Details like product variants and ingredient tracking can have significant impact when determining which inventory point-of-sale system is best for your business.
Olivia Chen comes to NerdWallet with 5+ years of experience in the CDFI (Community Development Financial Institution) industry, particularly working with MWBE (Minority/Women-Owned Business Enterprise) and LMI (Low Moderate Income) small businesses. She is certified through the American Banker’s Association in Business and Commercial Lending. Her work has appeared in The Associated Press, NASDAQ and The Washington Post among other publications.
Sally Lauckner has over a decade of experience in print and online journalism. Before joining NerdWallet, Sally was the editorial director at Fundera, where she built and led a team focused on small-business content. Her prior experience includes two years as a senior editor at SmartAsset, where she edited a wide range of personal finance content, and five years at the AOL Huffington Post Media Group, where she held a variety of editorial roles. She has a master's in journalism from New York University and a bachelor's in English and history from Columbia University. Email: slauckner@nerdwallet.com.
Sally Lauckner has over a decade of experience in print and online journalism. Before joining NerdWallet, Sally was the editorial director at Fundera, where she built and led a team focused on small-business content. Her prior experience includes two years as a senior editor at SmartAsset, where she edited a wide range of personal finance content, and five years at the AOL Huffington Post Media Group, where she held a variety of editorial roles. She has a master's in journalism from New York University and a bachelor's in English and history from Columbia University. Email: slauckner@nerdwallet.com.
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Olivia Chen comes to NerdWallet with 5+ years of experience in the CDFI (Community Development Financial Institution) industry, particularly working with MWBE (Minority/Women-Owned Business Enterprise) and LMI (Low Moderate Income) small businesses. She is certified through the American Banker’s Association in Business and Commercial Lending. Her work has appeared in The Associated Press, NASDAQ and The Washington Post among other publications.
Sally Lauckner has over a decade of experience in print and online journalism. Before joining NerdWallet, Sally was the editorial director at Fundera, where she built and led a team focused on small-business content. Her prior experience includes two years as a senior editor at SmartAsset, where she edited a wide range of personal finance content, and five years at the AOL Huffington Post Media Group, where she held a variety of editorial roles. She has a master's in journalism from New York University and a bachelor's in English and history from Columbia University. Email: slauckner@nerdwallet.com.
Sally Lauckner has over a decade of experience in print and online journalism. Before joining NerdWallet, Sally was the editorial director at Fundera, where she built and led a team focused on small-business content. Her prior experience includes two years as a senior editor at SmartAsset, where she edited a wide range of personal finance content, and five years at the AOL Huffington Post Media Group, where she held a variety of editorial roles. She has a master's in journalism from New York University and a bachelor's in English and history from Columbia University. Email: slauckner@nerdwallet.com.
NerdWallet's content is
fact-checked for accuracy, timeliness, and relevance by humans.
It undergoes a thorough review process involving writers and editors to ensure
the information is as clear and complete as possible. Learn more by checking
our
Editorial Guidelines.
Content was accurate at the time of publication.
Why trust NerdWallet
250+ small-business products reviewed and rated by our team of experts.
95+ years of combined
experience covering small-business and personal finance.
50+ categories of best
business loan selections.
Objective and comprehensive business loans ratings rubric
– learn more about our star ratings.
NerdWallet's small-business loans content, including ratings,
recommendations and reviews, is overseen by a team of writers and
editors who specialize in business lending. Their work has appeared in
The Associated Press, The Washington Post, MarketWatch, Nasdaq,
Entrepreneur, ABC News, MSN and other national and local media outlets.
Each writer and editor follows NerdWallet's strict guidelines for editorial integrity to ensure accuracy and fairness in our coverage.
Advertiser disclosure
You’re our first priority.
Every time.
We believe everyone should be able to make financial decisions with
confidence. And while our site doesn’t feature every company or
financial product available on the market, we’re proud that the guidance
we offer, the information we provide and the tools we create are
objective, independent, straightforward — and free.
So how do we make money? Our partners compensate us. This may influence
which products we review and write about (and where those products
appear on the site), but it in no way affects our recommendations or
advice, which are grounded in thousands of hours of research. Our
partners cannot pay us to guarantee favorable reviews of their products
or services. Here is a list of our partners .
Inventory management is a crucial part of successful business operations. It can impact everything from customer satisfaction to profit and losses. For inventory-heavy businesses like retailers or restaurants, a point-of-sale (POS) system with strong inventory management capabilities can help maximize your profits, and eventually help your business grow. Here are our top picks for inventory POS systems.
