Best Point-of-Sale (POS) Systems and Software - The first knowledge sharing application in Vietnam

Transparent pricing, intuitive flows and access to live support are also important when selecting your POS systems and software. Here are our top picks.

The best point-of-sale, or POS, systems do far more than handle customer payments. These systems help you manage sales, track inventory and improve daily business operations by offering numerous hardware options and feature-rich POS software.

if you pay for hardware monthly; 2.49% + 15¢ if you buy upfront.

Prices that are disclosed run higher than those of some competitors.

IT Retail has been in the business of building and selling grocery store POS systems for more than two decades. While its prices are higher and less transparent than those of some competitors, the company has built a POS system that includes all the features you’ll need to run your store, including a product lookup menu, wholesale sales functionality, customer loyalty programs and capabilities to accept all forms of payment, including EBT. The pricing structure is largely quote-based, but there is a pay-monthly option and two hardware bundle options with listed prices.

As a grocery store POS system designed by grocers, IT Retail stands out with an expansive list of features to cover a wide range of food retail businesses, including general and corner stores, fish markets and butcher shops.

No transparency on hardware or payment processing costs; quote only.

TouchBistro is built just for restaurants and includes a wide variety of add-on features. As a hybrid POS system, it saves data locally in your iPad app and also in the cloud, meaning you can complete most POS functions — across multiple devices — even during an internet outage. And when your system is running online, it’s syncing data in real time and can be accessed anywhere.

TouchBistro is another POS system designed specifically for food-industry businesses. With a wealth of restaurant-related features and the ability to easily take payments on the go — with or without an internet connection — it’s a particularly good choice for food trucks.

If you close your account before your contract term ends, you’ll have to pay the remaining subscription and software financing fees.

Some features, like online ordering and the loyalty program, may cost extra based on the package you choose.

A self-ordering kiosk system that offers contactless order and payment options for customers when paired with Toast Tap.

Multilocation management and the ability to publish different menus and set different prices at different locations.

Toast’s restaurant-oriented POS system makes it easy to update menus, track table statuses, split checks, add gratuity automatically, apply various discount rules — say, for happy hour — take online orders, manage multiple locations, track employee performance and accept tableside payments.

if you pay for hardware monthly; 2.49% + 15¢ if you buy upfront.

Toast designed its POS hardware specifically to withstand the kitchen and restaurant environments, and the company offers its lowest-tier software plan at no monthly cost. Restaurant owners will appreciate Toast’s 24/7 customer support and various add-on features.

Live support is available only via chat, not phone.

You can “pause” your store for three months with no subscription fee or “pause and build” for a reduced monthly fee.

Plans are month to month and easy to cancel if needed; you can also upgrade or downgrade them at any time.

E-commerce-friendly features, including access to vendors and resources to build an online store from scratch using this platform; dropshipping, curbside pickup and local delivery options.

Shopify’s POS system is well equipped to handle all the complexities that come with selling items via an online store. In all subscription tiers, you can set up an online shop and add products almost instantly, sell through multiple channels including social media, connect with vendors, automatically email customers who abandon their carts, process payments at reasonable rates and make sales in 133 currencies and multiple languages. These features make Shopify one of the best retail POS options.

Because users must have a Shopify e-commerce plan to use Shopify’s POS, this POS system makes the most sense for retailers that already use Shopify. The company offers a free POS software option with any of its paid e-commerce plans.

If you cancel your subscription, you’ll immediately owe the remaining installment fees in your plan, if any apply. Prepaid annual and monthly fees are nonrefundable.

Loyalty, e-commerce, accounting integrations and analytics features are included only on more expensive plans.

24/7 phone support is available in the U.S. Chat and email support are also available.

A comprehensive inventory management system to keep detailed records of your products across multiple locations and set automatic reorder points so you don’t run out.

The only unexpected fee you could see on your statement would be $15 for chargeback, if applicable.

Transparent, flat swipe fees; other payment processors are available to use with your POS system if you don’t want to use the in-house option.

