8 Best Cloud POS Systems
Cloud POS systems offer small-business owners low-cost, scalable POS solutions that can be customized across industries.
A cloud point-of-sale (POS) system uses wireless internet rather than local servers to function, meaning businesses can access it from anywhere with Wi-Fi. Today, most popular POS systems
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Here are our top picks for the best cloud POS systems.
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Best Cloud POS Systems
| Product | Best for | NerdWallet rating | Payment processing fees | Monthly fee | Learn more |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Square POS on Square POS's secure website | Overall cloud POS system | In-person: 2.6% + $0.15 Online: 2.9% + $0.30 | $0 and up. | on Square POS's secure website | |
 Helcim on Helcim's secure website | Businesses with high sales volume | In-person: 0.4% + $0.08 Online: 0.5% + $0.25 Plus interchange | $0 | on Helcim's secure website | |
 Clover POS on Clover POS's secure website | Hardware | In-person: 2.3% + $0.10 Online: 3.5% + $0.10 | $0 and up. | on Clover POS's secure website | |
 Shopify Retail POS on Shopify POS's secure website | Shopify e-commerce users | In-person: 2.6% + $0.10 Online: 2.9% + $0.30 | $39 and up for e-commerce plans with POS Lite; Can upgrade to POS Pro for an extra $89. | on Shopify POS's secure website | |
 Lightspeed Retail POS on Lightspeed Retail POS's secure website | Inventory management | In-person: 2.6% + $0.10 Online: 2.9% + $0.30 | $109 for Basic plan, $179 for Core plan, $339 for Plus plan. | on Lightspeed Retail POS's secure website | |
 Toast POS on Toast POS's secure website | Full-service restaurants | 2.49% + $0.15 if you buy hardware upfront; 3.09% + $0.15 for pay-as-you-go option. | $0 Starter Kit; $69 Point of Sale plan; custom Build Your Own plan. | on Toast POS's secure website | |
 SpotOn Restaurant on SpotOn Restaurant's secure website | Quick-service restaurants | 4.3
/5
| 1.99% + $0.25 For most cards in paid plans. | $0 and up. | on SpotOn Restaurant's secure website |
 PayPal POS | Mobile transactions | In-person: 2.29% + $0.09 Online: 3.49% + $0.09 | $0 |
Best Cloud POS Systems
Payment processing fees
In-person: 2.6% + $0.15
Online: 2.9% + $0.30
Online: 2.9% + $0.30
Monthly fee
$0
and up.
Learn moreon Square's website
Pros
- Free plan option available.
- 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
- Can’t run on Windows devices.
- Complex industries might prefer a more specialized system.
Square POS
Best for Overall cloud POS system
Payment processing fees
In-person: 2.6% + $0.15
Online: 2.9% + $0.30
Online: 2.9% + $0.30
Monthly fee
$0
and up.
on Square's website
Pros
- Free plan option available.
- 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
- Can’t run on Windows devices.
- Complex industries might prefer a more specialized system.
Payment processing fees
In-person: 0.4% + $0.08
Online: 0.5% + $0.25
Online: 0.5% + $0.25
Plus interchange
Monthly fee
$0
on Helcim's website
Pros
- Businesses save when customers use cards with low interchange rates.
- Offers free POS software.
- Offers volume-based discounts automatically.
- No termination fees, long-term contracts or PCI compliance fees.
Cons
- Deposits are available within two business days; same-day deposit option is not available.
- Interchange-plus costs can be difficult to predict.
Helcim
Best for Businesses with high sales volume
Payment processing fees
In-person: 0.4% + $0.08
Online: 0.5% + $0.25
Online: 0.5% + $0.25
Plus interchange
Monthly fee
$0
on Helcim's website
Pros
- Businesses save when customers use cards with low interchange rates.
- Offers free POS software.
- Offers volume-based discounts automatically.
- No termination fees, long-term contracts or PCI compliance fees.
Cons
- Deposits are available within two business days; same-day deposit option is not available.