Why trust NerdWallet
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75+ categories of best business software selections.
NerdWallet's small-business software content, including ratings, recommendations and reviews, is overseen by a team of writers and editors who specialize in business software, including POS systems, payment processing, accounting and payroll. Their work has appeared in The Associated Press, The Washington Post, Nasdaq, Entrepreneur, ABC News, Yahoo Finance and other national and local media outlets. Each writer and editor follows NerdWallet's strict guidelines for editorial integrity to ensure accuracy and fairness in our coverage.
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 is one of a few in the space that offers a free version of its POS system. Even the free version comes with a long list of features and functionality, including sales tracking and reporting, offline mode for accepting payments without a Wi-Fi connection and a customizable interface. It’s a strong choice for businesses that don’t require specialized or advanced POS features.
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 is one of a few in the space that offers a free version of its POS system. Even the free version comes with a long list of features and functionality, including sales tracking and reporting, offline mode for accepting payments without a Wi-Fi connection and a customizable interface. It’s a strong choice for businesses that don’t require specialized or advanced POS features.
Shopify POS syncs directly with the Shopify e-commerce platform. However, Shopify does not offer free POS software, and the platform is retail-focused.
Shopify POS syncs directly with the Shopify e-commerce platform. However, Shopify does not offer free POS software, and the platform is retail-focused.
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 is a cloud-based POS system for retailers. It has strong inventory management capabilities and is a good match for more established small businesses with multiple locations. Newer small businesses with less complicated operations could be better served with a simpler, less expensive product.
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 is a cloud-based POS system for retailers. It has strong inventory management capabilities and is a good match for more established small businesses with multiple locations. Newer small businesses with less complicated operations could be better served with a simpler, less expensive product.
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.
Revel offers iPad-based POS systems along with a wide variety of hardware, 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.
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.
Revel offers iPad-based POS systems along with a wide variety of hardware, 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.
$69 Essential plan; $119 Plus. Custom plan available.
Pros
Customizable with third-party hardware and payment processors.
24/7 live customer support.
No contract, cancel any time with no penalty.
Cons
Most key features are only available on the second tier plus plan.
Quote-based pricing for the highest tier makes it hard to compare pricing.
Hike offers a highly customizable and cost-effective POS system with strong inventory management capabilities. With the flexibility in monthly plans and external hardware and payment processors, it’s a good middle-ground option for newer or scaling businesses.
Hike POS
Best for Customizable POS system
Payment processing fees
N/A
Monthly fee
$69
$69 Essential plan; $119 Plus. Custom plan available.
Pros
Customizable with third-party hardware and payment processors.
24/7 live customer support.
No contract, cancel any time with no penalty.
Cons
Most key features are only available on the second tier plus plan.
Quote-based pricing for the highest tier makes it hard to compare pricing.
Hike offers a highly customizable and cost-effective POS system with strong inventory management capabilities. With the flexibility in monthly plans and external hardware and payment processors, it’s a good middle-ground option for newer or scaling businesses.
Best Inventory POS Systems
Square
Our pick for: Best overall option
Monthly POS software fee:
$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.
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).
$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).
$149 for Square Kiosk for self-serve ordering.
$299 for Square Terminal mobile card reader with built-in printer (monthly financing available).
$399 for Square Handheld portable POS system with built-in barcode scanner (monthly financing available).
$799 for Square Register two-screen system (monthly financing available).
Payment processing cost:
2.6% plus 15 cents for in-person transactions with all free plans.
2.6% plus 10 cents for in-person transactions with paid restaurant plans.
2.5% plus 10 cents for in-person transactions with paid retail and appointments plans.
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 is one of the most recognizable and well-established POS systems for small businesses. It offers a variety of plans — including select inventory management features with the free monthly plan — making it a good all-around option for newer and established businesses as well as businesses looking to scale. If you want to reap the benefits of all the inventory management capabilities, you’ll need to upgrade to the Plus plan, which allows you to manage and transfer stock across locations, create and print custom labels, reorder items from your POS and more. One standout feature is the automation. Not only does Square alert you when items are low, it can generate purchase orders and send them to you for approval based on stock numbers and sales forecasting. Read our full Square POS review.
Lightspeed offers three different plans for retail stores:
$109 for Basic plan ($89 if billed annually).
$179 for Core plan ($149 if billed annually).
