What Is the Best POS System for Small Business Operations?
Here are my picks for the best point-of-sale systems for small business owners.
Omar's Take
Shopify POS is one of the best mobile POS systems you can use for your small business.
It integrates with one of the most powerful ecommerce solutions and payment processors, making it one of the most reliable POS solutions.
Best For:
Overall POS system for small businesses
Price:
Free
Annual Billing:
Starts at $228 annually (billed monthly)
Promotion:
Free trials are available
The Shopify POS system offers comprehensive tools to help businesses manage their inventory, sales, and customer data.
The system has easy order processing, customer loyalty programs, and customizable checkout options that work perfectly with your Shopify website and dashboard.
Shopify POS is popular for businesses looking to streamline operations and provide a better customer experience.
Aside from offering an excellent POS system, Shopify is one of the best responsive website builders.
Features
Intregration with Shopify Dashboard and Apps
Shopify POS seamlessly integrates with the Shopify dashboard and other Shopify apps.
These integrations enable smooth inventory management, tracking, and reporting across all sales channels. You can easily manage your online and offline sales through a single interface, saving time and effort.
Great POS Hardware
Shopify POS offers a range of reliable and stylish POS hardware options to suit different business needs.
You can choose from sleek, modern-looking hardware, including barcode scanners, receipt printers, cash drawers, and card readers.
The hardware works perfectly with Shopify's POS software and can help streamline your sales process and enhance the customer experience.
POS Mobile App
Shopify POS also has a mobile app that allows you to manage your business on the go. Use the app to process sales, check inventory levels, and view sales reports from anywhere.
You can track your business even when you're away from the store. The app is available for iOS and Android devices and free to download for Shopify users.
Cons
Shopify POS offers minimal customization. If you want personalization, Shopify may not be the best option.
Pricing
Shopify POS’s software comes free with Shopify plans.
Here are Shopify’s pricing plans.
- Basic – $39 monthly
- Shopify – $105 monthly
- Advanced – $399 monthly
Omar's Take
Square is also one of the best POS systems. Its POS hardware is easy to configure and use, and all staff can learn the system’s navigation and capabilities without problems. Square works well as a retail or restaurant POS and suits online operations.
Best:
For e-Com
Price:
Free
Annual Billing:
N/A
Promotion:
Free plan
Square has served small businesses since 2009, providing versatile solutions for various industries.
Square has free POS software you can maximize before going to paid plans.
The solution expands beyond POS systems and includes software like website builders, payroll services, and invoicing systems.
Square’s POS system is the top choice for small businesses, thanks to its range of pricing options and integrated payment processing.
Features
Here are Square’s top features.
Built-in Payment Processing
Square’s payment processor lets you take customer payments and securely record them in a financial reporting system.
The payment processor can handle various payment channels and sends them to your business account.
POS Hardware Solutions
Square has hardware solutions that work well with the company’s software. These make navigation, payment acceptance, and receipt printing fluid for in-store staff.
Square for Retail
Square’s inventory management solution makes it easy for retail businesses to operate smoothly with minimal manual intervention.
Its automation takes care of inventory updating and stock alerts to prevent your store from running out of high-demand items.
Cons
Your account can freeze to irregular activity. It’s a small price to pay for better security. It rarely happens, but it’s something you should know.
Pricing
Here are Square’s pricing plans.
- Free
- Plus – $29 monthly
- Enterprise – Custom pricing only
Omar's Take
eHopper is an all-in-one POS software and hardware solution business owners can use. This POS system offers excellent value for money and has some of the best rates for its top-tier features.
Best For:
Small businesses on a budget
Price:
Free
Annual Billing:
$359.88 yearly ($29.99 monthly)
Promotion:
Free plan
Features
Superb Point-of-Sale Hardware
eHopper has excellent POS hardware set with a display monitor, cash drawer, barcode scanners, and smart terminal.
This hardware works perfectly with its software, enabling businesses to take payments, manage orders, and track inventory.
If you don’t want the hardware, you can use the software for Windows and Android devices.
Self-Service Kiosk
eHopper’s self-service kiosk for small businesses helps streamline your operations to help you grow your business with minimal human supervision.
Employee Management Platform
eHopper lets you track employee performance and access. You can manage your team’s activity in your POS systems.
Cons
eHopper’s hardware comes separately, potentially confusing people who don’t know which hardware they should get.
Pricing
eHopper’s payment processing fees are some of the lowest in the market, making them highly competitive.
Here are eHopper’s pricing plans.
- Free – up to 50 products
- Unlimited products – $39.99 monthly
Note: You can buy eHopper hardware separately.
Omar's Take
Vend is an excellent solution for retail businesses. Its features can empower retail businesses to take online payments and operate a customer relationship management system.
