Best Apex Reader Alternatives in 2026
The top Apex Reader alternatives are Paid for Stripe, PayAnywhere and PayPal Point of Sale: 15 mobile payment processing software our editors would look at instead of Apex Reader, in our ranking order.
Apex Reader: A certified reader-based option for mobile merchants needing broad card acceptance. Where it falls short: requires a separate bluetooth card reader.
Switching from Apex Reader? For most mobile payment processing software buyers the best Apex Reader alternative is Paid for Stripe, built for businesses wanting flexible mobile payments.
Why People Look for an Apex Reader Alternative
- Requires a separate Bluetooth card reader
- Does not support phone-only tap-to-pay
- Pricing is handled through contact sales
- No tap to Pay — 13 of the alternatives below have it
Quick Picks by What You Need
- Best overallPaid for Stripe9.3
Businesses wanting flexible mobile payments
Visit Paid for Stripe - Best free optionPaid for Stripe9.3
Has a free plan
Visit Paid for Stripe - Best for tap to payPaid for Stripe9.3
Tap to Pay (Apex Reader: no)
Visit Paid for Stripe
All 15 Apex Reader Alternatives, Ranked
Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.
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Best forBusinesses wanting flexible mobile payments
- Better than Apex Reader:
- Tap to Pay
- Editor score 9.3 vs 7.0
A flexible Stripe-based mobile POS for contactless payments, links, QR codes, and subscriptions.
- Offline payments
- Recurring payments
- Tap to Pay
9.3/10★★★★★Try Paid for Stripe -
Best forSmall businesses needing broad payment support
- Better than Apex Reader:
- Tap to Pay
- Editor score 9.2 vs 7.0
A flexible mobile POS for small businesses accepting cards, wallets, invoices, and offline payments.
- Offline payments
- Recurring payments
- Tap to Pay
9.2/10★★★★★Visit PayAnywhere -
Best forBusinesses already using PayPal
- Better than Apex Reader:
- Tap to Pay
- Editor score 9.1 vs 7.0
A no-monthly-fee POS for in-person payments, inventory, reporting, and PayPal users.
- Recurring payments
- Tap to Pay
9.1/10★★★★★Visit PayPal -
Best forAustralian businesses wanting integrated POS payments
- Better than Apex Reader:
- Tap to Pay
- Editor score 8.9 vs 7.0
A broad Australian payments platform with free Tap to Pay and paid terminals.
- Tap to Pay
8.9/10★★★★☆Visit Zeller -
Best forBusinesses needing recurring and offline payments
- Better than Apex Reader:
- Tap to Pay
- Editor score 8.8 vs 7.0
A flexible payment platform for recurring, offline, and mobile transactions.
- Offline payments
- Recurring payments
- Tap to Pay
8.8/10★★★★☆Visit SwipeSimple -
Best forQuickBooks users taking mobile payments
- Better than Apex Reader:
- Tap to Pay
- Editor score 8.7 vs 7.0
A QuickBooks-connected mobile POS with flexible payment methods and no monthly software fee.
- Recurring payments
- Tap to Pay
8.7/10★★★★☆Visit QuickBooks -
Best forBudget-conscious businesses wanting a free POS
- Better than Apex Reader:
- Tap to Pay
- Editor score 8.6 vs 7.0
A free POS app with broad payment and sales tools for UK businesses.
- Offline payments
- Tap to Pay
8.6/10★★★★☆Visit MobilePayments -
Best forDevelopers building custom mobile payment flows
- Better than Apex Reader:
- Tap to Pay
- Editor score 8.5 vs 7.0
A powerful, paid toolkit for developers building custom mobile payment flows.
- Offline payments
- Recurring payments
- Tap to Pay
8.5/10★★★★☆Try Stripe Terminal -
Best forBusinesses needing integrations and payment flexibility
- Better than Apex Reader:
- Editor score 8.4 vs 7.0
A flexible payment platform for businesses needing online, in-person, and integrated payments.
8.4/10★★★★☆Visit Helcim -
Best forMerchants needing full POS functionality
- Better than Apex Reader:
- Tap to Pay
- Editor score 8.3 vs 7.0
A full POS option for merchants needing mobile payments, orders, and recurring billing.
