8 Best POS Systems For A Convenience Store In 2022
The best point of sale systems for small businesses will satisfy regulatory and inventory needs whether you own a corner shop or a major chain.
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Since convenience stores have so many different offerings and needs, finding the best POS system for a convenience store is not a simple task. We’ve taken into account different sales regulatory and inventory needs, budgets, and business sizes to produce this guide on the best POS systems for convenience stores and gas stations.
Whether you own a small corner shop or a huge chain of rest stops, you’ll find the right convenience store POS to match all your business’s needs.
Learn More About Our Top Picks
| Company | Best For | Next StepsBest For |
|---|---|---|
POS Nation  | Best overall POS option for small to midsize convenience stores. | Best overall POS option for small to midsize convenience stores.
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Square For Retail  | Best for small convenience stores on a tight budget. | Best for small convenience stores on a tight budget.
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Verifone  | Best for full-service rest stops. | Best for full-service rest stops.
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Franpos  | Best for local deliveries and franchises. | Best for local deliveries and franchises.
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KORONA POS  | Best for convenience stores that focus primarily on alcohol sales. | Best for convenience stores that focus primarily on alcohol sales.
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Other Featured Options:
- PDI CStore Essentials: Best for back office management of convenience store-specific inventory and services.
- LS Retail: Best for managing fuel sales and inventory.
- Clover POS: Best for c-store owners looking for easy POS setup and usage.
Read more below to learn why we chose these options.
Table of Contents
8 Best Convenience Store POS Systems
These are our top convenience store POS choices:
- POS Nation: Best Overall Option
- Square For Retail: Best For Tight Budgets
- Verifone: Best For Rest Stops
- Franpos: Best For Local Delivery Or Franchising
- KORONA: Best For Alcohol Sales
- CStore Essentials: Best Back Office Software
- LS Retail: Best For Large Gas Stations
- Clover: Best For Easy Setup
1. POS Nation: Best Overall
POS Nation
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Pros
- Tobacco, lottery, and alcohol sales supported
- Offline mode
- Free hardware
- Highly customizable
- Perishable inventory tracking
Cons
- Support and cloud backup cost extra
- Can’t use any existing hardware
- No native fuel sales solution
POS Nation Features
POS Nation is equipped for convenience stores large and small that sell groceries, tobacco, CBD, and alcohol, which is why the company’s POS system has the following features:
- Age verification via ID scanner or manual entry
- Offline mode to complete transactions without WiFi
- Tobacco inventory tracking by individual pack, cartons, and case-breaks
- Alcohol inventory tracking by case, bottle, and case-break
- Lottery purchases, payouts, and reports
- Mix-and-match deals for food, alcohol, etc.
- Cigar label printing and vape kit building
- Perishable inventory tracking
- Employee shift and break clock-in/clock-out
- Payroll reports to be entered into your business’s accounting system
- Customizable interface
- Self-checkout option
- EBT transactions
- Discounts, bulk pricing, and time-sensitive sales
- Employee permissions
- Blind and forced cash till counts
- Customizable automated purchase ordering and vendor management
POS Nation Pricing
- Flex Monthly: $99/month, charged monthly
- Freedom: $999 one-time fee for software license and hardware
Hardware Cost
If you’re paying monthly, the cost of the hardware is included in the monthly fee. If you pay a one-time fee, you own the hardware forever.
Upon signup, you will receive a convenience store POS bundle, which includes a touch PC, receipt printer, scanner, cash drawer, and chip card reader.
Additional POS bundles cost $999. You can also purchase other hardware such as scanners separately.
Payment Processing
POS Nation offers its own in-house payment processing system via its merchant services program. The company has partnered with payment processors such as Mercury Payment Systems, Upserve (previously known as Swipely), Worldpay, Heartland, and Sterling Payment Technologies to meet your payment processing needs.
POS Nation advertises a payment processing fee between 2% and 2.5%, depending on transaction volumes. You have to contact a representative to get a quote.
