Payments Blog

Give Your Customers Faster Ways to Pay with M-PESA Tap to Pay & Scan to Pay on Pesapal POS

With M-PESA Tap to Pay and M-PESA Scan to Pay on the Pesapal POS, merchants can offer customers two contactless ways to pay, helping reduce waiting times, improve customer satisfaction, and deliver a modern in-store checkout experience. 

What is M-PESA Tap to Pay? 

M-PESA Tap to Pay is a contactless payment feature available on the Pesapal POS that allows customers to pay by simply tapping their NFC-enabled smartphone on a compatible Pesapal POS terminal. 

Instead of sharing a phone number or waiting for an STK Push notification, customers simply unlock their phone, tap it on the terminal, review the transaction, and authorize the payment using their M-PESA PIN or biometric authentication through My OneApp (M-PESA App). The payment is then completed instantly. 

Powered by Near Field Communication (NFC) technology, Tap to Pay delivers a secure, fast, and seamless payment experience for both customers and businesses. 

How does M-PESA Tap to Pay work? 

• The customer selects the items they want to purchase. 

• At the checkout, the cashier enters the purchase amount on the Pesapal POS and selects M-PESA Express. 

• The customer unlocks their NFC-enabled smartphone and taps it on the Pesapal POS terminal. 

• My OneApp (M-PESA App) automatically launches with the transaction details. 

• The customer reviews the amount and authorizes the payment using their M-PESA PIN or biometric authentication. 

• Once the payment is successful, the Pesapal POS prints a receipt. 

The entire process takes just a few seconds, helping businesses serve more customers with less waiting. 

What is M-PESA Scan to Pay?

M-PESA Scan to Pay is a contactless payment feature that allows customers to complete purchases by scanning a dynamic QR code generated by the Pesapal POS. 

At checkout, the terminal automatically generates a QR code containing the exact transaction amount. A customer is only required to open the “My OneApp (M-PESA App)”, then select "Scan to Pay", scan the QR code, review the pre-populated amount, and authorize the payment using their M-PESA PIN. Because the transaction amount is automatically included, customers don't need to enter it manually, making checkout quicker and reducing the chance of errors.  

How does M-PESA Scan Pay work? 

• The customer selects the items they wish to buy. 

• The cashier enters the purchase amount on the Pesapal POS and selects M-PESA Express. 

• The Pesapal POS generates a dynamic QR code with the transaction amount already included. 

• The customer opens My OneApp (M-PESA App), selects Scan to Pay, and scans the displayed QR code. 

• The customer reviews the amount and authorizes the payment using their M-PESA PIN. 

• After successful payment, the Pesapal POS prints a receipt. 

The dynamic QR code eliminates the need for customers to enter payment amounts manually, creating a smoother checkout experience. 

Why should your business offer M-PESA Tap to Pay and Scan to Pay? 

• Faster checkout: Customers can complete payments in seconds, helping reduce queues during busy periods and allowing your staff to serve more customers efficiently. 

• More payment choice: Some customers prefer tapping their phone, while others prefer scanning a QR code. Offering both options allows customers to choose the payment method they're most comfortable using. 

• Enhanced customer privacy: Neither of the payment method requires customers to share their phone number during checkout, helping protect their privacy. 

• Secure transactions: Every transaction is authenticated using an M-PESA PIN or biometric verification where supported, giving both businesses and customers confidence that payments are secure. 

• Built into your Pesapal POS: Tap to Pay and Scan to Pay are integrated into the Pesapal POS, allowing you to accept multiple payment methods from a single device without changing your existing checkout process. 

Whether you run a retail shop, supermarket, pharmacy, restaurant, or any business that serves customers in person, offering faster payment options can make a real difference to the checkout experience. 

With M-PESA Tap to Pay and Scan to Pay on the Pesapal POS, you can reduce waiting times, improve customer satisfaction, and accept secure contactless payments from one smart payment terminal. 

Upgrade your checkout experience with Pesapal POS and give your customers faster, simpler ways to pay.