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6 Best Mobile POS Systems For 2024

Mobile point of sale systems allow your small business to accept payments on the go. Use this guide to choose the best mobile POS option for you.

    Matt Sherman
  • Last updated onUpdated

  • Shannon Vissers
  • REVIEWED BY

    Shannon Vissers

    Lead Staff Writer

Advertiser Disclosure: Our unbiased reviews and content are supported in part by affiliate partnerships, and we adhere to strict guidelines to preserve editorial integrity.

The best mobile POS systems could work as a countertop system or a handheld POS system for events and still have plenty of robust, back-end solutions to add mobility to your brick-and-mortar retail or restaurant business.

While the best POS systems are multi-functional, mobile point of sale systems are unique in that they also empower line-busting, floor-selling, tableside payments, and more.

Keep reading to find out our top picks for mobile POS systems.

Learn More About Our Top Picks

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  • Best All-Around For Any Business
  • Monthly Fee: Free
  • Processing Fee: 2.6% + $0.10
  • Best All-Around For Any Business
  • Monthly Fee: Free
  • Processing Fee: 2.6% + $0.10

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  • Best For Mobile Counter Service
  • Monthly Fee: $0-$290/month
  • Processing Fee: 2.3%-3.5% + $0.10
  • Best For Mobile Counter Service
  • Monthly Fee: $0-$290/month
  • Processing Fee: 2.3%-3.5% + $0.10

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  • Best For Advanced Features
  • Monthly Fee: $69 and up
  • Processing Fee: 2.6% + $0.10 for card-present, 2.6% + $0.30 for card-not-present
  • Best For Advanced Features
  • Monthly Fee: $69 and up
  • Processing Fee: 2.6% + $0.10 for card-present, 2.6% + $0.30 for card-not-present

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  • Best For Restaurants
  • Monthly Fee: $0 and up
  • Processing Fee: 2.49% + $0.15
  • Best For Restaurants
  • Monthly Fee: $0 and up
  • Processing Fee: 2.49% + $0.15

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  • Best To Supplement Online Shop
  • Monthly Fee: $39
  • Processing Fee: 2.7%
  • Best To Supplement Online Shop
  • Monthly Fee: $39
  • Processing Fee: 2.7%

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  • Best For Enterprise Businesses
  • Monthly Fee: $99 and up
  • Processing Fee: Flat rate with an in-house processor but call for quote
  • Best For Enterprise Businesses
  • Monthly Fee: $99 and up
  • Processing Fee: Flat rate with an in-house processor but call for quote

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Read more below to learn why we chose these options.

Table of Contents

What Is A Mobile Point Of Sale System?

If you’re a brand new business and curious about the basics of mobile point of sale systems, check out our helpful video below before we break down our top picks.

6 Best Mobile POS Systems In 2023

The best mobile POS systems for small businesses should feature an intuitive interface plus robust inventory and reporting. A great mobile point of sale system can help improve your business’s efficiency and profitability.

We’ve researched the most popular mobile POS systems, and through our extensive process, here’s the top of the list:

The Top Mobile POS Systems Compared

Pricing Payment Processing Hardware Cost Free Trial
Square $0+ 2.6% + $0.10 $0+
Clover $14.95/month+ 2.3% + $0.10 + $29+
Lightspeed Retail $89/month+ 2.6% + $0.10 A la carte hardware available
Toast $0/month+ with hardware subscription 2.49 + $0.15 Quote-based
Shopify $29/month+ 2.4% – 2.7% $49+
Revel Quote-based Quote-based A la carte hardware available

Square POS: Best All-Around Mobile POS

Total Rating 4.9
Pricing4.9

Ease Of Use5.0

Features4.8

Customer Service4.7

User Reviews4.8

Pricing

$0/month

Contract

None

Equipment Cost

$49-$799

Get a free card swiper from Square at no cost when you create a free account. Claim your card reader.

