# Native Station vs. Virtual Station

> Published: 2026-06-16
> Updated: 2026-07-08
> Category: Run
> Canonical: https://finalpos.com/help/native-vs-virtual-station

A Native Station runs in the Final POS app on a dedicated Apple or Android device; a Virtual Station runs in any web browser. Native Stations support connected hardware — card readers, Tap to Pay, receipt printers, and the cash drawer — while Virtual Stations trade hardware for instant, install-free access from a shareable URL.

## Key takeaways

- A Native Station runs in the Final POS app on a device; a Virtual Station runs in a web browser.
- Connecting card readers, Tap to Pay, receipt printers, and the cash drawer are available on Native Stations only.
- A Virtual Station opens from a shareable URL with no app to install — ideal for pop-ups, training, or back-office.
- In a web browser the app shows card readers aren't available; card payments go through a Cloud terminal.
- A Virtual Station can only be used by one session at a time — others are blocked while it's in use.

## The short version

- A **Native Station** runs your point-of-sale inside the **Final POS app** on a dedicated device (Apple or Android).
- A **Virtual Station** runs in any modern **web browser** — no app to install. You open it from a URL and sign in.

The biggest practical difference is hardware: a Native Station connects to payment and printing hardware, while a Virtual Station is about quick, portable, install-free access. A station's type is decided when it's created — created from the Final POS app, it's Native; created or opened in a browser, it's Virtual.

## What's unique to a Native Station

Because it runs in the app, a Native Station can talk to connected hardware:

- **Connect local and Bluetooth card readers** — for example the Stripe Reader M2 and WisePad 3. Reader discovery and connection happen in the app; in a web browser the app shows that card readers aren't available.
- **Tap to Pay on mobile** — accept contactless payments directly on a supported phone or tablet.
- **Connect a receipt printer**, choose the paper size, and **trigger the cash drawer** on a sale.
- **Print receipts to a connected printer.**
- **See the device's Environment Data** — the device/environment settings tab appears only in the app.

## What's unique to a Virtual Station

- **Open from a shareable URL, with no install** — a Virtual Station launches in the browser straight from its URL, and the correct Station is selected automatically. Great for pop-ups, training, temporary tills, or back-office order entry.
- **Single-session use** — because a Virtual Station can be opened from any browser, only one session can run it at a time. If the Station is already in use, anyone else who opens its URL is blocked until that session ends.

## Taking payments

- On a **Native Station**, you can take payments with a connected card reader, Tap to Pay, or a Cloud terminal.
- On a **Virtual Station**, the app shows that local card readers aren't available in a web browser, so card payments go through a **Cloud terminal**.

## Which should I use?

- Choose a **Native Station** for a permanent counter that uses payment and printing hardware.
- Choose a **Virtual Station** for pop-ups, training, a temporary till, or quick back-office access where you don't need connected hardware.

## FAQ

**Q: What makes a station "Native" vs "Virtual"?**
A: It's set when the station is created: a station created from the Final POS app is Native, and one created or opened in a browser is Virtual.

**Q: Can a Virtual Station connect a card reader or printer?**
A: No. Connecting card readers and receipt printers is available on Native Stations. In a web browser, the app shows that readers aren't available.

**Q: Can two people use the same Virtual Station at once?**
A: No. While a Virtual Station is in use, anyone else who opens its URL is blocked until the session is free.

**Q: Can a Virtual Station still take card payments?**
A: Yes — through a Cloud terminal.