- Offline payments
- Recurring payments
- Tap to Pay
8.3/10★★★★☆Visit Clover Go -
Best forUK businesses seeking low-cost Tap to Pay
- Better than Apex Reader:
- Tap to Pay
- Editor score 8.2 vs 7.0
A low-cost UK mobile payment option with Tap to Pay and instant payouts.
- Tap to Pay
8.2/10★★★★☆Visit myPOS Glass -
Best forSmall sellers wanting free Tap to Pay
- Better than Apex Reader:
- Tap to Pay
- Editor score 8.1 vs 7.0
A free mobile POS with Tap to Pay, payment links, catalog tools and next-working-day payouts.
- Tap to Pay
8.1/10★★★★☆Visit Grafterr GO! -
Best forOnline and international payment businesses
- Better than Apex Reader:
- Editor score 8.0 vs 7.0
A broad payment platform for online, in-person, recurring and marketplace transactions.
- Recurring payments
8.0/10★★★★☆Visit Viva.com -
Best forGrowing teams needing mobile and terminal payments
- Better than Apex Reader:
- Tap to Pay
- Editor score 7.9 vs 7.0
A broad mobile payments toolkit with payout options for growing small businesses.
- Recurring payments
- Tap to Pay
7.9/10★★★★☆Visit Lopay -
Best foriPhone sellers needing simple checkout
- Better than Apex Reader:
- Tap to Pay
- Editor score 7.8 vs 7.0
A capable iPhone checkout app for mobile sellers who want simple payments.
- Tap to Pay
7.8/10★★★★☆Visit Paymi
Apex Reader Alternatives: Common Questions
What is the best alternative to Apex Reader?
Paid for Stripe: #1 in our Mobile Payment Processing Software ranking, with an editor score of 9.3 out of 10. A flexible Stripe-based mobile POS for contactless payments, links, QR codes, and subscriptions.
Is there a free alternative to Apex Reader?
Yes. Paid for Stripe, PayAnywhere, PayPal Point of Sale, Zeller and QuickBooks GoPayment have a free plan or a free tier (9 of the 15 alternatives on this page).
Why do people look for Apex Reader alternatives?
Requires a separate Bluetooth card reader; Does not support phone-only tap-to-pay; Pricing is handled through contact sales.
How do I switch from Apex Reader?
Export your data from Apex Reader (most tools have an export in their settings). Sign up for the alternative; start on its free plan or trial if it has one. Import your export and set up the integrations your team relies on. Run both side by side for a short while, then cancel Apex Reader.
How to Switch from Apex Reader
- Export your data from Apex Reader (most tools have an export in their settings).
- Sign up for the alternative; start on its free plan or trial if it has one.
- Import your export and set up the integrations your team relies on.
- Run both side by side for a short while, then cancel Apex Reader.
Apex Reader vs Each Alternative
| # | Tool | Free plan | Paid from | Reader required | Tap to Pay | Offline payments | Payout timing | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24 | Apex Reader | Yes | No | Next_day | 7.0 | |||
| 1 | Paid for Stripe | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Instant | 9.3 | |
| 2 | PayAnywhere | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Next_day | 9.2 | |
| 3 | PayPal Point of Sale | Yes | No | Yes | No | Instant | 9.1 | |
| 4 | Zeller | Yes | No | Yes | No | Next_day | 8.9 | |
| 5 | SwipeSimple | No | Yes | Yes | Next_day | 8.8 | ||
| 6 | QuickBooks GoPayment | Yes | No | Yes | Next_day | 8.7 | ||
| 7 | MobilePayments | Yes | £49/device one-time | No | Yes | Yes | Next_day | 8.6 |
| 8 | Stripe Terminal | No | No | Yes | Yes | Instant | 8.5 | |
| 9 | Helcim | No | 8.4 | |||||
| 10 | Clover Go | No | Yes | Yes | Instant | 8.3 | ||
| 11 | myPOS Glass | Yes | No | Yes | Instant | 8.2 | ||
| 12 | Grafterr GO! | Yes | No | Yes | No | Next_day | 8.1 | |
| 13 | Viva.com | No | £3.99/mo | 8.0 | ||||
| 14 | Lopay | No | No | Yes | Instant | 7.9 | ||
| 15 | Paymi | Yes | No | Yes | 7.8 |
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Last updated · How we research and update