POS (point of sale) system is a software used for running retail business and restaurants. A POS (point of sale) system is mostly used in the retail or restaurant businesses for controlling all their transactions and activities through a single platform. The POS system is an electronic register that records every detail of the purchase and keeps a track on inventory and cash flow details. The use of POS system has gained so much popularity as it can provide numerous benefits such as increased productivity, gathering customer data, assigning specific job roles to employees etc.
In this review, I will be sharing with you the best POS softwares extensively.
Square Point of Sale: Best overall
- Starting monthly fee: $0.00
No starting fees
Free mobile reader
Our pick for the best POS system for small-business owners is Square. It’s free to start, easy to use, and chock-full of useful features. These benefits make Square a great choice for new business owners who need simple but powerful features from the get-go.
Square is a common favorite of mobile businesses like food trucks and boutique retail shops. In fact, we also picked Square as the best mobile POS system for small businesses. For an all-in-one system for taking payments wherever your customers are, pair the Square POS and mPOS systems together to give your business an extra boost.
Taking customer payments is easy with Square’s credit card readers and point-of-sale mobile app, which works with most Android and Apple devices; for example, many Square users run their businesses with iPads. You can create customized receipts to send via email or print from a receipt printer. Plus, you can keep open tabs, split checks, and manage your inventory in real time—all within Square’s point-of-sale software.StrengthsZero monthly cost for the basic plan
Software and hardware that’s easy to set up and use
Transparent transaction feesWeaknesses
Pricier transaction fees than some major processors
Higher fees for manual entry
Square provides detailed reporting and analytics and lets you send invoices, track employee shifts and timecards, and manage multiple locations. You can also run email marketing, customer loyalty plans, and gift card programs from Square’s point-of-sale software.
Now the downsides. Transaction fees with Square Point of Sale can be more expensive than what other POS providers are charging. The transaction costs can add up if you process loads of payments a day.
That said, Square POS doesn’t have a monthly fee, and the company keeps its transaction fees pretty simple (for the most part):
- Tapped, dipped, and swiped payments: 2.6% + $0.10
- Keyed-in and card-on-file payments: 3.5% + $0.15
- Square Register (purchased before 8/20/19) payments: 2.5% + $0.10
Square also offers other plans geared for certain types of businesses. With Square for Restaurants, for example, you get POS software that’s geared specifically for restaurant use. The plan costs $60 per month for each of your locations, plus an extra $40 per month for each additional POS system you use.
Square for Retail plans have the same monthly fees as the Square for Restaurants plan, but they come with discounted transaction fees (2.5% + $010 for in-person payments).
What’s nice about these additional plan types is that they are optional. So, if you want more functionality and features, it’s easy to add them to your POS at any time with Square.Open an AccountRead Our Review
Brilliant POS
Brilliant POS enables business to replace standard cash registers with a stand-alone terminal, a receipt/label printer and a barcode scanner. With the Brilliant POS system retailers can make payments, manage time sheets, track inventory, run reports, and more. With cloud backup and offsite access, Brilliant POS removes the worry of losing data if a device is lost or stolen, as all the data is stored securely on the Brilliant POS servers.
Vend
Vend is the United States’ leading retail POS software, dedicated to making it easy for retailers to sell to their customers. Working with leading merchant providers from around the world, Vend allows businesses to choose the best way to accept payments, including debit, credit and gift cards.
Vend enables ease of sale, regardless of whether retailers use Vend’s responsive web-based POS on PC, Mac or the Vend Register iPad app. Vend offers a range of pricing structures. Its Starter package is designed for a single outlet with three users. The Advanced payment is for a single outlet with unlimited users. The Multi-Outlet structure can be used by multiple users.
Revel
As well as POS capabilities, Revel comes with a host of other features to help simplify business processes, including QuickBooks integration, analytics, payroll management and appointment scheduling. A standard Revel POS terminal includes an iPad, payment device, POS stand, router, Wi-Fi access point, POS printer and a secure cash drawer.
Revel offer POS solutions for diverse businesses, including retailers, restaurants, sports stadiums, self-service kiosks and convenience stores. Interested businesses can get a quote from the Revel sales team for a customized POS solution.
Tillpoint
Tillpoint is an award-winning and complete cloud-based POS system that provides an easy-to-use and effective solution for retail, hospitality and service-based businesses. The Tillpoint package includes everything a small business will need for seamless POS integration, including the software and hardware required to start trading straight away.
POS Nation
POS Nation offers retailers a POS system that can be tailored to their specific needs. Users can customize the system, choosing the software, hardware and peripherals needed to optimize productivity and profitability.
POS Nation allows businesses to manage different aspects of operations, from finances to inventory, and gain the insight to make better business decisions.
Shopify
Shopify is an inexpensive POS for businesses. With an easy-to-use interface, Shopify does not require much training. Mobile POS is available with Shopify as the system works on iPhone and iPad. A three-tiered payment classification, includes Basic Shopify, designed for start-ups, Shopify to assist growing businesses, and Advanced Shopify, for scaling businesses.
