Accept contactless payments in the UK with Tap to Pay

Tap to Pay offers a secure payment method for merchants and customers alike in the UK. Transactions are encrypted, ensuring that sensitive payment data is protected during transmission. Additionally, both iPhone and Android devices incorporate security features such as tokenisation and biometric authentication to further enhance security.

Tap to Pay supports various payment methods, including credit cards, debit cards, and mobile wallets. With increasingly more people in the UK preferring contactless payment methods over cash, accepting digital payments for your service and/or goods is an advantageous way to ensure you get paid on time.

Customers can use compatible payment cards stored on their smartphones or tablets, such as Apple Pay, Google Pay and Samsung Pay, to make contactless payments via Tap to Pay. This flexibility enable you to cater to a wide range of customer preferences and payment options.

Yes, Tap to Pay functionality is available on both iPhone and Android devices. Both iPhones and Android operating systems support Near Field Communication (NFC) technology, which allows contactless payments. You can receive payment using Tap to Pay on your smartphones and Android tablets – without additional hardware, monthly subscription or POS rental fees.

Regardless of where you are in, Near Field Communication (NFC) technology plays a crucial role for Tap to Pay, offering a convenient and secure way for you to receive contactless payment from your customers. Here’s how NFC works in the context of contactless payments:

1. Initiation: When a customer taps their NFC-enabled device (smartphone or smartwatch) or contactless card near your NFC-enabled iPhone/Android device – the transaction process begins. Their device or contactless card acts as the initiator, sending out a radio frequency signal.
2. Data Exchange: Your device, acting as the receiver, detects the signal from the customer’s device (or credit/debit card) and establishes a connection. This connection allows for the exchange of payment information between the two.
3. Authentication: Once the connection is established, Our Tap to Pay functionality verifies with your customer’s device to authenticate the transaction. This authentication process verifies the legitimacy of the payment request and ensures that the transaction is authorized by the customer.
4. Transaction Processing: After authentication, your device processes the transaction by securely transmitting the payment information to the relevant financial network or payment processor. This network verifies the transaction details, checks for available funds, and facilitates the transfer of funds from the customer to your associated account.
5. Confirmation: Upon successful completion of the transaction, both the customer and you will receive notification of the transaction which you as the merchant will receive a “Approved” screen on the Bookipi app.

NFC makes Tap to Pay possible, allowing a quick and secure way to send and receive payment – making it a preferred option for payment transactions.

Currently, Tap to Pay is only available in the United States, Australia and United Kingdom. As we work to release Tap to Pay to more countries, let us know where you would like Tap to Pay to be available next!

Below are the associated fees with Tap to Pay in the United Kingdom.

United Kingdom:

• 2.0% + 20p for standard cards*
• 2.4% + 20p for premium cards*
• 3.0% + 20p for EU Cards
• 3.75% + 20p for international cards

 + 10p per authorisation

*To understand the differences between standard and premium cards, visit here.