Review: Square Contactless and Chip Reader

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When you own a Silhouette or Cricut small business, you will need to collect payments. I’ve been using Square’s Contactless and Chip Reader for about 6 months. I’ve now used it enough times that I feel comfortable sharing a review of it.

If you aren’t familiar with EMV cards (commonly called chip cards), you can read more about them in another post on Cutting for Business. In a nutshell, chip cards are more secure and you should be accepting them in your business. If you do not provide a chip card checkout option for in person sales and have a fraudulent charge, you can be held liable.

Let’s look at the pros and cons of the Contactless and Chip Reader.

Pros

• Wireless. I love that the contactless and chip reader works on Bluetooth. It’s nice to go wire free!
• Quick. Processes transactions faster than I expected.
• Easy to use. Simply insert the card or hold the phone/watch with Apple Pay or Android Pay near the device.
• Payment options. Accepts chip cards, Apple Pay, and Android Pay.
• Long battery life. I’ve used the Contactless and Chip Reader for several hours straight and the battery always lasts.

Cons

• Wireless. Like other electronics, the Contactless and Chip Reader needs charged. A charging cable is included.
• No Mag Stripe Reader. I wish that the Contactless and Chip Reader also accepted magnetic stripe cards on the same unit. While it does not, a free magnetic reader is included.
• Cost. The Contactless and Chip Reader costs $49.

Would I recommend it for your Silhouette or Cricut small business? Yes, absolutely! If you don’t feel that you will use the contactless portion of the reader, Square also has a EMV chip reader for $29.

Want $1000 in free credit card processing through Square? CLICK HERE. (Only applies to new merchants.)

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Christine Schinagl, Cutting for Business

Since 2015, Christine Schinagl has been helping crafters start and run craft businesses through her blog, Cutting for Business. As a Silhouette and Cricut crafter herself, she has a unique take on what works and what doesn’t work in the craft business world. She also enjoys teaching other crafters how to create digital SVG designs, available through the Design with Me series.

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