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These grocery store POS options offer robust inventory management and most have EBT, WIC, lottery, and regulated substance capabilities.
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.
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Nicolette KierNicolette 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.
Expert Contributor
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Matt has been helping small businesses make decisions since 2017. He has written reviews and articles across many different channels but specializes in the point of sale, payroll, and small business insurance categories and has been quoted in articles for Fox Business, Forbes, and other publications. Prior to joining Merchant Maverick, Matt was a journalist and editor for 14 years for a pair of weekly newspapers. He is a graduate of the University of Oregon and currently resides in Gladstone, Oregon.
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Matt ShermanMatt has been helping small businesses make decisions since 2017. He has written reviews and articles across many different channels but specializes in the point of sale, payroll, and small business insurance categories and has been quoted in articles for Fox Business, Forbes, and other publications. Prior to joining Merchant Maverick, Matt was a journalist and editor for 14 years for a pair of weekly newspapers. He is a graduate of the University of Oregon and currently resides in Gladstone, Oregon.
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Our content reflects the editorial opinions of our experts. While our site makes money through referral partnerships, we only partner with companies that meet our standards for quality, as outlined in our independent rating and scoring system.
Grocery store POS systems help owners take in-person payments, print receipts, monitor inventory, and manage employees. The best systems also include a customer loyalty program, EBT and WIC sales, online ordering, regulated item sales features, and made-to-order food sales capabilities.
We reviewed several POS systems based on pricing, hardware options, niche grocery store software features, and software contract conditions to help you find the best POS system for your grocery store.
The best POS systems for grocery stores should have great features, an easy-to-use interface, and hardware and software pricing that fits within your budget. Here are our top picks:
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Pros
Free plan available
Free online ordering platform
Affordable POS hardware
EBT and WIC sales capabilities
Cons
Not available on Android devices
Occasional outages
Occasional fund holds
Why We Picked Square For A Low-Cost Option
Square For Retail earned an excellent score in pricing during our evaluation of retail POS systems. We like that Square offers one of the best free POS systems, affordable POS hardware with interest-free financing available, and a free online ordering platform for pickup and delivery orders.
Square works on any iPad or iPhone, so you can sell from your store, at farmers' markets, and events.
Square charges 2.5% + $0.10 for card-present transactions and 2.9% + $0.30 for online transactions. Card-present transactions increase to 2.6% + $0.10 if you subscribe to Square’s free plan.
Square For Retail works on iPad or iPhone. Other Square hardware includes:
Contactless card reader
iPad stand
Cash drawer
Barcode scanner
Weight scale
Square register
Square retail kit with Square Register, cash drawer, receipt printer, label printer, and barcode scanner
Clover is the most customizable option because, unlike other providers on this list, several merchant services providers sell the hardware and software. This means you can get a custom contract and the best payment processing rates from a Clover reseller.
We also like that several durable POS hardware options are available and a vast app market full of free and paid add-on apps so you can create a custom grocery store management solution.
Since Clover devices are compatible with several payment processors, you can get a custom payment processing rate that is typically lower than the ones offered by competitors like Lightspeed and Square.
Clover does not charge any monthly fees for using a third-party payment processor (providers like Revel Systems do charge this fee.)
Related: Read our Clover POS pricing guide for more on how Clover software, hardware, and payment processing fees work with different merchant services providers.
Clover Features
Custom merchant agreements and payment processing rates
Accept credit, debit, digital wallet, cash, PayPal, Venmo, gift card, check, EBT, and store credit payments
Why We Picked Lightspeed Retail For Specialty Stores & Co-ops
Lightspeed ranked highly in our full review for its features, with its strongest features being in the register, store management, and online sales channels categories. We appreciate Lightspeed's extensive inventory management, which is great for specialty stores with unique and rotating inventory.
Co-ops can manage co-op memberships and specialty stores can start subscription boxes with Lightspeed's subscription management add-on. Lightspeed also has good wholesaler management so specialty stores can sell to restaurants, caterers, and other businesses.
For single/multi-location retail businesses looking for a strong loyalty program and advanced business reporting
Payment processing is 2.6% + $0.10 for in-person payments and 2.9% + $0.30 for online payments.
Extra fees are also charged for extra registers and additional locations.
You must purchase your card reader from Lightspeed. A mobile card reader and a handheld POS terminal are available.
