# SmartSwipe Credit Card Reader vs Thrivepay

The clearest difference is update cadence: Thrivepay at monthly against SmartSwipe Credit Card Reader's every 2 months. SmartSwipe Credit Card Reader's advantage is device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 18.0). On price, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

SmartSwipe Credit Card Reader ships an update every 2 months, Thrivepay monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 22, 2026 and October 11, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SmartSwipe Credit Card Reader | Thrivepay |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.3 (45 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smartswipe-credit-card-reader/id615529232/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **45** | — |
| Positive reviews | 64.5% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Size | 31 MB | 73 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 18.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [John Kennedy](https://appshunter.io/developer/1691416823) | [ThrivePay LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1727778137) |

## What reviewers say

### SmartSwipe Credit Card Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smartswipe-credit-card-reader/id615529232)

Transform your mobile device into a complete point-of-sale system. Easily manage products, track inventory, accept various payment types, and generate real-time reports. This app is designed for businesses of all types, offering a powerful and free solution.

**Highlights:** Product management with photos and pricing, Inventory tracking, Record credit cards, cash, and checks, Add modifiers for restaurants, Set discounts on products and orders, Track tips and taxes, Real-time reports and sales history, Email, text, or print receipts

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 User-friendly and easy to use
- 🚀 Fast and efficient transactions
- 💡 Good for business growth
- 💰 Competitive pricing and rates
- 🤝 Great customer support

**What reviewers complain about**

- ⚠️ Hidden fees and contracts
- 📞 Terrible customer service
- 🇨🇦 Not supporting Canadian businesses
- ⏳ Long waiting times for money
- 📉 High termination fees

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes
- Card reader not reading cards
- Email verification not sent
- Login screen freezes
- Demo not working initially

**Requested features**

- Support for Canadian businesses
- Clearer contract terms
- Improved customer service responsiveness
- More transparent fee structure


### Thrivepay

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/thrivepay/id6751611258)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SmartSwipe Credit Card Reader free?

SmartSwipe Credit Card Reader is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Thrivepay free?

Thrivepay is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do SmartSwipe Credit Card Reader or Thrivepay have ads?

Neither SmartSwipe Credit Card Reader nor Thrivepay shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, SmartSwipe Credit Card Reader or Thrivepay?

SmartSwipe Credit Card Reader ships an update every 2 months, and Thrivepay monthly. Most recently, SmartSwipe Credit Card Reader was updated on October 22, 2026 and Thrivepay on October 11, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*