Liquor store POS systems should have inventory management features, loyalty program add-ons and ID scanning, among other capabilities. Many times, general POS systems check enough boxes to help you efficiently run your liquor store.
Those options typically come from recognizable brands and offer a range of plans and pricing options. While industry-specific POS systems don't always have those perks, they may be a better choice if you need niche features like the ability to categorize items, such as wine bottles, by their region or grape varietal. The list below includes both types of systems.
Here are our top picks for liquor store POS systems:
- POS Nation: Best overall liquor store POS system.
- Square Retail: Best free liquor store POS system.
- mPower Beverage: Best for industry-specific features.
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Best POS Systems for Liquor Stores
Best POS Systems for Liquor Stores
Sort By
Monthly fee
$0.00
Additional pricing tiers (per month): $89, custom.
Learn more
on Square's website
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.
Square Retail POS
Best for Free liquor store POS system
Monthly fee
$0.00
Additional pricing tiers (per month): $89, custom.
Learn more
on Square's website
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.
Monthly fee
$109.00
for Basic plan, $179 for Core plan, $339 for Plus plan.
Learn more
on Lightspeed's website
Pros
- 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 POS
Best for Liquor stores with multiple locations
Monthly fee
$109.00
for Basic plan, $179 for Core plan, $339 for Plus plan.
Learn more
on Lightspeed's website
Pros
- 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.
mPower Beverage
Best for Industry-specific features
Payment processing fees
N/A
Varies by processor.
Monthly fee
$120.00
for one register + one-time upfront fee of $1,000. Additional fees for each new register.
Pros
- Hands-on customer service.
- Industry-specific details.
- Can be integrated with current hardware.
Cons
- Expensive.
mPower Beverage
Best for Industry-specific features
Payment processing fees
N/A
Varies by processor.
Monthly fee
$120.00
for one register + one-time upfront fee of $1,000. Additional fees for each new register.
Pros
- Hands-on customer service.
- Industry-specific details.
- Can be integrated with current hardware.
Cons
- Expensive.
POS Nation
Best for Overall liquor store POS system
Payment processing fees
2% + $0.00
to 2.5%
Monthly fee
$49.00
and up.
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.
POS Nation
Best for Overall liquor store POS system
Payment processing fees
2% + $0.00
to 2.5%
Monthly fee
$49.00
and up.
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.
IT Retail
3.0
Best for Grocery stores that sell liquor
Payment processing fees
N/A
Quote-based.
Monthly fee
$49.00
and up.
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.
IT Retail
Best for Grocery stores that sell liquor
3.0
Payment processing fees
N/A
Quote-based.
Monthly fee
$49.00
and up.
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.
Pros
- Free plan available if you’re only using a mobile card reader.
- 24/7 phone support.
- All restaurant plans include no-fee online ordering, and retail plans let you integrate with existing online stores.
- Offers a variety of plans tailored to six specific types of businesses.
- Can pair POS systems with third-party payment processors.
Cons
- Promotions require a three-year contract.
- May be subject to early termination fees if you use Clover as your payment processor.
- Online payment processing rates are more expensive than competitors.
Pros
- Free plan available if you’re only using a mobile card reader.
- 24/7 phone support.
- All restaurant plans include no-fee online ordering, and retail plans let you integrate with existing online stores.
- Offers a variety of plans tailored to six specific types of businesses.
- Can pair POS systems with third-party payment processors.
Cons
- Promotions require a three-year contract.
- May be subject to early termination fees if you use Clover as your payment processor.
- Online payment processing rates are more expensive than competitors.
Our picks for the best liquor store POS systems
POS Nation
Best for overall liquor store POS system
Why we like it: POS Nation is built specifically for grocery and convenience stores but checks many of the boxes that are ideal for liquor stores as well. You can track individual sales from cases or packs, scan IDs for age-restricted items and manage, report and order inventory across locations. The system has robust employee-monitoring features designed specifically to help with loss prevention. These allow you to flag returns that have been damaged, for example, and to set employee permission at an individual level so new employees don’t have the same access to returns or refunds as experienced managers. POS Nation also offers 24/7 technical support.
Much of POS Nation’s pricing is quote-based, but what it makes readily available is comparable to competitors. You can also add upgrades to your plan like liquor licensing and tobacco POS software. All plans are contract free.
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.
Fees are quote-based but range from 2% to 2.5% of your business’s total monthly sales volume.
