Best Grocery Store POS Systems

Learn about the five best grocery store point-of-sale systems and the features to look for.
Tina Orem
Maddie Shepherd
By Maddie Shepherd  and  Tina Orem  
Updated
Edited by Sally Lauckner  

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Table of Contents

Table of Contents

The best point-of-sale systems for grocery stores track inventory well, provide thorough sales reporting, have good receipt options and are easy to use, among other factors. Here are some top point-of-sale, or POS, options to upgrade grocery store checkout processes.

» MORE: See our picks for the best overall POS systems

Comprehensive inventory tracking Grocery stores deal with huge amounts of inventory — and rapid turnover of that inventory. A good grocery store POS system helps track how much of each unit you sell and how much you have shelved. You might also want this to sync across several locations if you have more than one store.

Thorough sales reporting The best grocery store POS systems offer zoomed-out sales analytics. Be sure the sales reporting features for the POS system meets your specific needs.

Employee permissions You’ll likely want a POS system with customizable employee permissions. That way, different people have different levels of access to POS capabilities. Consider whether you also want employee theft notifications.

Receipt options Good grocery store POS systems give customers a choice between digital and physical receipts, meaning they can print, text or email receipts.

Easy-to-learn systems The system should be intuitive and easy to use. Your employees work quickly, especially during peak hours, and an easy-to-use-and-adjust system can be a lifesaver. Employees also have a variety of skills, so it’s important that anyone can learn the POS system quickly and easily.

Integrations The best setups let you add to your system. For example, you may want to add a customer-facing screen so people can see their purchase totals, and you’ll definitely want to add a scale if the POS doesn’t already come with one. Another integration you might want is a customer loyalty program or a coupon system.

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Revel POS systems: Best overall grocery POS system

Revel offers iPad-based POS systems along with a wide variety of hardware for grocery stores. Revel also bundles preconfigured POS hardware, including stands and self-service kiosks.

» MORE: Read our full review of Revel POS system

Pricing

Hardware: Revel relies on third-party hardware such as iPads, Ingenico card readers and Epson printers. You can buy the hardware directly from Revel. Installation starts at $674.

POS software: $99 a month and up; requires a three-year contract.

Payment processing fees: Revel offers payment processing through its Revel Advantage arm, but it doesn’t disclose the fees (you have to call to get a custom quote). It also integrates with payment processing platforms from Adyen, FreedomPay and Moneris.

Clover POS systems: Best for a more affordable POS system

If you’re looking for a grocery store POS system that’s less of an investment, Clover offers another well-equipped option.

» MORE: Read our full review of Clover POS systems

Pricing

Hardware:

  • $49 for chip, swipe and contactless Clover Go card reader.

  • $599 for Clover Flex mobile POS with printer.

  • $799 for Clover Mini POS.

  • $1,699 for Clover Station Solo.

  • $1,799 for Clover Station Duo.

Monthly fees:

  • $14.95 for Retail Starter, Professional Services Starter and Standard, Personal Services Starter and Home & Field Services plans.

  • $44.95 for Retail Standard, QSR Starter and Standard, Professional Services Advanced and Personal Services Standard and Advanced plans.

  • $54.90 for Retail Advanced and QSR Advanced plans.

  • $74.95 for Full-Service Dining Starter plan.

  • $84.90 for Full-Service Dining Standard plan.

  • $94.85 for Full-Service Dining Advanced plan.

Payment processing fees:

  • 2.3% plus 10 cents for in-person transactions for most plans.

  • 2.6% plus 10 cents for in-person transactions on Retail Starter, Personal Services Starter and Professional Services Standard plans, as well as Home & Field Services Standard and Advanced plans.

  • 3.5% plus 10 cents for online or keyed-in transactions.

Clover

Clover
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on Clover's website

Square POS systems: Best for modern features

Square POS leads the charge in offering accessible, smart device-enabled POS systems.

» MORE: Read our full review of Square POS system

Pricing

Hardware:

  • $0 for Square magstripe-only card reader ($10 for each additional) or if using Tap to Pay for iPhone (iPhone not included).

