Integrated Payment Terminal for Software
How ISVs integrate payment terminals into their software for in-person transactions — hardware options, certification, and omnichannel architecture.
Integrated payment terminals let ISVs offer in-person card acceptance as a native feature of their software — combining POS hardware with their application for a unified omnichannel embedded payments experience.
Why Terminals Matter for ISVs
Many ISV verticals (restaurants, salons, field service, healthcare, retail) need in-person payments alongside online processing. An integrated terminal means:
- Single merchant experience — online and in-person transactions in one dashboard
- Unified reporting — no reconciling separate payment systems
- Higher payment volume — capturing in-person transactions your software currently misses
- Competitive moat — hardware + software + payments is hard to replicate
Terminal Integration Approaches
| Approach | Complexity | Control |
|---|---|---|
| Cloud-connected terminal (Stripe Terminal, Xplor Pay) | Low — SDK sends commands to terminal via cloud | Moderate — limited to provider’s hardware |
| Semi-integrated (Cayan/Global Payments, NMI) | Medium — your POS controls the terminal via local API | High — works with certified hardware from multiple vendors |
| Fully integrated (custom firmware) | High — you own the terminal software | Maximum — full control, significant investment |
Most ISVs should start with cloud-connected terminals. They require the least development effort and handle EMV certification through the provider.
Key Considerations
- EMV certification: Who handles it? Cloud-connected terminals shift this to the provider.
- Hardware sourcing: Does the provider supply terminals or do you source your own?
- Offline mode: Can the terminal process transactions without internet? Critical for field service.
- Tip and signature: Does the terminal support tip prompts, signature capture, and receipt printing for your vertical?
Providers with the strongest ISV terminal offerings include Xplor Pay (unified online + terminal), Square (first-party hardware ecosystem), and Stripe Terminal (cloud-connected with reader hardware).