Contract Requirements/Warnings
There are no returns or refunds on one-time POS hardware/software purchases. Payment in full is due at the time of purchase.
There are no early termination fees and no refunds on monthly subscriptions. You may cancel your monthly plan at any time with a 30-day notice.
Translation: try out the software for a month before committing to a lifetime purchase.
Where POS Nation Really Shines
With built-in age verification software, EBT transaction capabilities, tobacco/alcohol inventory management, and foodservice features such as perishable inventory tracking, POS Nation has all the functionalities you need to run a convenience store without using any additional software or hardware.
Merchants are not charged separately for hardware and, if you really like this POS system, you can purchase both the hardware and software for a one-time fee of $999, rather than paying for any subscriptions or rentals.
2. Square: Best Budget Option
Square For Retail
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Pros
- EBT-friendly
- CBD-friendly
- Solid all-in-one sales option
- Highly affordable
Cons
- No fuel sales
- No lottery ticket sales
- ID verification not strong
Square For Retail Features
The following features are either free or low-cost for Square merchants:
- EBT capabilities via third-party app
- CBD program with reasonable payment processing fees
- ID verification (but no automated sale denial for under-21s)
- Customizable inventory management system
- Inventory management across several locations
- Automated purchase ordering, low-stock alerts, and vendor management
- Advanced reporting, such as cost of goods sold and projected profit reports
- Customer loyalty program
- Custom gift card printing
- Time-sensitive discounts and coupons
- Employee permissions, clock-in/clock-out, and payroll reporting
- Sell items by weight
- Barcode label printing
- Free website builder (choose a template and quickly edit for your own branded website)
- Free Square online checkout links, so customers can order items online or use self-serve ordering to order food/drinks
Square For Retail Pricing
- Free: $0/month
- Plus: $60/month per location (not per register)
- Premium: Custom pricing
Hardware Cost
C-store POS systems range from $49 (Square Contactless + Chip Reader) to $1,329 (Square Register kit.) You will need a Square-compatible barcode scanner, which will cost between $100 and $200 if you buy it new.
Before you buy equipment from Square or a third-party seller, read our guide to Square POS hardware.
Payment Processing
On the Free plan, Square charges a payment processing fee of 2.6% plus $0.10 per card-present transaction. That processing fee reduces to 2.5% plus $0.10 on the Plus plan.
Contract Requirements/Warnings
Square charges merchants on paid plans monthly. It’s free and easy to cancel if you decide to switch from Square to another POS provider.
Square also has a limited-time hardware warranty, during which Square will send you new equipment in exchange for damaged hardware, even if you didn’t purchase directly from Square. You must file a warranty claim and send the old pieces back to Square within 14 days of receiving your new hardware, or your account will be charged.
Where Square For Retail Really Shines
Square has made it very inexpensive and easy for small business owners to start selling in a physical location, which is why it’s one of the best retail POS systems providers out there.
You don’t have to spend a lot of money upfront, C-store owners only need to sign up for a free account, and purchase a Square card reader and an iPad/tablet to start selling. The software is free for multiple registers in one location, which is not something that all POS providers offer.
Get Started with Square For Retail
3. Verifone: Best For Rest Stops
Verifone
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Pros
- Fuel site controllers
- Foodservice kiosks
- Carwash management
- Lottery in-store and at the pump
Cons
- Pricing not transparent
- Dated interface
Verifone Features
The following features are either built into Verifone or can be easily integrated through one of Verifone’s many partners:
- Offline mode, so you can take orders without WiFi
- 64 pump management via site controller
- Self-service food kiosks
- Unattended checkouts
- Loyalty program
- Money order purchases/payouts
- Car wash management
- Coupon and discount offerings
Verifone Pricing
Verifone POS software pricing is quote-based. You will need to contact a Verifone representative, tell them about your business size, and they will give you an estimate.