The Lightspeed POS system’s inventory management capabilities are outstanding at every subscription tier and more comprehensive than those of competitors. When entering items into your system, you can add plenty of information — such as a description, images, cost, manufacturer’s suggested retail price, or MSRP, your selling price, tax and discount rules, tags, barcodes, stock-keeping units, or SKUs, brands, categories and custom-built fields — which can be used to generate and filter results on reports.

Lightspeed’s POS designed specifically for retailers offers several strong features, but it stands out particularly for its inventory management capabilities. The system is especially well suited for businesses with more than one location.

Helcim offers transparent, competitive pricing and an all-inclusive platform. It’s not the most affordable option for businesses with low sales volumes, but it’s an excellent choice for most other small-business owners.

As a full-service merchant services provider, Helcim can essentially do it all for a business: payment processing, point of sale, invoicing and business management. Because it offers volume discounts, Helcim is especially cost-effective for businesses with high sales volumes.

Open API and tools may be difficult to use without software development expertise.

Stripe Terminal extends Stripe Payments functionality to become a full POS solution. Stripe can accept dozens of payment methods and more than 135 currencies. And its advanced developer tools allow you to create a checkout flow that feels custom, provided you know how to use them.

Stripe’s POS system accepts payments in more than 135 currencies, making it a strong fit for businesses with global reach. Stripe’s POS software comes free or at a low cost, compared with that of some competitors.

Free customer engagement tools such as discounts and perks are included to help you build relationships.

Offers a rapid deposit option for an additional fee of 1% that provides faster access to the funds from sales transactions.

Accepts payments when the internet is down and processes them when you are reconnected.

Clover’s POS system stands out with its durable and versatile hardware, with POS terminals that make it easy to accept orders at the counter or on the go. You also have the option to pair the hardware and software with a different merchant account, such as one from Wells Fargo, SunTrust, PNC, BBVA or Citi.

Clover’s POS hardware may be priced higher than that of many of its competitors, but not without reason. The recognizable branded hardware is built to last and rests on a strong reputation of dependability.

Can do invoice and recurring payments but only with Zettle Reader and only on the iOS app.

Phone support, chat and a help library are available.

PayPal’s Zettle system stands out for its free software and no-contract business model, which takes some of the risk out of switching to a new POS system. Its hardware POS packages make it easy to set up quickly, and some decent (though limited) accessories are available.

This all-in-one POS and payment processing system is built for quick and easy setup and integrates seamlessly with many big names in business-related software. PayPal Zettle’s POS software is free, so business owners pay only for hardware and payment processing.

Ability to create and print barcodes isn’t available on free version.

Loyalty program and email marketing features cost extra; appointment-booking for more than one person is an additional fee.

Subscription fees are generally month to month and easy to cancel if needed. You can also pause your subscriptions for up to three months.

Versions available for retail, restaurants or professional services; offers inventory management, table and menu management, multilocation setup, online orders and appointment scheduling.

Square’s point-of-sale system stands out with its transparent pricing, live support and many useful features. Unlike most systems, Square offers a free POS software option with no monthly charges. Because Square works on iPhones, Android devices and iPads, you can make sales on the go — for example, at a farmers market, trade show or music festival.

Square rises above competitors with a free version of its POS system that bakes in a great deal of functionality and for its transparent pricing, lack of a contract and hidden fees and strong integrations with other hardware and software.

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Square: Best overall POS system

Types of businesses supported:

Retail, food and beverage, professional services (beauty, health, repair, etc.) and custom-built options.

Monthly POS software fee:

$0 for the free plan.
$29 for Square Plus.
$79 for Square Premium.

Hardware:

$0 for Square magstripe-only card reader ($10 for each additional) or if using Tap to Pay for iPhone (iPhone not included).
$49 for Square Reader contactless and chip card reader.
$149 for Square Stand iPad POS or Square Stand Mount (iPad not included).
$299 for Square Terminal mobile card reader with built-in printer.
$799 for Square Register two-screen system.
$659-$1,479 for various bundles of stands, cash drawers, printers and card readers.

