Best Card Readers for Charities in 2025 and 5 Tips to Choose The Right One

At a Glance

As cash donations decline, charities need fast, secure contactless options. KindLink’s Contactless Giving App replaces separate card readers, letting donors tap to pay via smartphone NFC. Integrated CRM, Gift Aid automation, and reporting make cash-free fundraising effortless, affordable, and future-ready for every charity.

Moving Towards Cashless Donation Options

The switch from cash to cards for regular purchases has led many people to prefer giving cashless and contactless donations. If you run a UK charity or non-profit organisation, chances are, you have observed this shift, with more donors and contributors carrying cards and asking for contactless donation points.

This gradual change in donor behaviour is leading organisations to look for a card reader machine for charity donations. If you’re experiencing a dip in giving, you don’t want to miss out on a donor just because they didn’t have any cash.

With that in mind, what’s the best card reader for charity donations? How do card readers for non-profit organisations work? And, how do you choose the right card reader machine for your charity? We’re answering these questions and more in this guide.

Why Non-Profits Need Contactless Card Readers in 2025

In the UK, cash now makes up a smaller share of total donations, with many donors preferring to give through credit cards and debit cards.

With a contactless card reader or donation device, your non-profit has the opportunity to turn a casual visitor into an instant donor. It’s a powerful tool to help you capture donations that would’ve otherwise been lost due to a lack of ready cash.

Almost everyone carries their phones with them, and those used to contactless payments find it easier to donate contactlessly. If your contributors have a positive, frictionless giving experience, they’re most likely to donate again.

Now you know why card readers for non-profit organisations are important, let’s understand how they work.

How Charity Card Readers Work

Here’s an overview of how most card reader machines for charity donations work:

Connect with the Device or App

Usually, card readers use WiFi, Bluetooth, or USB to connect with the fundraising or POS app running on your smartphone, tablet, or computer.

Donation Processing and Routing

Once the donor taps their card or phone, the payment is directed through the reader into the app’s donation flow. Next, the reader encrypts the data and sends it through a secure payment gateway to securely transfer the donation into the non-profit’s account.

Gift Aid Support

Eligible UK donors can opt for Gift Aid by ticking the Gift Aid box and submitting the claim automatically via HMRC. 

KindLink’s Contactless Giving App lets you start receiving donations in just three quick steps, without the need for a separate card reader. Your NFC-enabled smartphone does it all.

• Step 1: Access our app and create a fundraising campaign to receive donations
• Step 2: Input or choose from preset donation amounts
• Step 3: Allow a donor to tap their card or phone to donate securely

Sign up and download the KindLink Contactless Giving App today.

Moving on, we’re discussing how you can pick the best card reader for charity donations.

5 Tips to Choose the Best Card Readers for Charity Donations

Consider these five tips when choosing a card reader for your non-profit organisation.

1. Check Non-Profit Eligibility

Getting a card machine isn’t as easy for charities or individual fundraisers as it is for businesses. Plus, not all card machine companies allow donations. Make sure to read up on a reader’s charity acceptance policies before you buy it.

2. Donor and Volunteer-Friendly Features

You need a machine with features that accept and process donations easily and securely. Choose one with minimum prerequisites and a process that your volunteers can grasp quickly.

3. Affordable for Charities of All Sizes

The best card readers for charity donations are cost-effective in the long run, with no hidden costs. You need a solution that supports both small and large charities and can grow with them.

4. Contactless Compatibility

The future is contactless, powered by smartphones. Go for a card machine with tap to pay features, or one that supports mobile wallets like Apple Pay and Google Pay.

5. Integration with CRM, Reporting, and Fundraising Tools

Beyond collecting donations, you’ll want to consider the complete fundraising cycle. It’s better to have a solution with an integrated CRM and automated Gift Aid claims.

KindLink’s Contactless Giving app ticks all five boxes for charities and non-profits. It’s designed to reduce your reliance on card readers by using your smartphone’s NFC to receive payments. Beyond simply being a payment processor, it’s an all-in-one solution for modern, contactless fundraising. 

Book a demo to see the app in action.

Embrace the Future of Contactless Fundraising with KindLink

The best card reader for charity donations is one that’s affordable, reliable, secure, and easy to use. In 2025, using card readers to collect donations is a good start, but linking it to a fundraising, Gift-aid reporting, and CRM platform is even better. 

With contactless donations here to stay, KindLink brings a modern solution, allowing you to use your smartphone as a “card reader” and accept donations quickly, seamlessly, and securely.

Sign up your charity today to find out more about this purpose-built technology for contactless giving.