6 Best POS Systems for Liquor Stores of January 2026
The best liquor store POS systems allow for detailed inventory tracking and management and are equipped for the safe sale of age-restricted items.
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| Product | Best for | NerdWallet rating | Payment processing fees | Monthly fee | Learn more |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Square Retail POS | Free liquor store POS system | In-person: 2.6% + $0.15 Online: 3.3% + $0.30 | $0 For Free plan; $49 Plus plan; $149 Premium plan. | on Square's website | |
 Lightspeed Retail POS | Liquor stores with multiple locations | 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's website | |
 mPower Beverage | Industry-specific features | N/A Varies by processor. | $120 for one register + one-time upfront fee of $1,000. Additional fees for each new register. | ||
 POS Nation | Overall liquor store POS system | 2% + $0.00 to 2.5% | $49 and up. | ||
 IT Retail | Grocery stores that sell liquor | 2.5
/5
| N/A Quote-based. | $49 and up. | |
 Clover POS | Free loyalty program | In-person: 2.5% + $0.10 Online: 3.5% + $0.10 | $0 and up. | on Clover's website |
Square Retail POS
Best for Free liquor store POS system
Payment processing fees
In-person: 2.6% + $0.15
Online: 3.3% + $0.30
Online: 3.3% + $0.30
Monthly fee
$0
For Free plan; $49 Plus plan; $149 Premium plan.
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
- Free plan processing rates are more expensive than competitors.
- Retailers with multiple locations might prefer a more specialized system.
- Doesn’t accept cross-border card payments.
Lightspeed Retail POS
Best for Liquor stores with multiple locations
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.
mPower Beverage
Best for Industry-specific features
Payment processing fees
N/A
Varies by processor.
Monthly fee
$120
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
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
Best for Grocery stores that sell liquor
Payment processing fees
N/A
Quote-based.
Monthly fee
$49
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.
Clover POS
Best for Free loyalty program
Payment processing fees
In-person: 2.5% + $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.
- 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.
Sort by:
Payment processing fees
In-person: 2.6% + $0.15
Online: 3.3% + $0.30
Online: 3.3% + $0.30
Monthly fee
$0
For Free plan; $49 Plus plan; $149 Premium plan.
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
- Free plan processing rates are more expensive than competitors.
- Retailers with multiple locations might prefer a more specialized system.
- Doesn’t accept cross-border card payments.
Square Retail POS
Best for Free liquor store POS system
Best for Free liquor store POS system
Payment processing fees
In-person: 2.6% + $0.15
Online: 3.3% + $0.30
Online: 3.3% + $0.30
Monthly fee
$0
For Free plan; $49 Plus plan; $149 Premium plan.
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
- Free plan processing rates are more expensive than competitors.
- Retailers with multiple locations might prefer a more specialized system.
- Doesn’t accept cross-border card payments.
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.
Lightspeed Retail POS
Best for Liquor stores with multiple locations
Best for Liquor stores with multiple locations
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.
Payment processing fees
N/A
Varies by processor.
Monthly fee
$120
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
Best for Industry-specific features
Payment processing fees
N/A
Varies by processor.
Monthly fee
$120
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.
Payment processing fees
2% + $0.00
to 2.5%
Monthly fee
$49
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
Best for Overall liquor store POS system
Payment processing fees
2% + $0.00
to 2.5%
Monthly fee
$49
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.
Payment processing fees
N/A
Quote-based.
Monthly fee
$49
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
Best for Grocery stores that sell liquor
Payment processing fees
N/A
Quote-based.
Monthly fee
$49
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.
Payment processing fees
In-person: 2.5% + $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.
- 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 Free loyalty program
Best for Free loyalty program
Payment processing fees
In-person: 2.5% + $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.
- 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.
Do liquor stores need specialty POS systems?
For any store, the right POS system will depend on your needs. We believe an effective liquor store POS system should have at least the following features (among other capabilities). Many times, general POS systems will check enough of these boxes to do the job.
- Inventory management features.
- Loyalty program add-ons.
- ID scanning.
Recognizable POS brands 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.
How much are liquor store POS systems?
The cost of a liquor store POS depends on multiple factors. Here's a breakdown of how our top picks compare.
| POS System | Monthly POS Software Fees | Payment Processing Fees | Hardware Costs |
|---|---|---|---|
| POS Nation | For most industries:
For convenience stores:
| Fees are quote-based but range from 2% to 2.5% of your business’s total monthly sales volume. |
|
| mPower Beverage | $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 |
| Fees are undisclosed; you need to sign a processing agreement. | Quote-based. |
| Square Retail |
|
|
|
| Lightspeed Retail | Lightspeed offers three different plans for retail stores:
|
| Pricing for Lightspeed's iPad and desktop hardware kits is quote-based. Individual hardware products are listed in Lightspeed's online store:
|
| Clover |
|
|
|
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:
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.