Dalia Ramirez writes about home services and estate planning for NerdWallet. She has a B.A. in science and technology studies from Wesleyan University.
Editor/Content Strategist | Taxes, retirement, small business, Social Security, estate planning, home services, cars
Tina Orem is an editor and content strategist at NerdWallet. Prior to becoming an editor and content strategist, she covered small business and taxes at NerdWallet. She has a degree in finance, as well as a master's degree in journalism and a Master of Business Administration. Her work has appeared in a variety of local and national media outlets. Email: <a href="mailto:torem@nerdwallet.com">torem@nerdwallet.com</a>.
Karrin Sehmbi is an editor and content strategist on the small-business team. She has more than fifteen 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.
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>.
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Dalia Ramirez writes about home services and estate planning for NerdWallet. She has a B.A. in science and technology studies from Wesleyan University.
Editor/Content Strategist | Taxes, retirement, small business, Social Security, estate planning, home services, cars
Tina Orem is an editor and content strategist at NerdWallet. Prior to becoming an editor and content strategist, she covered small business and taxes at NerdWallet. She has a degree in finance, as well as a master's degree in journalism and a Master of Business Administration. Her work has appeared in a variety of local and national media outlets. Email: <a href="mailto:torem@nerdwallet.com">torem@nerdwallet.com</a>.
Karrin Sehmbi is an editor and content strategist on the small-business team. She has more than fifteen 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.
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.
95+ years of combined
experience covering small-business and personal finance.
50+ categories of best
business loan selections.
Objective and comprehensive business loans ratings rubric
– learn more about our star ratings.
NerdWallet's small-business loans content, including ratings,
recommendations and reviews, is overseen by a team of writers and
editors who specialize in business lending. Their work has appeared in
The Associated Press, The Washington Post, MarketWatch, Nasdaq,
Entrepreneur, ABC News, MSN 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 .
The best cash registers are simple to set up, reasonably priced and offer the features your business needs. Cash registers for small businesses typically fall into two categories: those offered by your point-of-sale (POS) system, and standalone electronic cash registers.
POS systems with cash register functionality are ideal for businesses that could benefit from additional management capabilities, require industry-specific features or need to sync in-store sales with online ones. Simple electronic cash registers often work fine for brick-and-mortar businesses that need to take payments only. Here are some of the best cash registers for small businesses.
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Square
Square Register
NerdWallet Rating
5.0
Bonus Amount
20% off hardware
Requirements to qualify use code NERD.WALLET20 to receive 20% off the cost of one piece of hardware. Terms apply.
Square’s POS system stands out with its transparent pricing, live support, absence of monthly fees (unless you have add-ons) and many valuable features. Because Square works on iPhones, Androids and iPads, you can ring up sales on a cash register and mobile devices, which might be handy if you do pop-ups at farmers markets, trade shows or music festivals. The Square Register comes with a second screen that lets customers pay and add tips to their totals. Compatible receipt printers and cash drawers are sold separately.
Square’s POS system stands out with its transparent pricing, live support, absence of monthly fees (unless you have add-ons) and many valuable features. Because Square works on iPhones, Androids and iPads, you can ring up sales on a cash register and mobile devices, which might be handy if you do pop-ups at farmers markets, trade shows or music festivals. The Square Register comes with a second screen that lets customers pay and add tips to their totals. Compatible receipt printers and cash drawers are sold separately.
Integrations for accounting, marketing, payroll and more.
Free PCI compliance and fraud prevention.
Cons
IPad or desktop not included.
Higher cost for software, and no transparency on hardware cost.
Annual contracts required for lower pricing.
More expensive plans if you don’t use Lightspeed Payments.
Lightspeed offers iPad-based POS systems for restaurants and iPad- and desktop-based systems for retail stores. The company recommends setting up a call if you run multiple locations, and software prices vary depending on your business’s number of locations and registers. Businesses scaling up its number of locations can use the same workflows and settings across all stores and integrate with popular e-commerce platforms. All plans come with free live training and opportunities to ask specialists questions.
Integrations for accounting, marketing, payroll and more.
Free PCI compliance and fraud prevention.
Cons
IPad or desktop not included.
Higher cost for software, and no transparency on hardware cost.
Annual contracts required for lower pricing.
More expensive plans if you don’t use Lightspeed Payments.