Hardware Cost
Verifone has several POS systems, along with payment devices and fuel site controllers. While you must contact Verifone for an estimate, a quick Google search for Verifone systems lists credit card terminals anywhere from $150 to $500. Full-scale POS systems with fuel site controllers are priced for thousands of dollars.
Payment Processing
Verifone partners with First Data, Heartland, National Bankcard Services, and Worldpay to meet your c-store POS payment processing needs.
Contract Requirements/Warnings
If you choose to purchase a Verifone POS or credit card terminal from a third-party seller, Verifone is not responsible for repairing or replacing any damaged devices.
If you purchased a device from an authorized Verifone seller, it is covered under a warranty for either 13 months or 36 months, depending on the device.
Where Verifone Really Shines
Verifone shines in the POS hardware department. With its line of dedicated site controllers, self-serve kiosks, and a variety of payment terminals available, Verifone has all the hardware a full-service convenience store needs. The company has also made it easy to scale up your POS solution whenever you decide to expand to more locations.
4. Franpos: Best Local Delivery Option
Franpos
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Pros
- Postmates and self-delivery options
- RACS (Retail Access Control Standards program) compliant
- Multilocation management
- Payroll features
Cons
- API access costs extra
- Limited integrations
Franpos Features
Franpos is one of the best POS systems to sell vape products legally, as well as several other c-store items, thanks to the following standout features:
- Delivery management via Postmates or your own self-delivery option
- Multilocation inventory management
- Purchase order and vendor management
- Automated low-stock alerts
- ID scanning
- Employee scheduling and punch-in/punch-out monitoring
- Set user permissions
- Self-ordering kiosk system (extra $25/month)
- Hold transactions
- Loyalty programs
- Royalties management (for franchises)
- Growth marketing (paid add-on)
Franpos Pricing
- Single Location: $199/month for single terminal
- Franchise: $249/month for single terminal
You can operate an unlimited number of terminals for an extra $99/month.
Hardware Cost
Franpos does not list hardware pricing on its website. You must call and get a quote. The software will work on iPads and tablets.
Payment Processing
Franpos partners with Square, Fiserv, TSYS, Heartland, North American Bancard, Elavon, Global East (Global Payments), Vantiv, EVO, WorldPay, and Chase to provide payment processing services to merchants.
Contract Requirements/Warnings
You may cancel your monthly contract at any time.
Where Franpos Really Shines
There has been a rise in online ordering from delivery apps like Gopuff, namely for quick-serve orders, snacks, alcohol, health, and tobacco products, especially late at night. Franpos helps you take some of those sales back by offering your own delivery services.
Franpos is also geared towards franchises and multilocation enterprises but can be useful for single locations, too.
If your store is open later than your typical grocery or liquor store, or you’re thinking about franchising, Franpos can be an incredibly worthwhile investment.
5. KORONA: Best For Alcohol Sales
KORONA POS
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Pros
- Geared towards alcohol, vape, cannabis, and lottery sales
- Affordable
- Highly customizable
Cons
- Limited integrations
- Outdated interface
KORONA Features
The following KORONA features are particularly useful for convenience store owners:
- Mix-and-match pricing for alcohol, food, etc.
- ID verification and age restrictions
- EBT sales
- Lottery ticket scanning
- Multilocation management
- Price rules, promotions, coupons, discounts
- Customer loyalty program
- Loss prevention features such as force drawer closing, price change restrictions, and blind balancing
- Customizable tax settings
- Automated product reordering
- Purchase order and vendor management
- Low, overstock, and slow-moving stock notifications
- Local search marketing via Google Maps integration
KORONA Pricing
- Core: $49/month/terminal
- Advanced: $59/month/terminal
- Plus: $79/month/terminal
If you pay annually, you get one month free.
Hardware Cost
KORONA hardware integrates with most POS hardware. If you’re not sure what to pick, read our post on the best credit card machines and terminals.
Payment Processing
TSYS, First Data, Heartland, Cayan, Clearant, Elavon, EVO, Merchant Warehouse, Merchant Payment Systems, Global Payments, Cost Plus Processing, and Eagle Processing can all be used to process payments on transactions made through KORONA POS.
