Tablet point-of-sale (POS) systems transfer the functions of a standard POS system to an iPad or Android tablet for increased portability. The best tablet POS options are easy to use and include core features, like inventory tracking, checkout tools and reporting. Our top picks focus on POS systems that let you use the provider’s software on your own tablets. Many of them also sell tablet accessories, like swivel stands and portable card readers.
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» MORE: What is a point-of-sale system?
Best Tablet POS Systems
Calculate your monthly cost estimate
Input your business’s monthly transaction details and we’ll help you sort from the best valueProduct | Cost Estimate | Payment processing fees | Cost Estimate | Learn more | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Square POS Learn more on Square POS's secure website | Get an estimated monthly cost for your business. | 5.0/5 Best for Overall tablet POS system | In-person: 2.6% + $0.10 Online: 2.9% + $0.30 | $0.00 and up. | Get an estimated monthly cost for your business. | Learn more on Square POS's secure website |
Shopify Retail POS Learn more on Shopify POS's secure website | 4.5/5 Best for Tablet POS system for online-first businesses | 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 | ||
Lightspeed Retail POS Learn more on Lightspeed Retail POS's secure website | 3.5/5 Best for Tablet POS system for retail businesses | 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 Tablet POS system for restaurants | N/A Quote-based. | $69.00 and up. | Learn more on TouchBistro's secure website | ||
PayPal Zettle | 4.0/5 Best for Tablet POS system that accepts QR code payments | In-person: 2.29% + $0.09 Online: 2.89% + $0.49 | $0.00 |
Our pick for
Overall tablet POS system
Businesses in a variety of industries — including retail, restaurant and service-based — can start accepting payments quickly with Square’s free POS software plus a card reader and an iPad or Android tablet. Its low barrier to entry makes it an easy solution for businesses that need the flexibility to sell from anywhere.
Square POS
Learn more
on Square POS's secure website
Monthly fee
$0.00
and up.
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.Read full review
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.
Our pick for
Tablet POS system for online-first businesses
Shopify is a robust e-commerce platform that lets businesses choose from more than 200 website themes and customize their own online store. Online businesses that also have a brick-and-mortar location or take their sales on the road will appreciate the fact that you can use an iPad to sell in person.
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.
Shopify POS syncs directly with the Shopify e-commerce platform. However, Shopify does not offer free POS software, and the platform is retail-focused.Read full review
Pros
- No long-term contracts or termination fees.
- All plans include an online store.
- Built specifically for online sellers.
- 24/7 chat support.
Cons
- No free plan options.
- Cannot process cards in offline mode.
Our pick for
Tablet POS system for retail businesses
Lightspeed’s purchase order and inventory tracking capabilities make it a good choice for retail shops that need to track a large variety of items and product variations, and restock often. The company recommends using iPads with its system, but it’s also compatible with Android tablets.
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.
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.Read full review
Pros
- Includes detailed inventory management tools for creating product variants.
- Free one-on-one onboarding session for all new merchants.
- 24/7 phone and live chat support.
- Generate unlimited barcode labels.
Cons
- No free plan options.
- Lowest-tier plan doesn’t include e-commerce features.
- Charges termination fee and may require annual contract.
- Does not include a virtual terminal or offline mode.
Our pick for
Tablet POS system for restaurants
Restaurants, cafes and food trucks considering TouchBistro can save in upfront hardware costs by using their own iPads. The company says its system is compatible with most iPad models, but recommends the most current ones.
TouchBistro
Learn more
on TouchBistro's secure website
Payment processing fees
N/A
Quote-based.
Monthly fee
$69.00
and up.
For restaurants that haven’t warmed to the idea of a totally cloud-based POS system, TouchBistro is a solid option. It’s a hybrid POS, meaning it’s locally installed but data is still sent to the cloud. Although other cloud-based POS systems can accept payments in offline mode, the TouchBistro system will maintain additional capabilities, like real-time reporting, in a Wi-Fi outage.Read full review
Pros
- 24/7 phone, chat and email support.
- Includes restaurant-specific features, like table and menu management.
- Optional profit management system provides tools for improving margins.
- As a hybrid POS system, TouchBistro can operate without the cloud. Offline capabilities include accepting payments, taking orders, editing menus and managing staff.
Cons
- Payment processing rates are quote-based, making them difficult to compare to the competition.
- Contracts are automatically renewed and can't be terminated early.
- No free plan options and charges setup fee.
- Ability to accept online orders costs extra.
Our pick for
Tablet POS system that accepts QR code payments
Businesses can use PayPal Zettle’s POS tablet setup to generate QR codes that customers can scan to quickly complete payments via their PayPal or Venmo accounts. PayPal Zettle’s store kit bundle includes an iPad stand, card reader and dock.
PayPal Zettle
Monthly fee
$0.00
PayPal Zettle delivers the essentials at a relatively low cost with a small commitment. On top of accepting credit and debit cards (customers can either dip or tap them to the device), Zettle accepts other payment methods like Venmo, PayPal and digital wallets. But consider other options if you want features like customer loyalty and email marketing programs. Although Zettle can expand through hardware, it doesn’t offer plan upgrades or those types of add-ons.Read full review
Pros
- No monthly software fees for accepting in-person payments.
- No long-term contract or termination fees.
- Accepts a variety of payment types, including Venmo and PayPal payments.
- Inexpensive card reader with a keypad, plus built-in payment processing and a free mobile app lets you quickly accept in-person payments on the go.
Cons
- Online transaction rates are difficult to parse out, and selling online may involve additional monthly charges.
- No offline mode.
