Tide Card Reader

To take a payment using the Tide Card Reader or Tide Card Reader Plus, you don’t need to do anything in the Tide app, or even have it handy.

Instead, select: ‘Payment’ > enter the price > ‘Continue’, directly on the terminal.

Your customer can tap or insert their card, and the payment will land in your account within 3 business days. 

If you prefer, you can use the Tide app to take a payment with your card reader, too.

In the app, tap: ‘Get paid’ > ‘Take a payment’ > enter the price > ‘Take a payment’.

After your customer taps or inserts their card in the terminal, the payment will land in your account within 3 business days.

In order for the Tide Card Reader to work and process payments, you will need internet access. The card reader device comes with a SIM card and WiFi compatibility, so you can use its built-in 4G or connect to a WiFi network.

Yes, the Tide Card Reader is only compatible with Tide business bank accounts.

It’s easy. Simply sign up for a free Tide business bank account. After that you can order your Card Reader within the Tide app.

The Tide Card Reader, provided by Adyen, is a PCI PTS-approved Secure Card Reader. When using the card reader as the payment interface, the payment details are encrypted immediately.

If a customer uses Apple Pay, when using an iPhone as the payment interface, transactions are encrypted and handled using Apple's Secure Element.

As your Tide Card Reader will process sensitive card data, you must verify that the device you received is the correct one, and hasn’t been tampered with. There are a few ways to do this:

1. Check that the box containing the machine hasn't been opened and that the security seal is still intact. The security seal is a red label with a barcode and a number, stuck across the lid of the box.

2. Next, break the security seal and take the device out of the box. Verify that the serial number (S/N) on the device matches the serial number on the box.

3. Inspect the device for tampering. Check for missing seals or screws, additional wires or labels, holes in the device, and anything inserted in or attached to any part of the device.

If you have any concerns about your package or device then please contact Tide support immediately.

1. Power up the device by holding down the power button, located on the right of the device, until the display turns on

2. Connect the device to a power supply and let the battery charge for at least four hours while you continue with the next steps

3. On the Welcome screen, select your language 

4. Your device is automatically connected to the 4G network however if you would like to use WIFI, connect your device to your network

5. On the confirm store screen, assign the device to your store by selecting the check mark button. If the store shown is not your store, use the edit button to change it.

You are now all ready to start processing card payments from your customers!

Visual inspection

• Verify the payment terminal is the same as shown in our documentation, in the user manual specific for the payment terminal model.

• After the payment terminal has started up, verify the Adyen logo or your company logo appears on the terminal display.

• Verify no cameras or skimming equipment are attached to the payment terminal. Check for anything inserted in or attached to the card reader, ports, display, or keypad.

Device integrity inspection

• Verify the payment terminal isn't physically damaged. Check for missing seals or screws, holes in the device, and added wires or labels.

• Check your camera footage for suspicious activities around the payment terminal.

• Verify that store staff and camera footage cannot see the customers' PINs when they enter this on a payment terminal.

Awareness of suspicious activity

• Verify the identity of any third-party persons claiming to be repair or maintenance personnel, before granting them access to modify or troubleshoot payment terminals.

• Always be aware of suspicious behaviour around payment terminals. For example, attempts by unknown persons to disconnect or open devices.

• Always report suspicious behaviour to Tide.

To turn on the terminal: Press and hold the power button until the display turns on. If necessary, connect the terminal to a power supply to charge the battery.

Turn off the terminal: Press and hold the power button until a dialog box appears, then confirm you want to turn off the terminal.

Currently, there is a restriction on 1 Tide Card Reader per company registered by Tide. We are working on the ability for our members to connect more than 1 device to 1 company account.

Normally, you’ll receive your card reader within 5 working days.  To track your order in the Tide app, tap: ‘Get Paid’ > ‘Card Reader’ > 'Track Delivery'

Currently, there is a minimum transaction value of £1 per transaction. This is constantly under review so watch out for updates.

With the Tide Card Reader, your customers can pay you with all Visa, Mastercard, Discover, Diners Club and American Express cards. 

You can also get paid with digital wallets, such as Apple Pay & Google Pay, with an accepted card.

