The best retail POS systems help businesses manage inventory, process payments, track employees, and build better customer experiences from one platform. To help retailers choose the right point-of-sale software, I researched and evaluated the top retail POS systems based on pricing, features, usability, payment processing, inventory management, and customer reviews. After comparing the leading providers, I selected the six best retail POS systems for different retail business types and operational needs.
| Best for | Monthly starting price | |
| Square for Retail | Small and new businesses | $0 |
| Shopify POS | Omnichannel sales | $5 |
| Helcim | B2B and wholesale merchants | $0 |
| Clover Retail System | Flexible payments | $0 |
| GoDaddy POS | In-person flat-rate processing fees | $0 |
| Lightspeed Retail | Complex inventories | $109 |
In this guide, I 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.
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Best retail POS systems compared
| My expert score (out of 5) | Monthly software fees | Payment processor | In-person transaction fees | |
| Square for Retail | 4.37 | $0-$149 | Square Payments | 2.4%-2.6% + 15 cents |
| Shopify POS | 4.24 | $5-$89 | Shopify Payments | 2.4%-2.6% +10 cents |
| Helcim POS | 4.07 | $0 | Helcim | From interchange plus 0.15% + 6 cents |
| Clover Retail System | 4.02 | $0 | Clover Payments; choice of processor on Fiserv network | 2.3%-2.6% + 10 cents |
| GoDaddy POS | 3.97 | $0-$34.99 | GoDaddy Payments | 2.3-2.5% |
| Lightspeed Retail | 3.77 | $109-$339 | Lightspeed Payments or third party | 2.6% + 10 cents |
Why you can trust my advice
I’ve spent more than seven years researching and evaluating retail and ecommerce software, including POS systems, payment processors, inventory management tools, and retail operations platforms.
For this guide, I evaluated retail POS systems across key criteria, including pricing, inventory management, checkout tools, payment processing, employee management, reporting, ecommerce integrations, and ease of use. I also compared scalability, hardware compatibility, omnichannel capabilities, and industry-specific features for retailers with single-store and multi-location operations.
To validate my research, I reviewed user feedback from G2, Capterra, and GetApp alongside product demos, provider documentation, hands-on testing, and free trial environments where available. This helped me assess how each retail POS system performs in real-world retail settings, from small boutiques and specialty shops to growing omnichannel businesses.
Square for Retail: Best overall retail POS system
Overall Reviewer Score
4.37/5
Pricing
4.69/5
Hardware
4.75/5
Software features
4.03/5
Support & reliability
3.75/5
User experience
4.38/5
User scores
4.60/5
Pros
- Forever-free industry-specific POS system
- Paid plans to support growth
- Free ecommerce site builder
- Affordable hardware options
- Integrated payment processing
Cons
- Square for Retail app not available for Android
- Must use Square Payments; flat-rate payment processing not ideal for high-volume retailers
- Limited inventory and reporting tools in free plan
- Limited customer service hours
Why I chose Square for Retail
I chose Square for Retail because it offers a low-friction, high-functionality entry point into retail POS, especially for small teams that need to get up and running fast. Square for Retail’s free plan includes integrated payment processing, inventory tracking, basic customer profiles, employee access management, and even a built-in ecommerce site builder. That’s a full tech stack with zero upfront software costs, ideal for lean retail operations or satellite locations that need a fast, scalable solution.
Square doesn’t gate essential tools behind paywalls. Even on the free plan, you get barcode scanning, returns, modifiers, low-stock alerts, and multilocation inventory management. When you’re ready to grow, the Square Plus ($49 per month) adds features like smart stock forecasts, advanced team reporting, and detailed performance insights. For larger operations, the Square Premium plan ($149 per month) offers custom pricing and priority support.
That flexibility is why Square consistently ranks well across real-world user reviews (and in my evaluation). It’s approachable for first-time POS users, yet powerful enough to support multi-store brands seeking simplicity and control. Compared to systems like Clover or Shopify POS, Square reduces setup friction and ongoing complexity, making it a smart choice for businesses that don’t have in-house IT resources.
