Stripe Terminal mobile deposits

1. Supported hardware

Reader	Form	Connection	Note
BBPOS Chipper 2X BT	Pocket	Bluetooth	Best for outside-lot closes. 8-hour battery.
BBPOS WisePOS E	Countertop	Ethernet / Wi-Fi	Front-desk deposits, tipping and signature on-screen.
Verifone P400	Countertop	Ethernet	For dealers already standardized on Verifone. Works identically.
Tap to Pay on iPhone	Phone	Built-in	No extra hardware. US + CA + UK + JP. iPhone XS or later, iOS 17+.

Order readers through Stripe directly or ask us and we'll ship pre-provisioned with your location_id. BoaterOS is the software; we don't mark up hardware.

2. Initial setup

One-time. Under Settings → Payments → Stripe Terminal, click Connect Stripe. This is the same Stripe account BoaterOS already uses for ACH and card-not-present — Terminal is another capability on it, not a separate integration. Enable Terminal, assign a default location per dealership, and grant each salesperson the payments.terminal.use role.

3. Reader pairing

Bluetooth readers (Chipper): open the BoaterOS mobile app → Devices → Pair reader → hold the power button on the Chipper for 2s → select it from the list. The pairing is scoped to the app on that device; no OS-level Bluetooth is used, which avoids the reader showing up on personal phones.

Network readers (WisePOS E): plug in ethernet or join Wi-Fi → enter the 3-word registration code from the reader screen into Settings → Payments → Readers → Register. Reader firmware updates automatically on first connect.

4. Taking a deposit

Step 01

Salesperson presses "Take deposit" on a deal in the BoaterOS mobile app.

Step 02

Deposit amount is pre-filled from the deal. Salesperson confirms or edits.

Step 03

Reader wakes (BT) or prompts tap (Tap-to-Pay). Customer inserts, taps, or swipes.

Step 04

Stripe authorizes and captures. 3DS is handled upstream if the issuer requires it.

Step 05

Deposit is attached to the deal jacket; receipt fires to the customer's email and SMS.

Step 06

PDF receipt is generated and stored on the deal. GL posting runs overnight.

5. Receipts

Email and SMS receipts fire within 2 seconds of capture. Both carry a link to the PDF; the PDF is also filed on the deal. The receipt template supports per-dealer branding (logo, colors, fine print) and is i18n-ready if you run multi-country.

webhook · payment.captured

{
  "type": "payment.captured",
  "data": {
    "id": "pay_4G8X11Q",
    "deal_id": "deal_2024B-9918",
    "amount_cents": 500000,
    "currency": "USD",
    "method": "card_present",
    "reader_id": "tmr_F2H9",
    "stripe_payment_intent": "pi_3OaXy...",
    "captured_at": "2026-04-22T14:12:04Z",
    "receipt_url": "https://api.boater.os/r/pay_4G8X11Q.pdf"
  }
}

6. Refunds

Full and partial refunds are initiated from the deal — select the payment, choose Refund, enter an amount up to the remaining balance, and add a note. Refunds net out of the next Stripe payout and post a credit line to the deal jacket instantly. Refunds require a role of payments.refund; by default, only managers have it.

7. Reconciliation

Every payment is attached to a deal_id at the moment of capture — there's no "which deal was this?" problem. The deal jacket shows deposits, progress payments, and refunds with running balances and Stripe payment intent IDs that match your Stripe dashboard 1:1. The overnight GL job exports to QuickBooks, NetSuite, or CSV.

8. Testing in sandbox

Sandbox mode gives you a simulated reader that accepts Stripe's test cards (4242 4242 4242 4242, 4000 0000 0000 0069 for decline, etc.). Enable it under Settings → Payments → Sandbox. Sandbox deposits are clearly marked in the UI and never post to the GL. This is also the right environment for training new salespeople.

Stripe Terminal mobile deposits.