A cloud point-of-sale, or POS, system is one that functions through the wireless internet rather than on local servers, giving the user on-demand access to their POS system and its integrations. For small-business owners, cloud POS systems are usually more cost-effective, customizable and easier to scale than on-premise systems. Many of the top-ranked POS systems function on cloud software. Let’s take a look at our picks.
Our Nerdy picks
Best Cloud POS Systems From Our Partners
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Input your business’s monthly transaction details and we’ll help you sort from the best valueProduct | Cost Estimate | Payment processing fees | Cost Estimate | Learn more | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Shopify Retail POS Learn more on Shopify POS's secure website | Get an estimated monthly cost for your business. | 4.0/5 Best for Shopify e-commerce users | In-person: 2.7% + $0.00 Online: 2.9% + $0.30 | $15.00 POS Lite; $89 POS Pro. | Get an estimated monthly cost for your business. | Learn more on Shopify POS's secure website |
Helcim Learn more on Helcim's secure website | 5.0/5 Best for Businesses with high sales volume | In-person: 0.4% + $0.08 Online: 0.5% + $0.25 Plus interchange | $0.00 | Learn more on Helcim's secure website | ||
Square POS Learn more on Square POS's secure website | 5.0/5 Best for Overall cloud POS system | In-person: 2.6% + $0.10 Online: 2.9% + $0.30 | $0.00 Free plan; $60 Plus plan for retailers and restaurants. | Learn more on Square POS's secure website | ||
Toast POS Learn more on Toast POS's secure website | 4.0/5 Best for Restaurants | 2.99% + $0.15 If you pay for hardware as you go; 2.49% + $0.15 if you buy upfront. | $0.00 Quick Start Bundle; $69 Core plan; $165 Growth plan. Custom plan also available. | Learn more on Toast POS's secure website | ||
Lightspeed Retail POS Learn more on Lightspeed Retail POS's secure website | 4.0/5 Best for Inventory management | In-person: 2.6% + $0.10 Online: 2.9% + $0.30 | $89.00 for Lean plan, $149 for Standard plan, $269 for Advanced plan. | Learn more on Lightspeed Retail POS's secure website | ||
Clover POS Learn more on Clover POS's secure website | 4.0/5 Best for Hardware | In-person: 2.3% + $0.10 Online: 3.5% + $0.10 | $14.95 and up. | Learn more on Clover POS's secure website |
Our pick for
Shopify e-commerce users
Shopify Retail POS
Learn more
on Shopify POS's secure website
Monthly fee
$15.00
POS Lite; $89 POS Pro.
Pros
- Has good features for multichannel selling.
- Offers integrated, flat-rate payment processing.
- Easy to use.
Cons
- More e-commerce focused than other competitors.
Our pick for
Businesses with high sales volume
Helcim
Learn more
on Helcim's secure website
Monthly fee
$0.00
Pros
- Pricing is transparent.
- Offers all-inclusive platform.
Cons
- Potentially expensive for low-volume businesses.
Our pick for
Overall cloud POS system
Square POS
Learn more
on Square POS's secure website
Monthly fee
$0.00
Free plan; $60 Plus plan for retailers and restaurants.
Pros
- Deep list of features.
- Free version offers a lot of functionality.
- Square offers helpful related services, like payroll, that integrate closely with its POS system.
Cons
- Can’t run on Windows devices.
- Complex industries might prefer a more specialized system.
Our pick for
Restaurants
Toast POS
Learn more
on Toast POS's secure website
Payment processing fees
2.99% + $0.15
If you pay for hardware as you go; 2.49% + $0.15 if you buy upfront.
Monthly fee
$0.00
Quick Start Bundle; $69 Core plan; $165 Growth plan. Custom plan also available.
Pros
- Promises no additional transaction fees or markups.
- Restaurant-friendly features for managing tables, inventory and employee performance.
- Multi-location management and the ability to publish different menus and set different prices at different locations.
- Live support available by phone, email or instant message.
- Pay-as-you-go plan with no monthly fee available.
Cons
- Some features, like online ordering and the loyalty program, may cost extra based on the package you choose.
- If you close your account before your contract term ends, you’ll have to pay the remaining subscription and software financing fees.
Our pick for
Inventory management
Lightspeed Retail POS
Learn more
on Lightspeed Retail POS's secure website
Monthly fee
$89.00
for Lean plan, $149 for Standard plan, $269 for Advanced plan.
Pros
- Built-in POS system and payment processing; in-house POS hardware available.
- Generate unlimited barcode labels.
- One-on-one onboarding and a dedicated account manager included with all plans.
Cons
- Lowest-tier plan doesn’t include e-commerce features.
- Longer-term contract required.
Our pick for
Hardware
Clover POS
Learn more
on Clover POS's secure website
Monthly fee
$14.95
and up.
Pros
- Competitive flat rates for payment processing.
- Hardware performs well and is well designed.
Cons
- No free options.
- Pricing can be tough to understand.
Square
Our pick for: Overall cloud POS system
Monthly POS software fee:
- $0 for Square POS, Restaurant, Retail and Appointments Free plans.
- $29 for Square Appointments Plus plan.
- $60 for Square Restaurant and Retail Plus plans.
- $69 for Square Appointments Premium plan.