If you’re looking for a platform that balances ease of use with operational capability and you want the freedom to scale on your own terms, Square for Retail is an excellent place to start.
Also read:
- Simple, customizable checkout: Customize your Square checkout screen with hotkeys that put your most-used functions and products front and center for easy access. Create customer profiles and tie every transaction to a shopper.
- Inventory management: Add inventory with detailed product information to your product catalog. Track your inventory across multiple locations, keep track of your product orders, set low stock alerts, perform inventory counts, and run reports to gain insights into your inventory’s performance.
- Square Online: Square’s free ecommerce site builder includes tons of templates and a simple system for building your online store.
- Square Payments: Every Square account comes with Square Payments already set up to go, meaning you can start making sales as soon as you sign up. Square charges a competitive flat rate processing fee for all payment types.
- Afterpay integration: Every Square POS comes with an Afterpay integration for both in-store and online sales.
- Square POS app: Square offers a POS app for both Android and iOS devices so you can complete transactions straight from your mobile device. Additionally, Square recently rolled out its tap-to-pay feature, allowing you to accept tap payments via the Square POS app with no additional hardware.
- Square AI: A conversational assistant built into the Square Dashboard, available for U.S.-based sellers.
Software fees: Square for Retail offers three plans, including a bespoke plan for enterprise businesses.
- Square Free: $0
- Square Plus: $49 per month per location
- Square Premium: $149 per month per location
- Square Pro: Custom pricing and fees for businesses that process over $250,000 annually
Processing fees: Square also requires that its users use Square Payments to process their transactions. Square Payments has a flat-rate pricing model for different transaction types, and rates vary based on your software plan.
- In-person: 2.4%-2.6% + 15 cents
- Online: 2.9%-3.3% + 30 cents
- Manual entry: 3.5% + 15 cents
- Afterpay: 6% + 30 cents
Hardware fees: Square offers several hardware options that can either be paid for outright or via monthly financing. Other than the options below, you can purchase accessories to use alongside Square software or in tandem with your personal computer or tablet.
- Square Register: $899 (or $44 per month with financing)
- Square Handheld: $399 (or $37 per month with financing)
- Square Terminal: $299 (or $27 per month with financing)
- Square Stand: $149 (or $14 per month with financing)
- Square Reader: $59 ($21 per month financing)
- Square Reader for magstripe: first free, $10 additional
We actually ranked Square as the best POS hardware for retail in our guide to the best POS hardware.
Shopify POS: Best for omnichannel sales
Overall Reviewer Score
4.24/5
Pricing
3.44/5
Hardware
4.25/5
Software features
4.44/5
Support & reliability
4.38/5
User experience
4.38/5
User scores
4.53/5
Pros
- Integrations with TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Google, YouTube, and Faire
- Turn any page into a shopping page with Shopify Buy Button
- Customizable checkout
- Advanced POS and ecommerce plans
Cons
- Limited inventory management features in basic plan
- Limited offline capabilities
- Ecommerce plan not included (+$39–$399/month)
Why I chose Shopify POS
I chose Shopify POS because it offers unmatched flexibility for retailers who sell across multiple channels, including online, in-store, marketplaces, and social. Shopify’s strength has always been ecommerce, but its POS system extends that power into physical retail, giving you a single platform to manage inventory, customers, and transactions across all your sales touchpoints.
What sets Shopify apart is how well it handles omnichannel operations. You can sell on Instagram, Amazon, a branded online store, and your physical locations, all while Shopify keeps everything in sync: inventory counts, customer data, and order history. No other POS system I’ve tested offers this level of channel integration with the same reliability or ease of use.
Shopify POS includes a streamlined checkout experience, built-in payment processing, basic inventory and customer relationship management (CRM) tools, and a customizable product catalog. The base POS features are included with any Shopify ecommerce subscription, but if you want more advanced in-store functionality, like staff permissions, smart inventory transfers, and omnichannel loyalty, you can upgrade to POS Pro for an additional monthly fee. Shopify’s app store also gives you access to thousands of integrations with other software, making it easy to tailor your setup as your business grows.
