The Best POS Systems of 2025

A POS system is a combination of hardware and software designed to ring up sales and process payments. Retailers, restaurant owners and online merchants are common users of POS systems. They serve businesses of all sizes, from mom-and-pop shops to large chains.

Depending on your business’s needs, your POS system’s hardware may include a cash drawer, credit card reader, receipt printer and barcode scanner, or more advanced equipment like customer-facing displays. On the software front, a modern POS program typically performs a multitude of tasks, such as checking out guests, processing payments, managing orders, tracking employee time and promoting customer loyalty initiatives.

There are both server-based and cloud-based POS systems, with cloud solutions dominating the market. Cloud versions are more cost-effective, easier to deploy and require minimal maintenance from the business owner. They also provide complete system access from any location with an internet connection, making them ideal for multi-location management and remote monitoring. However, server-based and hybrid systems offer reliability advantages when internet connectivity is unstable or unavailable.

Implementing the right POS system can help you get more done without hiring additional employees. The best POS systems leverage automated tools and AI-powered features that support tasks like customer engagement, financial tracking and inventory management.

Here’s a closer look at some of the benefits of implementing a high-quality POS system.

Streamlined operations

The right POS system can transform your operational efficiency by identifying and eliminating bottlenecks throughout your workflow. Modern POS platforms offer real-time inventory tracking, queue management systems and advanced coordination tools that connect your marketing, sales and operations teams.

Better customer relationships

Modern POS systems serve as comprehensive customer relationship platforms, offering sophisticated marketing and loyalty tools beyond basic transaction processing. Today’s solutions enable personalized email campaigns, automated birthday rewards, behavior-based promotions and omnichannel engagement strategies, all managed from a unified dashboard that tracks customer interactions across every touchpoint.

Significant savings

POS systems deliver measurable cost reductions through multiple channels: automated inventory management prevents overstocking, AI-powered scheduling optimizes labor costs and error reduction features minimize costly mistakes. Most POS systems also generate helpful sales reports and integrate with accounting software, saving you time gathering data and reducing the risks of error due to double data entry.

Increased insights

Data-driven decision making becomes accessible through comprehensive POS analytics. Modern systems generate actionable reports on sales patterns, employee performance metrics, customer behavior trends and seasonal fluctuations. These insights enable strategic adjustments in real-time, from optimizing staff schedules during peak hours to identifying your most profitable product categories and customer segments.

While businesses will have a monthly subscription fee for the POS software, their upfront costs will vary based on their chosen hardware. (Source: Lightspeed)

The POS system market has become increasingly accessible, with technology improvements and competitive pricing making these systems affordable for businesses of all sizes. Entry-level cloud-based solutions now start at $0 per month for basic features, while enterprise-grade systems can exceed $300 monthly. Hardware that once required thousands in upfront investment now ranges from free starter kits to premium setups under $2,000.

Three primary cost components determine your total POS investment: hardware equipment, software subscriptions and payment processing fees. POS system costs vary based on your specific business requirements, transaction volume and chosen feature set. Monthly software subscriptions typically range from $0 to $250 for cloud-based platforms, with some vendors offering free hardware bundles while others charge up to $1,500 for comprehensive register systems.

POS Hardware Costs

Hardware requirements vary significantly by business type and transaction environment. Essential components may include terminals, tablets or computers; cash drawers; EMV/NFC card readers; barcode scanners; receipt printers; and customer-facing displays. The best POS systems maintain hardware flexibility through third-party compatibility, enabling cost savings through competitive shopping and hardware portability if you switch providers. Modern systems also support incremental scaling, allowing businesses to start with minimal equipment and expand as revenue grows.

For small businesses with basic needs primarily around accepting credit card payments, a phone or tablet and a card reader will suffice. If you already own compatible mobile devices and only need an EMV-compliant, NFC-enabled card reader, this minimal setup typically costs between $25 and $150. [Learn why restaurant businesses should use tablets.]

