Best Cash Registers for Small Business: Price and Feature Breakdown 2026

Our research shows that Clover Station Duo is the best cash register for small businesses. Not only does it come with built-in software packages, but our user testing team also found it incredibly easy to use, making it the best POS system for smaller sellers and established brick-and-mortar locations.

Square Register is another excellent option, particularly given that you won’t have to pay extra for the software functionality. If you’re only looking for a way to process orders and take payments, SAM4S ER-940 is the best traditional cash register for small hospitality businesses due to its large spill-proof keyboard.

In this guide, you’ll learn about some of our top cash register and point of sale (POS) system picks, as well as the differences between modern POS systems and traditional cash registers, so you can decide which is best for your business.

In this guide:

• Best POS Cash Registers
• Best Cash Registers for Small Business: Comparison Table
• Best Traditional Cash Registers
• Cash Registers vs POS Systems
• Buying Guide: How to Choose a Small Business Cash Register
• How Did We Research the Best Cash Registers?
• Verdict: Summary and Next Steps

Best POS Cash Registers for Small Business

POS cash registers will let you do more than simply accept payments. You’ll be able to send email receipts, offer discounts and refunds, manage loyalty programs, and more.

We’ve listed our favorite options below:

1. Clover Station Duo – Best all-around POS cash register
2. Square Register – Best for retail businesses
3. Toast Countertop Kit – Best for full-service restaurants
4. Epos Now Hospitality POS System – Best for growing businesses
5. SumUp Connect Lite – Best for small counter service sellers

Below, we’ve showcased some of the best cash registers, as well as the best POS systems in a handy table, so you can see how they match up on everything, from pricing to features.

Today, a good POS system is absolutely essential for managing your business’ operations. Aside from ringing up sales, they offer a wide range of capabilities for businesses – from in-store transactions to ecommerce sales and marketing to analytics – and are the most valuable data sources for managers.

After custom quotes? Use our quick and easy POS comparison questionnaire to cut through the noise and find the best deal for your store.

1. Clover Station Duo

• Best all-around POS cash register
• Price: From $1,899 + $84.95 per month or $180 per month

The Clover Station Duo earns the top spot due to its exceptional ease of use and responsive, modern hardware. During our testing, we found it easy to complete complex tasks, and its built-in software packages offer robust features for both retail and hospitality.

Clover Station Duo includes a 14” merchant-facing POS, a 7” customer screen, a receipt printer, and a cash drawer. Businesses can extend their use even further with the provider’s handheld POS device, Flex, but this comes at a premium.

Clover’s professional range of hardware makes it a great choice for established restaurants and retailers. Source: Tech.co

Clover Station Duo is compatible with the provider’s retail and hospitality software plans, Register and Counter Service Restaurant. These plans offer many useful sector-specific features, from item variants, returns, and refunds to contactless dining options, takeout, and delivery tools. 

When testing out Clover Station Duo ourselves, we were blown away by how easy it was to use. The system was extremely responsive, and it was a breeze to complete complex tasks like separating orders by guests and assigning items to different orders.

We were also really impressed with its test mode, which offers guidance to users getting started with the terminal for the first time.

Clover’s impressive user experience and industry-leading restaurant and retail features are what earned it the top position on our list. Its software and hardware bundles won’t be a good fit for everyone, though, as they don’t offer businesses the chance to mix and match POS devices from different providers.

Clover Station Duo for retail and services, which grants users access to the provider’s Register software plan, costs $1,899 upfront, plus $84.95 per month, or just a monthly fee of $180. 

Conversely, Station Duo’s restaurant growth package costs $1,899 up-front, plus $89.95 per month, or a monthly fee of $185 per month. This cash register includes access to the provider’s Counter Service Restaurant package. 

Check out our guide to Clover pricing for more information.

2. Square Register

• Best for retail businesses
• Price: $799 or $39 per month

The Square Register is our top pick for retail stores because its software is extremely intuitive and includes a feature-rich plan. Its hardware is slick, and our testers were particularly impressed with its powerful, automated tip-sharing and refund features.

Aside from the Register, Square will give you an almost unrivaled selection of features. You’ll be able to accept credit, debit, contactless, and chip payments as well as cash and gift cards. You can even create and send invoices from within Square’s software. Should your internet drop out, Square also has an offline mode, so you’ll still be able to accept payments.

During our latest round of user testing, the POS provider emerged victorious as the best POS system for small businesses, with our team particularly enamored with the platform’s software capabilities. One feature that really stood out was a feature that allows owners to automatically share tips between employees based on working hours.

Square POS is one of our favorite POS offerings – its on-the-go touchscreen card reader is compact and lightweight. Source: Tech.co user testing

Square’s Retail register performed very well in our user testing. The platform was extremely intuitive, and it was simple to add items to the order, take payments, and carry out slightly more complex functions, like issuing refunds and exchanges.

