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Best POS Systems For Small Business In 2024

A point of sale system is a hub of operations. The best POS systems for small businesses provide everything you need to keep business operations running smoothly.

    Nicolette Kier
  • Last updated onUpdated

  • Matt Sherman
  • REVIEWED BY

    Matt Sherman

    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 POS system for small businesses helps small business owners accept digital payments, manage inventory and customers, and provide financial insights affordably.

We analyzed dozens of POS software based on pricing, features, ease of use, small business POS hardware availability, POS transaction fees, and software contract terms to help you find the best POS system for your individual business needs.

Table of Contents

Learn More About Our Top Picks

CompanyBest ForNext StepsBest For
Lightspeed Retail POS

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  • Best for managing large retail and rental inventory
  • $69+/month
  • Monthly/custom contracts, early termination fee
  • Best for managing large retail and rental inventory
  • $69+/month
  • Monthly/custom contracts, early termination fee

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Square POS

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  • Completely free in-person and online POS system
  • $0+/month
  • Monthly contracts, no termination fee
  • Completely free in-person and online POS system
  • $0+/month
  • Monthly contracts, no termination fee

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Shopify POS

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  • Best for multichannel and international sales
  • $39+/month
  • Monthly/annual contracts, no termination fee
  • Best for multichannel and international sales
  • $39+/month
  • Monthly/annual contracts, no termination fee

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TouchBistro

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  • Best for small full-service restaurants and food trucks
  • $69+/month
  • Monthly/custom contracts, early termination fee
  • Best for small full-service restaurants and food trucks
  • $69+/month
  • Monthly/custom contracts, early termination fee

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Toast POS

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  • Best for midsize and multilocation restaurants
  • $0-$165+/month
  • Two-year standard contract, early termination fee
  • Best for midsize and multilocation restaurants
  • $0-$165+/month
  • Two-year standard contract, early termination fee

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Clover POS

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  • Best all-in-one POS software, hardware, and payment processing
  • $0+/month
  • Custom contracts, terms vary by merchant account provider
  • Best all-in-one POS software, hardware, and payment processing
  • $0+/month
  • Custom contracts, terms vary by merchant account provider

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Revel POS

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  • Best for niche and larger businesses
  • $198+/month
  • Standard three-year contract, early termination fee
  • Best for niche and larger businesses
  • $198+/month
  • Standard three-year contract, early termination fee

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Lightspeed Restaurant POS Review

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  • Best for fast-paced restaurants and hotels
  • $69-$399+/month
  • Custom contracts, early termination fee
  • Best for fast-paced restaurants and hotels
  • $69-$399+/month
  • Custom contracts, early termination fee

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Helcim POS Review

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  • Best for service and subscription-based businesses, especially B2B/B2G
  • $0
  • Monthly contracts, no termination fee
  • Best for service and subscription-based businesses, especially B2B/B2G
  • $0
  • Monthly contracts, no termination fee

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KORONA POS

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  • Best for high-risk businesses
  • $59+/month
  • Monthly contracts, no termination fee
  • Best for high-risk businesses
  • $59+/month
  • Monthly contracts, no termination fee

Visit Site

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Show Fewer Options

Read more below to learn why we chose these options.

What Is A POS System For Small Business?

The definition of a POS system is software that, when connected to a card reader and register interface such as an iPad, allows you to take digital forms of payment when selling in person at a retail storefront, restaurant, or on the go.

The main benefits of a POS system include streamlined day-to-day operations, better insight into your sales, and a higher number of engaged customers.

Cloud-based POS systems are becoming the norm and are a much more accessible alternative to the more traditional locally installed POS systems of the past. These are typically run from a semi-portable tablet or proprietary countertop hardware system.

How To Choose A Small Business POS System

To choose the best POS system for your small business, consider your:

For a more detailed breakdown of POS pricing, features, hardware, and what to avoid, check out our article on how to choose a POS system.

10 Best POS Systems For Small Business

The best POS systems for small businesses are affordable, easy to use, and have the features your business needs to operate efficiently.

Our top choices include:

Compare The Best Small Business POS Systems

Online Ordering Loyalty Program Gift Card Sales Best Industries Served Free Trial
Lightspeed Retail Add-on Add-on Retail, rental 14 days
Square Free Add-on eGift cards Retail, restaurant, service businesses Free with no contracts; 30 days on paid plans
Clover Retail, restaurant, service businesses
Revel Add-on Add-on Add-on All business types
Shopify Add-on Retail, online ordering, subscriptions Three days
Toast Add-on Add-on Add-on Restaurant
Helcim Free Sell as products B2B sales, subscriptions, service businesses Free with no contracts
TouchBistro Add-on Add-on Restaurant
Lightspeed Restaurant Add-on Add-on Restaurant, hotels
KORONA High-risk businesses Unlimited

Lightspeed Retail POS: Best For Managing Retail & Rental Inventory

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

  • Impressive inventory management
  • Excellent rental item management
  • Intuitive multi-store features
  • Several niche third-party integrations available

Cons

  • Add-ons can be expensive
  • Early cancellation fee
  • Must use Lightspeed for payment processing

Lightspeed Retail tablet POS, store management dashboard, and loyalty program points on smartphone

Lightspeed Retail tablet POS, store management dashboard, and loyalty program points on smartphone.

Why We Chose Lightspeed Retail POS System For Managing Retail & Rental Inventory

We believe that Lightspeed Retail is easily one of the best retail POS systems because of its excellent inventory management features, built-in B2B/B2C retail sales capabilities, simple multilocation management, and highly customizable loyalty program. We also like that Lightspeed has so many third-party software integrations available, which allow you to do everything from managing work orders to integrating security cameras to performing retail sales/consumer behavior analytics.

Lightspeed Retail is also one of the best POS systems for rental businesses, specifically because of the system's quoting, reservation, and extensive inventory management capabilities. Whether you rent out photography equipment, party furniture, or wedding venues, Lightspeed Retail can work as a POS system for your small business.

Note: Lightspeed Retail offers a 14-day free trial, no credit card is required.

Lightspeed Retail POS 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

If you want Lightspeed’s customizable loyalty program builder but don’t need the highest-level plan, you can get a lower-level plan and talk to Lightspeed about a Lightspeed Loyalty add-on.

Note: Each plan comes with one location and one register. You may purchase additional registers for $59/register/month. With each new location, you get another register. For example, if you have two locations, you’ll get two registers, one in each location, but will only pay the added location fee. If you purchase a third register license, you’ll pay the added location fee and an additional $59/month.

Lightspeed offers several proprietary add-ons such as Lightspeed Subscriptions, plus third-party integrations like Booxi appointment scheduling software and Hubtiger rental software.

Lightspeed Retail POS 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

All business owners will appreciate Lightspeed’s customizable loyalty program, extensive inventory management features, work order monitoring, and Lightspeed eCom capabilities.

The unique inventory matrixing system makes it simple for retailers to sell items in singular departments or across departments, add inventory tags to items, and attach items to a vendor. When you’re running low on something, you get a low-stock alert, and then you can look up a vendor and order several things at once.

Lightspeed Retail add inventory item from admin dashboard

Lightspeed Retail add inventory item from the admin dashboard.

Retailers will appreciate Lightspeed’s unique shopping features, such as purchasing online for in-store pick-up, item holds/layaway, and an online customer return/exchange portal.

If you rent out items, venues, or services, Lightspeed Retail has excellent form builders, appointment scheduling, and a dedicated reservation app.

Lightspeed is also great for wholesalers. It has a quote system, catalog builder, customer accounts, pricing adjustments/discounts by customer group, minimum order requirements, and wholesale to individual item breakdowns.

