Best Retail Point of Sales (POS) Systems 2022

Owning or managing a retail business is hard work. Fortunately, today’s powerful point-of-sale (POS) systems can help you ring up customers, manage inventory, access reports, and complete other tasks. There’s a lot to consider when selecting a POS system, including monthly pricing, hardware, payment processing options, integrations, and more. On this page, we’ll cover the top-rated POS providers for retail businesses, highlighting their strengths and weaknesses and examining the types of customers for which they’re best suited. We’ll also look at how much you can expect to pay for a retail POS system and what you should weigh before selecting an option.

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Our goal is to help retail businesses make educated choices when it comes to selecting a POS system. We know it’s an important decision, and that’s why we’ve looked at popular options from an unbiased perspective.

Block (formerly Square) POS is No.1 in our rating of the Best Retail POS Systems of 2022. It’s a good option for new stores because there aren’t many upfront costs for small businesses. With Block, free retail POS software is available. There are also paid plans that include features like vendor sales reports, exchanges, and inventory history. You’ll need to get a quote for Block’s most expensive retail POS plan, which comes with custom pricing for payroll and credit card processing.

You can get a free magstripe reader when you sign up for Block, and there are other affordable hardware options too, like an iPad-compatible stand for $169. In addition to monthly fees and hardware costs, Block charges payment processing fees on each credit card transaction. The rates depend on the type of transaction, with in-person swipes costing 2.6% plus 10 cents. Block also offers custom processing rates for clients with more than $250,000 per month in credit card sales.

Many business owners will appreciate the transparency of Block’s pricing. Transparent pricing allows retail business owners to easily plan for and budget the costs of running their store. Plus, you can add on additional services like payroll management, e-commerce tools, and other business software for an all-in-one business solution. Handling so many aspects of your business on one platform can be really convenient for busy small business owners looking to ease the process of managing their company. However, large firms with many locations might find that other POS providers with specialized enterprise-level solutions better suit their needs.

Vend by Lightspeed finishes No. 2 in our rating of the Best Retail POS Systems of 2022. Vend is a great option for retail businesses with one or multiple locations, though it’s on the pricier side of the POS providers in our ratings, with annual plans starting at the equivalent of $99 per month.

Its most basic plan, Vend Lite, is designed for businesses with one location and up to $20,000 in monthly sales. You can upgrade your plan easily, making it a good software choice for retailers that expect to grow. For Vend’s Enterprise plan, you’ll need to get a quote. It comes with advanced reporting, onboarding, and a dedicated account manager. Professional reviews commend Vend for its range of features, including custom permissions and inventory management.

Vend POS might be a good option for retailers that already have hardware as it’s compatible with a variety of tablets, receipt printers, cash drawers, and barcode scanners. Vend also offers hardware for sale on its website. Vend doesn’t have in-house payment processing but it works with a variety of processing providers, including popular options like PayPal and Block. While small firms might prefer the ease of an all-in-one POS and payment processing solution, Vend can be a good option for midsized businesses that want to shop around for a credit card processor.

In our rating of the Best Retail POS Systems of 2022, Epos Now ties with Shopify for the No. 3 spot. Epos Now offers different software packages for hospitality and retail businesses. Its retail POS system includes features like automated stock counts, reports, and barcode management. Plus, Epos Now POS integrates with more than 100 third-party apps.

Professional reviews note that Epos Now’s POS software is easy to use and quick to install. Plus, it is compatible with a wide variety of hardware options, including Apple iPads and Android tablets. Epos Now offers specialized configurations available by industry, or you may be able to use existing hardware.

Epos Now POS works for businesses of different sizes, with monthly plans starting at $39. However, Epos Now doesn’t offer the most transparent pricing compared to some of the competitors in our ratings. You’ll want to get a quote from Epos Now to find out exactly what your business can expect to pay. Epos Now requires you to select your own payment processor, which could be a pro or con depending on your individual business.

Shopify POS and Epos Now tie for No. 3 in our rating of the Best Retail POS Systems of 2022. Unlike other POS systems in our rating, your monthly subscription begins with a Shopify account instead of a POS system. The least expensive account is the Shopify Lite plan, which is available for just $9 per month. All of Shopify’s plans come with access to Shopify POS Lite, which allows merchants to sell online or in-person with the POS app.

If you need more than the basic purchasing capabilities that Shopify POS Lite offers, opt for its more advanced POS system: Shopify POS Pro. Starting at $89 per month, this software is available as an add-on to Shopify plans. With this POS system, you have advanced staff and inventory management tools, daily reporting, and online purchase options with in-store pickup and returns.