If you already rely on Shopify for online sales or are planning to scale your brand across digital and physical channels, Shopify POS is one of the most efficient ways to centralize operations. Compared to Square or Clover, Shopify’s retail POS doesn’t try to replace your whole business system, it simply extends your existing ecommerce capabilities into physical retail.
- Sleek and modern POS dashboard interface: Shopify innovates twice a year, and its POS just underwent a revamp to get a cleaner layout with a new vertical sidebar. This makes navigation faster and more intuitive for retail staff
- Branded POS: Add logos, brand colors, and videos to idle and PIN entry screens to create a consistent in-store experience
- Smart search: Search feature adjusts and tolerates typos and to the active screen
- Ship-and-carryout checkout: Customers can take home available items and have the rest shipped in a single transaction
- Smarter checkout moments: Staff can issue store credit, offer SMS marketing opt-ins, and apply automatic cash rounding — all within the POS.
- Staff management tools: Create employee logins (only one login for Lite), track individual performances, and control access with permissions.
- Inventory management (Pro): Create detailed inventory pages to add to your catalog, perform counts, create and track purchase orders, receive low stock alerts, and view reports.
- Customer profiles: Create simple (Lite) and detailed (Pro) customer profiles during the checkout process or in your customer directory. Then, track behaviors and view reports on customer loyalty and patterns (Pro).
- Retail analytics (Pro): View daily sales reports about your net sales, average order value, and average items per order. You can also compare data over time and see long-term reports.
- Omnichannel selling: Shopify has tools to integrate all your sales channels onto your POS, so you can unify inventory, staff, and customer management everywhere you sell. Shopify includes sales channels for your online store, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, eBay, Google, Amazon, and more. Simply add the sales channels you want to track and Shopify will take care of the rest.
- Online store: Every POS account comes with a very basic online store builder where you can create your ecommerce shop. In addition to the online store that comes as part of your POS account, you can also upgrade to one of Shopify’s ecommerce plans for access to the best ecommerce platform in the game that will seamlessly pair with your POS.
- Shopify app store: You can integrate hundreds of third-party tools to your Shopify POS for things like loyalty programs, inventory management, outreach marketing, analytics, and more via the Shopify app store. Note, however, that many of these tools come with their own monthly fee.
- Shopify Payments: Shopify Payments is integrated into every POS, so you can start taking payments and completing sales immediately when you create your POS account.
Software fees: Shopify has two POS plans, with the Lite plan including very limited tools and the Pro plan including all the features listed above.
- POS Lite: $5/month
- POS Pro: $89/month
Shopify also has three ecommerce plans from $39-$399 a month that lets you create your standalone store. Each plan comes with the Lite POS system, but you can also upgrade to the POS Pro for an additional $89/month.
Processing fees:
You are locked into using Shopify Payments, the platform’s built-in payment processor, when you use Shopify POS. Like Square, it offers flat-rate standard industry rates:
- In-person transactions: 2.4% + 10 cents to 2.6% + 10 cents
- Online transactions: 2.5% to 2.9% + 30 cents
Hardware fees:
Shopify also offers a number of hardware options for both in-store and mobile operations. Alternatively, if you need to complete a mobile sale and are away from your store, you can use the Shopify POS app to complete sales from your mobile device, including tap-to-pay functionality and barcode scanning. Shopify’s hardware options include:
- Countertop kit: $459
- Shopify Tap & Chip Reader: $49
- POS accessories: $0-$89
Helcim: Best for B2B and wholesale merchants
Overall Reviewer Score
4.07/5
Pricing
5/5
Hardware
4/5
Software features
4.03/5
Support & reliability
3.13/5
User experience
4.38/5
User scores
3.87/5
Pros
- No monthly POS software fees and retail POS tools are included at no added cost
- Built-in terminal and mobile POS with EMV, tap-to-pay, PIN debit, and QR support
- Includes inventory, customer profiles, and invoicing with every POS account
- Transparent interchange-plus pricing with automatic volume-based discounts
Cons
- Limited retail hardware options; fewer accessories than Clover or Square
- Requires merchant approval, not instant signup like Square or GoDaddy
- Lacks advanced retail features like loyalty programs or vendor catalog integrations
Why I chose Helcim
I chose Helcim POS because it gives retailers a surprisingly strong set of POS and payment tools without charging a monthly software fee. Unlike many retail POS systems that gate inventory management, customer tracking, or invoicing behind higher-tier plans, Helcim includes these features within its free POS platform while keeping payment processing costs transparent.
