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Best eCommerce-Friendly POS Systems For Online Sellers

Online sellers need a robust POS system to help make online shopping easy and efficient for all parties. Discover our top options.

    Matt Sherman
  • Last updated onUpdated

  • Shannon Vissers
  • REVIEWED BY

    Shannon Vissers

    Lead Staff Writer

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.

For retail and restaurant businesses, the ability to sell online is more crucial than ever. Fortunately, software has adapted to business owners’ needs, and POS eCommerce systems are more functional and powerful than ever.

An effective point of sale eCommerce system can improve your business’s visibility, increase your branding, and dramatically increase sales. The best POS systems will also be affordable, easy to use by everyone, and have integrated payment processing.

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  • Starting at $69/month
  • In-house eCommerce platform
  • Flexible card processing
  • Starting at $69/month
  • In-house eCommerce platform
  • Flexible card processing

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  • Free plan available
  • Square Online Store and integrations with BigCommerce, WooCommerce, and others
  • App store access
  • Free plan available
  • Square Online Store and integrations with BigCommerce, WooCommerce, and others
  • App store access

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  • Starts at $99/month
  • Integrates with BigCommerce, WooCommerce, Shopify, and others
  • Revel Online Ordering
  • Starts at $99/month
  • Integrates with BigCommerce, WooCommerce, Shopify, and others
  • Revel Online Ordering

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  • $29/month $79/month and $399/month
  • In-house eCommerce
  • Syncs with Amazon, Facebook, Instagram, and other sites
  • $29/month $79/month and $399/month
  • In-house eCommerce
  • Syncs with Amazon, Facebook, Instagram, and other sites

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  • Free option available
  • More than 100 templates
  • Integrates well with social media apps
  • Free option available
  • More than 100 templates
  • Integrates well with social media apps

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Read more below to learn why we chose these options.

The 5 Best eCommerce POS Systems

Here are five excellent POS systems with strong eCommerce platforms that include reliability, affordability, integrated payment processing, and a depth of features. These are also all cloud-based POS systems with monthly pricing options, so you do not have to sign a long-term contract.

The Top eCommerce POS Systems Compared

eCommerce
Integration
Pricing Free Trial Marketing Tools Customer Loyalty
Lightspeed Retail In-House $69/mo+ Standard Plan+ Advanced Plan+
Square Add-On Free+ Add-On
Revel Add-On $99/mo+
Shopify POS In-House $29/mo+
Shift4 Add-On Free+

Lightspeed Retail: Best For Selling On Social Media

Lightspeed Retail

Total Rating 4.1
Pricing3.7

Ease Of Use4.4

Features4.3

Customer Service4.1

User Reviews4.0

Pricing Range

$109-$289/month ($89-$239/month billed annually)

Contract

Monthly, annual, and custom

Equipment Cost

$199-$329

Pros

  • Advanced inventory
  • Built-in eCommerce
  • Strong loyalty program

Cons

  • Software can be pricy
  • No proprietary hardware

Lightspeed Retail tablet POS system

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

Why We Chose Lightspeed Best For Selling On Social Media

Lightspeed Retail with Lightspeed eCommerce provides a powerful cloud-based POS and integrated online store. The system can be run on an iPad or desktop computer, depending on your store setup and preference.

Best of all, Lightspeed's advanced eCommerce system is entirely in-house, which means you won't have to integrate outside eCommerce software. Read our full review of Lightspeed Retail for more information about this multichannel retail POS system. Or, if you'd like to see it for yourself, sign up for a free 14-day trial. Lightspeed Retail is best suited for small to medium businesses, including multilocation businesses.

Lightspeed Pricing

Lightspeed Retail has plans starting at $69/month when billed annually or $89/month when billed month-to-month and has higher-tiered plans as well, including enterprise packages for large businesses.

