Setting Up Tap to Pay on Android

Tap to Pay on Android lets you accept in-person contactless card payments, Google Pay, Apple Pay, and other digital wallets on an NFC-equipped Android phone or tablet — with no extra card reader hardware. It's the Android counterpart to Tap to Pay on iPhone; the main difference is that Android has no one-time Apple Terms & Conditions step.

New to Membrzs? You'll need a vendor account with card payments enabled first. See Creating Your Vendor Account & Linking Stripe Connect, then Getting Started with Membrzs Market.

Device & System Requirements

  • NFC hardware: A built-in, active NFC sensor and an ARM-based processor. Membrzs hides Tap to Pay entirely on devices without NFC (including most emulators and many tablets), so if you don't see the option, the device can't support it.
  • Operating system: Android 10 or later (Android 13 or newer recommended), with a security patch installed within the last 12 months.
  • Google services: Google Play Services and the Google Play Store must be installed. Devices without Google Mobile Services — some Huawei models, de-Googled ROMs — can't run Tap to Pay.
  • Hardware security: A hardware-backed keystore that supports ECDH (FEATURE_HARDWARE_KEYSTORE version 100 or later). Most mainstream Android phones from the last few years qualify.
  • Region: A United States merchant account with Stripe Connect set up and verified.
  • Settings: NFC turned on, and Location Services enabled.
  • Plan: Freemium includes 5 Tap to Pay sales per month with no added fee — see Tap to Pay on the Freemium Plan. Lite, Premium, Team, and Enterprise include unlimited Tap to Pay; on those plans each Tap to Pay transaction carries an additional itemized $0.15 fee, shown separately on receipts — see Understanding Card & Platform Fee Breakdowns.

Stripe checks the hardware-security and OS requirements when Tap to Pay first initializes. If the device falls short, you'll get an error at that point rather than a partial setup.

1. Enabling Tap to Pay on Android

  1. Update Membrzs Market to the latest version from the Google Play Store.
  2. Open the app and go to the Reader tab in the bottom navigation.
  3. Under "Choose connection method," tap Tap to Pay.
  4. The first time, the app prepares Tap to Pay on your device. This can take a moment — keep the app open and the device online. There's no Apple ID or Terms & Conditions step like there is on iPhone.
  5. Once it shows ready, you're set.

2. Taking a Tap to Pay Payment

  1. Add items to your cart on the POS screen.
  2. Tap Tap to Pay in the checkout footer (this replaces the usual "Charge Card" button once Tap to Pay is your active connection method).
  3. Have the customer hold their contactless card or phone (Google Pay / Apple Pay / Samsung Pay / Wallet) flat against the back of your device, over the NFC antenna — usually the upper-middle of the back panel.
  4. Wait for the on-screen confirmation.

For a sale that's part card and part cash, see Split Tender Checkout.

3. How You Get Paid for Tap to Pay Sales

Tap to Pay sales settle into the same Stripe balance as every other card sale and pay out to your bank on your normal schedule — there's no separate Tap to Pay payout. For payout timing and how to set your payout frequency, see Getting Paid: Payout Timing & Schedule.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which cards and wallets are accepted?

Contactless Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover cards, plus Google Pay, Apple Pay, Samsung Pay, and other tap-to-pay wallets. For a card that can't be tapped, key it in manually — no reader required, works on every plan (needs internet; a higher card-not-present rate applies). See Entering a Card Manually. A connected Stripe M2 Reader can also insert or swipe the card.

I don't see "Tap to Pay" in the Reader tab.

Most common reasons: the device has no NFC hardware, NFC is switched off in Android settings, or you're on Freemium and have used this month's 5 free Tap to Pay sales.

Does it work on Android tablets?

Yes, if the tablet has an NFC sensor and meets the other requirements above. Many tablets don't include NFC — check the manufacturer's specs.

How is this different from Tap to Pay on iPhone?

Functionally it's the same. The Android flow has no one-time Apple Terms & Conditions setup and no Apple-imposed owner/manager-only restriction to switch it on. Requirements and the per-transaction fee are otherwise equivalent.

I don't have an account yet — where do I start?

Create one free at portal.membrzs.com/signup, then follow Creating Your Vendor Account & Linking Stripe Connect. Cash sales work immediately; Tap to Pay unlocks once you're on Lite or above with Stripe verified.