Can the same card reader be used for two separate businesses?

[SarrosEnv]

Can I use my wife's Square card reader she uses for her business for transactions in my own business or do I need to get a separate card reader for my phone when taking credit card payments?

[ryanwanner · Accepted solution]

Hello @SarrosEnv ! Welcome to the Seller Community!

Yes, you can use the same reader on multiple accounts. The hardware is separate from the accounts.

You may run into issues with the contactless reader trying to connect to the wrong device if you're using separate devices, but usually a quick "Forget this reader" and relink will solve that.

Hope this helps!

[ryanwanner · Accepted solution]

Hello @SarrosEnv ! Welcome to the Seller Community!

Yes, you can use the same reader on multiple accounts. The hardware is separate from the accounts.

You may run into issues with the contactless reader trying to connect to the wrong device if you're using separate devices, but usually a quick "Forget this reader" and relink will solve that.

Hope this helps!

[SarrosEnv]

Thank you Ryan.  I checked with Square customer service and they are sending me a new reader (Type C connection) as my wife's older reader uses a headphone jack which is incompatible with our newer phones.   

[ryanwanner · Accepted solution]

@SarrosEnv The swiper that attaches to your phone is definitely a great way to start, and you won't have any pairing issues to worry about there.

However, do be aware that swiped cards do run a risk for the seller nowadays. If a customer contests a charge and you swiped the card instead of using the tap or dip option, you are immediately going to lose the challenge. This liability shift happened a few years ago. I definitely recommend picking up one of the contactless readers when you can. It's not a guarantee you'll win any chargebacks with the contactless reader, but at least you have a chance to. 

[Summer2024]

Thanks so. much for jumping in here @ryanwanner ! Glad to hear you are getting a new reader with the right connector, @SarrosEnv ! Let us know if you have any other questions when that reader comes in!