Skip to content

Best POS Systems for Small Businesses of November 2024

Factor in hardware portability, software integrations and your business’s specific industry needs to determine the best POS system.
By Lisa A. Anthony, Karrin Sehmbi, Hillary Crawford
Last updated on October 23, 2024
Edited byRyan Lane
Fact checked and reviewed

Many or all of the products featured here are from our partners who compensate us. This may influence which products we write about and where and how the product appears on a page. However, this does not influence our evaluations. Our opinions are our own. Here is a list of our partners and here's how we make money.

Point-of-sale (POS) systems help you accept payments, manage sales, and track inventory with feature-rich software and a variety of hardware options. Many come with built-in payment processing services, too.
For more personalized POS system recommendations for your small business, answer the following four questions. Otherwise you can find our exhaustive list of top picks below the quiz.

Best POS Systems for Small Businesses

Loan calculator icon

Calculate your monthly cost estimate

Input your business’s monthly transaction details and we’ll help you sort from the best value
Estimates assume an average interchange fee of 1.81% + $0.10, based on our latest available data. Estimates provided reflect online and in-person transactions, but exclude any keyed transactions. Estimates are based on the lowest monthly plan and processing fees for each provider.

Product
Cost Estimate
Payment processing fees
Cost Estimate
Learn more

Helcim POS

Learn more

on Helcim POS's secure website

Get an estimated monthly cost for your business.
4.5/5

Best for High sales volumes

In-person: 0.4% + $0.08

Online: 0.5% + $0.25

Plus interchange

$0.00

Get an estimated monthly cost for your business.
Learn more

on Helcim POS's secure website

Square POS

Learn more

on Square POS's secure website

5.0/5

Best for Overall POS system

In-person: 2.6% + $0.10

Online: 2.9% + $0.30

$0.00

and up.

Learn more

on Square POS's secure website

Stripe Terminal

Learn more

on Stripe Terminal's secure website

5.0/5

Best for Online business to in-person sales

In-person: 2.7% + $0.05

Online: 2.9% + $0.30

$0.00

Learn more

on Stripe Terminal's secure website

Shopify Retail POS

Learn more

on Shopify POS's secure website

4.5/5

Best for E-commerce platform integration

In-person: 2.6% + $0.10

Online: 2.9% + $0.30

$39.00

and up for e-commerce plans with POS Lite; Can upgrade to POS Pro for an extra $89.

Learn more

on Shopify POS's secure website

Clover POS

Learn more

on Clover POS's secure website

4.0/5

Best for Choosing your own payment processor

In-person: 2.3% + $0.10

Online: 3.5% + $0.10

$0.00

and up.

Learn more

on Clover POS's secure website

Toast POS

Learn more

on Toast POS's secure website

4.0/5

Best for Restaurants doing dine-in and online business

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-specific add-on features

1.99% + $0.25

For most cards in paid plans.

$0.00

and up.

Learn more

on SpotOn Restaurant's secure website

SumUp POS

Learn more

on SumUp POS's secure website

4.0/5

Best for Automated marketing

In-person: 2.6% + $0.10

Online: 3.5% + $0.15

$0.00

for card readers only; $99 for Connect Lite plan; $199 for Connect Plus plan; $289 for Connect Pro plan.

Learn more

on SumUp POS's secure website

Lightspeed Retail POS

Learn more

on Lightspeed Retail POS's secure website

3.5/5

Best for Inventory management

In-person: 2.6% + $0.10

Online: 2.9% + $0.30

$109.00

for Basic plan, $179 for Core plan, $289 for Plus plan.

Learn more

on Lightspeed Retail POS's secure website

TouchBistro

Learn more

on TouchBistro's secure website

3.5/5

Best for Offline functionality for restaurants

N/A

Quote-based.

$69.00

and up.

Learn more

on TouchBistro's secure website

U.S. Bank Merchant Services POS

Learn more

on U.S. Bank Merchant Services POS's secure website, Member FDIC

3.5/5

Best for Bank POS provider

In-person: 2.6% + $0.10

Online: 2.9% + $0.30

$0.00

and up. Varies dependent upon account setup.

