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SoftPOS (Software Point of Sale) is a phone-based card acceptance technology that can turn an NFC-enabled smartphone or tablet into a payment terminal. The merchant does not necessarily need to buy or rent separate POS hardware: they enter the amount in the app, and the customer taps a card, phone or smartwatch on the device.
The main advantages of SoftPOS are low entry cost and mobility. It can work especially well for market vendors, on-site professionals, couriers, beauty professionals and seasonal businesses. In a high-volume shop, however, a dedicated physical terminal may still be the better operational choice, especially if you need fast counter service, tipping, printed receipts or cash-register integration.
Technically, the payment uses the phone's NFC connection, following the same contactless logic as a traditional terminal. Customers can pay with a bank card or a digital wallet such as Apple Pay or Google Pay. Providers must comply with card-scheme and PCI security requirements, but the exact certification model may vary by provider.
To compare actual offers: if you want to look beyond the technology and compare fees, start with the SoftPOS offers comparison page. For mobile businesses, the mobile payment solutions for tradespeople landing and the taxi card acceptance landing can also be useful.
SoftPOS usually follows three steps:
Download the provider's app. On Android this usually starts from Google Play; on iPhone it requires an iOS-compatible provider app.
Register and activate the merchant account. The provider checks the business, billing and contractual details, then activates payment acceptance.
Accept payments. Enter the amount, choose the payment method, the customer taps the card or digital wallet, and a digital receipt can be sent.
Activation time varies by provider. Some solutions can be used within a few days; others require contract signing, bank approval or a custom offer. This is why you should compare not only fees, but also onboarding and settlement time.
SoftPOS has been available on Android in Hungary for several years because Android NFC access was open to payment acceptance apps earlier. Most Hungarian SoftPOS offers still rely on Android, so an up-to-date NFC-enabled Android phone gives the widest choice today.
For iPhone, the market opened up significantly in 2025 with Tap to Pay on iPhone becoming available in Hungary. Apple's official country list names several payment platforms supporting Tap to Pay on iPhone in Hungary, including Adyen, Global Payments, myPOS, Revolut, Stripe, SumUp, Teya, Viva.com and Worldline. For merchant use, however, you still need a concrete compatible provider app and merchant agreement; the iPhone alone is not enough.
Practical rule: Android gives wider domestic bank and fintech coverage; on iPhone, always check whether the provider supports Hungarian merchants, your business profile and your selected pricing plan.
Based on POSnavigator's offer check on 6 October 2026, the SoftPOS market is no longer limited to a few providers. The key distinction is between fully priced, calculable offers and providers where pricing depends on a custom contract, bank package or incomplete public fee data.
SumUp — Tap to Pay / SoftPOS on both Android and iPhone. The standard fee is typically 1.95%, while POSnavigator may show discounted or subscription-based packages as well.
Barion SoftPOS — a bank-independent mobile card acceptance solution for both Android and iOS devices. Requiring no separate physical terminal, this solution is available on NFC-enabled smartphones starting at a monthly fee of HUF 790 + VAT. It enables the acceptance of contactless bank card (Visa, Mastercard) and mobile wallet (Apple Pay, Google Pay) payments without transaction limits, while transactions can be tracked in real-time via the associated Barion SmartPortal merchant interface.
Paynance — bank-independent SoftPOS for NFC-enabled Android 8.0 or newer devices. POSnavigator showed an offer with a 0.89% transaction fee in the latest calculation.
Raiffeisen Bank — SCAN&GO SoftPOS with card acceptance and qvik payment options. It can be a strong candidate if you want card acceptance and instant-payment features in one app.
SimplePay SoftPOS — Android SoftPOS and qvik features in one interface. SimplePay's own information describes multiple payment options, including contactless SoftPOS and qvik-based payment.
One ReadyPay — Android mobile card acceptance with a SimplePay contractual background. It may be relevant if you are already looking at One's small-business digital packages.
Novopayment — bank-independent SoftPOS line, with Android and iOS compatibility communicated in provider materials. In POSnavigator it appeared as a Mini Pay package.
Revolut — Tap to Pay on iPhone direction, with Revolut Business or Pro merchant background. Important: Revolut's own terms may exclude certain activities and country profiles, so eligibility should be checked before onboarding.
myPOS Glass — SoftPOS for Android and iPhone. Its advantage is instant settlement to the myPOS account; before choosing it, check the package fee, transaction fee and transfer cost to a Hungarian bank account.
