Karrin Sehmbi is an editor and content strategist on the small-business team. She has covered small-business software and lending since 2022 and has more than sixteen years of editorial experience in the fields of educational publishing, content marketing and medical news. She has also held roles as a teacher and a tutor.
Hillary Crawford writes about small-business software at NerdWallet and is certified in QuickBooks Online and web design. Her previous roles include news writer and associate West Coast editor at Bustle Digital Group, where she helped shape news and tech coverage. She's appeared on Cheddar News and also worked as a policy contributor for GenFKD. Hillary earned a bachelor's degree with high honors in political science from the University of Michigan.
Email: <a href="mailto:hcrawford@nerdwallet.com">hcrawford@nerdwallet.com</a>.
Karrin Sehmbi is an editor and content strategist on the small-business team. She has covered small-business software and lending since 2022 and has more than sixteen years of editorial experience in the fields of educational publishing, content marketing and medical news. She has also held roles as a teacher and a tutor.
Hillary Crawford writes about small-business software at NerdWallet and is certified in QuickBooks Online and web design. Her previous roles include news writer and associate West Coast editor at Bustle Digital Group, where she helped shape news and tech coverage. She's appeared on Cheddar News and also worked as a policy contributor for GenFKD. Hillary earned a bachelor's degree with high honors in political science from the University of Michigan.
Email: <a href="mailto:hcrawford@nerdwallet.com">hcrawford@nerdwallet.com</a>.
Christine Aebischer is an assistant assigning editor on the small-business team who joined NerdWallet in 2020, originally as a copy editor. Previously, she held editing roles at Fundera, Northwestern Mutual and LearnVest, where she covered a variety of personal and business finance topics. Christine earned bachelor's degrees in English and journalism from The College of New Jersey. Email: <a href="mailto:caebischer@nerdwallet.com">caebischer@nerdwallet.com</a>.
Christine Aebischer is an assistant assigning editor on the small-business team who joined NerdWallet in 2020, originally as a copy editor. Previously, she held editing roles at Fundera, Northwestern Mutual and LearnVest, where she covered a variety of personal and business finance topics. Christine earned bachelor's degrees in English and journalism from The College of New Jersey. Email: <a href="mailto:caebischer@nerdwallet.com">caebischer@nerdwallet.com</a>.
NerdWallet's content is
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It undergoes a thorough review process involving writers and editors to ensure
the information is as clear and complete as possible. Learn more by checking
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Content was accurate at the time of publication.
Why trust NerdWallet
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NerdWallet's small-business software content, including ratings, recommendations and reviews, is overseen by a team of writers and editors who specialize in business software, including payment processing, accounting and payroll. Their work has appeared in The Associated Press, The Washington Post, Nasdaq, Entrepreneur, ABC News, Yahoo Finance and other national and local media outlets. Each writer and editor follows NerdWallet's strict guidelines for editorial integrity to ensure accuracy and fairness in our coverage.
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We believe everyone should be able to make financial decisions with
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objective, independent, straightforward — and free.
So how do we make money? Our partners compensate us. This may influence
which products we review and write about (and where those products
appear on the site), but it in no way affects our recommendations or
advice, which are grounded in thousands of hours of research. Our
partners cannot pay us to guarantee favorable reviews of their products
or services. Here is a list of our partners .
Karrin Sehmbi is an editor and content strategist on the small-business team. She has covered small-business software and lending since 2022 and has more than sixteen years of editorial experience in the fields of educational publishing, content marketing and medical news. She has also held roles as a teacher and a tutor.
Hillary Crawford writes about small-business software at NerdWallet and is certified in QuickBooks Online and web design. Her previous roles include news writer and associate West Coast editor at Bustle Digital Group, where she helped shape news and tech coverage. She's appeared on Cheddar News and also worked as a policy contributor for GenFKD. Hillary earned a bachelor's degree with high honors in political science from the University of Michigan.
Email: <a href="mailto:hcrawford@nerdwallet.com">hcrawford@nerdwallet.com</a>.
Karrin Sehmbi is an editor and content strategist on the small-business team. She has covered small-business software and lending since 2022 and has more than sixteen years of editorial experience in the fields of educational publishing, content marketing and medical news. She has also held roles as a teacher and a tutor.
Hillary Crawford writes about small-business software at NerdWallet and is certified in QuickBooks Online and web design. Her previous roles include news writer and associate West Coast editor at Bustle Digital Group, where she helped shape news and tech coverage. She's appeared on Cheddar News and also worked as a policy contributor for GenFKD. Hillary earned a bachelor's degree with high honors in political science from the University of Michigan.
Email: <a href="mailto:hcrawford@nerdwallet.com">hcrawford@nerdwallet.com</a>.