Square Register’s strong user experience, along with its raft of retail-focused features, is what earned its title as the best cash register for retail stores.

Unfortunately, we found its Restaurant platform a little trickier to navigate, and it took us longer to locate specific hospitality features than with other systems. Our analysis shows Square is best suited for the needs of smaller food vendors, like cafes or food trucks, but full-service restaurants will be better off going for a more user-friendly POS terminal, like Clover.

We found Square’s ordering menu stripped-back and easy to get to grips with. Source: Tech.co user testing

At $799 up-front, the Square Register isn’t the cheapest option on the list, but we think its stylish design, combined with Square’s powerful software, makes it almost a no-brainer.

If the near-$800 outlay seems a bit steep, you can get the Square Register from $39 per month for 24 months with Square’s financing service (subject to eligibility). That customer-facing display, meanwhile, costs just $12 extra.

Like the sound of Square? Check out our full guide to Square’s pricing, other hardware options, and extra features.

3. Toast Countertop Kit

• Best for full-service restaurants
• Price: From free (pay-as-you-go plan covered by higher transaction fees)

If you’re looking for a durable, yet versatile Android cash register, look no further than Toast. Toast is a cloud-based restaurant POS provider that offers a wide array of hardware options.

Toast’s all-in-one countertop kit would be our top pick for small businesses. It features a point-of-sale terminal, access to Toast’s software plan, and Toast Tap, a device that takes payments via swipe, dip, and contactless. Cash draws are available separately, alongside a range of hardware accessories.

Toast POS is easy to get started on as well. After testing out its Countertop Kit, we were impressed with how easy the platform was to use, considering its impressive array of hospitality features. We were also impressed with how sleek the design of the terminal was, making the POS an ideal option for businesses with a preference for modern, minimal aesthetics.

Since Toast was designed with restaurants in mind, its POS system is packed with sector-specific features that give managers a granular level of control over their operations, including menu management, advanced inventory tools, and an impressive staff training mode.

Toast’s hardware options are of excellent quality and can be paid for in monthly installments. However, because they’re Android only, they’re incompatible with iOS devices. Source: Tech.co

Toast’s hardware and software packages are especially ideal for new businesses with little to no start-up costs. This is because the provider lets you get up and running for free, as long as you’re willing to pay slightly larger transaction fees.

If you choose this pay-as-you-go option, you can dodge upfront and monthly fees by paying 3.09% + 15¢ on each card transaction. Alternatively, Toast’s countertop kit costs $1024.10 upfront or $69 per month and charges businesses smaller transaction fees of 2.49% 15¢.

4. Epos Now Hospitality POS System

• Best for growing businesses
• Price: From $349

Epos Now’s Hospitality POS system is the perfect hardware bundle for restaurants, bars, cafes, and other hospitality businesses.

The bundle is centered around Epos Now’s proprietary Pro-C15W touchscreen terminal. It has a large, waterproof touchscreen that will help stop unwanted spillages, and it has a solid-state drive to bring super-speedy performance.

You get an 80mm Epos Now GX receipt printer and an all-metal cash drawer. Naturally, it also includes a license for Epos Now’s Hospitality software. Epos Now also offers full installation, configuration, and training for you and your staff on how to use the system and software.

Epos Now’s cash register is a great option for businesses that want to pay upfront and avoid recurring monthly fees. Source: Tech.co

Beyond its impressive register, Epos Now’s software boasts excellent employee management features, including employee permission rights and clock-in and clock-out functions.

It also has detailed inventory and stock management features. You can bulk import products and split your inventory into different categories for easier management. You can also separate your inventory into eat-in and takeaway items.

Epos Now also offers more than 80 third-party integrations, including Xero accounting software, Nettl ecommerce, and Mailchimp for email marketing.

Our research team found Epos Now’s range of features to be highly effective, particularly its advanced inventory management tools and automatic offline mode. This makes the platform equally suited to hospitality and retail businesses.

5. SumUp Connect Lite

• Best POS cash register for small counter service businesses
• Price: From $99 per month

SumUp’s Connect Lite is an all-in-one POS system that lets servers make orders, take payments, and access advanced capabilities, like reporting and stock control, all from one centralized location.

We like SumUp’s hardware setup because it’s super customizable. Businesses can select what devices are included so they pay for what they need, and nothing more.

For instance, SumUp offers an employee touch screen register and customer touch screen as part of its basic package, but businesses have the option to purchase the third-party accessories separately, like receipt printers, cash drawers, kitchen display system (KDS) screens, barcode scanners, scales, and kiosks.

