Tap to Pay contactless payment apps provide an ideal solution for small businesses to process quick, convenient, and secure payment transactions.
Yet, with a plethora of payment solutions in the market, choosing the ideal one can be daunting.
We’ve done the legwork for you and compiled a list of the top three tap-to-pay apps most suited for small businesses:
- Pebl POS
- Tyro
- Westpac
Each of these platforms offer unique advantages, allowing you to choose the system that best aligns with your business model and needs.
Now let’s dive into the details and take a closer look at each of these apps.
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Mobile Point of Sale (mPOS) systems are revolutionising the way businesses handle transactions, offering flexibility and convenience by turning smartphones and tablets into fully functional sales terminals. This technology is useful to anyone who regularly accepts or processes payments, so read along if that sounds like you. But first, what does a POS system do?
Put simply, POS stands for Point of Sale. A POS system is the hardware and software that allows businesses to manage sales transactions and accept various payment methods. It has a credit card reader to accept payments so both businesses and customers can go through the checkout process efficiently when making purchases in store. POS systems come in all shapes and sizes, so in this blog we'll explain all there is to know about mobile point-of-sale (mPOS) systems to help you streamline your payment process.
Pebl - The Best All-round Tap to Pay App
Pebl is an Australian owned and operated mobile payment application designed to streamline how businesses in Australia accept payments. This app allows businesses to process payments using just their smartphones, without the need for additional hardware, dongles, or devices. It supports all major credit and debit cards, including Apple Pay, Google Pay, and PayID, offering a broad range of payment options to customers. Pebl's system is particularly user-friendly, enabling businesses to generate a QR code that customers can scan to make payments, or share the code as a link through various messaging platforms like SMS, email, WhatsApp, and Facebook Messenger.
One of the standout features of Pebl is its Tap to Pay on iPhone & Android technology, which mirrors the functionality of traditional eftpos terminals. This feature is widely adopted in Australia, making it a comfortable and familiar payment method for customers. The simplicity of Pebl's setup is also a major advantage; businesses can sign up and start accepting payments in as little as five minutes. Pebl charges a small flat fee per transaction (1.80%), with no monthly fees or setup costs, making it an economical choice for businesses of all sizes. This fee can be automatically surcharged to the customer on each transaction, making Pebl essentially free to use (if you don't count costs associated with wifi/mobile data usage.
Pebl is not only beneficial for small and medium businesses but also scales efficiently for larger enterprises with extensive teams. The app facilitates easy team expansion, allowing new team members to use their phones for payment processing quickly. Setting up a team member takes 20 seconds. This feature makes Pebl an ideal solution for businesses with volunteers or mobile sales teams. Additionally, Pebl provides a comprehensive web-based dashboard where businesses can manage their transactions and accounts, enhancing operational oversight and financial management.
Moreover, Pebl's security features are paramount. The app employs robust security measures to protect transaction data and customer information, aligning with industry standards for payment security. This includes secure encryption technology for transactions and rigorous compliance checks to ensure safety and privacy.
Tyro BYO - Straightforward Tap to Pay Payments.
Tyro's BYO app represents a significant advancement in Tap to Pay technology, offering Australian businesses a seamless and efficient method to accept contactless payments directly on an iPhone (it is not available on Android). This app leverages the built-in security features of the iPhone to ensure transactions are not only convenient but also secure, maintaining the privacy of both the business and its customers. With the Tyro BYO app, businesses can accept a variety of payment methods including major credit and debit cards as well as digital wallets like Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Samsung Pay. The simplicity of the setup process, which only requires downloading the app and logging in, makes this solution highly accessible for businesses of all sizes, particularly those that are mobile or operate in dynamic environments where traditional payment systems can be cumbersome.
One of the standout features of the Tyro BYO app is its integration with the latest iPhone models and iOS updates, ensuring a high level of performance and compatibility. The app's design focuses on minimizing hardware dependencies, eliminating the need for additional payment terminals or devices. This not only reduces overhead costs for businesses but also enhances the customer experience by facilitating quicker transactions. Furthermore, the Tyro BYO app's competitive transaction fee of 1.4% per transaction, which includes GST, positions it as an attractive option for businesses monitoring their operational costs. Be aware that you’ll need to use the calculator to manually add any surcharges to your transaction in order to cover transaction fees.
