Tap to pay on a phone in Canada: taking contactless payments without a terminal.

The short answer

• It reads taps, not chip or swipe. The customer taps a contactless card or a digital wallet. Apple's design guidelines mention pairing the app with a chip and PIN reader.
• The phone has to qualify. Apple needs an iPhone Xs or later on the latest iOS. Interac says most Android phones on Android 9 or later with NFC will work.
• The app comes from your provider. Apple and Google do not process the payment. Your payment provider's app does, and it sets which cards it accepts.
• Interac has a tap limit. Interac says banks set it, typically at $250. On Android, Interac Debit is accepted only up to that limit.
• Your rate depends on your contract. Ask how phone taps are priced before you rely on them.

Who it suits

What you need

1. A supported phone: iPhone Xs or later on the latest iOS, or an Android phone with NFC on Android 9 or later.
2. An account with a payment provider whose app supports tap to pay in Canada.
3. The provider's app, with tap to pay turned on in it.
4. A Canadian bank account for deposits, which Interac lists as a requirement.
5. On Android, NFC switched on. Google says to open Settings, search "NFC" and make sure it is on.

Apple lists Canada among the countries where Tap to Pay on iPhone is available. Its Canadian launch news names American Express, Interac, Mastercard and Visa among the supported networks. Apple also says some contactless cards may not be accepted by your payment app, and transaction limits may apply.

How a tap works on a phone

1. Open the app and enter the amount.
2. Hand the phone to the customer, or hold it toward them.
3. The customer holds the card or device over the contactless symbol. On an iPhone, Interac says that is at the top. Google says an Android phone's NFC antenna may be near the top or the middle.
4. If the card or the bank asks for a PIN, the customer enters it on your screen.
5. The app shows the result, and you send a receipt.

PIN, limits and receipts

PIN for higher amounts

FCAC says you usually do not need a PIN for a contactless payment. It also says a PIN is required above the contactless card payment limit. Apple's design guidelines for payment apps cover PIN entry on the iPhone screen, including an accessibility mode. They also say a tap can fail when a card does not allow online PIN entry or the amount.

Interac's pages do not say whether Interac Debit above the tap limit works with a PIN on an iPhone. On Android, Interac says it does not. For larger debit sales, ask your provider, or keep a terminal.

Limits

The issuer and the card network set contactless limits, not you. For Interac, the customer's bank sets it, typically at $250. We did not find a published Visa or Mastercard dollar limit for Canada, so check with your provider. Your provider's app may set its own limits too.

Receipts

A phone has no printer. Apple's guidelines ask payment apps to offer a digital receipt, for example by QR code or text message. If customers expect paper, a terminal that prints may suit better.

No signal

Apple's page mentions a Store and Forward mode, where encrypted card numbers are held on the iPhone for a time. Whether your provider's app offers it in Canada, and who carries the risk if a stored sale is later declined, are questions for your provider.

Phone or terminal

Our hardware page covers terminals in more detail.

Security and cost

Apple says it does not store card numbers or PINs on Apple servers. It says Tap to Pay on iPhone is designed to block camera and screen captures during a sale. Apple's launch news says every sale is encrypted and processed using the phone's Secure Element, a protected chip.

Visa Canada defines a card-present sale as one where the card is present and its payment credential is fully read. A tap on a phone reads the card. How your provider prices it is in your contract. Interac says acquirers set Interac Debit fees. See contactless payments for how taps are priced, and our fees guide for the full picture.

Where CleverPays fits

Apple and Google make the phone software. Your payment provider makes the app and processes the sale. Visa, Mastercard, American Express and Interac set the network rules. The customer's bank sets the tap limit and approves or declines. You own the phone, the price and the receipt.

We can review your current statement with you. We can set up a provider app that supports tap to pay on your phone, or a small terminal if a phone does not fit. We confirm your phone model and the cards you need before you rely on it. We can test a payment, a refund and the first deposit with you, and stay your contact in English and French.

Common questions