The Dojo app explained: what Dojo Sidekick does
Every feature from the app's own listing, what each one is for in a real business, and what the app does not do.
Dojo Sidekick is the free mobile app that sits alongside a Dojo card machine account. Its App Store listing names seven things it does: real-time transactions, transfer statuses and history; reports and CSV exports; creating and sending payment links; taking phone payments; managing pre-authorised payments; processing refunds remotely; and Tap to Pay on iPhone. It is the part of Dojo you look at every morning to see whether the money has landed, and for some businesses it replaces the terminal altogether. For the provider as a whole, including fees and contract, see the full Dojo review.
CapExpand is an authorised Dojo partner. Dojo does not publish a single spec sheet for the app, so every feature on this page is taken from the App Store listing for Dojo Sidekick and marked as such. Where review sites add detail it is attributed to them, and settlement timing comes from Dojo's terms and conditions. Checked August 2026.
What the app does, feature by feature
Left column is the feature as the App Store listing words it. Right column is our reading of what it is for.
| Feature (App Store listing) | What it is for |
|---|---|
| Real-time transactions, transfer statuses and history | Know whether yesterday's takings have landed without ringing anyone. |
| Reports and CSV files | Daily and periodic takings exported to a spreadsheet or your accountant. |
| Create and send payment links | Invoice a customer by text or email and let them pay by card without a terminal. |
| Accept phone payments | Key in card details read out over the phone for deposits and telephone orders. |
| Manage pre-authorised payments | Hold an amount on a card and settle it later; useful for hire, deposits and tabs. |
| Process refunds remotely | Refund a transaction from the app rather than at the terminal. |
| Tap to Pay on iPhone | Accept contactless cards and wallets on a compatible iPhone, no hardware. |
The features that change how a business runs
Transfer status. Dojo's contract commits to settlement by the end of the next business day, and review sites report next day including weekends in practice. The app is where you check. For a business that reconciles daily, seeing the transfer marked as sent before the bank shows it removes a phone call. The detail on timing is on how long Dojo takes to pay out.
Payment links. A tradesperson finishing a job, a salon taking a deposit, a caterer invoicing for an event: each can send a link and be paid by card without meeting the customer or posting an invoice. The payment runs through the same Dojo account at the rate on your quote.
Pre-authorisation. Holding an amount on a card and settling the final figure later is standard for hotels, equipment hire and bar tabs. Having it in the app rather than only on a terminal means the hold can be released or adjusted from the office.
Tap to Pay on iPhone. The app turns a compatible iPhone into a contactless reader, which four review sites list at £0 in hardware cost. For an occasional seller or a second member of staff at a busy moment it avoids buying a second terminal. Our Tap to Pay on iPhone page compares it with SumUp, Square and Zettle's equivalents, and Dojo vs SumUp covers the two providers more broadly. The App Store listing names iPhone only; ask Dojo about Android.
The app earns its keep if you reconcile takings daily, if you invoice and would rather send a link than chase a transfer, or if you occasionally need a second payment point without buying a second terminal. If none of those apply, the terminal alone does the job and the app becomes a morning glance at transfer status.
Software tiers and what they cost
The app download is free. Separately, four review sites checked in August 2026 (seamlesspos.co.uk, expertmarket.com, businessexpert.co.uk and cardpaymentcompare) describe two software tiers on a Dojo account: Essential at no charge and Plus at £11.99 a month per location. We could not verify from Dojo which app features, if any, sit behind the Plus tier, and the App Store listing does not say. It is a question for the quote. Dojo's reporting and analytics side is covered on our business intelligence page, and the full cost picture is on the Dojo fees page.
What the app does not do
- Work offline. expertmarket.com reports no offline mode anywhere in Dojo's products. No signal, no payment and no live data.
- Replace a terminal for chip and PIN. Tap to Pay handles contactless (check with the provider for PIN-on-phone support). Higher-value payments that need a PIN, or customers whose cards are not contactless, need a Go Max or Pocket.
- Run your till. It is a payments and reporting app, not an EPOS. Dojo integrates with more than 600 EPOS systems according to expertmarket.com, but the till itself is separate.
- Waive the per-refund fee. Remote refunds are convenient; review sites report 50p each regardless of channel.
- Tell you what you will pay. Dojo prices each business individually. The app shows what was charged; the quote sets it. Whether that quote beats a flat-rate reader depends on your card volume, so test it against a recent statement before signing.
Common questions
What is the Dojo Sidekick app?
Dojo Sidekick is Dojo's mobile app for merchants. According to its App Store listing it shows real-time transactions, transfer statuses and history, produces reports and CSV exports, creates and sends payment links, takes phone payments, manages pre-authorised payments, processes refunds remotely, and supports Tap to Pay on iPhone.
Is the Dojo app free?
The app itself is a free download. Review sites checked in August 2026 describe two software tiers on the Dojo account: Essential, which is free, and Plus at £11.99 a month per location. Which features sit in which tier is not something we could verify from Dojo directly, so ask when you get a quote.
Can I take payments on my phone with the Dojo app?
Yes, two ways. Tap to Pay on iPhone lets a compatible iPhone accept contactless cards and wallets with no separate hardware. Phone payments, where the customer reads out card details, can also be keyed into the app. The App Store listing names both. Android Tap to Pay is not mentioned in the listing, so check with Dojo if your staff use Android phones.
Can I refund a customer from the Dojo app?
Yes. Remote refunds are listed as a feature, which means a manager can refund a transaction without being at the terminal. Review sites report Dojo charges 50p per refund; that fee applies however the refund is processed.
Does the Dojo app work offline?
No. expertmarket.com reports that Dojo has no offline mode across its products. The app needs a connection to show live data and to take payments.
Do I need the app if I have a Dojo terminal?
The terminal takes payments without it. The app is where you see whether a transfer has landed, pull a report, send a payment link or refund remotely. Most businesses end up using it daily for the transfer status alone.
Get a Dojo quote, app included
Tell us how you take payments now and what you pay. We'll come back with a Dojo quote covering the terminal, Tap to Pay and the software tier, next to your current cost.
CapExpand is an authorised Dojo partner and is paid by Dojo when a business signs up through us. That does not change the price you pay.
Sources
- Dojo Sidekick on the App Store - feature list; checked August 2026
- Dojo terms and conditions v1.6 (PDF) - settlement timing; checked August 2026
- expertmarket.com Dojo review - no offline mode, EPOS integrations, software tiers; checked August 2026
- seamlesspos.co.uk and businessexpert.co.uk - Essential and Plus tiers, Tap to Pay at £0; checked August 2026
- mobiletransaction.org Dojo review - 50p refund fee; checked August 2026
- cardpaymentcompare (Dojo review, no stable page URL) - software tiers; checked August 2026