Guide

Billing & Payments

Card Reader Setup

A Stripe card reader takes in-person card payments for your bookings, sales and packages. Petboost sends the amount to the reader and records the payment on the booking.

Updated 27 September 2026 - 8 min read
Open in Petboost

New readers are the Stripe Reader S700. Stripe stopped selling the WisePOS E on 1 September 2026, and a WisePOS E you already own keeps working with Petboost. This guide covers ordering, setup and daily use.

What you need

  • Business Pro, Business Flex, Business Max or Enterprise plan. Calendar Lite does not include the card reader.
  • A Stripe Connect account connected to Petboost.
  • A Stripe card reader. Order a Stripe Reader S700 from Stripe. A WisePOS E you already own also works.
  • A Wi-Fi connection at your location.

Order your card reader

Stripe sells the reader, and the shop shows its price.

  1. Open the hardware shop in your Stripe Dashboard.
  2. Order a Stripe Reader S700.

Set up the reader

Setup runs in four parts, in this order: charge the reader, connect it to Wi-Fi, register it in Stripe, then have it connected to Petboost.

Charge the reader

  1. Connect the reader to power with the USB-C cable and power adapter that come with it.
  2. Charge the reader fully before you turn it on for the first time.

Turn on the reader and connect it to Wi-Fi

  1. Hold the power button until the screen turns on.
  2. Swipe right from the left edge of the reader screen and tap Settings.
  3. Enter the admin passcode. Stripe's default passcode is 07139.
  4. Select WiFi settings, then choose your business network and connect.

Register the reader in Stripe

Register the reader to your own Stripe account before Petboost can use it.

  1. In your Stripe Dashboard, open Terminal readers and select Register reader.
  2. If the reader screen does not show a pairing code, swipe right from the left edge of the reader screen, tap Settings, enter the admin passcode and tap Generate pairing code.
  3. Enter the pairing code and select Next.
  4. Optional: Enter a name for the reader.
  5. Select your business location, or select + Add new to create it.
  6. Select Register.

Connect the reader to Petboost

Petboost support connects the registered reader to your Petboost account. To request it, message the team from the chat bubble in Petboost. Once they confirm, check that the reader arrived:

  1. Open Pricing & Payments.
  2. If In-Person Payments is not visible, switch on Advanced options.
  3. Check that In-Person Payments shows WisePOS E Terminal and a Reader ID.

WisePOS E Terminal is the label for any connected reader, including a Stripe Reader S700. When the reader is connected, Card Reader appears as a payment method. If the card shows Activate In-person Payments instead, no reader is connected yet, and that button opens Stripe's hardware shop.

The Online and Offline badge beside WisePOS E Terminal shows whether in-person payments are switched on for your account. It does not show the reader's Wi-Fi status.

Take a payment on the card reader

A card reader payment can settle a booking, a quick sale or a package purchase.

From an appointment

Do this at checkout, with the customer at the counter.

  1. Open the booking from Appointments.
  2. Under Payment Method, select Card Reader.
  3. Select Take in-person Payment. The button shows the amount due, and Petboost sends that amount to the reader.
  4. Ask the customer to tap or insert their card on the reader.
  5. Wait for Payment Complete. Petboost marks the appointment paid.

If the customer does not pay within 45 seconds, Petboost cancels the request. Select Resend to Reader to send it again. To stop a payment, select Cancel Reader Action.

From a quick sale

Do this for a sale with no appointment behind it, such as a product at the counter.

  1. Open Mission Control and select Actions, then Quick Sale. Quick Sale is also under Quick Actions in the sidebar.
  2. Select the pet, then select Continue to Sale.
  3. Under Sale Items, select + Add Item and add a product, a service or a one-off item.
  4. Select Card Reader as the payment method.
  5. Select Record Sale on Card Reader and ask the customer to tap or insert their card.

Petboost records the sale on the customer's account and opens a receipt PDF.

When a customer buys a package

Do this when the customer pays for a package at the counter.