When it comes to payment processing, you will likely want to use Shopify Payments, its in-house processor. Shopify’s processing rates vary depending on the subscription you choose, and there’s an additional fee if you don’t use Shopify as your payment processor. For hardware, Shopify offers a variety of affordable options and even rents devices.

For companies with a larger budget, consider using Shopify to run many different aspects of your business from one platform, but keep in mind that costs add up. Given its range of e-commerce tools, Shopify can be a good choice for retailers that do business online. It also charges by location instead of by register for its POS system plans, which makes it a great choice for in-person businesses that have numerous registers.

Lightspeed POS is No. 5 in our rating of the Best Retail POS Systems of 2022. Lightspeed offers cloud-based POS systems for retail stores and restaurants. Lightspeed’s Lean retail POS plan starts at $69 per month if you pay annually. Standard, Advanced, and Enterprise plans are also available. Lightspeed POS allows you to manage inventory between stores, provides revenue reports, and helps you drive traffic to your website.

Lightspeed POS customers don’t necessarily have to use Lightspeed as their payment processor, but subscription rates are higher if you choose to go with a third-party credit card processor. When it comes to hardware, Lightspeed sells a variety of accessories, including cash drawers and card readers, as well as hardware kits for iPads and desktop computers.

Lightspeed also offers tools for e-commerce, loyalty programs, and scheduling in-store appointments. If you’re interested in these features, you’ll want to contact Lightspeed’s sales team for a quote. Lightspeed isn’t the least expensive POS provider in our rating, which can be an important consideration for new businesses. But professional reviews note that Lightspeed’s retail POS includes the key features small businesses need, and it caters especially well to companies that want to branch out to online sales.

In our look at the Best Retail POS Systems of 2022, Revel Systems finishes in the No. 6 spot. It’s one of the pricier POS providers in our ratings, so it might not be the best fit for brand new businesses – especially since its lowest rates may require a three-year annual commitment and the purchase of multiple terminals. But Revel Systems POS includes a wide variety of features that may be worth the investment for more established firms. Its enterprise software is used by major companies like Estee Lauder and Auntie Anne’s, and its enterprise management features make it a good choice for businesses with multiple locations.

Revel Systems boasts a versatile POS experience. Monthly fees start at $99 per terminal, though you’ll need to get a quote based on your business. Revel Systems’ POS software includes inventory, staffing, and client relationship management (CRM) tools. Onboarding is available starting at $674, and Revel Systems recommends that customers purchase an on-site implementation package to facilitate setup. Revel Systems is only compatible with iPads so you might look at other options if you already have Android tablets.

Revel Systems offers in-house payment processing but you’ll need to contact sales to learn more about its rates. It’s also compatible with other credit card processing providers. However, the lowest rates advertised by Revel are contingent on you using its payment processor. If your company isn’t looking to sign a long-term plan just yet or wants to shop around for a credit card processor, Revel Systems is likely not the best choice.

Clover POS is No. 7 in our rating of the Best Retail POS Systems of 2022. One of the biggest pros of this cloud-based POS software is its upfront pricing. Clover’s retail POS software sends inventory updates, allows you to accept payments and exchanges, and keeps track of sales figures by employee.

Most brick-and-mortar stores can expect to sign up for a Register plan, which includes employee permissions and inventory management. You can also set up your system to automatically calculate applicable taxes. This subscription is $39.95 per month plus $9.95 per additional device. With this plan, credit card processing costs 2.3% plus 10 cents for in-person transactions. That’s lower than some of the other POS provider’s in-house payment processing rates, including Block. With Clover, you can accept swipe, chip, and contactless payments. For details, see our separate Clover credit card processing review.

Clover is well known for its attractive hardware, and there are a variety of devices that work for retailers. For example, the Mini ($749) works well for smaller shops and salons, while the Station Duo ($1,649) features a customer-facing display that may give customers peace of mind on big transactions. Payment plans may be available for equipment, and Clover offers free overnight shipping for hardware. Plus, Clover boasts a customizable POS experience, with many integrations available – though some add-ons and third-party tools may result in extra fees.

A retail POS system features hardware and software products that record each transaction to help business owners better analyze sales and maximize inventory. These POS solutions are often cloud-based, which makes it easy to track your store’s sales while you’re off-site. Retail stores offer many more products in their inventories than restaurants, so retail POS systems often require more detailed reporting.

POS systems for both retail and restaurant businesses have similar front-of-house accessories like credit card scanners, printers, and product scanners. However, retail POS systems include another system in the back of house that controls inventory and tracks sales trends. Retail POS systems can also help managers monitor employee hours and sales.