Best For:
Retail businesses
Price:
Starts at $139 monthly (monthly billing for one US location with one cash register)
Annual Billing:
Starts at $1,428 annually ($119 monthly)
Promotion:
14-day free trial
Vend is a cloud-based software with extensive features, including payment processing, inventory management, and customer relationship management.
It’s user-friendly and customizable, making it fantastic for small businesses that want to streamline operations and improve customer experience.
Features
Payments
Vend’s payment system integrates with leading payment processors, including PayPal and Square.
Vend also offers its own payment processing options.
Customer Relationship Management
Vend's customer relationship management tools allow you to track customer behavior and preferences, create loyalty programs, and send personalized marketing campaigns.
Ecommerce
Vend has built-in ecommerce capabilities, enabling you to sell products online and manage inventory across multiple channels.
Cons
Vend doesn’t have a free plan for software. It charges monthly fees for its plans, but they come with the hardware.
Pricing
Here are Vend’s pricing plans.
- Lean – $119 monthly (billed annually)
- Standard – $149 monthly (billed annually)
- Advanced – $269 monthly (billed annually)
- Enterprise – Custom pricing
Note: These plans are for one (1) location in the US with one (1) cash register (without the option to save with Lightspeed Payments).
Omar's Take
If you’re looking for a small business POS system with a reliable inventory management system, Lightspeed POS is an excellent option. Its inventory management works exceptionally well with point-of-sale features and payment processing.
Best For:
Inventory management
Price:
Free
Annual Billing:
$1,428 annually ($119 monthly)
Promotion:
Free plan
Lightspeed POS is a popular point-of-sale system for small to medium-sized businesses focusing on inventory management.
It also offers a range of features, including payment processing, inventory management, and
sales reporting, all accessible through an easy-to-use cloud-based platform.
Lightspeed POS is known for its intuitive interface, customizable options, and dedicated customer support. It’s an excellent choice for small businesses that want a reliable and user-friendly POS system.
Features
Reliable Inventory Management
Lightspeed POS’s robust inventory management system makes tracking stock levels, managing purchase orders, and receiving restock alerts easy.
It has features like low-stock alerts and automatic reordering to semi-automate many of your time-consuming inventory activities.
Ecommerce Capabilities
With Lightspeed POS, you can build a customizable online store and showcase products, manage orders, and process payments from the same platform.
Lightspeed POS's integration with popular ecommerce platforms like Shopify and WooCommerce makes syncing inventory and orders across multiple channels easier.
Online Ordering and Delivery
Customers can order for pickup or delivery directly from the business's website or mobile app.
Lightspeed POS's delivery management tools let you track orders, manage drivers, and optimize delivery routes to ensure timely and efficient service.
Cons
Lightspeed POS can be expensive for some small businesses.
Pricing
Here are Lightspeed POS’s pricing plans.
- Lean – $139 monthly
- Standard – $199 monthly
- Advanced – $319 monthly
- Enterprise – Custom pricing (get a quote)
Omar's Take
TouchBistro is an excellent POS alternative for restaurant owners, offering features to run a smooth food business operation. It helps you with payments, reservations, menu updating, and more.
Best For:
Small restaurants and food businesses
Price:
Starts at $69 monthly
Annual Billing:
N/A
Promotion:
N/A
TouchBistro is a popular point-of-sale (POS) system specifically for restaurants and other food-and-beverage establishments.
It includes menu management, tableside ordering, and payment processing.
Features
Tableside Ordering
Tableside ordering allows servers to take orders via a tablet or mobile device, reducing errors and streamlining service.
Floor Plan and Table Management
Restaurant staff can organize and track tables, set up sections, and transfer orders from one table to another.
These features help restaurants manage their layout and optimize their seating arrangements, leading to better customer service.
Menu Management
TouchBistro's menu management system lets restaurant owners update their menus in real-time.
You can give accurate menu options and pricing, reducing confusion and enhancing the dining experience.
Cons
TouchBistro only serves restaurants at the moment. So other small businesses will not be able to maximize this tool.
The cost also adds up as you request more features.
Pricing
TouchBistro is available for $69 monthly.
Here are some add-on features you can pay for when you use them.
- Online ordering – Starts at $50 monthly
- Loyalty program – Starts at $99 monthly
- Marketing tools – Starts at $99 monthly
- Online reservations – Starts at $229 monthly
Omar's Take
Helcim’s transparent interchange-plus pricing structure sets it apart from many POS systems that charge monthly fees. Its point-of-sale system hardware looks sleek and is generally easy to use.
Best For:
Interchange-plus pricing
Price:
Free
Annual Billing:
N/A
Promotion:
Free plan
Unlike many other POS providers, Helcim offers interchange-plus pricing. Businesses only pay a fixed markup on the actual cost of processing credit card transactions.
