Compare POS Systems For Your Business
Different businesses need different POS features. Retail stores, restaurants, bars, salons, ecommerce sellers, and mobile businesses all use POS systems in different ways, so it is important to compare systems based on operational fit rather than price alone.
Best for: retail stores, shops, and multi-location sellers
Retail POS systems typically require barcode-based inventory management, real-time stock tracking, sales reporting, product catalogues, discounts, returns, and ecommerce or multi-location support.
Best for: restaurants, cafes, and full-service dining
Restaurant POS systems usually need table management, order routing, kitchen display system support, split bills, floor plans, tips, modifiers, online ordering, and delivery integrations.
Best for: bars, pubs, and nightlife venues
Bar POS systems need fast checkout workflows, easy menu access, tab management, staff controls, inventory monitoring, shift reporting, and end-of-night reconciliation.
Best for: salons, spas, and appointment-based businesses
Salon and appointment-based POS systems often need booking tools, customer records, payment tracking, loyalty features, service history, and automated reminders.
Best for: food trucks, markets, events, and pop-ups
Mobile and seasonal businesses often need portable hardware, Wi-Fi or 4G/LTE connectivity, low monthly costs, and flexible contracts that can suit pop-ups, markets, events, and seasonal trading.
Best for: online sellers, hybrid retail, and multichannel brands
Ecommerce and omnichannel POS systems connect online and in-store sales, helping businesses sync inventory, customer data, reporting, and payments across multiple sales channels.
Not sure which category fits your business? Compare POS System options.
Whether you run a retail store, restaurant, bar, salon, mobile business, or multi-location operation, the right POS system should match your payment process, sales channels, hardware needs, transaction volume, and future growth plans.
Watch the video to see how the right POS system could benefit your business.
POS systems are used by businesses that need to process payments, track sales, manage inventory, monitor performance, and connect operational data with accounting, ecommerce, payroll, or customer management platforms.
Small businesses often need a simple POS system with affordable hardware, transparent transaction fees, easy setup, and essential reporting.
Retail businesses usually need product catalogues, barcode scanning, stock control, returns management, customer records, and ecommerce synchronisation.
Restaurants and hospitality businesses often need table plans, order routing, split bills, tips, modifiers, kitchen display systems, and online ordering integrations.
Bars and quick-service businesses need fast checkout, tab management, staff controls, menu shortcuts, payment speed, and end-of-shift reporting.
Salons and appointment-led businesses benefit from booking tools, customer profiles, service history, automated reminders, loyalty features, and integrated payments.
Mobile and seasonal businesses often need portable card readers, tablet-based terminals, flexible subscriptions, and reliable mobile connectivity.
Ecommerce and omnichannel retailers need systems that connect online and in-store sales, inventory, customer data, payments, and reporting.
Multi-location businesses need centralised reporting, shared inventory, user permissions, location-level analytics, and scalable pricing.
When a customer makes a purchase, a POS system connects hardware, software, and payment processing so the sale can be completed, recorded, and settled.
Staff add products or services through the terminal, scanner, tablet, or mobile device.
The POS calculates the subtotal and applies relevant state and local sales tax.
Payment data is encrypted and sent through the payment gateway, acquiring bank, card network, and issuing bank.
Authorisation normally happens in seconds once the issuing bank approves the transaction.
The transaction is recorded, inventory is updated, revenue is logged, and tax collected is tracked.
Settlement usually takes 1–3 business days depending on provider and risk profile.
POS providers vary by pricing model, hardware options, payment processing fees, software features, integrations and industry suitability. Comparing providers side by side can help businesses find a system that fits their operations and budget.
Only the following providers should receive detailed comparison copy unless additional researched content is supplied: Square, Lightspeed, Clover, PayPal POS / Zettle and Shopify POS.
Small to medium retail, restaurants, and service businesses
$0–$149/mo per location; in-person from ~2.6% + 15¢
No long-term contract
Transparent pricing and flexible hardware
Advanced features may need higher-tier plans
Retail and restaurants needing advanced inventory or hospitality workflows
Plans and transaction fees vary by package
Subscription; monthly or annual billing
Advanced inventory, forecasting, and hospitality tools
Hardware pricing depends on configuration
Modular hardware and app-based flexibility
Monthly and transaction fees vary by plan
May vary by hardware and agreement
Wide hardware variety and app ecosystem
Software and contract pricing can vary by setup
Micro businesses, mobile sellers, and smaller merchants
Often low or no monthly fee; transaction fees vary
Typically flexible depending on setup
Low entry cost and PayPal ecosystem
Less suited to complex operational needs
Retailers selling online and in-store
Shopify subscription plus POS add-on; fees plan-dependent
Monthly or longer-term per Shopify plan
Strong ecommerce and omnichannel integration
Costs rise when adding advanced POS features
There is no single best POS system for every business. Suitability depends on business model, transaction volume, sales channels, hardware needs, integrations, contract terms and future growth plans.
Commercial Experts compares POS systems against consistent criteria so businesses can make a more informed decision.
Review software pricing, transaction fees, add-ons, PCI-related fees, setup costs, and other recurring charges.
