This guide walks you through enabling Tap to Pay in the Ideali app and collecting your first contactless donation.

Before You Start

Make sure you have:

• The Ideali app installed (App Store or Google Play)
• A compatible device (iPhone XS or later on iOS 16.6+, or an NFC-enabled Android phone)
• An active Ideali campaign with your bank account connected for payouts
• NFC turned on in your device settings

Step 1: Sign In and Select Your Campaign

Open the Ideali app and sign in to your account. From your dashboard, select the campaign you want to collect donations for. If you haven’t created a campaign yet, tap Create Campaign and add a title, funding goal, description, and any photos or media before continuing.

Step 2: Open Tap to Pay

From the campaign screen, tap the Tap to Pay option in the menu. The first time you use it, your device may ask for permission to use NFC — allow this so the app can read contactless payments.

Step 3: Enter the Donation Amount

Enter the amount the donor wants to give. Double-check the figure with the donor before continuing, since this is the amount that will be charged.

Step 4: Have the Donor Tap

Tap Charge (or the equivalent on-screen prompt), then hold your phone out and ask the donor to hold their contactless card or phone near the top of your device, just as they would with a store payment terminal. Keep the card or phone in place for a second or two until you feel or see confirmation.

Step 5: Confirm and Send a Receipt

Once the payment succeeds, you’ll see a confirmation on screen. You can offer to email or text the donor a receipt if the option is available, then return to the campaign screen to accept the next donation.

Step 6: Track the Donation

Every Tap to Pay donation appears automatically in your campaign dashboard, alongside donations from other payment methods, so you can monitor your progress and manage donor records in one place.

Payouts

Funds collected through Tap to Pay are transferred to your connected bank account according to your selected payout schedule (instant, weekly, or monthly), the same as other donations to your campaign.

Answers to common questions about setting up and using Tap to Pay, along with troubleshooting steps if a transaction doesn’t go through as expected.

General

Do I need a card reader or extra hardware?
No. Tap to Pay uses the NFC chip already built into your phone, so no external reader or terminal is required.

Which devices support Tap to Pay?

• iPhone XS or later, running iOS 16.6 or later
• Android phones with NFC support

If your device doesn’t meet these requirements, Tap to Pay won’t be available in the app.

What payment methods can donors use?
Contactless credit and debit cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and other NFC-enabled digital wallets.

Is there a minimum or maximum donation amount?
Check your campaign and payment processor settings in the app for any limits that may apply to your account.

Are there fees?
Standard payment processing fees apply to Tap to Pay donations, the same as other donation methods on Ideali. Donors can optionally choose to cover fees at checkout to help your campaign keep more of each gift.

Setup Issues

Tap to Pay isn’t showing up in the app.

• Confirm your device meets the minimum requirements above.
• Make sure NFC is turned on in your device settings.
• Update the Ideali app to the latest version.
• Confirm your campaign has payouts enabled with a connected bank account.

The app is asking for NFC permission — is that normal?
Yes. The first time you use Tap to Pay, your device will ask for permission to use NFC so the app can read contactless payments. This is required for the feature to work.

During a Transaction

The donor tapped but nothing happened.

• Ask the donor to hold their card or phone flush against the back of your device for a couple of seconds, rather than a quick tap.
• Remove any thick phone case that might be blocking the NFC signal.
• Confirm NFC is still enabled in your device settings.
• Try re-entering the donation amount and attempting the charge again.

Can I cancel a transaction in progress?
Yes, you can cancel before the donor taps. Once a payment has been confirmed, treat it like any other completed donation and follow your usual refund process if needed.

The donation didn’t appear in my dashboard.
Give it a moment to sync, then pull to refresh your campaign dashboard. If it still doesn’t appear after a few minutes, check your internet connection at the time of the transaction and contact support with the approximate time of the donation.

Security

Is Tap to Pay secure?
Yes. Transactions are processed through Ideali’s PCI-compliant infrastructure, and card details are encrypted in transit. Card numbers are never stored on your device.

Can a donor’s card details be seen or stored on my phone?
No. Your device only facilitates the tap; it does not store or display the donor’s card information.

Still Need Help?

If you’re still running into issues, contact Ideali support with your device model, OS version, and a description of what happened, so we can help you resolve it quickly.