A convenience store point-of-sale (POS) system should include countertop hardware with receipt printers and barcode scanners and offer core features like inventory management and sales reports. Many of the POS systems designed specifically for grocery stores or retail shops also meet these criteria.
Here are NerdWallet’s top convenience store POS system picks:
- POS Nation: Best overall convenience store POS system.
- Square: Best for new, single location convenience stores.
- Clover: Best for competitive payment processing rates.
- IT Retail: Best for convenience stores that use weight scales.
- Loyverse: Best for free loyalty program.
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Sponsored partner picks for
Overall convenience store POS system
POS NationConvenience stores that use weight scales
IT Retail3.0
NerdWallet Rating
Best Convenience Store POS Systems
Calculate your monthly cost estimate
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 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
POS Nation | Get an estimated monthly cost for your business. | Best for Overall convenience store POS system | 2% + $0.00 to 2.5% | $49.00 and up. | Get an estimated monthly cost for your business. | |
Square Retail POS Learn more on Square Retail POS's secure website | 5.0/5 Best for New, single-location convenience stores | In-person: 2.6% + $0.10 Online: 2.9% + $0.30 | $0.00 Additional pricing tiers (per month): $89, custom. | Learn more on Square Retail POS's secure website | ||
Clover POS Learn more on Clover POS's secure website | 4.0/5 Best for Competitive payment processing rates | In-person: 2.3% + $0.10 Online: 3.5% + $0.10 | $0.00 and up. | Learn more on Clover POS's secure website | ||
IT Retail | 3.0/5 Best for Convenience stores that use weight scales | N/A Quote-based. | $49.00 and up. | |||
Loyverse | 4.0/5 Best for Free loyalty program | N/A Varies by processor. | $0.00 |
Our pick for
Overall convenience store POS system
POS Nation
Payment processing fees
2% + $0.00
to 2.5%
Monthly fee
$49.00
and up.
POS Nation’s software comes with a variety of useful retail features, including coupon creation and acceptance, customer loyalty and built-in cash discount capability. Its hardware comes with 24/7 support and a 2-year or lifetime warranty, depending on your plan. POS Nation offers both pre-built and custom plans and even includes a pricing tool on its site.
Pros
- Long list of POS features.
- 24/7 tech support and training.
- Supports sales of regulated items like alcohol and tobacco.
Cons
- Lack of pricing transparency.
- Prices that are disclosed run higher than some competitors.
Our pick for
New, single-location convenience stores
Square Retail POS
Learn more
on Square Retail POS's secure website
Monthly fee
$0.00
Additional pricing tiers (per month): $89, custom.
Square for Retail is a top-rated POS system known for being intuitive, simple to use and affordable. Its inventory management features let business owners sync inventory across multiple channels, both in-store and online. Square offers free and paid versions of its POS software for retailers, and all plans also come with a free online store. Pricing is transparent, and no contract is required.Read full review
Pros
- Free software plan available.
- Built-in payment processing.
- Easy to set up and navigate.
- Clear and transparent pricing.
- Extensive list of features and add-ons.
Cons
- Not a great fit for larger retailers, especially those with high sales volumes.
- Doesn’t accept cross-border card payments.
Our pick for
Competitive payment processing rates
Clover POS
Learn more
on Clover POS's secure website
Monthly fee
$0.00
and up.
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.Read full review
Pros
- Free plan available if you’re only using a mobile card reader.
- 24/7 phone and email support.
- All restaurant plans include no-fee online ordering, and retail plans let you integrate with existing online stores.
Cons
- Promotions require a three-year contract.
- Charges termination fees, though they may be waived in certain cases.
- Online payment processing rates are more expensive than competitors.
- Popular accounting integrations are only available through third-party apps.
Our pick for
Convenience stores that use weight scales
IT Retail
3.0
NerdWallet rating Payment processing fees
N/A
Quote-based.
Monthly fee
$49.00
and up.
IT Retail has been in the business of building and selling grocery store POS systems for more than two decades. While its prices are higher and less transparent than some of its competitors, the company has built a POS system that includes all the features you’ll need to run your store, including a product lookup menu, wholesale sales functionality, customer loyalty programs and capabilities to accept all forms of payment, including EBT. The pricing structure is largely quote-based, but there is a pay-monthly option and two hardware bundle options with listed prices.
Pros
- System and features specifically designed for grocery stores.
- Accepts all payment types, including EBT, checks and gift cards.
- 24/7 tech support and training.
- Supports sales of regulated items like alcohol and tobacco.
Cons
- Lack of pricing transparency.
- Prices that are disclosed run higher than some competitors.