Lightspeed Retail POS systems for liquor stores

Lightspeed Retail B2B order quote.

Finally, we are impressed by Lightspeed’s multi-location features, which include:

  • Stock transfers across locations
  • Pricing variations, depending on the location
  • Allowing customers to choose where to pick up online items
  • Loyalty points syncing across locations so customers can collect/redeem points at all stores

Hardware Cost & Options

Lightspeed Retail POS hardware and new card reader

Lightspeed Retail card reader, iPad POS device in case, eCommerce site on PC and smartphone device.

You can purchase a Lightspeed Payments-compatible WisePOS Ecard reader for $299 and an iPad for $329. You must buy your card reader directly from Lightspeed to ensure it is compatible with Lightspeed Payments, the company’s required payment processor.

Lightspeed offers accessories such as an iPad stand for $199, a cash drawer for $129, a barcode scanner for $199, a label printer for $124, and a receipt printer for $399.

Contact a Lightspeed representative and ask about a discount on a retail POS hardware bundle.

Payment Processing Costs

In-house payment processing with Lightspeed Payments is required for all Lightspeed Retail users in the US and Canada (Lightspeed is one of the best Canadian POS systems.) The rate is 2.6% + $0.10 for all in-person card present payments and 2.9% + $0.30 for all online payments.

Contract Requirements/Warnings

To get the best prices, you are required to sign up for at least an annual Lightspeed plan. However, there are early termination fees for canceling a plan, so we recommend starting with a monthly plan until you’re sure Lightspeed Retail is a good POS for you.

Also, you must verify that you have received your Lightspeed hardware within five business days of receiving it. If you don’t, the equipment is not covered under Lightspeed’s 30-day warranty (14 days for Apple products.)

Choose Lightspeed Retail If You Want...

  • Advanced inventory management features
  • Intuitive multilocation management capabilities
  • Features designed with the rental industry in mind

Get Started With Lightspeed Retail POS

Read our in-depth review

Jump back to comparison chart

Square POS: Best Free Option

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

  • Feature-packed free plan
  • Retail, restaurant, and service-based business software
  • Works on most mobile devices
  • Affordable POS hardware

Cons

  • Payment processing is high for higher-volume merchants
  • Account stability issues (rarely)
  • Basic inventory management

Square iPad stand and card reader on table

Square iPad stand and card reader.

Why We Chose Square As The Best Free POS System

We love that Square software offers so many features for free, along with affordable hardware options, and transparent monthly fees and payment processing rates. This is why Square is one of our best free POS systems.

There are subscription options for retail, restaurant, and service-based business types with nearly all the tools new businesses need to succeed. On all Square plans, you can add Square POS software on an unlimited number of smartphones, iPads, Android devices, and browsers. Since you don’t need any additional equipment except a card reader, the barrier to entry is even lower.

Note: Square’s free plan is absolutely free to use, with no special conditions or limitations. Paid plans come with a 30-day free trial.

Square 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

All Square plans allow you to install the Square POS app on an unlimited number of devices. If you have multiple locations, you pay for each location.

The free plan is completely free to use forever, can be installed on an unlimited number of devices, and you can start using Square immediately. Paid plans are billed by device and location.

Popular Square add-ons include:

Restaurants may purchase a Square KDS subscription for $20/device/month on the free Square For Restaurants plan, while those on the paid plan can install the Square KDS app on an unlimited number of devices.

Square 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

All Square users have access to these features for free, which is very uncommon among POS providers:

  • Free retail and takeout/delivery ordering website
  • Free Square checkout links to take invoice payments and make sales without a website
  • Free appointment scheduling link for small service-based business owners
  • Unlimited POS devices so businesses can take payments in several ways

Square POS online store builder

Square POS online store builder.

Square For Retail users can sell products in person, on their website, on social media sites like TikTok and Instagram, and list products on Google so users can discover them. Products are synced across all sales platforms, so inventory is always updated.

Square POS for small business

TikTok for Business Store Manager connected to Square Online store.

Square For Restaurants (one of our best free restaurant POS systems) allows you to take orders quickly with conversational modifiers, accept tips, manage orders from multiple ordering platforms, take online orders through a personalized ordering site, and Order with Google. Using Order with Google, people searching for restaurants near them will discover your restaurant and order from your Google Business Profile.

Square best point of sale system ordering

Square POS Order With Google integration.

Small business owners such as salon or nail business owners can use Square Appointments (one of our best salon POS systems) to allow people to book appointments on their website, Instagram, Google, and through a button embedded into emails and other webpages. You can also send automated appointment reminders, set up time tracking to bill by the hour, and access team management capabilities, all on the free Square Appointments plan.

Square best point of sale appointments

Square POS appointment booking channels.

Hardware Cost & Options

Square POS hardware for small business POS

Square handheld POS system, Square Register, and Square iPad stand.

All Square POS apps are compatible with iOS devices. You can use Square on Android devices and tablets, but you may face a few feature limits on these operating systems.

To take chip card and digital payment types, small business owners only need the $49 Square Bluetooth card reader. Square also introduced a feature in November 2022 called Tap to Pay on iPhone, which allows iPhone users to take tap payments (tap credit/debit cards and digital wallets) within the Square app, no hardware required. We still recommend getting a physical card reader to accept chip card payments.

The Square Stand is a $149 iPad stand with a built-in card reader, so you can take orders on an iPad and swivel it around for customers to review their orders and pay. The Square Terminal is a $299 handheld POS terminal, so servers and mobile-first businesses can take payments on the go.

The company also offers several Square POS hardware kits and accessories.

Payment Processing Costs

Square requires you to use Square Payments, the company’s built-in payment processing on all plans. You are charged a flat 2.6% + $0.10 per tap, dip, or swipe card/digital wallet payment (2.5% on paid Square Plus plans). Manually keyed-in card payments and invoice payments have a rate of 3.5% + $0.15, while the payment processing fee rate for online store payments is 2.9% + $0.30.

Contract Requirements/Warnings

Square has highly flexible month-to-month plans with no penalties for canceling early or remaining inactive. The company also has a generous POS hardware warranty.

One of the only caveats is that Square has an aggregated merchant account model, which means that businesses do not get their own dedicated merchant accounts. This may, in rare cases, lead to withheld funds on transactions that Square’s algorithm flags as high-risk or even sudden account termination for some merchants.

Choose Square If You Want...

  • An affordable POS system that doesn’t skimp on features
  • Multi-industry support (retail, food, and service-based)
  • Easy-to-use POS hardware

Get Started With Square POS

Read our in-depth review

Jump back to comparison chart

Shopify POS: Best For Multichannel & International Sales

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

  • Syncs eCommerce and in-person sales
  • Sell on social media and marketplaces
  • Lots of add-on apps available
  • Excellent international sales features

Cons

  • No offline payments mode
  • Possible transaction fees
  • Many Shopify features cost extra

Shopify POS order for in-store pickup

Shopify POS order for in-store pickup.

Why We Chose Shopify POS For Multichannel & International Sales

We believe that Shopify is the best POS system for small business owners who want to sell in person as well as on their own eCommerce website and other platforms like Etsy, Amazon, eBay, and/or TikTok. This is because Shopify provides an excellent online store builder, the Shopify POS "Lite" app, and access to 8,000+ Shopify software integrations.

Shopify is also an excellent option for international sellers. The company will automatically translate your website into different languages and currencies, plus you can change up your catalog offering and set shipping, tax, and duty fee collection for different predefined geographical regions.

Note: Shopify offers a three-day free trial, no credit card is required.

Shopify POS 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

Shopify’s eCommerce pricing plans range from $39/month to $399/month. You get 25% off if you pay for an entire year upfront. Each eCommerce plan offers the “Shopify POS Lite” app for $5/month.