- Interchange-plus costs can be difficult to predict.
Payment processing fees
In-person: 2.3% + $0.10
Online: 3.5% + $0.10
Online: 3.5% + $0.10
Monthly fee
$0
and up.
on Clover's website
Pros
- 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 POS
Best for Hardware
Payment processing fees
In-person: 2.3% + $0.10
Online: 3.5% + $0.10
Online: 3.5% + $0.10
Monthly fee
$0
and up.
on Clover's website
Pros
- 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.
Payment processing fees
In-person: 2.6% + $0.10
Online: 2.9% + $0.30
Online: 2.9% + $0.30
Monthly fee
$39
and up for e-commerce plans with POS Lite; Can upgrade to POS Pro for an extra $89.
on Shopify's website
Pros
- No long-term contracts or termination fees.
- All plans include an online store.
- Built specifically for online sellers.
- 24/7 chat support.
Cons
- No free plan options.
- Cannot process cards in offline mode.
Shopify Retail POS
Best for Shopify e-commerce users
Payment processing fees
In-person: 2.6% + $0.10
Online: 2.9% + $0.30
Online: 2.9% + $0.30
Monthly fee
$39
and up for e-commerce plans with POS Lite; Can upgrade to POS Pro for an extra $89.
on Shopify's website
Pros
- No long-term contracts or termination fees.
- All plans include an online store.
- Built specifically for online sellers.
- 24/7 chat support.
Cons
- No free plan options.
- Cannot process cards in offline mode.
Payment processing fees
In-person: 2.6% + $0.10
Online: 2.9% + $0.30
Online: 2.9% + $0.30
Monthly fee
$109
for Basic plan, $179 for Core plan, $339 for Plus plan.
on Lightspeed's website
Pros
- Includes detailed inventory management tools for creating product variants.
- No long-term contracts.
- 24/7 live chat support.
- Generate unlimited barcode labels.
Cons
- No free plan options.
- Accounting integrations are only available in Core and Plus plans.
- Can’t process card payments in offline mode.
Lightspeed Retail POS
Best for Inventory management
Payment processing fees
In-person: 2.6% + $0.10
Online: 2.9% + $0.30
Online: 2.9% + $0.30
Monthly fee
$109
for Basic plan, $179 for Core plan, $339 for Plus plan.
on Lightspeed's website
Pros
- Includes detailed inventory management tools for creating product variants.
- No long-term contracts.
- 24/7 live chat support.
- Generate unlimited barcode labels.
Cons
- No free plan options.
- Accounting integrations are only available in Core and Plus plans.
- Can’t process card payments in offline mode.
Payment processing fees
2.49% + $0.15
if you buy hardware upfront; 3.09% + $0.15 for pay-as-you-go option.
Monthly fee
$0
Starter Kit; $69 Point of Sale plan; custom Build Your Own plan.
on Toast's website
Pros
- 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.
Toast POS
Best for Full-service restaurants
Payment processing fees
2.49% + $0.15
if you buy hardware upfront; 3.09% + $0.15 for pay-as-you-go option.
Monthly fee
$0
Starter Kit; $69 Point of Sale plan; custom Build Your Own plan.
on Toast's website
Pros
- 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.
Payment processing fees
1.99% + $0.25
For most cards in paid plans.
Monthly fee
$0
and up.
on SpotOn's website
Pros
- Offers a free plan.
- Restaurants can customize plans by adding loyalty programs, reservation capabilities, online ordering or employee scheduling software.
- 24/7 phone support.
- No long-term contract or termination fees.
Cons
- Charges setup fee.
- Offline mode includes the hidden cost of a router.
SpotOn Restaurant
Best for Quick-service restaurants
Payment processing fees
1.99% + $0.25
For most cards in paid plans.
Monthly fee
$0
and up.
on SpotOn's website
Pros
- Offers a free plan.
- Restaurants can customize plans by adding loyalty programs, reservation capabilities, online ordering or employee scheduling software.
- 24/7 phone support.
