If you’re interested in streamlining your small business' operations, our research suggests that Square POS will likely be your best option. Not only does it offer a range of slick iOS and Android-compatible features, but it's also cheaper than many of its competitors. If you’re not keen on paying 2.75% on non-card transactions, however, Zettle is another promising contender that offers comparatively low transaction fees.
Every small business has its own hardware and software needs. So to help you gauge which POS system will serve you the best, this guide breaks down 11 of the top POS systems on the market. Below, we'll offer a snappy overview of each system to help you compare the options at a glance. Then, we'll elaborate on their features and pricing models so you’ll be able to make the most informed decision possible.
We’ve even created our own free POS comparison tool that can offer bespoke quotes to your small business. It only takes a couple of minutes to fill out, and there’s no obligation to select any of the providers.
| Best for: Tech.co's verdict to help you identify the most suitable choice for your small business | Price from The typical lowest starting price. The lowest price available for your business will depend on your needs. | iPad app Is there a version of the software made specifically for iPad use? | Android app Is there a version of the software made specifically for Android tablet use? | 24/7 support | Hardware | Key benefits | Drawbacks | |||
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BEST OVERALL  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Square POS | Zettle POS | Vend POS | Clover POS | Epos Now | Shopify POS | Revel POS | Lightspeed | Toast | TouchBistro POS | Cake POS |
Best for small businesses | Best value for small businesses | Best for retail businesses | Built-in customer loyalty app | Best for expanding businesses | Best for small ecommerce businesses | Best for CRM tools | Best for large businesses | Best android system | Best for hospitality staff | Best register features |
Free (but transaction fees apply) | Free (but transaction fees apply) | $69 per month | $4.95 per month | $39 per month | $24 per month | $99 per month | $69 per month | |||
Sold by Square, available separately or packaged with software. Works with most leading brands and has a great free trial. | Retails a range of hardware solutions including card readers, cash registers, and POS accessories | Works with loads of third-party periperals | Sells everything from full cash stations to mobile card readers | Works with lots of third-party peripherals | Sold by Shopify, but also works with iPads and Android tablets | Offers a preconfigured POS terminal with an iPad and tablet stand, a router, a printer, and a cash drawer. | Sold by Lightspeed. NOT compatible with weighing scales. | Sells an impressive line of its own products, including kitchen displays, swiveling terminals and robust handheld devices, all splash-proof. | Built for iPad. Offers Kitchen Display System and Customer-Facing Display. Works with most leading brands' hardware for other peripherals. | Leases you a printer, terminal, card reader, and cash drawer on two or three year contract |
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Here’s a closer look at each provider:
1. Square POS – Best for small business
2. Zettle POS – Best for value
3. Vend POS – Best for retail businesses
4. Clover POS – Best for handling online orders
5. Epos Now – Best for expanding businesses
6. Shopify POS – Best for small ecommerce businesses
7. Revel POS – Best for CRM tools
8. Lightspeed POS – Best for inventory management
9. Toast POS – Best Android-only compatible hardware
10. TouchBistro – Best for hospitality staff
11. Cake POS – Best register features
1. Square – Best for Small Businesses
- Editor rating: 4.8/5
- Price: Free (but transaction fees apply)
Square is one of the leading names in POS technology, and for good reason. Its super user-friendly system and streamlined features make it a very attractive option for retail and service businesses alike. Combine this with friendly, round-the-clock service and rock-bottom startup costs, and it’s no surprise the solution tops our list for small business compatibility.
Pros
- Free to get started
- Slick and stylish hardware
- Serves businesses of all sizes and in all sectors
- Strong analytics, inventory, and third-party integrations
Cons
- Some necessary features for mid-sized businesses cost more
- 2.75% charge on non-card transactions
- Support options vary by plan
- Free to install
- No monthly fees, charges transaction fees instead
Square POS Features
Square allows you to track your sales diligently with its useful report feature. Not only does it help you break down your sales by item, category, and payment type, but it also lets you compare your week's sales against previous selling periods. This helps sellers to get a dynamic overview of their sales and losses.