Payment processing:

Varies by plan.

2.6% plus 10 cents for in-person transactions.
2.9% plus 30 cents for online transactions or invoices without a card on file. If you have the Premium plan, this drops to 2.6% plus 30 cents.
3.5% plus 15 cents for manually keyed transactions or card-on-file invoices.

Why we like it:

The Square POS system is an excellent option for small businesses looking for an easy-to-run, cost-effective POS. Square stands out among its competitors by offering a free version of its POS that contains a great deal of functionality, including sales tracking, inventory management and an offline mode to accept transactions without a Wi-Fi connection. Square also is transparent with pricing, doesn’t require contracts or charge hidden fees and integrates with third-party hardware and software. Read our full

PayPal Zettle: Best for software

Types of businesses supported:

Retail, service and e-commerce businesses.

Monthly POS software fee:

$0.

Hardware:

$29 for first card reader; additional readers cost $79. Price includes USB cable.
$249 for Store Kit Mini (screen terminal with card reader).
$339 for Store Kit Portable kit with mobile card reader and printer.
$499 for Store Kit Standard (adds printer).
$699 for Store Kit Plus (adds barcode scanner).

Payment processing:

2.29% plus 9 cents for in-person and QR code transactions.
3.49% plus 9 cents for manual-entry card transactions.
3.49% plus 49 cents for invoicing transactions.

Why we like it:

PayPal Zettle’s POS software can be downloaded for free to your mobile device. With a card reader and the creation of a

PayPal Zettle’s POS software can be downloaded for free to your mobile device. With a card reader and the creation of a PayPal Business account , you can quickly have a basic POS up and running for your business. Zettle POS includes a payment processing system that accepts all transaction types — cards, digital wallets, QR codes and keyed — along with standard POS functions such as sales tracking and reporting and inventory management. Another plus is the system’s easy integration with popular accounting and e-commerce software including QuickBooks, Shopify and BigCommerce. Read our full PayPal Zettle review

Clover: Best for hardware

Types of businesses supported:

Table service restaurants and cafes; counter service restaurants, cafes, diners and food trucks; and retail, service and e-commerce businesses.

Monthly POS software fee:

$14.95 for Starter Retail, Starter Personal Services, Starter and Standard Professional Services and Home & Field Services plans.
$44.95 for Standard Retail, Starter and Standard QSR, Standard and Advanced Personal Services and Advanced Professional Services plans.
$54.90 for Advanced Retail and Advanced QSR plans.
$74.95 for Starter Full-Service Dining plan.
$84.90 for Standard Full-Service Dining plan.
$94.85 for Advanced Full-Service Dining plan.

Hardware:

$49 for chip, swipe and contactless Clover Go card reader.
$599 for Clover Flex mobile POS with printer.
$799 for Clover Mini POS.
$1,699 for Clover Station Solo.
$1,799 for Clover Station Duo.

Payment processing:

2.3% plus 10 cents for in-person transactions for most plans.
2.6% plus 10 cents for in-person transactions on Retail Starter, Personal Services Starter and Professional Services Standard plans, as well as Home & Field Services Standard and Advanced plans.
3.5% plus 10 cents for online or keyed-in transactions.

Why we like it:

Clover offers a lot of flexibility with its merchant processing. Its POS hardware does ring up at a higher price point, but it holds a strong reputation for quality design and dependable function. Add to that competitive flat-rate processing fees and affordable monthly software fees, and Clover makes for a solid choice for small-business owners across every industry. Read our full

Stripe Terminal: Best for international businesses

Types of businesses supported:

Open application programming interface and ability to accept more than 135 currencies are primarily relevant to online sales.

Monthly POS software fee:

$0 for standard Stripe Connect.
$2 per account for Stripe Express (for marketplaces) or Stripe Custom (the white-label option that allows businesses to customize the checkout process).

