PIN on Glass Technology: Security, Standards and Payments Explained
Last updated: 07.10.2026
PIN on Glass is the term used for payment devices that have a touchscreen instead of a physical keypad. More UK businesses are choosing it because one compact device can take contactless and chip and PIN payments and show customers the bill on a large, clear screen.
This guide explains how it works, its benefits and limitations, and how it differs from “phone as till” tech.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
What is PIN on Glass?
PIN on Glass is a payment device that lets the cardholder enter their PIN directly on a touchscreen rather than using the physical buttons. The whole device is a single unit, like the myPOS Flex, and sits under the PCI PTS Point of Interaction standard.
PIN on Glass vs PIN on Mobile
PIN on Glass is different to accepting payments using your smartphone (SoftPOS), like the myPOS Glass app. The term is sometimes used loosely to cover both, but they work differently and are certified in different ways.
PIN on Mobile turns an off-the-shelf smartphone into a card terminal through an app. It’s governed by the PCI Security Standards Council’s Mobile Payments on COTS (MPoC) standard and uses the phone’s built-in contactless (NFC) chip, with no separate certified hardware involved.
The key difference: with PIN on Glass, the hardware itself is certified. With PIN on Mobile, certification covers the software and the back-end monitoring that protects it.
UK Tap to Phone adoption grew 320% in one year (Visa, 2025)
Why it Matters for UK Business
Card payments make up almost two-thirds of UK payments. A certified touchscreen card machine lets small businesses take those payments quickly without the counter space a full till needs.
Contactless made up 39% of UK payments in 2024. But contactless doesn’t cover every sale. The FCA has removed the national £100 cap, so each card issuer now sets its own limit, and above it the customer is asked for their PIN. Issuers also request a PIN from time to time as a security check, for example after several contactless payments in a row.
On a PIN on Glass device, that PIN entry happens on a large, clearly laid-out screen.
How PIN on Glass Works
Every PIN on Glass device is assessed as a whole against the PCI PTS Point of Interaction standard. This checks that the hardware is tamper-resistant, that the PIN is encrypted, and that the device only runs verified software from start-up (secure boot).
When a customer taps their PIN into the on-screen keypad, the PIN is encrypted in a secure, isolated part of the device before it reaches the device’s main software.
PIN on Glass can come in many different form factors, with myPOS PIN on Glass devices running on Android. The myPOS Ultra has a 6.5-inch touchscreen with a built-in printer, but the myPOS Flex is much smaller, making it easier to carry around. In practice, size is limited by privacy (a very large screen makes the PIN easier for others to see) and portability.
hubspot_consideration_formSecurity and Compliance Standards
PIN on Glass devices are certified under PCI PTS POI. PIN on Mobile solutions fall under a separate family of PCI standards for commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) devices such as phones and tablets:
| PCI Standard | What it covers |
| CPoC (Contactless Payments on COTS) | Contactless-only acceptance on smartphones or tablets |
| SPoC (Software-based PIN Entry on COTS) | PIN entry on the smartphone/tablet screen (the software); card data captured via an external card reader |
| MPoC (Mobile Payments on COTS, v1.1) | Builds on CPoC and SPoC, so one solution can support contactless, PIN entry, or both on the phone itself. |
Merchants can’t build a compliant setup from separate parts. Providers like myPOS supply complete, pre-approved solutions that are PCI compliant out of the box and meet Visa and Mastercard scheme rules. The same applies to SoftPOS: the app itself must be certified to protect PIN entry.
The FCA regulates payment services and e-money institutions (Payment Services Regulations 2017). The myPOS FCA reference number is 900826.
Benefits of PIN on Glass for UK Businesses
PIN on Glass makes it simpler for small businesses to accept every type of card payment from one device. Here are five practical advantages:” “Cheaper” was unsupported, and the list contains benefits, not differences.
- Sales above contactless limit: Contactless cards carry a limit per payment set by the card issuer (no longer a national limit). So, larger sales need a PIN, and on-screen PIN entry allows this without a second device.
- No separate keypad: A business owner needn’t have a card machine and a separate keypad. It’s an all-in-one device with a touchscreen.
- Low-light trading: The backlit screen makes the total and keypad easy to read in dim restaurants, bars or at night.
- Mobility: Products like the myPOS Flex are a handheld, pocket-sized terminal – much smaller than a traditional card terminal. The battery lasts up to 24 hours and it can travel anywhere.
- Accessibility: Physical keypads can have small, worn or dirty buttons. A large screen can provide larger font, clearer visuals, all whilst being wipe-clean and resistant to debris.
As a rough guide, check how many of your sales are over £100. The more there are, the more you’ll gain from on-screen PIN entry and a portable device.
Cash made up just 9% of UK payments in 2024
Limitations and Considerations
PIN on Glass isn’t right for every business. Consider these trade-offs:
- Some customers may prefer physical keys as they provide tactile feedback
- Less battery life than a traditional card machine due to the larger screen
- Some customers are still uncomfortable with entering their PIN on a device that looks like a phone. It’s unfamiliar to some.
