Best POS Systems in 2026: 10 tools compared
Which POS system is best depends on what you sell and where. This page sorts ten point-of-sale options into clear picks: a free start for a single shop, restaurant systems with table service, retail systems with deeper inventory, a choice for Shopify merchants and a low-fee reader for market stalls. It is written for shop owners, restaurant operators and anyone replacing an aging cash register.
The systems were compared on fit for the type of business, features such as inventory, reporting and online selling, ease of setup, hardware choices and how openly the vendor shows its prices. Besides the summaries, the page also shows what each POS system really costs once software, hardware and card processing are added together.
Top picks at a glance
- Best for starting at $0
Square POSThe free plan includes basic inventory and an online store, and one vendor supplies hardware, payments and software for micro and small shops.
$0/month (Square for Retail Free) - Best for restaurants
ToastIt is built only for restaurants, bars and cafes, with table service, kitchen display and online ordering, and a Starter Kit for single locations.
$0/month on pay-as-you-go Starter Kit; $69/month standard Point of Sale plan (per a Toast article) - Best for full-service restaurants
TouchBistroFloor plan, table management and tableside ordering on iPads are in the base plan, which starts at $69 a month, and 24/7 support is included.
From $69/month (Point of Sale, hardware and payment processing extra) - Best for retailers with larger inventories
LightspeedReviewers highlight inventory management and reporting, and the product serves mid-size and multi-location merchants as well as smaller retailers.
Retail Basic $89/month billed annually or $109 monthly (third-party) - Best for ecommerce brands adding stores
Shopify POSThe same Shopify catalog and stock count run online and in the store, and POS is included in every Shopify plan.
POS included in every Shopify plan; Basic from $39/month (third-party), POS Pro $89/location/month - Best for market stalls and micro-merchants
SumUpPOS Lite has no monthly fee and in-person processing is a flat 2.6% + 10c, so a tiny business can start cheaply.
$0/month POS Lite; $499 bundle (Register + Solo reader)
What are POS systems?
A POS system is the combination of software and hardware a business uses to ring up sales, accept card and cash payments and keep track of stock. A typical setup includes a register or tablet, a card reader, a receipt printer and a cash drawer, all connected to a cloud dashboard. Day to day, staff scan items or tap menu buttons, take payment and print or send receipts. Owners use it to manage products, staff, customers and reports. Modern cloud POS also supports online orders, loyalty programs and several locations, so the same data follows the business across channels.
POS Systems compared
| Tool | Best for | Starting price | Free plan or trial |
|---|---|---|---|
| Square POS | Best for starting at $0. | $0/month (Square for Retail Free) | Free plan |
| Toast | Best for restaurants. | $0/month on pay-as-you-go Starter Kit; $69/month standard Point of Sale plan (per a Toast article) | No |
| TouchBistro | Best for full-service restaurants. | From $69/month (Point of Sale, hardware and payment processing extra) | No |
| Lightspeed | Best for retailers with larger inventories. | Retail Basic $89/month billed annually or $109 monthly (third-party) | No |
| Shopify POS | Best for ecommerce brands adding stores. | POS included in every Shopify plan; Basic from $39/month (third-party), POS Pro $89/location/month | Free trial |
| SumUp | Best for market stalls and micro-merchants. | $0/month POS Lite; $499 bundle (Register + Solo reader) | Free plan |
 Revel Systems | Existing Revel restaurant operators already on the platform. | Contact sales | No |
 Clover | Small restaurants and retailers wanting bundled hardware plus software. | Varies by vertical; Standard bundle $130/month or $849 + $84.95/month (as listed by Clover) | No |
 Epos Now | Small retail and hospitality shops wanting bundled hardware. | $399 + $84/month (Epos Now US page) | No |
 Heartland | Merchants who want POS and processing from one provider. | Contact sales | No |
Prices as published by each vendor on October 24, 2026. "Contact sales" means the vendor publishes no price.
The 10 best POS systems in 2026
Best for starting at $0
Square POS
Free-to-start POS from Block that bundles its own card processing, with paid per-location plans for retail and restaurants.
Square POS is a free-to-start POS from Block that bundles its own card processing, with paid per-location plans for retail and restaurants. Reviewers praise its ease of use, quick setup and reporting.