Lightspeed Features

Lightspeed Retail 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

Some great things about Lightspeed’s eCommerce platform include:

  • Mobile-optimization: Lightspeed is well-designed to be used on mobile devices and to give customers an easy and convenient shopping experience.
  • Integrated shipping: You don’t have to outsource your shipping needs to a third party. Lightspeed has shipping tools built into its system to help you.
  • Built-in SEO tools: Even if you’re a newbie when it comes to optimizing your website for search pages, Lightspeed can help you out with tools to make sure your customers can find you.
  • Web store analytics: Lightspeed comes with reporting tools that can help you analyze what items are selling well on your website and which ones are the most cost-effective.
  • Easy customer returns: If, for any reason, your customer needs to return an item, Lightspeed makes it easy, allowing them to browse your site to reach the appropriate link or contact person.
  • Use customizable templates or HTML and CSS template editor: Lightspeed is highly customizable and comes with tools to help you brand your business through your website.

Hardware Costs & Options

Lightspeed has iPad kits for purchase on its website and also sells items a la carte, giving you access to things like, printers, scanners, and scales.

Payment Processing Costs

Lightspeed Retail comes with free updates, basic reporting, and 24/7 support, plus loads of integrations and flexible card processing options — as well as an in-house payments option with flat-rate processing at 2.6% + $0.10 for in-store sales (or another 2.6% + $0.30 for online sales).

Contract Requirements/Warnings

Lightspeed allows you to use its services month-to-month, although it does charge a higher monthly fee than if you’re billed annually, and it also doesn’t lock you into a single payment processor.

Get Started With Lightspeed Retail

Read our in-depth review

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Square POS: Best Free POS System

Total Rating 4.9
Pricing4.9

Ease Of Use5.0

Features4.8

Customer Service4.7

User Reviews4.8

Pricing Range

$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

  • Free entry point
  • Easy interface
  • Delivery options

Cons

  • Occasional fund holds
  • Fees add up for high volume sellers

square online store builder for retail website

Why We Chose Square As Best For Small Budgets

Square is one of the most popular POS systems on the market for small businesses. Square POS is typically used with an iPad setup, though you can also use it with another device of your choice, including a smartphone for on-the-go sales.

Square even sets up its POS system users with a free eCommerce website integration powered by Weebly. For many small, low-volume businesses, a free Square Online Store will be sufficient. For businesses with more advanced eCommerce needs, Square also offers paid online store plans and integrations with numerous other eCommerce solutions.

Square Pricing

Square has a free online store with basic features, and it also has paid plans that are $29/month and $79/month, with the highest tier offering lower processing rates.

Square Features For eCommerce

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

Here are some of the features included in Square’s free online store:

  • Automatic inventory, orders, and items sync with Square POS: If you are already using Square software, using its online store is practically a no-brainer as it has a free entry point and syncs your inventory automatically.
  • Connect your website with Instagram and Pinterest to create shoppable posts: Square integrates with popular social media platforms to make selling through those popular sites simple and opening up your store to a broader audience.
  • Showcases featured products and upcoming events: Square has some unique features like the ability to bump products to the front of searches and inform customers of events or sales that you want to highlight.
  • Accept appointments and charitable donations: Square is a particularly good POS for non-profit organizations as it has tools specifically for these types of establishments that can help with taxes and other niche services.
  • Responsively designed website templates look great on any device: Square’s simple and sleek design is very easy to navigate, and its templates are not overly complicated and simple to set up.
  • Accept Square gift cards: It’s easy to accept Square gift cards and set up Square loyalty through its online store to give customers an incentive to come back.

If you’re looking to integrate your existing eCommerce website with Square instead of using its in-house website builder, there’s a good chance Square already integrates with your eCommerce platform.

Hardware Costs & Options

Square has its own proprietary hardware, including Square Reader for contactless and chip payments, which costs $49. It also has its mobile payment device, Square Terminal, for $299 and its all-in-one POS system, Square Register, for $799. You can purchase individual items on its website as well.

Payment Processing Costs

Square’s basic processing fees for online payments is 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction, but with its Premium Plan, the fees drop to $2.6% + $0.30 per transaction.

Contract Requirements/Warnings

With Square, there are no long-term contracts, and you can always purchase or use your free software month-to-month.

