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You've decided your customers should be able to pay by card in person, on the spot. Good call — but the next question is: with what device should you accept the card? Today there are three typical options, and they differ significantly in convenience, capability and cost: the full-featured POS terminal, the mobile card reader that pairs with your phone, and the SoftPOS app that turns the smartphone itself into a terminal.
If you're not even sure whether you need in-person or online acceptance, start there — that's the topic of our POS terminal vs. SoftPOS vs. online payment gateway article. This piece goes one level deeper: it assumes you accept cards in person, and compares only the three physical acceptance device types.
In summer, terraces, pop-up counters and outdoor service points suddenly become much more important for hospitality businesses. That is when many merchants ask the same practical question: is a mobile card acceptance setup, such as SoftPOS or a mobile card reader, enough, or is a separate POS terminal the safer choice?
The short answer: for small, occasional or lower-volume terrace payments, a mobile solution can be a good first step. But if queues form at peak times, several staff members take payments, tipping, SZÉP card acceptance, paper receipts or reliable all-shift operation matter, a separate POS terminal may be less of a convenience feature and more of an operational safeguard.
Use these 7 questions as a quick check:
There's an easy-to-miss angle here too: a phone is inherently a personal device. At shift changes, or with several waiters or counter staff, handing over the same device for payment isn't always simple. If you'd buy a dedicated, payment-only phone to solve this, it's worth considering that a modern smartphone often costs more than a POS terminal or mobile card reader — so the separate device can end up being not just more practical, but cheaper too.
If most answers are simple, SoftPOS or a mobile card reader may be enough. If several points create operational risk, compare a separate POS terminal or a backup setup as well.
The classic, now typically Android-based smart POS terminal is a self-contained device: it has its own internet connection (SIM card or Wi-Fi), its own battery, and on higher-end models a built-in receipt printer. It doesn't depend on your phone — switch it on and it's a complete payment point on its own. Higher-end SmartPOS devices even run apps: inventory, invoicing or loyalty can all run on them. We covered this in our article on SmartPOS features.
A mobile card reader — such as the myPOS Go 2, the SumUp Air or the Revolut Reader — is a small device that is "dumb" on its own and connects to your phone over Bluetooth. You start the transaction on the phone, in the provider's app; the phone supplies the internet, and the reader does what it's good at: it reads the card (contactless, chip, and on many models even magstripe) and securely handles the PIN. Essentially: your phone's power plus a dedicated, PIN-capable reader.
With SoftPOS (also called Tap to Pay) there's no separate hardware: you install an app on your own NFC-capable smartphone or tablet, and the customer taps their card or their own phone directly on the back of yours. It only handles contactless payments, there's no printer, and you need a suitable device of your own. For details see our SoftPOS in Hungary and Apple Tap to Pay guides.
All three handle contactless Visa and Mastercard cards, plus Apple Pay and Google Pay wallets. The difference is with chip cards: the POS terminal and the mobile card reader also handle chip + PIN payments, so older or PIN-requiring cards and higher amounts go through without trouble. The SoftPOS, by contrast, typically accepts only contactless transactions — it cannot physically read a chip card.
A paper receipt is provided out of the box only by a POS terminal with a printer. With a mobile card reader and SoftPOS the receipt is usually digital (email, SMS, QR code) — often enough, but if your guests expect a paper slip, or you want to connect to a till system, tip handling or a barcode scanner, the full-featured terminal is the practical choice.
The POS terminal is the most self-sufficient: it doesn't rely on your phone, running on its own SIM or Wi-Fi. The mobile card reader and SoftPOS both lean on your phone's battery and data — if it dies or there's no signal, acceptance stops. With SoftPOS your own phone is doing the work, so it can clash with other use (during a call, for example).
SoftPOS is the easiest entry: if you have a suitable phone, you basically just download the app. The mobile card reader is also very portable and cheap to start. The POS terminal is the heaviest and most expensive entry — but it does the most.
Three cost elements matter: the device price, the transaction fee and any monthly fee / contractual lock-in. We wrote separately about the hidden items in our article on the hidden costs of card acceptance.
Prices and fees reflect the state as of June 2026 and may vary by provider and volume band. Always check the provider's current rate sheet.
POS terminal: the most convenient behind the counter — fast, reliable, paper receipt, and it doesn't tie up your phone. In return it's bigger, needs charging, and has a more rigid contract.
Mobile card reader: a good compromise. It fits in a pocket yet has a physical PIN pad and chip reading, but you have to keep two devices (phone + reader) in sync and charged.
SoftPOS: the least to carry — one device and you're done. But the customer has to tap their card on your phone, which feels unusual to some, and only contactless works.
Recommended: a fixed location, regular and higher daily turnover, multiple tills, hospitality with paper receipts and tipping, till integration. Less ideal: for occasional, low-volume or constantly mobile businesses where the monthly fee and contract are too much of a burden.
Recommended: mobile or mixed operation (delivery, markets, on-site services) where chip + PIN acceptance and a wider card range still matter. Less ideal: if you need a paper receipt or a full till system, or if juggling two devices bothers you.
Recommended: a new business, occasional or low volume, on-site service providers, a fast and cheap start where almost everyone pays contactless. Less ideal: if you also need to accept chip/PIN cards, if you need a paper receipt, if you don't have a suitable NFC phone, or if several staff members would need to take turns on the same payment phone — that's impractical in daily operation and points toward a dedicated device instead.
And remember: as qvik instant payment spreads, contactless/QR-based payment increasingly replaces the classic card swipe — so it's worth choosing a solution that supports this too.
On POSnavigator.eu you can transparently compare the providers and devices available on the Hungarian market — based on fees, contract terms and real merchant criteria. If you don't yet know which device type fits you, our cost calculator shows, based on your own turnover, which solution is worth it for you.
A mobile card reader is a separate small device that connects to your phone over Bluetooth and can physically read a chip card and handle a PIN. SoftPOS, by contrast, is an app on your own phone, with no separate hardware, and accepts contactless payments only.
Not by default. With these the receipt is usually digital (email, SMS or QR code). For a paper slip you need a POS terminal with a printer or a separate printer accessory.
Usually SoftPOS, because you don't have to buy hardware — if you have a suitable NFC phone, you often pay just the transaction fee. The mobile card reader starts with a low one-off device price; the POS terminal is the most expensive but the most capable entry.
Not necessarily. Bank-independent providers (e.g. SumUp, myPOS, Revolut, Teya) usually let you order the hardware online without a bank contract. The classic bank POS terminal, however, typically comes with a contract and often a commitment period.
Above the contactless limit the customer must authenticate (strong customer authentication). Many SoftPOS solutions handle this with a PIN typed on the phone screen, but they cannot physically read a chip card — if you regularly encounter such cards, a PIN-pad mobile reader or a POS terminal is safer.
Yes, if payments are lower-volume or occasional, one or two people handle payments, and paper receipts or multi-user handling are not critical. The main risk is then battery life, mobile connectivity, and the fact that a phone is not a dedicated payment device.
When peak-time queues, several staff members, tipping, SZÉP card acceptance, stable connectivity or printed receipts matter — a separate terminal fits a terrace that is a main revenue channel, not just a side one.
A phone is inherently a personal device, so handing the same one between staff at shift changes isn't always practical. If you'd buy a separate, payment-only phone to solve this, it's worth considering that a modern smartphone often costs more than a POS terminal or a mobile card reader — so a dedicated device can end up being not just more convenient, but cheaper too.
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