SumUp EPOS card reader. Source: Tech.co

SumUp provides hardware and software packages in a similar way to Clover. However, unlike industry-specific terminals like Toast Countertop, SumUp Connect Lite can be used by a diverse range of businesses.

Aside from general-use software features, like flexible payment options, granular inventory management, and customer loyalty tools, the POS provider offers targeted capabilities for restaurants, retail stores, and salons.

SumUp’s quick-service feature offers you a convenient way to make orders faster. Source: Tech.co user testing

For example, quick-service restaurants that regularly switch up their offering can use SumUp’s fast menu changes feature to maximize sales, and hair salons can use the POS system’s in-built online booking and scheduling tools to streamline the booking and improve their customer experience.

“I thought it was really responsive. It’s very easy to navigate, so I found it easy to add everything in the backend”
–A member of Tech.co’s user testing team

On top of the recurring prices for SumUp’s Connect Lite terminal, which range from $99 to $289 per month, the provider charges businesses 2.6% + 10¢ for in-person card transactions, and 3.5% + 15¢ for online and manually entered sales.

Read the in-depth SumUp POS review here.

Best Traditional Cash Registers for Small Businesses

Traditional cash registers have helped businesses ring up sales since the industrial era. While they’ve come a long way since then, they still offer businesses reliable ways to calculate and record sales.

If you’d prefer to keep things old school, here’s our list of the best traditional cash registers out there for small businesses:

1. SAM4S ER-940 – Best traditional cash register for restaurants
2. Sharp XE-A207  – Best traditional cash register for stores
3. Casio PCR-T280 – Best low-cost portable cash register
4. Casio SR-C4500  – Best cash register for small business
5. TFCFL 48 Keys  – Best entry-level traditional cash register

1. SAM4S ER-940

• Best traditional cash register for restaurants
• Price: $449–$684

The ER-940 is purpose-built for restaurant businesses. It has a large, spill-proof 150-key keyboard. This means you can create around 100 menu combinations, depending on what other function buttons you may need.

The cash register keyboard can also be custom-made to categorize menu items, making it faster for servers to locate keys and reducing customer wait times as a result.

The SAM4S ER-940 is the best option for restaurants after a manual cash register. Source: SAM4S

What’s more, it can support up to 20,000 product lookup codes. The ER-940 can also export sales and product reports to your computer for analysis.

However, it is relatively expensive – especially compared with rival machines from POS software suppliers. But, if your food or drinks business has the budget for it and offers a lot of different, varied menu items, it will almost definitely pay for itself over time.

2. Sharp XE-A207

• Best traditional cash register for retail stores
• Price: From $350-$544

The Sharp XE-A207 has excellent credit card reader support – essential for retailers and quick-service businesses. Its stripped-back, simple menu-based control system, and easy set-up make it a great option for businesses using a cash register for the first time too.

You can add up to 25 clerks and store 2,500 product lookup codes. It also links with QuickBooks Pro to help automatically keep on top of your accounting and invoicing.

The Sharp XE-A207 is a retail-friendly cash register with accounting integrations. Source: Sharp

It may not be the most modern-looking cash register on this list, but for its price, it’s a surprisingly feature-rich system. It also has the potential to save you money in the long run by streamlining your business’s accounting process.

3. Casio PCR-T280

• Best cheap cash register
• Price: $145-$199.99 

If you need a cheap register to help get your business off the ground, the PCR-T280 is your best bet.

Its low entry price makes it well within the remit of most businesses. However, don’t think it’s completely devoid of features. It has a rear-facing customer display and you can add up to 1,200 products. You can also manually enter discounts.

With a low entry price of $145, the Casio PCR-T280 is the best option for businesses with tighter budgets. Source: Casio

If you manage a modern business and want a money-handling system to match, we’d probably advise against going for the Casio PCR-T280. While its price point makes it great for new businesses, its feature suite and overall design pales in comparison to today’s POS systems.

4. Casio SR-C4500

• Best retail cash register for small business
• Price: $349-$479

The SR-C4500 is a very flexible cash register for small retail businesses. It has 72 programmable keys to speed up sales and you can add up to 50 clerks to ensure that all of your staff can sign in and start closing sales.

Casio SR-C4500 is the best cash register on this list for servers making speedy sales. Source: Casio

The SR-C4500 also comes with an integrated barcode scanner, saving you another purchase. In an attempt to rival the full POS registers we listed above, the SR-C4500 connects with your smartphone via Bluetooth to give you hourly sales information via the Casio app.

5. TFCFL 48 Keys

• Best traditional cash register to get started on
• Price: $125-$190

If you’re new to cash registers, TFCFL is a solid piece of hardware to get started on. While its design isn’t as slick as some other options on this list, it’s easy to use and offers all the features small businesses need to get off the ground, including versatile sales functions, reports support, and retail and catering tools.

