11 Best POS Systems for Small Businesses

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.

The information on this page is based on Tech.co's impartial research and testing of POS systems, taking into account pricing, customer support, features for business management and growth, stock management, and till functions.

We’ve also created a free POS comparison tool that can connect your small business with price quotes from companies that match your needs. It only takes a couple of minutes to fill out, and there’s no obligation to select any of the providers, once you have the information.

Here are the POS providers who ranked best for small businesses, in our research: 

1. Square POS – Simply the best for small businesses
2. Zettle POS –  A great value Square POS Alternative
3. Toast POS – Best for small restaurants looking beyond iPads
4. Talech POS – Best small business growth features
5. Clover POS –  Great built-in customer loyalty app
6. Lightspeed POS – Best for inventory management
7. SpotOn POS – Most customizable software
8. Vend POS – Best to track and train employees
9. Epos Now – Quickest setup process
10. TouchBistro – Best help and support for eateries
11. Shopify – Best for small ecommerce businesses

1. Square – Best for Small Businesses

• Tech.co 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 support and rock-bottom startup costs, and it’s no surprise the solution tops our list for small business compatibility.

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 Square POS Alternative

• Tech.co rating: 4.2/5 
• 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. Formerly known as iZettle, the provider was launched in the US early this year but has been available in Europe since 2011.

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. In fact, our research, which evaluates systems based on price, customer support, features for business management and growth, stock management, and till functions, ranked the point of service in second position for both retail stores and restaurants, beaten only narrowly by frontrunners Square and Vend.

Zettle POS features 

The system 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. 

Zettle also integrates with a variety of other apps, extending the use of the POS. Businesses can access accounting or e-commerce integrations, allowing them to crunch their numbers in-house, or sell their goods across channels on social media and online stores. 

Unfortunately, despite its strengths, Zettle falls short when it comes to business features — specifically inventory and business management tools. This means that businesses using the solution are more likely to rely on third-party integrations.

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. Toast – Best Android-Only Hardware

• Tech.co rating: 4.2/5
• Price from: $0 (starter), $110/month (New Restaurant Basics)

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 for small businesses. Its stock management and reporting tools are sophisticated and its till is simple to use. Thanks to the recent advancement of these features, the provider has been able to claim our third spot, up from #10 in last year's ranking. 

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.

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's help and support options, however, are more limited than other providers on this list. So if your small business is looking for round-the-clock customer support, it'd make more sense to opt for solutions like Square or Vend.

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.
• New Restaurant Basics – Down from its usual price of $140, Toasts Restaurant Basic plan is available at $110 per month, and is perfect for new restaurants looking to bundle the cost of payroll and POS software.
• 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.

4. Talech – Best Small Business Growth Features

• Tech.co rating: 3.9/5
• Price from: $29/month

Talech is a tablet-based point-of-service solution designed for both hospitality and retail businesses. The POS is solid in all major respects and offers software that is simple to navigate. Its business growth and stock management features are particularly strong — making it great for businesses focused on expanding their bottom lines.

Despite its strengths, however, our research suggests Talech provides businesses with slightly less bang for their buck than other POSs on this list. Therefore, if your business is budget-conscious or requires a system with a permanent POS register, it might make more sense to go with other providers like Square or Zettle.

Talech POS features

From payment processing to inventory management, Talech 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 customer management features are by far its strongest selling point. Its sophisticated tools allow you to capture customer information, create loyalty programs and build, monitor, and update customer databases. Talech's business growth features are so strong, in fact, that our in-house research team awarded them a 4.8 out of 5 – meaning they're some of the best on the market.

Talech's sales management tools are also ahead of the curve. The POS lets you track stock seamlessly by number of units and volume of weight sold. This feature can be particularly useful to businesses retail wholesale materials.

Finally, since Talech's point of service is iPad based, its also simple and straightforward to set up. This makes the POS a great solution for smaller businesses looking to get up and running quickly.

Talech POS pricing

• Talech Starter plan – Talech's cheapest plan comes in at $29 per month, per device. The plan includes basic inventory tracking, order management, and CRM tools, and is best suited to small retail stores and cafes.
• Tech Standard – Talech Standard is available at $69 per month, per device. It contains all the features included in the Starter plan, with barcode label printing, kitchen printing, clock-in tools, and more advanced reporting functions.
• Talech Premium – Talech premium costs businesses $99 per month, per device. The plan includes everything in the previous tier, with no product limit and additional table management, online ordering, split payment, and automatic gratuity features. These extra tools make the plan especially useful to hospitality businesses.
• Talech Enterprise – Finally, Talech Enterprise includes the provider's full suite of features. It's been designed for businesses with extensive or specific POS requirements, and prices are available on request.

With all Talech plans additional devices are available for $29 per month, per unit.  

5. Clover – Great Customer Loyalty App

• Tech.co Rating: 3.9/5
• Price: $14.95/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. Clover also features a unique loyalty app, Clover Rewards, which offers customers three multiple ways to earn parks. 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. 

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. What's more, 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.

Despite these multiple strengths, its Clovers loyalty scheme that really sets it apart from the competition. Its app, ‘Clover Rewards' is an interactive CRM tool that lets customers earn rewards catered to them. Its available to all POS users and our research suggests its one of the best POS loyalty schemes around.

Clover POS pricing 

Clover's price points are a little complex and monthly costs depend on which industry your working in. Most business specialisms, however, are able to buy the POS with three main plans; Starter, Standard and Advanced.

