Best Cashless POS Systems For Small Business

Square is free to use, with no monthly fee. However, you can purchase various optional add-ons or access more features with a paid plan.

This easy-to-use POS works on virtually any smartphone, iPad, or tablet, as well as on the proprietary mobile hardware sold by Square.

You can purchase a Square Stand Kit, which includes an iPad, the proprietary Square Stand swivel screen with its built-in payment reader, a cash drawer, and a receipt printer. Or, you could use a Square Terminal or Square Register for a minimal setup with no cash register.

It’s also possible to accept cashless payments using Square without buying any hardware at all — just use a free plug-in Square credit card reader or Tap to Pay on iPhone.

At a flat 2.4% – 2.6% + $0.15 on every swiped, dipped, and tapped transaction, Square’s in-house payment provider doesn’t provide the absolute lowest processing rates in the industry. However, there is no monthly charge to use this handy pocket POS, so there is a very low barrier to entry.

For online payments, Square charges 2.9% – 3.3% + $0.30.

Square does not have any contract or processing minimum, so you can stop using the POS at any time or use it only occasionally.

A couple of downsides to Square are its somewhat impersonal customer support and a touchy security system that may flag/freeze your account if you process a very large transaction or a higher-than-usual monthly sales total.

Clover also has several software plans that cater to various industries. There is a free plan, which includes payment processing only, while paid plans run between $0 – $84.95/month .

Clover includes a strong lineup of digital payment tools that make going cashless simple and secure:

• Contactless Payments: Accept Apple Pay, Google Pay, and other NFC options.
• Paperless Receipts: Send digital receipts via text or email.
• PayPal & Venmo Acceptance: Offer customers more familiar ways to pay.
• Virtual Terminal: Take keyed-in payments from any web browser.
• EBT & QR Code Payments: Support additional, flexible payment types.
• Tap to Pay on iPhone: Use the Clover Go app to accept contactless payments without extra hardware.

The ideal countertop setup for a cashless business is probably the Clover Mini, which you can use alongside other Clover devices or on its own.

Other Clover hardware options include Clover Station, Clover Flex, and the mobile Clover Go, which connects to your smartphone.

You also have the option to accept cashless payments with no hardware, either using the Clover Go app with Tap to Pay on iPhone or using the Clover Virtual Terminal.

Clover’s rates depend on which software plan you’re on. In-person processing rates range from 2.3% – 2.6% + $0.10 per transaction per transaction (if you purchase your system from Clover.com), while the online and keyed-in fee is 3.5% + $0.10 per transaction.

If you purchase Clover from a third party, you may be able to get a different payment processing setup, such as interchange pricing or cash-discount processing.

Clover’s standard processing contract is three years, which is longer than many businesses will want to commit.

Since different banks and merchant services providers sell Clover, it’s important to choose a recommended Clover reseller or buy from Clover directly. Some Clover vendors charge hidden fees and offer poor customer service.

With plans ranging from $29 – $299/month, Shopify is completely scalable and can support micro-businesses just starting out with in-person selling as well as growing multilocation retail outlets.

Higher-tier plans include more in-person POS features for brick-and-mortar stores, as well as advanced eCommerce features. For full-scale Shopify POS with eCommerce, you’ll need at least the Basic plan.

Shopify sells retail kits for iPad and Android tablet setups. For example, you can buy the Shopify Retail Kit for iPad on Shopify’s website.

Shopify POS Go, Shopify Tap & Chip reader, and Tap to Pay on iPhone are some cashless selling options for mobile businesses.

Shopify includes in-house, flat-rate payment processing. Payment processing costs for in-person transactions range from 2.4% – 2.7% depending on your plan.

You can also use Shopify with your own processor for an added fee.

Shopify POS does not have a contract so there is no commitment. Like Square, Shopify Payments is a third-party processor/payment aggregator, so you don’t get the stability and personalized service of having your own individual merchant account.

Another potential negative about Shopify POS is that its offline mode is not super robust. You can’t process transactions if you’re offline. But if you have a stable internet connection or data plan, this shouldn’t be an issue.

Toast pricing starts at $0/month, for both hardware and software, if you pay a higher payment processing fee.

Advanced features such as online ordering and delivery, a customer-facing takeout app, gift cards, and loyalty cost extra, either in the form of additional increases to your payment processing fee or a higher monthly software fee.

Toast includes a strong lineup of cashless and contactless payment tools designed for restaurants:

• Contactless & QR Code Payments: Let customers pay quickly with their phones or tap cards.
• Self-Service Kiosks & Tableside Devices: Streamline dine-in and takeout orders with flexible ordering stations.
• Offline Mode: Continue taking payments and processing orders even during internet outages.
• Always-Offline Authorization Option: Speed up transactions by skipping real-time authorization (with minimal added risk).
• Online & App Payments: Accept payments through the Toast Takeout app, online ordering, and digital gift cards.

You can purchase a countertop Starter Kit from Toast. The kit is suitable for a cashless restaurant, as it includes a Toast Flex terminal, Toast Tap payment reader, and router, but no cash register.

Toast also offers a handheld ordering kit called Toast Go and a guest self-service kit.

Toast offers in-house payment processing and claims it can meet or beat the rates you’d get with another processor. However, you cannot use an outside merchant account with Toast; if you want to use your own existing merchant account or don’t want to get locked into a long-term contract, Toast is not right for you.

Toast has a standard in-person processing fee of 2.49% + $0.15. With Toast’s online ordering options, restaurants will pay card-not-present processing fees, which are 3.5% + $0.15 for Visa, Mastercard, and Discover, and 3.89% + $0.15 for AMEX

Toast’s standard contract is two years, with an early termination fee should you try to exit your contract early.

Pricing is entirely quote-based, so you’ll have to call to get a quote.

Keep in mind that you will generally need to sign up for a three-year contract to get the best rates.

This NFC-ready POS system includes several standout cashless features:

• Built-in PayPal Acceptance: Let customers pay seamlessly with their PayPal accounts in-store.
• Online Ordering: Allow customers to order ahead for pickup or delivery through your online menu.
• Kiosk Mode: Enable self-service ordering for faster, contactless checkout.
• QR Code Payments: Let customers scan and pay directly from their mobile devices.

Revel uses iPad POS hardware exclusively, and you may be able to source some or all of your hardware yourself if desired. Revel doesn’t list its hardware pricing, so you will have to call for a quote.

Revel’s standard fee is 2.49% + $0.15 for all transactions. Revel can also offer custom rates or integrate with an outside payment processor using the USAePay gateway or others.

Revel Systems’ standard plan requires a three-year contract and processing agreement with Revel Advantage. However, it may be possible to negotiate a shorter contract.