Tablet point-of-sale, or POS, software, allows the functions of a standard POS system to be used via a handheld device. Many of the leading POS software include tablet capabilities; some can be integrated with tablets you already own, like an iPad. The best options are easy and flexible without sacrificing essential POS features. Here are our top picks.
>>MORE: What is a point-of-sale system?
Best Tablet POS Systems From Our Partners
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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 |
Toast POS Learn more on Toast POS's secure website | 4.0/5 Best for Restaurants | 2.49% + $0.15 if you buy hardware upfront; 3.09% + $0.15 for pay-as-you-go option. | $0.00 Quick Start Bundle; $69 Core plan; $165 Growth plan. Custom plan also available. | Learn more on Toast POS's secure website | ||
Lightspeed Retail POS Learn more on Lightspeed Retail POS's secure website | 3.5/5 Best for Retail businesses | In-person: 2.6% + $0.10 Online: 2.9% + $0.30 | $89.00 for Lean plan, $149 for Standard plan, $269 for Advanced plan. | Learn more on Lightspeed Retail POS's secure website | ||
TouchBistro Learn more on TouchBistro's secure website | 3.5/5 Best for Food trucks and cafes | N/A Quote-based. | $69.00 and up. | Learn more on TouchBistro's secure website |
Our pick for
Overall tablet POS system
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
Restaurants
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
Quick Start Bundle; $69 Core plan; $165 Growth plan. Custom plan also available.
Every element of Toast's POS system is designed in a restaurant-first way. Hardware options are made to withstand spills, grease and heat. These include self-serve kiosks, kitchen display systems, handheld POS systems and guest displays that let customers view orders. Its free plan also offers 24/7 support via email, live chat and phone, just like its higher-tier plans do.Read full review
Pros
- Free plan available for restaurants with up to two POS terminals.
- 24/7 support via web messaging.
- Offers helpful related services, like payroll and team management software, that integrate closely with its POS system.
- Built specifically for restaurants with in-house delivery platform available, among other industry-specific features.
Cons
- Requires a two-year contract and charges early termination fees.
- Online payment processing rates are more expensive than competitors.
- Charges setup fee, and offline mode includes hidden cost of backup router.
- Online ordering is considered an add-on for all plans.
Our pick for
Retail businesses
Lightspeed Retail POS
Learn more
on Lightspeed Retail POS's secure website
Monthly fee
$89.00
for Lean plan, $149 for Standard plan, $269 for Advanced 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
Food trucks and cafes
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.
Square: Best overall tablet POS system
Monthly POS software fee:
- $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.
- $192 and up for Square Restaurant Essentials Bundle.
- Custom pricing for Square Retail Premium 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).
- $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).
Payment processing cost:
- 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.
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.
>>MORE: Best free POS software.
Toast: Best for restaurants
Monthly POS software fee:
- $0 for Quick Start Bundle.
- $69 for Core plan.
- $110 plus $4 per employee for Restaurant Basics plan.
- $165 for Growth plan.
- Custom plans available.
Hardware cost:
- $799.20 for Handheld Starter Kit (but $0 if you agree to a higher processing fee).
- $1,024.20 for Countertop Starter Kit (but $0 if you agree to a higher processing fee).
- $1,339.20 for Guest Self-Service Starter Kit (but $0 if you agree to a higher processing fee).
Payment processing cost:
- 3.09% plus 15 cents per transaction, if you choose pay-as-you-go option on hardware.
- 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 is NerdWallet’s pick for the best overall restaurant POS software. With Toast you can manage inventory and sales across multiple locations, and add features that are becoming increasingly important, such as online ordering, pickup, delivery and even self-service customer ordering.
Toast built its own tablet, powered by Android, that is compatible with its mobile POS software. There is a Toast Tables app that you can download for iPads, but the features are limited to table management. Other than that, you are not able to integrate other hardware with its mobile software. The Toast Go 2 tablet is built to be carried around in a server’s pocket and is resistant to the wear and tear of restaurant life such as spills and drops. Read our full Toast POS review.
TouchBistro: Best for food trucks and cafes
Monthly POS software fee:
- $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.
Hardware cost: Quote-based.
Payment processing cost: Quote-based for TouchBistro Payments.
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.
>>MORE: Best POS systems for food trucks
Lightspeed Retail POS: Best for retail businesses
Monthly POS software fee:
- $89 for Lean plan ($69 if billed annually).
- $149 for Standard plan ($119 if billed annually).
- $269 for Advanced plan ($199 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:
- $99 for Chipper 2X BT 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.
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 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.
>>MORE: Best retail POS systems.
Last updated on May 23, 2023
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.