- Best for
- Single-shop retailers and service businesses that want to start at $0 software.
- Company size
- Micro and small businesses; custom Premium for larger.
Key features
- Hardware and terminals
- Square sells its own handheld, terminal, register, stand and kiosk hardware (hardware prices not confirmed by the vendor)
- Payment processing terms
- Square-only processing; 2.6% + 10c in person on Free, 2.5% + 10c on Retail Plus.
- Inventory management
- Free plan includes basic inventory tools and unlimited items; G2 inventory sub-score 8.7/10.
- Online and omnichannel sales
- Free online store included on Retail Free plan.
Pros
- Easy to use and quick to set up.
- Strong card payment experience and reporting.
Cons
- Processing fees and upfront hardware costs add up.
- Support access complaints are common across POS vendors, check before buying.
Pricing: $0/month (Square for Retail Free) · Free plan
Best for restaurants
Toast
Restaurant-only POS and payments platform with its own hardware and tiered software plans, sold mostly on quote.
Toast is a POS and payments platform made only for restaurants, with its own hardware and tiered software plans. It covers table service, kitchen display and online ordering, though it works only with Toast Payments.
- Best for
- Restaurants, bars and cafes needing table service, kitchen display and online ordering.
- Company size
- Single restaurants to multi-location groups.
Key features
- Hardware and terminals
- Proprietary Toast terminals, handhelds, kitchen display and kiosks; tiered hardware bundle around $1,024 (third-party)
- Payment processing terms
- Toast Payments only; rates vary by plan and pay-as-you-go vs traditional.
- Online and omnichannel sales
- Core and Growth add online ordering and loyalty (third-party)
- Industry features
- Restaurant-specific: table service, kitchen display, online ordering.
Pros
- User-friendly interface.
Cons
- Customer support wait times.
- Transaction and hardware costs.
Pricing: $0/month on pay-as-you-go Starter Kit; $69/month standard Point of Sale plan (per a Toast article)
Best for full-service restaurants
TouchBistro
IPad-based restaurant point of sale with table service features, sold as software-only or as a bundle with hardware and integrated payments.
TouchBistro is an iPad-based restaurant POS with table service features, sold as software only or as a bundle with hardware and integrated payments. Floor plan and tableside ordering come in the base plan from $69 a month.
- Best for
- Full-service restaurants that want floor plan and tableside ordering on iPads.
- Company size
- Restaurants, from single venue to multi-terminal venues.
Key features
- Hardware and terminals
- POS plan requires own hardware; Essentials Bundle and Custom Setup include restaurant-grade hardware; financing for 2+ terminals.
- Payment processing terms
- Integrated payments bundled in Essentials and Custom plans; rates not published on pricing page.
- Inventory management
- Paid add-on, price not published.
- Online and omnichannel sales
- Online ordering is a paid add-on, no commission on online orders per vendor FAQ.
Best for
- Full-service restaurants that want floor plan and tableside ordering on iPads.
- Venues that want 24/7 support included in the subscription.
Not ideal for
- Retail stores needing SKU-level inventory (inventory is a paid add-on and the product is restaurant-focused)
- Buyers who want fully published all-in pricing: add-on prices and hardware are quote-based.
Pricing: From $69/month (Point of Sale, hardware and payment processing extra)
Best for retailers with larger inventories
Lightspeed
Montreal-based commerce platform with separate retail and restaurant POS products, sold on annual or monthly plans.
Lightspeed is a Montreal-based commerce platform with separate retail and restaurant POS products. Reviewers praise its inventory and reporting, and plans are priced per location on annual or monthly terms.
- Best for
- Multi-category retailers needing deeper inventory and reporting.
- Company size
- SMB to enterprise.
Key features
- Payment processing terms
- Lightspeed Payments about 2.6% + 10c (one review); same across plans.
- Inventory management
- Reviewers highlight inventory management.
- Industry features
- Retail and Restaurant (plus Golf, hospitality)
- Reporting and analytics
- Reviewers highlight reporting.
Pros
- Inventory management.
- Reporting.
Cons
- Pricing high for value.
- Slow support, hard to reach account managers.