For more retail features, such as store pickup and unlimited staff accounts, you’ll need the $89/month/location Shopify Pro subscription, which is added to your monthly eCommerce plan. Additionally, while there are many free Shopify apps on the company’s app market, some require you to sign up for a paid subscription.

Your payment processing rate decreases on higher-level plans. Once small businesses start processing a more substantial amount of payments, they should strongly consider upgrading to save money in the long run.

Shopify POS 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

Shopify’s in-person sales solution integrates well with the company’s eCommerce software, making Shopify an excellent POS with eCommerce sales option. With Shopify, retailers can:

  • Sell on their own website for in-store pickup, local delivery, curbside pickup, or shipping
  • Sell on social media platforms including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, WhatsApp, and Snapchat
  • Sell on marketplaces such as Amazon, eBay, Etsy, and Walmart Marketplace
  • Connect to dropshipping apps to start their own dropshipping business
  • Sync inventory across all sales channels

Shopify garden POS center succulent listing on Etsy online marketplace

Shopify garden POS center succulent listing on Etsy online marketplace.

Shopify’s free in-store sales features include the ability to take partial payments/deposits, schedule discounts and generate digital coupons, put items on layaway, and take custom payment types.

The paid Shopify Pro POS app adds functions like exchanges, purchase ordering functions, and stock transfers between locations.

Shopify makeup eCommerce store with in-store pickup available

Shopify online store with in-store pickup available.

Shopify’s newly released Shopify Markets tool makes this POS system a great choice for small sellers who want to take their first steps toward international commerce. While other POS providers, and even other eCommerce store builders, require you to pay more or just aren’t equipped to handle international sales, Shopify has created global selling software and offers it with every Shopify store at no added cost.

With Shopify Markets, small business owners can easily translate their store into multiple languages, accept different local currency payment types, create different shipping settings for different geographical areas, and limit their content/offerings by region.

Shopify shipping settings for delivery orders

Create a new shipping profile with Shopify Shipping.

We do have to note that most of Shopify’s best features will come in the form of an app from Shopify’s app market. The market has over 8,000 apps, with more being added every day. With a Shopify add-on app, you can create product catalogs, start an email marketing campaign, and sell subscriptions and memberships — your only limit is your imagination (and, in some cases, your willingness to pay an added monthly software subscription fee).

Hardware Cost & Options

Shopify POS hardware

Shopify POS register stand with a card reader.

The Shopify app runs on most phones and tablets. Like Square, Shopify now has Tap to Pay on iPhone, which allows iPhone users to take contactless payment types on their phones, no hardware required.

There are many Shopify POS hardware options available. The Shopify Chip & Swipe Reader, which is the bare minimum requirement for taking chip card and mobile wallet payments, starts at $49. The $219 Shopify Retail Kit includes an iPad stand, Shopify card reader, Shopify card reader dock, and iPad stand mount.

Shopify also allows you to build your retail kit, where you can pick and choose which iPad equipment, barcode scanners, cash drawers, and receipt printers you’d like to include in your bundle. This gives small business owners more choice while also ensuring that every piece of hardware is compatible with the Shopify POS app.

Payment Processing Costs

Processing with Shopify Payments is included on all plans, or you can use an external processor for an additional transaction fee. In-person payment processing fees for Shopify Payments range from 2.4% to 2.7%, depending on your plan. Online processing fees range from 2.4% to 2.9% + $0.30.

Note: If you choose to use a third-party payment processor, Shopify will charge a transaction fee ranging from 0.5% to 2% per transaction. This fee will be in addition to the fee you have to pay your third-party payment processing provider. If you can get much better rates from somewhere else, then paying the transaction fee to Shopify may be worth it.

Contact Requirements/Warnings

All Shopify plans are billed month-to-month, which means there is no long-term commitment. You can spring for an annual plan for better pricing.

Most Shopify requirements surround payment processing. To use Shopify Payments, you must meet Shopify product sales guidelines and purchase a card reader directly from Shopify (no high-risk businesses allowed.) To use a Shopify-approved third-party payment processor, you must use a card reader sold by that payment processor and pay an added transaction fee ranging from 0.5% to 2%.

Choose Shopify POS If You Want...

  • Social media and marketplace eCommerce integration
  • A huge add-on app marketplace
  • International sales support

Get Started With Shopify POS

Read our in-depth review

Jump back to comparison chart

TouchBistro: Best For Small Full-Service Restaurants & Food Trucks

Total Rating 4.3
Pricing4.0

Ease Of Use4.6

Features4.9

Customer Service3.9

User Reviews4.1

Pricing

$69/month

Online Ordering

Add-on

Equipment Cost

Call for quote

Pros

  • Excellent waitlist and reservation management app
  • Strong offline mode
  • Multiple payment processor options
  • Affordable software license payment setup

Cons

  • No self-serve kiosks
  • Inconsistent customer support
  • Early termination fee

TouchBistro restaurant tablet handheld POS system

TouchBistro tablet restaurant ordering system.

Why We Chose TouchBistro POS System For Small Full-Service Restaurants & Food Trucks

We like that TouchBistro offers several features for full-service restaurants, including comprehensive waitlist and reservation management that is built into TouchBistro’s POS and KDS software, catering order management, and a strong customer management portal.

We like TouchBistro’s unique locally-installed solution, which allows businesses like food trucks and catering companies to take orders and payments wherever they are, with no WiFi required. The offline capabilities of this hardware setup are what makes TouchBistro one of the best food truck POS systems.

TouchBistro also offers a unique POS software license setup that is very cost-effective for businesses with three or more POS devices required. For single-register setups, TouchBistro is comparable in price to providers like Lightspeed and Clover.

TouchBistro POS Pricing

TouchBistro Plans Price  When To Use
TouchBistro Plan $69+/month If you have basic restaurant needs and are interested in purchasing add-ons

TouchBistro offers the following plans, but the company requires every small business owner to get a custom quote, so your pricing may be different than listed below:

  • Solo: $69/month for one software license; $105/month for one iPad and software license bundle
  • Dual: $129/month for two software licenses; $209/month for software and hardware
  • Team: $249/month for five software licenses; $359/month for software and hardware
  • Unlimited: $399/month for unlimited licenses; custom pricing for software and hardware

The company also charges a nonrefundable setup fee that starts at $200 and includes your hardware setup plus software walkthrough.

There are also add-ons available at the following prices:

  • Online Ordering: $50/month
  • Loyalty Program: $99/month
  • Marketing: $99/month
  • Gift Cards: $25/month
  • Reservations: $229/month

Note: While the TouchBistro Reservations app is admittedly pricey, there are no per-order fees that you would get by pairing your POS software with third-party reservation management software.

TouchBistro POS Features

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

TouchBistro’s best small business POS features include offline sales capabilities, upselling features, reservation and waitlist apps, and catering features. The system also has an affordable loyalty program builder, which is useful for converting more customers (but we understand if aspiring fine dining establishments don’t want to implement one.)

As servers take orders, they get upselling suggestions in real-time, plus comprehensive item information, including nutrition and allergen facts, to describe dishes. Patrons who order online get automated upselling suggestions that update in real time as they add and remove items from their orders.

The best full-service restaurant features include:

  • Reservation System: Customers can make reservations from your web app, Google Business Profile, or by phone. TouchBistro has created a separate reservation app so that you can view and modify reservations, send reminder emails/phone messages about upcoming reservations to reduce no-shows, and create floor plans specifically for managing reservations.
  • Waitlist: The waitlist is part of the TouchBistro Reservations app. With it, you can allow customers to add themselves to the waitlist online when your restaurant is currently full, send customers SMS notifications about their waitlist status, and enforce waitlist cutoff times.
  • Customer Dining Preferences: You can ask for dining preferences/allergies when taking reservations. VIP diners are noted in customer reports, and their preferences can be saved for future orders to create a personalized dining experience.
  • Customer Accounts: You can allow billing to customers’ house accounts with saved payment types. You can also take partial or full balance payoffs and allow customers to preload credits to an account.

