7 Best Grocery Store POS Systems of April 2023

IT Retail POS systems: Best overall grocery store POS

Monthly POS software fee: $199 a month for the IT Retail Flex plan. In addition to using the POS software, the Flex package allows you to essentially rent instead of buy your equipment. 

Hardware: 

• $1,499 for the IT Retail Freedom Standard hardware bundle, which comes with a touch-screen terminal, a cash drawer, a barcode scanner, an LCD customer display and a receipt printer. 

• $1,999 for the IT Retail Freedom Premium hardware bundle, which includes all of the Standard bundle hardware plus a dual-arm mount for the customer display. 

Payment processing: Fees are undisclosed; you need to sign a processing agreement. 

Why we like it: IT Retail proudly declares on its website that it has been in the business of building and selling grocery store POS systems for more than two decades and, in fact, its “founder was a second-generation grocer.” 

While its prices are higher and less transparent than some of its competitors, IT Retail has built a POS system that includes all the features you’ll need to run your store, including a product lookup menu to easily find products without scanning a label, wholesale sales functionality, customer loyalty programs and capabilities to accept all forms of payment, including EBT. The system supports sales of highly regulated items like alcohol and tobacco and includes important employee-related functions such as time tracking, a built-in training module and the ability to set employee permissions. 

The POS app runs locally but auto-syncs every few minutes to the back-office software, which operates in the cloud, so your store data remains safe and can be easily accessible across multiple devices and locations. Back-office software includes an analytics dashboard, various sales and inventory reports and more. 

The pricing structure is largely quote-based, but there is a pay-monthly option and two hardware bundle options with listed prices; it also offers an online pricing tool that allows you to customize your own POS system. 

Pros:

• System and features specifically designed for grocery stores.

• Accepts all payment types, including EBT, checks and gift cards.

• Regular system backups keep data safe and up to date.

• Can sync and access data across devices and locations.

• Supports sales of regulated items like alcohol and tobacco.

Cons:

• Lack of transparent pricing.

• Disclosed software and hardware fees are on the pricey side.

Square for Retail POS: Best for smaller businesses with simple POS needs

Monthly POS software fee:

Hardware:

Payment processing:

Why we like it: Square for Retail POS leads the charge in offering accessible, smart device-enabled POS systems. Square also stands out among competitors because it offers a free version of its POS system that includes all the core functionality most small retail businesses need, such as sales reporting, barcode scanning, low inventory alerts, employee time tracking and reporting and the ability to accept payments during Wi-Fi outages. 

The Square for Retail Plus plan includes valuable features such as barcode printing, order forecasting, vendor management, and advanced reporting on profit margins and cost of goods sold. Add-ons for payroll and customer loyalty programs are available for an additional cost. 

With competitive payment processing rates, transparent pricing and no contracts, Square for Retail POS is a strong fit for smaller stores that don’t require more specialized POS capabilities. Read our full Square for Retail POS review. 

Pros:

• Transparent pricing.

• No contract or early-termination fees.

• Diverse hardware offerings.

• Free POS offering provides a lot of functionality.

Cons:

• Doesn’t run on Windows.

• POS functionality is not as specialized as some of the competitors in this space.

Revel POS systems: Best for well-established businesses with multiple locations

Monthly POS software fee: $198 a month and up. Revel advertises a software price of $99 per month per terminal, but fine print specifies a two-terminal minimum and three-year contract to receive this rate.

Hardware: Pricing is quote-based. Revel relies on third-party hardware such as iPads, Ingenico card readers and Epson printers. You can buy the hardware directly from Revel. Installation starts at $674.

Payment processing: Fees are undisclosed; you have to call to get a custom quote. Revel offers payment processing through its Revel Advantage arm. It also integrates with payment processing platforms from Adyen, FreedomPay and Moneris.

Why we like it: Revel offers iPad-based POS systems along with a wide variety of hardware that’s well suited for grocery stores, including stands and self-service kiosks. Revel’s extensive list of POS features may best serve larger establishments with multiple locations, especially given the higher price point of the company’s software. Revel also offers setup and installation help as well as training and onboarding services, at an additional cost. Read our full Revel POS review.

Pros:

• Cloud-based platform makes it easier to manage across multiple store locations.

• Extensive list of tools and features.

• Can configure to suit many business types and sizes.

• 24/7 customer support.

Cons:

• Lack of pricing transparency.

• Requires a three-year contract.

Clover POS systems: Best for dependable, well-designed hardware

Monthly POS software fee:

Hardware:

Payment processing:

Why we like it: If you’re looking for a grocery store POS system that runs on high-performing, sharply designed hardware, Clover is a great fit. Although the company’s hardware pricing tends to be higher than some of its competitors, it outranks competitors with lower payment processing fees and monthly software fees. Particularly useful grocery store POS features include the ability to sell items by weight (through app integration), offer physical and digital receipts, track and report on sales, schedule and manage staff, set employee permissions, and offer promotions and loyalty programs. Read our full Clover POS review.

