Mobile card reader (comparison)

PayPal Reader

Comparison GuideBuyer's Guide

Weighing up a PayPal card reader? Here's an honest look at where reader-style devices fit — and what growing businesses compare before choosing.

Rated 4.8/5 by UK businesses — setup handled by our Cheshire-based team

Reliable Connectivity
PCI Compliant
Contactless Ready
Next-Day Setup

Is a PayPal Reader right for your business?

PayPal Reader-style card readers can suit startups and small businesses taking occasional payments, but growing businesses often compare support, reporting, settlement and long-term costs before choosing a payment setup.

This page is a buyer's guide, not a sales page. We supply Zettle by PayPal alongside dedicated terminals, so we'll give you the honest trade-offs — and help you pick whichever genuinely fits.

PayPal Reader at a glance

Best for

Startups & occasional payments

Device type

App-paired card reader

Payment environment

Anywhere, via your phone

Connectivity

Bluetooth via smartphone

Mobility

Pocket-sized

Smart features

App-based sales tools

Key strength

Fast, familiar setup

Support model

Self-serve (provider-dependent)

CanDo fit

We help you compare options

Who is the PayPal Reader best for?

  • Startups taking their first card payments
  • Microbusinesses with low, irregular volumes
  • Side projects and seasonal sellers
  • Businesses already selling through PayPal online
  • Anyone comparing readers before committing to a terminal
  • Merchants reviewing their payment options as they grow

Why choose the PayPal Reader?

Where reader-style devices shine

For occasional payments, a reader paired with your phone is quick to set up, familiar to customers and cheap to start with. For many startups it is a sensible first step.

What growing businesses compare

As volumes rise, merchants tend to weigh per-transaction costs against monthly pricing, and self-serve help against a named support team. Settlement speed and reporting depth start to matter more too.

How CanDo helps

We supply Zettle by PayPal alongside dedicated terminals, so we're not here to talk you out of a reader — we'll compare your real numbers and recommend whichever setup genuinely costs you less and supports you better.

Reader or card machine — how do you decide?

The honest answer is volume and dependence. If card payments are occasional and your business wouldn't stop if the reader did, a PayPal-style reader is a perfectly good tool. If card payments are how you get paid every day, the calculus changes: per-transaction pricing compounds, and waiting on self-serve support during a busy Saturday costs real money.

Growing businesses also start to care about settlement — how quickly money lands and whether it arrives gross or net — and about reporting that reconciles cleanly. These are the areas where dedicated card machines with a managed service tend to pull ahead.

Zettle by PayPal reader with card inserted

How does it compare?

Every business is different — here's the honest side-by-side across our card machine range.

ProductBest forPortableCountertopAndroidConnectivitySmart featuresRecommended for
PAX A920 ProAll-round flexibilityWiFi · 4GBusiness apps & staff controlsGrowing multi-tasking businesses
Ingenico DX8000Smart POS workflowsWiFi · 4G · BluetoothAndroid apps & smart POSHospitality & advanced retail
Ingenico Move 5000Table service & queue bustingWiFi · 4G · BluetoothColour touchscreenRestaurants, cafés & bars
Ingenico Desk 5000Fixed checkout stabilityEthernet · phone lineColour touchscreenShops, salons & counters
Verifone T650PCustomer-facing experienceWiFi · 4G · BluetoothFull touchscreen UXModern retail & services
Elavon MobileLightweight mobile paymentsBluetooth via phoneApp-based paymentsTrades, pop-ups & mobile services
PayPal Reader (this page)Occasional paymentsBluetooth via phoneApp-based sales toolsStartups & microbusinesses

Swipe to see the full comparison →

Payment methods & capabilities

  • Contactless and chip & PIN
  • Apple Pay & Google Pay
  • Payments via a paired smartphone
  • Digital receipts
  • App-based sales tools
  • Familiar PayPal brand at checkout

Technical highlights

  • Pocket-sized Bluetooth reader
  • Pairs with iOS and Android apps
  • Per-transaction pricing model
  • Self-serve onboarding
  • App-store style feature updates
  • PCI-compliant payments

Is the PayPal Reader right for your business?