Lightspeed sells iPads, iPad stands, and accessories, but you can also purchase compatible devices on your own, which may be a more cost-effective option.
Lightspeed Retail Features
Accept debit, credit, digital wallet, cash, check, gift card, and store credit payments
Charge orders to an existing customer account
Excellent built-in inventory management
Customizable loyalty program
Co-op membership subscription management
Free iPhone barcode scanner app
Online ordering with in-store and curbside pickup, local delivery, and shipping
Schedule orders in advance
List specialty items on Google Shopping
B2B wholesale account management
Strong custom business report generator
Several third-party integrations
Weight scale integration
When To Use Lightspeed Retail
You run a co-op or another subscription membership program
You want extensive inventory management and reporting
Excellent perishable and retail inventory management
Cons
Long contracts with early termination fee
Expensive for smaller businesses
Implementation fee required
No integrated EBT/WIC payments
Why We Picked Revel Systems For Cafe Services
Like Lightspeed, Revel Systems earned a high score in the features category. With Revel's unique all-in-one retail and restaurant software, you can build a cafe into your store for an added income source.
The software offers strong inventory, multilocation, and report management so expanding businesses will find everything they need with Revel.
Registers include weight scales and can be turned into self-checkout
Cons
Very expensive startup cost
Early termination fee
Support costs extra
Why We Picked IT Retail For Supermarkets
IT Retail is designed specifically for fast-paced, multi-department supermarkets. We appreciate that this software is highly customizable and intuitive, especially if you have experience as a cashier, a cash office manager, or have worked inventory.
IT Retail accounts for every facet of running a large grocery store, from cash management to fast checkout to weeding out underlying issues such as theft and excessive shrinkage. Plus, the POS hardware bundles are specifically designed for grocery stores.
IT Retail Pricing
IT Retail has three pre-built plans that range from $49/month to $149/month. Custom pricing is also available.
Add-ons can add to your monthly pricing and include:
Gift cards
Self-checkout
Deli scale integration
Online grocery shopping platform integration
Grocery house accounts
Scale setup fee
Remote system configuration
Monthly support
Full hardware bundles are available to purchase, and IT Retail offers a wide range of accessories including deli scales.
Features
Accept debit, credit, digital wallet, cash, gift card, EBT, eWIC, store credit, and check payments
Department-specific product management
Set ID scanner requirements for restricted items
Lottery sales, payouts, and reporting
Strong cash drawer and back office management
Manager override requirement settings
Flag checks that bounce
Custom shrinkage reports
Scales built into front-end registers
Convert registers to self-checkout stations
Deli scale integration with thermal label printing
Integration with online grocery shopping platforms
Several compatible hardware accessories
When To Use IT Retail
You run a multi-lane supermarket
Your store has several fresh food departments
You want grocery store-specific POS hardware and accessories
Tobacco, alcohol, vape, and lottery sales features
Perishable inventory management
Shrinkage reduction features
Automated purchase ordering
Cons
Must use POS Nation hardware
Customer support and cloud backup cost extra
Early termination fee
Why We Picked POS Nation For Selling Age-Restricted Items
We appreciate that POS Nation understands that many grocery stores don't just sell food. Grocery stores may offer a range of products and services, including selling regulated substances. With integrated ID verification scanners, regulated inventory tracking, and reporting on tobacco, alcohol, and lottery sales, POS Nation has all the functionality you need to offer a wide variety of age-restricted items.
This POS provider recognizes the potentially high turnover rates and shrinkage associated with grocery stores and has built loss-prevention measures into the software.
POS Nation also ranks highly on our list of best POS systems for convenience stores because of the software's regulated substance sales and employee management functions.
POS Nation Pricing
POS Nation advertises three pre-built plans that range from $49/month to $149/month. Custom pricing is also available.
POS Nation may also charge an on-premise hardware installation fee and a monthly technical support fee.
Note: POS Nation advertises monthly and one-time fees but you must fill out an order form which will specify your contract length. Your contract length could be monthly, annual, or longer.
POS Nation Features
Forced ID scanning and manual age entry
Tobacco inventory tracking (by cases, case breaks, individual packs)
Alcohol inventory tracking (by cases, individual items, groupings, and case breaks)
Lottery ticket purchases, payouts, and reports from registers with no need for a separate lottery sales machine
Vape kitting
Loss prevention tools, including forced cash drawer counts, bling till balancing, and item shrinkage monitoring
Perishable inventory management
Automated purchase order generation based on inventory thresholds
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.