Pros

  • Free mobile POS app for smartphones and tablets
  • Simple, flat-rate processing
  • Robust feature set

Cons

  • Not for high-risk businesses 
  • Expensive for high-volume businesses

Why We Chose Square For Best Overall Mobile POS

With a suite of features that work just as well for retailers as they do for quick-serve restaurants and cafes, it's no surprise that Square makes our list. Square has a major presence with quick-serve businesses and cafes; it's also common among retailers and mobile service businesses, thanks to its versatility. Plus, a free online store and shopping cart integrations open the possibility of selling online.

Square is about as simple of a mobile POS system as you'll find. Its prices are competitive and upfront, and while it might not be quite as robust in some areas as a few of its competitors, Square is well-rounded and one of the most intuitive all-in-one point of sale systems around.

For small businesses needing payment processing and simple eCommerce, Square is an ideal fit.

Square Mobile POS Pricing

Square POS Plans Price  When To Use
Free Plan $0/month If you have basic POS and processing needs
Square Appointments $0-$69/month If you are a business with extensive scheduling needs
Square For Retail $0-$60/month If you are a retail business with needs for advanced features
Square For Restaurants $0-$60/month If you are in the foodservice industry and need restaurant-specific features
Square Online Store $0/month depending on plan If you have eCommerce needs

Square has no monthly fee and a flat-rate processing rate of 2.6% + $0.10 per transaction. Square processing is a good deal for low-volume, low-risk businesses. Higher-volume or higher-risk businesses (find out if you’re a low or high-risk merchant if you’re not sure) will be better off choosing a different wireless POS system they can use with their own merchant account.

However, if you have more than $250K in annual revenue, Square may offer you a processing discount.

Square Mobile POS Features

Square POS Features Availability
Multi-Store Support
Contactless Payments
Multi-Channel Selling
Gift Cards Add-on
Customer Loyalty Add-on
Marketing Tools
Online Ordering
Inventory Management
Reporting
Menu Management With Square for Restaurants
Delivery Management Add on
EBT Acceptance
Employee Management
Text Messaging

Despite its low-cost entry point, Square has a rich feature set that is also highly scaleable so you can start small and keep growing at your own pace.

Here are some of its highlights:

  • Accept split payments
  • Time cards
  • Permissions
  • Sales history
  • Custom reports
  • Print order tickets
  • Accept multiple payment types
  • Marketing tools

Square Hardware

square mobile pos reader

All you need to start processing with Square is a phone (Android or iPhone), tablet, or laptop, and a Square credit card reader.

While Square’s free magstripe card reader is an option, I would recommend purchasing Square’s EMV/NFC reader, which, at $59, is a small price to pay for the ability to accept chip cards and contactless payments. If you need something sturdier than the mobile credit card processing app and reader, you might consider using Square’s proprietary hardware: the $299 Square Terminal or the $799 Square Register.

Contract Requirements/Warnings

Square makes things simple, allowing you to pay month-to-month with no long-term commitments required.

Get Started With Square POS

Read our in-depth review

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Clover POS: Best Countertop Mobile POS

Total Rating 4.3
Pricing4.0

Ease Of Use4.8

Features4.5

Customer Service4.4

User Reviews4.1

Pricing

Starts at $0/month

Contract

Depends on merchant services provider

Equipment Cost

$49-$1,799 per device

Pros

  • Mix-and-match mobile hardware
  • Add features using the Clover App Store
  • Many Clover providers to choose from

Cons

  • POS software only compatible with Clover hardware
  • Can be expensive
  • Potential for bad merchant contracts


Why We Chose Clover For Best Countertop Mobile POS

Clover is another all-in-one mobile POS system known for its simple interface and rich feature set. It has a wide array of hardware options to help small to mid-sized businesses and convenient ways to grow your business, whether you need help with your website or expanding your online ordering options.