Hardware:

$59 for Stripe Reader M2.
$249 for BBPOS WisePOS E card reader.

Payment processing:

2.9% plus 30 cents for online transactions.
2.7% plus 5 cents for in-person transactions.
3.4% plus 30 cents for manually keyed transactions.
3.9% plus 30 cents for international cards or currency conversion.

Why we like it:

Stripe Terminal extends Stripe Payments functionality to become a POS solution and works particularly well for online businesses looking to add in-person payment capability. Because Stripe accepts all forms of payment — credit and debit cards, digital wallets, ACH transfers and even buy now, pay later options — in more than 135 currencies, it’s a solid option for online businesses that sell internationally. Stripe has a lot of customization options and some neat features that more tech-savvy business owners, or those with access to developers, may want to take advantage of. Read our full

Helcim: Best for high sales volumes

Types of businesses supported:

Retail, service and e-commerce businesses.

Monthly POS software fee:

$0.

Hardware:

$109 for a mobile card reader (with stand).
$79 for a mobile thermal printer.

Payment processing:

Interchange plus 0.3% and 8 cents per in-person transaction (if less than $25,000 in monthly card transactions).
Interchange plus 0.5% and 25 cents per online transaction (if less than $25,000 in monthly card transactions).
Interchange plus 0.5% and 25 cents per manually keyed transaction (if less than $25,000 in monthly card transactions).
0.5% plus 25 cents for ACH payments.

Why we like it:

Helcim is best known for payment processing, but its POS software isn’t something to gloss over — especially because it’s one of a few among the competition that works across desktop and mobile as well as Mac and Windows devices. Similar to Square, Helcim boasts no monthly or hidden fees and no contract, but it follows the interchange-plus pricing model for payment processing. Helcim offers competitive processing rates and offers discounted rates for businesses with $25,000 or more a month in card transactions, meaning it’s a particularly strong contender for businesses with higher sales volumes. Read our full

Lightspeed Retail: Best for inventory management

Types of businesses supported:

Retail (apparel, bike, CBD, electronics, gift store, health, home decor, jewelry, pet, sporting goods, toy, vape, other).

Monthly POS software fee:

$89 for Lean plan ($69 if billed annually).
$149 for Standard plan ($119 if billed annually).
$269 for Advanced plan ($199 if billed annually).

Hardware:

Pricing is quote-based.

Payment processing:

2.6% plus 10 cents per in-person transaction.
2.6% plus 30 cents for manually keyed transactions.

Why we like it:

Lightspeed Retail POS stands out for its top-notch inventory management features, which include cataloging and tracking functions that are especially useful for businesses with large inventories and multiple locations. Additional features include customer relationship management and loyalty programs, employee sales and performance tracking, and data analysis and reporting. And if your business requires more, Lightspeed offers an entire marketplace of app integrations. Read our full

Shopify: Best for Shopify e-commerce users

Types of businesses supported:

E-commerce and in-store retail.

Monthly POS software fee:

To use Shopify POS, you also must have a Shopify plan for e-commerce. The following prices reflect the annual billing option, which saves you money:

$29 for Shopify Basic.
$79 for regular Shopify.
$299 for Shopify Advanced.
$2,000 for Shopify Plus.

Once you have a Shopify plan for e-commerce, add either:

$0 for Shopify POS Lite (free with all Shopify plans).
$89 per location for Shopify POS Pro (free with Shopify Plus).

Hardware:

$49 for Chipper 2X BT card reader or Tap & Chip card reader.
$219 for Retail Kit.
$399 for Shopify POS Go mobile device ($429 with case).

Payment processing:

2.4%, 2.6% or 2.9% plus 30 cents for online payments for Advanced, Shopify or Basic plan, respectively.
2.4%, 2.5% or 2.7% for in-person payments for Advanced, Shopify or Basic plan, respectively.

