GivebearReader modes and Tap to Pay
Choose whether a kiosk takes cards on a wired USB reader or its own built-in NFC, and what hardware each option needs.
Every kiosk takes card-present payments through Stripe Terminal, using one of two readers: a wired USB card reader, or the kiosk's own NFC chip through Tap to Pay on Android. The Card reader setting on each kiosk decides which one it uses.
Most kiosks never need this changed. Use this guide when you are deciding what hardware to buy, when a kiosk should ignore its built-in NFC, or when a reader error points you here.
The three modes
Open the kiosk in the dashboard, go to the Configuration tab, and find Card reader.
| Mode | What the kiosk does | Pick it when |
|---|---|---|
| Auto-detect (default) | Uses built-in NFC when the device passes Stripe's Tap to Pay eligibility check, and the wired reader otherwise. | Almost always. It works on every kiosk without a decision from you. |
| USB reader | Always uses the wired card reader, even on a device that could Tap to Pay. | You want chip and swipe as well as tap, or you prefer a dedicated reader for donors to aim at. |
| Built-in NFC | Always uses Tap to Pay on the kiosk's own NFC. Payments stay down if the device does not qualify. | The device is Google-certified and you never plan to attach a reader. |
Select a mode and then Save changes. The kiosk switches readers on its next sync, usually within a minute. No reboot is needed.
Pinning Built-in NFC on a device that fails Stripe's eligibility check stops all payments. The kiosk shows "Tap to Pay is not supported on this device. Change the reader mode in the dashboard or attach a USB reader." Switch back to Auto-detect or USB reader to recover.
What each reader needs
Wired USB reader
- A Stripe Terminal card reader connected to the kiosk over USB.
- Nothing else. The kiosk finds the reader on its own and reconnects it after a cable bump.
The wired reader accepts contactless taps (cards, phones, and watches), chip inserts, and swipes.
Built-in NFC (Tap to Pay on Android)
- An Android device with an NFC chip.
- Google certification (Google Mobile Services). Stripe checks this at runtime, along with device integrity, through its Tap to Pay eligibility check. A device that is rooted, uncertified, or otherwise fails the check is treated as unsupported.
- No extra hardware.
Built-in NFC accepts contactless only: tap cards, phones, and watches. There is no chip or swipe slot.
The first Tap to Pay setup on a device can take noticeably longer than a wired connect, because Stripe runs its device attestation and downloads configuration. During pairing the activation checklist shows Contactless payments with "Setting up contactless payments. The first time can take a minute", and the kiosk opens either way.
How Auto-detect decides
When the kiosk app starts, it asks the Stripe SDK whether this device supports Tap to Pay. Then:
- Supported: the kiosk uses built-in NFC.
- Unsupported: the kiosk uses the wired reader.
- No clear answer (the check timed out or errored): the kiosk uses the wired reader for this session rather than guessing. It does not permanently mark the device as unsupported.
If Tap to Pay passes the check but then fails while connecting (Stripe's deeper attestation can still reject a device), Auto-detect falls back to the wired reader until the next app start. Payments keep working on the wired reader instead of retrying a device Stripe keeps rejecting.
See which reader a kiosk is using
The Configuration tab's Status panel shows two related rows:
- Reader engine is the live reader state: Reader Ready, Reader Connecting, Reader Disconnected, Reader Attention, or Reader Unknown.
- Reader type is the transport actually in use: USB reader, Built-in NFC, or Unknown when the kiosk has not reported yet.
Reader type is the observed outcome, so on an Auto-detect kiosk it tells you which way the check went.
When to change the mode
- Donors keep tapping the tablet instead of the reader, or the other way around: pick the mode that matches where you want them to tap, and place the kiosk accordingly.
- You need chip or swipe: choose USB reader. Built-in NFC is tap only.
- A wired reader keeps dropping on a Tap to Pay capable device: switch to Built-in NFC and remove the reader, or leave Auto-detect and fix the cable. See troubleshooting.
- Support asks you to: they may pin a mode while diagnosing a reader problem.