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The right mobile payment option depends on where the customer is, how quickly they need to pay, what equipment you can carry and how you will confirm the money afterwards. A market stall has a different checkout moment from a plumber finishing a job or a consultant collecting an invoice remotely.
Start with the selling situation. Use a phone-based card solution or card reader when the customer expects to tap a card or wallet in person. Send a payment link when the customer may pay later or from another location. Display a QR code when several customers need a visible route to the same payment page. Choose Pay by Bank when an account-to-account journey suits the customer and your business.
Mobile payment options at a glance
An app is the software used to create, present or track a payment. The underlying payment method still matters. A mobile app might turn a phone into a card terminal, control a separate reader or create a Pay by Bank link.
| Option | Useful when | Customer action | Equipment to consider | Main checks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phone-based card acceptance | You take contactless card or wallet payments in person and want to carry less hardware | Tap a card, phone or watch on the merchant's compatible phone | Supported phone and provider app | Device support, card fees, transaction limits, connectivity and receipt process |
| Card reader | Customers expect a familiar card-present checkout or staff need a dedicated device | Tap, insert or use the method supported by the reader | Reader, phone or data connection where required, charger | Hardware cost, card fees, battery, connectivity, payout timing and backups |
| Payment link | The customer is remote, needs time to pay or receives the request by message or invoice | Open the link and complete the provider's journey | Phone or computer to create and send the request | Link ownership, amount, expiry, duplicate-payment control and status tracking |
| QR code | Customers can scan at a stall, counter, event or printed touchpoint | Scan the code and complete the payment page | A displayed or printed code and a customer smartphone | Destination control, amount handling, placement, replacement and status tracking |
| Pay by Bank | A direct account-to-account journey suits the purchase and customer | Choose a bank, authenticate and approve the payment in the banking journey | A link, QR code or other supported presentation route | Bank coverage, customer instructions, provider status, funds credit and reconciliation |
Start with where the customer is paying
Map the payment moment before comparing providers. Ask whether the customer is beside you, standing in a queue, at home after a visit or paying from an invoice. Then consider whether the amount is known, whether several staff take payments and whether the business needs a portable fallback.
For a fixed amount agreed face to face, a phone-based card solution, reader, payment link or generated QR code can all create a short journey. For a variable amount at a stall, a reader or a reusable payment page that lets the customer enter the amount may be easier. For work completed at a customer's premises, a prepared link can give both sides a clear amount and reference before the worker leaves.
Connectivity changes the choice. Check the mobile signal and Wi-Fi conditions where you trade. Find out what the provider shows when a connection drops and how staff can avoid retrying a payment that has already been authorised. Keep a second controlled route for locations where the preferred journey is unavailable.
Use a phone as a card terminal for lightweight in-person checkout
Phone-based card acceptance is often called Tap to Pay, SoftPOS or contactless acceptance on a commercial off-the-shelf device. A supported app and phone can accept a contactless card or wallet without a separate card reader. The exact cards, wallets, transaction limits and customer-verification methods depend on the provider, device and operating system.
The PCI Security Standards Council's Mobile Payments on COTS standard covers payment acceptance solutions that use merchant mobile devices.¹ Choose a validated provider solution, follow its device and software requirements and keep the phone under business control. Screen locks, operating-system updates, staff access and incident handling belong in the operating process.
This route can suit mobile workers and occasional sellers because there is less equipment to charge and carry. Check the full price, supported devices, connectivity, receipts, reporting and payout process before relying on it. Staff also need a clear way to recognise an approved transaction and locate it later.
Choose a card reader for a familiar card-present moment
A compact card reader gives customers a recognisable checkout device and can suit regular queues, higher transaction volumes or teams that prefer dedicated equipment. Some readers depend on a connected phone, while others have their own connection and software.
Check which payment types the reader supports, how it handles customer verification and what happens when the battery or connection fails. Include the purchase or rental cost, transaction fees, replacement equipment and accessories in the comparison. The provider's payout timetable and reporting tools can affect cash flow and daily reconciliation as much as the headline rate.
