Do you have a small business that sometimes needs to take credit cards, but not quite enough to make it worthwhile to go through the hassle of getting a dedicated credit card machine?
PayPal today launched a new device, called PayPal Here, in the US, Canada, Australia and Hong Kong, that consists of a free, triangle shaped card reader and mobile phone application. The gadget connects into the top of iPhones and iPads allowing merchants to take payments on the go from any any of the four major credit cards (including American Express), PayPal accounts and even checks!
All card swipes have the same 2.7% rate with no hidden fees or commitments. Taking checks and issuing invoices are free of charge.
PayPal primary competitor in this space is Square. Their similar dongle charges 2.75% per swipe. Expect a bidding war.