Mobile Smart Card Readers
Read smart cards and NFC tags from a phone, tablet or laptop, without a cable.
Mobile smart card readers connect to smartphones and tablets over Bluetooth, and to computers over USB. BSD Infotech supplies ACS mobile readers for contactless/NFC cards and for contact smart cards, including SIM-sized cards, for field, retail and on-the-go applications.
Talk to BSD Infotech
Tell us your phone or tablet platform, your card type and how many readers you need. We will confirm which mobile reader fits and send current availability.
What Is a Mobile Smart Card Reader?
They are used where a fixed desktop reader is not practical: field staff verifying cards, counters without a PC, or apps that need to read a card on a phone or tablet. Choosing one comes down to two questions — which kind of card you read, and which device it must work with.
Mobile Contact and Contactless Readers
Contactless / NFC
Reads 13.56 MHz contactless cards and NFC tags held near the reader: the ACR1255U-J1 and ACR1555U.
Contact (full-size)
Reads ISO 7816 contact cards inserted into a slot: the ACR3901U-S1.
Contact (SIM-sized)
Reads SIM-sized ISO 7816 contact cards: the ACR3901T-W1.
Current ACS Mobile Reader Range
ACS’s current mobile card readers. Contact BSD Infotech to confirm availability for models without a listed price.
ACR1255U-J1
Bluetooth and USB NFC reader for ISO 14443 A/B, MIFARE, FeliCa and NFC (ISO 18092) cards and tags, with AES-128 encryption on the Bluetooth link and a rechargeable battery. ACS lists support for Android 4.3 and later, iOS 8.0 and later, Windows 7 and later and Mac OS 10.7 and later.
₹8,400 + GST
ACR1555U
ACS’s successor to the ACR1255U-J1: a Bluetooth 5.2 NFC reader with on-device AES-128 encryption, read/write speeds up to 848 kbps, and support for ISO 14443, ISO 15693, ISO 18092 (NFC), MIFARE and FeliCa.
Price on request · availability to confirm
ACR3901U-S1
Bluetooth contact card reader for full-size ISO 7816 Class A, B and C cards (T=0, T=1) and most memory cards, with USB Full Speed and Bluetooth 4.0 interfaces, read/write speed up to 600 kbps and a rechargeable battery. PC/SC and CCID compliant.
Price on request · availability to confirm
ACR3901T-W1
SIM-sized version built on the ACR3901U-S1 core, for SIM-sized ISO 7816 Class A, B and C cards and most memory cards, with USB Full Speed and Bluetooth 4.0 and read/write speed up to 600 kbps.
Price on request · availability to confirm
Specifications are from ACS product documentation. Previous mobile models — the ACR31 Swipe magnetic-stripe reader and the ACR32 MobileMate — are no longer offered by BSD Infotech.
Mobile Reader Comparison
| Reader | Cards | Bluetooth | USB | Speed | Standards | BSD price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ACR1255U-J1 | Contactless / NFC | Yes (Bluetooth Low Energy) | Yes | Up to 424 kbps | ISO 14443 A/B, MIFARE, FeliCa, ISO 18092 | ₹8,400 + GST |
| ACR1555U | Contactless / NFC | Yes (5.2) | Confirm | Up to 848 kbps | ISO 14443, ISO 15693, ISO 18092, MIFARE, FeliCa | On request |
| ACR3901U-S1 | Contact, full-size | Yes (4.0) | Yes | Up to 600 kbps | ISO 7816 Class A/B/C, T=0/T=1 | On request |
| ACR3901T-W1 | Contact, SIM-sized | Yes (4.0) | Yes | Up to 600 kbps | ISO 7816 Class A/B/C, T=0/T=1 | On request |
“Confirm” means the detail is not stated in the ACS information we have reviewed for that model.
Bluetooth and USB Connectivity
Bluetooth to phones and tablets
The reader pairs with a Bluetooth-enabled phone or tablet, so the card can be read without a cable. The ACR1255U-J1 and ACR1555U use AES-128 encryption on the link.
USB to computers
The ACR1255U-J1, ACR3901U-S1 and ACR3901T-W1 also connect to a computer by USB, so one reader can serve both mobile and desk use.
Android, iOS and Windows Integration
A mobile reader works through an app that talks to it over Bluetooth, or through PC software over USB. ACS lists the ACR1255U-J1 for Android 4.3 and later, iOS 8.0 and later, Windows 7 and later and Mac OS 10.7 and later. The ACR3901U-S1 and ACR3901T-W1 are PC/SC and CCID compliant, with drivers for Windows, Linux and Mac OS, and are designed for Bluetooth-enabled smartphones and tablets. Confirm the platform and app requirements for your project before ordering.
Building an app or integrating with your software?
See our Smart Card Reader SDK and Integration page, or talk to BSD Infotech about integrating a mobile reader into your application.
NFC and Contact Smart Card Applications
Mobile readers suit applications where a card must be read away from a desk, for example:
These are typical uses of the reader types, not BSD project references.
How to Choose a Mobile Reader
NFC or contactless cards
Choose the ACR1255U-J1, or ask about the newer ACR1555U, which adds ISO 15693 and faster read/write speeds.
Full-size contact cards
Choose the ACR3901U-S1.
SIM-sized contact cards
Choose the ACR3901T-W1.
Desk use only
If the reader never leaves the PC, a USB reader is simpler: see PC-linked (contact) readers and contactless and NFC readers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Need Mobile Smart Card Readers?
Tell us your card type, your phone, tablet or PC platform, and the quantity. We will confirm the right mobile reader and its availability.