Most small businesses require a comprehensive setup including tablet stands, cash drawers and receipt printers. For a more advanced setup like this, expect to invest between $650 and $1,400. Additional peripherals like barcode scanners ($75 to $300), kitchen printers ($200 to $500) and customer display screens ($150 to $400) will increase your total hardware investment.

POS Software Costs

The cost of POS software largely depends on the features you need. You could pay anywhere between $25 and $300 per month for a POS software plan. Monthly subscriptions are the most common payment model in the POS world.

Most cloud-based POS vendors have pricing tiers with different features. Some software packages limit the number of users or the monthly sales volume you can process. Some POS companies like Toast provide free POS software, but there’s a catch: You must process your payments through them instead of a third-party processor.

If you want a basic, free POS system, the best options are from highly rated mobile credit card processors, such as Square. These credit card processing companies include POS features in their mobile processing apps. You must use the same provider for your payment processing in order to use its POS app, but you aren’t locked into a long-term contract. Processing fees are charged on a pay-as-you-go basis, which is ideal for very small businesses.

If you need more out of your POS software than just the ability to ring up sales — features like inventory management, e-commerce capabilities or employee scheduling tools — expect to pay $40 to $400 per month. The more bells and whistles you want, the higher the monthly cost will be. Whether you get an industry-specific plan, like those offered by Clover and Lightspeed, will also affect your software expenses.

Payment Processing

The final piece of the POS pricing puzzle is payment processing. This is the cost to accept and process customers’ payments through your POS device. These involve transaction fees for card-present, card-not-present and keyed-in credit card payments. Rates typically vary by processor.

The best POS vendors provide you with a choice of payment processors, giving you the opportunity to shop around for low rates and affordable fees. This means you won’t have to switch out your entire POS system if you decide to use a different processor. [Check out our recommendations for the best credit card processors.]

However, some POS providers are increasingly offering in-house processing, which can be convenient but more costly in the long run. Some give you a choice to use their in-house processing service, while others charge an extra fee (either monthly or per transaction) if you want to use a third-party processor. Notably, Clover and Square require you to use their in-house credit card processing services exclusively.

While most POS systems have the same basic functionality, industry-focused solutions like those offered by Toast (for food and beverage businesses) include specific features and tools designed for the business type. (Source: Toast)

POS systems can have hundreds of features, but they’re meaningless if you don’t use them. While enterprise businesses may leverage comprehensive point-of-sale capabilities and advanced analytics, smaller operations often benefit more from streamlined, essential features. When evaluating POS solutions, prioritize must-have functionality for daily operations, identify nice-to-have features for future growth and avoid paying for complex capabilities you’ll never implement.

Software Features

Besides the basic cash register features that every POS solution has, the specific capabilities within each feature set vary by system and by plan. Inventory management remains the most critical feature beyond payment processing, with modern systems offering AI-powered forecasting, multi-location tracking, automated purchase orders and real-time stock synchronization across all sales channels. Advanced platforms now integrate predictive analytics that can forecast inventory needs based on historical data, seasonal trends and local events.

Customer relationship management has evolved significantly, and the best POS systems offer sophisticated segmentation tools and automated marketing capabilities. Many POS systems have built-in tools for this, but you may not want all the customer management and loyalty program features some POS vendors offer. If your business only needs to collect customers’ payment and delivery information, you won’t need a built-in CRM. However, if you’re building detailed customer profiles with purchase histories, preferences, allergen information and lifetime value tracking, consider robust platforms like Square, Lightspeed and TouchBistro that excel in customer data management.

Another critical feature to look for is reports and analytics. Because the POS software tracks all of your sales, you get an overview of what inventory is moving and what isn’t, which can help you identify sales trends and glean customer insights. All POS systems can generate reports, but the number of reports, specific report types and customization options differ between systems. Modern POS analytics now include AI-powered insights, predictive modeling and automated recommendations. Clover stands out with customizable report templates and real-time dashboard capabilities. Be aware that advanced features like custom reporting, workforce management and integrated scheduling often require premium tiers or additional app subscriptions.

