Stripe vs. Paypal: Which is Better in 2024?
Stripe vs Paypal are known as top payment processing systems, but which one is best? Learn about pricing, integrations, features, and more.
Reviewed by
Corey Noles, Managing Editor
Read more Sales content →
Reviewed by
Corey Noles, Managing Editor
Read more Sales content →
Retail businesses rely on their point-of-sale (POS) system to keep their businesses running smoothly. Customer management, inventory control, payment processing, and employee management—retail POS systems need to cover a lot of ground. To help you find the best POS system for your retail business, we reviewed the top retail POS systems on the market and, using our expert analysis and in-depth evaluation, narrowed them down to the top five options.
Based on our findings, the top five retail POS systems are:
In this guide, we will examine each of the top POS systems listed above, reviewing and comparing them based on their strengths, weaknesses, best applications, pricing, and key features.
Company | Monthly Fee From | Mobile Compatibility | Payment Processor + Transaction Fees | Standout Features | Learn More |
Mobile hardware options |
In-person: 2.5%-2.6% + 10 cents Online: 2.9% + 30 cents |
• Free online store |
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Mobile hardware options |
In-person: 2.4%-2.6% +10 cents Online: 3.1%-3.5% + 30 cents |
platforms and marketplaces • Retail-specific POS option |
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Mobile hardware options |
In-person: 2.29% + 9 cents Online: 3.49% + 9 cents |
free software • Integrated PayPal payment method for in-person sales |
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Mobile hardware options |
In-person: 2.3%-2.6% + 10 cents Online: 3.5% + 10 cents Option to use third-party merchant |
hardware in monthly installments • Can be programmed to use any merchant service |
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for iOS ( iPad only) Mobile hardware options |
In-person: 2.6% + 10 cents Online: 2.9% + 30 cents |
• Custom reporting and analytics |
In this article...
Our Rating: 4.38/5
Square for Retail is Square’s industry-specific retail POS system complete with all the tools retailers need to run their stores smoothly, all starting at $0. As with all of Square’s free plans, the Square for Retail base plan includes integrated payment processing, an ecommerce site builder, a magstripe reader, multilocation management, and basic inventory, CRM, and reporting tools.
The great thing about Square is that while all its base plans are free, you have the option to upgrade to a Plus plan that can support you as you grow. With more advanced employee management tools, inventory controls, and reporting, Square’s Plus plans are designed to support larger multilocation, omnichannel businesses. And you can’t forget all of Square’s add-ons for tools like loyalty programs, invoicing, team management, and more.
Read more: Best 6 Square Alternatives & Competitors for 2024
Our Rating: 4.12/5
Shopify is the leading ecommerce platform, but it also offers a fantastic POS system that you can purchase as a standalone product or as part of an ecommerce subscription. Plans start at $5 (Lite), but you can also subscribe to POS Pro for an additional fee to gain access to more advanced features. With a simple checkout workflow, payment processing, tools for integrating every sales channel you can think of, and basic inventory, CRM, and employee management tools, Shopify’s POS system is top of the line.
Shopify’s POS comes with all the tools you need to manage your in-store operations along with a basic ecommerce site builder. You do, however, have the option to upgrade your POS to a more advanced version and/or you can upgrade your ecommerce plan and bundle your POS along with it. Shopify’s greatest strength is its tools for unifying in-store with online, perfect for sellers looking to sell across multiple channels.
Our Rating: 4.4/5
PayPal Zettle, formerly iZettle, is PayPal’s free POS system. Like Square, PayPal Zettle only charges transaction fees with no monthly software fees. The POS system has all the basic features a small retailer needs to complete sales, track inventory, manage customers, and take their business on the go. Additionally, because the system is tied to PayPal, the processing rates are extremely low—perfect if you need to keep expenses down.
The biggest drawback of using Zettle is that there are no additional plans or features to support you as you grow. This means that if you outgrow the basic functionality of your Zettle POS system, you will have to look to a different POS provider. Additionally, there is limited ecommerce and no social media or marketplace integrations.
Our Rating: 3.88/5
Clover is a POS system provider that bundles its hardware and software and includes a retail-specific POS system. Clover offers great tools for creating and tracking your inventory, managing customers and staff, completing sales, and sleek hardware to house it all. Clover offers three retail POS plans to support you as you grow, plus add-on tools for things like payroll and an online store builder, so you can get the tools you need as your business expands.
Clover also lets its users choose any payment processor to be custom-integrated into their retail POS systems, meaning you can shop rates and find the best merchant account for your business. Clover does, however, offer its own processing, Clover Payments, if you want to go with an in-house option. Clover is also unique because, when you sign up, you not only are signing up for POS software, but you will also need to get Clover’s proprietary hardware. This means you won’t need to shop around or run the system from your personal devices—everything is included in your Clover plan.
Our Rating: 3.81/5
Lightspeed is a popular POS system for all kinds of businesses, including retailers, with the retail-specific system, the Lightspeed R Series or Lightspeed for Retail. Lightspeed’s retail POS system has everything a retailer needs to run their business, including some of the best inventory management tools in the industry, CRM tools, advanced reporting and analytics, a customizable loyalty program, ecommerce, and other tools to support you as you grow.
Of all the options on this list, Lightspeed probably has some of the most advanced tools available. The software is especially strong when it comes to inventory management and reporting, with tools for managing complex inventories, keeping track of your vendors, integrated purchase ordering tools, and even built-in product catalogs where you can shop and order goods right from your POS account. Not only that, Lightspeed’s reporting tools create incredibly high-level reports and provide actionable insights and suggestions based on your performance.
When you are looking for a POS system for your retail business, these are the tools you should look for and things you should consider. While you might not think you need all these tools now, it is important that the POS provider you choose offers them for you to consider as you grow.
Read more: POS Data Guide for POS Analytics
Learn about other types of POS systems and the features they include with our guide to the different types of POS systems.
As you are looking at the retail POS system market, there are tons of options for you to choose from. Based on our expert evaluation, the best retail POS system overall is Square. However, the additional providers on this list are also top-notch, especially for niche tools and applications.
For retailers looking for a simple and affordable option for their budding solo business, you have PayPal Zettle. If you need to manage lots of different sales channels, then Shopify will be your best bet. For retailers that want the flexibility to choose their own merchant account, look no further than Clover. For anyone with a large, complex inventory, Lightspeed will be your guy.
At the end of the day, there are great POS options for every kind of retailer. It’s just a matter of determining your needs and deciding on what features are most important for your success.
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