- No long-term contract or termination fees.
Cons
- Charges setup fee.
- Offline mode includes the hidden cost of a router.
Pros
- No long-term contract or termination fees.
- Accepts a variety of payment types, including Venmo and PayPal payments.
- Inexpensive card reader with a keypad, plus built-in payment processing and a free mobile app lets you quickly accept in-person payments on the go.
- Low in-person processing fees for a flat-rate processor.
Cons
- Accepting online transactions involves additional monthly fees, depending on your gateway.
- No offline mode.
PayPal POS
Best for Mobile transactions
Payment processing fees
In-person: 2.29% + $0.09
Online: 3.49% + $0.09
Online: 3.49% + $0.09
Monthly fee
$0
Pros
- No long-term contract or termination fees.
- Accepts a variety of payment types, including Venmo and PayPal payments.
- Inexpensive card reader with a keypad, plus built-in payment processing and a free mobile app lets you quickly accept in-person payments on the go.
- Low in-person processing fees for a flat-rate processor.
Cons
- Accepting online transactions involves additional monthly fees, depending on your gateway.
- No offline mode.
Our picks for the best cloud POS systems
Square
Best overall cloud POS system
Why we like it: Square offers one of the best overall POS systems because of its affordability and flexibility. Most of Square’s best features are offered with its free version, including inventory management, offline mode, a customer directory to store customer contact information and more. Square is also compatible with several third-party applications, and offers add-ons like team management, email marketing, loyalty features and payroll management. Read our full Square POS review
Monthly POS software fees
Hardware costs
Payment processing fees
» MORE: What is Square?
Helcim
Best for businesses with high sales volume
Why we like it: Helcim stands out because of its overall transparency and free monthly subscription. With its service, you only pay for payment processing, and it offers volume discounts that are tiered by the credit card transactions your business processes each month. This makes Helcim ideal for businesses that are high in sales volume or are looking to scale. Its POS software is built for both desktop and mobile and is free to set up. Read our full Helcim review
Monthly POS software fees
Hardware costs
Payment processing fees
Toast
Best for full-service restaurants
Why we like it: Toast has in-depth, restaurant-specific features to accommodate a variety of food-related businesses, but full-service restaurants will likely get the most value from them. For example, employees can use the Toast Go 2 handheld terminal to take orders tableside and cash customers out from wherever they are in the restaurant. You can also use its POS system to collect guests’ feedback, offer online ordering and delivery options and manage menus. Read our full Toast POS review
Monthly POS software fees
Hardware costs
Payment processing fees
» MORE: Best restaurant POS systems
Shopify
Best for Shopify e-commerce users
Why we like it: Shopify POS offers features that are highly customizable across retailers and for scaling businesses. For example, your customers can buy online to pick up in person, buy in store and ship or browse in store and buy online. Inventory is automatically synced and updated across multiple locations and channels, so inventory sold in store will be updated on the website as well. Read our full Shopify POS review
Monthly POS software fees
Hardware costs
Payment processing fees
» MORE: Best retail POS systems
Lightspeed Retail
Best for inventory management
Why we like it: Lightspeed offers many features that are customizable across industries, but its sophisticated inventory management system makes it a good fit for established retailers, especially if they have more than one location. With Lightspeed’s product variants, for example, users can detail variations on the same product like color or size. Lightspeed can also help you sell online by building your e-commerce store and offers a variety of hardware to build a customized POS. Its software is compatible with an iPad, and you may be able to use other hardware you already own on a case-by-case basis. Read our full Lightspeed Retail POS review
Monthly POS software fees
Hardware costs
Payment processing fees
» MORE: Best inventory POS systems
Clover
Best for hardware
Why we like it: Clover offers a lot of recognizable hardware options that are built to last. This can make it a less flexible option for businesses trying to cut costs by using their existing hardware, but a great option for businesses looking for an all-in-one solution. You can choose to purchase hardware upfront by paying in full, or add a monthly payment for your hardware to your recurring subscription cost and avoid putting a lump sum down. It offers features that are customizable for full and quick-service restaurants, retailers, professional services and more. Read our full Clover POS review
Monthly POS software fees
Hardware costs
Payment processing fees
SpotOn Restaurant
Best for quick-service restaurants
Why we like it: Similar to Toast, SpotOn can accommodate different types of restaurants, but its lower in-person processing rates (available in paid plans) and less expensive hardware lower the barrier to entry — especially for quick-service restaurants that don’t need SpotOn’s most expensive full-service POS software plan. There are also lots of useful add-ons available, like in-house online ordering and loyalty programs, too.