TouchBistro restaurant POS waitlist/reservation settings

TouchBistro restaurant POS waitlist/reservation settings.

Catering companies will appreciate these features:

  • Taking Catering Orders: Caterers can create a quote and take notes for a future order, require a deposit for future orders, and choose how far in advance someone can order. You can also set concrete event start and end times.
  • Delivery Customization: Caterers can set different delivery zones, increase fees depending on the delivery zone, and set minimum order amounts per delivery zone. If a customer inputs an address outside your delivery zone, an automated message will ask the customer to contact you to discuss a custom order.
  • On-Location Sales: TouchBistro is a unique hybrid system that allows for online and offline sales. You can bring items that are on your catering menu with you and sell them on location.

TouchBistro POS system delivery parameters

TouchBistro POS system delivery parameters.

Hardware Cost & Options

TouchBistro POS hardware

TouchBistro countertop iPad POS, iPad stand, handheld iPad POS, cash drawer, card reader, and receipt printer.

TouchBistro is an iPad POS system that runs on iPads and iPad Minis, which you may source yourself or purchase from TouchBistro.

TouchBistro also supports hardware from third-party suppliers such as Chase Payments Solutions (formerly Chase Merchant Services), Square, Star Micronics, Verifone, and Epson.

Check with TouchBistro before purchasing any hardware to make sure the hardware models are compatible with TouchBistro software. Alternatively, you can contact TouchBistro for a quote on hardware and make your purchases through the POS company.

Payment Processing Costs

TouchBistro offers an in-house payment processing solution, TouchBistro Payments (powered by Chase), which uses an interchange-plus pricing model. You have to contact TouchBistro for a custom quote.

Interchange-plus pricing can help you get the lowest payment processing rates, depending on your business size, model, and merchant account terms.

You may use third-party payment processors such as Square, TSYS, Worldpay (a company we don’t typically recommend), or Barclaycard to process payments.

Contact Requirements/Warnings

TouchBistro offers annual contracts. Like most POS providers, you’ll get better pricing with longer contracts. However, TouchBistro will charge an early termination fee for canceled accounts, so consider getting a shorter contract before committing to anything in the long run.

Choose TouchBistro If You Want...

  • An easy-to-use and comprehensive waitlist and reservation management app
  • A reliable offline mode
  • To choose your payment processor

Get Started With TouchBistro

Read our in-depth review

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Toast POS: Best For Midsize & Multilocation Restaurants

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 hardware
  • Complete restaurant management ecosystem available
  • Outstanding customer service
  • Excellent tableside and online ordering features

Cons

  • Must buy Toast hardware
  • Complicated pricing structure
  • High online payment processing rate

Toast handheld POS system drink ordering

Toast handheld POS system drink ordering.

Why We Chose Toast POS For Midsize & Multilocation Restaurants

We love that Toast provides every restaurant feature a small business owner could need, packaged into separate products, so you purchase only what you need.

We believe that Toast has some of the best kitchen display systems, self-serve kiosks, and tableside ordering capabilities from any restaurant POS provider. Plus, the company has developed an excellent loyalty program, multilocation management features, and an in-house delivery system builder.

We also appreciate Toast’s Android-based hardware line. Toast’s countertop and handheld POS hardware are extremely durable and able to withstand drops and spills without needing to be replaced. The Toast Go 2, Toast's proprietary handheld POS system, is one of the best handheld restaurant POS systems on the market today.

Note: Toast offers the pay-as-you-go Quick Start Bundle plan that requires no upfront purchases or monthly fees. However, you will still need to sign a multi-year contract to use Toast.

Toast POS 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’s $0 upfront Quick Start Bundle plan looks like a good deal, but to get this deal, you have to pay much higher per-order fees, to the point where it could be worth it to purchase your POS equipment upfront and pay a monthly fee if you can afford it. If you can’t afford it, find a way to finance your purchase or switch to a paid plan as soon as you have the money to do so.

On the $69/month Core plan, you’ll have to pay an additional $75/month if you want to add digital ordering, which includes online orders to takeout and Toast delivery services. The $165/month Growth plan comes with digital ordering at no extra cost.

On the Quick Start Bundle plan, you can add the digital ordering and marketing suite (includes digital ordering, loyalty, gift cards, and email marketing) for no monthly cost, but Toast will increase your per-order payment processing fees again to a relatively high percentage.

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

  • Digital Ordering: $75/month
  • Third-Party Ordering Platform Sync: $30/month for Grubhub, DoorDash, or Uber Eats; $75/month for all three
  • Loyalty: $50/month
  • Gift Cards: $50/month
  • Kitchen Display: $25/month plus one-time hardware purchase
  • Self-Serve Kiosk: $90/month plus one-time hardware purchase
  • Email Marketing: $75/month
  • Catering & Events: $100/month

Other popular add-ons, such as Toast Payroll and Toast Scheduling, require you to get a custom quote which will be determined based on factors like the number of employees and locations you own.

If you plan on purchasing multiple Toast products at once, make sure to ask about a discount for bundling products.

Toast 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’s most unique features are its very customizable loyalty program, multiple ordering methods, the Toast Go 2 handheld POS (one of the best handheld restaurant POS systems), and the extensive number of auxiliary products that create self-contained restaurant management software.

Toast’s extensive loyalty program, which is one of the best rewards programs, automatically:

  • Prompts customers to sign up on customer-facing displays, receipts, self-serve kiosks, and online orders before or after they finish ordering
  • Automatically connects a loyalty account to a credit card so customers can automatically earn points just by using their card
  • Allows customers to sign up with a phone number or email and send a welcome gift or loyalty points
  • Generates a loyalty account portal that customers can log into to see their points and add new payment methods/contact information
  • Notifies servers and customers when they have loyalty points available to use (also applies for self-serve and online orders)

Toast restaurant POS loyalty program

Toast restaurant POS loyalty program signup prompt.

Toast also offers many ways for customers to order, including self-serve kiosk ordering, tableside ordering, ordering online through your own in-house ordering system and all major third-party delivery services, and calling ahead for in-store pickup.

toast self ordering kiosk

Toast self-ordering kiosk.

With Toast Delivery, you can assign drivers to orders, add custom delivery fees, send customers order updates in real-time, and set tipping rules for delivery orders. Toast’s highly customizable pickup and delivery options are what make Toast one of the best pizza shop POS systems.

The software’s special multilocation management includes varying menus (and pricing) by location, custom tax settings for each location, and customers can collect/redeem loyalty points at any location. In addition, franchisees and location managers allowed to change menus may easily do so without disrupting the setup of any other location.

Toast also has a complete employee payroll, 401(k) management, and employee scheduling products, whereas most other restaurant POS systems require third-party integrations to get all these features.

Hardware Cost & Options

Toast restaurant POS hardware

Toast online ordering on a smartphone, Toast admin dashboard on PC, Toast KDS, Toast Go 2 handheld POS, Toast countertop POS.

Toast software only works with Toast’s proprietary Android POS hardware, which is more heat and spill-resistant than iPads, which every other POS system but Square and Clover relies on.