Christine Aebischer is an assistant assigning editor on the small-business team who joined NerdWallet in 2020, originally as a copy editor. Previously, she held editing roles at Fundera, Northwestern Mutual and LearnVest, where she covered a variety of personal and business finance topics. Christine earned bachelor's degrees in English and journalism from The College of New Jersey. Email: <a href="mailto:caebischer@nerdwallet.com">caebischer@nerdwallet.com</a>.
Christine Aebischer is an assistant assigning editor on the small-business team who joined NerdWallet in 2020, originally as a copy editor. Previously, she held editing roles at Fundera, Northwestern Mutual and LearnVest, where she covered a variety of personal and business finance topics. Christine earned bachelor's degrees in English and journalism from The College of New Jersey. Email: <a href="mailto:caebischer@nerdwallet.com">caebischer@nerdwallet.com</a>.
NerdWallet's content is
fact-checked for accuracy, timeliness, and relevance by humans.
It undergoes a thorough review process involving writers and editors to ensure
the information is as clear and complete as possible. Learn more by checking
our
Editorial Guidelines.
Content was accurate at the time of publication.
Why trust NerdWallet
250+ small-business products reviewed and rated by our team of experts.
80+ years of combined experience covering small business and personal finance.
75+ categories of best business software selections.
NerdWallet's small-business software content, including ratings, recommendations and reviews, is overseen by a team of writers and editors who specialize in business software, including payment processing, accounting and payroll. Their work has appeared in The Associated Press, The Washington Post, Nasdaq, Entrepreneur, ABC News, Yahoo Finance and other national and local media outlets. Each writer and editor follows NerdWallet's strict guidelines for editorial integrity to ensure accuracy and fairness in our coverage.
Advertiser disclosure
You’re our first priority.
Every time.
We believe everyone should be able to make financial decisions with
confidence. And while our site doesn’t feature every company or
financial product available on the market, we’re proud that the guidance
we offer, the information we provide and the tools we create are
objective, independent, straightforward — and free.
So how do we make money? Our partners compensate us. This may influence
which products we review and write about (and where those products
appear on the site), but it in no way affects our recommendations or
advice, which are grounded in thousands of hours of research. Our
partners cannot pay us to guarantee favorable reviews of their products
or services. Here is a list of our partners .
Shopify POS syncs directly with the Shopify e-commerce platform. However, Shopify does not offer free POS software, and the platform is retail-focused.
Offers helpful related services, like payroll, that integrate closely with its POS system.
No long-term contracts or termination fees.
All plans include a free online store.
Cons
Free plan processing rates are more expensive than competitors.
Complex industries might prefer a more specialized system.
Square is one of a few in the space that offers a free version of its POS system. Even the free version comes with a long list of features and functionality, including sales tracking and reporting, offline mode for accepting payments without a Wi-Fi connection and a customizable interface. It’s a strong choice for businesses that don’t require specialized or advanced POS features.
However, the $49-per-month Plus plan is typically the better value when you consider its lower processing rates. It charges 2.5% plus 15 cents per in-person transaction and 2.9% plus 30 cents per online transaction.
Free plan available if you’re only using a mobile card reader.
24/7 phone support.
All restaurant plans include no-fee online ordering, and retail plans let you integrate with existing online stores.
Offers a variety of plans tailored to six specific types of businesses.
Can pair POS systems with third-party payment processors.
Cons
Promotions require a three-year contract.
May be subject to early termination fees if you use Clover as your payment processor.
Online payment processing rates are more expensive than competitors.
Clover point-of-sale hardware is pricey, but the reasonable monthly cost and low payment processing fees may help offset that upfront investment over time.
Free plan available for restaurants with up to two POS terminals.
24/7 phone and web messaging support.
Offers helpful related services, like payroll and team management software, that integrate closely with its POS system.
Built specifically for restaurants with in-house delivery platform available, among other industry-specific features.
Cons
Requires a two-year contract and charges early termination fees.
Online payment processing rates are more expensive than competitors.
Charges setup fee, and offline mode includes hidden cost of backup router.
Online ordering and accounting integrations cost extra.
Every element of Toast's POS system is designed in a restaurant-first way. Hardware options are made to withstand spills, grease and heat. These include self-serve kiosks, kitchen display systems, handheld POS systems and guest displays that let customers view orders. Its free plan also offers 24/7 support via email, live chat and phone, just like its higher-tier plans do.
Includes restaurant-specific features, like table and menu management.
Optional profit management system provides tools for improving margins.
As a hybrid POS system, TouchBistro can operate without the cloud. Offline capabilities include accepting payments, taking orders, editing menus and managing staff.
Cons
Payment processing rates are quote-based, making them difficult to compare to the competition.
Contracts are automatically renewed and can't be terminated early.