With so many POS system options, it can be difficult to decide which one will work best for your retail business. For example, small boutiques with a few employees will have different demands than large department stores with multiple locations. Below are some questions to ask yourself when you’re thinking about choosing a POS system.

What hardware will your business need, and how much of it?

If you already own tablets, barcode scanners, or receipt printers, you’ll want a POS system that runs on your specific type of hardware and a POS company that won’t force you to buy new products. If you don’t own any hardware yet, consider a POS system that provides some hardware for free with your purchase. Furthermore, if you’re a loyal Android user, you may want to choose a POS platform made specifically for Android tablets; on the other hand, Apple lovers should opt for an iPad-based POS system.

Do you want to choose your credit card processor?

Some POS companies offer built-in payment processing options, while others accept a variety of payment providers. Both are solid options, but make sure to do your research before deciding because some POS companies charge higher transaction fees if you don’t use their payment processor. For more information on payment processors, see our list of the Best Credit Card Processing Companies of 2022.

How do you want to handle returns, refunds, and exchanges?

Choose a POS system that will allow you to craft and customize your return policies to your liking and ensure your business model is customer-centric. For instance, you can decide whether you want to give money back to customers or give them store credit instead.

Are you interested in additional features?

If you want your customers to engage in loyalty programs or be able to use gift cards, you’ll have to make sure you choose a POS company that offers these features. In the retail business, some popular add-ons include inventory management software to give you low-stock notifications and employee management software to make back-office tasks easier.

Most retail POS systems charge a monthly fee for each of their plans. For instance, Shopify offers five plans ranging in price from $9 per month for Shopify Lite to $2,000 per month for Shopify Plus. Many POS companies will also charge per register, per month.

Sometimes POS companies will offer a free trial before charging the month-to-month rates. Other POS systems, like Block, don’t charge monthly fees for basic plans but instead impose credit card processing fees of a specified percentage on every transaction. Transaction fees can add up over time, and the percentage can differ if a customer is ordering a product online or making a purchase in the physical store.

Hardware is available for a wide range of prices. Some companies may offer the first magstripe reader for free, or charge $1,649 for a hardware bundle that includes multiple screens, a receipt printer, and a card reader. If you already have a tablet or other piece of hardware, you’ll want to choose a POS system compatible with it to avoid having to buy another. If you don’t have your own devices, you’ll incur a charge for any POS hardware you want to buy, such as a tablet or credit card scanner, unless your POS company supplies some hardware for free.

Another aspect that can increase the cost of a POS system is third-party apps and integrations. Some small businesses will function perfectly with the features provided in their all-in-one POS system, but if operators want additional features like payroll integration, they may have to pay extra.

By managing inventory and staffing, ringing up transactions, and generating reports, retail POS systems can help stores run more efficiently. But there are important factors to consider when it comes to selecting a retail POS system for your business.

We’ve looked at many of the most popular POS providers to assemble our list of the Best POS Systems of 2022, but every business has different needs. There’s POS software specifically designed for full-service restaurants and counter-service cafes, in addition to software made for retailers. In most cases, unless you’re a restaurant, store owners should opt for retail POS software. Depending on the software you choose, it may have inventory management tools, specialized reports, and e-commerce features that restaurants don’t need. There’s also no reason to pay for restaurant POS features that’ll go unused at your store. Still, there are also times when it can be unclear exactly which POS software is right for your business. Stores that sell a few craft food items will want to stick with a retail POS system, while restaurants and cafes that sell a few branded retail items, like shirts, mugs, and memorabilia, will still do better with a restaurant POS.

In addition to our look at retail POS software, we’ve also rated the Best POS Systems for Small Businesses of 2022. The list includes Block, Vend, Shopify, and Lightspeed, which all offer retail POS systems, so they might be good options to consider if you own a small store. Typically, food service businesses will find that a restaurant POS system best meets their needs. If you own a restaurant, coffee shop, bakery, or bar, check out our rating of the Best Restaurant POS Systems of 2022.

Read our ratings and reviews for more information on point-of-sale systems.

Check out our other ratings to learn more about products and services that can help you grow your business.

At U.S. News & World Report, we rank the Best Hospitals, Best Colleges, and Best Cars to guide readers through some of life’s most complicated decisions. Our 360 Reviews team draws on this same unbiased approach to rate the products that you use every day. To build our ratings, we researched more than 17 and analyzed 11 reviews. Our 360 Reviews team does not take samples, gifts, or loans of products or services we review. All sample products provided for review are donated after review. In addition, we maintain a separate business team that has no influence over our methodology or recommendations.