When I evaluated Helcim, its biggest advantage was how well it balances affordability with functionality. Retailers can accept in-person payments through a countertop terminal or mobile POS app while still managing inventory, customer profiles, invoices, recurring billing, and ACH payments from the same system. That flexibility makes Helcim especially appealing for B2B retailers, service-based businesses, and stores that handle custom orders or repeat clients.
Helcim is not as feature-heavy as larger retail POS platforms when it comes to ecommerce integrations, advanced retail analytics, or hardware options. However, for businesses focused on straightforward in-person selling and lower operating costs, Helcim delivers one of the best overall values in the retail POS market.
- Smart Terminal and mobile POS options: Accept chip, tap, QR, or PIN transactions without pairing to another device
- Real-time inventory tools: Add and organize products from the app or desktop, with instant updates across your entire account.
- Mobile invoicing and checkout links: Send payment requests directly from the POS app, whether in-person or remote.
- Customer profiles with secure card storage: Track purchase history, store payment methods, and manage recurring billing from a single dashboard
- Cloud-based sync across devices: Sales, inventory, and customer data update in real time between mobile, tablet, and desktop. Offline transactions sync automatically once you’re reconnected
- Saved card support and recurring billing: This is built into the POS checkout flow
- Secure login, permission controls, and receipt customization
Software fees: $0
Processing fees:
- In-person transaction fees: Interchange plus 0.15% + 6 cents to 0.4% + 8 cents
- Online transaction fees: Interchange plus 0.15% + 15 cents to 0.50% + 25 cents
- QR codes: Interchange plus 0.15% + 15 cents to 0.50% + 25 cents
- Tap to pay (iPhone): Plus 10 cents fee per successful transaction
Hardware fees:
- Card reader: $99
- Smart Terminal: $329 (financing available; $32 per month for a year)
Clover Retail System: Best for flexible payments
Overall Reviewer Score
4.02/5
Pricing
3.75/5
Hardware
3.75/5
Software features
3.47/5
Support & reliability
5/5
User experience
4.38/5
User scores
3.8/5
Pros
- Choice of payment processors
- Proprietary hardware options that you can pay for monthly or outright
- Offline payment processing capabilities
- Multiple retail POS plans to support growth
- Various LTE and Wi-Fi-enabled hardware
Cons
- Hardware cannot be reprogrammed
- Must purchase Clover hardware to use POS software
- Must sign up through sales rep; no self-service option
Why I chose Clover Retail System
I chose Clover Retail System because it gives retailers more flexibility in hardware and payment processing than most POS competitors. While many retail POS systems lock businesses into a single payment provider or hardware ecosystem, Clover combines customizable POS hardware with multiple processing options, so retailers can have more control over their setup.
When I evaluated Clover, its biggest strength was the balance between built-in retail features and expandability. The system includes inventory management, customer profiles, employee permissions, promotional tools, and loyalty features without requiring as many paid add-ons as competing platforms. Clover also supports customizable checkout workflows and an app marketplace with integrations for payroll, ecommerce, scheduling, and other business tools.
Another standout advantage is Clover’s payment processing flexibility. Retailers can use Clover Payments directly or work with a provider within the Fiserv network, which can be helpful for businesses negotiating interchange-plus pricing or maintaining an existing merchant services relationship. However, processing agreements and contract terms can vary by provider, so it’s important to review cancellation clauses and long-term commitments before signing up.