Toast hardware comes at the following prices:

  • Toast Go 2 Handheld POS: $627
  • Countertop POS: $875
  • Outdoor Wi-Fi Access Point: $104
  • Kitchen Printer: $269
  • Cash Drawer: $134
  • KDS: $629 + $25/month
  • Self-Serve Kiosk Terminal: $809 + $90/month

On the pay-as-you-go Quick Start Bundle plan, you can get the handheld POS for no upfront cost and no monthly fees, as long as you agree to pay higher per-transaction payment processing fees. If you pay upfront for your POS hardware, you’ll pay between $69/month and $165/month for your POS software.

In general, we do not recommend the pay-as-you-go plan because the higher per-order fees will cost you more than the original price of the hardware once you get in enough orders.

If you can, pay for your POS hardware upfront. Otherwise, look into equipment financing to help you cover the costs of the restaurant hardware you need in your establishment.

Payment Processing Costs

Toast offers flat-rate payment processing for individuals on the Quick Start Bundle plan, and those on the Standard plan who opt into the starter kit. Payment processing ranges from 2.49% plus $0.15 to 3.49% plus $0.15 per order and depends on whether you pay for your tablet POS hardware upfront, and whether you add the digital ordering package to your starter kit for no monthly fee, but an increase of 0.4% in payment processing fees.

Any plan with a custom hardware quote will also have a custom payment processing fee.

We highly recommend that if you can pay a predictable monthly fee, you should do it. You’ll almost always save money in the long run. For example, while a 0.4% increase in payment processing fees to get an entire digital ordering suite with the loyalty program included doesn’t seem like much, it will add up over time.

Contact Requirements/Warnings

Toast’s standard contracts are two years, require Toast payment processing, and come with a large early termination fee. Consider signing up for a short-term plan before committing for the long run.

Choose Toast If You Want...

  • POS hardware designed specifically for restaurant use
  • A complete restaurant management ecosystem
  • An easy way to take tableside orders

Get Started With Toast POS

Read our in-depth review

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Clover POS: Best All-In-One System

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

  • All-in-one POS package
  • Easy to set up and customize
  • Possibility for lower payment processing fees
  • Excellent hardware choices

Cons

  • Hardware can be expensive
  • Some Clover resellers are shady
  • Possible long contract terms

Clover POS register, receipt printer, and cash drawer

Clover POS register, receipt printer, and cash drawer.

Why We Chose Clover POS As The Best All-In-One System

We appreciate that Clover provides a self-contained POS solution where your software, hardware, add-ons, and payment processing all come in one package. This makes Clover one of the easiest POS systems to work with.

However, while Clover is easy to use, it’s still a flexible, scalable solution. You can choose from lots of POS hardware and industry-specific software plans, and (unlike Square) you can purchase Clover hardware from one of many Clover resellers and get your own custom payment processing rates.

This is a huge advantage for businesses looking for the best payment processing rates possible.

If your base Clover plan doesn’t have everything you need built into it, there’s an entire app market with software add-ons that are as easy to install as smartphone apps. You can find apps to engage customers, streamline operations, and add specific industry-specific features like age verification or event ticket management.

Clover POS Pricing

Clover POS Plans Price  When To Use
Clover Payments $0/month If you only need to process payments and don’t need any POS hardware
Clover Essentials $14.95/month If you have a small retail/service-based business and don’t take returns
Clover Register $49.95/month If you have a small to mid-size retail/service-based business and need more POS features
Clover Counter Service Restaurant $54.95/month If you have a quick-serve restaurant, cafeteria, or mobile food service business
Clover Table Service Restaurant $84.95/month If you have a full-service restaurant or bar

The Clover pricing above is for business owners who purchase their POS hardware upfront from Clover.com. We recommend the Clover Register plan to most retailers.

If you decide to enroll in Clover’s “pay monthly” plan so that you can pay for your hardware over time, you’ll pay one monthly fee for both your hardware and software. That fee will range from $60/month to $185/month, depending on your hardware package.

Additional devices are $9.95/month/register if you have all your registers in one location. If, for example, you have two Clover Minis in two different stores, you’ll have to pay the full Register subscription cost for both Minis.

Clover POS Features

Clover POS Features Availability
Multi-Store Support
Contactless Payments Depends on hardware choice
Multi-Channel Selling
Gift Cards
Customer Loyalty
Marketing Tools
Online Ordering Depends on software plan
Inventory Management
Reporting
Menu Management
Delivery Management
EBT Acceptance Add-on app
Employee Management
Text Messaging

All Clover users can use Clover’s offline payment mode, customer database building, loyalty program setup, integrations with some of the best payroll software for small businesses, and 450+ add-on apps available to create the POS system that fits their business’s every need.

Restaurant and bar owners will appreciate Clover’s pre-authorization function, perishable inventory management apps, online ordering page, self-serve kiosks, and surcharges for large parties.

Retailers and grocery store owners will appreciate these retail-centric features:

  • Buy online, pick up in-store/delivery options
  • Integrations with scales, barcode scanners, etc.
  • Customizable inventory management and item tracking
  • Item returns via virtual terminal

Clover’s ID verification app, EBT payment acceptance capabilities, and lottery sales app make Clover one of the best grocery store POS systems.

Hardware Cost & Options

Clover POS hardware

Clover countertop POS system, handheld POS system, barcode scanner, cash drawer, and card reader.

Clover hardware starts at $49 for a Clover Go Bluetooth credit card reader, which pairs with your smartphone, but most small businesses wanting a complete countertop POS will go with the $1,699 Clover Station Solo.

Other hardware options include a portable Clover Flex for $599, a Clover Mini for $799, or a Station Duo for $1,799.

In June 2023, Clover released its own proprietary KDS hardware and software, essentially built to rival the Toast KDS. The Clover KDS costs a one-time fee of $799 and a monthly software fee of $25/month/device. It is heat resistant and has special speakers that make it easy for kitchen staff to hear alerts for things like new incoming orders.

Payment Processing Costs

If you use Clover’s parent company, Fiserv, for payment processing, you’ll get the following flat-rate payment processing:

  • Card-Present Transactions: 2.3% + $0.10 per transaction
  • Card-Not-Present Transactions: 3.5% + $0.10 per transaction

Card-not-present transactions include any phone order, third-party ordering platform order (e.g., Grubhub and Order With Google), invoice payment, online order on a Clover-hosted website, manually-keyed-in card payment, and any form of payment that is not a swipe/chip/tap card payment, cash, or check.

If a large amount of your revenue comes from online or phone orders, choose a different payment processor or POS provider for your restaurant.

Contact Requirements/Warnings

If you purchase your Clover hardware and software from Clover.com, you will need to sign a 36-month or 48-month contract, with the potential for large early termination fees if you decide to cancel your contract before your term is up.

However, by signing a merchant agreement with one of these best Clover resellers, you can get short-term contracts, no early termination fees, and better payment processing rates and fees.

Choose Clover POS If You Want...

  • A fully customizable POS package
  • Numerous POS hardware options
  • Potentially lower payment processing fees

Get Started With Clover POS

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Revel POS: Best For Niche & Larger 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

  • Several hardware and software integrations available
  • Lots of custom/niche restaurant and retail features
  • Choice of payment processor
  • Strong offline mode

Cons

  • Long-term and minimum two-terminal contract requirement for best pricing
  • Early termination fee
  • Expensive for many smaller businesses

Revel iPad POS system with built-in swipe card reader

Revel iPad POS system with built-in swipe card reader.

Why We Chose Revel POS System For Niche & Larger Businesses

We love that Revel is an extremely customizable POS solution with built-in features for niche business types.

Unlike many other POS systems, you don’t have to choose between retail, restaurant, and service business software plans. This is great for hybrid businesses that serve food and retail items, retail products and appointments, and more. Revel also offers several proprietary add-ons, business reports, and third-party integrations for business owners to streamline operations and thoughtfully expand their offerings.

