Best Android POS Systems For Small Business

Square has recently changed its pricing structure to three core plans. While many features are available on the free plan, inventory management features like vendor management, inventory counts, automated purchase ordering, and barcode printing are available on paid plans.

Add-ons are also available.

Square has software features for retail, restaurant, and service businesses, but no matter which industry plan you choose, you get these free features:

• Square Online: Free online store builder that allows you to sell retail items, take restaurant orders, and/or schedule appointments
• Square Invoices: Free invoice builder to send estimates, charge deposits, and charge cards on file
• Unlimited Devices: On the free plan, you can use any number of tablets at your location
• Checkout Links: Accept payments via QR code, hyperlink, email, text, social media profile, or buy button embedded in a website
• eGift Cards: Sell eGift cards for free, including group eGift cards
• Square Dashboard: Manage your inventory, reports, online store, appointments, customer profiles, and your team from anywhere on one tablet dashboard
• Social Media Integrations: Sell through Instagram, TikTok, or Google product listings
• Order Fulfillment Options: In-store shopping, buy in-store for shipping, and item pickup
• Delivery Options For Restaurants: In-house and third-party delivery platforms
• Google Appointment Booking Integration

One of Square’s features is Tap to Pay on Android, which turns regular Android smartphones into contactless card readers. To accept chip card payments, you need the Square card reader. This is ideal for businesses with no budget, especially mobile-only businesses.

Square’s proprietary hardware is Android-based, including the Square Terminal, the Square Restaurant Mobile POS kit, and the Square Register.

The provider also offers hardware peripherals such as weight scales and stands to create self-serve kiosks.

You may only use Square for payment processing, and the provider charges these payment processing fees for these payment types:

• Card-Present: 2.4% – 2.6% + $0.15
• Online: 2.9% – 3.3% + $0.30
• Manually-Keyed Card: 3.5% + $0.15

Note: Online payments include payments made via an online store, as well as QR codes and other Square Checkout links.

Square subscriptions are month-to-month, and you can cancel your account without consequences.

If you damage your Square hardware within your hardware warranty period, the company will send you new equipment, even if you don’t purchase the hardware directly from Square. Send old pieces back to Square within 14 days of getting your new hardware, or you will be charged for the new equipment.

The prices listed are for plans purchased directly through Clover.

However, you can purchase your Clover POS system from several Clover-authorized sellers, so prices will vary. Read our Clover pricing guide to understand more about how much you may pay for your Clover hardware, software, and payment processing fees.

Clover offers retail, restaurant, and service-based business software plans. All Clover users will appreciate the provider’s built-in loyalty program and free online ordering page.

The real power of Clover comes from the app market, which offers everything from form builders to employee management apps to appointment schedulers. For example, the niche gym membership integrations make Clover one of the best POS systems for gyms, while a more general ticketing app used in creative ways can make Clover one of the best coffee shop POS systems.

Note: If you like Clover’s numerous software integrations but want a stronger eCommerce presence, Shopify is a good alternative POS for Android.

Clover hardware ranges from $199 – $1,799. The Clover Flex handheld POS system is great for mobile sellers, especially professional and field service providers like mobile hairdressers and landscapers.

The Clover Mini is a small countertop terminal that includes a built-in receipt printer and is great for quick-serve restaurants as well as small retail establishments. The Clover Station is a full countertop solution with a cash drawer, receipt printer, and card reader.

Clover also has proprietary kitchen display software and hardware.

Note: The above pricing is for hardware purchased on Clover.com. It’s important to note that Clover hardware costs will vary depending on Clover hardware providers.

Clover payment processing rates vary depending on where you get your Clover hardware and accompanying merchant services from.

If you get your POS from Clover.com, you’ll pay 2.3% – 2.6% + $0.10 per transaction for card-present transactions and 3.5% + $0.10 per transaction for all card-not-present transactions, which includes invoice payments and online ordering website payments.

Small businesses can get flat-rate payment processing. Larger businesses can seek a merchant services provider that offers an interchange-plus payment processing model, the most cost-effective model for processing large sales volumes.

Read our post on the best Clover resellers to find a Clover-authorized merchant services provider with the best payment processing rates and contract terms for your business.

Clover offers 36-month and 48-month contracts with early termination fees should you cancel your contract early. There’s also nothing you can do with your Clover hardware if you stop using Clover POS software since Clover hardware is proprietary. The company won’t fix hardware that you obtain from any source other than Clover.com.

If you work with a Clover reseller, you are subject to that reseller’s terms, so do your research before committing. Read your contract and other customer reviews of your potential merchant service provider to avoid Clover scams.

The bottom line is that no matter where you get your Clover hardware, buying expensive proprietary hardware is a big commitment. So, make sure Clover is right for you before spending a lot of money on POS hardware.

You can purchase these popular Toast software add-ons at the following prices:

• Toast Now: Includes Online Ordering, Toast TakeOut, contactless delivery, and delivery services.
• Toast Now Plus: Includes Online Ordering, Toast TakeOut, contactless delivery, delivery services, and eGift cards.
• Toast Now Premium: Includes Online Ordering, Toast TakeOut, contactless delivery, delivery services, eGift cards, and email marketing.