Why we like it:

Shopify POS is an ideal system for retailers and e-commerce businesses. The free POS available with any of Shopify’s e-commerce plans offers several valuable features, including customer profiles and history, inventory tracking, automatic sales tax calculations, basic reporting functions and more. Business owners looking for additional functionality can purchase the POS Pro plan, which offers inventory forecasting, alerts when stock is running low and a suite of useful staff-related features, among other capabilities. And with Shopify Payments, which charges flat-rate processing fees, business owners can run their store and accept payments in one unified solution. Retailers will also appreciate Shopify’s transparent pricing as well as its customer support resources. Read our full

Toast: Best for restaurants

Types of businesses supported:

Fine dining, casual dining, fast-casual, bar and nightclub, cafe and bakery and custom-built options.

Monthly POS software fee:

$0 for Quick Start Bundle.
$69 for Core plan.
$110 plus $4 per employee for Restaurant Basics plan.
$165 for Growth plan.
Custom plans available.

Hardware:

Full restaurant setups begin at $799 in the Starter plan.

$609 for Handheld Starter Kit (but $0 if you agree to a higher processing fee).
$799 for Countertop Starter Kit (but $0 if you agree to a higher processing fee).
$999 for Guest Self-Service Starter Kit (but $0 if you agree to a higher processing fee).

Payment processing:

2.99% plus 15 cents per transaction, if you choose pay-as-you-go option on hardware.
2.49% plus 15 cents for card-present transactions, if you pay for hardware upfront.
3.50% plus 15 cents for card-not-present transactions, if you pay for hardware upfront.

Why we like it:

Toast POS is built specifically for restaurants and comes with a variety of hardware designed to streamline tableside, countertop and kitchen services. The system includes features that allow restaurant owners to build a customer loyalty program, view sales reports and manage employee scheduling and payroll. Toast POS also integrates with food delivery services and other third-party software. Unlike several of its competitors offering point-of-sale systems, Toast requires a long-term contract. But with a variety of software plan options and 24/7 customer support, Toast is a strong contender for those in the restaurant business. Read our full

TouchBistro: Best for food trucks

Types of businesses supported:

Restaurants (full service, fine dining, quick service and fast casual), food trucks, breweries and wineries, bars and clubs, cafes and coffee shops, and bakeries.

Monthly POS software fee:

$69 for base plan.
$25 for gift cards feature.
$50 for online ordering feature.
$99 for loyalty features or marketing features.
$229 for reservations feature.

Hardware:

Pricing is quote-based for all hardware beyond an iPad, which is the primary piece of hardware needed to run the POS software.

Payment processing:

Varies depending on payment processor. You can choose TouchBistro’s payment processing solution or one of its integrated third-party processors.

Why we like it:

TouchBistro is a worthy contender in the restaurant POS space. Hardware that enables mobile and offline payments and software features such as menu scheduling, upselling reminders and low-inventory alerts make TouchBistro an especially strong choice for a food truck business. The POS software comes with dozens of detailed reports to give you important business insights on areas including sales, customer behavior and staff performance. TouchBistro offers relevant add-ons such as gift cards and a loyalty program for an additional monthly cost. The company is not as transparent as some competitors with pricing, and you will be bound to a long-term contract that’s not easy to terminate, but the 24/7 customer support it offers by phone, email and chat sets it apart from some other POS providers. Read our full

IT Retail: Best for grocery stores

Types of businesses supported:

General, corner, dollar and natural food stores; butcher shops, fish markets and co-ops.

Monthly POS software fee:

$199 a month for the IT Retail Flex plan. In addition to using the POS software, the Flex package allows you to essentially rent instead of buy your equipment.

Hardware:

$1,499 for the IT Retail Freedom Standard hardware bundle, which comes with a touch-screen terminal, a cash drawer, a barcode scanner, an LCD customer display and a receipt printer.
$1,999 for the IT Retail Freedom Premium hardware bundle, which includes all of the Standard bundle hardware plus a dual-arm mount for the customer display.

Payment processing:

Fees are undisclosed; you need to sign a processing agreement.