Learn more

on U.S. Bank Merchant Services POS's secure website, Member FDIC

Lavu

Learn more

on Lavu's secure website

3.5/5

Best for Cash discount program

N/A

Quote-based.

$99.00

and up.

Learn more

on Lavu's secure website

PayPal Zettle

4.0/5

Best for Mobile POS software

In-person: 2.29% + $0.09

Online: 3.49% + $0.09

$0.00

Payanywhere POS

4.0/5

Best for Managing customer reviews

In-person: 2.69% + $0.00

Online: 3.49% + $0.19

$0.00

and up.

Our pick for

High sales volumes

As a full-service merchant services provider, Helcim can essentially do it all for a business: payment processing, point of sale, invoicing and business management. Because it offers volume discounts, Helcim is especially cost-effective for businesses with high sales volumes.

Helcim POS

Learn more

on Helcim POS's secure website

Monthly fee
$0.00

Our pick for

Overall POS system

Square’s transparent pricing, lack of long-term contracts, strong integrations and free POS plan, which has more functionality than some competitors’ base-level offerings, push it to the front of the group. Other standout perks include a free online store, inexpensive hardware options and no chargeback fees. The provider can accommodate a range of industries, too, including retail, restaurants and service-based businesses.

Square POS

Learn more

on Square POS's secure website

Monthly fee
$0.00

and up.

Our pick for

Online business to in-person sales

Stripe accepts payments in more than 135 currencies, making it a strong fit for businesses with global reach. Stripe Terminal is not a POS system but an integration that allows you to extend your online business to in-person sales. With some coding, it can be connected to your POS app.

Stripe Terminal

Learn more

on Stripe Terminal's secure website

Monthly fee
$0.00

Our pick for

E-commerce platform integration

Shopify seamlessly unites online and in-store sales with its integrated POS and e-commerce plans. And its in-house payment processing solution makes it a one-stop-shop for businesses.

Shopify Retail POS

Learn more

on Shopify POS's secure website

Monthly fee
$39.00

and up for e-commerce plans with POS Lite; Can upgrade to POS Pro for an extra $89.

Our pick for

Choosing your own payment processor

Clover’s most distinguishing feature is its ability to work with other payment processors. In other words, Clover merchants aren’t locked into using Clover as their payment processor. However, Clover hardware can’t be reprogrammed so you’ll need to purchase it directly from your payment processor of choice and will only be able to use it with that processor.

Clover POS

Learn more

on Clover POS's secure website

Monthly fee
$0.00

and up.

Our pick for

Restaurants doing dine-in and online business

Toast lets customers integrate online ordering options with their existing Toast POS system. If your restaurant has multiple locations, customers can choose where they’d like to pick up their order.

Toast POS

Learn more

on Toast POS's secure website

Payment processing fees
2.49% + $0.15

if you buy hardware upfront; 3.09% + $0.15 for pay-as-you-go option.

Monthly fee
$0.00

Starter Kit; $69 Point of Sale plan; custom Build Your Own plan.

Our pick for

Restaurant-specific add-on features

SpotOn Restaurant solutions are custom fit for your specific restaurant needs and numerous software integrations can round out your system. The company’s Restaurant Advisory Council provides regular feedback for continual improvement.

SpotOn Restaurant

4.0
NerdWallet rating 
Learn more

on SpotOn Restaurant's secure website

Payment processing fees
1.99% + $0.25

For most cards in paid plans.

Monthly fee
$0.00

and up.

Our pick for

Automated marketing

SumUp’s Connect Plus and Pro POS plans come with marketing tools that automatically send customers targeted promotions and allow them to accumulate rewards.

SumUp POS

Learn more

on SumUp POS's secure website

Monthly fee
$0.00

for card readers only; $99 for Connect Lite plan; $199 for Connect Plus plan; $289 for Connect Pro plan.

Our pick for

Inventory management

Lightspeed’s POS designed specifically for retailers offers several strong features, but it stands out particularly for its inventory management capabilities. The system is especially well suited for businesses with more than one location.

Lightspeed Retail POS

Learn more

on Lightspeed Retail POS's secure website

Monthly fee
$109.00

for Basic plan, $179 for Core plan, $289 for Plus plan.

