Sponsored partner picks for
Free loyalty program
Loyverse4.0
NerdWallet Rating
Free POS system with low processing fees
eHopperBest Free POS Systems
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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 | ||
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Square POS Learn more on Square POS's secure website | Get an estimated monthly cost for your business. | 5.0/5 Best for Overall free POS system | In-person: 2.6% + $0.10 Online: 2.9% + $0.30 | $0.00 and up. | Get an estimated monthly cost for your business. | Learn more on Square POS's secure website |
Helcim POS Learn more on Helcim POS's secure website | 4.5/5 Best for Interchange-plus processing | In-person: 0.4% + $0.08 Online: 0.5% + $0.25 Plus interchange | $0.00 | Learn more on Helcim POS's secure website | ||
Toast POS Learn more on Toast POS's secure website | 4.0/5 Best for Startup restaurants | 2.49% + $0.15 if you buy hardware upfront; 3.09% + $0.15 for pay-as-you-go option. | $0.00 Starter Kit; $69 Point of Sale plan; custom Build Your Own plan. | Learn more on Toast POS's secure website | ||
SpotOn Restaurant Learn more on SpotOn Restaurant's secure website | 4.0/5 Best for Restaurant add-ons | 1.99% + $0.25 For most cards in paid plans. | $0.00 and up. | Learn more on SpotOn Restaurant's secure website | ||
PayPal Zettle | 4.0/5 Best for Free POS system for mobile sales | In-person: 2.29% + $0.09 Online: 3.49% + $0.09 | $0.00 | |||
Loyverse | 4.0/5 Best for Free loyalty program | N/A Varies by processor. | $0.00 | |||
eHopper | Best for Free POS system with low processing fees | In-person: 2.5% + $0.10 | $0.00 And up. |
Our pick for
Overall free POS system
Square is our pick for the overall top free POS system because it accommodates multiple industries (retail, restaurant and appointment-based) and offers a free software plan that includes a breadth of useful features: sales reports, customer profiles, low-stock alerts, invoicing, an online store, built-in payment processing, gift cards and virtual terminal access.
Square POS
on Square POS's secure website
and up.
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.
Our pick for
Interchange-plus processing
Whereas most of our choices use flat-rate processing, Helcim’s free POS system stands out for its interchange-plus processing. In terms of free features, it includes invoicing, online checkout options, virtual terminal access, reporting, subscription plans for customers and inventory management.
Helcim POS
on Helcim POS's secure website
Pros
- No monthly software fees.
- No long-term contract or termination fees.
- Offers volume discounts for businesses whose monthly credit card volume surpasses $50,000.
- Interchange-plus processing rates can help businesses save money.
Cons
- Some hardware, like barcode scanners and cash drawers, are only available through a third-party provider.
- No full POS register options.
Our pick for
Startup restaurants
Toast, a restaurant-specific POS system provider, has a free POS software plan with integrated payment processing, table and order management tools, digital menus and basic employee scheduling and time tracking. However, it comes with higher processing fees that cover the cost of both the hardware and software over time.
Toast POS
on Toast POS's secure website
if you buy hardware upfront; 3.09% + $0.15 for pay-as-you-go option.
Starter Kit; $69 Point of Sale plan; custom Build Your Own plan.
Pros
- Free plan available for restaurants with up to two POS terminals.
- 24/7 support via web messaging.
- 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 is considered an add-on for all plans.
Our pick for
Restaurant add-ons
SpotOn Restaurant’s free POS software plan features reporting, menu and table management, marketing tools and online review monitoring. Instead of having to subscribe to higher-tier plans to access certain features, you can keep the free plan and pay for just the add-ons you need.
SpotOn Restaurant
on SpotOn Restaurant's secure website
For most cards in paid plans.
and up.
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.
Our pick for
Free POS system for mobile sales
PayPal Zettle’s free mobile app, competitively priced mobile hardware and low in-person processing fees make it an easy solution for entrepreneurs that make most of their sales at markets or pop-up events. Free features include the ability to accept PayPal and Venmo QR code payments from customers, basic inventory management and sales reporting.
PayPal Zettle
Pros
- No monthly software fees for accepting in-person payments.
- 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.
Cons
- Accepting online transactions involves additional monthly fees, depending on your gateway.
- No offline mode.
Our pick for
Free loyalty program
The highlight of Loyverse’s free POS system is its free loyalty program, which lets you build a customer base, assign loyalty card barcodes to each customer and establish a points program. Other free features include sales reporting and basic inventory management. Businesses must integrate the software with a third-party payment processor to accept card payments.
Loyverse
Varies by processor.
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.
- Can be used with other payment processors without an integration.
- 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 integrations into accounting and e-commerce apps.
Our pick for
Free POS system with low processing fees
Like most other options listed here, eHopper offers both free and paid POS software plans. Its free plan features in-house payment processing, a credit card terminal, employee accounts, reporting, inventory management and the ability to collect customer data.
eHopper
And up.
Pros
- Paid plans work with a variety of processors.
- Customer support requests can be submitted through a ticketing system; support also includes videos, a chatbot and an online knowledge base.
Cons
- The free plan has limited features, including only one POS license to cover 50 products and 300 transactions per month.
- Certain integrations, such as with QuickBooks, are unavailable with the free plan.
Square
- $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.
- 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.
Helcim
- 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 (capped at $6).
Toast
- $0 for Starter Kit plan.
- $69 Point of Sale plan.
- Custom plans available.
- 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.
SpotOn Restaurant
- $0 for Quick Start plan.
- $99 for Counter-service plan, plus $3 per employee.
- $135 for Full-service plan, plus $3 per employee.
- Custom pricing available as well.
- 1.99% plus 25 cents for most cards in the Counter-service, Full-service and Customizable plans.
- 2.89% plus 25 cents for Quick Start plan subscribers (this processing rate includes hardware and software costs).
- 2.99% plus 25 cents for reward, international, corporate and keyed-in cards.
PayPal Zettle
- 2.29% plus 9 cents for in-person and QR code transactions.
- 3.49% plus 9 cents for manual-entry card transactions.
- 2.99% plus 49 cents for invoicing (payment made with card).
- 3.49% plus 49 cents for invoicing (payment made with PayPal).
Loyverse
eHopper
Didn't find what you're looking for?
- Calculates sales total, plus tax.
- Generates reports to help you identify your most profitable goods and/or services.
- Mobile POS app for completing sales on the go or checking in on reports.
- Integrated payment processing services.
- Invoicing.
- Basic inventory tracking.
- Integrates with your accounting software.