Pricing: Retail Basic $89/month billed annually or $109 monthly (third-party)
Best for ecommerce brands adding stores
Shopify POS
In-person selling layer for Shopify stores, with a free baseline in every plan and a paid POS Pro add-on per location.
Shopify POS is the in-person selling layer for Shopify stores, with a free baseline in every plan and a paid POS Pro add-on for each location. It keeps online and store inventory in one place.
- Best for
- Merchants already running a Shopify online store who add physical locations.
- Company size
- Small to enterprise (Plus)
Key features
- Hardware and terminals
- Shopify card readers plus tablet or phone; hardware prices not confirmed by the vendor.
- Payment processing terms
- Shopify Payments; in-person 2.6%/2.5%/2.4% + 10c by plan (third-party); EU page 1.5%/1.3%/1.2%.
- Inventory management
- Inventory management is in POS Pro, not the free baseline (EU page)
- Online and omnichannel sales
- Native: same Shopify store and catalog online and in store.
Pros
- Intuitive design and strong reporting.
- Easy setup.
Cons
- Support can be slow in busy periods.
- Inventory depth.
- Per-location billing surprises reported.
Pricing: POS included in every Shopify plan; Basic from $39/month (third-party), POS Pro $89/location/month · Free trial
Best for market stalls and micro-merchants
SumUp
UK-founded card reader and POS company with a $0/month POS Lite and flat in-person rates.
SumUp is a UK-founded card reader and POS company with a $0 monthly POS Lite plan. It is aimed at micro and small merchants, with flat processing of 2.6% + 10c in person.
- Best for
- Micro-merchants and market stalls wanting no monthly fee.
- Company size
- Micro and small.
Key features
- Hardware and terminals
- POS Lite Register plus Solo reader $499 bundle.
- Payment processing terms
- 2.6% + 10c in person; 3.5% + 15c eCommerce.
Pros
- Fast, simple payments.
- Friendly interface.
Cons
- Customer service.
Pricing: $0/month POS Lite; $499 bundle (Register + Solo reader) · Free plan
Revel Systems
Cloud iPad POS for restaurants that is now owned by Shift4, with the old vendor site redirecting to Shift4's food and beverage pages.
Rebranded: Acquired by Shift4 (deal announced May 2024, reported at $250M cash). revelsystems.com now redirects to shift4.com/food-beverage; a competitor blog says Revel is being folded into SkyTab, which is unconfirmed.
Revel Systems is a cloud iPad POS for restaurants, now owned by Shift4, with the old vendor site redirecting to Shift4's food and beverage pages. It mostly suits existing Revel operators who accept Shift4 payments.
- Best for
- Existing Revel restaurant operators already on the platform.
- Company size
- Multi-location restaurants and chains.
Key features
- Payment processing terms
- Shift4 plans to sell its payments product to Revel customers (Restaurant Business)
- Industry features
- Restaurant focus, 18,000+ locations at time of deal (Restaurant Business)
Pros
- Setup is described as easy in aggregated reviews.
Cons
- High fees for basic features.
- Weak customer support.
- Connectivity problems.
- Unclear pricing disclosure.
Pricing: Contact sales
Clover
Fiserv-owned POS and merchant processing platform sold through banks and resellers, with bundled hardware and software plans.
Clover is a POS and merchant processing platform owned by Fiserv, sold through banks and resellers. It bundles hardware with software for small restaurants and retailers, and reviewers like its modern hardware and quick setup.
- Best for
- Small restaurants and retailers wanting bundled hardware plus software.
- Company size
- Small businesses.
Key features
- Hardware and terminals
- Clover Station Duo, Mini, Flex; Station Duo about $1,799 to $1,899 (third-party)
- Payment processing terms
- About 2.3% + 10c card-present, 3.5% + 10c keyed (third-party); rate depends on reseller.
- Industry features
- Retail, restaurant and services plans.
Pros
- Easy to use and quick setup.
- Modern hardware.
Cons
- Weak phone support.
- Fees unclear or higher than expected.
- Connectivity problems.
Pricing: Varies by vertical; Standard bundle $130/month or $849 + $84.95/month (as listed by Clover)
Epos Now
UK-origin POS vendor selling bundled hardware plus monthly software in retail and hospitality.