• Clover Starter – This stripped back plan contains essential POS software and basic hardware devices. Other software and hardware features are available as optional add-ons. Clovers Starter plan is available for an up-front fee of $799, followed by monthly payments of $14.95 per month, for retail businesses and $44.95 per month for full service dining venues.
• Clover Standard – Clover Standard offers a slightly more feature-rich software package with more generous hardware options. Its up front price is $1,799, and monthly costs depend on which industry your business operates within.
• Clover Advanced – Finally. containing Clovers full suite of features, Clover Advanced is available for $2,298 up front, and then for $54.90 per month.

You can read our deep dive into Clover's pricing strategy here.  

6. Lightspeed – Best for Inventory Management

• Tech.co rating: 3.8/5
• Price from: $69/month

Lightspeed is a cloud-based POS system with powerful stock tracking tools, making it ideal for larger retail businesses. However, small businesses who want advanced inventory management for a complex range of items, could benefit. There are a few catches that keeps Lightspeed from being ranked higher on this list – 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.

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 might be wasted on most 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.

7. SpotOn – Best Customizable Features

• Tech.co Rating: 3.8/5
• Price: From $65 per month

SpotOn POS is a solid point of service with competitive till and inventory features. Thanks to the software's various specialisms, the point of service can be adapted and customized to fit a wide variety of business needs. Its price point is a little steeper than others on the list, however. Plus, our research suggests its business management and help and support tools are pretty basic. This prevents SpotOn from appearing above industry frontrunners like Square and Zettle.

SpotOn features

SpotOn offers a variety of different plans depending on your businesses focus, from casual dining venues to tire centres, and everything in between. Because of the plethora of business types the software caters to, we deem SpotOn to be the most customizable, adaptable POS system on our list.

Aside from offering industry-specific functions, SpotOn also offers a scope of features that can be used by retail and food serving businesses alike. It employee management tools let employees clock in and out so their hours are accurately recorded. Managers are also able to track individual performance and set overtime rules, helping them to effectively control their team.

In SpotOn restaurant-focused plan, users can use table management tools to create custom floor plans and match each order with the table that placed them. By using these features, servers can keep service strong and turn tables as fast as possible.

SpotOn also has advanced reporting tools that allow users to track their sales in real time, before compiling them into a useful weekly report. Managers can even access the data off-site which is useful for businesses that run – outside of their usual location. 

Unfortunately, lots of SpotOns tools are fully dependent on third-party integrations. This means that to access the provider's full suite of features, businesses will need to pay a premium.

SpotOn pricing

• SponOn Poynt – SpotOn's cheapest plan, SpotOn Ponynt, costs just $15 per month. It can be used by itself or as part of a broader POS system, and features basic stock management and payment features.
• SpotOn Register – Clocking in at $65 per month, SpotOn Register is a versatile plan than catered to a broad range of small businesses. It features employee tracking, inventory management, and customizable receipt features, and also integrates seamlessly with marketing and loyalty tools.
• SpotOn Register Lite – SpotOn Register Lite is the scaled-back version of SpotOn Register. It offers basic POS features, but is available for as little as $45 per month.
• SpotOn Restaurant – SpotOn's restaurant-focused plan is available for $65 per month. It offers a range of useful hospitality features and can be catered to any specialism from pizzerias to local diners.

Loyalty and website tools are also available to businesses for $65 respectively.

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.

8. Vend – Best to track and train employees

• Tech.co rating: 3.8/5
• Price from: $69/month

According to our research, Vend is currently the best POS system for training employees and reviewing their output. With advanced customer relationship management (CRM) tools and extensive sales and payment features, the provider will be a pretty solid option for small businesses. However, Vend's till and business management features leave a little to be desired. 

Vend POS features 

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’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.

However, Vend really comes into its fore when it comes to employee management. The provider even offers its own app ‘Homebase' which allows managers to track hours worked, create schedules and instantly message members of the team. The app can also be used by employees to clock in, submit their availability, request trades and receive alerts before their shifts.

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 2023 review on the POS system. 

9. Epos Now – Best for a Quick Setup

• Tech.co rating: 3.7/5
• 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 small businesses with less tech experience.

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. This is why our research team described Epos Now the best point of service for a simple and speedy set up.

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 also retails its own hardware that is fully compatible with its POS hardware. From complete EPOS systems to printers, card machines and POS accessories, the provider sells about every device out there — and the hardware is top quality, too.

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.

On top of these monthly prices, businesses are also able to pay $175 for single training courses, or $35 per month for unlimited sessions.

10. TouchBistro – Best Help and Support

• Tech.co rating: 3.6/5
• Price from: $69/month

Similar to Toast, 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. It also offers top-in-class help and support options, which will be especially useful for small businesses. 

However, since TouchBistro is a software-only provider, users are required to supply their own hardware.

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 also offers the best help and support options out of any provider on the list. Their support specialists are on call 24 hours a day to tend to queries and request so you're able to get in touch any time you need. They even have live chat and email tools hat are available around the clock.

Finally, TouchBistro supports a range of payment options including cash, credit cards, debit cards, as well as digital wallet payments from Apple, Google and Samsung Pay. This makes taking payments easy, no matter what method your customers decide to use.

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. Shopify POS – Best for Ecommerce Businesses

• Tech.co rating: 3.6/5
• 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. 

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.

You can find more information about Shopify plans and costs in our full Shopify pricing overview.

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 transaction fees for every 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 Small 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.   

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