Our pick for
Free loyalty program
Loyverse
4.0
NerdWallet rating Payment processing fees
N/A
Varies by processor.
Monthly fee
$0.00
Loyverse offers free POS software with several features well-suited to businesses in retail or food and drink industries. It can support inventory tracking for mixed drinks in bars and order management for cafes and restaurants, for example. It can also handle retail store inventory.
Pros
- Can be used for a variety of businesses, including restaurants, cafes, bars, grocery stores, retail stores and boutiques.
- Integrates with several payment processors, including SumUp and Zettle.
- Free software includes a loyalty program, which most competitors offer as an add-on with additional cost.
Cons
- 24/7 live chat support is only available with paid add-on subscriptions.
- Not all features are available with the free version, including employee management and advanced inventory.
POS Nation
Best overall convenience store POS system
Why we like it: POS Nation designed and built its POS system specifically with convenience and similar stores in mind. The software, therefore, has a rich set of features and capabilities any convenience store will need including lottery ticket sales, cash discount option, employee and inventory management as well as detailed reporting (templated and customizable). The system accepts all forms of payment: credit and debit, mobile payments, EBT, cash and gift cards. POS Nation’s monthly fee is on the lower end compared with some of the more specialized systems in this space.
For most industries:
- $69 for Starter plan.
- $99 for Growth plan.
- $149 for Premium plan.
For convenience stores:
- $49 for Starter plan.
- $69 for Growth plan.
- $99 for Premium plan.
- $1,349 for the POS hardware bundle, which includes a terminal, receipt printer, barcode scanner, cash drawer and mini keyboard.
- $99.99 to $269 for add-on barcode scanners.
Fees are quote-based but range from 2% to 2.5% of your business’s total monthly sales volume.
- Can accept EBT and other forms of payment.
- Cash discount option available.
- Lottery ticket sales capability.
- ID scanning for age-restricted items.
- Hardware warranty included with Freedom plan.
- Longer-term contract required with Flex plan.
- Minimal pricing transparency; quote is needed for payment processing and individual hardware costs.
- 24/7 support included only with monthly Flex plan; otherwise there’s a monthly fee of $39.99.
Square Retail POS
Best for new, single-location convenience stores
Why we like it: The free version of Square’s retail software is quite robust and may offer most or all of the needed functionality for a convenience store that’s just getting up and running. Even the paid plan, which includes complete inventory management and team management (minus payroll), comes at a reasonable monthly cost compared with many of the competing providers. Square offers a variety of add-on functions and tools such as payroll, marketing and loyalty as well as a diverse range of hardware at various price points, so it can grow with your business. Read our full Square for Retail review.
- $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.
- $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).
- $299 for Square Terminal mobile card reader with built-in printer (monthly financing available).
- $799 for Square Register two-screen system (monthly financing available).
- 2.6% plus 10 cents (Free plan) or 2.5% plus 10 cents (Plus plan) for in-person transactions.
- 2.9% plus 30 cents for online transactions.
- 3.5% plus 15 cents for manually keyed transactions or card-on-file invoices.
- No contract.
- Free software plan available.
- Transparent pricing.
- Can scale as your business expands.
- No ID scanning or lottery ticket sales capabilities.
- POS functionality is not as specialized as some of the competitors in this space.
Clover POS
Best for competitive processing rates
Why we like it: Clover POS has a lot of strengths to speak of, including durable hardware with a reputation for dependability, round-the-clock customer support via multiple channels and a variety of monthly plans to suit various business needs. While the system isn’t specifically designed for convenience store use, many relevant features make it a solid fit as a convenience store POS system, including the capability to sell weighted items (made possible with one of Clover’s numerous app integrations), track sales and manage employees. Where store owners may really see a difference between Clover and many of its competitors is with its in-person payment processing rates; they come in lowest among other providers when you choose a Standard or Advanced plan (which does require a bigger hardware investment). Read our full Clover POS review.
- $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 plans.
- $49.95 for Retail Standard, Personal Services Standard and Advanced and Professional Services Advanced plans.
- $59.95 for Quick-Service Dining Starter and Standard plans.
- $69.90 for Retail Advanced plan.
- $79.90 for Quick-Service Dining Advanced plan.
- $89.95 for Full-Service Dining Starter plan.
- $109.90 for Full-Service Dining Standard plan.
- $129.85 for Full-Service Dining Advanced plan.
- $199 for chip, swipe and contactless Clover Go card reader.
- $279 for countertop card reader.
- $599 for Clover Flex mobile POS with receipt printer and slimmer Flex Pocket with no printer.
- $799 for Clover Mini POS.
- $799-$899 + $25 per month for kitchen display system.
- $1,699 for Clover Station Solo.