Clover's versatile hardware and affordable processing rates make it a vendor to strongly consider if you're in the market for a mobile POS system. Its interface is easy to use, and its various products pair seamlessly together. The app marketplace also provides multiple ways to boost your point of sale system into a selling powerhouse.

Clover Mobile POS Pricing

If you buy your hardware directly from Clover, plans start at $0/month if you want to use the device for payments only (“Clover Payments” plan) with a processing rate of 2.6% + $0.10 for card-present transactions and 3.5% + $0.10 for card-not-present transactions.

If you want POS features such as basic inventory management, you can upgrade to the $14.95/month Clover Essentials plan. At $44.95-$54.90/month, the fully-featured Register plan comes with much more functionality, including advanced inventory management and a slightly lower payment processing fee (2.3% + $0.10 for card-present transactions).

Clover also has dedicated plans for counter-service and full-service restaurants that range from $44.95/month to $94.85/month. If you decide to pay monthly for your hardware and software, you’ll pay between $35 and $290 per month, depending on which software plan you choose and what Clover hardware you add to your setup.

Clover Mobile POS Features

credit card reader for iphone

Clover has a very deep feature set for the cost, making it a popular choice as a mobile point of sale system.

Here are a few areas where it stands out:

  • Customizable dashboard
  • Digital receipts
  • Virtual terminal
  • Multiple payment options
  • Real-time reporting
  • Itemized orders

Clover Hardware

Clover has several mobile Android-based and purpose-built POS hardware solutions to choose from, but the most mobile-ready Clover device is the Clover Flex.

The mobility of the $499 Clover Flex makes it easy to line-bust, sell on the floor, or even outside the bounds of your brick-and-mortar store with a data plan. The Clover Flex has a built-in card swipe/chip/tap payment reader, receipt printer, and barcode scanner, giving you a lot of power in the palm of your hand.

The Clover Go is the closest in scope to Square if you want a mobile reader that syncs up with your cell phone, while Clover Flex is a smart terminal akin to Poynt.

However, neither of these mobile POS solutions is very suitable as a standalone mPOS if you don’t already use the Clover Station or the Clover Mini. With its built-in receipt printer, barcode scanner, and swipe/EMV/NFC reader, the Clover Mini can be used by itself or with a cash drawer using Wi-Fi, Ethernet, or LTE.

Clover plans are sold with a Fiserv merchant account and cannot be reprogrammed to use with a different payment processor. Your Clover pricing and quality of merchant services largely depend on which Clover provider you choose; make sure to buy from Clover directly or from these best Clover resellers.

Contract Requirements/Warnings

There are many stories about third-party Clover vendors locking customers into long and difficult-to-break contracts, and Fiserv’s customer service has long been an issue. With that in mind, we highly recommend that you buy through certified Clover resellers and read your fine print carefully.

Get Started With Clover POS

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Lightspeed Retail POS: Best For Robust Features

Lightspeed Retail POS

Total Rating 4.1
Pricing3.7

Ease Of Use4.4

Features4.3

Customer Service4.1

User Reviews4.0

Pricing

$89-$269/month ($69-$199/month billed annually)

Contract

Monthly, annual, and custom

Equipment Cost

$199-$329

Pros

  • Works on iPad or desktop
  • Strong eCommerce features
  • Excellent reporting

Cons

  • Monthly software costs can get expensive with advanced features
  • An added fee to use a non-Lightspeed payment processor
  • Early termination fee


Why We Chose Lightspeed For Best Mobile POS With Advanced Features

Lightspeed has become a massive player in the POS world in the past few years, and the results have only made the product better. Lightspeed offers both a Retail and Restaurant version of its excellent mobile POS system. Lightspeed's products are highly customizable, providing services for small to larger franchise businesses. With built-in payment processing and eCommerce, you won't need to look elsewhere to enhance your mobile POS system.

Lightspeed has one of the deepest feature sets available, and even smaller businesses can still gain access to them at a fairly affordable price. Both the Retail and Restaurant versions of the product have very few gaps, and if you need to scale up to a more advanced tier of services, Lightspeed makes that easy.