A strong fit if…

  • You're starting out and want the fastest route to accepting cards
  • Your card volumes are low or seasonal
  • You value familiar branding over managed support

Worth comparing if…

  • Card payments are your daily lifeline — compare the Move 5000 or DX8000
  • You want named UK support and negotiated rates — talk to CanDo

Why get it from CanDo?

The hardware is only half the decision — the merchant account behind it decides what you actually pay and who answers when something breaks. CanDo is a family-run, B Corp certified payments provider: transparent pricing agreed up front, onboarding handled for you, and a UK-based team you can actually ring.

Already taking card payments? We'll review your statement and show you exactly what switching would save before you commit.

Get a free statement review

PayPal Reader FAQs

Compare your options with CanDo

Send us your current numbers and we'll give you an honest side-by-side of what a reader and a dedicated card machine would cost your business — no obligation.

  • UK-based human support
  • Transparent pricing, no surprises
  • Order by 2pm for next-working-day setup
  • We handle switching end to end

Not sure which terminal is right?

Tell us how and where you take payments in the form — we'll recommend the best fit across our range, even if it isn't this one.

Get an honest comparison

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Customer Stories

What UK businesses say about CanDo card machines

Real reviews from businesses taking payments with CanDo every day.

Trustpilot

Fantastic! 100% Recommend!

I have been using EPay Merchant Services for my small coffee business for around 6 months now. When I first met Gary and went through what I wanted, I'm sure I gave him a right headache - I asked for an awful lot and Gary went out of his way and provided! We had a few teething issues in the beginning, all of which where down to how I wanted the epos to run, but Gary was there every step of the way, at the drop of a hat. Over the last 6+ months I have messaged Gary and his team several times asking for various information and help and the longest I have waited for a reply was about 5 minutes. Gary has gone above and beyond every single time and regularly checks in to make sure that everything is okay for us. As a small company, we are used to being missed or overlooked, but its evident to us that Gary and his team take great pride in their work and make us feel like a truly valued customer. No question/request is ever too big or too small! For this reason I 100% recommend EPay Merchant Services. Thank you very much for your continued support, Gary & Co. CUPS Coffee & Boardgames

Benji G

July 2022

Google

I have been using EPay Merchant Services for my small coffee business for around 6 months now. When I first met Gary and went through what I wanted, I'm sure I gave him a right headache - I asked for an awful lot and Gary went out of his way and provided! We had a few teething issues in the beginning, all of which where down to how I wanted the epos to run, but Gary was there every step of the way, at the drop of a hat. Over the last 6+ months I have messaged Gary and his team several times asking for various information and help and the longest I have waited for a reply was about 5 minutes. Gary has gone above and beyond every single time and regularly checks in to make sure that everything is okay for us. As a small company, we are used to being missed or overlooked, but its evident to us that Gary and his team take great pride in their work and make us feel like a truly valued customer. No question/request is ever too big or too small! For this reason I 100% recommend EPay Merchant Services. Thank you very much for your continued support, Gary & Co. CUPS Coffee & Boardgames

Benji G

12-Jul-22

Trustpilot

EPay the future of contactless payments

I recently had the pleasure of setting up ePay payments for my business, and I couldn't be more satisfied with the experience. From the outset, the service proved to be exceptionally user-friendly and efficient.What truly stood out was the outstanding support from Gary and Sam. They were incredibly helpful throughout the entire setup process, guiding me step-by-step and ensuring that everything was tailored to my specific needs.The ePay payments system itself is robust and reliable, offering a seamless experience for both my business and my customers. The integration was quick, and the user interface is excellent, making it easy to manage transactions and track sales.I highly recommend ePay payments to any business looking for a dependable payment solution. With excellent support from dedicated professionals like Gary and Sam, you can be confident that your payment processing needs will be in safe hands.

PROBYN

May 2024