Tyro's approach with the BYO app is indicative of its broader commitment to innovation and customer-centric solutions in the payment processing landscape. The company's history of being the first to market with new technology solutions underlines its role as a significant player in the Australian market, providing businesses with reliable, flexible, and cost-effective payment solutions. The ease of use, coupled with robust security measures and the ability to handle a variety of payment types, makes the Tyro BYO app a compelling choice for businesses looking to streamline their transaction processes and enhance overall efficiency.
Westpac EFTPOS Air - A Simple Contactless Payment Solution
Westpac's EFTPOS Air app, developed in collaboration with Quest Payment Systems, is tailored to enable Australian businesses to accept contactless payments directly on their iPhones without the need for additional hardware. The app is not available for Android. This mobile solution is designed to be fast, flexible, and secure, catering especially to small businesses and mobile vendors like food trucks and market stalls. The app integrates easily with your iPhone, leveraging the built-in security features of iOS to ensure transaction safety while offering a streamlined user experience that includes point of sale and inventory management functionalities.
The setup process for EFTPOS Air is straightforward and quick for existing Westpac customers (you need a Westpac bank account to sign-up), emphasizing ease of use with minimal technical requirements. Businesses simply need to download the app and log in to start accepting payments. The application process is accessible online, making it convenient for most small business owners. Once set up, users can immediately begin accepting a variety of payment forms including major credit cards and digital wallets like Apple Pay. This simplicity extends to the financial aspects as well, with a clear fee structure of 1.4% per transaction and no additional fees for hardware or monthly service.
Furthermore, Westpac's EFTPOS Air app provides the flexibility to handle payments during peak times or as a standalone solution. It includes built-in features for inventory management and point-of-sale operations, which are particularly useful for businesses that need to manage products or services on the go. The app also supports same-day settlement, which can significantly enhance a business's cash flow management. This makes it an attractive option for businesses seeking to optimize their payment processes and reduce operational friction.
What are the Advantages of a Mobile POS System?
Here’s some key advantages of a mobile POS system. For more points, read our article on the 7 key benefits of mPOS devices.
- Mobility and Flexibility: Unlike traditional countertop POS systems, an mPOS system is portable, allowing businesses to move the terminal to wherever the customer is, enhancing the customer experience by reducing wait times and enabling more personalised interactions.
- Ideal for Businesses without Permanent Locations: The portability of mobile POS systems makes them perfect for pop-up shops, food trucks, and vendors at fairs or markets. Even service-based businesses like home repair or cleaning services can process transactions on-site without the need for complex setups
- Supports Multiple Payment Methods: Mobile POS devices can handle various payment options, such as contactless credit or debit cards, mobile wallets like Apple Pay and Google Pay, and even QR code payments, providing customers with better service and convenience.
- Industry-Specific Features: Some mPOS solutions are tailored to the needs of the food and beverage industry, allowing orders to be sent directly from servers to kitchens or enabling customers to place their own orders at the table.
- Lower Investment Costs: Compared to full-size POS terminals, mPOS systems require a lower initial investment, making them an affordable option for small businesses with limited budgets looking to quickly start taking payments.
- Enhanced Security: Mobile POS systems are designed with secure payment processing in mind. They handle the entire transaction within the mPOS terminal, ensuring no sensitive data is stored elsewhere, which enhances security and reduces risks for small businesses.
Final remarks
Choosing the right tap-to-pay app is critical for small businesses seeking to streamline their operations.
Pebl, Tyro BYO, and Westpac EFTPOS Air each provide unique and tailored features, hence offering small businesses an array of options to enhance their payment procedures.
Pebl's affordability and user-friendly design make it the best all-around choice for small, medium and large businesses. While Tyro lacks some features that larger businesses may need. Meanwhile, Westpac is the prime choice for businesses who already bank with Westpac due to needing a Westpac bank account to sign-up.
Small businesses ultimately need to choose the tap-to-pay app that aligns best with their specific requirements and provides the optimal blend of efficiency, control, and cost-effectiveness to support their growth.