Weighted Rating Breakdown
Pricing 40%
Features 30%
Ease Of Use 15%
Customer Service 10%
User Reviews 5%
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
Key Features Of A Grocery Store POS System
The features you need for your grocery store management software vary based on your store’s offerings.
These are the features that the best software will have:
POS Reports
Speedy checkout flow
Strong inventory management
Employee and manager permissions
Barcode generator and scanner
Cash drawer and vault management
Gift cards and loyalty program
EBT/WIC payment acceptance
ID scanning for regulated item sales
Self-checkout registers
Weight scales for pricing fresh food and bulk items
Online ordering for pickup and delivery
If you offer niche products or services such as lottery ticket sales, co-op memberships, food subscription boxes, or made-to-order meals, look for a POS system that helps you manage these sales and service types.
POS system costs can be broken into monthly software fees, payment processing fees, and an upfront POS hardware purchase.
Most POS providers charge by the register and charge extra for advanced features. Keep this in mind when building a monthly software budget.
Payment processing fees are a per-transaction fee required for businesses to accept any digital payment type. Look for the POS system with the lowest payment processing rates that still meets your feature requirements to save money in the long run.
POS hardware offerings and pricing vary widely for grocery stores. Consider how much hardware you need and can afford to invest in. If you need niche hardware like deli scales, and can’t afford a sleek hardware package from a company like IT Retail upfront, consider financing equipment.
Decide Your Must-Have Features
Grocery stores have a lot of niche product sales and management features. Consider what payment types you want to accept, how large and complicated your inventory is, whether you want to offer products like alcohol or ready-to-go meals, and whether you want to use marketing tactics like weekly item discounts and a loyalty program.
If you have a lot of employees and asset movements (cash and inventory), choose a POS system with anti-theft features like manager override requirements, stock takes, and blind till counts.
Decide whether online ordering makes sense for your grocery store and any niche features you need.
Finally, don’t forget to find good POS reporting software.
Get A Free Trial Of Your Software Options
Once you narrow your list to a few potential choices, get a free software trial for each option. Import inventory, do test checkouts, and get input from your employees while you have your free trial.
Note: If a provider does not offer a free trial, sign up for a demo and ask customer representatives questions about the system.
Read Through & Sign A Merchant Agreement
Look for hidden fees like hardware installation fees, hardware warranty information, and early cancellation fees when you read and negotiate a merchant agreement.
Once you have signed your agreement, start setting up your software and hardware in your store!
Which Grocery Store POS System Is Right For Your Business?
The best POS for grocery store owners varies depending on your store’s size, product, and service offerings, as well as how simple or comprehensive you need your system to be. You will also want to ensure that the cost of a POS system fits your budget.
Once you decide on your POS system, learn how to negotiate a good merchant agreement to get the best software contract and payment processing fees possible.
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.
View Nicolette Kier's professional experience on LinkedIn.
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We Recommend Square POS For Your Business 🏆User-friendly & feature-rich point of sale system with affordable pricing.Square POS is an intuitive and simple point of sale platform. It offers customizable tools and a variety of add-ons to fit your business needs and reach your goals.Get StartedNo credit card required
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The vendors that appear on this list were chosen by subject matter experts on the basis of product quality, wide usage and availability, and positive reputation.
Merchant Maverick’s ratings are editorial in nature, and are not aggregated from user reviews. Each staff reviewer at Merchant Maverick is a subject matter expert with experience researching, testing, and evaluating small business software and services. The rating of this company or service is based on the author’s expert opinion and analysis of the product, and assessed and seconded by another subject matter expert on staff before publication. Merchant Maverick’s ratings are not influenced by affiliate partnerships.
Our unbiased reviews and content are supported in part by affiliate partnerships, and we adhere to strict guidelines to preserve editorial integrity. The editorial content on this page is not provided by any of the companies mentioned and has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities. Opinions expressed here are author’s alone.
We Recommend Square POS For Your Business 🏆User-friendly & feature-rich point of sale system with affordable pricing.Square POS is an intuitive and simple point of sale platform. It offers customizable tools and a variety of add-ons to fit your business needs and reach your goals.Get StartedNo credit card required
Square POS is an intuitive and simple point of sale platform. It offers customizable tools and a variety of add-ons to fit your business needs and reach your goals.
Get Started
