Contactless limit
The contactless limit is the maximum value of a single card tap that can be approved without the cardholder entering a PIN. In the UK the limit for a contactless card is £100, while payments made through Apple Pay or Google Pay have no fixed limit because the phone verifies the cardholder.
Card issuers also apply a cumulative limit across several taps before requiring a PIN, which is why a card occasionally asks for one on a small purchase.
Because a phone or watch authenticates the user with a fingerprint, face or passcode, device payments are treated as verified and are not bound by the £100 ceiling. The issuer can still decline.
A card presented above the limit falls back to chip and PIN, which needs a terminal with a keypad or an on-device PIN flow.
Why it matters to you
If your typical sale is over £100, check how your provider handles PIN entry before you commit to a phone-only setup.
Work out what you’re actually paying.
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