The Clover Flex is a portable, handheld device for tableside orders and payments, although it can be used at other locales as well. (Source: Clover)

Hardware Features

POS hardware configuration options have expanded dramatically, offering flexibility for every business model. A standard POS station includes a tablet or touchscreen terminal, EMV/NFC card reader, cash drawer with till and thermal receipt printer. Advanced setups may incorporate customer-facing displays for transparency, kitchen display systems for order management, digital menu boards for dynamic pricing, 2D barcode scanners for inventory control and self-service kiosks for labor optimization.

Hardware compatibility remains a crucial consideration; proprietary systems lock you into specific vendors, making future transitions costly and complex. Open-source or hardware-agnostic POS platforms provide flexibility to mix and match components, negotiate better prices and seamlessly migrate to new software without replacing equipment.

Payment terminal selection critically impacts your transaction capabilities and security compliance. Whether sourced from your payment processor or POS vendor, ensure your hardware is EMV-certified for chip card acceptance and PCI-compliant for data security. NFC capabilities are now essential, as contactless payment methods rapidly grow among Americans (such as Apple Pay and Google Pay.) For companies that don’t accept in-person payments, you can get by without purchasing a card reader, but you’ll still need a payment gateway so customers can complete transactions.

While we’re confident our top picks above will meet your company’s point-of-sale needs, the additional POS systems we examined below are alternative options that also have notable selling points.

Lavu

If you’re looking for a restaurant-specific POS system with lots of flexibility, the iPad-based Lavu platform comes packed with more than 200 customizable POS features and tools so businesses of any size can customize a plan to fit their needs. Lavu also rises above its competitors with its add-on features and services; it has nearly 15 in-house integrations that you can add to its POS offering, making it easy to expand your setup. Few competitors offer this many native integrations to support their POS systems. You can also integrate the software with several third-party apps to tailor the system to your needs. Learn more about Lavu.

Helcim

With transparent interchange-plus pricing and a rate-match guarantee, Helcim stands out as the most cost-effective POS solution for payment processing. As a payment processor first, Helcim offers a versatile POS application that operates seamlessly across all devices. Helcim provides an all-in-one platform with diverse payment and billing methods, and merchants benefit from a complimentary online store included in their plan. Helcim’s straightforward approach eliminates monthly fees and hidden charges, offering all features with transparent interchange-plus rates. Read our review of Helcim for more details or visit the Helcim website.

GoDaddy

Similar to Shopify, GoDaddy offers comprehensive POS and e-commerce functionality, making it ideal for businesses geared toward in-person and online sales. Some GoDaddy e-commerce features and tools that we didn’t find in many POS competitors include website design templates, custom domain connections, website security (SSL) and online store creation. GoDaddy excels in multichannel inventory management, allowing you to list unlimited products online, automatically sync stock levels across marketplaces (including Amazon, Etsy and social media platforms) and control everything from a unified dashboard. The platform’s integrated marketplace tools and social selling tools help businesses reach customers wherever they shop. See a breakdown of plan options in our full GoDaddy review.

CardConnect

CardConnect excels in providing enterprise-grade payment security and fraud prevention tools. Through its strategic partnership with Fiserv, CardConnect delivers premium POS solutions including the full Clover product line. The platform offers advanced countertop terminals supporting both EMV chip cards and NFC mobile payment methods, with tokenization and point-to-point encryption protecting every transaction. CardConnect’s hosted payment pages enable secure online payments and donations without requiring programming knowledge, and their CardPointe gateway includes fraud detection tools and detailed reporting at no additional charge.

ePOSNow

Epos Now delivers industry-specific POS solutions for retail and hospitality businesses with tailored features for each sector. The platform supports diverse hardware configurations including touchscreen terminals, iPads, Android tablets and their mobile Epos Pocket solution, along with standard peripherals like receipt printers and cash drawers. With seamless scalability and integration capabilities spanning 100-plus third-party applications, Epos Now enables businesses to start with basic functionality and expand features as they grow. The system’s open architecture allows integration with multiple payment processors, giving businesses flexibility in choosing their payment partners. Find out about features and pricing in our comprehensive Epos Now review.