Lightspeed offers iPad-based POS systems for restaurants and iPad- and desktop-based systems for retail stores. The company recommends setting up a call if you run multiple locations, and software prices vary depending on your business’s number of locations and registers. Businesses scaling up its number of locations can use the same workflows and settings across all stores and integrate with popular e-commerce platforms. All plans come with free live training and opportunities to ask specialists questions.
Clover's POS system stands out with its durable and versatile hardware, making it easy to accept orders at the counter and on the go. You also can pair the hardware and software with a different merchant account from Wells Fargo, SunTrust, PNC, BBVA or Citi. Payment processing is built in, and the software can be customized for restaurants, service or retail businesses. The Standard plan — which pairs with the Station Duo register — has features including inventory management, discounts and coupons, sales tracking and refund processing.
Clover's POS system stands out with its durable and versatile hardware, making it easy to accept orders at the counter and on the go. You also can pair the hardware and software with a different merchant account from Wells Fargo, SunTrust, PNC, BBVA or Citi. Payment processing is built in, and the software can be customized for restaurants, service or retail businesses. The Standard plan — which pairs with the Station Duo register — has features including inventory management, discounts and coupons, sales tracking and refund processing.
For this list, we looked at two types of cash registers:
POS-based cash registers. These devices function as accessories or components of a larger, more sophisticated POS hardware kit with built-in software.
Simple electronic cash registers that ring up sales but do little else.
You can purchase a basic electronic cash register online or at an office supply store for a few hundred bucks, but a POS-based cash register with all the features and accessories can cost thousands of dollars. What you pay depends on what you need; for example, with both types of cash registers, you might want to buy bar-code scanners and separate credit card readers in addition to a base setup.
POS-based cash registers may be a better choice for businesses with multiple locations or that also sell online or on the go. These systems can match all the features of an ECR but also often offer more add-ons and have credit card processing built in. (Payment processing fees apply.) This type of cash register can be a more sophisticated, flexible way to process payments.
Square Register: Best overall
Why we like it : The Square Register includes a built-in touch screen for you and a smaller, customer-facing touch screen. Purchase of this terminal comes with Square’s free software, which includes payment processing, as well as an array of features like sales tracking, tips, gift cards and online store capabilities.
Square’s POS plans for retail and restaurants — with both free and pay-per-month tiers — come with industry-specific features, including bar-code printing, table tracking and product modifiers. Any of these plans can be used as the software with a Square Register.
You can purchase separately and connect all the accessories you need to the Square Register, including a contactless and chip card reader, dock, cash drawer, receipt printer, kitchen printer and paper.
Monthly fee
$0 for Square POS, Restaurant, Retail and Appointments Free plans.
$29 for Square Appointments Plus plan.
$69 for Square Appointments Premium and Square Restaurants Plus plans.
$89 for Square Retail Plus plan.
$165 for Square Restaurant Premium plan.
Custom pricing for Square Retail plan.
Hardware
$0 for Square magstripe-only card reader ($10 for each additional reader) or if using Tap to Pay for iPhone (iPhone not included).
$59 for Square Reader contactless and chip card reader.
$149 for Square Stand iPad POS or Square Stand Mount (iPad not included; monthly financing available).
$149 for Square Kiosk for self-serve ordering.
$299 for Square Terminal mobile card reader with built-in printer (monthly financing available).
$399 for Square Handheld portable POS system with built-in barcode scanner (monthly financing available).
$799 for Square Register two-screen system (monthly financing available).
Card reader: Magnetic strip, chip card and contactless payments reader. Square also offers Tap to Pay on iPhone, which lets merchants accept card payments using only a regular iPhone with the Square POS app. Customers hold their cards or their own iPhone wallets near the merchant's phone to pay.
Cash drawer: Available separately, starting at $129.
Receipt printer: Available separately, starting at $299.
Payment processing
2.6% plus 15 cents for in-person transactions with all free plans.
2.6% plus 10 cents for in-person transactions with paid restaurant plans.
2.5% plus 10 cents for in-person transactions with paid retail and appointments plans.
2.9% plus 30 cents for online transactions.
3.5% plus 15 cents for manually keyed transactions.
3.3% plus 30 cents for invoices.
Pros
The first magstripe credit card reader is free; a free POS plan is available.
Offline mode allows you to accept payments without internet access.
Live support by phone, chat or email.
Cons
Loyalty program and email marketing features cost extra.
Can’t create and print barcodes in the free version.
Lightspeed Hardware Kit: Best for businesses with multiple locations
Why we like it :
Lightspeed offers an iPad or desktop hardware kit for both retail and restaurants. iPads and desktops must be purchased separately. You can purchase add-ons such as a label printer and card reader as well.