Lightspeed Retail Pricing

Lightspeed Retail POS Plans Price  When To Use
Lean Plan $89/month ($69/month billed annually) For single/multi-location retail business looking for strong inventory management and a customizable POS interface
Standard Plan $149/month ($119/month billed annually) For single/multi-location retail businesses looking for eCommerce and accounting features
Advanced Plan $269/month ($199/month billed annually) For single/multi-location retail businesses looking for a strong loyalty program and advanced business reporting

With a starting fee of $89/month ($69/month with annual billing), Lightspeed is easily one of the best retail POS systems on our list and one of the more expensive ones.

All Lightspeed plans come with one POS device software. You have to pay an extra $59/device/month to add extra registers to your subscription plan.

This monthly fee is only for business owners who agree to use Lightspeed’s in-house payment processor, Lightspeed Payments. If you decide to integrate a third-party payment processor, such as TSYS or Worldpay, you’ll pay an extra $50/month.

Lightspeed Payments processing service charges 2.6% + $0.10 for all in-person payments and 2.6% + $0.30 for card-not-present transactions.

Lightspeed Retail Features

Lightspeed Retail POS Features Availability
Multi-Store Support
Contactless Payments
Multi-Channel Selling Standard plan and up
Gift Cards
Customer Loyalty Advanced plan
Marketing Tools Standard plan and up
Online Ordering Standard plan and up
Inventory Management
Reporting
Menu Management
Delivery Management
EBT Acceptance
Employee Management
Text Messaging

Lightspeed Retail’s iPad app offers myriad features for any sized business. By using an iPad with Lightspeed installed, your employees can take payments from the sales floor, show customers product images and descriptions, and cut waiting times.

Here are a few of the highlights from their suite of products.

  • Advanced reporting
  • Store credit
  • Inventory management
  • Bulk items
  • Purchase orders
  • Employee management
  • CRM
  • Multi-store capability

Lightspeed Retail Hardware

lightspeed mobile pos options

Lightspeed has a variety of hardware bundles it offers on its site for both iPad and desktop versions. It also has items for purchase à la carte, such as printers and scanners.

Contract Requirements/Warning

You can sign up for Lightspeed Retail on a month-to-month or annual basis. There are substantial early termination fees for canceling long-term plans, so consider signing up for a monthly plan, then converting to a long-term one once you know Lightspeed Retail is the right POS for you.

If you plan to cancel your service, you must contact Lightspeed within 30 days of your next payment term to avoid being charged for another payment cycle.

If you purchase POS hardware from Lightspeed, you must verify that you received it within five business days. If you don’t do this, the equipment is not eligible for Lightspeed’s 30-day warranty (14 days for Apple products).

Get Started With Lightspeed Retail POS

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Toast POS: Best Restaurant-Specific Mobile POS

Total Rating 4.0
Pricing2.6

Ease Of Use4.7

Features5.0

Customer Service5.0

User Reviews4.1

Pricing

$0-$165 plus custom plan

Online Ordering

Yes

Equipment Cost

$0+

Pros

  • Restaurant-grade Android POS hardware
  • Contactless ordering and payments
  • Handheld ordering/point of sale devices

Cons

  • Requires a multi-year merchant contract with ETF
  • High cancellation fees

Why We Chose Toast For Best Mobile POS For Restaurants

Toast is an Android-based, mobile, all-in-one POS app custom-built for restaurants and bars. Toast's restaurant POS software includes cloud-based reporting, menu management, and a kitchen display system. You can even purchase Toast's digital ordering suite without needing to buy any hardware or the POS system.

Toast is tailor-made for restaurants and has always been ahead of the game when it comes to mobile ordering. Its hardware is intuitive and perfect for contactless options, and its integrations for delivery and online ordering are excellent. It also still has very highly rated customer service despite its issues with long-term contracts.