No free plan options and charges setup fee.
Ability to accept online orders costs extra.
For restaurants that haven’t warmed to the idea of a totally cloud-based POS system, TouchBistro is a solid option. It’s a hybrid POS, meaning it’s locally installed but data is still sent to the cloud. Although other cloud-based POS systems can accept payments in offline mode, the TouchBistro system will maintain additional capabilities, like real-time reporting, in a Wi-Fi outage.
Shopify POS syncs directly with the Shopify e-commerce platform. However, Shopify does not offer free POS software, and the platform is retail-focused.
Shopify POS syncs directly with the Shopify e-commerce platform. However, Shopify does not offer free POS software, and the platform is retail-focused.
Offers helpful related services, like payroll, that integrate closely with its POS system.
No long-term contracts or termination fees.
All plans include a free online store.
Cons
Free plan processing rates are more expensive than competitors.
Complex industries might prefer a more specialized system.
Square is one of a few in the space that offers a free version of its POS system. Even the free version comes with a long list of features and functionality, including sales tracking and reporting, offline mode for accepting payments without a Wi-Fi connection and a customizable interface. It’s a strong choice for businesses that don’t require specialized or advanced POS features.
However, the $49-per-month Plus plan is typically the better value when you consider its lower processing rates. It charges 2.5% plus 15 cents per in-person transaction and 2.9% plus 30 cents per online transaction.
Offers helpful related services, like payroll, that integrate closely with its POS system.
No long-term contracts or termination fees.
All plans include a free online store.
Cons
Free plan processing rates are more expensive than competitors.
Complex industries might prefer a more specialized system.
Square is one of a few in the space that offers a free version of its POS system. Even the free version comes with a long list of features and functionality, including sales tracking and reporting, offline mode for accepting payments without a Wi-Fi connection and a customizable interface. It’s a strong choice for businesses that don’t require specialized or advanced POS features.
However, the $49-per-month Plus plan is typically the better value when you consider its lower processing rates. It charges 2.5% plus 15 cents per in-person transaction and 2.9% plus 30 cents per online transaction.
Free plan available if you’re only using a mobile card reader.
24/7 phone support.
All restaurant plans include no-fee online ordering, and retail plans let you integrate with existing online stores.
Offers a variety of plans tailored to six specific types of businesses.
Can pair POS systems with third-party payment processors.
Cons
Promotions require a three-year contract.
May be subject to early termination fees if you use Clover as your payment processor.
Online payment processing rates are more expensive than competitors.
Clover point-of-sale hardware is pricey, but the reasonable monthly cost and low payment processing fees may help offset that upfront investment over time.
Free plan available if you’re only using a mobile card reader.
24/7 phone support.
All restaurant plans include no-fee online ordering, and retail plans let you integrate with existing online stores.
Offers a variety of plans tailored to six specific types of businesses.
Can pair POS systems with third-party payment processors.
Cons
Promotions require a three-year contract.
May be subject to early termination fees if you use Clover as your payment processor.
Online payment processing rates are more expensive than competitors.
Clover point-of-sale hardware is pricey, but the reasonable monthly cost and low payment processing fees may help offset that upfront investment over time.
Free plan available for restaurants with up to two POS terminals.
24/7 phone and web messaging support.
Offers helpful related services, like payroll and team management software, that integrate closely with its POS system.
Built specifically for restaurants with in-house delivery platform available, among other industry-specific features.
Cons
Requires a two-year contract and charges early termination fees.
Online payment processing rates are more expensive than competitors.
Charges setup fee, and offline mode includes hidden cost of backup router.
Online ordering and accounting integrations cost extra.
Every element of Toast's POS system is designed in a restaurant-first way. Hardware options are made to withstand spills, grease and heat. These include self-serve kiosks, kitchen display systems, handheld POS systems and guest displays that let customers view orders. Its free plan also offers 24/7 support via email, live chat and phone, just like its higher-tier plans do.
Free plan available for restaurants with up to two POS terminals.
24/7 phone and web messaging support.
Offers helpful related services, like payroll and team management software, that integrate closely with its POS system.
Built specifically for restaurants with in-house delivery platform available, among other industry-specific features.
Cons
Requires a two-year contract and charges early termination fees.
Online payment processing rates are more expensive than competitors.
Charges setup fee, and offline mode includes hidden cost of backup router.
Online ordering and accounting integrations cost extra.
Every element of Toast's POS system is designed in a restaurant-first way. Hardware options are made to withstand spills, grease and heat. These include self-serve kiosks, kitchen display systems, handheld POS systems and guest displays that let customers view orders. Its free plan also offers 24/7 support via email, live chat and phone, just like its higher-tier plans do.
Includes restaurant-specific features, like table and menu management.
