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Getting started with in-person card payments

  • Updated

Preview

This feature is in active development and will be available soon. See our upcoming features.

You can accept in-person card payments directly on your phone. No extra hardware needed. Your customer taps their physical card or digital wallet on your phone to pay. This is also called "Tap to Pay."

Requirements

You need all of the following before you can take your first payment.

  • A compatible iPhone (XS or later) or Android phone (Android 13 or later with Near Field Communication (NFC))
  • A stable internet connection (Wi-Fi or mobile data)
  • A merchant profile
  • A merchant payment method
  • Tap to Pay activated in your banking app

What you can do

Once Tap to Pay is activated, you can:

  • Accept contactless payments: customers tap their card or digital wallet on your phone.
  • View payment history: see past payments with details like status, reference ID, and payment method.

Accepted payment methods

You can accept all major contactless card networks and digital wallets.

  • Visa
  • Mastercard
  • American Express
  • CB (Carte Bancaire)
  • Apple Pay, Google Pay, and other digital wallets

Not all cards support contactless payments. If a customer's card doesn't work with Tap to Pay, they'll need to use a different card or payment method.

iPhone vs Android

Setup and activation differ slightly between devices. Choose your device for step-by-step instructions.

Limitations

  • No tablet support. Tap to Pay works only on phones. It isn't available on iPads or Android tablets.
  • Internet connection required. Tap to Pay doesn't work offline. Make sure you have a stable Wi-Fi or mobile data connection before accepting payments.
  • No card type restrictions. You can't restrict specific card types when using Tap to Pay.
  • No customization. You can't customize the Tap to Pay payment screen.

When you receive your money

Payments received through Tap to Pay are credited to your account instantly; however, the actual credit is settled on the next business day. All transactions from a given day are grouped into a single credit transfer.

Examples:

  • 5 payments of €20 collected on a Monday = €100 credited on Tuesday.
  • 5 payments of €20 collected on a Friday = €100 credited on Monday.

What's not available yet

Refunds and dispute management aren't available yet for in-person card payments. These features are planned. If you need help with either now, contact Swan Support.

Need help?

See Troubleshooting: in-person card payments if something isn't working; otherwise, submit a support request if you have questions.

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