Best Salon POS Systems of June 2025
Square, Clover, Lightspeed Retail and DaySmart have features and pricing especially suited for salons and spas.
A salon point-of-sale (POS) system is the combination of hardware and software that helps facilitate customers’ payments and handle day-to-day operations, like employee management and marketing. Since hair salons revolve around appointments, these POS systems
The top POS systems for hair salons include:
Square Clover Lightspeed - DaySmart Salon: Best for salon-specific features.
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Salon-specific features
DaySmart SalonBest Salon POS Systems
| Product | Best for | NerdWallet rating | Payment processing fees | Monthly fee | Learn more |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Square POS on Square POS's secure website | Overall salon POS system | In-person: 2.6% + $0.15 Online: 2.9% + $0.30 | $0 and up. | on Square POS's secure website | |
 Clover POS on Clover POS's secure website | Customizability | In-person: 2.3% + $0.10 Online: 3.5% + $0.10 | $0 and up. | on Clover POS's secure website | |
 Lightspeed Retail POS on Lightspeed Retail POS's secure website | Multi-location salons | In-person: 2.6% + $0.10 Online: 2.9% + $0.30 | $109 for Basic plan, $179 for Core plan, $339 for Plus plan. | on Lightspeed Retail POS's secure website | |
DaySmart Salon | Salon-specific features | N/A | $29 Basic plan; $69 Deluxe plan; $199 Premium plan. |
Best Salon POS Systems
Payment processing fees
In-person: 2.6% + $0.15
Online: 2.9% + $0.30
Online: 2.9% + $0.30
Monthly fee
$0
and up.
Learn moreon Square's website
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.
Square POS
Best for Overall salon POS system
Payment processing fees
In-person: 2.6% + $0.15
Online: 2.9% + $0.30
Online: 2.9% + $0.30
Monthly fee
$0
and up.
on Square's website
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.
Payment processing fees
In-person: 2.3% + $0.10
Online: 3.5% + $0.10
Online: 3.5% + $0.10
Monthly fee
$0
and up.
on Clover's website
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.
Clover POS
Best for Customizability
Payment processing fees
In-person: 2.3% + $0.10
Online: 3.5% + $0.10
Online: 3.5% + $0.10
Monthly fee
$0
and up.
on Clover's website
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.
Payment processing fees
In-person: 2.6% + $0.10
Online: 2.9% + $0.30
Online: 2.9% + $0.30
Monthly fee
$109
for Basic plan, $179 for Core plan, $339 for Plus plan.
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 Multi-location salons
Payment processing fees
In-person: 2.6% + $0.10
Online: 2.9% + $0.30
Online: 2.9% + $0.30
Monthly fee
$109
for Basic plan, $179 for Core plan, $339 for Plus plan.
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.
Payment processing fees
N/A
Monthly fee
$29
Basic plan; $69 Deluxe plan; $199 Premium plan.
Pros
- Free trial period.
- Variety of plans offering extensive functionality.
- Integrated payment processing.
Cons
- Does not sell hardware.
- Unlimited training and phone support not included with cheapest plan.
DaySmart Salon
Best for Salon-specific features
Payment processing fees
N/A
Monthly fee
$29
Basic plan; $69 Deluxe plan; $199 Premium plan.
Pros
- Free trial period.
- Variety of plans offering extensive functionality.
- Integrated payment processing.
Cons
- Does not sell hardware.
- Unlimited training and phone support not included with cheapest plan.
Our picks for the best salon POS systems
Square
Best overall salon POS system
Why we like it: Square POS is one of the most streamlined, tech-forward POS solutions available. The Square POS app — which enables payment processing — can take on employee management, inventory tracking and automated sales reports. Square POS integrates with other merchant services in the Square universe, including Square Appointments customer relationship management Square POS review
Monthly POS software fees
Hardware costs
Payment processing fees
Clover
Best for customizability
Why we like it: Clover POS is a highly customizable, all-in-one POS system that can accept essentially every type of payment your customers use, including chip, swipe and contactless payments. Clover software is loaded with features that are particularly helpful for salon owners, including capabilities to manage employee shifts, measure employee performance through sales reports and offer customers tip options upon checkout. Clover also integrates with staff management apps like Gusto time tracking software Clover review
Monthly POS software fees
Hardware costs
Payment processing fees
Lightspeed Retail POS
Best for multi-location salons
Why we like it: Lightspeed Retail POS is an all-in-one POS system for retail stores that accepts all major payment types. The software is designed to scale across multiple locations, so it can be a good option for salons and spas that are looking to expand. Lightspeed's system includes loyalty features, inventory management tools and reports and business data and insights. You can also customize your Lightspeed Retail POS by downloading compatible apps from Lightspeed's long list of software integrations. Read our full Lightspeed POS review
Monthly POS software fees
Hardware costs
Payment processing fees
DaySmart Salon
Best for salon-specific features
Why we like it: DaySmart (formerly Salon Iris) is a salon POS software solution designed to streamline operations and securely accept payments. DaySmart is preloaded with an online booking interface, an employee management dashboard, two-way texting capabilities for easier communication with your clients and tools for targeted text marketing campaigns and reputation management. DaySmart also offers a QuickBooks integration, the ability to print payroll checks and a free 14-day trial.
Monthly POS software fees
Hardware costs
Payment processing fees
How to choose a salon POS system
Here are some factors to think about when searching for the right salon POS system for your business.
- Payment flexibility. A good salon POS system enables you to accept and process a variety of payment types, including credit cards and digital wallets. It should also be easy to set up and have an intuitive interface. Most payments will likely be accepted in person after a hair appointment is finished, but if your salon requires customers to put down a deposit to reserve their appointment ahead of time, make sure your POS system allows for this functionality.
- Salon-specific features. Ideally, your salon POS system has industry-specific features or integrations for appointment scheduling, employee tracking and payroll. These help ensure your stylists and estheticians are getting paid in full and on time, and that your clients can easily sign up for appointments.
- Inventory tracking. This is a must for salons that sell hair products or accessories. If you sell just a handful of tried and true products, your inventory tracking capabilities don’t need to be fancy, but they should let you know when it’s time to restock your bestsellers.
- Loyalty programs. These programs, along with referral codes and other incentives, help keep clients coming back and show them how much you value their patronage. It’s not uncommon for POS system providers to charge extra for this feature.
- Mobile capabilities. A system with mobile POS readers is crucial if you or your staff members make house calls or work outside your main location. NerdWallet’s roundup of
mobile credit card readers - Fair pricing. Ultimately, the right salon POS system is the one with fees and hardware you can afford. And don’t forget to consider processing fees — most of our top picks use a flat-rate pricing model that’s easy to understand. Free trials and demos can also be helpful if you’re on the fence or between two products.
A version of this article was first published on Fundera, a subsidiary of NerdWallet.
Caroline Goldstein contributed to this article.