The company offers paid software plans for download on your device, which integrate with Lightspeed Payments for credit card processing. Features include advanced inventory, customer and employee management, e-commerce options and a variety of third-party integrations. The software is ideal for managing inventory across multiple locations; additional registers cost extra per month.
Monthly fee
Lightspeed offers three different plans for retail stores:
$109 for Basic plan ($89 if billed annually).
$179 for Core plan ($149 if billed annually).
$339 for Plus plan ($289 if billed annually).
Hardware
Pricing for Lightspeed's iPad and desktop hardware kits is quote-based. Individual hardware products are listed in Lightspeed's online store:
$79 for Mobile Tap V2 card reader.
$199 for iPad swivel stand.
$329 for WisePOS E countertop reader.
$429 for Lightspeed Lite Server for data backup and offline mode functionality.
Card reader: Available separately.
Cash drawer: $129 or quote-based if bought with hardware kit.
Receipt printer: $399 or quote-based if bought with hardware kit.
Payment processing
2.6% plus 10 cents per in-person transaction.
2.9% plus 30 cents for online transactions.
Pros
24/7 support.
Robust inventory management.
Integrations for accounting, marketing, payroll and more.
Higher cost for software, and no transparency on hardware cost.
Annual contracts required for lower pricing.
More expensive plans if you don’t use Lightspeed Payments.
Toast Flex: Best for restaurants
Why we like it : Toast’s POS countertop starter kit comes with the Toast Flex POS terminal, a tap-to-pay device and router, plus built-in software. You can add on additional hardware including a cash drawer, kitchen display screen and order printer. Though the Toast Flex doesn’t come with a second screen, the main screen can be flipped so it faces the customer. Payment processing rates and monthly software costs differ depending on whether you pay for the hardware upfront. Delivery services can be added to any plan.
Monthly fee
$0 for Starter Kit plan.
$69 Point of Sale plan.
Custom plans available.
Hardware
$494.10 for Handheld Starter Kit (but $0 if you agree to a higher processing fee).
$1,123.20 for Countertop Starter Kit (but $0 if you agree to a higher processing fee).
$1,438.20 for Guest Self-Service Starter Kit (but $0 if you agree to a higher processing fee).
Card reader: Included for swipe, dip and contactless payments with Countertop Starter Kit.
Cash drawer: Available separately for $134.
Receipt printer: Available separately, starting at $296. It is also compatible with some third-party printers.
Payment processing
3.09-3.69% plus 15 cents per transaction, if you choose a pay-as-you-go plan.
2.49% plus 15 cents for card-present transactions, if you pay for hardware upfront.
3.50% plus 15 cents for card-not-present transactions, if you pay for hardware upfront.
Pros
Free plan available for restaurants with one POS terminal.
Live support is available by phone, email or chat.
Offers 0% interest financing, subject to approval.
Cons
Some features, like online ordering and the loyalty program, may cost extra based on the package.
Clover Station Duo: Best for interface and hardware quality
Why we like it : The Station Duo is Clover’s most powerful register. It can process payments, scan barcodes and print receipts like Clover’s Mini — but it also includes a second, customer-facing touch-screen display as well as a cash drawer and receipt printer. The terminal can be paid for monthly or bought outright plus a monthly software subscription.
Monthly fee
$0 for Clover Go Payments, Retail Starter and Personal Services Starter plans.
$14.95 for Clover Go Essentials, Professional Services Starter, and Standard and Home & Field Services Starter and Standard plans.
$84.95 for Retail Standard and Professional, Personal Services Standard and Advanced, and Home & Field Services Advanced plans.
$89.95 for Full-Service Dining Starter and Quick-Service Dining Starter and Standard plans.
$104.90 for Retail Advanced plan.
$109.90 for Full-Service Dining Standard and Quick-Service Dining Advanced plans.
$129.85 for Full-Service Dining Advanced plan.
Hardware
$199 for chip, swipe and contactless Clover Go card reader.
$349 for countertop card reader.
$749 for Clover Flex mobile POS with receipt printer.
$699 for slimmer Flex Pocket with no printer.
$849 for Clover Mini POS.
$799-$899 + $25 per month for kitchen display system.
$1,799 for Clover Station Solo.
$1,899 for Clover Station Duo.
$3,499 + $34.95 per month for self-ordering kiosk.
Card reader: Included for swipe, dip and contactless payments.