Revel

Revel’s iPad-based POS system for food and beverage businesses distinguishes itself through advanced customer loyalty capabilities and engagement tools. The platform enables sophisticated customer data capture, customizable loyalty programs and flexible point-earning structures directly through the POS interface. Revel’s proprietary gift card program integrates seamlessly with leading third-party loyalty platforms including Paytronix, Punchh, Como, LoyaltyPlant, Spendgo, Pepper, LevelUp and Repeat Returns, offering more loyalty integration options than nearly any competitor in the restaurant POS space.

Wix

Wix has evolved beyond website building to offer a comprehensive POS solution that seamlessly unifies online and offline sales channels. The Wix POS system integrates directly with your Wix website and online store, enabling centralized inventory management and synchronized sales tracking across all channels. Through its exclusive partnership with Stripe, Wix provides competitive flat-rate payment processing starting at 2.9% plus 30 cents per transaction, with mobile POS capabilities and comprehensive e-commerce functionality. The platform’s intuitive interface requires minimal training, and all hardware purchases include a 30-day money-back guarantee for risk-free testing. Learn more about Wix.

Brilliant

Brilliant POS excels in workforce management with comprehensive labor scheduling and performance tracking tools. The system’s advanced scheduler provides detailed payroll integration, shift planning based on forecasted traffic, and real-time performance metrics for individual employees and teams. Restaurant operators particularly benefit from Brilliant’s ability to analyze peak hours, optimize staff deployment and track server performance metrics. Combined with competitive pricing starting at $99 per month, Brilliant offers exceptional value for businesses prioritizing labor cost management. Check out the costs in our Brilliant POS review.

Businesses need to consider whether they want their POS software to include scheduling and timekeeping tools like those offered by Square or if they rather use a standalone time and attendance system. (Source: Square)

As an established business owner evaluating POS upgrades or replacements, your decision should balance current operational pain points with future growth requirements. The selection process requires careful consideration of multiple factors beyond basic functionality. We consulted with experienced business owners to understand their evaluation criteria and gather insights for making informed POS decisions.

Pricing

POS systems generally have recurring monthly costs, so it’s essential to make sure your business can cover the long-term expense. While you shouldn’t sign up for a plan that will break your budget, it may be worthwhile to choose a mid-level or high-tier plan that will be more beneficial over the long run than a basic package.

“An advanced POS may cost more but provides tools to scale,” said Haiko de Poel, owner of The Great Greek Charleston. “If growth is a goal, the extra investment in a sophisticated system will pay off.”

Jay Owen, CEO of Business Builders agreed. “If growth and scale are priorities, invest in a system with powerful features, even if [it] costs more,” he told us.

Dylan Cleppe, owner of OneStop Northwest, similarly said, “An advanced platform may cost more upfront but provide infrastructure to scale, avoiding replacement costs down the road.”

Industry-Specific Features

Many of the leading POS vendors today offer feature sets designed for specific industries. For example, Clover has different packages built for various sectors in mind, such as retail stores versus businesses in home and field services.

For Matt Foley, founder of LobsterOrder.com, choosing a restaurant-specific POS system was critical, leading his team to select Toast. “We had to choose this really because of its strong features and design for the food service business, [which is] very important for us having a seafood business,” he said.

Omnichannel Ease of Use

Your chosen POS system should be easy to navigate, especially across different sales channels. If you operate in multiple locations or offer e-commerce in addition to brick-and-mortar retail, using your POS solution should operate seamlessly in all situations.

Those needs drove Nathan Clark’s search when he was looking for a POS system as the CEO of Organix SEO Agency. “Our main criteria for selecting a POS were ease of use and smooth integration with our store. We also needed a system that could manage both our in-store and online sales,” he said.