Its payment features also make transactions easy. The software accepts AmericanExpress, Discover Visa, and Mastercard payments at the same standard rate, and can also operate without an internet connection in offline mode.
Square Point of Sale also features its own App Marketplace, which connects users to an array of useful third-party services like Wix, WooCommerce, and GoDaddy. Finally, Square’s ecommerce platform, Square Online, helps businesses to create their own online store and start selling. This makes the system especially suited for businesses looking to branch into ecommerce.
Square POS Pricing
Unlike many other POS providers, Square doesn’t charge a monthly fee. It does, however, leverage transaction fees that vary depending on the type of payment. The fees are as follows:
- 2.6% + 10 cents for each card-based sale
- 3.5% + 15 cents for each keyed-in transaction
- 2.9% + 30 cents for online sales
For small businesses willing to pay a premium for more comprehensive features, Square does also offer separate Retail Plus and Restaurant Plus plans.
2. Zettle – Best for Value
- Editor rating: 4.6/5
- Price: Free (but transaction fees apply)
If you’re looking for another cost-effective way to track and manage your sales, Zettle’s POS system is also a safe bet. While it doesn’t offer as many add-on features or premium options as Square, it provides businesses with slick free software and charges slightly lower transaction fees than its main competitor.
Formerly known as iZettle, the provider was launched in the US early this year but has been available in Europe since 2011. We break down the key features of its POS system below.
Pros
- No monthly fees
- Reasonable transaction fees
- Slick software
Cons
- No add-on features are available
- Limited amount of integrations
- Free software
- Accounting options possible
Zettle POS Features
Zettle’s POS system is a real contender when it comes to inventory management. Its inventory software alerts you automatically when you’re low on stock, syncs your records in real-time, and tracks products to see how they’re selling. For businesses managing high-volume or constantly changing inventories, these features offer a real advantage.
The system also offers impressive and economical payment features. Zettle accepts most payment methods up to no daily limit, and they cap all their card transactions at 1.75%. In addition to these basic features, the provider also allows users to send online invoices, deposit earnings from app to bank within 2 working days, and sell and accept gift cards.
What’s more, Zettle also allows businesses to sell across channels on social media and online stores.
Zettle POS Pricing
Just like Square’s offering, Zettle’s point of sale app currently requires zero setup fees. It does, however, charge per transaction, meaning that costs can add up over time. The provider's transaction fees are as follows:
- 2.29% + 9 cents for each card-based sale
- 3.49% + 9 cents for each manual card entry transaction
- 1.9% + 10 cents for every QR code transaction $10.01 and above
- 2.4% + 5 cents for every QR code transaction $10.00 and below
Zettle also offers card readers at $29, with the price jumping to $79 for each additional reader.
3. Vend – Best for Retail
- Editor rating: 4.7/5
- Price from: $69/month
According to our research, Vend is currently the best retail POS system on the market. With its advanced customer relationship management (CRM) tools and extensive sales and payment features, it’s no wonder why the provider is trumping its competition. Below we cover its features in more detail, to help you work out if it’s the right solution for your business.
Pros
- Suits businesses of all sizes
- Works with loads of third party hardware and software options
- 24/7 support
- Strong ecommerce integration
Cons
- Reporting on lower pricing tiers can lack detail
Vend POS Features
Vend’s CRM integration allows businesses to build customer databases with minimal effort. Sellers can use the software to create customer profiles, add new customers at the POS and import pre-existing customer lists into the system. This is integration is an asset for businesses that are serious about customer retention.
Vend’s inventory tools also enable flawless stock management across multiple locations, making it a desirable system to retail businesses with more than one store.
The provider also boasts award-winning customer support via email, phone, and social media. This support is on hand 24/7, so businesses don’t need to wait to get their queries resolved.
Vend POS Pricing
Vend offers five unique plans at five different price points.