Our pick for

Offline functionality for restaurants

TouchBistro is a POS system designed specifically for food-industry businesses. And since it stores data both locally and in the cloud, it's a great option for restaurants that don't have a reliable internet connection.

TouchBistro

Learn more

on TouchBistro's secure website

Payment processing fees
N/A

Quote-based.

Monthly fee
$69.00

and up.

Our pick for

Bank POS provider

U.S. Bank Merchant Services offers payment processing and business bank accounts in addition to POS solutions, making it a one-stop shop for small businesses.

U.S. Bank Merchant Services POS

Learn more

on U.S. Bank Merchant Services POS's secure website, Member FDIC

Monthly fee
$0.00

and up. Varies dependent upon account setup.

Our pick for

Cash discount program

Lavu makes iPad-based POS systems for different types of restaurants, from delis and coffee shops to full-service dining establishments. The company’s cash discount program helps business owners save on processing fees by passing some of the costs onto customers who choose to pay with cards instead of cash. Those who pay cash can skip the fees, so be sure your business is equipped to handle cash transactions.

Learn more

on Lavu's secure website

Payment processing fees
N/A

Quote-based.

Monthly fee
$99.00

and up.

Our pick for

Mobile POS software

This all-in-one mobile POS and payment processing system is built for quick and easy setup and integrates seamlessly with many big names in business-related software. PayPal Zettle’s POS software is free, so business owners pay only for hardware and payment processing.

PayPal Zettle

Monthly fee
$0.00

Our pick for

Managing customer reviews

Payanywhere stands out for its reputation management platform that helps you monitor online reviews from Google and social media, and respond to them all from one place. You can also use it to create competitor profiles and stay up to date with how other businesses in your area are performing.

Payanywhere POS

4.0
NerdWallet rating 
Monthly fee
$0.00

and up.

Our picks for best POS systems

Square

Best overall POS system
NerdWallet rating:
Why we like it: The Square POS system is an excellent option for small businesses that are looking for an easy-to-run, cost-effective POS. Square stands out among its competitors by offering a free version of its POS that contains a great deal of functionality, including sales tracking, inventory management and an offline mode to accept transactions without a Wi-Fi connection. Square also is transparent with pricing, doesn’t require contracts or charge hidden fees, and integrates with third-party hardware and software. Additionally, Square offers a free 30-day trial of its paid plan for both its retail and restaurant solutions; businesses owners can easily downgrade to the free software plan at the end of the trial with no additional fee or penalty. This is one of the most generous free trials offered by a POS provider, especially in the restaurant space, where it’s rare to find a free trial offer. Read our full .

Stripe Terminal

Best for international businesses
NerdWallet rating:
Why we like it: Stripe Terminal extends Stripe Payments functionality for online businesses looking to add in-person payment capability. Because Stripe accepts all forms of payment — credit and debit cards, digital wallets, ACH transfers and even buy now, pay later options — in more than 135 currencies, it’s a solid option for online businesses that sell internationally. Stripe has a lot of customization options and some neat features that more tech-savvy business owners, or those with access to developers, may want to take advantage of. Read our full.

Helcim

Best for high sales volumes
NerdWallet rating:
Why we like it: Helcim is best known for payment processing, but its POS software isn’t something to gloss over — especially as it’s one of a few among the competition that works across both desktop and mobile, as well as Mac and Windows devices. Similar to Square, Helcim boasts no monthly or hidden fees and no contract, but it follows the interchange-plus pricing model for payment processing. Helcim offers competitive processing rates and offers discounted rates for businesses with $50,000 or more per month in card transactions, meaning it’s a particularly strong contender for businesses with higher sales volumes. Read our full .

Toast POS

Best for restaurants doing dine-in and online business
NerdWallet rating:
Why we like it: Toast’s POS systems can accommodate small restaurants and growing ones — especially those that want to build their online presence. Its online ordering add-on is customizable, meaning you can upload photos and change the color schemes and fonts. You can add your business to the Toast Takeout app to gain customers and use Toast Delivery Services to deliver orders. Built specifically for restaurants, Toast also offers spill-proof hardware that’s made to function among high heat and dust. Read our full .

