Shopify POS Hardware for Pop-Up Shops: What You Need
A Shopify pop-up shop needs less hardware than a full retail counter: a phone or tablet running the Shopify POS app plus a card reader is enough to take payments. A receipt printer, barcode scanner or cash drawer only earns its place if the event needs it. Buy from the Shopify Hardware store where it exists, and from a verified retailer using Shopify’s supported model numbers where it doesn’t.
Shopify’s rules on hardware and plans are from the Help Center pages on getting started with POS, hardware kits and supported hardware; the card reader list is from the card readers page. All were read on October 23, 2026. The event itself is planned in Shopify pop-up shops.
Minimum kit vs full counter
| Item | Needed for a pop-up? | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Phone or tablet with the Shopify POS app | Yes | It is the register |
| Card reader | Yes, if you take cards | Payments at the table |
| Receipt printer | Only if customers expect paper | Skip it for a small stall |
| Barcode scanner | If you sell many items or SKUs | Speeds up the line; unnecessary for twenty products |
| Cash drawer | If you take cash | Skip it if you don’t |
| Device stand | If the table is a counter | A phone in a hand works for a small stall |
| Spare charger or battery pack | Yes | A flat battery stops sales |
Shopify’s supported hardware section covers card readers, printers (including mPOP printers), cash drawers, barcode scanners, label printers, receipt printers and device stands, each with specs and availability by region.
Where to buy
If your store is in a country with a Shopify hardware store, you can buy supported hardware from it. Where hardware kits are available, a kit bundles compatible components at a discounted price, works on all Shopify plans and ships with installation instructions. If your country has no Shopify hardware store, use the supported model numbers in the help section and buy from a verified third-party retailer.
On the card reader page, Shopify lists these readers with regions, as read on October 23, 2026:
| Reader | Regions |
|---|---|
| Tap & Chip Reader | United States |
| WisePad 3 terminal | Canada, 13 European countries including the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore |
| POS Terminal | Canada, United States, 13 European countries including the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore |
| Verifone Victa Mobile | United States, Canada, 13 European countries including the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore |
| External card terminal | Anywhere; payments are processed by your terminal provider outside Shopify |
Prices on the US Shopify Hardware store as it showed them on October 31, 2026: Tap & Chip Card Reader $49.00, POS Terminal $349.00, Verifone Victa Mobile $399.00, Eddy Tablet Stand $149.00, OmniLink Receipt Printer $289.00 and Engage 2D G2 Scanner $209.00. Kits are put together in Build your kit, which showed no fixed price.
A US stall that already has a phone or tablet needs one $49 reader to take cards. The full counter from the list above (a POS Terminal, a stand, a printer and a scanner) comes to $996 before tax and shipping, which in our view is worth it for a regular market stall and hard to justify for one weekend.
The card reader page lists Shopify POS Go as discontinued and no longer for sale. Check the page for the exact countries before you order. For USB hardware, Shopify recommends connecting through the Shopify POS Hub for the most reliable connection.
POS plan: basic or Pro
You can use the basic Shopify POS features on every Shopify subscription plan at no extra cost. Extra retail features need Shopify POS Pro. For a pop-up that sells and takes payment, basic is where to begin. If your store is in the EU, you might need to meet regional point-of-sale requirements, which Shopify covers in its getting-started section.
Test before the day
- Charge the phone or tablet, the reader and any printer, and update the POS app.
- Pair the reader and any other hardware with the POS app.
- Run a test sale of a real product with the reader, then refund it.
- Print or send a receipt and read it on a phone.
- Pack a charger, a power strip and a written price list in case the app is slow to load.
For the planning side, such as picking the date and the stock, see the pop-up shop guide linked above. This article is filed in our email and popups hub, next to the other pop-up shop guides.
FAQ
Do I need special hardware for a Shopify pop-up shop? A supported phone or tablet with a Shopify-supported card reader is the minimum. A printer, scanner and cash drawer are optional.
Can I use my phone? The Shopify POS app runs on a supported phone or tablet, so your phone plus a card reader is the minimum kit.
Does Shopify POS cost extra? The basic POS features are included on every Shopify plan. Extra retail features need Shopify POS Pro.
Can I buy Shopify POS hardware outside the United States? Use the Shopify Hardware store where your country has one. Elsewhere, buy the supported model numbers from a verified third-party retailer.
How much does Shopify POS hardware cost for a pop-up? In the US store on October 31, 2026, the Tap & Chip Card Reader cost $49.00, which with your own phone is enough to take cards. A POS Terminal cost $349.00.