Why we like it:

IT Retail is built specifically for the needs of grocery and related stores, and it excels in its POS software design and build. The list of software features it offers is extensive and includes a function for wholesale sales, a customer loyalty program as well as capabilities to accept EBT transactions and support sales of highly regulated items such as tobacco and liquor. IT Retail’s POS app runs on a local server but regularly auto-syncs to the cloud so store data is always up to date and available across multiple locations and devices. Like many of the more industry-specific POS systems, IT Retail’s pricing is primarily quote-based. The company does, however, offer a handy online pricing tool to help you cost out a customized system.

Mục lục bài viết

How do I choose a POS system?

Choosing a POS system for your small business can be a big decision, especially with so many options on the market. Finding the right POS software for your business will come down to a few key considerations. These steps will help guide you through the process of selecting the system that best suits your business needs:

Decide on the features you need.

This will depend largely on what type of business you have. It might include items like the ability to manage tables and menus, track inventory or schedule appointments.
Weigh functionality with upfront and ongoing costs.

Once you have a handful of options that fit your needs, consider the costs. How much are the monthly service fees? What does the hardware cost? How much are the payment processing fees? Can you sign up without getting locked into a long contract? You might have to call some providers to collect quotes. Try free demos or watch videos of the software in action to get an idea of the user flows. Are they easy to understand? Would it work well with your specific business?
Narrow your options.

Which systems have the best customer service? Which ones might work with the hardware you already have? Which are the fastest and easiest to set up? These details might not be your biggest deciding factors, but they might be just important enough to help you make a final decision.

If you’d like to shop by POS software type, check out NerdWallet’s picks for:

How much does a POS system cost?

These days, many POS systems are cloud-based software with monthly subscription fees that vary widely. Some basic plans are free or start at $10 per month; other basic plans start at $99 per month. In some cases, setup fees apply. However, to use that system, you might also need to pay for:

Hardware.

Some POS systems offer a basic card reader for free, and you may be able to operate it using a phone, tablet or desktop computer you already have. In other cases, you might need proprietary hardware that can cost hundreds. Some POS systems charge monthly fees to use rented terminals.
Payment processing fees.

Usually, a payment processor comes included with a POS system. Every time you accept a debit or credit card transaction, you’ll have to pay a transaction fee, usually around 2.5% to 3% of the transaction, plus 10 to 30 cents. Pricing can vary widely. Some processors use flat fees, so you pay the same rate for all in-person transactions, for instance. Others use interchange-plus fees, which means fees can vary depending on factors such as your industry and the type of card your client is using.
More expensive plans or add-ons.

If you want multiple registers or locations or exceed a certain amount in revenue each month, a basic plan might not cut it. Certain features, such as inventory management features or loyalty program tools, might also be add-ons that cost extra.

What should a good POS system do?

A good POS system should come with features that help you run your business. These can vary widely by industry. Some examples of things you might want to look for:

Inventory management.

Keep track of how many items you have on hand and when you need to reorder.
Table or menu management.

View the status of tables in your restaurant, see how long it takes to turn tables, update menus and track when you run out of certain items.
Multilocation management.

Track inventory, menus or service in multiple areas, set different prices and tax rules for each location and run reports to see how each location is performing.
Loyalty program.

Reengage your customers with a point- or discount-earning system that gives them a reason to keep coming back; be able to send custom discounts — for example, a discount for a customer’s birthday.

Aside from useful features, you’ll also want a system that has:

Transparent pricing.

You can expect to pay a monthly fee, along with payment processing fees and hardware fees. Generally, you want to avoid early termination fees or long contracts that are hard to cancel without penalty. If payment processing comes bundled with your POS, make sure you understand the pricing first and can avoid pesky fees such as PCI compliance fees and high chargeback fees.
Intuitive user flows.

You want a system that’s easy to use and understand.
Robust customer support.

While some answers might be easy to find online, it’s nice to be able to talk to someone who can help you troubleshoot when you need it.