Top 10 Best Point-of-Sale (POS) Systems & Software in 2023

Simply put, POS means Best Point-of-Sale. It's the system where you call the customer, get paid for the transaction, and get paid sales taxes.

A POS may be more complicated than a standard cash register, but hey, times have changed. Today, your typical POS system is fully equipped with all kinds of features and devices, including inventory tracking and reordering, customer retention programs, and employee management tools.

To save you the trouble, we've put together this guide to help you find the perfect, reliable, feature-rich POS system for your business.

Our experts have tested many POS systems and ranked them in the top 10 for quality, efficiency, speed, price and other essential features.

After all the research, we can say what the best POS system of 2022 will be. Lightspeed is the best all-in-one POS provider today, suitable for all types of businesses.

Our Top 10 Best Best Point-of-Sale Systems & Software in 2024:

• Shopify. Best overall point-of-sale system
• Toast – The best all-in-one for restaurant management
• Lightspeed – The best complete POS system with professional features
• Advantages of POS: Best for retail stores looking for advanced one-to-one selling features
• TouchBistro – Best restaurant analysis and reporting features
• Clover – Best overall POS system
• Square: best for fixed rates
• Flagman. the best in terms of affordability
• SkyTab. best for comprehensive restaurant management
• Oracle Netsuite. Best for large enterprises and retailers

Compare The Best Point of Sales (POS) Systems

POS systems evolve along with the technology offered by POS vendors. Of course, each POS brand fits different business needs.

We've researched and narrowed down the 10 best sales systems for small business owners and growing businesses.

Read all the details about the featured brands. You'll be able to learn the basics about monthly software fees, contract lengths, integrations, and more.

Then take a look at our comparison chart to help you make the best possible decision.

Ultimately, you'll learn more about the ins and outs of POS systems and optimize your customer and payment processing experience.

A Closer Look at the Top 10 POS Systems

• Price Range From $39/month
• Best for businesses  looking to integrate their online and physical retail systems.
• Mobile Compatibility: iPhone, iPad, and Android

Shopify is one of the leading online retail platforms. They took that experience and created an easy-to-use retail POS system. If you already use Shopify for your online store, their POS system is a great option to provide your customers with a seamless in-person and online shopping experience. With a proven e-commerce platform, the Shopify dashboard lets you manage all the products you sell across all locations, linking in-store and online sales.

The Shopify POS app works on both iPad and Android. You'll need to purchase the card reader in addition to the barcode readers, printers, and cash registers you may need, but this helps lower monthly costs because the cost of the leased equipment isn't included in your monthly bill. If you don't want to sell online, the Lite package is a cost-effective way to accept card payments. Monthly subscriptions can be expensive if you want to unlock all the features on offer, but intelligent inventory management and multi-channel tools are worth the investment for larger businesses.

Installation cost: $49

Contract length: monthly or annual plans, two or three years

Pros

• Modern and easy-to-use interface
• Integrates with your online Shopify store
• Detailed analysis and reporting

Cons

• Higher-level plans are expensive
• Additional hardware costs

• Price range $0.00 – $165.00 per month
• Best food industry services of every size
• Mobile Compatibility–Android-based mobile Compatibility

Toast is a cloud-based restaurant POS system provider with all the bells and whistles you could ask for. From an online ordering system to a loyalty rewards program, a gift card generator, and a detailed inventory management system, Toast has thought of it all. Check split, simple order cancellation and close day functionality only sweeten the pot.

Unlike most POS systems, Toast runs on the Android operating system. What this means for the business owner is that the equipment is significantly cheaper to purchase and more versatile in terms of integration. Toast Go, the portable hardware version, allows servers to manage their tables, orders, payments and table tabs to place orders faster and more efficiently. Overall, Toast is a sleeker, smoother and more user-friendly POS system than most.

Installation Fee: $0 to $799

Duration of the contract. No contract required

Pros

• Outstanding features of the restaurant.
• Neat Go hardware table for table management
• Best customer service

Cons

• You have to pay more to get the cool features
• Installation fee

• Price range–$99-$289
• Best for-Retail and restaurants, all-inclusive
• Mobile Compatibility–iPad, mobile extensions

Lightspeed takes all of TouchBistro's details and updates them for both retail and restaurant use. Therefore, you get interesting features like food management systems and interactive menus for the food industry. Lightspeed's menu functionality is exquisite, providing high-definition photos, descriptions and prices for each item. You can also set up loyalty programs to reward repeat customers and a comprehensive CRM so you can track who comes and goes.