Optional profit management system provides tools for improving margins.
As a hybrid POS system, TouchBistro can operate without the cloud. Offline capabilities include accepting payments, taking orders, editing menus and managing staff.
Cons
Payment processing rates are quote-based, making them difficult to compare to the competition.
Contracts are automatically renewed and can't be terminated early.
No free plan options and charges setup fee.
Ability to accept online orders costs extra.
For restaurants that haven’t warmed to the idea of a totally cloud-based POS system, TouchBistro is a solid option. It’s a hybrid POS, meaning it’s locally installed but data is still sent to the cloud. Although other cloud-based POS systems can accept payments in offline mode, the TouchBistro system will maintain additional capabilities, like real-time reporting, in a Wi-Fi outage.
Includes restaurant-specific features, like table and menu management.
Optional profit management system provides tools for improving margins.
As a hybrid POS system, TouchBistro can operate without the cloud. Offline capabilities include accepting payments, taking orders, editing menus and managing staff.
Cons
Payment processing rates are quote-based, making them difficult to compare to the competition.
Contracts are automatically renewed and can't be terminated early.
No free plan options and charges setup fee.
Ability to accept online orders costs extra.
For restaurants that haven’t warmed to the idea of a totally cloud-based POS system, TouchBistro is a solid option. It’s a hybrid POS, meaning it’s locally installed but data is still sent to the cloud. Although other cloud-based POS systems can accept payments in offline mode, the TouchBistro system will maintain additional capabilities, like real-time reporting, in a Wi-Fi outage.
For any small-business owner who uses QuickBooks, integrating it with your point-of-sale (POS) system is a surefire way to save time and energy. Such integrations minimize double data entry and ensure your books accurately reflect sales.
Direct, built-in integrations are ideal, but third-party apps also can sync your data. Make sure the integration receives positive reviews before relying on it (or potentially paying for it).
Software products’ websites usually list all of their built-in integrations. If you were on QuickBooks’ app marketplace, for example, you’d search for POS integrations to see what’s available. Or, you could search for a QuickBooks integration on your POS system’s website.
Once you’ve found an app that facilitates the integration, download it and follow the directions. For example, Clover by Commerce Sync, which integrates Clover sales data with QuickBooks, prompts you to log into your QuickBooks account, give the app permission to sync information and select which QuickBooks account you’d like your sales data to show up in.
The activation walkthrough for most integrations should be straightforward and only take minutes.
Find the right QuickBooks product for your business
Learn about QuickBooks’ desktop-based and online accounting software products and how to choose the best fit for your business.
How to choose a POS system that integrates with QuickBooks
Integrations between QuickBooks and POS systems can vary greatly — and you may even have more than one option to sync these products. For instance, QuickBooks offers a native integration with Square, but there are also multiple third-party options.
When considering POS system integrations with QuickBooks, ask the following questions:
Who developed the integration?
Ideally, the developer will be the POS system provider or Intuit, QuickBooks’ parent company. Third-party companies develop integrations, too, but they’re more likely to come with monthly fees. For example, TouchBistro integrates with QuickBooks through Shogo or MarginEdge, which cost $35 per month (for one location) and $300 per month (when paid annually), respectively. Plus, it’s simpler to avoid introducing another product to your business software ecosystem if you can help it.
Does the integration cost extra?
Some in-house integrations, like the one through QuickBooks Online’s Connect to Square app, are free. Others, like Toast’s QuickBooks Online integration through xtraCHEF, require a subscription add-on. If an additional monthly fee or more expensive POS plan is involved, factor those additional costs into your monthly expenses.
What types of data are exchanged?
Review what types of POS data do and do not get funneled into QuickBooks. Chances are, not every single piece of information from your POS system needs to be transferred over. But at a minimum, you’ll want QuickBooks to have access to sales transactions, taxes and any important details about the products or services sold (e.g., product variations or categories, discounts applied).
How often does POS data sync with QuickBooks?
Ideally, it will be every day or more frequently. Regardless, it’s important to be aware of when the sync happens, so that you know whether your sales revenue is up to date. Also, pay attention to how sales transactions will be categorized in your books to make sure it’s logical and aligned with how you’ve organized your accounting system.
Last updated on January 2, 2024
Methodology
NerdWallet’s point-of-sale systems provider ratings reward companies whose products and services are priced well and work in a variety of payment scenarios, among other criteria.
Ratings are based on weighted averages of scores in several categories, including cost, system capabilities, contract requirements, customer service and integrations and add-ons. Learn more about how we rate point-of-sale (POS) systems providers.
These ratings are a guide, but services, hardware and pricing can vary widely from business to business and provider to provider. We encourage you to shop around and compare several providers.
NerdWallet does not receive compensation for any reviews. Read our editorial guidelines.