SpotOn Restaurant

Best for restaurant-specific add-on features
NerdWallet rating:
Why we like it: SpotOn’s monthly software fee and payment processing fees along with its ability to integrate with third-party hardware make this system an affordable and appealing option. SpotOn offers customizable add-on features such as a loyalty program and team management software. The company also has a strong reputation for its hands-on approach to customer support, from installation and training to 24/7 availability for assistance.

Shopify

Best e-commerce platform integration
NerdWallet rating:
Why we like it: Shopify POS is an ideal system for retailers and e-commerce businesses. The POS options available with Shopify’s e-commerce plans offer a number of valuable features, including customer profiles and history, inventory tracking, automatic sales tax calculations, basic reporting functions and more. Business owners looking for additional functionality can purchase the POS Pro plan, which offers inventory forecasting, alerts when stock is running low and a suite of useful staff-related features, among other capabilities. And with Shopify Payments, which charges flat-rate processing fees, business owners can run their store and accept payments in one unified solution. Retailers will also appreciate Shopify’s transparent pricing as well as its customer support resources. Read our full .

Clover

Best for choosing your own payment processor
NerdWallet rating:
Why we like it: Clover products are available through a variety of resellers, which gives businesses the freedom to choose their payment processor and merchant account provider. Businesses that prefer an individual merchant account over the aggregated accounts that payment service providers, like Square or Stripe, use will also appreciate this flexibility. Read our full .

U.S. Bank Merchant Services

Best bank POS provider
NerdWallet rating:
Why we like it: U.S. Bank is a merchant services provider that offers business banking, payment processing and POS solutions. In that way, it can serve as a solid option for a business that’s looking to consolidate all services under a single provider. It uses and POS systems and accepts all major cards and contactless payment options. U.S. Bank’s processing rates are competitive and it offers a variety of software plans, all priced under $100 per month. With no long-term contracts, termination fees or PCI compliance fees, it stands apart from some on this list. U.S. Bank business account holders enjoy free same-day funding and a general funding schedule that allows for receipt of funds on any day of the week, weekends included.

PayPal Zettle

Best for mobile POS software
NerdWallet rating:
Why we like it: PayPal Zettle’s POS software can be downloaded for free to your mobile device. With a card reader and the creation of a, you can quickly have a basic POS up and running for your business. Zettle POS includes a payment processing system that accepts all transaction types — cards, digital wallets, QR codes and keyed — along with standard POS functions such as sales tracking and reporting and inventory management. Another plus is the system’s easy integration with popular accounting and e-commerce software including QuickBooks and BigCommerce. Read our full .

SumUp

Best for automated marketing tools
NerdWallet rating:
Why we like it: SumUp sells POS systems tailored to retail stores, restaurants and salons. Card readers can be paired with a free app, but POS plans start at $99 and you have to subscribe to the higher-tier Connect Plus plan to access automated marketing tools and a customer rewards program. Though these plans can be expensive, they could be worth the investment for businesses trying to build a larger customer base. Plus, competitors often charge extra for loyalty programs instead of including them in their plans.

TouchBistro

Best offline functionality for restaurants
NerdWallet rating:
Why we like it: TouchBistro's hardware, which enables mobile and offline payments, alongside software features, such as menu scheduling, upselling reminders and low inventory alerts, make it an especially strong choice for restaurants and other businesses in the food industry. The POS software comes with dozens of detailed reports to give you important business insights on everything from sales to customer behavior to staff performance. TouchBistro offers relevant add-ons such as gift cards and a loyalty program for an additional monthly cost. The company is not as transparent as some competitors with its pricing, and you will be bound to a long-term contract that’s not easy to terminate, but the 24/7 customer support it offers by phone, email and chat sets it apart from some other POS providers. Read our full .

Lightspeed Retail

Best for inventory management
NerdWallet rating:
Why we like it: Lightspeed Retail POS stands out for its top-notch inventory management features, which include cataloging and tracking functions that are especially useful for businesses with large inventories and multiple locations. Additional features include customer relationship management and loyalty programs, employee sales and performance tracking, and data analysis and reporting. And if your business requires more, Lightspeed offers an entire marketplace of app integrations. Read our full .