7 Best POS Systems That Integrate With QuickBooks
Many or all of the products featured here are from our partners who compensate us. This influences which products we write about and where and how the product appears on a page. However, this does not influence our evaluations. Our opinions are our own. Here is a list of our partners and here's how we make money.
Table of Contents
Integrating your point-of-sale system with your QuickBooks account minimizes double data entry and ensures sales are accurately reflected in your books. As a small-business owner, it’s a surefire way to save time and energy. Direct, built-in integrations are ideal, but third-party apps also can sync your data — just make sure the app receives positive reviews before relying on it (or paying for it).
Here are the best POS systems that integrate with QuickBooks:
Square POS: Best free software plan
Software pricing: Free and up.
Hardware pricing: Free card reader; the Square Stand Kit starts at $739 and includes an iPad stand, cash drawer, receipt printer paper and receipt printer (iPad may be bought separately or through Square for an added fee).
Payment processing: 2.6% plus 10 cents per in-person transaction; 2.9% plus 30 cents for online payments; 3.5% plus 15 cents per manually entered transaction.
Pros:
Free plan available.
No long-term contracts, startup fees or PCI compliance fees.
Allows businesses to pause subscriptions for up to 3 months.
Can finance hardware and pay for it in monthly installments. APR is 15%.
Cons:
Not all plans include 24/7 support.
Free integration app receives poor reviews (other integrations are available).
Why we like it: New businesses may decide to start out with Square’s free POS plan and upgrade to the $60 per month Pro plan as they grow. The free plan includes basic inventory management, an online store and team management features such as time tracking, among other capabilities.
QuickBooks’ Connect to Square app is free and imports sales transactions from all of a business’s Square locations into QuickBooks Online. However, some reviewers claim the integration is glitchy and that it can be difficult to solve syncing issues. The Commerce Sync app also connects Square with QuickBooks, though the service costs $12 per month for QuickBooks Online and $32 per month for QuickBooks Desktop.
Square Payments Shop Now on Square's website |
» MORE: NerdWallet’s best POS systems
Clover POS: Best for mobile transactions
Software pricing: Restaurant software plans for the Station Solo register cost $74.95 per month plus $9.95 per additional device; retail and service software plans for the Station Solo register cost $44.95 per month plus $9.95 per additional device.
Hardware pricing: The Flex handheld POS system costs $499. Discounts may be available.
Payment processing: 2.3% plus 10 cents per in-person transaction and 3.5% plus 10 cents per keyed transaction on Standard and Advanced plans; 2.6% plus 10 cents per in-person transaction and 3.5% plus 10 cents per keyed transaction on Standard plans.
Pros:
24/7 customer support.
Interest-free installment plans available for hardware.
Large hardware lineup.
Cons:
Cannot use tablets that weren’t bought through Clover.
Why we like it: Clover has a wide variety of hardware options, including POS stations with customer-facing displays and a mini station with a built-in card reader. Its Flex handheld POS system stands out in particular for its versatility. It can be used to take payments and orders in-line, at customers’ tables or in a different location.
QuickBooks Online users can download the Clover by Commerce Sync app to automatically transfer POS sales activity to their books. Most of the integration reviews are positive, and subscription prices start at $24.95 per month per location.
Clover |
QuickBooks POS: Best QuickBooks Desktop integration
Software pricing: One-time fee of $1,200 and up.
Hardware pricing: $900 for the hardware bundle, which includes a cash drawer, receipt printer, wired barcode and PIN pad (tablet not included).
Payment processing: 2.7% for dipped and swiped transactions and 3.5% for keyed transactions in the Pay As You Go plan; 2.3% plus 25 cents for dipped and swiped transactions and 3.2% plus 25 cents for keyed transactions in the $20 per month plan.
Pros:
Strong inventory management.
Syncs sales and payment information to QuickBooks Desktop.
Free, built-in integration.
Cons:
Outdated user interface.
No monthly payment options.
Ongoing expert POS support starts at $79 per month.
Why we like it: QuickBooks POS’s software is expensive upfront, but its simplicity and inventory management features could be ideal for smaller businesses — especially retail stores — that use QuickBooks Desktop. Business owners can add multiple variations, like color and size, to each product, and the inventory feature also includes a field for assigning items to particular departments.
The seamless integration between QuickBooks Desktop and QuickBooks POS doesn’t require a third-party app. POS data syncs up with the chart of accounts, and the process can be initiated anytime or at the end of each day.
