Square Reader for magstripe
Square's small swipe reader for operators who take payments with Square. Plug it into the valet's phone and the Summon app finds it — there's nothing to pair and nothing to charge. It reads swiped cards only.
Sold and shipped by Square. Price set by Square.
Accepts
- Magstripe (swiped) cards
The Square Reader for magstripe needs a Square merchant connected to Summon. It reads swiped cards only — for chip cards, contactless cards, or phones, use the Square Reader for contactless and chip, or Tap to Pay on iPhone.
How it works with Summon
- 1
Order the reader from Square
Square sells and ships the reader — your first one is free, then $10 each. Order it with the Square account you connected to Summon, and pick the connector that fits the valet's phone.
- 2
Turn on card readers for your location
In the Summon dashboard, open the location's Settings → Payments → Payment Tenders. Under Online, select your Square merchant as the payment provider and check Card reader.
- 3
Plug it into the phone
Plug the reader into the valet's phone. The Summon app finds it on its own — there's nothing to pair. On iPhone, allow microphone access when asked: the reader talks to the phone through its audio connection.
- 4
Take payment at the car
When a guest pays, swipe their card through the reader. Summon records the payment on the ticket and sends the guest their receipt.
Reader or Tap to Pay?
Summon takes card payments both ways. Many operators use both.
| Feature | Square Reader for magstripe | Tap to Pay |
|---|---|---|
| Phones | iPhone and Android | iPhone XS or later |
| Card types | Swipe only | Tap only |
| Hardware | Reader from Square | None — just the phone |
| Needs | Square merchant | Stripe or Square merchant |
Specs
- Connector
- USB-C, Lightning, or 3.5 mm headphone jack
- Charging
- None — powered by the phone
- Card types
- Magstripe only — no chip or tap
- Phones
- iPhone on iOS 17.1 or later, Android 9 or later
- Weight
- About 7 g
- Availability
- United States
Full specs are on the Square Reader for magstripe page at Square.
Valet Products & Supplies
Tags, stickers, and operator essentials for ticketless valet operations.
