Tap to Pay is a payment solution that uses smartphones to collect payments instead of collecting payments with electronic payment terminals (EPTs). Compatible with iPhone and Android devices, Tap to Pay provides French businesses with an easy, practical, and secure method to accept bank payments in-store and when mobile.

In this article, we explain how Tap to Pay works in France, its advantages for businesses, and how to accept payments with a smartphone.

What’s in this article?

• What is Tap to Pay?
  
• How does Tap to Pay work?
  
• Accepting Tap to Pay
  
• What businesses should use Tap to Pay?
  
• Advantages of Tap to Pay for businesses
  
• Who supports Tap to Pay in France?
  
• How much does Tap to Pay cost?
  
• Is Tap to Pay secure?
  
• How Stripe can help
  

What is Tap to Pay?

Tap to Pay is a business solution for accepting contactless payments on a smartphone or tablet without using a dedicated payment terminal. Based on near-field communication (NFC) technology, Tap to Pay makes it easier and faster to collect in-person payments by card, digital wallet, or mobile device.

Also called “SoftPOS,” “Taptopay,” and “Touch to Pay,” this payment service has become more popular in France with businesses and customers. Sixty-five percent of French customers use mobile payments to make purchases using this faster and more secure payment experience. The adoption of Tap to Pay by businesses is becoming more common. For example, Visa’s Tap to Phone functionality represented 14% of transactions in French stores from 2023–2024.

How does Tap to Pay work?

Tap to Pay works with NFC technology that enables payments between the customer’s and business’s devices. Combined with a dedicated application for accepting bank or payment provider payments, Tap to Pay can transform any smartphone or tablet into an EPT.

Tap to Pay was made popular by Apple and first used in France on November 14, 2023. Today, it’s compatible with any Apple phone (iPhone XS and later) and any Android phone (Android 12 or later). Tap to Pay can accept payments via mobile, digital wallets on smartphones or smartwatches, and credit or debit cards, if the contactless option has been selected.

Stripe offers Tap to Pay through iOS SDK and Android on its Stripe Terminal.

Accepting Tap to Pay

There are several steps to accept Tap to Pay:

• The business opens the mobile Tap to Pay app on a smartphone or tablet and enters the amount to be collected.
  
• The business presents its device to the customer who holds their smartphone or smartwatch near the “contactless” symbol.
  
• If the payment amount is greater than €50, the customer must enter a personal identification number (PIN) on the screen of the business’s device.
  
• When the transaction is accepted, a message appears on the business’s device.
  
• The business can send a payment receipt to the customer via email, short message service (SMS), or quick-response (QR) code.
  
• The money is typically transferred to the business’s bank account within 24 hours.
  

Note that there is not a universal limit on Tap to Pay. The payment limit varies according to the card type and the contractual conditions with the issuing bank or payment service provider.

What types of payments are accepted by Tap to Pay?

Tap to Pay accepts the following:

• Payment cards (e.g., Cartes Bancaires [CB], Visa, Mastercard, American Express)
  
• Digital wallets (e.g., PayPal, Google Pay, Apple Pay, Samsung Pay)
  
• Meal voucher cards
  

What businesses should use Tap to Pay?

Tap to Pay is a solution that targets all professionals who collect payments in person. Tap to Pay works well for the following businesses:

• Convenience stores
  
• Retail chains
  
• Restaurants
  
• Artisans
  
• Healthcare professionals
  
• Independent professionals
  
• Street vendors
  
• Associations
  
• Delivery services
  
• Taxis or chauffeured cars
  
• Self-employed professionals and freelancers
  

Advantages of Tap to Pay for businesses

Tap to Pay offers many advantages for businesses and professionals. This payment solution is fast, practical, flexible, and secure. It facilitates payments and doesn’t require an external payment terminal. Here are more advantages:

• Accessibility: In 2024, 91% of French people had a smartphone, and this facilitates businesses and customers adopting and using Tap to Pay.
  
• Mobility: Tap to Pay can be used anywhere and anytime, ensuring maximum mobility.
  
• Reduced equipment costs: Adopting Tap to Pay can lead to savings by eliminating the costs of purchasing and using traditional EPT equipment.
  
• Flexibility: Tap to Pay can also be used alongside an EPT, increasing the number of collection points. This provides a practical solution to equipment failures or connection problems.
  
• Fast pace: Tap to Pay payments are 100% cashless. This makes the payment process and time spent at the register faster. It also reduces customer wait time.
  
• Increased sales volumes: The speed of transactions also translates to increased sales volumes, specifically during peak demand.
  
• Enhanced customer experience: Tap to Pay responds to new customer consumption habits. Many customers prefer to pay for purchases by card or mobile payment rather than with cash.
  
• Improved cash flow: Tap to Pay payments are quickly deposited into the business’s account. This typically happens within one business day, improving business cash flow.
  
• Quick setup: Tap to Pay only requires a downloaded and activated app, avoiding the need to install, connect, or use external devices.
  
• Security: Tap to Pay provides secure, encrypted transactions—including for card data—which provides a secure and dependable payment experience.
  

Who supports Tap to Pay in France?

Many financial institutions and payment processors support Tap to Pay in France. In addition to Stripe, here is a nonexhaustive list:

• Banque Populaire
  
• Banque BCP
  
• Caisses d’Épargne
  
• BNP Paribas
  
• Crédit Mutuel
  
• Revolut
  
• PayPal
  
• Adyen
  
• Worldline
  
• Mollie
  
• Square
  

How much does Tap to Pay cost?

Using Tap to Pay in France is free and does not require a commitment. However, a commission and flat fee are applied to each transaction. The amount of these costs varies, depending on the financial institution or payment provider. Certain providers also invoice a monthly subscription.

Note: To use Tap to Pay, an NFC-compatible Apple or Android smartphone is required.

Is Tap to Pay secure?

Tap to Pay is a secure and dependable payment and collection solution, and it uses the security features native to smartphones. This means that each transaction is secured via encryption, tokenization, and double authentication. This protects business and customer transaction details.

How Stripe can help

Stripe Terminal allows businesses to grow revenue with unified payments across in-person and online channels. It supports new ways to pay, simple hardware logistics, global coverage, and hundreds of POS and commerce integrations to design your ideal payments stack.

Stripe powers unified commerce for brands like Hertz, URBN, Lands’ End, Shopify, Lightspeed, and Mindbody.

Stripe Terminal can help you:

• Unify commerce: Manage online and in-person payments on a global platform with unified payments data.

• Expand globally: Scale to 24 countries with a single set of integrations and popular payment methods.

• Integrate your way: Develop your own custom POS app or connect with your existing tech stack using third-party POS and commerce integrations.

• Simplify hardware logistics: Easily order, manage, and monitor Stripe-supported readers, wherever they are.

Learn more about Stripe Terminal, or get started today.