- Like any card machine, it needs a mobile data or Wi-Fi connection to process payments in real time, though many providers offer an offline mode that stores payments and sends them later.
It is worth remembering that 84% of the UK now has sufficient 4G coverage from every network, while 96% has signal from at least one network. If signal drops, a phone hotspot works as a stopgap.
However, the myPOS Flex comes with a free 4G data SIM and, importantly, an offline mode to fall back on. This means that signal concerns mostly revolve around PIN on Mobile, as SoftPOS generally doesn’t have a “store and forward” mechanism.
myPOS Flex
£59 £49
excl. VAT
- Compact smart card machine that works handheld or on the counter.
- Full-day battery life
- Free DATA SIM card, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi
myPOS Go 2
£39
excl. VAT
- Standalone portable card reader
- Full-day battery life
- Send receipts via email and SMS
myPOS Ultra
£179
excl. VAT
- Android payment terminal with high-speed printer
- Long-lasting battery - 1,500+ transactions on one charge
- Sleek design with a wide multi-touch screen
myPOS Go Combo
£169
excl. VAT
- 2-in-1 card reader with a charging and printing dock
- Extend usage time by combining 2 batteries
- Use in-store or on the go
PIN on Glass and Card Machine Integration
PIN on Glass doesn't have to replace your existing setup. Many businesses use it alongside a traditional card machine or a PIN on Mobile app, depending on where and how they trade. The PIN on Glass vs PIN on Mobile comparison comes down to volume and setting, as explained in this table.
| Situation | Better fit |
| Showing customers a bill, where they want to read the amount & interact with tips | PIN on Glass (myPOS Flex, myPOS Ultra) |
| Evening trade in the dark | PIN on Glass (myPOS Flex, myPOS Ultra) |
| Countertop trade | PIN on Glass (myPOS Flex, myPOS Ultra) or a traditional myPOS Go Combo |
| Food festivals or tradespeople requiring a multi-day battery life | Traditional card machine (myPOS Go Combo with multiple batteries) |
| Overflow or backup during peak times | PIN on Mobile (myPOS Glass App) |
PIN on Glass works well as an everyday all-rounder, with or without a built-in printer. PIN on Mobile makes a useful backup with no upfront hardware cost.
Example: A Southampton gardener uses a myPOS Ultra for most jobs. When a customer at the far end of a large garden wants to pay, he takes the payment on the spot with the myPOS Glass app on his iPhone.
Real-World Examples in the UK
PIN on Glass payment suits any business where the trade is removed from a fixed counter, and where the bill might be over £100. For example:
- Hospitality: Staff can take payment at the table, for example at a beachside café, and customers can add a tip on the large screen.
- Taxi: Private-hire drivers and taxis can take fares at the end of the journey. London black cabs in particular need an approved card payment device in the passenger compartment. The backlit screen is easy to read on night-time fares.
- Festivals and markets: Food vans and stalls need to remain lightweight and mobile. However, it can be worth having two options here, especially if the queue is large and you want to serve multiple customers at once.
- Tradespeople: Callout services can benefit from taking payments there-and-then rather than invoices, which are often paid late.
- Rural and pop-up businesses: PIN on Glass devices with an offline mode let you keep taking payments when the signal drops.
The vast majority of UK businesses have no employees, and millions are sole traders. They tend to benefit most from portable payments, because one compact device covers everything they need.
22% of UK Tap to Phone sellers are new small businesses (VISA, 2025)
Conclusion
PIN on Glass is a touchscreen way to take chip-and-PIN payments and contactless from one device. There are fewer risks than using your smartphone for payment (e.g., battery and signal risk), and customers get a large, bright screen that's easy to use, and offline mode keeps you trading in low-signal areas. The question is then which PIN on Glass payment device you want, and this mostly comes down to printing, mobility and battery needs.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does PIN on Glass mean?
It’s the technology that lets a customer enter their PIN on a touchscreen instead of physical buttons. The device is certified as a single unit under PCI’s PTS standard.
What is PIN on Mobile POS?
Otherwise known as SoftPOS, this is a software application that turns a regular smartphone into a card reader. The software, not the device, is where certification happens, but it usually lacks an offline mode and can cause trust problems with some customers.
Is PIN on Glass technology secure?
Yes, as long as the device is PCI PTS certified. Card data handling and tamper protection are both assessed under PCI’s PTS standard. The PIN is encrypted before it’s transmitted and is prohibited from being stored on the device (even in encrypted form).
Do I need special hardware to use PIN on Glass?
No extra hardware is needed. The myPOS Flex and myPOS Ultra are all-in-one devices and both have a built-in card reader and touchscreen.
Can I use PIN on Glass on an iPhone?
Not PIN on Glass per se, but it may be possible to use PIN on Mobile. The myPOS Glass app is compatible with both Android and Apple devices. It requires iOS 16.4 and newer, or Android 11 and newer.
Can a PIN on Glass device work without Wi-Fi?
Yes. The myPOS Flex has a built-in 4G data SIM, so it doesn't depend on Wi-Fi. If there's no signal at all, offline mode stores transactions and sends them as soon as the connection returns.
