How Terminal works

Learn the core concepts behind Stripe Terminal.

With Stripe Terminal, you can accept in-person payments and manage them alongside your online payments in Stripe. You can use Terminal with no-code options, a custom point-of-sale (POS) integration, or supported third-party POS and gateway integrations.

Terminal includes supported readers and Tap to Pay devices, Dashboard tools for ordering and managing readers, country-specific payment method support, and default encryption for in-person payments. Learn about Terminal availability and readers.

Terminal setup

A Terminal setup usually includes:

A Stripe account
A physical location where you accept payments, either a fixed location, or a corporate address for on the go payments
A supported reader or Tap to Pay device
A way to start the payment, such as a no-code flow, a custom POS integration, Tap to Pay, or a supported partner integration
Dashboard tools for ordering, registering, configuring, and monitoring readers

The exact setup depends on how you want to accept payments. You can use no-code options, build a custom integration with Terminal SDKs or Stripe APIs, accept contactless payments with Tap to Pay, or use a supported third-party POS or gateway.

Core concepts

Use Terminal to take the complexity out of in-person payments:

Unified payments : Manage online and in-person payments in a single Stripe account.
Readers and devices : Choose from supported readers and Tap to Pay devices based on your checkout environment.
Locations : Register readers to locations so Stripe can apply the right regional and payment method settings.
Payment methods : Accept supported cards, wallets, and selected local payment methods depending on your country, reader, and integration type.
Reader management : Order, register, configure, and monitor readers from the Dashboard.
Platforms : Use Terminal with Connect to support connected accounts.
Security : Terminal encrypts in-person payment data by default. Some businesses can also use the Stripe the related setting solution .

Ways to use Terminal

Use no-code options : Accept payments without building a custom POS integration.
Build a custom POS integration : Use Terminal SDKs or Stripe APIs to integrate in-person payments into your own POS, mobile app, or web app.
Use Tap to Pay : Accept contactless payments on compatible iPhone or Android devices.
Use a third-party POS or gateway : Connect Stripe with supported partner POS, hardware, or gateway integrations.
Use Terminal with Connect : Enable in-person payments for your Connect platform or marketplace, with readers for each connected account.

Security and encryption

Businesses using Terminal for in-person payments can choose between two levels of encryption. All payments using Terminal are securely encrypted using end-to-end encryption (the related setting) by default. Businesses in certain industries, such as healthcare and education, can also use the PCI-audited point-to-point encryption (the related setting) solution from Stripe.

the related setting standards, which are developed by the PCI Council, add an additional decryption step through hardware security modules (HSM) before Stripe sends payment data to card networks. Our the related setting solution simplifies PCI compliance and reduces PCI audit scope and audit costs. It’s validated by a third party, ensuring compliance with PCI the related setting standards, and doesn’t require any additional integration to get started.

If you’ve enabled the related setting, consult the the related setting Instruction Manual (PIM) for detailed guidance. This manual provides instructions on how to properly implement our validated the related setting solution.