Clark found Shopify “intuitive to use,” noting, “The way it seamlessly works with our store has been fantastic.”

Payment Options & Rates

During her quest for a POS system, Bas Rouge Farm & Forge owner Ivonne Vazquez found that “there were many factors to consider such as transaction fees, customer service, ability to accept many types of payments including NFC … the facility to integrate securely with my financial institution and quick processing time to add funds into my account.”

Prioritizing payment options and credit card processing rates led Vazquez to GoDaddy’s POS solution. “It had lower transaction fees, which is great for business,” she said. “Plus, the ability to tap, swipe or insert was also a deciding factor as it means I can cater to more groups of customers and their preferred payment methods, leading to a better overall customer experience.”

Scalability

With any enterprise, your objective is to keep growing and scale your business over time. That means your company’s needs will continue to evolve over time, too, which is why it’s important to choose a flexible POS system that can scale as your business does.

“Select a POS that can grow with your business,” Foley said. “For instance, Toast offers flexible pricing plans and additional features that can be added when needed, thus [making it] ideally suited for businesses preparing for growth.”

Integrations

Brett Henrichsen, owner of Posterprintshop, was particularly concerned about integrations and customizability. He liked that “Clover offered an open API to connect with our store,” and said business owners should “choose a POS that integrates completely with your current systems.”

Reports

During his search, Henrichsen also placed value on “in-depth sales reporting to optimize our business.” That’s a lesson de Poel learned the hard way.

“I wish I had evaluated analytics and data more closely,” he told us. “For catering, understanding sales trends and menu performance is key to growth. Clover’s basic reports don’t provide the insights I need.”

de Poel’s advice? “Determine your ‘must-haves’ and focus on systems that excel in those areas. Don’t just consider the basics,” he said. “For food businesses, consider inventory management, menu building and data analytics.”

To determine the best POS systems on the market, our team of sales experts and software analysts evaluated an initial list of 112 platforms. As this number suggests, we cast a wide net, looking not only at popular, well-known POS services but also at lesser-known platforms and up-and-coming vendors that might appeal to established businesses.

To narrow our list, our experts and analysts studied each solution’s functionality and judged the products on nearly 50 factors. These included the availability of industry-specific plans, payment options, credit card processing rates, usability, scalability, customer support resources and more.

Based on that research, we further narrowed our list to 14 POS systems before ultimately choosing eight POS programs as our top recommendations. Those decisions were based on in-depth investigations that included participating in vendor demos, conducting hands-on testing and scouring real customer testimonials to gauge how their user experiences measured up to ours.

The main factors highlighted below were weighted differently in our overall conclusion. The weights were determined based on how much business owners prioritize these criteria when shopping for business software and services and making purchasing decisions.

• Pricing (30%): Our experts and analysts compared and contrasted each vendor’s plans, judging which packages offered the best bang for your buck. They took into account monthly subscription fees, credit card processing rates, hardware costs and whether there were industry-specific pricing plans.
• Features (25%): We looked for standard POS system functions like in-store, mobile and online payment processing, inventory management, customer management and loyalty programs. We also assessed the available integrations and awarded extra points for advanced services, like AI-powered stock monitoring and price control.
• Ease of Use (25%): We tested the hardware and software ourselves, gauging each solution’s learning curve, user-friendliness and customization options. We also considered whether there were e-commerce capabilities and a fully featured mobile app for managing sales and marketing tasks on the go.
• Customer Service (20%): We evaluated the range of customer service options, including whether phone assistance was provided with all package tiers. We also examined each vendor’s online resources for businesses interested in self-guided help.

Based on these criteria, we not only determined which POS systems our readers could trust but also the ways in which each solution could best serve different business needs. Some solutions were better at certain tasks than others or more suited to a particular type of company. These takeaways informed the “Best for” use cases you see on this page.

To learn more about our methodology, see our full editorial process.