As part of Tide’s ongoing efforts to prevent fraud and protect our existing members, there may be occasions when restrictions are placed on who can use the Tide Card Reader.  Access to this feature may be restricted due to factors such as:

• Nature of your business

• The size of your business

• The number and frequency of transactions you undertake with your Tide account

We’re on a mission to help business owners with secure payment acceptance methods. It’s a balancing act though, certain company types are more complex to onboard. We hope to broaden this scope as we grow, but currently, we’re unable to sign up the following types of companies but not limited to:

• Fetish products

• Content: Books, magazines, audio, videos, websites, streaming services and other content formats deemed offensive or of a sexual nature

• Escort services and other services in the adult industry

• Financial service or money service business.

• E-wallet or e-money that can be monetized, re-sold or converted to physical and digital goods and services or otherwise exit the virtual world

• Credit repair and credit protection business

• Buy now pay later / Instalment payment methods

• Bearer share entities and binary options

• Independent or unlicensed financial advisors

• Insurance sales and services (life)

• Money transfer & remittance businesses

• Payroll, invoice & business services

• Provider or seller prepaid access/stored value

• Marketing related services

• Airlines and Cruise Lines

• Cloud storage, VPN, file sharing, (high-risk) cyber lockers

• Animals and wildlife products classified as endangered or protected

• Bail bonds and bankruptcy lawyers

• Bidding fee and penny auctions

• Certain social media business (e.g. click farms)

• Casual dating services

• Direct Marketing – Inbound teleservices, outbound telemarketing and travel-related arrangement services, Insurance services, catalog merchants, door-to-door sales, Multi-level marketing

• Governmental services, such as embassies or consulates

• Hazardous materials (B2B and B2C)

• Intravenous therapy or Medical benefit packages

• Key-entry telecom merchant

• Live-streaming Services with in-app currency and donations

• Mail order spouse or international match-making services

• Pawn shops

• Political, religious or Social Campaigning

• Drugs, and tools specifically intended for the production of drugs, drug paraphernalia, illegal drugs, substances designed to mimic illegal drugs and / or other psychoactive products

• Gambling services

• Products or services specifically offered or intended to be used to create, produce or grow drugs or drug ingredients

• Pharmaceuticals, prescription medicine and medical devices (including animal pharmaceuticals)

• Tobacco, smoking supplies, e-cigarettes, e-liquids, vaping liquid, vaping accessories

• Trade of fireworks, flammable or radioactive materials

• Trade of weapons, ammunition, military arms, explosive devices and firearm parts

• Cryptocurrency exchange

• High-risk securities

• Security brokers /investments of any kind including the purchase of Third-party Payment Processing such as aggregators, digital wallets, Payment Fac, Payment service companies.

• Decryption and descrambler products and services, devices designed to block, jam or interfere with cellular and personal communications

Yes, we can give you an invoice for your Card Reader purchase. Tap ‘Support’ in the app to request one, and we’ll supply one.

Payments taken with a Tide Card Reader can take up to 3 working days to settle into your Tide bank account.

You can accept Visa, Mastercard and American Express contactless cards from UK or foreign issuers, but all transactions and settlements will be in GBP. 

For now, we don’t accept payments with cards issued in these countries: 

• Afghanistan

• Barbados

• Belarus

• Bosnia & Herzegovina

• Bulgaria

• Burkina Faso

• Burundi

• Cambodia

• Cameroon

• Central African Republic

• Congo Democratic Republic

• Croatia

• Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea)

• Democratic Republic of the Congo

• Gibraltar

• Guinea

• Guinea-Bissau

• Haiti

• Iran

• Iraq

• Jamaica

• Lebanon

• Libya

• Mali

• Morocco

• Mozambique

• Myanmar

• Nicaragua

• Nigeria

• Philippines

• Russia

• Senegal

• Somalia

• South Africa

• South Sudan

• Sudan

• Syria

• Tanzania

• Turkey

• Uganda

• Ukraine Sanctioned Regions (Donetsk, Crimea, Kherson, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia)

• United Arab Emirates

• Venezuela

• Vietnam

• Yemen

• Zimbabwe

* This list is subject to change.

Generally, you can’t cancel an order once it’s been placed. However, in case of delivery failures, such as items lost in transit or orders that remain undelivered for more than 30 days, Tide members can choose between re-delivery or a refund. Please refer to our cancellations and returns policy for more details.