Clover is best suited for retailers focused primarily on in-store sales rather than ecommerce-first operations. Platforms like Shopify and Lightspeed offer stronger omnichannel capabilities, but for businesses that want polished POS hardware, flexible payment processing, and reliable in-store retail tools, Clover delivers a scalable all-in-one solution.
- Inventory management: Create inventory and store it in your inventory catalog, and Clover will track its levels and performance. Clover also includes order management for new inventory orders, the ability to create item variants, and item scale and weight metrics.
- Reporting: Clover generates real-time sales reports, sales reports that look at product performances and sales over time at a granular level, along with tax reports.
- Ecommerce: Clover offers an ecommerce platform for an additional fee, but also integrates with existing online stores so you can track your online and in-person sales all from one place.
- Payment processing: Clover offers payment processing via Clover Payments or you can configure your system to use any other payment processor of your choice. Be warned, however, once your POS is set up with one merchant, you cannot change to another.
- Customer management: Create customer profiles that store contact information and purchase histories, store them in your customer database, and learn more about your shoppers with customer reporting.
- Promotional and marketing tools: Create promotions, use Clover’s free included loyalty program to drive repeat visits, offer both physical and digital gift cards to shoppers, and promote user reviews with review prompts that are built into your digital receipts.
- Employee management: Create individual log-ins and permissions and manage your employees’ shifts. Note that there are no permissions or access controls.
- Rapid deposits: For an additional 1.5% processing fee, you can receive rapid deposits, meaning you can get your money within minutes of any credit card sale.
Software fees: Clover doesn’t charge fees for its POS system, but when you sign up from the website, it offers Clover’s Retail System as a bundle with their hardware. It consists of three plans that vary based on both the tools and hardware included. These plans are priced monthly, with one rate based on whether you are paying for your hardware as part of your monthly fee and another for if you paid for your hardware outright, along with a monthly fee for higher-tiered plans. These are priced as follows:
- Starter: $16 per month for 36 months or $349
- Standard: $180 per month for 36 months or $1,899+ $84.95 per month
- Advanced: $240 per month for 36 months or $2,648+ $104.90 per month
Processing fees:
- In-person processing fees: 2.3% to 2.6% + 10 cents
- Online processing fee: 3.5% + 10 cents
Hardware fees: Every Clover plan includes some hardware in its pricing, but you can also purchase additional Clover hardware if you need it. Clover’s hardware offerings include:
- Clover Go: $199
- Station Duo: $180 per month for 36 months or $1,899 + $84.95 per month
- Station Solo: $174 per month for 36 months or $1,799+ $84.95 per month
- Clover Mini: $45 per month for 36 months or $849
- Clover Flex: $40 per month for 36 months or $749
- Clover Flex Pocket: $35 per month for 36 months or $699
GoDaddy POS: Best in-person flat rate processing fee
Overall Reviewer Score
3.97/5
Pricing
3.75/5
Hardware
3.75/5
Software features
4.03/5
Support & reliability
4.38/5
User experience
3.75/5
User scores
4.17/5
Pros
- Easy mobile and countertop hardware options with LTE, Wi-Fi, and built-in printers
- Low-cost card processing starting at 2.3% + $0 per transaction
- Built-in ecommerce integration with GoDaddy Online Store and WooCommerce
Cons
- Limited advanced features for multilocation or high-SKU retailers
- Basic reporting and analytics
- No native support for third-party processors or deep third-party app ecosystem
Why I chose GoDaddy POS
I chose GoDaddy POS because it’s purpose-built for sellers already using GoDaddy’s website tools. Setup is fast, the POS software is preinstalled on GoDaddy’s hardware, and there’s no added software cost if you’re already using their ecommerce platform. You can start selling in-person using a mobile reader, countertop terminal, or even tap-to-pay on your phone, all while syncing sales and inventory with your online store in real time.
It’s not a feature-heavy platform like Lightspeed or Shopify POS, but that’s the point: GoDaddy POS is for businesses that want simplicity and speed, not complexity. You get integrated checkout, basic inventory, receipt printing, barcoding, and 24/7 support without needing multiple vendors or plug-ins. It’s especially strong for single-location stores, event sellers, or smaller teams looking to centralize online and offline sales in one place.