- Vend Free – Vend’s basic plan is completely free. It lets you use one resister with one user account, and is limited to 10 products and 1,000 customers.
- Vend Lean – This plan costs $69 per month, and offers access to a free cash register and unlimited users. However, transactions are capped at $20,000 and the POS can only be used at a single location.
- Vend Standard – The Standard plan sets customers back $119 a month, and offers extra features including CRM tools and data analytics.
- Vend Advanced – Vend Advanced costs $199 per month, and features a loyalty program, support for serial number tracking, and advanced analytics.
- Vend Enterprise – Vend’s most robust plan comes with an account manager and customized onboarding packages. The price of the Enterprise plan isn’t fixed, and is tailored to the needs of each business.
For a more detailed summary of Vend’s offerings, you can read our 2022 review on the POS system.
4. Clover – Best for Handling Online Orders
- Editor Rating: 4.5/5
- Price: $4.95 per month
If you already have a website and are interested in taking online orders, Clover’s POS system can help you make the switch to ecommerce with ease. Still, Clover's prices exceed that of many other providers, so it may be less suitable for smaller businesses or those with limited turnovers.
The business technology company was acquired by Fiserv in 2019, meaning that when you use Clover's system, you’ll need to use Fiserv to process your payments. The software allows you to use alternative merchant service providers, however, so you won't be restricted to one supplier.
Pros
- Great for companies that started online but need a physical presense
- Good range of hardware options
- Free trial
Cons
- Need pre-existing website unlike Shopify, for example
- Additional features cost extra and can become expensive
- Cheapest plan is $9.95 per month Payments Plus plan isn't full POS
- Offers two dedicated restaurant plans from $39.95 per month
Clover POS Features
Clover uses integrated reporting to help users track their performance in real time. These customizable reports give business owners a healthy overview of their operations by letting them track sales per employee, view their busiest times, and see their best-selling items.
Clover’s interface is also incredibly easy to navigate and works from a number of devices including laptops, tablets, and mobile phones.
Finally, for businesses looking to sell goods online, Clover Online Ordering offers a streamlined way to receive and process orders. This is a huge advantage for vendors expanding into ecommerce. Businesses, however, are required to already have a live website before they utilize the service.
Clover POS Pricing
Clover offers plans at three main price points, as well as a free trial.
- Clover Payments Plus – Clover's cheapest plan is available at $4.95 per month. This basic plan includes employee and customer management features but lacks other, more advanced tools.
- Clover Register Lite – Register Lite sets users back $9.95 a month, and allows them to calculate tax on items, manage their orders and inventory, and access the Clover App Market.
- Clover Register – Clover’s more advanced plan costs businesses $39.95 a month and offers more sophisticated inventory and order management tools and customizable features.
Counter Service Restaurant and Table Service Restaurant plans are also both available and cost $39.95 and $69.95 respectively. You can read our deep dive into Clover's pricing strategy here.
5. Epos Now – Best for Quick Setup
- Editor rating: 4.1/5
- Price from: $39/month
Epos is a cloud-based POS system that prides itself on its usability. In fact, the system can be set in as little as 15 minutes, according to its own site. This makes it an appealing solution for customers with less tech experience.
Pros
- Quick and easy set up
- Simple interface makes it easy to train staff
- Widely compatible with barcode scanners and receipt printers
- Cheap
Cons
- Lacks complexity in reporting
- Paid customer support and no knowledgebase
- No kiosk option
Epos Now POS Features
The biggest strengths of Epos are its simplicity and usability. The software is easy to navigate and the tools are fairly straightforward.
Aside from its easy-to-use features, Epos also offers users comprehensive employee management tools. By harnessing these tools, employers can assign employees individual pins, provide them with a way to clock in and out, and offer them training lessons.
Epos Now Pricing
Epos Now offers three main pricing plans.
- Epsos Now Standard – Epos’ most basic plan comes in at $39 per month and charges an extra $24 a month for each additional register.
