Card readers

Session doesn't connect to a card reader, so you take the payment on your reader or phone and then record it on the booking as Paid. Any reader works this way, including one you already have from Square, SumUp or Zettle.

Choose a reader

If you're buying a reader, we recommend the Stripe Reader S700. It's a handheld touchscreen reader that connects over wifi, and it's the model Session will support when it connects to card readers.

If the wifi where you take payments is unreliable, choose the S710 instead. It's the same reader with mobile data built in, for a small monthly charge. The reader needs to be online for every payment.

Order either from Terminal in your Stripe dashboard. Prices vary by country and are shown there before you order. Payments go into the same Stripe account your online bookings use.

Take a payment without a reader

The Stripe Dashboard app takes contactless payments on a recent iPhone or an Android phone with NFC, with no extra hardware. This is Stripe's Tap to Pay. Whoever uses it needs their own login to your Stripe account.

You can also send the customer a link to pay online themselves: see let the customer pay online instead. A booking paid this way is marked paid automatically, so there's nothing to record.

Record the payment on the booking

1. 1
   Take the payment on your reader or phone.
2. 2
   Add the booking as usual, or open an existing one and choose Record payment or apply a voucher/credit.
3. 3
   Choose Paid, enter the Amount you took, and set the Method to Card machine.

The payment then shows on the booking and counts as revenue in reports. If you don't record it, the booking looks free and your reports come up short.

Common questions

1. Can staff take card payments, or only admins? Anyone who can add bookings can record them. Taking the payment on a Stripe reader or the Stripe app needs access to your Stripe account.

2. How do I refund a card payment taken at the desk? Refund it where you took it - on the reader's provider, or in Stripe for the S700 or Tap to Pay - then cancel the booking. Session records the refund but can't send the money back itself. See refunds.

3. Does Session's booking fee apply to desk payments? No. Session only charges its fee on payments made through Session's checkout.

4. Can I use a Square or SumUp reader with Session? Yes, as a separate card machine. Take the payment on it and record it with the Card machine method.

5. Does a card reader work without internet? Most need a connection for every payment, including the Stripe S700. Choose the S710 if the wifi at your desk drops out.