This pricing structure ensures that companies receive the most competitive rates possible.
Helcim offers inventory management, reporting, and invoicing, making it a comprehensive solution for small businesses.
Features
Interchange-plus Pricing Structure
Helcim doesn’t charge fixed monthly fees. You only pay a payment processing fee for every transaction, making it more viable if you’re only starting.
Card Reader
The Helcim card reader is easy to set up and use. It accepts the most popular payment options, including debit and credit cards, Apple Pay, and Google Pay.
Secure Card Vault
You get a secure card vault that tokenizes and encrypts every transaction, letting you accept payments quickly and securely.
Cons
Helcim’s per-use pricing will increase in the long run as you get more orders. It’s a great starter POS, but costs will increase as your business grows.
Pricing
Helcim follows a transparent interchange-plus pricing structure.
Omar's Take
Clover is a first-rate system if you need something that’s plug-and-play. It’s relatively easy to set up and can provide a complete system in a few hours.
Best For:
Plug-and-play POS use
Price:
$14.95 monthly
Annual Billing:
N/A
Promotion:
30-day free trial
Clover is a cutting-edge POS system that offers a mobile and modern approach. This plug-and-play POS is a good choice if you're looking for a system that provides robust out-of-the-box features.
With Clover, you can purchase a complete hardware setup package and get up and running quickly.
Additionally, you can customize your system with additional features from the vast Clover app market, making it the perfect fit for retail, quick-service, full-service restaurants, or service industry businesses.
Features
Integrations
Clover POS offers integrations with various hardware devices to help streamline business operations.
You can connect the Clover POS system with a scale, barcode scanner, or kitchen printer.
Inventory Management
With Clover's inventory management system, businesses can easily add new products, track inventory levels, and set up automatic low-stock alerts to ensure they never run out of popular items.
Companies can customize their inventory tracking by creating custom fields to track specific product details, including expiration dates or vendor information.
Item Returns
Clover's virtual terminal feature allows businesses to process returns and refunds quickly and easily.
This feature is handy for businesses with a high volume of returns, as it can help reduce the time and effort required to process each transaction.
Cons
If you sign up for Clover, you’ll have to agree to a 36-month or 48-month contract, with sizeable early termination fees if you decide to cancel.
Pricing
Here are Clover’s pricing plans.
For Full-service Dining Systems
- Clover Starter – $150 monthly
- Clover Standard – $195 monthly
- Clover Advanced – $290 monthly
For Quick-service Dining Systems
- Clover Starter – $90 monthly
- Clover Standard – $130 monthly
- Clover Advanced – $175 monthly
For Retail Businesses
- Clover Starter – $60 monthly
- Clover Standard – $130 monthly
- Clover Advanced – $175 monthly
For Professional Services
- Clover Starter – $14.95 monthly (software only)
- Clover Standard – $50 monthly
- Clover Advanced – $120 monthly
For Personal Services
- Clover Starter – $50 monthly (software only)
- Clover Standard – $90 monthly
- Clover Advanced – $130 monthly
For Home and Field Services
- Clover Starter – $14.95 monthly (software only)
- Clover Standard – $49 (one-time) + 14.95 monthly
- Clover Advanced – $50 monthly
Considerations When Choosing a POS System
Finding the right POS system that meets your unique needs will help you run your business more effectively.
Consider these five factors when selecting a POS system for small businesses.
Business Needs
Consider the specific needs of your business, including the products or services you offer, your sales volume, and whether you need a mobile or stationary POS system.
Features
Choose the solution that provides most (if not all) of the features you need.
Here are some features you may need.
- Inventory management
- Sales tracking
- Employee management
- Online ordering tracker
- Customer relationship management
- Customer data tracking
User-friendliness
Choose a user-friendly and intuitive POS system to reduce training time and improve efficiency.
If you need retail POS systems for small business operations, choose one that staff members can quickly learn.
Integration
Use POS software that integrates well with other software and tools you use, such as accounting software or small business ecommerce platforms.
Cost
POS system cost is another crucial consideration. Find the POS software that fits your budget and provides a good return on investment.
Calculate the upfront costs and ongoing fees you might need to pay.
The cheapest POS system for small business operations isn’t always the best. Examine the features each one provides and see which one offers more value for money (more features for less cost).
Benefits of Using a POS System
Why should a small business invest in POS systems?
The advantages of small business POS systems make them worth the investment.
Here are some compelling benefits of using a POS system.
Improved Efficiency
A POS system streamlines your daily operations, increasing efficiency.
POS systems can automate inventory tracking, employee management, and sales reports. You can focus on growing your business instead of catching up with administrative tasks.
Better Customer Experience
A POS system helps you provide a better customer experience by enabling faster checkout times, reducing errors, and improving order accuracy.