ShopKeep
ShopKeep is a POS system designed for retail, quick serve, restaurant and bar and franchises. ShopKeep can be used for payment processing, inventory management, transactions, customer marketing, staff management, reporting and analytics, and more. ShopKeep’s hardware comprises of iPad enclosures, cash drawers, printers, readers and other robust hardware to cater for the needs of modern businesses.
Unlike other POS vendors, which offer tiered payment structures, ShopKeep touts a standard price.
Skubana
Skubana helps online retailers deliver seamless transactions by providing a smart POS solution. The system automates and streamlines all your business transactions, including purchase orders and fulfilment workflow, to create more efficient and intelligent business operations.
Acme
Acme Point of Sale is built specifically for retail. Fighting credit card fraud at the point of sale is a leading priority for all retailers. Acme offers secure payment solutions with any device. The Acme Wonder Bundle includes point of sale software, a 7000 Series Touch Screen Windows 10 computer with Intel Inside, a choice of Aggressive Built-in or external bar code scanners and a high speed/ hop swappable receipt printer.
Square
Square is a POS system that’s designed to grow as a small business expands. This powerful POS platform enables businesses to make payments, digital receipts, open tickets, inventory, reports, and more.
Square is designed for every type of business, regardless of the industry. The system is free to download and can be used as a mobile POS on a smartphone or on a tablet at a counter.
Cashier Live
Cashier Live offers smart online POS software solutions for retailers. Businesses can access the software via the internet, or though iPad or iPhone apps. Cashier Live’s software help businesses ring up sales with ease, as well as tracking inventory, managing staff, accessing data and generating reports. This POS system boasts special features for retailers operating hardware stores, pharmacies and boutiques.
Cashier Live users receive unlimited registers, unlimited inventory and unlimited support.
TouchBistro
Restaurateurs might be interested in TouchBistro, an easy-to-use and affordable POS system designed specifically for the needs of the restaurant industry. Mobile payments are becoming a key feature in modern payment systems, and TouchBistro is compatible with the iPad, giving restauranteurs additional flexibility. The POS system provides 24/07 support and a number of pricing structures, ranging from the Solo plan to the Unlimited plan.
Shopify POS: The best POS system for retail stores
- Starting monthly fee: $9.00
No starting fees
Free mobile reader
Shopify gained a reputation in the retail space as a premier web-based POS platform. The company now over 1 million business customers worldwide using its ecommerce, Amazon marketplace, and point-of-sale services.1
The company’s powerful ecommerce integration translates into an impressive point-of-sale solution for retail brick-and-mortar stores too. Shopify POS is a service that’s easy to set up and highly customizable to fit small businesses and scale up as your business grows.StrengthsAffordable basic subscription and processing fees
Free 14-day trial
Robust ecommerce toolsWeaknesses
No subscription-free plan
Limited reporting on the basic plan
Extra fees for using third-party payment providers
Shopify offers three major plans plus one scaled-down “Lite” plan for doing retail business on Facebook only. Plans differ on their monthly price, fees for payment processing, and breadth of included services.
The $29 Basic Shopify plan is an affordable option for smaller retail businesses that are online, in a single retail location, or selling in-person at pop-up stores and local markets.
Shopify’s transaction fees are also a little complicated. Online or keyed transactions range from 2.4% + 30¢ to 2.9% + 30¢, depending on your plan. Meanwhile, in-person transaction fees fall between 2.4% to 2.7%—again, depending on your plan.
If you opt to use a payment provider other than Shopify Payments, however, you’ll also be assessed a third-party payment provider fee, which can be anywhere from 0.5% to 2% per transaction. So if you want to use a Shopify system and Shopify software, you may want to steer clear of Square, PayPal, or other payment gateways.
Shopify plans and pricing
| Plan | Monthly price | In-person payment processing fee | Third-party payment provider fee | Learn more |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shopify Lite | $9.00* | 2.7% | 2% | Get Started |
| Basic Shopify | $29.00* | 2.7% | 2% | Get Started |
| Shopify | $79.00* | 2.5% | 1% | Get Started |
| Advanced Shopify | $299.00* | 2.4% | 0.5% | Get Started |
Data effective 2/15/21. At publishing time, pricing and features are current but are subject to change. Offers may not be available in all areas.
*With annual billingOpen an AccountRead Our Review
Runner-up: Heartland Retail POS (previously Springboard Retail)
Springboard Retail merged with Heartland retail and is now called Heartland Retail. According to Heartland’s website, “with this cloud-based Retail Point of Sale solution becoming part of Heartland, we can continue to scale and support the outstanding product Springboard Retail has built, and continue to grow our customer family of more than 100,000 retail customers.”2
Heartland Retail has packages that start at $80 a month and include multi-location support, customer management, and advanced inventory and purchasing features. It’s a point-of-sale system designed specifically with retail in mind, giving it an edge over more general offerings.
Conclusion
Whether you want to simply accept payments in your retail store or you have larger goals of growing into a larger wholesale business, POS software can help. A good POS is key to the success of dynamic businesses, but these systems are not created equally. We’ll look at what is the best point of sale software for small business, find out about top POS software with our reviews, discuss how it’s beneficial to know more about cash registers, and look at some essential features with any POS platform.