- Epsos Now Premium – If you’re looking for more advanced features, Epos’ premium plan will cost you $69 per month. On top of this, it charges $45 a month for each additional register.
- Epsos Now Enterprise – For larger businesses or those with more complex operations, the Enterprise plan may be more suitable. Prices are decided on a case-by-case basis, so to receive a custom quote, contact Epos Now directly.
6. Shopify POS – Best for Small Ecommerce Businesses
- Editor rating: 3.9/5
- Price from: $29/month
Shopify is one of the biggest sales platforms in the game. After dominating the ecommerce market for over a decade, the platform developed its first POS system in 2013. Shopify's POS system may be less strong than some of its rivals, but if your business is looking to sell online as well as in-store, it’s likely to be a solid option for you.
Pros
- Very strong ecommerce integration
- 14-day free trial
- 24/7 support via phone, live chat, and email
- Works with lots of different hardware options
Cons
- Exclusively-focused on retail and ecommerce
- Charges transaction fees unless you're using Shopify's own Payments processing system
Shopify POS Features
Shopify’s POS system is one of the frontrunners in omnichannel selling. Its software allows users to sell online and in-store, and you can also manage, fulfill and ship local orders. On top of this, Shopify lets businesses handle exchanges and returns and allows them to attach QR codes to specific products.
Aside from its omnichannel function, Shopify also offers all the major POS features, including inventory, sales, and employee management tools. These additions make the software suitable for more than just ecommerce retailers.
Shopify POS Pricing
Shopify offers two core pricing plans, Lite and Pro.
- Shopify Lite – Shopify Lite will set you back $29 a month. The plan will give you access to custom discounts, customizable checkouts, and Shopify's own payment processing tool.
- Pro Plan – Shopify’s more advanced plan comes in at $89 a month, and offers users a greater range of features. These features allow businesses to select click-and-collect options and apply automatic discounts.
7. Revel – Best for CRM tools
- Editor rating: 3.6/5
- Price from: $99/month
If your business is looking to up its customer retention, Revel's handy CRM tools take the edge over other providers. The system's price point is significantly higher than many of its competitors, however, so it may not be as appropriate for businesses on a budget.
Pros
- Intuitive user interface
- Good range of customer relationship tools
- Insights app for dedicated reporting
Cons
- Can be complicated to set up
- Prices start at $99 per month
Revel POS Features
From menus to inventory management, Revel offers all the key features you would expect of a POS. The system also boasts its own reporting and analytics suite, helping users to keep a close eye on profits and losses.
The software’s CRM features are by far its strongest selling point. Its sophisticated tools allow you to create loyalty programs and build, monitor, and update customer databases.
Revel also offers different systems for restaurants, cafes, quick service businesses, and retail stores, making it a useful tool for those looking for industry-specific services.
Revel POS Pricing
Revel’s one and only pricing plan will cost businesses $99 per month, per terminal. However, businesses will also be subject to flat payment processing fees and a $674 onboarding charge.
8. Lightspeed – Best for Inventory Management
- Editor rating: 3.3/5
- Price from: $99/month
Lightspeed is a cloud-based POS system that’s ideal for larger retail businesses. However, the software doesn’t allow users to manage perishable goods, and its payment plans are quite steep. Therefore, the system is less suitable for smaller, industry-specific retailers.
Pros
- Ideal for stores selling barcoded inventory
- 24/7 support via phone, email, and live chat
- Straightforward pricing
Cons
- Slightly more expensive than some rivals
- Not suitable for food sales, florists or service businesses
- Pricing plans start from $69 per month
- Most expensive plan costs $229 per month
Lightspeed POS Features
Lightspeed offers impressive management tools for large inventories. While this is useful for businesses with high volumes of stock spread across multiple locations, this feature is largely wasted on small businesses.
The provider's software is, however, fully cloud compatible – so it can run on any laptop, tablet, or mobile device. Lightspeed even produces its own iPad app, making the system one of the top choices for iPad users.
