Tap to Pay for Tattoo Artists: Take Cards on Your Phone
Tap to Pay for Tattoo Artists: Take Cards on Your Phone
The short answer: Tap to Pay turns your phone into a card reader. The client taps their card, phone or watch on the back of your phone and the payment goes through. You don't need a dongle or a separate terminal. For guest spots, conventions, private sessions and busy shop floors, it's the fastest way to take a card.
This guide covers what you need, how tips and deposits work, where Tap to Pay fits best, and when a countertop terminal is still the better choice.
What you need
- A recent phone. On iPhone, Tap to Pay on iPhone needs an iPhone XS or newer on a current version of iOS. On Android, you need a phone with NFC (most current models have it).
- A payment app from your processor that supports Tap to Pay, signed in to your merchant account.
- A data connection. Shop Wi-Fi or a good cell signal. Convention halls are often weak, so test before doors open.
Clients can pay with contactless cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay and Samsung Pay. Larger payments may ask the client to enter a PIN on your screen, and the phone handles that.
How a Tap to Pay checkout goes
- Enter the amount, or pull up the appointment if your booking app is connected.
- Hand the phone over or turn it around. The client picks a tip.
- The client taps. The approval shows in a second or two.
- Send the receipt by text or email.
The client never walks to the counter, and you don't have to leave your station with gloves half off.
Tips on Tap to Pay
Tip screens are where Tap to Pay makes the biggest difference. Preset buttons (15%, 20%, 25%) plus a custom amount mean nobody has to bring up the tip out loud. Set the presets to calculate on the tattoo price only, not on aftercare products. For what clients usually tip, see how much to tip on a tattoo.
Where Tap to Pay fits best
| Situation | Why a phone works |
|---|---|
| Conventions and expos | No terminal to pack, charge or set up at the booth. |
| Guest spots | Get paid on your own account without using the host shop's terminal. |
| Flash days and pop-ups | Several artists can check out clients at the same time. |
| Private or traveling sessions | Everything you need is already on your phone. |
| Busy shop floors | Close out at the station instead of lining up at the front desk. |
When a terminal is still better
Tap to Pay doesn't replace a front-desk terminal in a busy shop. A countertop terminal prints receipts, takes chip and swipe cards that aren't contactless, sits in one place for the front desk, and doesn't use up an artist's phone battery. Most shops use both: a terminal at the counter and Tap to Pay for artists on the move. See what a tattoo shop POS should do at the counter.
Tap, don't key in
Typing a card number into an app is a keyed-in sale. It usually costs more to process and carries more chargeback risk, because the card wasn't present. With Tap to Pay, a client who forgot their physical card can still pay in person with their phone, so you rarely need to key anything in.
Deposits are a different job
Tap to Pay is for the day of the session. Deposits work better charged online when the client books, so the slot is paid for before the day arrives and you aren't chasing anyone. An app for tattoo artists can handle both: booking and deposits ahead of time, and Tap to Pay at the chair.
How it works with Revify
Revify supports Tap to Pay on iPhone alongside free countertop terminals (Clover, Valor or Dejavoo, free to use while you process with Revify). With dual pricing, the client sees a cash price and a card price before paying. Your shop keeps its full cash price on card sales and earns Monthly Cash-back of up to 0.75% of card sales. Card sales are funded the next day.
The bottom line
If you work conventions, guest spots or a busy floor, Tap to Pay pays for itself in time saved. Keep a terminal at the counter, take deposits online at booking, and use the phone for everything at the chair.