This POS is also a great option for businesses with multiple stores and wanting to franchise. Revel has excellent multi-establishment hierarchy settings that help you manage brands, individual establishment permissions, royalty payments, product settings, and more. There are also lots of product transfer settings that help you monitor the location of any product at any given time.

With this very customizable system, it's one of the best options for even very specific niches, which is why Revel makes our list of the best golf course POS systems and best drive-thru POS systems.

Revel Systems POS 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’s advertised pricing requires a two-terminal minimum, three-year contract, and you must agree to use Revel Advantage, Revel’s in-house payment processing solution.

However, most businesses will want to add on Revel products such as its delivery software, online ordering platform, highly customizable loyalty program, and multi-location management functions. A Revel representative will give you a custom quote for all these software add-ons.

There is also a $674 one-time implementation fee.

Note: Because of this relatively steep initial investment, we recommend Revel to small business owners who know they will need niche features, and to those who are looking to upgrade their current POS system to one that allows for more customization, offers better multilocation management features, and allows you to choose your payment processor.

Revel Systems 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

Revel offers one of the most comprehensive feature sets of any POS software on this list, mainly because you have access to both retail and restaurant management features.

No matter what type of business you run, you’ll appreciate these unique Revel features:

  • Loyalty Program: Includes custom rewards point setup, gift options, and automated loyalty points marketing for customers who haven’t stopped by in a while
  • Online Ordering: Online ordering for local delivery with real-time driver monitoring and shipping with auto-generated third-party shipping rate calculations; third-party delivery platform integrations
  • Purchase Ordering: Purchase order generation with set par levels, vendor management, and partial/full order receiving
  • Employee Management: Includes scheduling, time clocks, employee roles, and payroll, all within the Revel dashboard
  • Multi-Establishment Management: Create different parent and child establishments, and unique brands, charge royalty fees, and push changes across single, multiple, or all establishments
  • Inventory: Revel offers inventory matrixing, custom attributes, stock unit conversions, waste management, loss reports, and automated perishable food/liquid inventory tracking

Revel POS system multilocation management

Revel POS system multi-establishment hierarchy settings.

All restaurant types can make good use of Revel’s kitchen display systems, which will accept all order types, including third-party ordering platform orders, takeout orders, in-house delivery orders, catering orders, phone orders, and any custom order type you specify.

Revel Systems POS catering function

Revel Systems catering function.

Full-service restaurants will appreciate Revel’s table monitoring system, which allows servers to transfer customer orders to different sections (such as moving from the bar to a table), change a customer’s seat at the table, monitor table turnaround, facilitate order sharing and splitting, and charge items to house accounts. You can also set up catering, charge service fees based on party size, and set up waitlists/reservations.

Quick-service restaurants will enjoy self-serve kiosk software availability, customer display screens so customers can confirm their orders, digital menu integrations, omnichannel order management, customer order-status screens (which can be branded to match your restaurant’s aesthetic), and even drive-through order management capabilities.

Revel customer-facing order status screen

Revel customer-facing order status screen.

Any business that provides services such as catering, rentals, or repairs will appreciate Revel’s built-in appointment booking system and predefined service charges. Revel also has an open-ended item feature that allows you to charge a custom fee depending on how long you spent on a service, how long a person rented an item or venue, or any other cost parameter.

Revel POS appointment/reservation booking on POS

Revel POS appointment/reservation booking on POS.

Hardware Cost & Options

Revel Systems POS register

Revel Systems POS register, customer-facing display, receipt printer, and card reader.

Revel offers POS hardware and accessories for Revel users, which you’ll get a custom quote for.

Alternatively, with Revel’s written permission, you may purchase Revel-compatible hardware on your own. The company asks for written permission to ensure that you are spending your money on hardware that will work and can avoid having to return any equipment to third-party providers.

Payment Processing Costs

Revel offers its own in-house payment processing solution, Revel Advantage, on which you will get a custom quote. The company advertises flat-rate payment processing.

You will most likely be required to pay an additional monthly fee to integrate with compatible outside payment processors such as First Data, Heartland, TSYS, Chase Paymentech, Worldpay, and Elavon.

Contact Requirements/Warnings

Revel’s standard contract is three years, with a substantial early termination fee depending on how far you’re into your contract before canceling.

While you’ll get the best prices with a longer contract, we recommend making extensive use of your demo, asking lots of questions to your Revel account representative, and even signing up for a month-to-month plan until you’re sure that Revel is the right fit for your growing business.

Revel typically offers a discount for users who bundle their software, hardware, and payment processing into one bill. We recommend that you get an estimate on hardware and payment processing rates from outside companies and bring that estimate to Revel to see if they’ll match it.

Choose Revel Systems If You Want...

  • Strong offline capabilities
  • Features for niche businesses like restaurants with a drive-thru or golf courses
  • To choose your payment processor

Get Started With Revel POS

Read our in-depth review

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Lightspeed Restaurant POS Review: Best For Fast-Paced Restaurants & Hotels

Lightspeed Restaurant POS Review

Total Rating 4.0
Pricing3.1

Ease Of Use3.8

Features5.0

Customer Service4.3

User Reviews4.7

Pricing

$69-$399+/month

Online Ordering

Essential plan and up

Equipment Cost

$129-$519

Pros

  • Loyalty program builder available on all plans
  • Excellent inventory management
  • KDS connects to third-party delivery platforms
  • Convertible standing to tableside ordering kiosks

Cons

  • Early termination fee
  • Add-ons can get expensive

Lightspeed Restaurant tablet POS user interface

Lightspeed Restaurant tablet POS user interface.

Why We Chose Lightspeed Restaurant POS System For Fast-Paced Restaurants & Hotels

We love that Lightspeed Restaurant has created such a user-friendly system for servers, kitchen staff, and managers.

Lightspeed Restaurant is one of the best restaurant POS systems because it easily ties together orders from all ordering touchpoints, including all third-party delivery platforms, and displays them on intuitive kitchen displays and expo screens. Like Revel, Lightspeed offers customer order status update software that you can display on screens in your restaurant, which will make distributing takeout orders easier at carryout-heavy establishments.

The system has excellent inventory and order management features for restaurants and comes at a slightly more transparent price compared to other feature-rich restaurant POS systems on this list. The company also offers a loyalty program builder on all plans, making this the most affordable POS system with loyalty program capabilities.

Lightspeed also has several hotel management integrations that allow you to centralize your room reservations, charge restaurant bills to a room number, monitor room cleanings, and more. There are restaurant reservation integrations for full-service hotel restaurants and liquid inventory management capabilities that will help hotel bars cut down on liquid wastage.

Lightspeed Restaurant POS Pricing

Lightspeed Restaurant POS Review Plans Price  When To Use
Starter $69/month Single-location restaurants looking to start a loyalty program
Essential $189/month Restaurants with one or more locations looking for online ordering capabilities
Premium $399/month Larger restaurants & hotels looking for custom payment processing rates

These plans are for one license per register. Additional registers cost $59/register/month.

Note: Lightspeed lists these plans online, but you must get a custom quote to find out how much you’ll be paying in fees and whether you’ll pay on a monthly or annual basis.

Lightspeed add-ons like Lightspeed Delivery, an online portal that automatically syncs all your in-house and third-party app orders within your POS, are available as an additional paid monthly subscription. Several third-party software apps are also available for an additional monthly fee as well.

