Best POS Systems for Small Businesses: Strengths, Weaknesses and Test Results

The best POS system for small businesses is Square, due to its versatile, low-cost hardware solutions, helpful support options, and easy-to-use interface. Plus, with a free forever plan that allows you to sell, it’s arguably the most accessible POS option for small businesses on a budget.

A POS system can help your small business operate more efficiently by quickly processing a range of transaction types, as well as analyzing sales data and managing employees. But with pricing plans and feature sets varying from provider to provider, it’s important to understand precisely what you’re paying for.

To help, we’ve put a range of top POS systems through their paces with extensive hands-on testing to help you find the right one. In this guide, you’ll learn about all the features, pricing, and other information that’s important to choosing a POS for your small business.

In this guide:

• Best POS Systems for Small Business
• How Much Should a Small Business Pay For a POS System?
• How To Choose the Best POS for Your Small Business
• How We Researched the Best POS Systems For Small Businesses
• Verdict: What Is the Best POS System for Small Business?

Best POS Systems for Small Business

The information on this page is based on Tech.co’s impartial research and testing of POS systems, taking into account pricing, help and support, hardware options, software functionality, reputation, and overall usability, for a variety of industries, including hospitality and retail POS systems.

Check out our research page to learn more about how we rate and rank these POS providers, and check out the table below to see how these providers match up on the basics:

1. Square – Best for omnichannel and hybrid sellers

Square is best for retailers handling both a physical and an online store, as its software natively merges physical counter service with digital ecommerce into a single operating system.

This means when an item sells in-store at the physical POS terminal, the inventory count instantly updates on the business’s online store and linked social media channels (like Instagram and Facebook). It also offers automated inventory tracking, digital gift cards, and integrated online ordering, which helps to reduce manual admin, prevent overselling, and create a consistent shopping experience for customers.

We also consider Square one of the best POS systems for restaurants, thanks to its sleek, grid-based interface that allows new staff members to process transactions with zero formal training, which is great for businesses with high staff turnover.

Square POS: Our experience

We found Square’s interface to be mostly user-friendly and easy to navigate across both the front-end and back-end. In particular, our users highlighted how easy and simple it was to carry out functions such as seating guests and sending orders to the kitchen.

However, some processes we found to be overly complex and repetitive. For instance, cancelling items or adding users required multiple clicks, therefore seeming unnecessarily time-consuming. We also found it a little bit tricky to add a batch of items to an order one at a time, with one tester admitting they did find this process “a bit clunky”.

“I did find it a bit like clunky, but I think this is suited to small businesses or like food trucks or just starting out with like a food store.” – Tech.co POS testing participant

While this shouldn’t pose problems for smaller businesses like pop-up sellers or food trucks, it could be a sticking point for businesses with complex operations like established restaurants or retailers who want to maximise efficiency.

How much does Square POS cost? 

Square offers its POS software at no cost to users. You will have to endure transaction fees, but if you’re on a tight budget, it’s a great way to ensure you aren’t going over before making a sale. Beyond the free plan, Square’s core POS software plans start from $49 per month, per location.

Square also retails its own line of hardware, from mobile terminals right up to register kits. The price of Square’s hardware starts from $59 for its Square Reader (2nd generation) and goes up to $799 for the Square Register. It also offers pre-bundled hardware kits, including cash drawers and receipt printers:

• Square Stand Kit — $539 to $579: Includes the Square Stand, a physical printer-driven cash drawer, and a companion USB receipt printer.
• Square Register Kit — $1,189 to $1,219: Includes the dual-screen Square Register terminal, a heavy-duty cash drawer, and an external USB receipt printer.

Check out our full guide to Square POS pricing to learn more

2. Shopify – Best for businesses with flexible customer fulfillment

Shopify is the top choice for businesses offering checkout flexibility – such as Buy Online Pick-up In-Store (BOPIS), local delivery, or direct-to-home shipping from the store floor – thanks to its built-in omnichannel fulfillment tools.