Contract Requirements/Warnings
KORONA POS offers a free trial, which you may use for as long as you like before buying. However, the free trial does have limitations.
You may cancel a monthly KORONA account at any time.
Where KORONA Really Shines
KORONA has developed POS features specifically for convenience stores selling regulated items, especially alcohol, at a great price, so you won’t need to combine several add-ons to create a holistic c-store POS system.
The provider has also taken into account the high employee turnover rates and theft that can plague a convenience store, and has built features into its POS to mitigate these issues.
6. CStore Essentials: Best Back Office Software
PDI CStore Essentials
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Pros
- Excellent tobacco-specific features/discounts
- Check cashing, money orders, bill payment
- Fuel management
- Strong loyalty program
Cons
- Not a full POS system
- Must buy Verifone or Gilbarco hardware
- Poor customer service ratings
CStore Essentials Features
CStore Essentials was made by and for convenience store owners, which is why the following standout features are included in the provider’s POS ecosystem:
- Automated tobacco sale rebates (under specific rebate programs)
- Tobacco loyalty program setup
- Fuel management, such as fuel delivery receiving and tank reports
- Lottery sales and balancing reports
- Check cashing and bill pay functions
- Full payroll system
- Employee roles, permissions, and task management
- Product promotions and discounts
- Automated invoicing
- Price book creation via mobile app
CStore Essentials Pricing
- Store Operations Standard: $69/month, or $59/month when billed annually
- Tobacco Loyalty Plus: $89/month
CStore Essentials also has a basic plan for $19/month, but that is only for tobacco rebates, not any POS functions.
Hardware Cost
You must purchase either Verifone or Gilbarco Passport hardware to take sales at your convenience store. CStore Essentials office management software is cloud-based, so it can be used on a computer or your phone.
Payment Processing
Since you do not actually take payments with CStore Essentials, there is no payment processing involved. Your hardware provider will probably also serve as your payment processor.
Contract Requirements/Warnings
You may sign up for CStore Essentials on a monthly or yearly basis and must cancel your account before the next billing period to avoid another billing charge if you decide against this back-office software.
There are no refunds, so tread lightly and decide whether this software will really help you streamline organizational tasks before committing long-term.
Where CStore Essentials Really Shines
CStore Essentials is not, in itself, a complete POS system, but rather an excellent inventory and employee management software that will help you run your store from behind the scenes. The company also provides excellent tobacco sales features, such as tobacco rebates and tobacco loyalty programs for your customers.
7. LS Retail: Best For Large Gas Stations
LS Retail
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Pros
- Extensive fuel management functions
- Full food-service capabilities
- ID scanner
Cons
- No lottery sales
- Must use Microsoft to run POS software
LS Retail Features
LS retail for gas stations and c-stores features:
- Automated and manual pump control
- Pre-pay, post-pay, and pay-at-pump POS options
- Fuel pricing variations
- Fuel tank monitoring
- Automated fuel tank refilling based on sales history and current stock levels
- Staff scheduling
- Menu planning
- Discounts, promotions, menu specials, and meal deals
- Loyalty program
- Perishable and nonperishable inventory management
- Franchise management
LS Retail Pricing
LS Retail pricing is quote-based. You will need to contact LS Retail or an LS Retail authorized partner for pricing.
Hardware Cost
LS Retail software runs on devices that support Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central.
You may purchase hardware from an LS Retail partner such as Verifone.
Payment Processing
LS Retail has partnered with several payment service providers around the globe. US-facing businesses will most likely use Worldpay, Verifone, or PayEx for their payment processing.
Contract Requirements/Warnings
Your LS Retail subscription will renew automatically unless you contact LS Retail to cancel it within 10 days of your subscription renewal date.
Where LS Retail Really Shines
With multiple fuel management functions such as manual and automatic pump control, refills, and reporting, LS Retail has cornered the market on gas station-oriented convenience store POS systems.