Lightspeed POS Pricing
- Lightspeed Lean – Lightspeed’s most affordable plan costs $69 per month. It contains all the basic POS features, like standard reporting and inventory management.
- Lightspeed Standard – Lightspeed Standard charges $99 per month. The plan contains all the basic features, and allows businesses to sell goods on their ecommerce platform.
- Lightspeed Advanced – Lightspeed Advanced sets businesses back $199 a month and allows them to uncover hidden insights in their data.
- Lightspeed Enterprise – Lightspeed’s most comprehensive plan has prices available on request.
9. Toast – Best Android-Only Hardware
- Editor rating: 3.3/5
- Price from: $99/month
Toast is a respected POS system that has been designed specifically for restaurant use. The POS is made with Android-compatible software, which unfortunately means it's unsuitable for iOS users.
As far as restaurant POS systems go, Toast is a worthy contender. Its stock management and reporting tools are sophisticated and its till is simple to use. However, despite its handy features, the system comes at a higher price point than most of its rivals, so buyers should factor this in before they invest in the POS.
Pros
- Great for Android users
- Strong menu customization
- 24/7 support via phone, email, and live chat
- Support for tableside ordering and payment
Cons
- Doesn't work on iOS devices
- Requires specific hardware
- Three pricing plans starting from $69 per month
- Hardware package costs $799 plus $499 installation
Toast POS Features
Toast’s core features include tableside order management, cost management, online ordering, and menu management. As you can see, most of these features are catered towards restaurant clients, making the service ideal for businesses in this sector.
Aside from its stock and service features, Toast also offers robust reporting and analytics software, with the Location Overview feature allowing businesses to view their net sales and employee costs across all locations or individually.
Toast POS Pricing
- Toast Starter – This beginner plan is completely free, and offers a cloud-based point of sale software and hardware configuration. Additional features cost extra.
- Toast Essentials – This standard plan is ideal for small and growing restaurants. Prices start at $165 a month, and online ordering, takeout and delivery options are available.
- Toast Custom – If you’re after Toast’s full suite of features, Toast Custom could be for you. Prices are decided on a case-by-case basis.
For more clarity on this provider's pricing model, you can read our Toast POS review and pricing guide.
10. TouchBistro – Best for Hospitality Staff
- Editor rating: 3.1/5
- Price from: $69/month
Similar to Toast’s offering, TouchBistro POS was designed with restaurants in mind. In fact, with over 12,000 users worldwide, the system is one of the most commonly used in the industry.
TouchBistro's system boasts strong server and kitchen-specific features that make it an ideal choice for businesses serving food. However, since TouchBistro is a software-only provider, users are required to supply their own hardware. This is a large reason why the system comes so far down in this list.
Pros
- Versatile and intuitive interface
- Strong staff and inventory management
- 24/7 support
Cons
- Pricing plan is based on number of users
- Only works with Apple iPads and computers
TouchBistro Features
Because of TouchBistro's industry specialism, its POS contains a lot of features that are uniquely suited to restaurants. For example, its tableside order management tool allows businesses to create bespoke table plans for their restaurant and send orders through to the kitchen from their table.
What’s more, the software's menu management features allow users to create, edit and upload customizable menus all from TouchBistro’s free app. Aside from management tools, the service also features competitive CRM features that encourage customer retention by allowing servers to reward repeat buyers.
TouchBistro Pricing
TouchBistro offers a slightly unconventional pricing model wherein prices are dictated by number of users rather than software features. The prices of the plans are as follows:
- TouchBistro Solo – TouchBistro's most basic plan costs $69 a month and is only available to one user.
- TouchBistro Dual – As the name suggests, the provider's dual plan offers two licenses. It clocks in at $129 a month.
- TouchBistro Team – TouchBistro Team is available for up to five users, and it costs $249 a month.
- TouchBistro Unlimited – The provider's most expensive plan comes in at $399 a month, and provides an unlimited number of licenses.
All TouchBistro plans charge extra for loyalty programs and reservation and online ordering features.