Our top picks for tablet POS systems
Square
Best overall tablet POS system
Why we like it: Square has one of the best all-around POS systems, especially for businesses that are just starting out and don’t need a lot of industry-specific features. It also offers a handful of features with its free option and can be scaled with add-ons while your business grows. Its software system is compatible with Apple and Android tablets, and much of its hardware is also compatible in various capacities. For example, the iPad Pro 10.5-inch, iPad Air 3rd generation and iPads 7th-9th generation are compatible with all of the hardware Square offers, while other iPads and Android tablets have more limited options. Read our full Square POS review.
- $0 for Square POS, Restaurant, Retail and Appointments Free plans.
- $29 for Square Appointments Plus plan.
- $60 for Square Restaurant Plus plan.
- $69 for Square Appointments Premium plan.
- $89 for Square Retail Plus plan.
- Custom pricing for Square Retail and Square Restaurant Premium plans.
- $0 for Square magstripe-only card reader ($10 for each additional reader) or if using Tap to Pay for iPhone (iPhone not included).
- $49 and up 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).
- 2.6% plus 10 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.
» MORE: Best free POS software.
Shopify
Best tablet POS system for online-first businesses
Why we like it: Shopify is known as an e-commerce platform, but its plans let businesses supplement online sales with in-person ones, too. You can use its POS software on an iPad, connect it to a compatible card reader and start taking payments. Plus, processing rates go down as you upgrade POS plans. Read our full Shopify POS review.
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.
- $49 for Tap & Chip card reader.
- $219 for Tap & Chip countertop kit (iPad not included).
- $299 for Shopify POS Go mobile device.
- $349 for Shopify POS terminal.
- $459 and up for POS terminal countertop kits.
- 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.
TouchBistro
Best tablet POS system for restaurants
Why we like it: TouchBistro, another POS system that was built with restaurants in mind, has solid options for food trucks and other food businesses that do frequent mobile transactions. Its system and features are also scalable to brick-and-mortar locations. Its POS software offers shift scheduling, inventory and menu management, tableside ordering and more. You can also opt to add online ordering and gift cards, among other options.
TouchBistro’s system runs on iOS, which means its software is compatible with Apple products. In addition to the software, its hardware is compatible with most versions of the iPad, and is not bundled, which makes it more customizable. You can purchase what you need, or even bring some pre-owned hardware, like an iPad stand, along with your tablet. Read our full TouchBistro POS review.
- $69 for base plan.
- $25 for gift cards feature.
- $50 for online ordering feature.
- $99 for loyalty features or marketing features.
- $229 for reservations feature.
Quote-based.
Quote-based for TouchBistro Payments.
» MORE: Best POS systems for food trucks
Lightspeed Retail POS
Best tablet POS system for retail businesses
Why we like it: Lightspeed is a great POS system for retail establishments because of its robust inventory management. Its integrations and add-ons also make it a fairly flexible and scalable option, ideal for, say, an online retail store owner who wants to start doing pop-up shops and eventually open a brick-and-mortar location.
Lightspeed’s mobile POS system is compatible with an iPad and comes with the same features as its desktop system to help you sell in store, online and across multiple locations. For inventory management, it offers product variants, barcode labels, stock transfers, automated ordering and more. 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).
- $289 for Plus plan ($239 if billed annually).
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.
- $299 for WisePOS E countertop reader.
- $429 for Lightspeed Lite Server for data backup and offline mode functionality.
- 2.6% plus 10 cents per in-person transaction.
- 2.9% plus 30 cents for online transactions.
» MORE: Best retail POS systems
PayPal Zettle
Best tablet POS system that accepts QR code payments
Why we like it: PayPal is a recognizable name in the payments industry, and if your customers appreciate being able to use it as a payment method, PayPal Zettle’s tablet POS system could be a good solution for your business. Additionally, card-present transaction fees are lower than those of many competitors at 2.29% plus 9 cents per transaction. Read our full PayPal Zettle review.
$0.
- $29 for first card reader; additional readers cost $79. Price includes USB cable.
- $199 for terminal only.
- $239 for terminal with barcode scanner built in.
- $249 for Store Kit Mini (screen terminal with card reader).
- $339 for Store Kit Portable kit with mobile card reader and printer.
- $499 for Store Kit Standard (adds printer).
- $699 for Store Kit Plus (adds barcode scanner).
- 2.29% plus 9 cents for in-person and QR code transactions.
- 3.49% plus 9 cents for manual-entry card transactions.
- 2.89% plus 49 cents for online card payments.
- 2.99% plus 49 cents for invoicing (payment made with card).
- 3.49% plus 49 cents for invoicing (payment made with PayPal).
Last updated on July 17, 2024
Methodology
NerdWallet’s point-of-sale systems provider ratings reward companies whose products and services are priced well and work in a variety of payment scenarios, among other criteria. Ratings are based on weighted averages of scores in several categories, including cost, system capabilities, contract requirements, customer service and integrations and add-ons. Learn more about how we rate point-of-sale (POS) systems providers.
These ratings are a guide, but services, hardware and pricing can vary widely from business to business and provider to provider. We encourage you to shop around and compare several providers.
NerdWallet does not receive compensation for any reviews. Read our editorial guidelines.
Frequently Asked Questions
Most of the top POS options today have software that runs on mobile devices, tablets included. Using a tablet as a piece of your POS hardware can be a great way to save money, especially when you’re first starting out.
This will depend on your specific POS provider, but several companies including Square, offer software that runs on various Android devices.
A POS system is the software and hardware that come together to allow a business to process a transaction or sale. The traditional POS systems function as desktop systems that stay put, however mobile POS options are gaining popularity, and allow users to take many if not all of their POS features on the go.