Add in the POS provider’s quick food service devices and management, and you have an (almost) complete POS solution.
8. Clover: Easiest Setup
Clover POS
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Pros
- RACS compliant
- EBT-friendly
- Customizable
- Strong built-in feature set
Cons
- Expensive hardware
- Complex payment processing setup
- No fuel sales
Clover Features
Clover is a highly customizable POS system for a variety of small and midsize businesses. Convenience store owners will appreciate the following features:
- EBT transaction functionality
- Age verification, including automated sale denial with invalid ID/date of birth
- Lottery sales reporting app (paid add-on)
- Customer loyalty program
- Kitchen menu/order management
- Schedule and shift management
- Tobacco discount program (paid add-on)
- Self-service kiosks
- Automated sales, promotions, and discounts
- Customizable inventory management
- Multilocation management
Clover Pricing
- Clover Payments: $0/month (not recommended for c-stores)
- Clover Essentials: $9.95/month for one device
- Clover Register: $39.95/month for one device
- Counter Service: $39.95/month for one device
- Table Service: $69.95/month for one device
Note: Additional devices are $9.95/month/device.
Hardware Cost
You can buy hardware from Clover or from a number of Clover resellers. Devices sold through Clover range from $49 to $1649.
Payment Processing
If you purchase a device directly from Clover, you can only use Clover’s merchant services, which include payment processing by Fiserv. You can expect to pay a processing fee of 2.3% or 2.6%, plus a $0.10 flat fee per transaction, depending on your Clover software plan.
When you purchase Clover hardware from a reseller, you are subject to that reseller’s payment processing fees. For high-volume sellers, an alternative Clover hardware provider could offer better rates.
Contract Requirements/Warnings
Hardware purchased directly from Clover can be returned up to 60 days after the purchase date. Clover software subscriptions can be canceled at any time without any extra fees.
If you purchase Clover hardware from a reseller, your contract requirements will depend on them, so read your contract thoroughly before signing off on any long-term commitments with cancellation fees.
Where Clover Really Shines
Clover designed their product line as a simple all-in-one solution that requires no extra installation, hardware, or software integrations. Clover accounts, complete with hardware and payment processing, are ready to go as soon as you sign up.
In addition, Clover’s app marketplace offers several add-on functions. The entire POS system is as simple to use as a smartphone. All you have to do is add an app, and it’s already configured into your software and hardware environment.
Which Convenience Store Point Of Sale Is Best For You?
POS Nation has the most to offer in terms of simple, yet fully functional, c-store POS systems. However, the best POS system for convenience stores depends primarily on what items/services are being sold and the size of the business.
If you’re on a tight budget, POS Nation might be too pricey, but Square or KORONA is your best bet. Verifone and LS Retail are excellent choices if your store focuses primarily on gas, food, and/or car washing services. If you’re mostly concerned with managing the backend of your convenience store, CStore Essentials could be an invaluable tool. FranPOS is great for niche areas like franchising or offering late-night delivery services, while Clover offers a more general, customizable solution.
FAQs: Convenience Store POS System
In Summary: 8 Best Convenience Store POS Systems
- POS Nation: Best overall POS option for small to midsize convenience stores.
- Square For Retail: Best for small convenience stores on a tight budget.
- Verifone: Best for full-service rest stops.
- Franpos: Best for local deliveries and franchises.
- KORONA POS: Best for convenience stores that focus primarily on alcohol sales.
- PDI CStore Essentials: Best for back office management of convenience store-specific inventory and services.
- LS Retail: Best for managing fuel sales and inventory.
- Clover POS: Best for c-store owners looking for easy POS setup and usage.
Nicolette Kier
Expert Analyst & Reviewer
As a small business owner, contributing writer Nicolette Kier has been sharing her knowledge on all things related to freelancing and eCommerce since 2019. She earned a BS in Physics and a BA in Creative Writing from the University of Pittsburgh.
View Nicolette Kier's professional experience on LinkedIn.
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