Toast Pricing

Toast POS Plans Price  When To Use
Quick Start Bundle $0/month You have a small, single-location restaurant with basic feature needs
Core $69/month You need a full point of sale suite with processing and custom hardware
Growth $165/month You need advanced features and are looking to bundle with digital ordering
Custom Custom Larger businesses looking to access the entirety of Toast’s features

Toast POS hardware can be pricey, but Toast also offers the option to finance a Starter Kit with no upfront costs.

Toast has in-house flat-rate payment processing (2.49% + $0.15); the POS is incompatible with outside payment processors. Keep in mind that to use Toast, you will need to sign a multi-year processing agreement with an early termination fee (ETF).

Toast Mobile POS Features

Toast POS Features Availability
Multi-Store Support
Contactless Payments
Multi-Channel Selling
Gift Cards
Customer Loyalty
Marketing Tools
Online Ordering
Inventory Management
Reporting
Menu Management
Delivery Management
EBT Acceptance
Employee Management
Text Messaging

Toast was built for restaurants and has everything your case or full-service establishment might need.

Here are some of its key features:

  • Online ordering
  • Contactless delivery
  • eGift card support
  • QR code payments
  • Multiple payment options
  • KDS compatibility
  • Marketing
  • Loyalty

Toast Mobile POS Hardware

toast go 2

Toast Go 2.

Toast is highly mobile, offering a custom-built handheld point of sale device called “Toast Go” that servers can use to take orders and payments from the floor. Toast employs commercial-grade Elo I-Series touch screens with various form factors for terminals, kiosks, and guest-facing displays. Restauranteurs also like the kitchen display system, which eliminates the need for paper tickets, speeding up and simplifying operations.

Contract Requirements/Warnings

Toast only uses its own payment processor and has gotten into the bad habit lately of signing customers up for lengthy contracts with termination fees, so make sure you like the product and know what you’re getting before signing anything.

Get Started With Toast POS

Read our in-depth review

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Shopify POS: Best For Online Selling

Total Rating 4.3
Pricing4.0

Ease Of Use4.9

Features4.4

Customer Service4.8

User Reviews4.4

Pricing

Starts at $29/month

Contract

None

Equipment Cost

$0-$500+

Pros

  • Pocket-sized POS to take payments on your smartphone
  • Great for craft fairs, farmer’s markets, and pop-up shops
  • Comes with buy buttons to sell on your blog or website

Cons

  • Not a standalone POS for full-time businesses
  • Limited customization
  • Fee for using third-party processing

shopify pos mobile pos in clothing store

Why We Chose Shopify For Best Mobile POS For eCommerce

Shopify started as an eCommerce software provider, but it's moved into the realm of an all-in-one provider thanks to its integrated payments service and a surprisingly robust POS. One big draw with Shopify POS is how easily you can upgrade and scale as your business grows. Shopify is also versatile in that you can use it on any mobile device or laptop. Plus, it has various pricing plans to choose from.

Shopify started out as simply an eCommerce platform, and that's still where it's at its best. If you're using Shopify for your online selling needs, Shopify's mobile POS system might be a simple and convenient fit. Even its basic plan has a solid offering of features good enough for virtually any small business; with Shopify's eCommerce platform built in, selling online is a snap.

Shopify Pricing

Shopify POS Plans Price  When To Use
Basic $39/month ($29/month billed annually) If you have a growing eCommerce business with occasional in-person sales
Shopify $105/month ($79/month billed annually) If you want additional reporting and reduced payment processing fees
Advanced $399/month ($299/month billed annually) If you want advanced reporting and additional discounts on processing fees
Shopify Plus $2,000+/month If your high-volume or large business needs an enterprise-level solution

The entry-level service plan, Shopify’s Basic Plan, comes at an affordable rate and provides access to the POS system as well as invoicing and limited online selling tools — embeddable buy buttons to sell on your existing blog or website (supports WordPress, Squarespace, Wix, Weebly, Tumblr, and more).