The TFCFL 48 Keys is a reliable and versatile option, but it does unfortunately lack accounting integrations. Source: TFCFL

With major US outlets like Walmart retailing the register, it’s easy to get your hands on TFCFL’s 48 keys model too. However, if you list lots of products or require accounting integrations, we would recommend opting for the SAM4S ER-940 or Sharp XE-A207 instead.

What’s the Difference Between a Cash Register and a POS System?

Anyone running an entire business may be better off choosing a full POS system with a cash register, instead of a simple standalone cash register.

The big difference comes down to one word: centralization. A POS system like the Clover Station Duo tracks all that data, backs it up to the cloud to keep it safe, and lets you search through years of data in seconds.

It’ll even auto-generate pie charts or graphs to help you understand it better. It’s this centralization that helps small businesses make smarter decisions.

Cash registers like the SAM4S ER-940, on the other hand, work fine on a daily basis – but almost none can easily store or share digital information.

This means it can take hours to find out how well your year-to-date sales have been or to gauge your year-over-year net revenue growth in the month of April.

Below is a table that compares cash registers for small businesses against POS systems, to offer a snapshot of why a POS offers a more complete solution.

Who should use a POS?

• Businesses looking to grow their base
• Businesses with large or complex inventories
• Businesses that depend on card payments
• Businesses looking to improve efficiency
• Businesses with multiple locations
• Mobile vendors
• Multi-location vendors

Who should use a cash register?

• Low-tech traditional brick-and-mortar vendors
• Businesses with smaller budgets
• Single-location businesses
• Cash-based businesses
• Businesses that want a low-fuss solution

Is a POS system worth the monthly cost?

Overall, a POS system is definitely worth the monthly cost, even when compared with the one-time payment you’ll have to make to purchase a cash register instead.

Cash registers are often available for a one-time, upfront payment of $150-$500. POS systems, on the other hand, usually incur monthly fees of around $50-$100 per month. On top of that, businesses may also have to pay additional costs for hardware and transaction fees. 

While cash registers can effectively track sales and inventory, with a POS system, you’ll be investing in more features that will supercharge your business’s growth, such as marketing and customer engagement tools, and reporting and analytics features. 

This makes a POS system worth the price for businesses that want to continue to grow and centralize all of their important operations. 

Can you use an iPad as a cash register?

Technically, you can use an iPad as your business’ cash register. Certain POS providers, like Square, give you the option of running its software on an iPad, which can then be connected with a separate card reader and cash drawer.

In this case, the iPad replaces part of your POS hardware setup. Using an iPad is an alternative to opting for an all-in-one hardware and software solution, such as the Square Register or Clover station. If your business is already set up with an iPad, it could be a great alternative to spending more on hardware.

If you’re interested in learning more about iPad-based POS solutions, you can view our full guide here.

How To Choose the Best Cash Register for Your Business

Every small business will require something slightly different from a cash register. So, while choosing a new solution, here are some important factors to consider:

• Ease of use – Most cash registers and POS systems have a low learning curve to cater to beginners, but some are definitely more user-friendly than others. With this in mind, if you’re in need of a complex system, it’s definitely worth prioritizing a system with a clean and intuitive interface that’s easy to get to grips with, like Square’s.
• Technical support – Even with the most straightforward system, hiccups can occur. To avoid getting caught out, finding a provider that offers robust technical support is a must. You should consider how the support is offered, too – for instance, if you prefer resolving issues over the phone, you should seek out a system with a 24/7 customer support helpline.
• Price – Basic cash registers, such as the Casio PCR-T280, can cost as little as $145 upfront. However, cloud-based POS registers can cost much more. For example, Square’s register costs $799. On top of a system’s base price, it’s also important to be mindful of extra costs. While POS systems will often have integrated transaction fees, a traditional register requires a separate payment terminal and merchant account that has its own fee structure.
• Set up support – Most cash registers are fairly easy to get started on. But if you’re setting up a POS for the first time, we recommend selecting a provider that is able to assist you with the process, with things like live training sessions, video guides, or, at the very least, written instructions.
• Scalability – If you plan on expanding in the future, you need to select a cash register system that is able to grow with your needs. In most cases, this will mean opting for a dedicated POS system with scalable hardware and software packages that are able to be customized as your business needs eventually evolve.
• Features – Before you buy a cash register or POS, you need to understand what you need it to be able to do. For example, are you looking for a fuss-free way to make orders and take payments, or are you also planning on using it to track stock, attract more customers, or analyze performance?
• Integrations – Life can be made easier when you integrate your POS software with the other software you use, such as accounting and CRM systems, to expand the use of your POS and sync business data across a range of applications. So, we recommend making sure your POS system will be compatible with other software you use.

How Did We Research The Best Cash Registers?