Tap to Pay on iPhone UK

What it is

Apple's NFC-based payment-acceptance feature, available on iPhone XS and later running iOS 16.4+. Pair it with a participating UK acquirer's app, log in, and the iPhone reads contactless cards (Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Maestro) and mobile wallets (Apple Pay, Google Pay) for amounts under £100 contactless or higher with PIN-on-device.

UK acquirers offering it (April 2026)

• SumUp. Tap to Pay enabled in the SumUp app. 1.69% per transaction, no contract.
• Square. Tap to Pay in Square Point of Sale. 1.75% UK rate, no contract.
• Zettle by PayPal. Tap to Pay in the Zettle Go app. 1.75% per transaction.
• Stripe. Tap to Pay via Stripe Terminal SDK; rates negotiated per merchant.
• Tide. Tap to Pay built into the Tide business account app.
• Revolut Business. Tap to Pay in the Revolut Business app.

Setup

1. Confirm your iPhone is XS or newer running iOS 16.4 or later.
2. Sign up with one of the UK acquirers above and complete merchant verification.
3. Install their app and log in.
4. Open the app, tap "Take payment", present the card or device against the back of the iPhone.
5. For amounts above the contactless limit, the customer enters their PIN on the iPhone screen.

Who it suits

• Mobile traders (plumbers, electricians, mobile beauticians, dog groomers).
• Pop-up retail and event traders.
• Single-operator services where dedicated terminal hardware is overkill.
• Businesses already on iPhone for daily ops.

Who it does not suit

• High-volume fixed-location retail (dedicated countertop terminal is faster and frees up the iPhone).
• Hospitality with table-side ordering or split-bill flows (specialist hardware wins).
• Android-only operations (Tap to Pay on Android exists but coverage is patchier).

Limits

• iPhone XS or later only (released 2018+).
• iOS 16.4 or later.
• Battery drain in heavy use; consider a battery pack for full-day use.
• No physical receipt printing; receipts are emailed or texted from the acquirer app.