Pros:

• Competitive software and payment processing fees.

• Many useful grocery store POS features.

• Reputable, dependable hardware.

• Extensive library of app integrations.

• Offline mode to accept payments without a Wi-Fi connection.

• 24/7 support by phone, chat or email.

Cons:

• Products and pricing can be challenging to navigate.

• Hardware costs run higher than some competitors.

POS Nation: Best for grocery store-specific features 

Monthly POS software fee: $149 a month for the Grocery Flex plan. In addition to using the POS software, the Flex package allows you to essentially rent instead of buy your equipment. 

Hardware: $1,499 for the Grocery Freedom hardware bundle, which comes with a touch-screen terminal, a cash drawer, a barcode scanner, an LCD customer display and a receipt printer. 

Payment processing: Fees are undisclosed; you need to sign a processing agreement. 

Why we like it: If you’re looking for a POS system built specifically for grocery store sales that includes a ton of relevant features — like coupon creation and acceptance, customer loyalty, scale integration and built-in cash discount capability — consider POS Nation. The hardware comes with 24/7 support and a two-year or lifetime warranty, depending on your plan. POS Nation offers both pre-built and custom plans and even includes a tool on its website that allows you to build your own POS system and see how much it would cost. Because POS Nation also caters to liquor stores, tobacco shops and convenience stores, its system also includes those specialized sales capabilities. For example, you can validate IDs using a barcode scanner when ringing up regulated items like alcohol and tobacco.

Pros:

• System and features specifically designed for grocery stores.

• 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.

Lightspeed Retail POS: Best for business app integrations

Monthly POS software fee:

Hardware: Pricing is quote-based.

Payment processing: 

Why we like it: Lightspeed Retail POS excels in integrations and inventory management, particularly across multiple store locations. It offers an entire marketplace of partners whose applications integrate seamlessly with the POS system. You can filter by dozens of categories, including inventory management, payroll, loyalty and food costing. Lightspeed also offers 24/7 chat, email and phone support across all of its paid plans, as well as a complimentary onboarding session, how-to guides and webinars — offerings that not many of its competitors can boast of. Read our full Lightspeed Retail POS review.

Pros:

• 24/7 customer support through multiple channels.

• Breadth of software and app integrations.

• Inventory management features.

Cons:

• Lack of transparency on hardware pricing.

• Annual contracts are required for lower software pricing.

» MORE: Best online payment processing companies

Loyverse POS systems: Best for free POS software

Monthly POS software fee: $0.

Hardware: You can shop on the Loyverse website from a selection of hardware the company has tested for compatibility with its POS software. Prices are listed once you go into the Shop POS Portal. The company lists compatible options for both Android and iOS.

Payment processing: Through third-party payment processor.

Why we like it: Loyverse offers free POS software with several features well-suited to grocery store management, including the ability to sell weighted items, offer print or digital receipts, track inventory and receive alerts when stock is low, manage across multiple store locations, review store analytics, and create a customer loyalty program. The system also has an offline mode that allows you to continue transactions even when the internet connection is weak or broken — an important capability that not all competitors have.

Pros:

• Grocery and convenience stores are one specific use case this POS was designed for.

• Integrates with several payment processors, including SumUp and Zettle.

• Can be used with other payment processors without an integration.

• 24/7 live chat support.

Cons:

• Not all features are available with the free version, including employee management and integrations into accounting and e-commerce apps.

• Third-party payment processing is not ideal if you’re looking for an all-in-one POS and payment processing solution.

» MORE: Best free POS software

Hardware you'll need for a grocery store POS

In addition to grocery-friendly POS software, you'll also likely need certain hardware to complete your grocery store checkout terminal. Here are some items to look for.

Scale

If you sell anything that's priced by weight, then a POS scale is a must for your business — bonus points if you’re able to find a POS scale that has a barcode scanner for produce labels.

Barcode scanner

Being able to easily and efficiently ring up customers will make everyone happier. Plus, scanning barcodes will make managing your inventory that much more automated.

» MORE: See our list of best barcode label printers for small businesses

Card reader

Card readers can make or break your checkout process. Be sure that your card reader offers all of the payment options your customers want and that it works efficiently.

PIN keypad

Whether on a physical keypad or on the screen of a smart device, a PIN verification should be an option that your grocery store POS system offers customers.

Cash drawer

Even though cash-paying customers are getting rarer, you’ll definitely need a cash drawer to store whatever cash you and your employees handle when operating your grocery store POS system.

» MORE: How to decide whether you need a POS or just a regular cash register

Receipt printer

Finally, you also want your grocery store POS system to provide your customers with receipt options. If you think your customers will prefer physical receipts over digital receipts, then you’ll need a receipt printer.