» MORE: QuickBooks Online vs. Desktop
Toast POS: Best for established restaurants
Software pricing: Free and up.
Hardware pricing: $799 for Toast’s Starter Kit, which includes a Toast Flex POS terminal, contactless card reader and router (no tablet required). Clients can also pay for the kit as a percentage of their sales over time.
Payment processing: 2.99% plus 15 cents per transaction if you don’t pay for the Starter Kit upfront; 2.49% plus 15 cents per swiped, dipped or tapped transaction and 3.5% plus 15 cents per keyed transaction if you pay for the Starter Kit upfront.
Pros:
24/7 phone, email and chat support with every plan.
Free plan available for restaurants with one or two POS terminals.
Offers 0% interest financing, subject to approval, and pay-as-you-go plans.
Cons:
Starter Kit requires a two-year contract.
Integration is not free.
Why we like it: Developed specifically for restaurants, Toast features a spill-resistant hardware lineup, in-house delivery platform and add-ons for digital ordering, loyalty programs and marketing. All plans let restaurant owners run reports and manage tables, orders and menus.
Toast connects to QuickBooks Online through xtraCHEF, a restaurant management platform that Toast acquired in 2021. One of its premium features, called Sync, sends sales data to QuickBooks Online so it can create automatic journal entries.
TouchBistro: Best locally installed option for restaurants
Software pricing: $69 per month and up.
Hardware pricing: Quote-based.
Payment processing: Quote-based if you choose to use TouchBistro Payments.
Pros:
24/7 phone, chat and email support with all plans.
Can set up digital menu boards with Apple TV.
Cons:
Integration is not free.
Contracts are automatically renewed and cancellation requires at least 30 days’ notice.
Why we like it: TouchBistro is an iPad POS system tailored for myriad restaurant types, including quick-service restaurants, cafes, food trucks, bakeries and breweries. The solution is a hybrid system — its software is locally installed so that it can function offline, and data is transferred to the cloud so that it can be accessed anywhere.
TouchBistro connects to QuickBooks through either MarginEdge or Shogo. Shogo starts at $30 per month for one location and MarginEdge costs $300 per month per location. The latter includes other restaurant management features like recipe development, inventory tracking and automated invoice processing.
Vend: Best for retail
Software pricing: $119 per month (billed annually) and up.
Hardware pricing: $600 for the Starter Hardware Kit for iOS, but Vend is compatible with a variety of hardware products from different companies.
Payment processing: Vend integrates with popular payment solutions like Square, PayPal and Lightspeed Payments.
Pros:
24/7 online and phone support with all plans.
Strong inventory management.
Cons:
Accounting integration is not included in all plans.
Analytics are included only in the $199 per month (billed annually) Advanced plan and up.
Why we like it: Vend is one of the more expensive options on the list, but its strengths could justify the cost for well-established retail businesses. In addition to working offline, the POS system lets customers put items on layaway, works on iPads and PCs and features robust inventory tracking.
To use Vend’s QuickBooks Online integration, merchants must subscribe to Vend’s $119 per month Standard plan or up and QuickBooks’ $80 per month Plus plan or up. The POS system sends payment counts, end-of-day sales, purchase orders, cost of goods sold and more to QuickBooks Online.
» MORE: NerdWallet’s small-business apps
Shopify: Best for online businesses
Software pricing: $5 per month and up.
Hardware pricing: $49 for a Bluetooth card reader.
Payment processing: 2.9% plus 30 cents per online transaction and 2.7% per in-person transaction in the $29 per month Basic plan.
Pros:
24/7 support with all plans.
Free QuickBooks Connector integration receives positive reviews.
Plans are month-to-month.
Cons:
Reporting is not included in all plans.
Why we like it: Shopify is an affordable option for small businesses that do most of their sales online and occasionally sell items in person. The $29 per month Basic plan includes an online store, unlimited products, 24/7 support, gift cards and the ability to print shipping labels. You’ll need the $79 per month Shopify plan if you want to run more than basic reports. There’s a $5 per month Starter plan, too, for business owners who want to share purchase links to their existing platforms. However, it doesn’t let you build an online store.
When you scroll through app integrations for QuickBooks Online and Shopify, you’ll see lots of options. Intuit’s QuickBooks Connector for Shopify has solid reviews and offers free plans. You can add it through Shopify’s app store.
Shopify Retail POS |