Get Started With Square POS

Read our in-depth review

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Revel POS: Best For Large Inventories

Total Rating 3.9
Pricing3.6

Ease Of Use3.9

Features4.3

Customer Service4.2

User Reviews3.8

Pricing Range

Quote-based

Online Ordering

Yes

Equipment Cost

Call for quote

Pros

  • Robust reporting
  • Strong customer management
  • Loyalty program

Cons

  • Three-year contract for cheapest rate
  • Back end not overly intuitive

revel on ipad
Why We Chose Revel As Best POS For Large Inventories

Revel is a powerhouse of a POS system with one of the deepest feature sets on the market. It's a great option for mid-sized to larger retailers or restaurants as its features and back end can be a little overwhelming, but if you're looking for a system with everything and the cost isn't a major factor, Revel should definitely be under consideration.

Revel Pricing

Revel’s pricing is simple and upfront, starting at $99/month. However, to get that pricing, you need to sign up for a three-year contract with its payment processing system Revel Advantage.

Revel Features For eCommerce

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

For eCommerce, Revel has its Revel Online Ordering system, which makes things easier both for the business and for customers and includes:

  • Customizable interface: Revel gives you the ability to change what your customer sees and increase branding opportunities. It also allows you to showcase products you’re wanting to push.
  • Customer relationship management: Revel is excellent at syncing your customer’s experience, allowing you to tailor marketing campaigns and store buying history information.
  • Loyalty and gift cards: Along with customer management, Revel has a strong loyalty system, allowing buyers to rack up points and earn incentives to shop at your business again.
  • Built-in search capabilities: Revel makes it easy for your customers to find what they’re looking for with its intuitive search tools offered through its eCommerce platform.
  • Deep reporting features: Revel is known for its reporting and analytics, offering dozens of reports to help you dive deep into the ins and out of how your online store is functioning.

Revel also integrates with Kosmos eSync, which helps transfer inventory, loyalty, and customer information from your POS to your online store. Revel has one of the best POS and eCommerce lists of integrations, as it also partners with big names, such as Shopify, BigCommerce, and WooCommerce, giving you plenty of options. If you’re in the winery business, Revel partners with Vines OS, which caters specifically to that industry.

Hardware Costs & Options

Revel does not offer its own proprietary hardware, but you can purchase everything from iPads to printers to cash drawers through its website.

Payment Processing Costs

While it can be a little tricky to find on its website, Revel has its own processing service that you must sign up for with a three-year contract in order to receive its lowest pricing. Its standard processing rate is 2.49% + $0.15 per transaction.

Contract Requirements/Warnings

Like a few other POS systems, Revel will have you sign up for its own payment processor, Revel Advantage for a three-year contract in order to lock in its lowest monthly service rate, which isn’t ideal. You’ll want to make sure you’re happy with both the software and the rates before signing up.

Get Started With Revel POS

Read our in-depth review

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Shopify POS: Best For Fully Integrated eCommerce

Total Rating 4.3
Pricing4.0

Ease Of Use4.9

Features4.4

Customer Service4.8

User Reviews4.4

Pricing Range

Starts at $29/month

Contract

None

Equipment Cost

$0-$500+

Pros

  • Multiple payment gateways
  • Modern interface
  • Multiple integrations

Cons

  • Poor offline mode
  • Hardware costs are pricy

shopify store on facebook and mobile
Why We Chose Shopify As Best POS For Integrated eCommerce

Since the release of Shopify POS in 2013, Shopify has evolved from mere shopping cart software to a full-fledged retail POS system.

Today's Shopify includes both eCommerce and brick-and-mortar sale functionality, allowing even the smallest retailers to sell with ease, both online and off. Shopify has affordable monthly packages to suit merchants who sell strictly over the internet or exclusively in-store, but it is the best fit for retailers who do both.

Shopify Pricing

Shopify has multiple pricing tiers, starting at $29/month if billed annually. There are higher and more advanced tiers at $79/month, $299/month, and $2000/month, depending on the size of your business.

