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Start QuizErply POS is a highly customizable and scalable solution with an affordable price tag, but its complexity may make it a poor fit for some. Is Erply right for your business?
Total Rating | 3.6 |
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Pricing3.9 | |
Ease Of Use2.9 | |
Features3.6 | |
Customer Service4.0 | |
User Reviews3.3 |
Pricing Range
$0-$79/month ($0-$69/month with annual billing)Contract
Monthly and annualEquipment Cost
$200-$1,000Erply POS is an affordable point of sale system for retail and service businesses of all sizes. It offers great inventory management, warehousing and work order features, and order fulfillment capabilities. It works with most desktops and tablets, POS hardware accessories, and third-party payment processors.
Table of Contents
Pricing3.9 |
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Software Plans 4.8 |
Hardware Options 3.5 |
Payment Processing Fees 3.0 |
Erply ranks above average in pricing. Erply earns points because it offers a 60-day free trial (no credit card is required), very affordable software plans, no early termination fee, and comes packed with inventory and warehouse management features.
The only place Erply loses points is when it comes to payment processing. Smaller businesses will appreciate having a built-in payment processor with flat-rate payment processing. However, midsize businesses should take advantage of Erply’s compatibility with several merchant service providers via external card readers.
Erply offers the following monthly pricing plans.
Erply POS Plans | Price | When To Use |
---|---|---|
Point Of Sale | $0 | If you want a free POS app and don't need inventory management |
Inventory For eCommerce | $59/month ($39/month billed annually) | If you're focusing strongly on eCommerce order fulfillment and/or run a warehouse |
Inventory + Retail POS | $79/month ($69/month billed annually) | If you want a complete B2B/B2C POS and inventory management solution |
Franchise & Chain | Custom | If you have several retail/warehouse locations or franchises |
Note: The free plan does not include inventory management and the inventory management plan is not built for in-person payments. To get the full POS and inventory management package, you’ll need the Inventory + Retail POS plan.
Erply POS Extra Costs | Price |
---|---|
Self-Checkout Kiosk Software & Hardware | $89-$169/month |
Franchise Management | Custom Pricing |
You’ll have to purchase at least a credit card terminal (Verifone, Pax, and Ingenico devices are supported natively, most external card readers are also compatible via Bluetooth or USB plugin) to take in-person payments.
You can purchase cash drawers, barcode scanners, weight scales, customer-facing displays, printers, and POS devices (Windows, Android, iOS, and Linux) from several sources online. Erply rents out self-checkout kiosk hardware and software for $89-$169/month.
There are several add-on plugins and integrations available, including enterprise data interchange (EDI) systems, penalty purchase order generation for overdue invoices, and the creation of composite products (bundling several items into one product.) These are available for a one-time fee.
Erply POS is one of the best POS systems for:
Features3.6 |
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Register Features 5.0 |
Multichannel Sales 1.3 |
Store Management 4.8 |
Niche Features 2.6 |
Erply scores very highly in the register and store management features because the register interface and the admin settings are extremely customizable. Erply’s inventory and B2B customer management features are some of the best available.
The system scores poorly in multichannel sales because there are no built-in integrations with online sales channels such as Instagram, TikTok, Etsy, or Amazon marketplace. If your business is interested in selling on multiple online platforms, there is a solution. Erply integrates with Shopify, and Shopify offers integrations with most online sales platforms, so you can manage your inventory and offline sales with Erply and eCommerce sales with Shopify.
Here is a broad overview of the features available to Erply users.
Erply POS Features | Availability |
---|---|
Multi-Store Support | |
Contactless Payments | |
Multi-Channel Selling | |
Gift Cards | |
Customer Loyalty | |
Marketing Tools | |
Online Ordering | Integration with Shopify, WooCommerce, and Magneto |
Inventory Management | |
Reporting | |
Menu Management | |
Delivery Management | |
EBT Acceptance | Depends on payment processor |
Employee Management | |
Text Messaging |
To thoroughly test out Erply’s features, I created a test account for a hardware store that sells retail items in-store, ships items in bulk from warehouses, and provides services such as custom hardware installation.