Shopify Features

Shopify POS Features Availability
Multi-Store Support Supports multiple inventory locations
Contactless Payments
Multi-Channel Selling
Gift Cards
Customer Loyalty
Marketing Tools
Online Ordering
Inventory Management
Reporting
Menu Management
Delivery Management
EBT Acceptance
Employee Management
Text Messaging

Although Shopify’s most basic plan doesn’t come with all of the features of its higher tiers, it still has an impressive array, including some of these standouts:

  • Customizable templates
  • Integrated hardware
  • Custom permissions
  • Advanced inventory
  • Unified reporting
  • Online ordering
  • Integrated loyalty
  • Marketing

Shopify Hardware

Shopify offers hardware kits online and has its own readers for payment processing. These can be purchased through its website along with other individual items, such as cash drawers and printers.

Contract Requirements/Warnings

You can sign up for Shopify’s services on a month-to-month basis, but you are incentivized with a lower overall price if you sign on for a year.

Get Started With Shopify POS

Read our in-depth review

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Revel POS: Best For Enterprise Businesses

Total Rating 4.0
Pricing3.6

Ease Of Use3.9

Features4.7

Customer Service4.2

User Reviews3.8

Pricing

Quote-based

Contract

Three-year commitment for lowest rate

Equipment Cost

Call for quote

Pros

  • Deep feature set
  • Numerous integrations
  • Multilocation capability

Cons

  • High cost to start
  • Not highly intuitive


Why We Chose Revel For Best Mobile POS For Enterprise Businesses

Revel is an exceptionally robust POS system that is more than capable of handling mid-sized to larger retail and restaurant establishments. While its monthly fee and setup costs aren't exactly cheap, if you want a mobile point of sale system without any gaps, Revel is certainly worth considering. It also has access to scores of integrations to enhance its offerings further, making it an extremely powerful tool for your business.

Revel has virtually any feature you could dream up in your search for a mobile POS. It has incredibly deep reporting for business owners who are into analytics. If you already have some experience with point of sale systems, you might be able to bypass Revel's learning curve as well. Overall, it's an extremely solid system that is worth the price if you're planning on utilizing all it has to offer.

Revel Pricing

Revel POS Plans Price  When To Use
Revel plan Quote-based: three-year commitment for cheapest plan Use if you are committed to the product and have a need for high-end features.

Revel has plans that start at $99/month. However, that rate is only offered to customers who sign up for a three-year processing plan with Revel, so make sure you know what you’re getting into first. It also offers onboarding starting at $674, which may be worth it as the system is not overly intuitive.

Revel Mobile POS Features

Revel POS Features Availability
Multi-Store Support
Contactless Payments
Multi-Channel Selling
Gift Cards
Customer Loyalty
Marketing Tools
Online Ordering
Inventory Management
Reporting
Menu Management
Delivery Management
EBT Acceptance
Employee Management
Text Messaging

As mentioned, Revel is loaded with features, and you’ll likely want to visit its website to see everything it has to offer, but here are some of the highlights:

  • Advanced reporting
  • Online ordering
  • Customer display system
  • Built-in loyalty
  • Deep offline mode
  • Open API
  • Multistore capacity

Revel Hardware

revel stand alone mobile kiosk

Revel offers everything your company might need à la carte on its website. You can purchase from a selection of iPads, stands, cash drawers, printers, and kiosks.

Contract Requirements/Warnings

Revel’s most affordable pricing plan only comes with a three-year contract through its own processor and a minimum purchase of at least two stations. If you’re confident that you like Revel and its rates, this is a pretty good deal for everything that comes with Revel, but if you’re at all uncertain, it might not be worth the risk.

Get Started With Revel POS

Read our in-depth review

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Methodology

Merchant Maverick has been researching and reviewing POS providers since 2012. Our writers have tested over 100 different point of sale systems, evaluating pricing, features, ease of use, customer service, and user reviewers. Read more about how we rate POS providers.