Meanwhile, for retailers, Lightspeed offers many hardware options to improve efficiency and sales, such as scanners, printers, and electronic cash registers. The POS system also has sales reporting, merchant services, and an e-commerce platform. Plus, Lightspeed's inventory management is real-time, so you can instantly let customers know if you have a certain item in stock.

Installation Fee: N/A

Contract duration: 14 months

Pros

• Many additional hardware options
• Advanced features come with the basic plan
• Easy-to-use and easy-to-learn visual interface.

Cons

• Calculating profit margin can be confusing
• No confirmation was received when sending orders by email

• Price range–Depends on the partner
• Best for assistance in selecting a POS system
• Mobile Compatibility–Depends on the partner

POS Pros is a popular platform that connects business owners with the best POS solutions for their needs. It has partnerships with about 30 popular brands, including Clover and Square. It offers industry-specific solutions as well as a selection of additional features.

For example, the POS Pros team can help you set up a cash rebate system, and business owners can request cash directly from the business website. There are no set contracts, and overall, I find it an excellent option for business owners who need a little help choosing and implementing the right POS solution.

Why did we choose POS Pros? POS Pros is one of the leading options for anyone who needs help choosing the right POS system for their business.

Our experience. I loved how friendly the POS Pros customer service agents were. They really make it easy for business owners who require POS recommendations.

Pros

• Works with almost 30 partner systems
• Provides industry-specific POS system recommendations
• Friendly and knowledgeable customer service

Cons

• No proprietary POS solutions
• Cancelling can be difficult

• Price range-Bundles from $105
• Best designed for all food industry businesses
• Mobile Compatibility–iPhone, iPad, web-based

TouchBistro is another good option for businesses of all sizes in the food industry. Whether you're a food truck or run a full restaurant, brewery or nightclub, TouchBistro is POS software designed specifically for your industry. That means it comes with features to suit your needs, pressure points and customers. Food managers will appreciate details such as self-ordering for faster service, a kitchen display system for better and faster communication between waiters and kitchen staff, and a digital menu board for instant updates.

In addition to the usual benefits such as reporting, analytics, and inventory management, these POS systems are fully equipped with features such as table ordering, restaurant table management, and menu management. Managers will also appreciate the scheduling features included in the TouchBistro hardware, as they greatly simplify staff management.

Now, for a limited time, you can also save up to $7,000 on a new restaurant POS with TouchBistro.

Installation fee from $0

Contract duration: month to month

Pros

• Transparent prices and rates
• Designed specifically for the needs of the food industry.
• $0 commission on online orders, loyalty, bookings and more

Cons

• Not so relevant to the retail or apparel markets
• Partially network based

• The price range starts at $14
• Best for expanding businesses in any retail or service
• Mobile Compatibility–Proprietary hardware, not compatible with iOS

If you've had any experience with POS systems before, Clover will look familiar. This is because other POS software vendors even use this hardware, which should tell you about the system. Clover POS has all the features you'd expect from a POS system, including integrated payment processing, order management, and a customer management system. There are even marketing campaigns, loyalty programs and birthday promotions to help you grow your customer base. Clover also offers other tools such as shift management, scheduling, and activity logs.

Of course, if you want to go all out, Clover has some great features, such as customer reviews, guest management, and a gift card generator.

Installation Fee: $0 to $1,349

Duration of the contract. No contract required

Pros

• There are tons of integrations to extend your functionality
• Easy-to-use software and hardware
• Many features are included in the basic plan.

Cons

• Android operating system is not as elegant as iOS
• You may not use your payment processor

• Price range starting at 2.5%
• Best for SMBs that experience low-volume sales monthly
• Mobile Compatibility–Fully compatible with iPad and mobile devices

Unless you've been living under a rock somewhere, you're already more than familiar with Square. It is arguably the most popular POS system on the market today, and it's no wonder. Offering no monthly and impressively low fees, Square is a favourite of low-volume businesses looking to save money. You may pay a flat fee of 2.6%+$0.10 for swiped transactions and 3.5%+$0.15 for basic transactions. If you don't know, those are excellent prices.