I completed the initial setup required to start selling, set up inventory and customers, and ran through several test transactions on a desktop POS. You can use Erply as a mobile POS system or a tablet POS system, or install it on any other cloud-based device (including Windows desktop computers.)
Ease Of Use2.9 |
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Initial Setup 2.5 |
Customization 3.5 |
Everyday Use 2.7 |
To test out how easy Erply POS is to use, I set up a test account for a construction hardware design and accessories business with retail locations, warehouses, and eCommerce order fulfillment. The business I used for the test also sells services such as custom cabinet creation in addition to retail products. I chose this business type to get a full sense of Erply’s point of sale and warehousing inventory capabilities.
I awarded Erply an average score because while signing up for an account and getting to the actual POS app is simple, customizing this detailed system felt overwhelming.
The software is highly customizable on all fronts, from choosing whether to incorporate age verification to barcode scanner configurations, to selecting when employees are automatically logged out of the system. Factor in highly customizable inventory and warehouse management, purchase ordering and order fulfillment configurations, and accounting information, and the process gets even more complicated.
There are several add-on apps, like the warehouse management app and stocktake app, that work on desktop and mobile devices. While these are very beneficial, I had to install them all separately, which got a little chaotic after a while.
Every account is linked to an extensive user manual that explains how to set everything up, but the process is lengthy and can get convoluted, so I had to take my time.
For some add-ons like self-checkout, POS hardware installation, and SMS text messaging, you have to install drivers, which may be foreign to some users.
Erply updates its software version at least once a month. All release notes are available online.
In October 2023, Erply fixed a bug that caused waybills (documents that provide shipping information about a freight shipment) to load slowly, a bug that caused an outdated version of any “micro-service” software to download in some cases, and an issue related to issuing store credit. The company also added a “reason for discount” option to account for why an employee is giving a customer a discount (damaged item, wrong price, etc.).
These additions and fixes mean that the developer team is consistently listening to Erply users and testing the software themselves to find and fix any potential issues and fulfill their customer’s needs. We like to see a dedicated team actively working on improving their product.
Customer Service4.0 |
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Personal Support 3.3 |
Self-Service 4.6 |
Erply received an average personalized support score because while many of Erply’s customers have good things to say about the company’s support, others report long wait times for responses and dissatisfaction that help has been outsourced to countries outside their time zone. Some customers felt that support staff were unable to help with technical problems they experienced with the POS.
The company received a high self-serve support rating because Erply’s searchable knowledge base is thorough and the support videos are helpful.
Erply POS Customer Service | Availability |
---|---|
Phone Support | 8:00AM - 11:00PM ET |
Email Support | |
Support Tickets | |
Live Chat | |
Dedicated Support Representative | |
Knowledge Base or Help Center | |
Videos & Tutorials | |
Company Blog | |
Social Media |
Though it would be ideal if Erply had 24/7 live support and a technical team that could handle anything you throw at them, I appreciate the number of support channels available.
Erply does not have its own payment processor but works with Shift4, Cayan, Adyen, and Pax for integrated payments in the US. You can also connect Erply to an external payment terminal and use any merchant services provider you want.
With an external card reader, you can take payments even when Erply is offline. Sales and inventory information will sync up when you can get online again.
Erply is very honest and transparent about its merchant agreement. The company has posted its terms of service online and I was able to read it in its entirety.
According to Erply’s terms of service, billing is every 30 days unless you get a yearly plan. Your subscription renews automatically unless you give 30 days’ notice.
It’s easy to terminate your agreement with Erply. You just have to give 30 days’ notice by emailing [email protected]. There is no early termination fee.