Through its system, front-of-house staff receive immediate notification of an order on their handheld or tablet registers. They can then pick the items directly from the sales floor, tap “Mark as Ready for Pickup” on the POS register, and trigger an automated email or SMS message to the customer.

Shopify also has a built-in Ship-to-Customer fulfillment routing. If a physical store runs out of a specific size or color for an item, this tool lets sales associates scan a product tag, look at real-time stock levels across all other store locations or fulfillment centers, and ring up the transaction instantly on the floor. After the customer pays at the counter, the order is automatically routed to the warehouse or secondary store for home delivery.

Shopify POS: Our experience

Shopify’s POS is generally really easy to use. Our team of user testers found its software to be extremely responsive, with changes made on the back end instantly appearing on the front end. Many even described it as the best POS system they’d ever used, scoring higher than both Clover and SumUp in our task completion tests.

Shopify’s interface is very modern as well, and its tile system makes adding individual products a breeze. Our testers also found that while the POS was tailored well to businesses with multiple collections of products, this perk may be lost on smaller retailers, who might be better off with an option like Square.

“It was very responsive. As soon as you did something on the back end, it would appear on the iPad straight away.” – Tech.co POS testing participant

The downside of Shopify is that it charges some pretty hefty transaction fees, which can make it a tad expensive. On top of that, while Shopify does offer its own hardware options, its products are slightly more expensive than competitor Square. That said, you’ll have access to the iOS app on iPad, which in the modern era, shouldn’t be a dealbreaker for most businesses.

How much does Shopify POS cost?

Shopify’s POS plan starts from $89 a month, putting it on the more expensive side of the spectrum. While it offers an affordable $5 per month Starter plan, the transaction fees are through the roof, and its functionality is quite limited.

3. Toast POS – Best for high-volume quick-service restaurants (QSRs) and cafes

Toast POS is ideal for quick-service restaurants (QSRs) and cafes – like coffee shops, bakeries, and food trucks – as its software is designed to maximize speed and accuracy during high-volume service.

Through its native Kitchen Display System (KDS), Toast routes items instantly to specific preparation stations (like hot line, cold station, drinks bar, etc.) the moment an order is made, keeping ticket prep times low during peak rush hours.

Additionally, Toast’s system is built to handle orders with a lot of modifiers. Specifically, modifiers (such as milk choices, shot counts, temperature, syrups, etc.) are displayed on a single screen, allowing cashiers to tap available options as the customer speaks to them, reducing order entry times during busy periods.

Toast POS: Our experience

Toast’s help and support options lagged behind the other systems we tested, lacking social media and email support. Our users, however, liked the initial tutorial that offered a step-by-step guide on how to use the platform, an asset that could be beneficial for businesses looking to train multiple staff on a POS.

We were also disappointed to find that, for a hospitality-specific POS, we were only able to add/remove items to the menu via the back-end. Despite this, excellent tip management and a built-in reservation system mean Toast is well-suited to meet the needs of a growing and complex restaurant.

How much does Toast POS cost?

You can get started for free with Toast’s Starter Kit, although there will still be transaction fees involved. However, its cheapest paid plan starts at $69.

For a more feature-rich free plan, we would recommend SpotOn instead.

Check out our Toast POS review for more information

4. Clover – Best for service-based businesses

Clover is the top choice for service-based businesses like salons, boutiques and repair shops because its extensive app marketplace lets businesses tailor the POS to their specific operational needs.

Specifically, businesses can install specialized apps directly from the Clover App Market – such as Cozy, Cal, Appointments and Loyalty – to schedule appointments. It also connects client booking schedules directly to the checkout register. For instance, after a client completes a service, staff can open the appointment on the POS, add any retail products (like haircare items or bike parts) to the same transaction, and process a single payment.

Clover’s deposit and invoice capabilities also allow businesses to issue custom estimates, take upfront partial deposits, and collect final balances through credit card or a digital link. This helps service-based businesses secure revenue before carrying out labor-intensive tasks, reduce no-shows and protect cash flow before final fulfillment.