POS systems also let you store customer information, making it easier to provide personalized service and track customer history. It’s easier to offer better customer management and serve clients better.
Real-time Insights
With a POS system, you can access real-time sales data and inventory reports that give insight into what products are selling and which need restocking.
This information can help you make data-driven decisions to lower expenses or increase overall sales.
With the best POS system, you can adjust your inventory to focus on high-selling items, reward loyal customers, or create pricing or marketing strategies.
Secure Transactions
A retail POS system for small business operations can help you secure transactions and protect customer data.
By using encrypted payment processing, you can protect your financial information and customers.
POS systems also allow you to act according to industry data security standards.
Scalability
A POS system can scale with you as your business grows, providing more advanced features and functionality to support your needs.
You can also integrate your POS system with other software and tools to further automate processes and improve efficiency.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What Is a Point-of-Sale System?
A Point of Sale (POS) system includes software and hardware that manages sales transactions and inventory.
POS systems help businesses process payments, track inventory, and handle customer data. The system can be a standalone terminal or a mobile device, and many allow customizations to fit your business’s specific needs.
People have been turning to cloud-based POS systems because they provide more flexibility, security, and efficiency.
Cloud-based tools let you operate multiple stores with one software.
A cloud-based POS system consolidates information into one digital dashboard.
Marketers and business owners can study data, leverage user behavior, and streamline business finance and operations.
Entrepreneurs can streamline their processes using a POS system and improve their efficiency.
Do Small Businesses Need a POS System?
Yes. Small businesses need a POS system.
One of the key benefits of a POS system is its ability to help companies track their sales and inventory.
Small businesses can use POS systems to track stock levels, avoid overstocking or understocking, and make more informed purchasing decisions.
A POS system can provide valuable insight into a business’s sales trends and preferences, allowing business owners to tailor their offerings to their customer’s needs and preferences.
POS systems also let you accept multiple payment types, including credit and debit cards, mobile payments, and cash.
Offering various payment options can improve the customer experience and make it easier for small businesses to close sales quickly and efficiently.
A POS system can help small businesses save time and money by automating many routine tasks, such as inventory management, order tracking, and sales reporting.
Automation can save small business owners and employees time, letting them focus on tasks like customer service and business development.
There are upfront costs when implementing a POS system, but its benefits outweigh the costs.
A POS system can help small businesses operate more efficiently, provide better customer service, and ultimately increase profits.
What Is the Purpose of POS in Small Business Operations?
The goal of a POS system in a small business is to streamline sales transactions and inventory management.
Here are tasks a small business POS system can accomplish.
- Accept payments.
A POS system allows small businesses to accept various payment methods, including credit cards, debit cards, and mobile payments.
- Process customer payments.
You can process payments quickly and securely, reducing customer wait times and ensuring that payments are processed accurately and efficiently.
- Integrate sales data from multiple locations.
POS systems can connect multiple locations, allowing small business owners to access sales data in real-time, track inventory levels, and manage customer data from a centralized database.
- Track inventory levels.
A POS system lets small businesses track inventory levels in real-time, ensuring products are always in stock and allowing efficient restocking and inventory management.
- Manage customer data in real-time.
POS systems can store and manage purchase history, contact information, and preferences, letting small businesses personalize their services and promotions and enhance customer loyalty.
- Operate barcode scanners.
POS systems integrate with barcode scanners, making it easy for small businesses to scan and track products, prices, and inventory levels.
- Sell online.
Many POS systems offer ecommerce capabilities, allowing small businesses to expand their sales channels and reach more customers through online sales.
- Connect with a receipt printer.
POS software connects with receipt printers, automatically generating and printing customer receipts for tax compliance.
- Run customer loyalty programs.
You can also use a POS system to create and manage customer loyalty programs, encouraging repeat business and enhancing customer engagement and retention.
POS systems can improve the overall customer experience and reduce your employees’ workload, making them excellent tools for your business.
What Is the Best Point-of-Sale System for Small Business Use Cases?
Many point-of-sale systems are available, but I consider Square POS the best for small businesses.
Square POS’s user-friendly interface, affordable pricing, and robust features make it a popular choice among business owners.
However, the best POS system for your small business depends on your specific needs.
You may need a restaurant POS system with table management and kitchen display features if you operate a restaurant.
Alternatively, running an ecommerce store may require a system that integrates with your ecommerce platform.
Before selecting a POS system, evaluate your needs and consider pricing, ease of use, scalability, and other factors.
The Bottom Line
I hope my guide makes it easier for you to choose the best POS system for your small business.
Choosing the best POS software for your small business can significantly impact your operations and overall success.
Investing in a reliable POS system can streamline your daily tasks, manage inventory, and improve customer satisfaction. Doing so results in more sales and savings for your small business.