But what sets GoDaddy POS apart from my top picks is its flat rate processing fees. It is lower than any other provider in this list. You unlock the 2.3% processing fee for in-person payments at the $34.99 per month plan, compared to needing Square’s highest plan at $149 per month to get 2.4% rates. Since flat rate processing fees are more for low-volume retailers, they will surely be maximizing profits and be able to keep prices optimized when they go with GoDaddy POS system.
- Omnichannel syncing: Automatically connects with GoDaddy Online Store and WooCommerce.
- Inventory and order tracking: Real-time updates via dashboard or terminal; low-stock alerts; barcode printing.
- Built-in reporting: Sales, tax, deposits, 1099-K exports, and customer activity dashboards.
- Customizations: Receipt branding, role-based access, and catalog editing via browser or terminal.
- Support and onboarding: 24/7 phone, chat, email, plus onboarding for merchants earning over $100K annually.
- Airo: An AI tool that acts as a virtual assistant.
Software fees:
- Standard plan: Free with purchase of GoDaddy hardware
- Plus plan: $34.99 per month
- Surcharge option available
Processing fees: GoDaddy POS also requires that its users use GoDaddy Payments to process their transactions. GoDaddy Payments has a flat-rate pricing model for different transaction types, and rates vary based on your software plan.
- In-person: 2.3-2.5% flat rate (no per-transaction fee)
- Ecommerce: 2.7% + 30 cents
Hardware fees:
- GoDaddy Card Reader: $99
- Smart Terminal: $299
- Smart Terminal Flex: $499
Lightspeed for Retail: Best for managing complex inventories
Overall Reviewer Score
3.77/5
Pricing
2.19/5
Hardware
4/5
Software features
4.31/5
Support & reliability
4.38/5
User experience
3.75/5
User scores
4/5
Pros
- Granular matrix inventory management
- Built-in product catalogs, vendor management, and POs
- 24/7 customer support
- Choice of in-house or several third-party payment processors
Cons
- Monthly fee for using third-party merchant account
- Complex user interface
- High monthly software fee
- Limited mobile app options, Android and iPad only
Why I chose Lightspeed for Retail
I chose Lightspeed Retail because it’s the most powerful inventory and reporting system on this list. If you’re running a multilocation operation or managing thousands of SKUs across categories, Lightspeed gives you the control and visibility most platforms can’t. It goes beyond basic inventory tracking with built-in product catalogs, vendor management, and purchase ordering that’s natively integrated into the POS.
What sets Lightspeed apart is how deep its tools go. I’ve tested plenty of systems with “advanced” inventory features, but Lightspeed is one of the few that can truly handle matrix inventory, bundled items, vendor-direct ordering, and real-time cost tracking without third-party add-ons. Its analytics suite also goes beyond surface-level charts. You get performance insights, demand forecasts, and data-backed suggestions you can actually act on.
Lightspeed isn’t for everyone. It’s more expensive than Square or Clover, and some of its features will be overkill if you’re only managing a handful of products. But if you’re scaling a complex retail operation, running a warehouse, or juggling multiple supplier relationships, this system is built for that level of complexity. You won’t outgrow it anytime soon.
Compared to Shopify POS, which is better for ecommerce-first brands, or Square, which excels in simplicity, Lightspeed is built for operational depth. It’s the right fit for retailers who live and breathe inventory.
- Customizable checkout: Customize your checkout screen with your most-used functions and products.
- Inventory management: Lightspeed offers granular matrix inventory management, perfect for large, complex inventories with lots of product variations. Additionally, there are built-in purchase ordering and tracking functions, special orders, bulk action tools, low stock alerts, and counting tools.
- Lightspeed B2B: Lightspeed has a built-in product catalog where you can shop for items and place orders right from your POS. The items are automatically tracked and added to your inventory catalog with complete product details upon arrival.
