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Retailers use point of sale (POS) systems to track sales history, process transactions and track inventory. When implemented correctly, the POS systems can also help retailers increase revenue, drive customer loyalty and achieve business goals. Forbes Advisor evaluated the best retail POS systems on the market and rated them based on pricing, ease of use, usefulness and more. Newland X800
$6.95 per month, 0.29% to 1.99% per transaction
The Forbes Advisor Small Business team is committed to bringing you unbiased rankings and information with full editorial independence. We use product data, strategic methodologies and expert insights to inform all of our content and guide you in making the best decisions for your business journey.
We reviewed 15 different POS systems using a complex methodology to help you find the seven retail POS systems for small businesses. Our ratings consider factors, such as pricing plans, POS features, customer opinions and a review of each provider by our panel of experts. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.
Inventory management, unlimited products, unlimited transactions
Free $29.99 per month (billed annually)
Inventory management, unlimited products, unlimited transactions
Inventory management, unlimited products, unlimited transactions
eHopper POS focuses on ease of use and flexibility—all without contracts. For one, this best-in-class retail POS system helps streamline daily business operations with various modules, such as inventory management and employee workflow. Additionally, eHopper POS offers flexible pricing options to best meet your needs. Businesses in the U.S. may qualify for free processing through credit surcharge and cash discount programs.
Choose eHopper’s free Essential plan, which is limited to a single POS and 300 transactions per month. Upgrade to its paid OmniChannel plan, which offers unlimited products and transactions and starts at $29.99 per month when you pay annually; otherwise, it’s $39.99 per month. For larger volume sales, choose the OmniChannel + Processing plan, which has no upfront fee. Contact eHopper for more details.
Customers in the U.S. receive free processing—even with its free plan. All packages include surcharges, cash discounts, tax assignment, full and split payments, print and email receipts and basic reporting. Manage inventory, customers, tips and modifiers with each plan, too.
Learn more: Read our eHopper Review.
With its free plan, affordable monthly pricing and contract-free options, eHopper is perfect for small business owners on a budget.
2.75% in-person and 3.25%, plus 15 cents per transaction
Inventory management, no minimums, no contracts
2.75% in-person and 3.25%, plus 15 cents per transaction
2.75% in-person and 3.25%, plus 15 cents per transaction
Inventory management, no minimums, no contracts
Inventory management, no minimums, no contracts
SumUp is one of the few retail POS systems to offer a free plan. This system positions itself as an affordable and easy-to-use solution for small businesses. The company doesn’t require any long-term contracts and offers various card reader options. Card readers range in price from $39 to $129.
Unlike eHopper’s free plan, however, SumUp offers free email and telephone support. You’ll also get a dashboard, reporting and free delivery of hardware. Because there is no monthly fee, you’re going to pay more in transaction fees at 2.75% per transaction, provided you have less than $150,000 in transactions per year and have an average ticket price of less than $20.
Learn More: Read our full SumUp review.
SumUp works great for businesses that want a free plan and don’t process a lot of transactions. If you process more than $150,000 in transactions or have an average ticket price of more than $20, you might want to consider another provider with lower transaction fees.
Lightspeed plans start at $69 per month and go up to $399 per month. When using Lightspeed Payments in-person, the processing fee is 2.6% plus 10 cents per transaction. If you want a true omnichannel experience, you’ll need its Essential plan or higher, which comes with e-commerce features. When you upgrade to its highest tier, the Premium plan, you’ll get omnichannel loyalty. Each plan comes with 24/7 customer support, one-on-one onboarding and a dedicated account manager.
Software integrations help expand the functionality of Lightspeed. Examples include third-party apps in categories such as accounting, chat, appointment scheduling, marketing, loyalty, inventory management and customer service. Popular integrations include Mailchimp, Lendio, OpenTable, QuickBooks and Stripe.
Omnichannel businesses will benefit from built-in SEO tools, quick inventory syncing, a tiered customer rewards program, customer memberships and subscriptions. Lightspeed works with many retail industries. Examples include apparel, electronics, toys, sporting goods, home decor, supplements and jewelry.
Learn more: Read our Lightspeed Review.
Retailers operating both off-line and online can benefit from Lightspeed’s robust omnichannel options.
2.6% plus 10 cents per transaction in-person and 3.5% plus 15 cents online
Inventory management, omnichannel selling, user-friendly
2.6% plus 10 cents per transaction in-person and 3.5% plus 15 cents online
2.6% plus 10 cents per transaction in-person and 3.5% plus 15 cents online
Inventory management, omnichannel selling, user-friendly
Inventory management, omnichannel selling, user-friendly
One of the best perks of using Square POS for your business is that there is no monthly fee to pay. Simply pay for your hardware and per-transaction fees. Processing fees for card-present transactions are 2.6% plus $0.10 per transaction. Keyed-in costs are 3.5% plus $0.15 per transaction. This works great for small retail businesses on strict budgets. Higher-volume businesses may prefer seeking a POS system with lower processing costs.
Square POS comes with standard features you see in best-in-class retail point-of-sale systems. These include inventory management, reporting, analytics, barcode scanning to track inventory and fast swivel screens for many POS terminals. It also has customer surveys so businesses can address any issues before they can become a review, which can make or break a small business. Square is best known as a mobile payment company, but its retail POS system is growing in popularity. Square POS also works great for retailers selling both online and off-line because it has a built-in inventory sync system.
Learn more: Read our Square Review.
With its simple setup, user-friendly interface and absence of monthly fees to use the service, Square POS is perfect for small retailers. It’s also great for service-based businesses thanks to its online booking features and automated reminders.
$29 for your first card reader
Free $29 for your first card reader
$29 for your first card reader
PayPal Zettle is ideal for businesses on the go because of its QR code pricing. For QR code transactions, along with card-present transactions, you’re paying 2.29% plus 9 cents per transaction. For manual card entry transactions and invoicing transactions, you’re only paying 3.49% plus 9 cents per transaction.
This system also comes with handy features such as the ability to send invoices, accept manual transactions and receive introductory pricing on your first card reader. You’ll pay $29, and each subsequent card reader is $79. If you have a lot of international clients, you’ll be happy to know that PayPal Zettle can process over 130 currencies.
Learn More: Read our full PayPal Zettle review.
PayPal Zettle is ideal for businesses on the go, such as food trucks or service providers who make house calls. The low per-transaction fee for QR code payments is very attractive for those who process a lot of mobile payments.
$14.95 per month or $60 per month
Real-time sales tracking, employee management, user-friendly
$14.95 per month or $60 per month for hardware and software
$14.95 per month or $60 per month
Real-time sales tracking, employee management, user-friendly
Real-time sales tracking, employee management, user-friendly
Clover offers features important to larger retail businesses, such as third-party apps, employee management, loyalty programs, marketing and customer management. You can also run sales, taxes and payroll reports. Businesses can see who top sellers are, which makes it easy to recognize top performers.
Mobile Pos Terminal Without speaking to a Clover rep, it’s difficult to locate transaction fees or pricing plans. H