Point Of Sale (POS) Software Rating Criteria
Point Of Sale (POS) Software Rating Criteria
Point of sale systems are integral services for businesses that want better sales reporting than a simple cash register/credit card terminal. A good POS app can act as a central hub for employee management, inventory management, loyalty and rewards programs, and much more.
POS apps are often tablet-based (in particular, iPads) but this is not universally true, and so hardware setups for POS systems can vary just as much as the software itself. In addition, some POS apps integrate with many payment processors, while others offer — or even require you to use — an in-house payment processing system.
Point of sale systems are rated on the following six sections: Pricing, Ease Of Use, Features, Integrations & Add-Ons, Customer Service & Technical Support, and User Reviews.
Each section is assigned a rating of Excellent, Good, Fair, or Poor based on the outlined criteria. The overall score out of 5 stars is then based on the following general guidelines:
| Overall Score | Section Ratings |
|---|---|
| 5.0 | Majority "Excellent" and "Good", no "Poor" |
| 4.0 - 4.5 | Majority "Good" |
| 3.0 - 3.5 | Majority "Good" and / or "Fair" |
| 2.0 - 2.5 | Majority "Fair" and / or "Poor" |
| 1.0 - 1.5 | Majority "Poor" |
For more detailed information on scoring, as well as how we make recommendations based on these scores, see our Rating And Scoring System.
The following characteristics warrant an Excellent rating:
Pricing
- The price accurately reflects the value of the software at each pricing level
- Price is competitive and affordable relative to the intended customer base
- All fees and expenses are made explicitly clear prior to signup
- No pressure to sign up for a long-term contract
- Discounts available (e.g., annual or multi-year subscription, education, non-profit)
- If an in-house payment processor is available, the rates and other associated costs are competitive
Ease Of Use
- Signup and on-boarding is simple and well-guided
- Interface design is logical, intuitive, and easy to navigate
- Individual features are easy to use with self-explanatory input fields
- Balances customization capability with an accessible learning curve for beginners
- Provides a free trial or demo option to test ease of use
- Offers quality and easily-searchable learning resources (e.g., demo, tutorials) to assist new users
- Runs smoothly with no major bugs or glitches affecting basic features
Features
- Features for restaurant POS systems include: table mapping, check splitting, raw ingredient tracking, employee management, and more
- Features for retail POS systems include: inventory tracking, itemized refunds, purchase orders, sales reporting, loyalty features, and more
- Provides a well-rounded set of built-in features that serve the intended audience
- Feature set offers good value for the price
- Advanced features (e.g., ecommerce, delivery, and mobile ordering) are available at fair and competitive price points
- The majority of individual features are well-developed
Integrations
- Offers a large number of integrations
- Provides a well-rounded set of widely-used third-party software integrations (e.g., accounting, ecommerce, loyalty, marketing, etc.)
- Provides additional advanced or niche integrations
- Provides an open API for developers
Customer Service & Technical Support
- Provides multiple avenues for personalized support (e.g., phone, email/web tickets, live chat, active social media accounts)
- A live representative can be reached 24/7 via phone, live chat, or email/web ticket
- Company responds to support requests in a timely manner (e.g., emails within 24 hours, phone holds and live chats within minutes)
- Support representatives are knowledgeable, courteous, and able to resolve issues
- Provides an extensive collection of quality online self-help resources (e.g., FAQ, knowledgebase, tutorial videos, community forums, blog, etc.)
- Support department has a reputation for good service, even if some complaints exist
User Reviews
- The number of complaints is reasonable in proportion to company size and user base
- Complaints reference isolated, specific circumstances rather than systemic problems the company has failed to address
- Customer feedback is taken into consideration when updating the software, which frequently renders older complaints obsolete
- A substantive number of credible positive reviews are available online from verifiable customers
- Receives mostly positive reviews/scores on trusted third-party review sites (and/or app marketplaces)
- Positive reviews include significant detail regarding reasons for the high rating
Note: Point of sale services with very few user reviews receive a rating of Fair until more data becomes available.