11. Cake POS – Best Register Features
- Editor Rating: 3.4/5
- Price: From $69 per month
Cake is another POS designed with restaurants in mind. While the provider offers strong till and register features, its shortage of inventory management tools and higher price point causes it to fall behind its competition.
Pros
- Supports text alerts for reservations to avoid losing customers
- Useful reporting features
- Works offline
- Offers a free trial and 24/7 support
Cons
- Initial price of $69 per month is higher than average
- Labor management could be better
- Single $69 per month software plan
- Offers bespoke pricing for hardware packages
Cake POS Features
Cake’s promising reporting feature allows users to track their sales in real time, before compiling them into a useful weekly report. Payroll reporting tools let employees take care of their staff's wages by calculating how much money they have made over time, even considering factors like overtime.
Cake, unfortunately, falls short when it comes to inventory management. While the POS system does offer a basic version of its service, users need to pair with Cake's partner, ORCA, to unlock more advanced features.
Cake POS Pricing
Cake’s only pricing plan starts at $69 per month and then increases by $49 per month for every additional terminal needed. This basic package includes Cake’s cloud compatible software, 24/7 customer support, security monitoring, and access to a training portal.
Moreover, customers are able to include a Guest Manager service into their software package for an additional $10 per month.
How Much Is a POS System for a Small Business?
The price of a POS can vary wildly. However, as a general rule of thumb, small businesses can expect to pay anywhere from $40 to $100 per month for a single registered system.
Typically, systems at this price point will contain a suite of basic tools and services but may charge extra for card transactions. There are, however, loads of promising POS solutions available within this price range, so if you run a small or growing business rest assured that you can find a reliable, feature-rich system without breaking the bank.
If you're after slightly more premium options, some more advanced POS systems could easily exceed $100 per month. For this price, you can expect customizable features, strong CRM and analytics tools, and multiple licenses. While these systems may not be available to those with smaller budgets, their ability to improve return on investment (ROI) means that they often pay for themselves over time.
What’s the Best Free Software?
While most POS systems charge monthly fees, there are also many quality options available for free.
According to our own research, the best free POS software for small businesses is provided by Loyverse and Square POS. Both systems are completely free and offer useful tools like sales and analytics tracking and CRM software. It should be noted, however, that while Square’s POS solution is free to set up, it does charge a 2.6% transaction fee for every card-based sale.
Free POS software can provide a lifeline to businesses on tight budgets. Despite this, users should be aware that complementary options often feature many limitations and may not be able to keep up with the demands of growing businesses. What’s more, lots of providers offer free services with the hope that customers will eventually move on to paid models.
With this in mind, if your small business is in a position to spend a little on POS software, it may be worth pursuing options that are more flexible and feature-rich to begin with.
How To Choose the Best POS for Your Business
While some POS options rank higher overall, no system will be suitable for every business. There are, however, a couple of important things to bear in mind when you’re searching for your best fit.
- Your budget – If you have limited means, don’t search for POS systems that risk putting you out of pocket. Instead, explore some free or cheap options or test out a more advanced system with a free trial.
- Your size – If your business is spread out over more than one location or is looking to expand in the future, you need to find a POS system to reflect this. Whether this means finding a solution with multiple terminals, handy communication features, or flexible plans, it's an important factor to consider when searching for your perfect system.
- Your industry – A retail store won’t rely on the same features as a fast food restaurant. Therefore, to make sure you’re getting the most out of your POS system, we recommend you select options that were designed with your industry specialism in mind.
Need a Quote?
POS systems are essential for small businesses. By helping you manage sales transitions, take stock of inventory and improve the experiences of both staff and customers, the right system can streamline your business’ operations and save you money over time.
If you’re after a new POS for your small enterprise, we can help. By filling out our quick online questionnaire, you can get bespoke quotes from leading suppliers in minutes. The form is easy to fill out and you'll be under no obligation to move forward with any of the providers.
By taking the above advice and securing personalized quotes, you can give your small business the best chance of securing a quality POS.