How do contactless payments work? Tap to pay explained
By SendPay Business · · 2 min read
- 1Your card appears in your app
- 2Tap it to pay in a shop
- 3See every payment as it happens
Contactless payments let people pay by holding a card, phone or watch near a card reader. A small chip and antenna in the card talk to the reader over a very short distance, and the payment is approved in a second or two.
What happens when you tap
- The reader and the card or phone exchange payment details over a short-range radio link.
- A one-time code is created for that payment, so the details can't simply be copied and reused.
- The payment is sent to the card issuer for approval, just like any other card payment.
The UK contactless limit
The standard UK limit on a single contactless card payment rose to £100 in 2021. Since 2025, card providers have been allowed to set their own limits, and some ask for the PIN now and then as an extra check. Phone and watch payments are confirmed with the device's own security, so they often go higher.
Try it
Name your platform and watch it come to life
Type a name, tap a colour and pick what it does. The phone changes as you go.
Colour
What it does
Design and preview your whole platform free, then launch when you are ready.
Taking payments without a card machine
Not every business needs a card reader. Payment links and invoices let customers pay by card on their own phone, which suits mobile traders, services and online sales.
Where SendPay fits
SendPay doesn't sell card machines. Its platforms include payment links, invoicing and branded cards under your own brand, powered by licensed partners. You can preview your platform before you launch.
How it works
Your own money app- 1Name it and pick your colours
- 2Choose what it does
- 3Launch when you are ready
Why sign up
Create your free SendPay account
It's all about creating your own financial platform with ease. Start with a free account today.
- 🪪A free business accountOpen it in about a minute with your business name, email, password and mobile. No card and no documents to start.
- 💳Get paid from day oneTake card payments, and share your own payment link and invoices so customers pay in a click.
- 🌐A free business websiteFree to build, free to publish and free to keep, with unlimited visits.
- 🚀Your own financial platformDesign and preview your whole platform free, then launch when you are ready.
SendPay Business is a technology company, not a bank. Accounts, cards and payments are powered by licensed partners.
Questions people ask
What does a card machine really cost?
Compare two deals over the first year.
Card machine cost calculator →Are there card machine alternatives?
Ways to take card payments without a reader.
Card machine alternatives →Read next
Spotted a mistake or something out of date? and we'll fix it. How our guides are made
This guide is general information, not legal or financial advice. SendPay Business is a technology company, not a bank, and does not take deposits; regulated services on the platforms are provided by licensed partners. Other companies named in this guide are reference points only and are not affiliated with SendPay Business.