Congrats on your new mobile card reader! This guide walks you through what's in the box, how your reader works, and how to connect it so you can start accepting point-of-sale payments in person.
What's in the box
Here's what you'll find when your card reader arrives:
- Card reader
- USB charging cable (for charging only)
About your card reader
Your SignUpGenius card reader is a battery-powered Bluetooth device built for mobile and roaming checkout setups. It:
- Works with iOS and Android devices
- Connects via Bluetooth
- Accepts tap, dip, and swipe payments, including EMV chip cards and mobile wallets like Apple Pay and Google Pay
Connect your card reader
Before you accept a payment, you'll need to connect your reader to the SignUpGenius mobile app.
Important: Don't pair the card reader from your device's Bluetooth settings — it won't work properly. Instead, connect the reader from within the SignUpGenius app's point-of-sale flow, and it'll pair automatically.
For full setup and troubleshooting steps, download and print the Getting Started with Your Card Reader Guide below. It covers everything from charging your reader for the first time to understanding what each LED status light means.
Accept your first point-of-sale payment
Ready to take a payment? Download the Step-by-Step Point-of-Sale Payment Guide below for a screen-by-screen walkthrough of the checkout flow. We have two versions depending on how you sign in:
- Guide for account owners — for anyone accepting payments while signed into their own SignUpGenius account
- Guide for Event Code users — for anyone accepting payments using an Event Code instead of signing in
You can also check out our related article on accepting point-of-sale payments for more detail on the checkout process.
FAQ
What do I do if my reader won't connect?
A connection issue almost always has a quick fix. The two most common causes are:
- Bluetooth isn't turned on in your device settings
- The reader was paired directly in your device's Bluetooth settings instead of within the SignUpGenius point-of-sale flow
Reference the Getting Started with Your Card Reader Guide for full troubleshooting steps that cover these and other connection issues.
What's the best way to train others on using the card reader?
Share the Getting Started with Your Card Reader Guide along with the Step-by-Step Point-of-Sale Payment Guide — the second one includes screen-by-screen views of exactly what someone will see while accepting a payment, which makes it a great training tool.
If you have a team accepting payments on the same payment page, take a look at our Event Code feature. It lets multiple people accept point-of-sale payments (or scan tickets) on the same payment page without each person needing their own login.