Epos Now is a UK-origin POS vendor that sells bundled hardware and monthly software for retail and hospitality. It offers many terminal options, including countertop, kitchen display and handheld, mainly for small shops.
- Best for
- Small retail and hospitality shops wanting bundled hardware.
- Company size
- Small business.
Key features
- Hardware and terminals
- Countertop, Countertop 2, Duo, Air, Link, Pro+, Kitchen Display; printers, scanners, cash drawers.
- Industry features
- Retail and hospitality.
Pros
- Ease of use.
- Support (G2 reviewers)
Cons
- Pricing high.
- Customization limited.
Pricing: $399 + $84/month (Epos Now US page)
Heartland
Payment processor owned by Global Payments that also sells restaurant and retail POS systems.
Heartland is a payment processor owned by Global Payments that also sells restaurant and retail POS systems. It suits merchants who want POS and processing from one provider, and pricing is quote based.
- Best for
- Merchants who want POS and processing from one provider.
Key features
- Payment processing terms
- Integrated Heartland processing with end-to-end encryption and tokenization (Wikipedia)
- Online and omnichannel sales
- ECommerce offered (Wikipedia)
- Industry features
- Restaurant and retail POS products.
Pros
- A G2 reviewer liked seeing processed transactions easily.
Cons
- Customer service issues in Payments+ reviews.
- Low G2 score for the POS product on very few reviews.
Pricing: Contact sales
How to choose the best POS system
Start with the type of business, since a restaurant needs table service and a kitchen display while a shop needs barcodes and stock counts. Then look at how you will take payments, whether the system forces its own processor, and what hardware it needs. Check how you sell online, how many locations you run and which reports you rely on. A system that matches your daily workflow beats one with the longest feature list.
Hardware and terminals
Hardware decides how fast you can get started and what you pay upfront. Some vendors sell only proprietary terminals, registers and handhelds, while others run on a tablet you already own plus a card reader. Strong tools offer a full range, including kitchen displays, printers, scanners and cash drawers. Check hardware prices and financing terms.
- Square POS: Square sells its own handheld, terminal, register, stand and kiosk hardware (hardware prices not confirmed by the vendor)
- Toast: Proprietary Toast terminals, handhelds, kitchen display and kiosks; tiered hardware bundle around $1,024 (third-party)
- TouchBistro: POS plan requires own hardware; Essentials Bundle and Custom Setup include restaurant-grade hardware; financing for 2+ terminals.
- Shopify POS: Shopify card readers plus tablet or phone; hardware prices not confirmed by the vendor.
- SumUp: POS Lite Register plus Solo reader $499 bundle.
Payment processing terms
Many systems tie the software to one payment processor, so you cannot shop for better rates or switch later. Strong options publish flat rates and let you compare them, while weaker ones hide pricing behind quotes or resellers. Ask about lock-in, contract length and early termination before signing.
- Square POS: Square-only processing; 2.6% + 10c in person on Free, 2.5% + 10c on Retail Plus.
- Toast: Toast Payments only; rates vary by plan and pay-as-you-go vs traditional.
- TouchBistro: Integrated payments bundled in Essentials and Custom plans; rates not published on pricing page.
- Lightspeed: Lightspeed Payments about 2.6% + 10c (one review); same across plans.
- Shopify POS: Shopify Payments; in-person 2.6%/2.5%/2.4% + 10c by plan (third-party); EU page 1.5%/1.3%/1.2%.
Inventory management
Retailers need item and variant tracking, barcode scanning, low-stock alerts and stock counts across locations. Strong tools handle thousands of items and sync quantities in real time. Weaker ones offer only basic item lists, or sell inventory as a paid add-on. Check which plan includes the depth you need.
- Square POS: Free plan includes basic inventory tools and unlimited items; G2 inventory sub-score 8.7/10.
- TouchBistro: Paid add-on, price not published.
- Lightspeed: Reviewers highlight inventory management.
- Shopify POS: Inventory management is in POS Pro, not the free baseline (EU page)
Online and omnichannel sales
Selling online and in store from the same stock avoids overselling and double entry. Strong tools share one catalog and one customer list across channels and support online ordering, pickup and delivery. Weaker ones need separate connectors or paid add-ons for online sales.