Cash drawer: Included.
Receipt printer: Included.
Payment processing
2.3% plus 10 cents for in-person transactions on Full-Service and Quick-Service Restaurant plans.
2.5% plus 10 cents for in-person transactions on Retail Standard and Advanced plans, Professional and Personal Services Standard and Advanced plans, and the Home and Field Services Advanced plan.
2.6% plus 10 cents for in-person transactions on the Retail and Personal Services Starter plans and the Home and Field Services Standard plan.
3.5% plus 10 cents for online or keyed-in transactions.
Pros
Cash drawer and receipt printer included.
Accepts payments when the internet is down and processes them when you're reconnected.
Free 30-day trial.
Phone and email support.
Cons
Payment processing through Fiserv, not in-house.
No free hardware options.
Pricing can be vague and can require contacting a salesperson.
A virtual terminal costs $14.95 per month if you don’t purchase a software plan.
Best simple electronic cash registers (ECRs)
A traditional cash register may be a good choice if you don’t need many features or don’t want or aren’t comfortable with a tech-forward checkout system. Many are easy to use and have simple, essential features for ringing up sales.
The best options may let you calculate sales tax, tips and discounts; process returns and exchanges; print daily sales totals; connect with external bar-code scanners (purchased separately); and/or track employee use. Here are some ECRs to consider:
SAM4S ER-900 Series: Best overall
Why we like it : The ER-900 series, made by South Korean firm SAM4S, is a reasonably beefy cash register with a large cash drawer and an attached card reader. It can handle sales tax and up to 20,000 PLUs (those five-digit numbers often spotted on produce stickers). You can track up to 99 different clerks. Also, you can add scanners, remote printers, scales, coin dispensers and other peripherals. Again, factor in the cost of a separate merchant account for credit card processing.
Works with up to 20,000 price look-up codes, or PLUs.
Comes with a magnetic stripe reader.
Different keyboard layouts to suit your needs.
Cons
Stores only 90 days of data.
Must back up sales data to an SD card.
Includes a swipe-only card reader, but additional hardware is required to process contactless payments and mobile payments.
Can’t track inventory at the ingredient level.
SAM4S ER-230EJ: Best for mobile businesses
Why we like it : If you’re running a food truck, selling at fairs or operating some other pop-up-type business, this portable, battery-powered cash register could come in handy. But if you want to take credit cards, debit cards or mobile wallets, you’ll need to get additional hardware and use the device’s ethernet and USB ports to devise a workaround, which could be a headache.
Hardware
About $250.
Card reader: No card reader.
Cash drawer: Not included, but designated port available.
Receipt printer: Built-in thermal printer.
Payment processing
Price varies depending on the processor you use.
Pros
Small and portable.
Has a backup-power battery.
Programmable, moveable keys allow for customization.
Cons
Stores only 90 days of data.
No card reader.
Must purchase separate cash drawer.
Royal POS 1500: Best for restaurants
Why we like it : The Royal POS 1500’s touch-screen design gives it a streamlined look and allows users to customize their checkout processes more easily. It also works in 17 languages and can be programmed for use by specific staff members. In addition, you can customize how receipts look. But, at 22 pounds, it’s hefty.
Hardware
$700-900; varies by vendor.
Card reader: Add-on option.
Cash drawer: Included.
Receipt printer: Built-in thermal printer.
Payment processing
Price varies depending on the processor you use.
Pros
Can split tickets, give discounts, suggest tips and print cooking instructions.
Works with card readers, bar-code scanners, scales and kitchen printers.
Can create some reports; must be exported to Microsoft Excel or PDF.
Touch screen.
Cons
Card reader costs extra.
SAM4S ER-180U: Best for low-cost portable register
Why we like it : This small, lightweight register is a good option for businesses on the go — though it’s still bulkier than a mobile POS app or card reader. The device has 16 keyboard designations for specific departments and up to 500 price look-ups, with sales tracking for up to 10 employees. It has a small built-in cash drawer and can print receipts.
However, the device doesn't have an integrated card reader, so you’ll need to purchase and use an external reader to accept credit and debit cards. And like any other traditional cash register, you’ll need a separate merchant account to process credit card payments.
Hardware
$176 and up; varies by vendor.
Card reader: Not included.
Cash drawer: Included with register.
Receipt printer: Built-in thermal printer.
Payment processing
Price varies depending on the processor you use.
Pros
All-in-one keyboard, cash drawer and receipt printer.
Learn more