Shopify 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

Now that you know the basics, here are a few more important things to know about Shopify’s in-house eCommerce solution:

  • Social Media “Buy” buttons: Shopify integrates with major social media platforms, allowing you to get your business seen and for your customers to purchase directly through the sites they visit most.
  • Choose from online store themes and/or edit HTML and CSS: Shopify’s eCommerce platform is highly customizable and also allows you to tinker and create your own designs.
  • Abandoned cart recovery: If a customer leaves items in their online cart, that information is saved so that they can easily find what they were looking for on another visit.
  • Print shipping labels: Shopify has all of your shipping needs taken care of as well, allowing you to print your own labels to send out products.
  • Mobile reporting app: You can check on how your business is doing from anywhere with an internet connection.
  • Multichannel gift cards: Shopify has a very strong loyalty and gift card program to help keep your customers coming back.

If you need an online retail POS for your large business or franchise, try Shopify Plus for an enterprise-level multichannel POS.

Hardware Costs & Options

Shopify has some unique hardware options to help make selling easier. It offers its own retail kit for $219 and its mobile POS device for $399. It also has its tap and chip card reader for $49. You can also purchase a la carte options on its website.

Payment Processing Costs

Shopify, which operates via an iPad, iPhone, or Android app, includes integrated payment processing with Shopify Payments; in-person rates range from 2.4% to 2.7% depending on which monthly plan you purchase; online transaction rates range from 2.4% + $0.30 to 2.9% + $0.30.

Contract Requirements/Warnings

You can sign up for Shopify’s services on a month-to-month basis, but you do receive a discount if you sign up annually.

Get Started With Shopify POS

Read our in-depth review

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Shift4Shop: Best For Scalability

Shift4Shop


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Pros

  • Free plan available
  • Highly scalable
  • Excellent marketing tools

Cons

  • Potential long-term contracts
  • Costs not displayed upfront


Why We Chose Shift4 As Best POS For Scalability

Shift4 is a payment processing, eCommerce, and POS company, integrating all three of those platforms seamlessly to create an affordable and scalable service. Shift4's eCommerce service is called Shift4Shop and has an excellent free plan plus built-in processing.

If you need to expand your business's online offerings, Shift4Shop makes that easy as well with additional paid tiers.

Shift4 Pricing

Shift4 does not offer up its pricing online which we don’t usually like to see but, in this instance, it’s somewhat understandable as it can be variable depending on what services you’re actually signing up for. You will need to use Shift4’s payment processing platform in order to tap into its free eCommerce plan.

Shift4 Features

Shift4Shop Features Availability
Retail Equipment Available
International Sales
Currency Conversion Requires app
Shoppable Social Posts
Gift Cards
Customer Loyalty
Marketing Tools
Hosted Platform
Reports
Staff Accounts
Buy Buttons
Multi-Platform Integrations
Shipping Tools
Shipping Discounts
Free Themes
Unlimited Products

Shift4 has some excellent POS and eCommerce features at a very low-cost entry point. Here’s what you can expect:

  • Gift cards: Shift4 offers strong loyalty and a highly customizable gift card program to help your customers and increase branding.
  • Multiple templates: Shift4 has more than 100 unique designs and free templates that are easy to use and give your customer a unique online experience.
  • Multi-channel selling: Shift4 is integrated with social media platforms, allowing your customers to buy on popular sites like Facebook and Instagram along with eBay.
  • International selling: With Shift4 you can easily sell outside of the United States with its Global Shopex add-on.
  • Saved carts: Customers’ products that are placed in their shopping carts are automatically saved even after the customer leaves the website.
  • Email marketing: Shift4 has excellent marketing tools to reach your customers and can help tailor email blasts for promotions.

Hardware Costs & Options

Shift4 has hardware options available for purchase on its website that can all be purchased individually or in packages.

Payment Processing Costs

While you can technically choose from multiple payment processors, you are heavily incentivized to go with Shift4’s own provider. Its rates are also difficult to lock down, and you may be talked into signing up for a long-term contract.

