ShopKeep offering merchants free Apple Pay-compatible hardware in bid to compete with Square

ShopKeep on Monday updated its point-of-sale app for iPad to support Apple Pay contactless payments, and the company is also offering free Apple Pay-compatible hardware to new merchants who adopt its system.

The official ShopKeep point-of-sale app for iPad partners with Ingenico to integrate support for the iCMP card reader. The reader supports legacy magnetic swipe, EMV chip cards, and NFC-based contactless payments, including Apple Pay.

And while the new ShopKeep NFC-compatible hardware will cost current customers $259, the iPad accessory will be free to new merchants who adopt the platform, according to Re/code.

ShopKeep charges $49 per month, per register to manage transactions, inventory and customer information. The iPad-based point-of-sale system is compatible with accessories such as receipt printers, cash drawers, credit card readers, barcode scanners and more.

The update and accompanying giveaway aims to give ShopKeep a leg up on rival Square, which has a significantly larger install base. Square has said it plans to begin accepting Apple Pay with new NFC-compatible hardware in 2015, though it hasn't offered specifics beyond that.

In the meantime, Square did begin taking preorders in November for its new chip card readers for both Apple's iPhone and iPad. While previous magnetic swipe Square readers were free, the new EMV-compatible iPhone reader will cost $29 and must be recharged to operate.

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2 Comments

libertyforall

said about 9 years ago

So what if you have a part-time business with no sales for a given month? Then the hardware is not free, you still have to pay a fee for that sale-less month? I assume you have to give the HW back if you cancel your service with them?

taylorlightfoot

said about 9 years ago

[QUOTE] Originally Posted by libertyforall So what if you have a part-time business with no sales for a given month? Then the hardware is not free, you still have to pay a fee for that sale-less month? I assume you have to give the HW back if you cancel your service with them?[/QUOTE] I don't think there are any Apple Pay solutions out there yet that make sense for people who have months without any sales. Square is supposed to be working on a new register that supports NFC, so I'm predicting we will start to see solutions next year that work with Apple Pay and make sense for the person that wants to accept payments on an infrequent basis.