- $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.
mPower Beverage
Best for industry-specific features
Why we like it: MPower Beverage is a POS system built specifically for liquor store operations and draws from the input of liquor store owners and operators, which shows through the level of detail in many of its features. Its inventory management features allow you to track items across locations, set low stock alerts and sell and track by the case, pack or individual bottle or can without creating a separate stock-keeping unit, or SKU. You can create custom beverage-specific attributes, such as region, flavor profile and age. You can also add details like food pairings and reviews to each product that will show up as your customers browse online or in the store.
MPower Beverage is fairly transparent in its pricing, and though its prices are on the higher end — especially for multiple locations — you get a unique level of detail and hands-on customer service. For instance, when you sign up, there is an in-person installation process to help you get set up and integrate existing data into the system. One register is included in the upfront price, and there is a fee and additional monthly cost for any additional register. POS hardware includes an ID-scanning feature for age-restricted items.
$120 for one register plus a one-time upfront fee of $1,000. Additional registers are $250 upfront plus $120 more monthly. To qualify for monthly pricing, you are required to use integrated processing with one of mPower’s direct partners.
Varies by provider.
Quote-based.
IT Retail
Best for grocery stores that sell liquor
Why we like it: IT Retail specializes in grocery store POS systems and offers custom plans for several types of grocers, like butcher shops and fish markets. Its corner store option includes features that are also well suited for a liquor store, such as ID scanning, customer loyalty programs and inventory management that works for beverage sales.
Additional features include cash discount capabilities, offline mode and a customizable touch screen. Although not all of IT Retail’s pricing is transparent, you can build customized plans that include different types of hardware specific to your needs. All plans require you to enter a processing agreement but don’t include long-term contracts.
- $49 for Starter plan.
- $99 for Growth plan.
- $149 for Premium plan.
Fees are undisclosed; you need to sign a processing agreement.
Quote-based.
Square Retail
Best for free liquor store POS system
Why we like it: Square for Retail POS is an all-around great option for inventory-heavy businesses, especially for those seeking a cost-effective option. Its retail POS software has an option that is marketed specifically to wine shops, breweries and liquor stores and focuses on inventory management, customer rewards and multichannel sales. Square is transparent on its pricing, and it’s easy to upgrade your plan to a paid version, making it a good option for businesses that may want to scale up. Read our full Square for Retail POS 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.
- 2.6% plus 15 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.
- $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).
» MORE: Best free POS software
Lightspeed Retail
Best for liquor stores with multiple locations
Why we like it: Lightspeed Retail stands out as an option for many retailers for its robust inventory management features, particularly across multiple locations. The system can be integrated with a host of external partners, and the plans include e-commerce if you plan to expand online. It also offers features to support customer loyalty online or in store, loyalty tracking from the POS and customer tracking. Customer support is available through various channels 24/7, which could come in handy if you operate outside standard business hours. Read our full Lightspeed Retail 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).
- 2.6% plus 10 cents per in-person transaction.
- 2.9% plus 30 cents for online transactions.
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 stand or swivel stand.
- $329 for WisePOS E countertop reader.
- $429 for Lightspeed Lite Server for data backup and offline mode functionality.
Clover
Best for free loyalty program
Why we like it: Each of Clover’s retail POS software plans, which can support liquor stores, includes a customer loyalty plan at no added cost. You can use it to ask for feedback on receipts, implement a rewards program, create customer profiles and send promotions through text, email or social media. Combined, these abilities can be a powerful tool for retaining customers and building brand loyalty. 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 Starter and Standard plans.
- $59.95 for Quick-Service Dining Starter and Standard plans.
- $79.90 for Quick-Service Dining Advanced plan.
- $84.95 for Retail Standard and Professional, Personal Services Standard and Advanced, and Home & Field Services Advanced plans.
- $89.95 for Full-Service Dining Starter plan.
- $104.90 for Retail Advanced plan.
- $109.90 for Full-Service Dining Standard plan.
- $129.85 for Full-Service Dining Advanced plan.
- 2.3% plus 10 cents for in-person transactions on Full-Service and Quick-Service Restaurant plans.
- 2.5% plus 10 cents for in-person transactions on Retail Standard and Advanced plans, Professional and Personal Services Standard and Advanced plans, and the Home and Field Services Advanced plan.
- 2.6% plus 10 cents for in-person transactions on the Retail and Personal Services Starter plans and the Home and Field Services Standard plan.
- 3.5% plus 10 cents for online or keyed-in transactions.
- $199 for chip, swipe and contactless Clover Go card reader.
- $279 for countertop card reader.
- $649 for Clover Flex mobile POS with receipt printer.
- $599 for 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.
Looking for more liquor store POS options?
For more POS systems and accessories that might work for your liquor store business, try exploring these additional product roundups:
Last updated on August 8, 2024
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