Contract Requirements/Warnings

Shift4 will lock you into its payment processor if you want to receive its free Shift4Shop eCommerce plan. It has also received multiple complaints about its long-term contracts and how difficult it is to break them.

Get Started With Shift4Shop

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Retail POS Review 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.

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


How To Integrate eCommerce With Your POS

If you’re looking for how to integrate your POS with a website for online selling, it could be in your best interest to sync up your point of sale system with an eCommerce platform. This can be an easier process than you might think, and many of these companies integrate with each other. We’ll briefly give you a few pointers on how to combine these two platforms.

You Have A POS, But Not A Website

If you already have a modern point of sale system, you very likely already have the ability to set up a website for your company either through your POS’s platform itself or third-party integrations, such as Shopify or Wix. The first thing you’ll need to do is see which of these is available.

If your POS has its own eCommerce platform, you may simply need to activate that service. Sometimes access to retail POS integrations is an add-on or only available with a higher tier, so you may need to contact your provider.

From there, the eCommerce software is generally quite user-friendly, but there are a few steps and things to keep in mind to help ensure your success.

  • Choose Your Theme: You can create your own theme, but many platforms come with pre-loaded themes for your convenience. You will want to make sure you choose one that matches your business’s aesthetic.
  • Sync Your Payment Gateway: If you have a POS system, you should already have a payment gateway and processor. You will just need to make sure that it syncs up for online selling as well. Keep in mind that online purchases come with higher processing fees than card-present transactions.
  • Import Inventory & Customer Data: This may seem like a huge chore, but a POS system that integrates directly with a website should allow you to import your inventory through a simple process. The same goes for any customer data you want to transfer to your online site, such as loyalty points.
  • Set Up Shipping: You’ll have to figure out what kind of shipping rates you’ll be implementing and what provider you’ll use to get your products to customers; your software can assist with the set-up.

You Have A Website, But Not A POS

If you are already operating online but are venturing into the brick-and-mortar world, integrating your software is similarly easy. You’ll want to make sure that whatever POS service you purchase is compatible with your eCommerce platform; this can actually be a helpful way to narrow down your options from a huge number of products.

Once you’re up and running, the process is similar as shown above in terms of syncing your website to your POS and importing your inventory and other data. But here are a few other things you’ll want to assess when setting up a POS system.

  • Make Sure Your POS Integrates With Your Current Processor: If you’re selling online, you’ll also need to make sure that your payment processor works with your POS, as many now have their own processing service that you are locked into using. It’s always possible to switch to a new processor, but that may be an additional step you want to avoid.
  • Check For Add-Ons & Integrations: A good point of sale system should come with a number of features that can help you, such as advanced inventory tracking and reports. It may also integrate with companies that offer niche products that could help you as well or even a full app store with software to choose from.

You Have Neither A Website Nor A POS

If your business is brand new or a very small venture that is looking to expand, you can knock off multiple items on your checklist in one swoop. You’ll want to do a fair bit of research on eCommerce platforms and POS systems, but you will have plenty of options to choose from that integrate one with the other seamlessly, and you can directly import your inventory. If you plan to do a high percentage of your selling online, having a point of sale system with a strong eCommerce platform or partners with one affordably will be crucial.

The Bottom Line: Your POS Is The Bridge Between Physical & Online Stores

Having two separate platforms for brick-and-mortar and online sales is redundant and completely unnecessary these days. But before you plunge in and buy the first eCommerce-compatible POS system you come across, it’s important to evaluate your options and make sure you choose a reliable, well-regarded system that can meet all of your needs.

At Merchant Maverick, we love scaleable, cloud-based solutions that work for online retailers, small and large — bonus points if they are affordable and easy to use. The above POS systems meet all of those criteria and then some. These systems are each a little different, though, so we recommend testing them out before settling on a POS. Take advantage of their free trials before you make a long-term commitment.

Also, take a look at some other iPad POS software if you want to see what else is out there — just make sure the system offers some kind of eCommerce capabilities before falling in love.

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Matt Sherman

Matt Sherman

Lead Staff Writer at Merchant Maverick
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.
Matt Sherman
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