Square isn't just a cheap meal ticket, either. The iPad POS system is fully loaded with features such as an e-commerce platform, inventory management, and virtual payment terminals. Square is also mobile-friendly, comes with a developer API, and has tons of third-party integrations. While not a good choice for high-risk industries, Square is ideal for almost any other type of business, including home services, food service, and retail.

Installation fee from $29

Duration of the contract. No, pay what you charge

Pros

• Excellent reputation for quality and affordability.
• Simple, flat rate pricing structure
• No monthly fees and free chip readers

Cons

• It is not suitable for high-volume traders
• Does not work with high risk areas.

• Price range–Custom rates
• Best for–Payment processing
• Mobile Compatibility-Yes, Android and iOS

Flagship is a leading merchant services provider known for advanced custom payment processing solutions. It offers solutions for businesses of all shapes and sizes, including online stores. Plus, it's easy to use and trusted by over 25,000 small business customers.

On the downside, Flagship's native POS offerings are fundamental. However, they are a certified reseller of the Clover POS system, one of the best we've used. Customer support is limited to phone and online contact form, but the team is responsive and available 24/7 to help.

Installation fee from $0

Contract duration: Flexible

Pros

• Personalized pricing tailored to your business
• A reputation as a leading provider of payment processing services
• Linked to Clover POS

Cons

• Limited native POS capabilities
• No live chat support

• Price range from $29.99
• Best for–Full-service & quick-service restaurants
• Mobile Compatibility–Yes

 

SkyTab is a great option for a POS system. It comes with state-of-the-art hardware, easy-to-use software, and plenty of features to keep your business running efficiently. With contactless payments via NFC and QR codes, secure payment processing, online ordering capabilities and customer management tools, you'll have everything you need to run a successful food and beverage business. Additionally, SkyTab provides real-time information for reporting and analytics that can help you track your performance.

• Price range-Starts from $999 per license + $99 per user per month + separate price per module
• Best for–Mid-sized and large retailers
• Mobile Compatibility-Yes

Oracle NetSuite is a unified business management platform that includes several “modules,” including SuiteCommerce InStore, a point-of-sale solution. SuiteCommerce InStore gives your sellers all the tools they need to support and engage buyers. It includes advanced customer profiles, order and inventory management, and dynamic merchandising, allowing you to meet customer preferences at the point of contact.

SuiteCommerce InStore connects your POS system with all your existing business systems, eliminating the need for integration between individual systems. Its touch tablet interface and responsive design offer easy-to-use digital tools on any device.

Installation Fee: N/A

Duration of the contract: from 1 year.

Pros

• A toolkit that helps sales associates help and engage buyers
• Connects to your business systems by eliminating integrations
• Available via the cloud, reducing your software costs

Cons

• POS is only available as a complete package
• There is no free trial

Our Methodology: How We Evaluated POS Systems

When comparing the 10 best POS systems, we made sure to look at key features, pricing, contract length, mobile device compatibility, and built-in or cloud-based capabilities. We support credit card or gift card processing. Furthermore, we examine the strengths of POS systems and what kind of business they are best for.

Our review process is extensive and includes POS experts. Writers and POS experts sign up for various services through brand websites or trusted third-party websites to access all possible dimensions of information. They visit service websites and sample contracts, contact sales teams and pay close attention to customer feedback. Ratings from independent agencies such as the BBB and newspaper publications play an important role in ensuring fair and accurate ratings. Our experts also try to use any type of free trial to improve the review process.

The Types of POS Software

There are four main types of POS software:

Mobile sales software

This program is cloud-based and comes as an app on your smartphone or tablet. It is usually supported by a receipt printer and credit card reader, but not as powerful as a full terminal POS system. It is ideal for sole traders such as plumbers or mobile food cart owners.

Tablet POS software 

The tablet version is similar to the mobile POS software but offers more features and capabilities. Tablet POS software can be used to manage large, complex retail businesses across multiple locations, including inventory tracking, employee time tracking, payroll, and accounting. It is compatible with many POS hardware solutions to form a complete POS system for any situation.

Terminal POS software 

Terminal POS software is fixed POS software with full administrative features. It can be cloud-based or on-premises. Terminal POS software is best suited for large retail or online stores, spas, malls, and other brick-and-mortar businesses.

Self-service or unattended POS software 

You'll also find POS software designed for the unique needs of specific industries, such as restaurant and hospitality businesses, apparel retail, financial services, academia and education, and pharmaceutical POS software.

