Wireless Credit Card Reader Options

By Robert Taylor

If you are a small business owner, you probably think you can't afford a wireless credit card reader. Think again! You can process credit cards wirelessly by buying a unit priced from $75 to about $750.

With wireless credit card processing by reader, you can accept debit and credit cards for sales from trade shows, farmers' markets, flea markets, county fairs, picnics, food carts, and other remote locations.

Cell Phone Processing

This solution is not an actual wireless credit card reader, but it is a way to process credit cards from anywhere you have cell service, using your cell phone. You pay a one-time fee of $75 to subscribe to the service, then a toll-free number to record every transaction. This is a great option for someone who is not sure they will benefit from a more costly wireless credit card reader, and they just want to try accepting credit cards from remote locations to see how profitable it will be for them. There is no additional equipment to install and no software to use.

Mobile Swipe Systems

With this wireless credit card reader, you attach a card reader to your Nextel cell phone to convert it into a card swipe. This is a much faster solution than cell phone processing, and swiping a card is much more accurate than punching in numbers with a keypad. The downside to this system is that you will still have to hand-write or print receipts with another device, but at a total cost of $200 to $250 and no software to install, this is not a problem for the most business owners.

Wireless Terminal Systems

This is the next step up in wireless credit card readers. Wireless terminals feature an external infrared display and an infrared mobile printer, so you don't have to hand-write your receipts for credit card purchases. Long battery life means you can use the wireless terminal for up to 300 transactions per charge, and use the printer for one continuous hour of printing before you have to quick-change to another rechargeable battery. The purchase price for terminal plus printer is between $500 to $600 - surprisingly affordable!

Wireless Credit Card Reader Terminal And Printer

This top-of-the-line solution is the smallest handheld terminal available today. You get a small footprint, a large display and a fully integrated PIN pad and receipt printer. Swipe cards for speed and accuracy and watch your inventory disappear as you process sales with lightning-fast speed. At $700 to $750, this wireless credit card reader is likely to pay for itself in a few weeks.