Toast has an extensive number of proprietary software products that all integrate with the Android POS system. Features include:

• Employee scheduling
• Payroll
• Vendor management
• Multilocation management

Toast has one of the best rewards programs and boasts features like:

• Multiple Enrollment Opportunities: In-person, self-serve kiosks, tableside, delivery, takeout orders, website link
• Custom Account Information: Customers can sign up via text or email and receive a welcome message, plus updates on your loyalty program.
• Earn On Every Purchase
• Customer Loyalty Account Link
• Automated Redemption Prompts

Toast’s loyalty program integration with kiosks makes Toast one of the best kiosks for restaurants.

Toast’s handheld POS, the Toast Go 2, is one of its standout tools. It lets staff navigate multiple floor plans, send orders by prep time, manage seating, and handle large parties with ease. These features make Toast a top choice for busy bars and large restaurants with bar service.

Toast’s xtraCHEF tool also simplifies inventory and purchasing. It lets you manage vendors, create ordering guides, and generate purchase orders from multiple suppliers — all through an intuitive, online-style checkout interface.

Toast’s hardware starts at $0+ if you agree to a higher processing rate. 

Toast has a number of hardware options available, including:

• Toast Go 2 Handheld POS
• Countertop POS
• Outdoor Wi-Fi Access Point
• Kitchen Printer
• Cash Drawer
• KDS
• Self-Serve Kiosk Terminal

Toast’s advertised rates are 2.49% + $0.15 for card-present transactions and 3.5% + $0.15 for Visa, Mastercard, and Discover, and 3.89% + $0.15 for AMEX for online transactions. Depending on your plan, a custom quote may be required. 

Note: If you like Toast’s wide range of Android-based restaurant hardware but want better payment processing rates, Clover hardware paired with a reputable merchant services provider is a good alternative.

Toast requires at least a two-year agreement and processing contract with Toast. If you decide to terminate your contract early, you will pay hefty fees to do so.

If you choose Toast, read your contract thoroughly and make sure you understand all the fees and how long you are committed.

All eCommerce plans come with the free POS Lite app. There is a POS Pro app you may add to one of the above plans for an additional monthly fee. This app comes with more employee permissions, better inventory reporting, and in-person workflow automations.

Your payment processing rate decreases on higher-level plans. Businesses with larger transaction volumes and inventory management needs should strongly consider upgrading to save money in the long run.

Shopify’s unique features come in the form of its synced online/in-person sales features, which (depending on your version of the Android POS app) include:

• eCommerce store builder with in-store pickup, local delivery, and lots of shipping options
• Exchanges and returns on online items at any of your retail locations
• In-app social media sales through TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, Twitter, WhatsApp, and more
• Integrations with online marketplaces such as Etsy, Walmart, Amazon, and Wish
• Inventory syncing between all online and offline sales platforms
• Shopify Marketplace Connect to connect all marketplace sales accounts in one place
• International sales features to accept local currencies, generate your online store in different languages, and more
• Shopify Markets to reach global markets
• Shopify app market with over 8,000 free and paid apps

There are very few limitations with Shopify for both online and in-person sellers, which is why we consider Shopify to be one of the best retail POS systems on the market.

Shopify works on any Android tablet or smartphone.

Like Square, Shopify offers Tap to Pay on Android. You’ll need the Shopify card reader to accept chip card payments. Shopify’s retail kits are built for iOS devices, so you won’t be able to use them with Android tablets.

The Shopify app paired with the company’s card reader makes Shopify one of the best mobile POS systems for retail stores.

The Android-based Shopify Go all-in-one handheld POS system is similar to the Clover Flex and the Square Terminal. However, the Shopify Go is shaped more like a smartphone, making this a sleek option for taking swipe, chip, and tap payment types.

Shopify has an in-house payment processor, Shopify Payments, which is available in several countries. To avoid transaction fees that range from 0.5% to 2% per transaction, qualified business owners must use Shopify Payments.

Shopify Payments has advertised processing rates of 2.4% – 2.7%. 

The higher your monthly Shopify subscription, the lower your payment processing fees will be. As companies increase their sales volumes, they should move to a higher plan to save money on fees.

At some point, it may be worth it for larger businesses to switch to a third-party payment services provider that offers better payment processing rates and just pay the transaction fees.

Shopify has monthly and annual contracts. Annual contracts have better pricing, and Shopify doesn’t charge early termination fees. However, you won’t get a refund on any plan, so consider this as you’re purchasing your subscription plan. As always, make extensive use of your free trial before committing.

Most Shopify POS users get a one-year warranty on Shopify POS hardware. If you sign up for the POS Pro plan, you’ll get an extended two-year warranty.

Helcim started as one of the best merchant services providers and, from there, built free Android POS software, so you only pay your payment processing fees (which you have to pay no matter which POS system you use).