When comparing different POS software systems, we consider many data points, including relative pricing, the depth of niche features offered, the price of hardware, and any associated payment processing fees. Our lists of the best providers include only apps we’ve deemed worthwhile from multiple vantage points. The POS vendors we pick share qualities such as widespread availability, accessibility, user-friendliness, and reasonable pricing. We also look carefully at niche features, such as check-splitting, inventory management, eCommerce, loyalty programs, gift cards, and more.

We spend an average of 10-15 hours researching and updating each one of our lists, making sure the providers included meet our internal standards for quality and reputation.

80+

Vendors evaluated

65+

Attributes assessed per vendor

20+

Features weighed

30+

Combined years of experience


These Mobile POS Options Earn An Honorable Mention

These vendors didn’t quite make our cut, but they may work for certain types of businesses.

PayPal Zettle For Mobile POS

With PayPal Zettle (formerly PayPal Here), you’ll pay 2.29% + $0.09 per in-person transaction, which you’ll process with the $29 chip and tap reader. With no monthly fee and flat-rate pricing, it’s suitable for low-volume businesses and cheaper than Square, but it doesn’t provide the POS features Square or Shopify offer, such as a virtual terminal.

If you want a more fully-featured POS that uses PayPal payment processing, Lightspeed is an option for retail, while PayPal integrates with TouchBistro, Lavu, and talech for restaurants. PayPal Zettle can complement any of those systems for occasional mobile sales, but it is not a suitable standalone POS.

eHopper For Mobile POS

eHopper is a basic, free POS system that may appeal to certain business types, such as convenience stores and small grocery stores. You can use eHopper on an iPad, Windows tablet, Android tablet, PC, or Poynt Smart Terminal to accept cash, credit, debit cards, and EBT.

In addition to its free monthly cost, an eHopper account also includes a free terminal. eHopper also offers credit surcharge no-fee credit card processing, which allows you to pass on your credit card fees to your customers (if that practice is legal in your state). With its free plan, free Pax S300 terminal (for new customers), and even free credit card processing, eHopper is worth checking out if you want a free POS.

However, it is not the only free POS system. For example, Square is free, and although you will pay for credit card processing, Square has more features and doesn’t require you to pass your processing costs to your customers.

7 Ways A Mobile POS System Can Help Your Business

Mobile POS setups offer a plethora of advantages for small businesses, especially businesses that are very wary of the cost of POS systems. Even if your business has a traditional brick-and-mortar storefront, you can leverage mPOS to your advantage. Here are some innovative ways to use mobile point of sale systems to take your business to the next level.

1) Mobile POS Systems Are Easy To Use & Train Employees On

Mobile POS is remarkably easy to use, allowing businesses to quickly and easily set up their system and train new employees on it in hours or even minutes. Mobile point of sale is intuitive for anyone familiar with smartphones and tablets, and many iPad-based systems do not even require professional installation. In most cases, getting started with a new mobile POS is just a matter of setting up your account, installing the app, and going through a self-guided tutorial. The best restaurant POS systems often feature mobile options that are easy for waitstaff to learn and use.

2) Accept Contactless Payments With A Mobile POS

Mobile POS systems generally allow you to take payments on a mobile device and accept payments from customers’ smartphones and smartwatches. Contactless payments (also called NFC payments, mobile payments, or mobile wallets) include options such as Apple Pay, Google Pay (formerly Android Pay), and PayPal.

Some POS systems also accept contactless QR code payments wherein customers scan a code with their phone’s camera and pay from their device. Giving your customers contactless options to pay makes it much quicker and easier for them to buy from you. Especially during COVID-19, many customers prefer safer contactless payments, and most of the best point of sale systems for retail offer this feature.