Hardware cost:
- $0 for Square magstripe-only card reader ($10 for each additional reader) or if using Tap to Pay for iPhone (iPhone not included).
- $49 and up 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.
Payment processing cost:
- 2.6% plus 10 cents for in-person transactions.
- 2.9% plus 30 cents for online transactions.
- 3.5% plus 15 cents for manually keyed transactions.
- 3.3% plus 30 cents for invoices.
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.
>>MORE: What is Square?
Helcim
Our pick for: Businesses with high sales volume
Monthly POS software fee: $0.
Hardware cost:
- $109 for a mobile card reader (with stand).
- $349 for a standalone terminal with built-in thermal printer.
Payment processing cost:
- Interchange plus 0.4% and 8 cents per in-person transaction (if $50,000 or less in monthly card transactions).
- Interchange plus 0.5% and 25 cents per online or manually keyed transaction (if $50,000 or less in monthly card transactions).
- 0.5% plus 25 cents for ACH payments.
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.
Toast
Our pick for: Restaurants
Monthly POS software fee:
- $0 for Quick Start Bundle.
- $69 for Core plan.
- $110 plus $4 per employee for Restaurant Basics plan.
- $165 for Growth plan.
- Custom plans available.
Hardware cost:
- $627 for Handheld Starter Kit (but $0 if you agree to a higher processing fee).
- $875 for Countertop Starter Kit (but $0 if you agree to a higher processing fee).
- $1,234 for Guest Self-Service Starter Kit (but $0 if you agree to a higher processing fee).
Payment processing cost:
- 2.99% plus 15 cents per transaction, if you choose pay-as-you-go option on hardware.
- 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.
Why we like it: Toast functions well for all restaurant sizes, but its pricing, features and hardware make it ideal for midsize to large restaurants with multiple locations. Toast takes full advantage of cloud-computing capabilities through features like the Toast Go 2 tablet made to be carried around the restaurant, self-service kiosks and multi-location management. Toast’s features can help run your restaurant more efficiently and enhance customer experiences. Read our full Toast POS review.
>>MORE: Best restaurant POS systems
Shopify POS
Our pick for: Shopify e-commerce users
Monthly POS software fee:
To use Shopify POS, you also must have a Shopify plan for e-commerce:
- $29 for Shopify Basic when billed annually (or $39 when paid monthly).
- $79 for regular Shopify when billed annually (or $105 when paid monthly).
- $299 for Shopify Advanced when billed annually (or $399 when paid monthly).
- Custom pricing for Shopify Plus.
Once you have a Shopify plan for e-commerce, add either:
- $15 for Shopify POS Lite.
- $79 per location for Shopify POS Pro when billed annually (or $89 when paid monthly).
Hardware cost:
- $49 for Tap & Chip card reader.
- $219 for Tap & Chip countertop kit (iPad not included).
- $299 for Shopify POS Go mobile device.
- $349 for Shopify POS terminal.
- $459 and up for POS terminal countertop kits.
Payment processing cost:
- 2.4%, 2.6% or 2.9% plus 30 cents for online payments for Advanced, Shopify or Basic plan, respectively.
- 2.4%, 2.5% or 2.7% for in-person payments for Advanced, Shopify or Basic plan, respectively.
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.
>>MORE: Best retail POS systems
Lightspeed Retail
Our pick for: Inventory management
Monthly POS software fee:
- $89 for Lean plan ($69 if billed annually).
- $149 for Standard plan ($119 if billed annually).
- $269 for Advanced plan ($199 if billed annually).
Hardware cost:
Pricing for Lightspeed's iPad and desktop hardware kits is quote-based. Individual hardware products are listed in Lightspeed's online store:
- $99 for Chipper 2X BT card reader.
- $199 for iPad stand or swivel stand.
- $299 for WisePOS E countertop reader.
- $429 for Lightspeed Lite Server for data backup and offline mode functionality.
Payment processing cost:
- 2.6% plus 10 cents per in-person transaction.
- 2.9% plus 30 cents for online transactions.
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.
>>MORE: Best inventory POS systems
Clover
Our pick for: Hardware
Monthly POS software fee:
- $14.95 for Retail Starter, Personal Services Starter, Professional Services Starter and Standard and Home & Field Services plans.
- $49.95 for Retail Standard, Personal Services Standard and Advanced and Professional Services Advanced plans.
- $54.95 for Quick-Service Dining Starter and Standard plans.
- $64.90 for Retail Advanced plan.
- $69.90 for Quick-Service Dining Advanced plan.
- $84.95 for Full-Service Dining Starter plan.
- $99.90 for Full-Service Dining Standard plan.
- $114.85 for Full-Service Dining Advanced plan.
Hardware cost:
- $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.
Payment processing cost:
- 2.3% plus 10 cents for in-person transactions for most plans, though rates may also vary by hardware type.
- 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.
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.
Last updated on May 25, 2023
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.
Frequently Asked Questions
A cloud-based POS system is a POS system that functions through the internet and is accessible from off-site locations.
Square’s POS software is cloud-based and can function anywhere there is internet access, making it flexible and ideal for various types of businesses like food trucks or pop-up shops.
This depends on which cloud POS system you choose, but some potential drawbacks might be security issues if you are not using a secure internet connection, training when you’re first adapting a new system, or loss of functionality due to internet outages.