Clover POS: Our experience

During testing, our users praised the front-end experience Clover offers. We enjoyed how easy it was to perform tasks such as selecting items and splitting bills, and we appreciated the intuitive, slick touchscreen interface.

Despite impressive hardware options and strong analytics tools, Clover didn’t perform as well as competitors such as Shopify or SpotOn during our usability tests, particularly due to the steep learning curve of the back-end. In particular, functions such as discount and loyalty workflows proved difficult to carry out.

Check out our head-to-head comparison of Square vs Clover

How much does Clover POS cost?

Clover’s cheapest monthly cost starts from $16 per month for 36 months. However, this depends on which industry you’re working in, either retail, services, or food and beverage.

While there is a free plan, this is only for retail and service industries. Restaurants will have to go with either countertop or full-service options.

Check out our Clover pricing guide here for more information

5. SpotOn – Best for hospitality businesses with multiple locations

SpotOn is best for hospitality businesses with multiple venues, thanks to its centralized multi-location management and restaurant-specific service tools.

SpotOn’s centralized back-office system allows businesses to update menus and adjust pricing for multiple locations at once. This removes the need to update each location manually, reduces the risk of pricing errors, and helps maintain a consistent customer experience across every site.

Through its floor-plan customization and seat-level tracking, servers can use the “drag-and-drop” tools to transfer tabs between tables, move items between guests, and split bills directly from the POS terminal without needing manager approval – helping to speed up service, reduce delays, and help restaurants turn tables faster.

SpotOn: Our experience

We found SpotOn generally pretty easy to use too, considering its impressive suite of features. Yet, one of our first-hand user testers was frustrated when they were trying to create a custom floor plan, as the POS doesn’t have a drag-and-drop builder like Square or Clover.

“Frustration came with little things like when creating the floor plan, you had to click an add or minus button… and I was just like, why can’t it just be drag and drop?” – Tech.co POS testing participant

Despite some issues with the usability, SpotOn offers a wide range of tools beyond its own collection. With the software, you’ll also get access to a wide set of third-party POS integrations. This includes Teamwork, where you can easily view team management, cost projections, and payroll.

If you were dead set on tablet usage for your POS system, though, you are out of luck. SpotOn only works with its own hardware, so you won’t be able to use the software on any third-party devices. Still, as a low-risk option with no upfront costs, you could do a lot worse than SpotOn.

Check out our SpotOn review for more information

How much does SpotOn POS cost?

Like Square, SpotOn offers a free plan, while its paid plans start at $55 a month.

The hardware, on the other hand, is quite expensive, but the financing options ensure that you won’t have to take a big hit right as you’re launching your restaurant.

6. SumUp – Best for microbusinesses and low-volume merchants

SumUp is the best choice for microbusinesses and low-volume merchants (such as market stalls and pop-up stores) as it provides a quick set-up and simple operation features, such as catalog entry, item variants, basic sales reporting, and payment links.

Meanwhile, its standalone terminals (such as SumUp Solo and SumUp Terminal) come with integrated and unlimited 4G data cards and WiFi, which operate fully independently without needing a phone pairing – ideal for market stalls, pop up stores or mobile vendors that would otherwise rely on a smartphone pairing or weak event WiFi.

SumUp also comes with mid-transaction “park order” capabilities, which allow you to save active baskets for later so you can serve other customers without losing progress – something that’s particularly useful during busy trading hours.

SumUp POS: Our experience

Our users found SumUp’s front-end simple and easy to navigate, and found there were very minimal areas of difficulty. In particular, users found the black and white, minimalist design easy to follow.

Unlike the front-end, the back-end wasn’t received with as much enthusiasm. It was described as “clunky” and “unintuitive”, and we had problems during our tests because of slow loading times. Similarly, we were frustrated with the lack of a knowledge base, and many of our users reverted to using Google when wanting to find out how to carry out a specific feature.