It’s important to note that you will need a merchant services account with a third-party payment provider to take card payments, and contracts with these providers can have serious early termination fees. Try to work with one of our best merchant account providers to avoid poor contract terms.
My main concern about Erply is that the level of customization available will present a steep learning curve for many business owners. Unlike several other POS providers, there isn’t a straightforward and fast way to set up your suppliers, products, catalogs, units of measurement, collections, bundles, breakdowns, and order fulfillment settings. There are also several different apps for all your needs, rather than one piece of software that includes every feature you need.
Again, the complexity is due to the extensive customization, so larger businesses with more niche or detailed requirements will do well with Erply.
User Reviews3.3 |
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Customer Feedback 4.0 |
Review Site Aggregate 3.0 |
Erply receives the following ratings from popular software review websites:
Erply earns an average score mostly because the software does not have as many reviews as more popular software companies. The software is not as common and the company has not paid any users for their reviews. Erply reviews are also relatively old, so they are not a great reflection of the current state of software and customer service.
With all this in mind, here is what users complained about and liked about Erply.
To start with Erply, sign up for a 60-day free trial on Erply’s website. All you need is your name, your company name, an email address, and to make up a password.
Your admin dashboard will include the POS app, back-office app, service booking app, and customer relationship management app. You can use all these apps plus mobile apps like the invoicing app and the warehouse stocktake app for free.
Starting with the back-office app, you’ll enter your company information, inventory, associated price lists, new and existing customers, invoice and purchase order settings, and more. Once you populate these information fields, you can search for products on the POS app.
Next, you can install the POS app on one or more of your iOS, Android, Windows, or Linux devices. You’ll log in with your email and account password. You can also play around with Erply’s suite of apps, choosing whatever ones apply to your retail B2B/B2C business or service-based business.
The top alternatives to Erply POS are Square, Lightspeed Retail, Shopify, Helcim, and Clover. All of these POS systems work for retail and service-based businesses. They have fewer inventory and warehousing management features but have much better online sales functions.
Erply POS Review Summary | |
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Pricing Range | $0-$79/month ($0-$69/month with annual billing) |
Choose If You Need |
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Erply has several unique features that make it excellent software for businesses managing large amounts of inventory from several locations or warehouses, businesses selling weighted items, and businesses that sell products and services, such as repair or interior design businesses.
We also appreciate Erply’s extensive quote and invoicing features, which is why Erply is a great option for businesses that primarily invoice customers by email or take invoice orders over the phone.
Erply’s integrations with other POS hardware and third-party payment processors, plus open API access, make it a great option for larger businesses that need more customization options.
However, we believe that Erply’s lack of built-in online ordering features and the extensive amount of time it takes to set up the software make it a poor choice for small businesses looking to sell directly to consumers, restaurants, and any businesses looking to sell on social media or online marketplaces like Amazon.
If you’re looking for great invoicing features like Erply has, check out the best invoicing software for small businesses. If you are mostly interested in extensive inventory management capabilities, look into these best POS systems for inventory management.
We evaluate and test each software system that we review at Merchant Maverick, placing special emphasis on certain key software characteristics in order to generate our granular product ratings.
For retail POS software in particular, we have a 62-point rubric we use to evaluate the system in terms of its pricing, ease of use, features, and user reviews. These points are based on attributes relevant to the retail POS niche—such as the availability of features like purchase ordering, customer-facing displays, BOPIS (buy online, pick up in-store), and others.
Our rating system also takes into account attributes that are desirable for POS systems and cloud-based software in general, such as the availability of monthly pricing plans, free trials, and transparent software contracts.
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Square |
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Square is an industry-leading point-of-sale and payment processing provider. Sign up for a free account and get a complimentary card reader for use with Square POS. Start For Free.
Get Your Free Credit Card Reader
Square |
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Square is an industry-leading point-of-sale and payment processing provider. Sign up for a free account and get a complimentary card reader for use with Square POS. Start For Free.
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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.
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