Monthly POS software fees
Hardware costs
Payment processing fees
PayPal POS
Best for mobile transactions
Why we like it: PayPal POS's free app and portable card reader make it a low-cost option for lower-volume businesses that complete most of their sales on the go — for example, at pop-up events or markets. You can also use the app to accept Tap to Pay payments if you don’t have a card reader. In addition to credit and debit cards, you can accept Venmo and PayPal payments. Read our full PayPal POS review
Monthly POS software fees
Hardware costs
Payment processing fees
What is a cloud POS system?
A cloud POS system uses the internet, as opposed to a local server, to operate, process payments and store data. This means all of your sales information is centralized in the cloud as opposed to siloed on-premise, which is especially convenient for businesses with multiple locations. And instead of only being able to accept payments in one location, you can complete sales anywhere you have an internet connection (and the necessary credit card readers
To address inevitable internet outages, cloud POS systems usually have offline modes that allow your business to continue accepting card payments without an internet connection. However, depending on the provider, you may need to purchase a backup router to access these capabilities.
Learn more about how POS systems work
Read more about the differences between cloud-based and more traditional legacy (or on-premise) POS systems, along with general POS system costs and benefits.
» MORE: What is a POS system?
Cloud POS system benefits
Most businesses will benefit from using a cloud POS system as opposed to an on-premise system for the following reasons.
- Accessibility: Cloud POS data can be accessed from multiple devices, as long as they have an internet connection. You don’t have to be at your business’s brick-and-mortar location to change menu items, update inventory or run reports.
- Ability to accept payments anywhere: Cloud POS systems let you use countertop registers, handheld terminals or your mobile device to complete sales in-store or on the go.
- Cost: Since cloud POS systems don’t require local servers, you don’t have to purchase one and pay for its installation and maintenance. This lessens business’s upfront costs and helps them start accepting payments sooner.
- Multi-location sync: Businesses with multiple locations can use cloud POS systems to centralize their data in the cloud, as opposed to on separate servers. This makes it easier to compare data across locations and sync it all with your accounting software.
How to choose a cloud POS system
To choose the right cloud POS system for your business, consider the following factors.
Industry-specific features
Lots of popular cloud POS system providers tailor their solutions to a particular industry — usually retail stores, restaurants or service-based businesses. Choosing a cloud POS system made for your particular type of business helps ensure you’ll have the basic industry-specific features you need without paying for what you don’t.
More general, must-have features include reporting, payment processing, employee management, inventory tracking and accounting software integrations. Ideally, your cloud POS system provider will also supply all the POS hardware
Cost
Cloud POS systems typically require less upfront costs than on-premise systems, but add-on features and hidden fees can pile up quickly. Don’t forget to factor in extra fees for loyalty programs, online ordering and higher-tier software plans, as well as PCI compliance
Security
Whether you choose a cloud POS system or a legacy one, make sure you and your employees know how to responsibly handle customers’ card data. Your provider should help you meet PCI compliance requirements in some capacity. But if your hardware and software aren’t already PCI compliant, you may need to fill out a self-assessment form to affirm you’re meeting all the requirements. Cloud POS systems should also be transparent about how they encrypt and store your data securely.
Contract lengths
Though month-to-month contracts are common for cloud POS systems, some still require you to sign a longer-term contract if you want to access promotions and/or lower monthly fees. If you go this route, try to demo the software before committing, so that you can get a feel for its usability.