Standout features include:

• Customer registry to sign up customers for subscriptions, take deposits and partial payments, and send invoices
• Subscription settings to create free trials, build customer portals, send automated reminders, or bill on a prorated or metered basis
• Template builder to customize information fields
• Quotes, estimates, and invoices
• Custom recurring payment schedules
• Reminders for upcoming and overdue invoice payments
• B2B and B2G payments with lower processing fees

Note: Helcim may not be able to work with you if you own a high-risk business. Clover and KORONA are alternative Android POS systems compatible with high-risk merchant account providers.

You need a tablet, smartphone, or desktop computer and the Helcim card reader to make sales.

Alternatively, you can use the Helcim Android-based Smart Terminal, a handheld POS system that allows you to take swipe, chip, and contactless payment types. It has a built-in printer and an option to email purchase or invoice payment receipts to customers.

Each business, no matter the size or industry, will get its own custom interchange-plus payment processing rate. For many business owners, interchange-plus processing is much more cost-effective than flat-rate processing. This is why Helcim is one of our best payment processing companies.

The company offers a calculator on its website to give you an idea of how much you may pay per transaction.

The more money your company makes, and the higher the average transaction size, the better your payment processing rates will be.

Note: Helcim allows you to capture Level 3 transaction data, which translates to less risk on the part of credit card companies, volume payment processing discounts, and a lower payment processing rate for your business. With a Level 3 PCI compliance level, you can also accept corporate cards and government spending account payments.

Helcim offers flexible month-to-month contracts and charges no early termination fees, making Helcim a low-risk POS provider for you to try out.

Note: Helcim and Square offer similar contract terms and free POS software. Read our Helcim vs. Square comparison to help you choose the right POS software for you.

KORONA offers the above monthly plans as well as these add-ons:

KORONA’s most unique Android POS system features are its loss prevention features, affordable inventory management, and new RFID (radio frequency identifying) product tagging security technology.

You get these loss prevention features with KORONA:

• Forced drawer closing, blind till counts, and restricting cash drawer access to open only when they make a sale
• Require manager approval for item voids, price changes, item returns, and inventory changes
• Run cash drawer reports at any time, at the end of shifts, and set maximum allowed balance differences
• Cashier balance and time tracking reports
• Restrict which cashiers can grant permissions to other cashiers

KORONA offers excellent inventory management capabilities:

• Set reordering levels with preferred vendor/warehouse reordering sources
• Pack to single-item conversion
• Product performance reports
• Stock difference lists and product discrepancy reports
• Inventory app so you can send purchase orders, receive items, and scan barcodes from your phone

KORONA’s regulated item inventory management features make this system one of the best convenience store POS systems.

Franchise owners will appreciate the ability to create portals for franchisees with restricted user permissions. Owners also get franchise revenue reports and a royalty collection setup.

KORONA has recently partnered with RES, a software provider that offers retail RFID tagging technology. With RFID tags, a self-checkout kiosk or KORONA register will automatically sense the tags and add them to an order. This way, no one can steal from self-checkout. There will also be fewer employee mistakes when scanning items at the checkout counter.

Additionally, RFID tags lower the amount of stock loss and inaccuracies, which will help you maintain proper inventory practices and save money.

You can use KORONA on just about any smartphone, tablet, or desktop device, or purchase KORONA’s POS bundles (which you’ll get a custom quote for.)

KORONA is compatible with Epson, PartnerTech, PAX, Genius, Dejavoo, Econduit, Aures, Honeywell, and more hardware brands. Most hardware accessories are connected via ethernet cables to ports in a centralized POS hub.

Note: If you are looking for a more sleek, cohesive POS hardware setup, Clover offers an excellent line of Android-based POS systems and works with several of the best high-risk merchant account providers.

KORONA does not offer in-house payment processing but integrates with several payment processors, including Merchant Warehouse and Merchant Payment Systems.

You can also integrate KORONA with several merchant service providers through PAX and Dejavoo payment devices.

KORONA offers month-to-month contracts with no early termination fees. You can pay for an annual contract and get one month free.

The provider also offers an unlimited free trial, so try the software for as long as you need before committing to it.

Make sure your merchant agreement terms are fair for your business. High-risk business owners should expect to pay more for payment processing than lower-risk business owners.

Loyverse is free to download and use forever. The following are paid add-ons:

Loyverse is free POS software available for download on the Google Play Store, which means that you can use it offline and sell products from anywhere, with Wi-Fi or without. Features include:

• Free customizable loyalty program
• Multilocation support
• Perishable and liquid inventory management
• Free kitchen display system/kitchen printer order routing capabilities
• Takeout/delivery sales options
• Sales by weight

The Loyverse app can be downloaded from the Google Play store. Compatible card readers vary in price, depending on what credit card processor you work with.

Loyverse also supports an assortment of hardware, including printers, barcode scanners, and Android terminals from providers like iMin and Summi.

Loyverse integrates with several payment processors, including PayPal Zettle, SumUp, and Worldpay.

There are no contract requirements to install the Loyverse app on Android. However, you may have to sign a contract with your payment processor.