Check month-to-month flexibility, annual billing, multi-year contracts, equipment leasing, cancellation terms, or early termination fees.
Compare mobile terminals, countertop devices, barcode scanners, cash drawers, printers, kitchen displays, and third-party peripherals.
Review integrations with accounting software, ecommerce platforms, payroll tools, reservation systems, inventory databases, CRM platforms, and APIs.
Assess support for additional users, more locations, expanded catalogues, centralised reporting, and higher transaction volumes.
Compare fit for retail, restaurants, bars, salons, mobile sellers, ecommerce businesses, or multi-location operations.
Most small business POS systems in the US cost around $30 to $150 per month before transaction fees, although actual costs vary by provider, hardware setup, features and contract terms. Total ownership cost depends on transaction volume, hardware configuration and pricing model, not just the advertised subscription price.
Processing fees often become the largest ongoing expense. Card-present transactions usually cost less than card-not-present or manually keyed payments because they carry lower fraud risk.
Monthly Software Fees
A recurring fee for POS software access, often in the $30–$150/month range for many small businesses before transaction fees. Charged per location, register, user, or plan level; usually includes updates and core features.
Transaction FeesTransaction Fees
A per-sale charge, usually a percentage plus a fixed number of cents. Card-present transactions often cost less than card-not-present or manually keyed payments because they carry lower fraud risk.
Contract & Setup CostsContract & Setup Costs
Costs or commitments linked to onboarding, installation, cancellation terms, equipment leasing, support, implementation, or contract length.
Hardware CostsHardware Costs
Costs for terminals, tablets, card readers, barcode scanners, cash drawers, receipt printers, kitchen display systems, and other equipment required to operate the POS system.
Combines interchange, network fees, and processor markup into one rate. Often suits businesses that want simple, predictable statements; may cost more at higher volumes.
Separates interchange, network assessment, and processor markup. Often worth comparing when transaction volume is higher and transparency matters.
Agreement length and flexibility vary by provider — from month-to-month to annual or multi-year terms. Compare cancellation, leasing, and early termination before you sign.
May benefit from understanding these models because small differences in percentage fees can have a significant impact over time.
POS requirements vary by sector. A restaurant may need table plans and kitchen display tools, while a retailer may need barcode scanning, stock control, ecommerce synchronisation, and returns management.
Selecting a POS system requires a structured evaluation across operational, financial and contractual criteria.
Learn more about how POS systems work, what they cost, how to compare providers and how to choose the right system for your business.
Share your business type, sales channels, transaction volume, required features and hardware needs.
Review providers based on pricing, transaction fees, hardware, integrations, contract terms and industry fit.
Select the POS system that suits your operations, budget and growth plans.
A card machine processes payments. A POS system processes payments and also records item-level sales, manages inventory, calculates sales tax, tracks employee activity, stores customer data and connects with reporting, accounting, ecommerce or payroll systems.
A business that only needs to take occasional card payments may only need a card reader or payment terminal. A business that needs inventory control, sales reporting, staff permissions, customer records and software integrations will usually need a full POS system.
Most small business POS systems cost around $30 to $150 per month before transaction fees, although costs vary by provider, hardware setup, features, and contract terms. Transaction fees and hardware costs often have the biggest impact on total cost.
There is no single best POS system for every small business. The right choice depends on business type, transaction volume, integrations, hardware requirements, contract preference, and whether sales happen in-store, online, or across multiple locations.
Some POS providers offer month-to-month agreements, while others use annual or multi-year contracts. Businesses should check cancellation terms, hardware lease terms, minimum processing requirements, and early termination fees before committing.
Free or low-cost POS plans exist, but they may include higher transaction fees, limited features, or restricted hardware options. The cheapest option depends on total monthly cost, not just the advertised software fee.
Some POS providers offer rolling agreements, while others require fixed-term contracts. Contract terms may depend on software plan, hardware leasing, payment processing agreement, and provider setup.
Many POS systems include integrated payment processing, while others allow businesses to connect a separate payment processor. Integrated processing can simplify setup, but businesses should compare transaction fees and contract terms carefully.
Yes. Many POS systems include inventory tools that track stock levels, sales, product performance, returns, and multi-location inventory. More advanced inventory features are usually found in higher-tier retail or restaurant POS plans.
Yes. Some POS systems can sync online and in-store sales, inventory, customer data, and reporting. This is especially useful for retailers that sell through both ecommerce and physical locations.
A card machine processes payments. A POS system also manages sales data, inventory, customer records, reporting, tax, employee permissions, and software integrations.
Square can be suitable for many small businesses because it offers integrated payments, flexible hardware, and retail or restaurant features. Whether it is the right choice depends on business requirements, transaction volume, features, and overall cost.
The right restaurant POS system depends on table management, order routing, kitchen display requirements, online ordering, delivery integrations, staff permissions, tipping, and reporting needs. Restaurants should compare systems based on workflow fit as well as monthly cost.
Retail businesses should look for POS systems with inventory tracking, barcode scanning, product catalogues, returns management, customer data, ecommerce synchronisation, and reporting. The best option depends on store size, transaction volume, and whether the business sells online as well as in-store.
