A card reader arrives unpaired and useless. Charge it, install the provider's app, sign in, pair the device and run a small test sale that you refund immediately. That test is the only way to know the account, the reader and the settlement are all connected before a customer is standing in front of you.
How to set up a card reader before the first sale
Charge the reader fully, install the provider's own app on the phone or tablet you will take payments on, and sign in with the account that passed the provider's identity checks. Pair the reader to that device in the app rather than in the phone's general Bluetooth settings, then run a small test sale and refund it straight away. Only that test proves the account, the reader and the settlement are connected. Do it before trading, not with a customer waiting, and repeat it if you swap the phone the reader is paired to.
How do you use a card reader paired to a phone, and what catches people out?
Bluetooth readers pair to a specific phone or tablet through the provider's app, and most will only hold one pairing at a time. Swapping the reader between two staff phones means unpairing and repairing, which is slow at a counter. If two people need to take payments, most providers expect two readers or a shared device rather than a shared reader.
Can you use any card reader? Why one from elsewhere will not work
Readers are certified to a particular acquirer's platform, so a device bought with one provider's account cannot be moved to another. Second hand hardware is therefore only useful within the same provider, and a free terminal is also a reason to stay. Ask what happens to the hardware if you leave, because that is a switching cost the pricing page never shows.
Card readers for charities and clubs
Charities take card donations on the same readers and the same accounts as businesses, with the same identity checks applied to trustees rather than directors. A few providers publish charity specific terms; most do not, and the rate you pay is whatever plan you sign. Donation specific features, such as adding Gift Aid capture, are usually a separate product rather than part of the reader.
Other questions people ask
Can I use any card reader with my account?
No. Readers are certified to a specific provider's platform, so a reader only works with the account it was sold for. This is one of the practical switching costs of changing provider.
How to use a bank card reader from your business bank
The same way as any other reader: order it through the bank's account, install its app, pair the reader and run a test sale you refund. Tide, for example, explains pairing and using its reader in its own help centre. The reader only works with that account, so switching bank later means switching hardware too.
How to get a card reader in the first place
Open an account with the provider you have chosen, pass identity checks and order the hardware from them. Most post it within a few days; traditional acquirers may install a terminal instead.
Can a charity use a card reader for donations?
Yes, on the same hardware and usually on the same commercial terms. Check whether the provider offers anything specific for donations, and whether Gift Aid capture is included or a separate product.