What android tablet can we use with Square?

[CTDLlibrary]

We are setting up an account and need to purchase tablets. 

[Candlestore]

@CTDLlibrary ;

When I started in 2019 I used a cheap $50 android Tablet from RCA.  It had the Headphone port to connect a Mag reader, and I could connect by Bluetooth to the Bluetooth Square reader.  This worked good for a few months but the got slower and decided to upgrade to a Square Stand for my retail business.  The square Stands use Ipads not Androids tho.  The other thing I noticed is the Android App has Squre Pos, but not the Square for Retail app.  I use my cell to check Square but do not use it for sales right now.

The questions you should ask:

1. What type of Payments are you trying to take?  Tap, Dip Magnetic or all 3?
2. What App from Square are you wanting to use?  POS or will you be upgrading to Retail or Resturants?
3. Is this for in store or on the go type sales?

Some of the new table ts need a C-charging port to Headphone adapter to work with the Magnetic Reader.  The Bluetooth reader for Tap and Dip works great with bluetooth.  Almost all new tablets have that.  Some may even be able to setup a Tap to your phone or Tablet with no additional hardware from Square.

Square did not have Square for Retail last time I looked.  Now when I did look it does have a Square Restaurants app.  Now the Apple store or whatever it is called does have all three of these as I use the Square for Retail on my Square stand.  

Now about in store or on the go.... if on the go you would need a celular signal on the tablet, and if in store you could get away with WiFi signals instead of a celular signal.  If on the Go you would need the Tablet through a cell provider.  Do they have deals on these for you?   In 2019 I got a free Android Tab 8a I believe, worked great and even used it to back up my Cable internet in the store.  When I upgraded to the Square Stands with Ipads is when I learned about the Retail app that Android did not have.  Now in 2022, I upgraded my phones and my Tablet, this time I went with the Ipad upgrade since I have been using the Ipads in the store.  The Ipads for my stands are the lower cost models that only connect through wifi and not a cell tower.  

I love my Androids but for business I would recommend the Ipad.  More options with Square and the Ipad if you choose a different plan (Retail or restaurants).  You could always use you Cell as a Hotspot to connect either of these types of Tablets to provide an internet connection to verify the sale and the credit card is good.  All Square apps require internet to process the credit card unless you use Offline Mode which will then verify the credit card once an internet connection is established.  Problem is if the card is bad, and the customer left, you lost money and merchandise.  No leg to stand on since you were in offline mode disabeling the security to verify the credit card at the time of purchase.

My 2019 Android Tab A 8 has a C-port for charging and I have connected the Bluetooth reader to it for taking to local events.  Also my $50 RCA tablet works just fine with Square but the battery is done and needs to be replaced so it only works currently when plugged in.  

But which Android Tablet to use with Square would be one from Squares compatibility Chart.  You can find that here :

compatibility?platform=Android 

Select your brand and should show what is compatible, you could also choose Appl or Other if you like.

[Candlestore]

@CTDLlibrary ;

One other thing I just thought of is I believe Square has a Wireless Bluetooth Scanner that works with an Ipad, and it requires I believe adapters to have a scanner work with Android if you decide to go that route.