- Square POS: Free online store included on Retail Free plan.
- Toast: Core and Growth add online ordering and loyalty (third-party)
- TouchBistro: Online ordering is a paid add-on, no commission on online orders per vendor FAQ.
- Shopify POS: Native: same Shopify store and catalog online and in store.
- Heartland: ECommerce offered (Wikipedia)
Industry features
A restaurant needs table service, floor plans, kitchen display and tips, while a shop needs barcodes, variants and returns. Industry-focused tools do the specific job well, but they can be a poor fit outside their niche. Choose one built for your type of business.
- Square POS: Separate Retail, Restaurants and Appointments products.
- Toast: Restaurant-specific: table service, kitchen display, online ordering.
- TouchBistro: Floor plan and table management and tableside ordering included in base plan; Kitchen Display System as add-on.
- Lightspeed: Retail and Restaurant (plus Golf, hospitality)
- Shopify POS: Retail focused.
Reporting and analytics
Reports show which items sell, how each staff member performs and when you are busy, which guides ordering and scheduling. Strong tools offer sales by item, hour and employee, with exports. Weaker ones give only a daily total, so confirm which reports are included in your plan.
- Square POS: Reviewers on G2 praise reporting (G2 summary)
- Toast: G2 reviewers flag missing reporting features.
- TouchBistro: Reporting and analytics included in POS and Essentials plans.
- Lightspeed: Reviewers highlight reporting.
- Shopify POS: G2 reviewers praise reporting.
Pricing model
POS cost has three parts: a monthly software fee, card processing as a percentage plus a few cents per sale, and hardware bought upfront or financed. Look at all three together, because a free monthly plan can still come with high processing fees or costly terminals.
- Square POS: Monthly plan per location plus flat-rate processing plus hardware.
- Toast: Software tier plus processing percentage plus hardware.
- TouchBistro: Monthly software fee from $69 plus hardware and processing fees.
- Lightspeed: Plan per location plus processing.
- Shopify POS: Shopify plan + POS Pro per location + processing.
Target company size
A single food stall, a multi-location retailer and a restaurant group have different needs. Micro-merchant tools are simple and cheap but may lack inventory depth or multi-location management. Enterprise systems add control and reporting but need more setup time and cost. Match the vendor's usual customer to your size.
- Square POS: Micro and small businesses; custom Premium for larger.
- Toast: Single restaurants to multi-location groups.
- TouchBistro: Restaurants, from single venue to multi-terminal venues.
- Lightspeed: SMB to enterprise.
- Shopify POS: Small to enterprise (Plus)
What POS systems really cost
Features decide the shortlist; the bill decides whether it stays affordable as the team grows. The numbers below come from each vendor's published plans: entry prices, how far plans climb, what single sign-on costs extra and which fees sit on top.
- Median entry price
- $79
- Publish their prices
- 5 of 10
- Free plans
- 2 of 10
- Biggest price climb
- 10.2x
per location per month, cheapest paid plan of each tool
5 quote on request
Square POS and SumUp
Shopify POS, $39 to $399
What POS systems cost per year for your size
For 2 locations on the cheapest plan that fits, TouchBistro costs $828 a year and Lightspeed $2,136. Pick your own size: the order changes because free plans end, plans have user caps and per-location prices multiply differently.
| # | Tool | Plan and price basis | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | TouchBistro | Point of Sale$69 per month, flat | $828 |
| 2 | Shopify POS | Shopify Basic$39 per location per month | $936 |
| 3 | Clover | Standard (services page)$130 per month, flat | $1,560 |
| 4 | Toast | Traditional Tier 1$69 per location per month | $1,656 |
| 5 | Square POS | Plus$89 per location per month | $2,136 |
| 6 | Lightspeed | Basic$89 per location per month | $2,136 |
List prices per month as published on October 24, 2026, billed annually where the vendor shows both, promotions excluded. Full feature plan adds one-time onboarding fees in year one. Not in the calculation: SumUp, Revel Systems, Epos Now and Heartland (quote only, another pricing unit or a plan that does not fit this size). Payment fees come on top: Square POS: Free 2.6% + 10c in person; Plus 2.5% + 10c; Toast: Third-party: pay-as-you-go 3.09%/3.39%/3.69% + 15c; traditional 2.49% + 15c; Lightspeed: About 2.6% + $0.10 (Lightspeed Payments, one review); Shopify POS: In-person 2.6%/2.5%/2.4% + 10c on Basic/Grow/Advanced (third-party source).
