Which phones support Tap to Pay
Tap to Pay lets you take a contactless card payment on your own phone. It works on most recent Android phones; this explains what a phone needs and what to do if yours is not eligible.
In a hurry? Quick steps
- Open a completed, unpaid booking
- Tap Take payment, then Tap to Pay
- If your phone is not eligible the app says so and offers a payment link instead
What your phone needs
Tap to Pay turns a recent Android phone into a card reader, so a customer can tap their card or phone to pay you on the spot. Apple devices are not supported for taking payment.
To take a card payment, your Android phone must meet all of the following (these are set by Stripe, our card-present provider):
- Android 13 or later, with a security update from the last 12 months
- A built-in NFC (contactless) sensor
- Google Mobile Services and the Google Play Store installed
- A genuine, unrooted device running the manufacturer OS, with the bootloader locked and Developer options turned off
- A stable internet connection at the point of sale
Most mainstream phones from the last few years qualify (for example recent Google Pixel, Samsung Galaxy, Motorola, OnePlus, Oppo and Xiaomi handsets). Tablets and emulators are not supported for taking payment.
You do not have to check a list
Your TradeBooked app checks your exact phone automatically the moment you start a Tap to Pay payment. If your phone is eligible, the tap screen opens. If it is not, the app tells you and offers to send the customer a secure payment link instead, so you can still get paid.
The fee
A 1% fee applies to each Tap to Pay (card-present) transaction, taken from your proceeds. Under UK law the fee is never added to what the customer pays. The hosted payment link is fee-free if you would rather avoid it.
Common questions
Does Tap to Pay work on an iPhone?
Not for taking payment. Tap to Pay in the TradeBooked app is for recent Android phones. On any device you can still send the customer a secure payment link.
My phone is not supported. How do I get paid?
Use the payment link. From the booking, send the customer a secure Stripe link to pay by card on their own device. The link is fee-free.
Why does Tap to Pay need location access?
Stripe requires an approximate location at the point of sale as a card-present security and fraud check. It is used only for the payment and is not stored by TradeBooked or used for advertising.
Related guides
References
This is general guidance, not legal, tax or financial advice. For your own circumstances, speak to a qualified professional.
Still stuck? Email support@tradebooked.co.uk.