While SumUp offers its own receipt printer and terminal, it doesn’t offer a customer display, which Clover and Shopify both offer. Likewise, we were disappointed to find that there was no option for a handheld POS terminal, which may be a setback for busy businesses that want to take orders quickly.

How much does SumUp POS cost?

SumUp’s starts from $199 a month on the Connect Plus plan, which comes with everything the POS offers, as well as customer rewards and automated marketing.

SumUp also offers a free plan like Square and Toast, and you will only have to pay transaction fees for every sale you make, which starts at a 2.75% flat rate for standard in-person purchases.

How To Choose the Best POS for Your Small Business

Here are a couple of important things to bear in mind when you’re searching for your best POS option:

• Your budget – If you have limited means, only choose plans that offer the features you need.
• Ease of use – Selecting a POS system with a good user experience is essential, especially if you’re new to the software.
• Integrations – If your business already uses certain software, you should only be considering POS systems that can readily integrate with this software. Check out our guide to POS integrations to learn more.
• Help and support – Picking a system with reliable help and support options is an effective way to keep technical disruptions at bay. You should also make sure their channels are compatible with your needs, i.e., would you rather access support through live chats or phone lines?
• Your industry – Select options that were designed with your industry specialism in mind. 

You can read our small business guide to work out how to use a POS system.

How much should a small business pay for a POS system?

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. 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.

For more information, check out our guide on POS pricing.

What features should I look for when choosing a POS system?

For starters, make sure your POS system comes with an offline mode. This will allow you to still accept payments and run your business, even if the internet goes out. Additionally, some POS systems work on mobile devices, so you can simply switch over to cellular data if Wi-Fi issues arise.

Finally, if you want help fixing these kinds of problems, a POS provider with 24/7 live support will be key. You’ll be able to get in touch with an actual person any time of day, so any connectivity problems won’t last until the next day.

Here are some more features to consider:

POS Software Features

• Loyalty programs
• Inventory management
• Transaction history
• Returns and refunds
• Customer relationship management (CRM)
• Reporting and analytics

POS Hardware Features

• Accept transactions
• Touch display
• Tip functionality
• Digital and paper receipts
• Floor plan and table management
• Guest feedback

How We Researched the Best POS Systems for Small Businesses

We identified the leading POS platforms and tested 16 systems using a hands-on research methodology. Participants completed common tasks and shared their experiences, helping us evaluate each platform’s usability. We also assessed every system across six key categories, including features and customer support, with detailed subcategories to give us a more thorough comparison.

Here’s an overview of our main testing categories for POS systems:

• Software (35%): The capabilities provided by the POS product, including general features like ordering and payment functionality, as well as industry-specific tools like KSU uploads, and inventory-level stock tracking KDS software.
• Hardware (20%): The quality of a POS’s hardware selection, including the presence of an own-brand terminal, as well as hardware accessories like kitchen display systems, receipt printers, and barcode scanners.
• Usability (20%): How intuitive and easy to navigate it is, as well as how easy the software is to navigate, and whether any errors took place during testing.
• Pricing (10%): The cost associated with acquiring and using the POS system, such as the initial purchase cost, transaction fees, licensing fees, subscription plans, and any additional charges or ongoing costs.
• Help & Support (10%): The assistance and resources available to users when they encounter issues or need guidance while using the POS system, including documentation, tutorials, or knowledge bases.
• Reputation (5%): The aggregate score from customer review sites like Trustpilot and TrustRadius, to understand how POS providers are viewed by their own customer bases.

When it comes to calculating a product’s final score, not all testing areas are weighted evenly, as we know some aspects matter more to our readers than others, For example, we’ll prioritize certain industry-specific features for specific reviews, like an offline mode when reviewing POS systems for food trucks, or kitchen display systems (KDS) when reviewing restaurant POS systems.

At Tech.co, we have a number of full-time in-house researchers who regularly rerun this testing process to ensure our results remain up to date.

Learn more about our research.