POSnavigator's provider database also contains SoftPOS-type or related provider presence for Global Payments, K&H, Teya, CIB Bank, HelloPay, BIZPAY, Viva.com and UniCredit. For these, current conditions, contractual background and device compatibility should be checked carefully because not every offer has complete automatically calculable fee data.
SoftPOS may look cheap at first because many packages have no separate terminal rental. The total cost, however, is not determined by the monthly fee alone.
Transaction fee: in POSnavigator's SoftPOS calculation on 6 October 2026, priced offers typically showed consumer-card fees between 0.69% and 1.95%, but business, foreign or non-EEA cards may carry higher rates and fixed per-transaction fees.
Monthly fee: the monthly fee can be HUF 0, but subscription or bank packages can add several thousand forints per month. A zero in the calculation does not always mean the whole offer is free; it may indicate custom pricing or incomplete public fee data.
One-off fee: many SoftPOS offers do not require a hardware purchase, but activation, setup or entry fees may still apply.
Settlement time and cash flow: bank providers may offer a more direct settlement path, while fintech providers may use a separate business account, e-money account or transfer fee.
qvik and alternative payments: if qvik QR, qvik NFC or payment requests matter to you, check whether the exact SoftPOS app supports them.
Rule of thumb: at low volume, no-monthly-fee or low-fixed-fee plans can be convenient; at higher volume, a few tenths of a percentage point in transaction fee can matter more than the monthly fee.
SoftPOS can be a good fit if:
you work on site as a repair professional, hairdresser, beautician, instructor or consultant;
you sell at markets, events, festivals or seasonal locations;
you have a low or medium number of transactions and do not want a separate terminal;
you need a quick backup solution next to an existing physical terminal;
you want several employees or locations to accept payments flexibly.
It is less ideal if:
you process hundreds of counter transactions per day and need a fast dedicated device;
cash-register integration is mandatory or operationally critical;
you need printed receipts, tipping features or stable all-day battery operation;
you cannot provide a suitable, updated NFC-enabled business device.
Startup cost: SoftPOS is usually cheaper to start because there is no separate terminal hardware. Physical POS may involve rental, purchase or installation fees.
Mobility: with SoftPOS, the phone is the terminal, which is strong for mobile sales. In a fixed shop, a dedicated POS can be more stable and easier to manage.
Features: physical terminals often handle tipping, cash-register connection, printing and high-volume counter use better. SoftPOS offers faster entry and fewer devices.
Cost: transaction fees may sit in a similar range, but monthly fees, fixed per-transaction fees, card types and settlement models can change the total cost significantly.
Yes, if you use a reliable provider and an up-to-date device that is not rooted or running a modified operating system. Provider apps are not simple card-reading apps: the payment flow must follow card-scheme, banking and PCI requirements. On iPhone, Tap to Pay uses Apple's supported payment acceptance framework.
The merchant's own device hygiene also matters: avoid using an insecure private phone; use a screen lock, keep the system updated, maintain stable internet and define who is allowed to accept payments on the device.
Not necessarily. SoftPOS can accept contactless payments on its own if the provider app, device and contract are in place. For high-volume stores or cash-register integration, a physical POS may still be useful.
Yes, but not with every provider or package. You need an iPhone XS or newer, an up-to-date iOS version and a supported provider app. Android generally offers wider coverage in the Hungarian market.
Often at the point of entry, because there is no separate device rental. Total cost still depends on transaction fee, monthly fee, fixed fees, settlement time and card types. It is best to calculate based on your own turnover.
Not automatically. Some providers, such as Raiffeisen Scan&GO and SimplePay SoftPOS, communicate qvik features, but this must always be checked against the exact offer and app.
SoftPOS is worth considering when mobility, low startup cost and quick rollout matter more than the stability of a dedicated terminal. Before choosing, check:
Which phone do you have? Android gives the widest choice; on iPhone, check Tap to Pay support carefully.
What is your monthly card turnover? At low volume, the monthly fee matters; at higher volume, the transaction percentage becomes more important.
Do you need qvik, cash-register integration or tipping? These are not identical across SoftPOS solutions.
Where and when does the money arrive? Settlement time and possible onward-transfer fees are part of the real cost.
If you have not decided yet, compare current SoftPOS offers on POSnavigator and check which solution best fits your turnover and operating model.
Data update: POSnavigator offer data and provider list checked on 6 October 2026. Official external sources used for verification include the Apple Tap to Pay country list, SimplePay SoftPOS, Raiffeisen Scan&GO, SumUp Tap to Pay, Teya Tap to Pay and Paynance SoftPoS.
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