- Accounting integration: Integrate your accounting software on your POS so you can do your bookkeeping right from your Lightspeed dashboard.
- E-commerce: Lightspeed can integrate with a number of major ecommerce platforms, and its Standard and Advanced plans include Lightspeed’s in-house ecommerce platform.
- Loyalty program: Lightspeed offers a customizable loyalty program that tracks and rewards customers across all your sales channels.
- Reporting: Lightspeed provides tons of reporting tools for all of its users, including custom reports, and its Advanced plans include analytics with actionable insights and advice based on your performance.
- Marketing tools: Lightspeed offers some great marketing features, including tools to collect customer reviews, segment your shoppers, and send out automated alerts and promotions, and SMS marketing.
Lightspeed for Retail offers three software plans that vary based on the tools they include, with higher plans including more advanced features. Lightspeed plans are priced as follows:
- Basic: $109 per month
- Core: $179 per month
- Plus: $339 per month
In addition to its software options, Lightspeed also offers a number of hardware options for both an iPad and desktop setup. Lightspeed does not disclose its hardware options or pricing; you have to reach out to a rep who will assess your needs and circumstances to pair you with the best hardware for your business.
How to choose the best retail POS system
The best retail POS system depends on how you sell, how complex your inventory is, and how much flexibility you need as your business grows. Before choosing a platform, focus on the areas that directly affect your daily operations, including payment processing, inventory management, ecommerce support, and long-term scalability.
Step 1: Decide how you want to process payments
Some retail POS systems require you to use their built-in payment processor, while others let you choose your own merchant account. Integrated payment systems like Square and Shopify are easier to set up, but providers like Clover and Helcim offer more flexibility for retailers that want to negotiate processing rates or keep an existing processor.
If lowering payment processing costs is a priority, compare:
- Flat-rate vs interchange-plus pricing
- Contract requirements
- Chargeback fees
- Hardware compatibility
- Processor lock-in terms
Step 2: Evaluate your inventory management needs
Inventory tools vary significantly between retail POS providers. Basic systems may only support simple stock counts, while more advanced platforms include purchase ordering, vendor management, matrix inventory, and automated low-stock alerts.
Retailers with:
- Large product catalogs
- Multiple store locations
- Product variants
- Serialized inventory
- Warehouse operations
should prioritize systems with stronger inventory management tools, such as Lightspeed Retail or Shopify POS.
Also read: 24 Key POS Features You Need
Step 3: Consider your sales channels
If you sell online and in-store, your POS system should sync inventory, customer data, and orders across every channel. This includes:
- Ecommerce websites
- Social media shops
- Online marketplaces
- Physical retail stores
- Mobile sales events
Shopify POS offers the strongest omnichannel selling tools in this guide, while Square and GoDaddy POS work well for smaller retailers with simpler ecommerce needs.
Step 4: Compare the total cost of ownership
Monthly subscription pricing is only one part of the total POS cost. Retailers should also compare:
- Hardware costs
- Payment processing fees
- Add-on feature pricing
- Employee account limits
- Multi-location fees
- Ecommerce transaction fees
Some systems appear affordable initially but become more expensive as you add registers, locations, inventory tools, or advanced reporting features.
Step 5: Choose a POS system that can scale with your business
Retailers planning to expand should choose a POS platform that supports long-term growth without requiring a complete system change later. Features that improve scalability include:
- Multi-location inventory management
- Advanced employee permissions
- Ecommerce integrations
- Custom reporting
- Omnichannel sales syncing
- API and third-party integrations
Platforms like Shopify and Lightspeed are better suited for growing retailers managing multiple sales channels, while Square and GoDaddy POS are easier options for smaller operations with simpler workflows.
My recommendations by retail POS feature
- Best for ease of setup: Square and GoDaddy POS
- Best for inventory management: Lightspeed Retail
- Best for omnichannel selling: Shopify POS
- Best for payment flexibility: Clover Retail System
- Best for low payment processing costs: Helcim and GoDaddy POS
- Best for scalability: Shopify POS and Lightspeed Retail
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