Lightspeed Restaurant POS Features

Lightspeed’s best features for quick-service and fast-casual restaurants include:

  • Order Types: Allow customers to order from anywhere via QR code, web-based app, third-party integration such as Grubhub or DoorDash, self-service kiosk, or from servers at registers
  • Order Status Display Screens: Integrate an order pickup screen with your POS and kitchen display software so that customers can see the status of their meal preparation; include a customer-facing display so that customers can ensure their order is right before pushing it through to the kitchen
  • Kitchen Display Management: Lightspeed offers one of the best kitchen display systems; bump screen makes accepting online orders for delivery, pickup, or dine-in easy; break tickets up by single item, station, or employee
  • Inventory & Wastage: A wastage tracking module is available on Lightspeed plans, as well as detailed product purchasing, item production, and stock-taking features
  • Loyalty Program: On all Lightspeed Restaurant subscription plans, you can integrate your POS with a strong loyalty program that collects customer data for marketing campaigns

Lightspeed Restaurant self-order menu for customers on tablet

Lightspeed Restaurant self-order menu for customers to order with a tablet stationed at their table or a standing kiosk.

Hotels have several property management software available to integrate with Lightspeed, including StayNTouch, Oracle, Preno, and Protel. Alternatively, on Lightspeed’s highest-level plan, you may integrate your current property management system with your POS software. With either solution, you can accept reservations, charge meals from different restaurants to an individual’s room, break up group meals into individual charges, and offer room service with one software.

Lightspeed Restaurant integration with hotel management software on tablet

Lightspeed Restaurant integration with hotel management software.

Lightspeed Restaurant POS Review Features Availability
Multi-Store Support Essential plan and up
Contactless Payments Essential plan and up
Multi-Channel Selling Online and third-party delivery platform orders
Gift Cards
Customer Loyalty
Marketing Tools
Online Ordering Essential plan and up
Inventory Management
Reporting
Menu Management
Delivery Management Paid add-on
EBT Acceptance
Employee Management
Text Messaging

Hardware Cost & Options

lightspeed restaurant hardware bundle

Lightspeed Restaurant iPad and iPad stand, kitchen printer, cash drawer, and receipt printer.

Lightspeed Restaurant hardware is all iPad-based, which means that you’ll need to bring a separate card terminal to the table for tableside payments or take a card up to the front for payment.

You may purchase your iPads yourself or through Lightspeed at $329 per device. The iPad stand costs $199, the kitchen bump bar costs $199, the cash drawer costs $129, and the kitchen printer costs $299.

It’s important to purchase your card reader (Lightspeed supports Verifone products) from Lightspeed to make sure your Lightspeed Payments account is configured correctly with the hardware.

Payment Processing Costs

Lightspeed has an in-house payment processor, Lightspeed Payments, which all merchants in the US and Canada are required to use (Lightspeed Restaurant is one of the best Canadian restaurant POS systems). The company charges the following payment processing fee for individuals on the Starter and Essential plans:

  • Card-Present Payments: 2.6% + $0.10
  • Online Payments: 2.9% + $0.30
  • AMEX Card Payments: 3.5% + $0.10

Those on the Premium plan will get a custom payment processing rate, which should be lower than the above rates.

Contract Requirements/Warnings

Lightspeed lists monthly pricing, but you must get a custom quote and sign a service contract. Your service contract will tell you whether you’re expected to pay monthly or annually. If you do not pay your fees on time, Lightspeed will charge a late fee. There are no returns on software subscriptions.

If you purchase your hardware from Lightspeed, you must verify that your hardware purchase is accurate. Lightspeed’s 30-day limited warranty will not apply to your purchase if you don’t. There is a restocking fee if you return a Lightspeed hardware purchase.

If you cancel your Lightspeed account, Lightspeed will charge an early termination fee, which can get pretty steep depending on the length of your contract and whether you got any discounts on your initial purchase.

Our advice: Start with a month-to-month subscription before committing to Lightspeed for the long term.

Choose Lightspeed Restaurant If You Want...

  • A KDS that can take orders from any source
  • An affordable customer loyalty program
  • Excellent inventory management features

Get Started With Lightspeed Restaurant POS Review

Read our in-depth review

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Helcim POS Review: Best For Service & Subscription-Based Businesses

Helcim POS Review

Total Rating 4.2
Pricing4.1

Ease Of Use4.8

Features3.9

Customer Service4.5

User Reviews4.0

Pricing

$0

Contract

Monthly

Equipment Cost

$99 - $329

Pros

  • Completely free POS software
  • Works on any system (smartphone, tablet, computer)
  • Interchange-plus payment processing
  • Excellent invoicing and subscription management

Cons

  • No built-in loyalty program
  • Very few third-party integrations
  • Not for small businesses making less than $5,000/month

Helcim POS register interface on iPad

Helcim POS register interface on iPad.

Why We Chose Helcim POS System For Service & Subscription-Based Businesses

We believe that Helcim, which is completely free for all users, is generally more beneficial for B2B/B2G businesses, service-based businesses such as veterinarian offices and carpet cleaners, and businesses selling subscriptions. This is because of the software invoicing, card storage vault, and custom online checkout designer.

At the POS register, employees can link payments to invoices and cards on file, charge products and services to business accounts, and generate new invoices from the register.

We also like that Helcim works on any type of device. The card reader is also inexpensive, lowering the barrier to entry even more for small businesses.

Helcim POS Pricing

Helcim POS Review Plans Price  When To Use
Free Plan $0 If you need free in-person POS software, an online store builder, subscription manager, and/or customer account manager

Helcim’s POS software is completely free to use. You only pay Helcim’s payment processing fees.

Helcim POS Features

Helcim POS Review 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

Helcim’s free POS system offers all standard POS functions, and it’s easy for employees to add products, discounts, tips, and customer accounts during transactions. You can also add custom transaction notes and checkout fields, pre-authorize cards, save orders for later, and accept checks on the POS, which is not something that many POS systems have built into their register interface. You can sell individual items and sell to businesses using customer portals and large catalogs.

Helcim B2B wholesale item listing settings in Helcim dashboard

Helcim free POS system advanced pricing for B2B wholesale item listings.

Helcim’s invoicing and recurring payment features are what set Helcim apart from the other providers in this list and make it a viable option for B2B and B2G businesses. Helcim’s invoicing features include:

  • Generate invoices from the touch screen POS and link a customer to it
  • Accept partial invoice payments from the touchscreen POS and virtual terminals
  • Custom drag-and-drop invoice creation and payment settings
  • Set full and partial invoice due dates
  • Send reminders to customers about upcoming and overdue invoice payments
  • Set recurring invoice payments with a card or account on file
  • Create automated and manual tax settings for invoices

Helcim POS custom invoice theme designer

Helcim POS custom invoice theme designer.

Helcim’s subscription management includes prorated billing, so you only charge customers for the days they use their subscription and metered billing. With this billing method, you charge based on monthly usage data and the ability to add one-time fees and add-ons. Customers will get an automated reminder when their card is about to expire.

You can also create free trials for customers, and if a customer cancels their subscription, you can get feedback that will help you understand why they canceled to optimize your subscription business.

Helcim POS subscription manager

Helcim POS subscription manager.

Helcim’s POS and web pages (including checkout carts, subscription signup, approvals, and client portals) can be built with a drag-and-drop builder, so your pages will have only the information you want, and they will all be custom-branded. This is useful for businesses that only need certain information fields, like those selling services, as you can remove fields like the shipping address. It’s also for businesses that require unique ordering fields, such as custom jewelry making using photos submitted by customers.

Hardware Cost & Options

Helcim iPad POS system and card reader

Helcim iPad POS system and card reader.

Helcim’s card reader costs $99. Helcim software is compatible with just about all smartphone, tablet, and desktop devices, no matter the operating system.

Additionally, in June 2023, the company launched the $349 Helcim Smart Terminal, a mobile POS system that, like the Square Terminal and Clover Flex, includes an integrated POS register, credit card/mobile wallet reader, and receipt printer.

