The no-hardware payment terminal by Centrapay
A terminal with no fixed address
Nomad turns the Centrapay business portal into a virtual payment terminal. Open it on any phone, tablet or laptop, enter an amount, and show the customer a code to QR scan. No hardware, no delivery, no cost to switch it on.
Requires a supported acceptance programs like Payap, Farmlands Card and more. See ways to pay
What Nomad is
A virtual terminal,
not another machine
Nomad is a sales channel in the Centrapay business portal that lets a business accept payments without hardware. You log in on any phone, tablet or desktop, enter an amount, and Nomad generates a QR code for the customer to scan and pay.
Nomad is for in-store and on-the-go businesses. Turning it on is free. Payments are charged by the acceptance programmes you’ve switched on, at the same rate.
Who it’s for
Market stalls and pop-ups
Take payments for a weekend without hiring a terminal for a month.
Sole traders and mobile services
Get paid at the job, on the phone you already have in your hand.
Food trucks and events
Open Nomad on every device you brought, then close it when the day ends.
Small retail
A second till for a busy Saturday, without a second machine.
Rural and on-farm
Take payment at the farm gate, the woolshed or the field day.
Any counter that needs a spare
If a terminal goes down, the queue keeps moving.
What it costs
$0
Nomad is a free sales channel. There’s no hardware to buy or rent, no monthly fee, and nothing to deliver.
Payments are charged by the acceptance programmes you’ve switched on, at the same in-store rate. Turning on Nomad doesn’t change your pricing. See what each programme offers
How it works
01
Turn on Nomad
In the business portal, under Sales Channels, choose No hardware and pick the sites you want it on.
02
Enter the amount
Or tap one of your preset amounts.
03
Show the code
The customer scans, pays, and you both see it confirmed.
Taking a Farmlands Card? Scan its barcode with your device’s camera or type in the card number instead.
What it does
No hardware, no setup. Just get paid.
Nothing to carry
The whole till is a browser tab.
Nomad runs on any phone, tablet or desktop. Nothing to buy, nothing extra to charge.
Add to home screen
An app, without being an app.
Save Nomad to your phone’s home screen. Nothing to download, nothing to update.
One account, every till
Open as many as the day needs.
Get your whole team running Nomad on several devices at once. No extra cost.
Preset amounts
For the things you actually sell.
Set the preset amounts you charge often and tap them instead of typing.
Flip to pay
Double-tap, and your screen faces the customer.
The amount and the code turn around, so you’re not holding your phone at an angle.
A phone camera is enough
Customers don’t need to have anything ready.
They scan with their phone camera or an app like Payap, and pay their usual way.
Requirements
What you need before you start
It only takes minutes to set up.
A Centrapay business portal account
An in-store merchant site with at least one acceptance programme switched on
A phone, tablet or desktop with a browser
An internet connection
Ways your customers can pay
Live
Payap
Bank payments
·
NZ
Customers pay from their bank account or a linked debit card.
Your customers pay with
Payap app
NZ bank apps
Explore Payap
Live
Farmlands Card
Rural trade account
·
NZ
Scan or key in a Farmlands Card, with invoices sent automatically.
Your customers pay with
Farmlands Card
Become a Card Partner
Nomad or a terminal
Both have their place
Use Nomad as your main sales channel, or have it sit alongside your existing terminal. Plenty of businesses run both.
Feature
Nomad
A card terminal
Hardware
None
A reader, bought or rented
Setup
Instant set-up in the portal
Order, wait, configure
Contactless tap and chip cards
No
Yes
Gift cards and loyalty
Yes
Depends on the terminal
Works without internet
No
Sometimes
Cost of the channel
Free
Purchase or rental
Extra tills
Open another browser
Another machine
FAQ
Questions
Does Nomad cost anything?
No. Nomad is free to turn on. Payments are charged by the acceptance programmes you’ve switched on, at the same rate as any other Centrapay sales channel.
Do my customers need a particular app?
They pay with whatever the programmes you’ve switched on support. That can be the Payap app, their NZ bank app, or a Farmlands Card you scan or key in. See all ways to pay
Can customers pay with a card?
Yes, through the apps and programmes Nomad supports. For example, a customer can pay with a NZ debit card linked in Payap, and you can scan or key in a Farmlands Card. Nomad can’t read a card that’s tapped or inserted. If you need that, a terminal can run alongside Nomad.
Can I take a Farmlands Card?
Yes, if you’re an approved Farmlands Card Partner. Scan the card’s barcode or type in the card number in Nomad.
What happens if the customer doesn’t pay in time?
The payment request runs for two minutes. If it isn’t completed, you can tap Recreate Request to send the same one again.
Can I use it on more than one device?
Yes. Open Nomad on as many devices as you need. Everyone on your team can take payments.
Can I use Nomad online?
Nomad is for in-store and on-the-go businesses. Selling on Shopify? Add more ways to pay to your checkout with our free app.
Can I issue a refund through Nomad?
Yes. You can easily make refunds on the payments page of the Centrapay business portal.
Set up wherever you are
Nomad is already in your business portal. Switch it on, enter an amount, and take a payment in the next two minutes.
Not set up with Centrapay yet? Get started