Square offers contactless card reader for easy payments
London-based payments firm Square has launched a contactless card reader that accepts payments from credit cards, Android Pay and Apple Pay in a bid to make transactions easier for small businesses. The reader, roughly the size of a palm, costs around $40 and doesn't include any monthly fees. Business owners will just pay 1.9% of each transaction with a minimum $1 purchase. Square can be used to send invoices, with the firm then taking 2.2% of the total payment. The device also has a card slot to allow for chip and pin payments.
Letting anyone accept Apple Pay, Android Pay and credit cards on-the-spot, Square's tiny contactless reader puts a pop-up store in your pocket.

Despite what people say, there's no shame in being a cash-only small/micro business if your regular customers are happy with that arrangement. You shouldn't need to pay for merchant facilities at your shop or market stall just because hipsters think they're too cool to carry cash.

Square's tiny contactless reader lets you accept card and mobile payments anywhere. Credit: Adam Turner

That said, there might come a day when you realise that your cash-only policy is actually costing you money, especially if you're in a touristy area. That's when Square's tiny contactless reader can save the day without costing you a packet.

This palm-sized reader costs $59 with no monthly fees, instead you pay 1.9 per cent of each transaction with a $1 minimum purchase and the option of adding GST. You can also use Square to send invoices, with Square taking a 2.2 per cent slice of the action.