A reader also creates an equipment routine. Decide who charges it, installs updates, checks for damage and controls staff access. Record the transaction reference needed to match each payment to the sale.
Send a payment link when the customer can pay from anywhere
A payment link works well after a service visit, during a phone conversation or alongside a digital invoice. The customer opens a secure page and completes the payment journey on their own device. The underlying method might be card, Pay by Bank or another route. Confirm the actual payment method and fees for each link service.
Use a one-off link when the amount and purpose are already known. Include a useful reference and send it through a contact channel the customer recognises. For repeated sales, a reusable link can reduce setup work, provided the amount rules and reconciliation process remain clear. The Pay by Link guide explains these choices in more detail.
Wonderful One currently lets a business create and share Pay by Bank payment links and QR codes from its mobile app.²
Control duplicate payments by making the valid request clear and closing or expiring old links where the provider supports it. A customer message saying that payment is complete should lead staff to the provider record and receiving account.
Display a QR code for a visible self-serve route
A payment QR code carries a customer to a web page. It is a presentation method, so the page behind it determines the payment rail, amount handling and customer experience.
QR codes can suit market stalls, pop-ups, counters, event materials and invoices. A generated code for one transaction can carry a prepared amount and reference. A reusable code can serve many customers, with the business or customer entering the amount according to the provider's setup.
Keep the displayed code under your control. Test the exact destination before use, replace damaged materials and check printed codes for unauthorised stickers or substitutions. Tell the customer which business name, amount and page they should expect. The FCA's Strong Customer Authentication rules provide part of the regulatory framework for many electronic payment journeys, with defined exemptions and provider responsibilities.³
Use Pay by Bank for an account-to-account journey
Pay by Bank lets the customer move from a business payment request into a bank-controlled authentication and approval journey. It can be presented as a link, QR code or supported in-person experience. The customer chooses their bank, authenticates with it and approves the prepared payment.
The Pay by Bank guide for small businesses covers the method in depth. With Wonderful One, a business can create and share Pay by Bank requests from an app, then use the associated status and reporting tools. Current availability and charges belong on the live Wonderful plans and pricing page.⁴
The payment route commonly uses the UK's Faster Payment System. Pay.UK describes Faster Payments as a near-real-time service that operates around the clock, while individual participant and payment circumstances can still affect timing.⁵ Build the business process around the statuses and bank evidence available to you.
Where Wonderful Tap fits
Wonderful Tap is a public beta for a limited number of participating businesses. A customer taps the Wonderful payment point with a compatible phone to open the business's Pay by Bank journey. The merchant does not use the phone as a card terminal, and the customer is not tapping a card to make a card payment.
Treat current beta availability as a selection factor. A business choosing a route today should confirm whether it can join, which devices customers need and what alternative will be offered when a tap cannot open the journey. Wonderful's current public product page describes the beta and the live One app.²
Compare the full cost and operating workload
Headline transaction rates reveal only part of the cost. Compare each suitable option across:
- Subscription or account charges.
- Hardware purchase, rental, replacement and accessories.
- Percentage and fixed transaction fees.
- Included payment allowances and overage charges.
- Staff setup, training and support time.
- Payout timing and access to funds.
- Reporting, accounting and reconciliation work.
- The cost of a backup route when the main option is unavailable.
Use the provider's live price and product pages when deciding. Confirm which taxes are included, what happens above any allowance and whether optional features change the price. A lower transaction charge can lose its advantage if the workflow creates substantial manual matching or requires equipment that does not suit the selling location.
Keep every payment stage clear
A short customer journey still has several operational stages. Your records should distinguish:
| Stage | What it shows | Business action |
|---|---|---|
| Request created | The business has prepared a route to pay | Check the amount, reference and intended customer |
| Request presented | The customer can access the route by device, link or QR | Confirm that the destination is genuine and usable |
| Customer authenticated | The customer has passed the method's identity step | Wait for the payment decision |
| Payment authorised | The customer approved the instruction | Read the provider's next status |
| Provider status received | The provider reports the state visible to it | Follow the provider's documented meaning and exception process |
| Funds credited | The receiving account shows the incoming money | Match the amount, reference and customer |
| Payment reconciled | The sale, provider record and bank or accounting record agree | Close the balance and retain the audit trail |
The Pay by Bank payment-stage guide explains these distinctions in more detail. Document the evidence your team needs before a sale, job or invoice is treated as paid.
