Guide to Mobile Credit Card Processing

Get mobile point-of-sale terminals

POS terminals process credit or debit cards, work wirelessly or via dial-up and are secure. Some offer built-in printers and data capture options. POS terminals typically cost upwards of $1,000.

I recommend: Merchant Warehouse, Merchant Express and Windows for Devices offer a variety of options.

For the cheapest alternative, go with cell phones

Unless you process more than a few thousand dollars per month, cellphones may be the way to go. You can process payments with or without additional equipment. However, card-reader attachments, which cost a few hundred dollars, can help lower processing fees.

I recommend: Advanced Merchant Services offers card readers for cellphones.

For the most data capture, go with laptops

By attaching a credit-card reader to the USB port, a variety of software options can search, filter, sort, format, print or export data to other programs or computers. Print receipts on any plain paper printer. If Wi-Fi is unavailable, your laptop can store transactions until later.

I recommend: Merchant Equipment Store and Smart Web Designer offer PC hardware and software.

For convenience, go with PDAs

PDAs like the Blackberry deliver the wireless accessibility of cellphones and the data control of PCs. They are a sensible alternative for those who need both convenience and the ability to manage and control data.

I recommend: Air Charge and ePay Wireless offer solutions for the Blackberry or Palm.

Open a merchant account

Most banks offer services, but most operate through other processors, which may make them slower or more expensive. Search for the most affordable provider for your needs, including mobile services.

I recommend: Thompson Merchant Services and Electronic Clearing House are major providers of merchant accounts. MerchantSeek offers a database of providers who issue merchant accounts.