Stripe Terminal is Stripe's way of taking card payments in person, through Stripe card readers or Tap to Pay on a compatible phone, with your in-person and online sales in one Dashboard. On Stripe's US page, as of October 2026, readers start at $59 for the Stripe Reader M2, but Terminal needs a point-of-sale app that supports it or a developer to build one.
That second half is the catch nobody puts in the headline. Stripe Terminal isn't a ready-made till you plug in and use. It's a platform for building your own checkout: Stripe offers an API-based integration plus software kits for Android, iOS, JavaScript and React Native, or you use a point-of-sale system that already supports Stripe. The customers Stripe showcases are software businesses: Dripos runs its app on the S700 reader, and SQUIRE added Tap to Pay and the Terminal software kit to its own product.
Pick your reader in four questions
Stripe's own setup guide sorts readers by how you sell. Work down this list and stop at the first yes:
- Do customers pay at a counter? Look at countertop readers: the Stripe Reader T600, the S700 or S710, or Verifone smart readers with a touchscreen, tipping and on-screen inputs.
- Do you take payments on the move or out in the field? Choose a mobile reader paired with a phone or tablet: the Stripe Reader M2 in the US, or the BBPOS WisePad 3 outside the US.
- Would you rather carry no extra hardware at all? Use Tap to Pay on a compatible iPhone or Android device.
- Do customers serve themselves? Stripe points self-service kiosks to the Verifone UX700.
Stripe reader prices in the US
These prices are from Stripe's US page, in US dollars, as of October 2026. All the readers support end-to-end or point-to-point encryption and are EMV certified.
| Reader or option | Price | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Stripe Reader S700 | $299 | Countertop, runs your own POS app on the device |
| Stripe Reader S710 | $299 | Countertop plus cellular, retail and hospitality |
| Stripe Reader M2 | $59 | Mobile payments paired with a phone or tablet (US) |
| Tap to Pay | No hardware to buy | Contactless on a compatible phone |
Stripe's page also shows Tap to Pay on iPhone and the third-party BBPOS WisePOS E. The S710 adds cellular connectivity, and Stripe says it's commonly used in retail, restaurants and hospitality. Cellular on enabled readers costs $10 per reader per month, with unlimited cellular data, though data for apps running on the device is limited to 10 GB per reader per month.
What Stripe charges per in-person payment
On Stripe's US page, as of October 2026, Terminal costs 2.7% + 5 cents per successful card transaction, plus 1.5% for international cards, 10 cents per authorisation for Tap to Pay and 5 cents per authorisation for optional point-to-point encryption.
Notice that this is a different rate from online card payments, so don't assume your online pricing carries over to the shop floor. For everything else Stripe charges, see this breakdown of Stripe fees.
Smart readers versus mobile readers
The two families connect in different ways, and that affects what your developer builds.
- Smart readers are internet-connected touchscreen devices that connect over WiFi or Ethernet. Your point of sale talks to them either through the Stripe API, which Stripe calls server-driven, or over your local network with a Terminal software kit.
- Mobile readers connect to a phone or tablet running a Terminal mobile software kit, over Bluetooth, or over USB on Android.
If you're in one shop with good WiFi, a smart reader on the counter is the simpler setup. If you're a mobile hairdresser, a market trader or a tradesperson taking payment at the door, a mobile reader or Tap to Pay fits how you work.
Questions to put to your developer or POS provider
Before you order anything, get straight answers to these, because they decide which reader works for you:
- Which Terminal software kit does your app use: Android, iOS, JavaScript or React Native? That tells you whether a smart reader or a mobile reader fits.
- Will the reader be driven through the Stripe API or over the local network?
- Does your app support Tap to Pay, so staff can take a payment on a phone when the queue builds up?
- Do you need cellular on the reader for a venue with patchy WiFi, and who pays the monthly charge per reader?
If nobody can answer those, that's a sign Terminal isn't ready for your business yet.
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Getting Stripe Terminal up and running
- Decide whether you need a counter reader, a mobile reader or a phone only.
- Choose a point-of-sale system that supports Stripe, or have a developer integrate the Terminal software kit.
- Order the reader from your Stripe Dashboard.
- Register and set up the reader at your location.
- Take a test payment before you open the doors.
Stripe says you can order readers from the Dashboard and manage them across locations, which is handy once you've got more than one site or more than one till.
If you need funding to stock up for a busy season, Stripe Capital explains how the flat fee works.
Who Stripe Terminal is right for
Terminal is great if you've got developer help, or your booking or POS software already supports Stripe, because you get one Dashboard for every sale wherever it happens. If you're a small shop that just wants a till that works out of the box, Terminal on its own will feel like hard work; an all-in-one system such as Square or Shopify POS is the easier path. I've compared the two in Stripe vs Square, and this guide to payment processors for small businesses covers the wider choice.
Frequently asked questions
What is Stripe Terminal?
Stripe Terminal is Stripe's in-person payments product. It uses Stripe card readers or Tap to Pay on a compatible phone, and shows in-person and online payments in one Dashboard.
How much is a Stripe card reader?
On Stripe's US page, as of October 2026, the Stripe Reader S700 and S710 are $299 each and the Stripe Reader M2 is $59. Tap to Pay needs no extra hardware.
Do I need a developer to use Stripe Terminal?
Usually, unless your point-of-sale system already supports it. Terminal needs an integration through Stripe's API and software kits, or a supported POS.
Can I take payments on my phone with Stripe Terminal?
Yes. Tap to Pay lets you accept contactless payments on a compatible iPhone or Android device without a separate reader.
Which Stripe reader should I buy for a market stall?
For mobile or field payments, Stripe suggests a mobile reader paired with a phone or tablet: the Stripe Reader M2 in the US or the BBPOS WisePad 3 outside the US. Tap to Pay is the option with no extra hardware.