Your POS software costs will vary depending on the type of software you choose. Mobile point-of-sale software, such as a smartphone app, can start at $50 per month, while more complex software can reach several hundred dollars per month. When you buy POS software, you usually pay the initial purchase price plus monthly or annual payment processing fees.

Other factors that can affect the cost of your POS software plans include:

• How many features are you adding?
• Any hardware included
• Number of integrations
• Your operating system

POS Systems Costs

Point of sale systems vary significantly in price depending on the type and size of business you want to equip. Two costs to consider when looking for a POS system are the monthly software and installation fees.

Monthly software costs range from $0 to $100+. Most paid POS software costs between $15 and $30 per month. Setup fees usually include software installation as well as the hardware itself. Paid POS systems don't always have user limits, which means an unlimited number of employees can use the program to make transactions.
Of course, there are “free” POS systems. This means that the hardware and monthly plans start at $0, but the business is charged every transition time. For example, a POS provider may charge 2% to 4% plus a few cents for card transactions or manually entered sales.

Getting the Right POS Hardware

POS hardware is the other indispensable half of your POS system. Having the proper hardware to match the activities and transactions you want to perform with your POS system would be best. The basic set of POS equipment consists of:

• A printer to provide hard copies of receipts (retail stores, restaurants, and other brick-and-mortar businesses will likely need this)
• A POS terminal or an iPad or Android tablet to run your POS software
• Credit card reader
• Cash register to keep cash transactions safe and recorded in your system

Depending on your business, you may also need:

• Additional tablets for servers to process payments at the restaurant table
• A router to power your internet for cloud-based POS systems
• A local server to host your local POS software
• Food retail scales
• Bar code scanners
• Network cables to connect all your equipment
• Additional kitchen printer
• Self-service payment kiosks

If you have long-term business plans and your requirements are likely to continue to evolve as your business grows, then a cloud-based POS system is probably the best option for you. On the other hand, if you have fixed needs or a small budget, it may be best to opt for a traditional POS system.

The Benefits of a POS System for Your Business

With a POS system, your business can retain more customers with a better, more targeted loyalty program and can also track inventory so you never run out unexpectedly. A POS system can help you make complex discount offers when needed.

With the right POS system, you can also analyze sales history to identify correlations and seasonal trends in purchases, which can be helpful when you want to increase sales. You can also eliminate manual error by using barcode readers and automatic synchronization, and combat absenteeism with a more reliable employee tracking system.

Other key benefits include improved payment security and the ability to drive more sales by accepting payments on the marketplace.

Cloud-based POS systems vs. on-premise POS systems
A cloud-based POS system stores data on remote servers and can be accessed online, while a traditional or on-premise POS system stores data on a local server and can be accessed via an internal network. Below is a breakdown of the critical differences between cloud-based POS and on-premise POS:
If you have long-term business plans and your requirements are likely to continue to evolve as your business grows, then a cloud-based POS system is probably the best option for you. On the other hand, if you have fixed needs or a small budget, it may be best to opt for a traditional POS system.

How to Choose a POS System Provider

Choosing a POS system provider depends on the type of business you run, how long you've been in business, and the scale of your operation.

Here are some questions, organized by category, that can help you choose the right POS system provider:

Equipment and features

• What features do I need?
• What devices are needed to process payments?
• What hardware do I need? If you need many products, a provider that includes hardware options along with software is a better option, but if you're going to use your current iPad, you'll need something else.
• What types of receipts are generated?

Point of sale installation

• Does the POS system integrate well with my existing business applications?
• Is it easy to set up and use? If it's more complicated, do you offer training?
• How good is the customer service?

Costs

• Do I want to save for a down payment or keep my monthly expenses low?
• How does payment processing work? What type of equipment does the POS company offer?
• Is the pricing plan transparent?
• Are payment processes cloud-based or better suited for in-person transactions?

Scalability

• What analytics does it offer, and what metrics can you check? Make sure the package includes the package includes the things that are most important to you.
• Does this POS system provide inventory management support, such as replenishment, warehousing, inventory and order analytics, or multi-channel tracking?
• Does this POS system have integrations for e-commerce, email marketing, or social media? The OS system can provide real-time information to improve the customer experience.
• Is it easy to scale as your business grows?