  1. Open Customers & Pets and select Manage on the customer's pet.
  2. Open the Wallet tab, then Packages, and select New. With no packages yet, the button reads Purchase Package.
  3. Under Select Package, choose the package.
  4. Select Card Reader as the payment method.
  5. Select Purchase on Card Reader and ask the customer to tap or insert their card.

When the payment completes, Petboost adds the package to the customer's account and opens a receipt PDF. Purchase Package is also on an appointment and under Quick Actions in the sidebar.

Daily operation

  • Leave the reader plugged in and switched on, overnight too, so it receives Stripe's software updates.
  • When the reader is not on power, its screen turns off after 1 hour by default. Touch the screen to wake it.
  • On a full charge, a Stripe Reader S700 runs for about 15 hours and a WisePOS E for about 8 hours.
  • To turn the reader off, hold the power button until the power off option appears, then select it.

Troubleshooting

The reader is offline

If a payment fails because the reader is not online:

  1. Check your business Wi-Fi is working.
  2. On the reader, swipe right from the left edge of the screen, tap Settings, enter the admin passcode and select WiFi settings.
  3. Reconnect the reader to your network.
  4. Restart the reader and take the payment again.

The Online and Offline badge in In-Person Payments does not help here: it shows whether in-person payments are switched on for your account, not the reader's Wi-Fi status.

Payment declined

The card was declined by the bank, not Petboost. Ask the customer to try a different card, or take another payment method, such as the card on file or cash. If it keeps happening, the customer should contact their bank.

Card Reader is missing from the payment methods

Card Reader appears only on Business Pro, Business Flex, Business Max and Enterprise, and only after a reader is connected to your Petboost account. Check In-Person Payments with the steps in Connect the reader to Petboost.

If it shows Activate In-person Payments instead of a Reader ID, no reader is connected. Contact Petboost support to connect your registered reader. Reconnecting Stripe removes the connected reader, so contact support after you reconnect.

Payment status unconfirmed

If Petboost shows Payment status unconfirmed, the reader may have taken the payment before Petboost received the result.

  1. Select Close on the message.
  2. Refresh the page and check whether the appointment shows as paid before you take the payment again.

Transaction stuck

If a payment started but never completed:

  1. Select Cancel Reader Action in the payment dialog, or open Manage on the invoice and select Cancel Reader Action.
  2. Take the payment again.

Customer wants a receipt

Petboost does not email a receipt for a card reader payment. To give the customer one, open the booking and select Download Receipt.

Tips for smooth payments

  • Place the reader at a comfortable height for customers, with good lighting so they can see the screen. Keep the charging cable accessible but tidy.
  • Tell the customer "You can tap or insert your card" and "Just follow the prompts on the screen".
  • When a card fails, ask "That card didn't go through, would you like to try another?". Never state the specific decline reason, for the customer's privacy.

Security

  • Stripe card readers are pre-certified for PCI and EMV compliance.
  • Stripe encrypts every card reader payment end to end, and Petboost never receives the card number.
  • Stripe is certified as a PCI Service Provider Level 1.
  • Keep the reader in a visible, monitored location, and do not leave it unattended in public areas.
  • The reader's settings menu is protected by an admin passcode. Stripe recommends replacing the default passcode with your own.

Costs and fees

Stripe sets the reader price. It shows in the hardware shop in your Stripe Dashboard.

A card reader payment carries two separate fees:

  • Stripe's in-person processing fee, paid to Stripe.
  • The Petboost booking fee for your plan, the same booking fee as an online card payment.

For your rates, see Understanding Your Fees.

Common questions

Can I use my existing EFTPOS terminal instead?

Not connected to Petboost. Petboost connects to Stripe card readers only. You can keep another EFTPOS machine and record those payments as Other EFTPOS on the appointment.

What happens if my internet goes down?

The card reader requires an internet connection. Have a backup payment method ready, such as cash, or use a mobile hotspot for the time being.

Can I have multiple card readers?

No. Petboost sends every in-person charge to the one reader connected to your account.

Does the reader work with Apple Pay and Google Pay?

Yes. Stripe card readers accept contactless cards and NFC mobile wallets, including Apple Pay and Google Pay.

Can customers add a tip?

Petboost does not add a tip step to card reader payments.