visit the Square site and enter their phone model. A banner at the top will display whether or not the selected device is capable of accepting NFC Tap to Pay payments.
After this, sellers can open the Square Point of Sale, Square Appointments, Square for Restaurants, or Square Invoices apps. Then, they’ll enter the sale and present their device to the customer, who will see their total along with the “contactless payments” icon. To pay, the customers will just need to tap their equipped credit/debit card or utilize a mobile wallet such as Google Pay or Apple Pay.
The launch of Tap to Pay for Android follows the iOS rollout of the feature. In June of 2022, Square announced that it was opening an early access program for iPhone users. Tap to Pay officially rolled out to all iOS sellers last fall.
Announcing the launch of the new feature, Square’s GM of Point of Sale Alexis Sowa said, “Square’s goal is to make sure that our sellers, no matter where they are or who they are serving, never miss a sale. Our launch of Tap to Pay on Android brings a unique technology to millions of sellers globally, giving merchants a simple way to accept payments and access world-class, integrated software for their business.” Sowa added, “Even though Tap to Pay technology has only been available for a short time, the breadth of applications and use cases we’re seeing across our seller base already reinforce its staying power.”
With more Americans now warming up to mobile payments as well as increased issuance of tap-equipped cards, the time for this Tap to Pay feature is right. Although some small business sellers may still want to have a legacy card reader as a backup, there’s no doubt that this new feature will be a boon to these users, making it even easier for them to accept payments anywhere. Considering Android’s market share, this week’s expansion of Square’s feature is sure to impact many sellers who were previously left out. For them, it’s now to time check Square’s site for compatibility and get selling!