- $1,799 for Clover Station Duo.
- $3,499 + $34.95 per month for self-ordering kiosk.
- 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.
- 24/7 customer support.
- High-quality hardware.
- Competitive processing fees.
- App marketplace offering an array of software integrations.
- No ID scanning or lottery ticket sales capabilities.
- Pricing, though transparent, can be difficult to navigate.
IT Retail
Best for convenience stores that use weight scales
Why we like it: IT Retail is another system built intentionally for grocery, convenience and similar stores. As such, it offers a host of relevant convenience store POS futures such as age verification for restricted items, cash discount option, inventory tracking and EBT card acceptance. A key distinguishing feature of IT Retail’s POS system is its ability to integrate with weight scales. For convenience stores that have this need, especially those that are well-established and/or have multiple locations (and can therefore afford the higher price point), IT Retail is a strong solution.
- $49 for Starter plan.
- $99 for Growth plan.
- $149 for Premium plan.
Quote-based.
Fees are undisclosed; you need to sign a processing agreement.
- Hardware warranty included.
- No long-term contract required for Standard and Premium plans.
- Capability to accept EBT payments.
- Includes cash discount option.
- ID scanning for age-restricted items.
- Longer-term contract required with Flex plan.
- Minimal pricing transparency; quote is needed for payment processing and individual hardware costs.
- 24/7 support included only with monthly Flex plan.
Loyverse
Best free loyalty program
Why we like it: Not only does Loyverse offer free POS software but it also includes a loyalty program, which many competitors offer as an add-on feature with additional cost. The company’s free software also includes anytime access to your store’s sales and inventory data through an analytics dashboard. Loyverse offers 24/7 customer support through live chat, which may be convenient and appealing to many store owners.
$0.
- $568 for POS hardware bundle with tablet stand, receipt printer and cash drawer.
- Costs for add-on receipt printers, cash drawers and scanners vary.
Through third-party payment processors.
- Pricing transparency.
- 24/7 live chat support.
- Flexible payment processor options, some that can be used without an integration.
- Offers 14-day free trial of add-on features.
- Free software is limited on features.
- No ID scanning or lottery ticket sales capabilities.
A convenience store POS system is used to ring up customers’ items and accept payments, either in the form of cash or card. Its user interface should be easy for new hires to navigate, too. But you’ll also find more industry-specific features, like inventory and purchase order management, the ability to sell lottery tickets and integrated ID verification scanners for alcohol and tobacco purchases. And since many convenience stores are open late at night, live support is often available around the clock.
What is a POS system?
Learn more about a POS system’s core functions, what software and hardware it includes and how it can benefit your business.
» MORE: How POS systems work
The best POS system for your convenience store will depend on the size of your shop, how many locations you have, how many registers you need, the size of your staff, whether you sell items that come with restrictions (like alcohol, tobacco, and lottery tickets) and other factors. As you explore your many options, you’ll want to pay particular attention to the following.
- Hardware. Precise hardware setups vary depending on a store’s layout and the items it sells, but most convenience store setups will require a POS display screen, cash drawer, barcode scanner, receipt printer and card reader. You may also want a customer display for smoother and contactless checkout or a scale if you sell weighted items. Choose a provider that offers a variety of hardware options at a price point that fits your budget. Of course, if you already have hardware and you’re shopping for new POS software, then it will be important to check compatibility with your existing hardware and whether the provider offers configuration and setup help.
- Usability and efficiency. Generally, convenience store customers expect a quick and painless checkout process, so you’ll want to choose a POS system that’s easy for you and your employees to navigate. Many systems offer the option to customize buttons on your checkout screen and include a quick-add or similar category to display frequently purchased items. This reduces the number of clicks you and your staff need to make to ring up a customer’s purchase and thereby increases speed and efficiency.
- Inventory management. Most convenience store POS systems should come with an inventory management feature baked in, but some may offer this functionality as an add-on or may charge extra for more robust inventory management tools.
- Employee management. Similar to inventory management, some POS systems will include employee management features in the base software and others will offer this functionality at an additional monthly cost. Either way, be sure to dig into the details of the exact capabilities a provider offers within its employee management tool to be sure you’re getting everything you need (e.g., payroll integration, employee permissions, time tracking, etc.).
- Specialty sales and payments capabilities. If you plan to sell age-restricted items such as lottery tickets, tobacco or alcohol, then you’ll likely want a system that enables automatic age-verification reminders and ID scanning. Similarly, many grocery and convenience stores accept payment by EBT card from customers who participate in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP. Many of the more specialized POS systems designed for use in grocery, convenience and similar stores include the ability to process EBT payments.
Last updated on July 22, 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.