There are also a few compatible receipt printers available.

Payment Processing Costs

Helcim offers interchange-plus payment processing for all businesses. There are no minimum sales volumes or transaction numbers. This is highly uncommon among POS providers.

The company offers a sample “find your custom rate” tool on its website. As an example, if a professional services business makes less than $50,000 per month and has an average transaction size is $250 with an even mix of in-person and online payment types, that business will get an estimated processing fee of 1.94% plus $0.08 for in-person payments and 2.51% plus $0.25 for online transactions.

The company also started offering a cash discount program with merchant accounts for business owners who would like to pass their credit/debit card processing fees to customers. The company will uniquely allow business owners to give customers the choice to pay a “convenience fee” if they choose to pay with a card or pay through a bank account, which has lower fees for business owners than card payments.

Contract Requirements/Warnings

Helcim offers very flexible month-to-month contracts with no early termination fees, much like Square does. Each business owner gets a merchant account when they sign up with Helcim.

Choose Helcim If You Want...

  • A completely free POS software option
  • Interchange-plus payment processing
  • Invoice and subscription management features

Get Started With Helcim POS Review

Read our in-depth review

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KORONA POS: Best For High-Risk Businesses

Total Rating 4.4
Pricing4.9

Ease Of Use4.1

Features3.7

Customer Service5.0

User Reviews4.4

Pricing

$59-$69/month

Contract

None

Equipment Cost

Contact for quote

Pros

  • Lots of payment processor options
  • Works with most POS hardware
  • Excellent loss prevention features
  • Affordable advanced inventory management

Cons

  • No built-in loyalty program
  • No built-in eCommerce

KORONA POS checkout interface on touchscreen

KORONA POS checkout interface on a touch screen.

Why We Chose KORONA POS For High-Risk Businesses

We like that KORONA is such a flexible POS system in terms of payment processor and hardware accessory choices. Unlike providers such as Square and Shopify, KORONA integrates with high-risk payment processors, which is very useful for high-risk businesses like vape shops and liquor stores. The system allows you to integrate just about any cash drawer, barcode scanner, and receipt printer.

The POS system for small business owners also has lots of register security functions, such as the ability to restrict item voids, returns, and cash drawer opening. The company’s self-serve kiosks also include loss prevention features such as RFID tags to reduce theft.

Note: KORONA offers an unlimited free trial, no credit card is required. You sign up for a paid plan once you're ready to accept customer payments.

KORONA POS Pricing

KORONA POS Plans Price  When To Use
KORONA POS Core $59/month Basic business operations
KORONA POS Retail $69/month Advanced inventory needs

KORONA offers two monthly plans as well as the following add-ons:

  • Food: $10/month/terminal; includes restaurant software features like menu, table, and server management
  • Plus: $20/month/terminal; includes advanced inventory management features like order level optimization and the ability to create different product pricing for each location
  • Invoicing: $10/terminal/month; includes features like quotes, rentals, and invoicing
  • Ticketing: $50/month/gate; includes features like ticket tiers and printing, customer management, and entry gate management
  • Franchise: $30/month/franchise; includes features like automated royalty payments and consolidated inventory management
  • Integration: $45/month/integration via KORONA’s open API

Other features, such as self-serve kiosk hardware and software, require a custom quote.

KORONA POS Features

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

KORONA’s most unique POS features are its loss prevention features, affordable inventory management, and franchise capabilities.

You’ll 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 (used for managers who need to be able to use registers but will also need to create new cashiers and associated cashier permissions)
  • Custom self-checkout kiosk hardware and software with RFID tag monitoring to reduce item theft

KORONA POS system cashier permissions

KORONA POS system cashier permissions.

KORONA’s basic retail plan includes several inventory management features that other POS systems only offer on higher-level plans. These features include:

  • Price and shelf labels with barcode printing automations
  • Pack to single item conversion (great for a liquor store POS system)
  • Inventory counts and adjustments from the KORONA POS mobile inventory app
  • Supplier interface integrations with vendor shipment tracking

While KORONA’s advanced inventory management is now a separate add-on as of August 2023, the add-on is affordable and worthwhile unless you have several terminals. The advanced inventory allows you to create set reordering points with automated reordering, generate custom product performance reports, create individual store listings and prices, and perform financial forecasting.

With KORONA’s franchising add-on, you can create custom royalty payment systems, automate royalty payments, manage franchisee communication between all locations, set ordering preferences and reordering points per location, and get franchise insight reports.

We also have to note how unique the company’s self-checkout kiosk hardware is. The secure self-checkout system is one of the reasons why KORONA is one of the best convenience store POS systems.

KORONA self-checkout kiosk with RFID tagging and automated scanning

KORONA self-checkout kiosk with RFID tagging and automated scanning.

Hardware Cost & Options

KORONA POS system hardware

KORONA POS terminal, cash drawer, credit card terminal, and receipt printer.

KORONA integrates with POS terminals by PartnerTech and AURES Group. Both are durable proprietary countertop POS terminals with large screens. The company also offers self-checkout hardware for a custom price.

You may also purchase compatible card readers from Genius, PAX, Dejavoo, and eConduit. You’ll likely get a credit card reader from your merchant services provider that you can connect to KORONA.

Epson is the most common provider of receipt printers and cash drawers, but you can connect any USB printer and cash drawer to KORONA. You can also connect any USB barcode scanner.

Payment Processing

KORONA does not offer in-house payment processing but does integrate 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.

Contact Requirements/Warnings

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, which means that you can’t take payments, but you can try out the software for as long as you need to before committing to it.

You do have to be careful about your merchant agreement and make sure the terms are fair for your business. High-risk business owners should expect to pay a little more for payment processing than other lower-risk business owners.

Choose KORONA If You Want...

  • Loss prevention features
  • High-risk industry support
  • Franchise management capabilities

Get Started With KORONA 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


Which POS Software For Small Business Is Right For You?

The right POS system for your small business will fit your business’s size, type, and budget. Learn about equipment financing if you don’t have the funds to purchase your POS system outright and small business funding if you need more capital to start your own business or accelerate your small business’s growth.

Are you having problems with your current POS system? Check out our article on the most common POS problems and solutions for help!

FAQs: Best POS System For Small Business

Which point of sale software is easy to use?

Square, Clover, and Shopify are point of sale software options that are extremely user-friendly and feature free trials.

What is the best small business POS with a loyalty program?

Lightspeed Retail POS offers the best retail loyalty program, while Toast POS offers the best restaurant loyalty program.

What are the types of POS systems?

The two main types of POS systems are on-premise and cloud-based. On-premise POS systems store data locally and don’t need to be connected to the internet, while cloud-based POS store data online and need the internet to function.

Can I use my phone as a POS?

You can use your phone as a POS if you choose a POS system with a mobile app and a Bluetooth-compatible credit card reader.

What POS systems are compatible with Android devices?

Square, Helcim, Shopify, and KORONA POS are compatible with Android devices. Toast and Clover offer proprietary POS devices built on the Android platform.

What's the difference between a POS system and a POS terminal?

A POS system is a combination of software and hardware that allows you to make sales and take payments with a card reader. A POS terminal is a standalone card reader that captures card data.

You can process transactions without a full POS system, but you can’t process transactions without a POS terminal.

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Nicolette Kier

Nicolette Kier

Senior Staff Writer
Nicolette began writing on small business topics in 2020. After hundreds of hours researching, testing, and assisting small business owners with web building and point of sale software, she is now an expert on all things eCommerce and point of sale. She has a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Pittsburgh and resides in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Nicolette Kier
View Nicolette Kier's professional experience on LinkedIn.