$339 for Plus plan ($289 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:
$79 for Mobile Tap V2 card reader.
$199 for iPad swivel stand.
$329 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’s highly regarded feature is its inventory management, which is particularly clean and attuned to retailers because of its detail in tracking specific products. The system differentiates between standard product entries, product variants like candles that come in a variety of scents or shirts that come in multiple colors. There is also a category for composite products, which are purchasing options that package several different items together, like a gift basket. The system also allows you to manage inventory across locations and generate your own custom barcodes. Like Square, you can set low-stock alerts and order more products directly from your POS. Read our full Lightspeed POS review.
Hike POS
Our pick for: Customizable POS system
Monthly POS software fee: The following prices are based on a single location. You can visit the Hike website to see pricing for your custom number of locations.
$69/month for Essential plan ($59 if billed annually).
$119/month for Plus plan ($99 if billed annually).
Custom pricing for Enterprise plan.
Hardware cost: Hike does not offer its own hardware, but its software is compatible with various products including iPads and PCs (via the app), all listed on the website.
Payment processing cost: Similar to the hardware, Hike lets you integrate with external payment processors, so the cost will depend on which payment processor you use. There are no built-in fees through Hike.
Why we like it: Hike offers a highly customizable POS system with strong inventory management capabilities that are comparable to Square and Lightspeed, such as bulk inventory importing and exporting and product variant availability. You can enter an unlimited number of products, as well. Its pricing is transparent, and you can integrate with hardware and payment processing that’s affordable or hardware that you already own. The downside is that you have to pay attention to how much those external hardware and payment processing expenses are — you might end up spending more than a system with an all-in-one price. With Hike, you can change or downgrade your plan at any time with no penalty, and you have access to 24/7 live customer support.
Toast
Our pick for: Small restaurants and cafes
Monthly POS software fee:
$0 for Starter Kit plan.
$69 Point of Sale plan.
Custom plans available.
Hardware cost:
$494.10 for Handheld Starter Kit (but $0 if you agree to a higher processing fee).
$1,123.20 for Countertop Starter Kit (but $0 if you agree to a higher processing fee).
$1,438.20 for Guest Self-Service Starter Kit (but $0 if you agree to a higher processing fee).
Payment processing cost:
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.
Why we like it: Toast offers a POS system that was built specifically with restaurants in mind. Toast is accessible across multiple locations, and updates inventory according to live sales data, which is helpful for restaurants keeping ingredients stocked. Toast also stands out because of its pickup and delivery options and its integrated custom hardware options, like the self-serve kiosks and kitchen display systems, all of which help a restaurant run more efficiently. Read our full Toast POS review.
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 cost: Quote-based
Payment processing cost: Quote-based
Why we like it: Revel is a good option for well-established restaurant owners who are hands-on and managing multiple locations. It offers robust inventory management features that can be monitored through the mobile app. Revel’s multi-channel capability is also ideal for restaurants that are managing mobile orders, drive-thru and deliveries. The fact that they require a three-year contract may be a drawback for some. Read our full Revel POS review.
Shopify
Our pick for: Shopify e-commerce users
Monthly POS software fee:
Shopify e-commerce plans:
$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.
All e-commerce plans come with POS Lite for selling in-person. Upgrading to POS Pro for brick-and-mortar businesses costs an extra $89 per location.
Shopify’s alternative solutions for mainly selling in-person:
$5 for Starter plan, which includes one POS Lite location.
$79 (when billed annually) for Retail plan, or $89 when paid monthly; includes one POS Pro location.
Hardware cost:
$49 for Tap & Chip card reader.
$219 for Tap & Chip countertop kit (iPad not included).
$349 for Shopify POS terminal.
$459 and up for POS terminal countertop kits.
Payment processing cost:
2.5%, 2.7% or 2.9% plus 30 cents for online payments for Advanced, Shopify or Basic plan, respectively.
2.4%, 2.5% or 2.6% plus 10 cents for in-person payments for Advanced, Shopify or Basic plan, respectively.
Why we like it: Comparable to Square and Toast, Shopify’s inventory management features allow you to order more inventory from your POS, set low stock alerts and access live sales data. With its more advanced plans, Shopify also offers robust reporting and analytics features that allow you to pull inventory data from any time frame and also compare data to previous time frames. In addition to typical month-end or end-of-quarter snapshots, you can pull analysis by specific product, day and more. These may be ideal features for more established businesses that are looking to dive deeper into their data, especially across multiple locations. Read our full Shopify POS review.