Mobile-Payment Devices for Charities: a Sampling

Product

Company

Cost

Compatibility

Special features

At the Door

Eventbrite

3 percent of the credit-card transaction. Card reader costs $10 plus shipping, but until the end of the year, charities can get a $10 rebate.

Works only with iPads.

Plugs directly into the iPad’s 30-pin connector, instead of the audio jack, to speed up credit-card processing.

GoPayment

Intuit

Two alternatives are available. For the pay-as-you-go option, the company charges 2.7 percent per credit-card swipe but 3.7 percent if the credit-card number is typed into the device. The monthly option is $12.95 per month plus 1.7 percent of the transaction fee, or 2.7 percent if the number is keyed in. Card reader is free.

Works with Android devices, iPads, and iPhones.

Can deposit donors’ money into the charity’s bank account or to a Visa card that the company provides. Works with Intuit’s QuickBooks so charities can record donations later.

Here

PayPal

2.7 percent per transaction. Card reader is free.

Works with Android devices and iPhones and can be used with a charity’s PayPal account.

Can scan in checks and accept PayPal payments. Product is due to be released later this spring.

Sage Mobile Payments

Sage Software

Varies by organization. Demands a higher fee to process American Express cards and to type in credit-card information rather than swiping the card. Card reader is free.

Works with Android devices, BlackBerries, iPads, and iPhones.

Square

Square

2.75 percent per transaction, or 3.5 percent plus 15 cents per transaction if the number is typed in.

Works with Android devices, iPads, and iPhones.

Donors can sign on the smartphone screen with their fingers and receive those receipts in an e-mail.