  • $49 for Square Reader contactless and chip card reader.

  • $149 for Square Stand iPad POS or Square Stand Mount (iPad not included).

  • $299 for Square Terminal mobile card reader with built-in printer.

  • $799 for Square Register two-screen system.

  • $659-$1,479 for various bundles of stands, cash drawers, printers and card readers.

Monthly fees:

  • $0 for Square POS, Restaurant, Retail and Appointments Free plans.

  • $29 for Square POS Plus and Square Appointments Plus plans.

  • $60 for Restaurant Plus and Retail Plus plans.

  • $69 for Square Appointments Premium plan.

Payment processing fees:

  • 2.6% plus 10 cents for in-person transactions (2.5% plus 10 cents with Retail Plus plan).

  • 2.9% plus 30 cents for online transactions or invoices without a card on file.

  • 3.5% plus 15 cents for manually keyed transactions or card-on-file invoices.

Square POS

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Polar POS: Best for industry specialization

Polar, based in Mundelein, Illinois, makes a grocery-specific POS system.

Pricing

Hardware: Polar offers two setups: the Commerce X, which is a countertop system with a display, printer, card reader and cash drawer; and the Orange, which is a sleeker two-display system. Polar integrates scales and scanners, especially for specific departments like the meat department, as well as stand-alone payment terminals and EBT transaction processing.

POS software: Three plans ranging from $24.99, $54.99 and $99.99 a month. The base plan works with one register, two users and 50 products, and it has basic reporting and features. The $54.99 plan works with two registers, four users and 200 products. It has time-and-attendance and shelf-labeler features. The most expensive plan works with three registers, eight users and unlimited products. It comes with remote and phone support.

Payment processing fees: Polar does not offer or disclose payment processing services; you’ll need to line that up separately.

» MORE: Best online payment processing companies

POS Nation: Best for feature breadth

If you’re looking for a ton of features, like coupon acceptance, customer loyalty, mix-and-match pricing and more, consider POS Nation.

Pricing

Hardware: POS Nation’s grocery POS bundles are $1,499 and come with a touch-screen terminal, a cash drawer, a barcode scanner and a receipt printer. The hardware comes with 24/7 support. A tool on the company's website allows you to build your own grocery POS system and see how much it would cost.

POS software: Users pay $99 a month for the Flex package. In addition to using the POS software, the Flex package allows you to essentially rent instead of buy your equipment. Alternatively, you can buy your POS software for a one-time $499 fee with the Freedom Plan. This arrangement also gets you 90 days of free support and a free card reader.

Payment processing fees: POS Nation’s Flex Monthly and Freedom plans require users to sign a processing agreement with Worldpay. It does not disclose the fees.

» MORE: NerdWallet's best small-business apps

Hardware you'll need for a grocery store POS

In addition to grocery-friendly POS software, you'll also likely need certain hardware to complete your grocery store checkout terminal. Here are some items to look for.

Scale

If you sell anything that's priced by weight, then a POS scale is a must for your business — bonus points if you’re able to find a POS scale that has a barcode scanner for produce labels.

Barcode scanner

Being able to easily and efficiently ring up customers will make everyone happier. Plus, scanning barcodes will make managing your inventory that much more automated.

» MORE: See our list of best barcode label printers for small businesses

Card reader

Card readers can make or break your checkout process. Be sure that your card reader offers all of the payment options your customers want and that it works efficiently.

PIN keypad

Whether on a physical keypad or on the screen of a smart device, a PIN verification should be an option that your grocery store POS system offers customers.

Cash drawer

Even though cash-paying customers are getting rarer, you’ll definitely need a cash drawer to store whatever cash you and your employees handle when operating your grocery store POS system.

» MORE: How to decide whether you need a POS or just a regular cash register

Receipt printer

Finally, you also want your grocery store POS system to provide your customers with receipt options. If you think your customers will prefer physical receipts over digital receipts, then you’ll need a receipt printer.

A version of this article was first published on Fundera, a subsidiary of NerdWallet.

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