Match the route to the selling situation
| Business situation | Strong starting options | Questions to settle |
|---|---|---|
| Tradesperson finishing a job at the customer's property | Prepared payment link, generated QR or supported in-person option | Is the final amount agreed, can the customer pay immediately and how will the job reference reach the payment record? |
| Mobile service business taking bookings and balances | Payment link for deposits or balances, with an in-person backup | Which requests are one-off, when do they expire and how will staff prevent duplicates? |
| Market stall with frequent small sales | Card reader, phone-based card acceptance or a clearly displayed QR route | Is the signal reliable, can staff handle a queue and what happens when the main device fails? |
| Pop-up event with several staff | Dedicated readers or controlled reusable payment pages | Who controls devices and links, how are sales attributed and how is the day reconciled? |
| Consultant or supplier collecting remotely | Payment link included in a recognised message or invoice | Can the amount and reference be prepared, and which status closes the balance? |
Set up a mobile payment process your team can repeat
- List the places and moments where customers pay.
- Choose a primary route for each situation and one controlled fallback.
- Confirm supported devices, connectivity, customer steps and accessibility.
- Compare the complete price and payout process using current provider information.
- Decide how staff create the request, state the amount and identify the sale.
- Write down the status or bank evidence required before marking the sale as paid.
- Test the journey with a controlled payment before using it with customers.
- Review failed, delayed, duplicate and unmatched payments during reconciliation.
Frequently asked questions
Can I take a card payment on my phone without a reader?
Yes, when a provider supports contactless acceptance on your compatible phone and its requirements are met. Check supported devices, cards, wallets, verification methods, limits, fees and connectivity. A Pay by Bank app can also run on a phone. The customer completes a bank payment through that route.
Which mobile payment option is best for a small business?
Choose according to the payment moment. Phone-based card acceptance or a reader often fits an immediate card-present sale. A payment link suits a remote customer or a payment completed after a visit. A QR code offers a visible self-serve route. Pay by Bank suits customers who can approve an account-to-account payment through their bank.
Are QR code payments secure?
Security depends on the code's destination, the payment provider and the controls around display and replacement. Generate codes through an approved provider, test the destination, inspect physical displays and tell customers what business name and amount to expect. Customers should complete authentication only in a journey they recognise and trust.
Do mobile payments need Wi-Fi?
Most mobile payment journeys need an internet connection somewhere in the process. The merchant device, customer device or both may use Wi-Fi or mobile data. Check the provider's exact requirements and behaviour during a dropped connection, then maintain a controlled fallback for weak-signal locations.
How should I confirm that a mobile payment has arrived?
Use the provider status, receiving-account evidence and your reconciliation rule. Match the amount, reference, customer and transaction identifier. Keep the sale open when the evidence is incomplete or conflicting, and use the provider's documented exception process.
Choose the shortest reliable route for the customer
A useful mobile payment setup fits the place where you sell and gives staff a clear record afterwards. Start with the customer's location and preferred action, then compare equipment, connectivity, total cost, status evidence and reconciliation.
For Pay by Bank, Wonderful One can create payment links and QR journeys from a mobile app. Check the current product availability and pricing, test the complete customer journey and document the evidence your business will use to confirm each payment.
Footnotes
- PCI Security Standards Council, current Mobile Payments on COTS standard. Mobile Payments on COTS.
- Wonderful, current One app, payment-link, QR and Wonderful Tap public-beta description. Wonderful.
- Financial Conduct Authority, current Strong Customer Authentication guidance. Strong Customer Authentication.
- Wonderful, current product allowances and charges. Plans and pricing.
- Pay.UK, current Faster Payment System overview. Faster Payment System.