How far each price can climb
The entry price is rarely what you pay once the team needs more. Each line runs from a tool's cheapest paid plan to its most expensive published plan. Shopify POS grows 10.2x from $39 to $399, Toast 8.4x, while Square POS and Epos Now sell a single paid plan.
- Shopify POSShopify Basic $39 to Shopify Advanced $399 per location per month10.2x
- ToastTraditional Tier 1 $69 to Traditional Tier 3 $578 per location per month8.4x
- LightspeedBasic $89 to Plus $289 per location per month3.2x
- TouchBistroPoint of Sale $69 to Essentials Bundle $119 per month1.7x
- CloverStandard (services page) $130 to Advanced (services page) $180 per month1.4x
Published plan prices only; quote-only plans are not on the scale. The scale is logarithmic so cheap and expensive tools fit on one line.
How POS pricing works
POS pricing is split into several parts that vendors present in different ways. One vendor leads with a low monthly fee, another with a free plan, and another with a hardware bundle. To compare them fairly you need to put every part into the same monthly figure. The pricing models and cost traps below show what to look for in the tools listed in this directory.
Monthly software fee per location
Several tools charge per location, so a second shop doubles the software cost. Some offer a free plan for a single location. Count the sites you plan to open.
Hardware bundles
Some vendors sell a bundle with a one-time hardware price plus a monthly fee. Others let you use your own tablet and add a reader. Include the hardware in the total, not just the subscription.
Payment processing percentage
Every card sale carries a processing fee, and for many merchants this is the biggest cost. Some systems tie the software to their own processor. Compare the rate on your real monthly card volume.
Additional devices and add-ons
Extra registers, handhelds and kitchen displays can add a monthly charge each. Third-party sources list extra device fees for some vendors, so confirm the figures with the vendor.
Long contracts and processor lock-in
At least one vendor in this list is reported to use a roughly two-year term, though this not confirmed by the vendor on the vendor site. Ask about early termination fees and whether you can switch processors.
Costs that are easy to miss
Add-ons, usage fees and premium modules often decide the real bill. These are the paid extras the vendors list themselves.
- TouchBistroKitchen Display System (price on request); Inventory Management (price on request); Online Ordering (price on request)
- Shopify POSPOS Pro $89/location/month
- CloverAdditional devices about $11.95 to $19.95/month each (third-party)
Our recommendation
Choose the POS that fits your type of business first, then check payment terms, hardware and reporting. Restaurants should start with Toast or TouchBistro, retailers with Square, Lightspeed or Shopify POS, and tiny sellers with SumUp. To keep the cost under control, add up software, processing and hardware over three years, and ask about contract length and termination fees.
POS Systems: frequently asked questions
What is a POS system?
A POS system is the software and hardware a business uses to ring up sales, take payments and track inventory in store. Modern cloud POS also handles staff, customer data, online orders and reporting.
What is the best POS system for a small business?
Square POS is a strong starting point because it begins at $0 a month and bundles hardware, payments and an online store. SumUp suits very small sellers, and Lightspeed fits retailers with more inventory.
What is the best POS for restaurants?
Toast and TouchBistro are built for restaurants. Toast offers table service, kitchen display and online ordering, while TouchBistro provides iPad-based floor plans and tableside ordering with 24/7 support.
Do POS systems lock you into their payment processor?
Many do. Square and Toast each work only with their own processing, and Heartland and Revel Systems are tied to their parent processors. Ask about contract length and termination before choosing.
How much does a POS system cost per month?
Software ranges from $0 on Square and SumUp to about $69 to $130 a month on Toast, TouchBistro and Clover. Hardware and processing fees come on top, so total cost depends on your sales volume.
Which POS systems have a free plan or free trial?
Square POS (free plan), Shopify POS (free trial) and SumUp (free plan), according to the vendors' sites on October 24, 2026.