Tap to Pay in Ireland: what is it and what are the options?

Tap to Pay solutions in Ireland

It was only recently merchant service providers introduced Tap to Pay in Ireland, but options have grown since last year.

* Software development kit (SDK) for integrating softPOS in your own payment app.

So far in 2025, Square, SumUp and Mollie are the only payment service providers offering Tap to Pay out-of-the-box on both Android and iPhone. Android users can also choose myPOS whereas freelancer iPhone diehards can go for Revolut.

Which is best?

If you're only dipping into this to test it, we recommend picking a platform that's very quick to sign up for – which would be Square or SumUp. The most scalable of them is Square with its many complimentary features like specialised POS systems and choice of online selling tools.

Revolut is slightly more tedious to sign up for and stay with, as they require reconfirmation of details periodically. But if you're already a Revolut Pro customer, it will be easy to request access and start taking contactless payments on an iPhone.

Crossborder sellers would benefit from myPOS, as they allow you to take payments across the EEA and UK. That said, the sign-up requires several steps, such as a video call.

We'd only consider Stripe if we had a developer to custom-code the Tap to Pay feature into our own app (which we don't have). Adyen's tap-on-phone is similarly customisable, but only suitable for high-volume businesses.

Summary of solutions

Square lets you enable the feature in its Point of Sale app, which also connects with Square Reader. In addition, the app allows you to send payment links and accept QR code payments. Transactions via Square Tap to Pay are fixed at 1.75% + VAT with no monthly fees or commitment required.

Revolut recently added the feature for its freelance iPhone users with a Pro account. There's no monthly fee, just a fixed rate of 1.7%, which is lower than Square's. Companies with a Business account still has to wait for the feature.

SumUp charges an even simpler rate for its Tap to Pay on Android: 1.69% for any card. Like Square, SumUp's app has several online payment options that make it easy to accept payments in most contexts.

myPOS, in contrast, charges a few different fees for its myPOS Glass app, where Android users can accept tap-to-phone. A higher rate, 2.19% + €0.05, applies for EEA card transactions with a monthly subscription. If you pay €4.99 + VAT per month, this fee is lowered to 1.69% + €0.05 per contactless EEA card transaction.

Mollie, a Dutch online payments platform, offers Tap to Pay on iPhone and Android. On their Pay As You Go plan, domestic consumer card transactions cost 1.2%, whereas the €20/month Pro plan charges 0.85% + €0.10 on an annual contract.

Stripe Terminal offers its own Tap to Pay on Android or iPhone option in Ireland, but this is only for companies with the resources to implement codes in a custom app. In other words, small businesses aren't really able to use this out-of-the-box.

Adyen is similar to Stripe with its customisation options for iPhone Tap to Pay (not Android), but is even more geared towards large companies with a high sales turnover.

How tap-on-phone works

To accept contactless payments without a card machine, you need a mobile device with near-field communication (NFC). Practically all newer smartphones have this.

Essentially, the smartphone – like card readers – transmits card transaction data to the payment processor exchanging the information between banks, card issuers and other mediators. When authorised by all parties, the transaction is confirmed as successful on the smartphone screen.

But first of all, you have to subscribe to a merchant service offering Tap to Pay on iPhone or Android (depending on your device's operating system).

The service will tell you to download a specific app on your phone and log in with your merchant credentials while connected to the internet. This is enough for a smartphone (or compatible tablet) to receive contactless payments.

To accept a Tap to Pay payment, you enter the transaction amount in the app and touch the confirmation button. The customer can then hold their mobile phone or contactless card close to your smartphone, which will read and process the payment via the internet.

The merchant service provider transfers the funds to your business account, typically within 1-3 business days, just like any card reader service.

When is Tap to Pay a good idea?

Contactless payments on a smartphone may sound convenient, but it's worth considering the pros and cons before you use it in real life:

Advantages

Disadvantages

A couple of the disadvantages relate to customers having to touch and hold the phone.

Sometimes, a softPOS app might ask for a PIN code, mainly when the transaction amount exceeds the contactless limit. The merchant is then forced to give the customer the smartphone so they can enter the code on the touchscreen.

This is not the most hygienic solution, and customers may also be reluctant to enter their card PIN on a stranger's phone if they're concerned about security.

Some merchants may think about purchasing a phone to dedicate exclusively for this purpose, but then why not buy a card reader that's cheaper and less likely to be stolen?

In addition, tap-to-phone only processes contactless payments, not chip cards that have to be inserted. If a chip card doesn't have a contactless function enabled, your Tap to Pay app will be of no use.

So when can it be a good solution?

Tap to Pay could be considered a secondary card reader for emergency situations (e.g. during technical issues with a card terminal or WiFi) or to accept payments from customers who can't pay in cash (if you try to be cash-only).

Card reading capabilities in a smartphone is also useful for home deliveries and shops, bars and restaurants with large serving areas. The portability of mobile phones is, in fact, the main advantage of Tap to Pay.