3) Use A Mobile POS For Line Busting & Flexible Checkouts

Mobile devices can be used in tandem with traditional registers, or you can eliminate the registers if you have that kind of trendy biz! You can use mobile checkouts to reduce lines — for example, a cafe server can work their way down the line at the counter with a handheld device on a busy morning. Or you can offer multiple low-key places to check out in a store. Many people prefer self-checkout POS systems whenever possible, which is another option you have with mobile hardware. With mPOS, it’s all about options!

Sephora is an example of a company that uses mobile checkout options on an as-needed basis. The company gives its staff mobile devices, so the floor sales agents can check people out if there’s a very long line.

4) Pop-Up Shops, Tradeshows, & Sidewalk Sales

Many retail businesses can benefit from non-traditional sales opportunities at special events, such as craft fairs, festivals, or pop-up shops. Retail businesses increasingly take advantage of these events to make direct sales, spread the word about their products, and generate social media buzz. Mobile POS lets you travel to other cities, bring inventory to conventions or tradeshows, or join the local sidewalk sale.

With mobile POS, if you can get an internet signal via your cell or mobile hotspot, it is often a lot cheaper than buying it for a wired terminal at a convention center. Some mobile POS systems even have an offline mode, letting you take credit card payments even when you don’t have an internet or data signal.

5) Mobile POS For Food Trucks & Catering

Mobile POS lets you take your restaurant on the road! Food truck events are super popular, and you don’t want your restaurant to miss out on the chance to impress new customers with your cuisine. Our list of best food trucks POS systems should get you started there.

Even if your restaurant uses a full POS, you can use a mobile system in conjunction with your POS for events. You can also use mPOS to take payments on the go when you are catering events.

Mobile POS systems offer features such as digital receipts and have a much smaller footprint than traditional POS registers, so they are ideal in cramped quarters. Free restaurant POS systems do exist, and many offer great mobile options for smaller businesses.

6) Mobile Systems Make Tableside Ordering Easy For Customers

There are a couple of different ways in which mobile POS lets restaurants leverage tableside ordering.

One way is self-checkout tablets at tables that allow customers to order and make payments right from the table.

Another is with mobile devices that your employees can carry, enabling the servers to digitally send orders to the kitchen and process customers’ payments from the floor. Tableside ordering technology saves time and reduces mistakes in orders because the POS prompts for details, such as dressings, toppings, sides, etc. Many mobile solutions make any gift card systems you already have work easily and well.

7) Accept Payments Wherever Your Client Is With A Mobile POS

Whether you’re in plumbing, pest control, lawn care, contracting, or another type of mobile business — e.g., a business that visits clients at home or primarily interacts with them on a worksite — mobile POS lets you take payments wherever your clients are. Instead of waiting on invoices, you can accept payment right on the spot. That makes things easier for your customers, as it’s typically much more convenient to hand someone your credit card than to hunt down your checkbook or enter your credit card number in an online payment portal. Onsite payments also reduce the number of late payments you’ll have to chase down later on.

Which Mobile POS System Is Right For Your Business?

Mobile POS is the future of point of sale technology, not just due to its portability or small footprint but also its advanced web-based features, scalability, and ease of use. Even if you don’t absolutely need one of the best mobile point of sale systems right now, it’s important to think of the future and the flexibility of a tablet-based POS system.

If you’re brand-new to mobile POS and mobility is the most important quality you’re looking for — particularly if you want to take payments on your smartphone — I’d recommend starting with Square. It’s free to use, and since there’s no commitment required, you can always move on to more advanced POS mobile systems later on if you find you need a Square alternative.

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Matt Sherman

Matt Sherman

Lead Staff Writer at Merchant Maverick
Matt has been helping small businesses make decisions since 2017. He has written reviews and articles across many different channels but specializes in the point of sale, payroll, and small business insurance categories and has been quoted in articles for Fox Business, Forbes, and other publications. Prior to joining Merchant Maverick, Matt was a journalist and editor for 14 years for a pair of weekly newspapers. He is a graduate of the University of Oregon and currently resides in Gladstone, Oregon.
Matt Sherman
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