We looked at more than 25 point-of-sale (POS) systems and evaluated their portability. The best options have mobile POS hardware, transparent pricing and built-in payment processing. Most offer free POS software too.
Hillary Crawford writes about small-business software at NerdWallet and is certified in QuickBooks Online and web design. Her previous roles include news writer and associate West Coast editor at Bustle Digital Group, where she helped shape news and tech coverage. She's appeared on Cheddar News and also worked as a policy contributor for GenFKD. Hillary earned a bachelor's degree with high honors in political science from the University of Michigan.
Email: <a href="mailto:hcrawford@nerdwallet.com">hcrawford@nerdwallet.com</a>.
Lisa Anthony is a former NerdWallet writer covering small-business. Before Nerdwallet, she had more than 20 years of experience in banking and finance.
Kurt Woock started writing for NerdWallet in 2021 and has covered mortgages, cryptocurrency, electric vehicles and small business software.
Prior to joining NerdWallet, Kurt worked for the Colorado Public Employees' Retirement Association and as a legislative editor for the Colorado General Assembly.
Kurt has a B.A. from Valparaiso University and an M.A. in journalism from the University of Missouri-Columbia. He lives in Chicago.
Hillary Crawford writes about small-business software at NerdWallet and is certified in QuickBooks Online and web design. Her previous roles include news writer and associate West Coast editor at Bustle Digital Group, where she helped shape news and tech coverage. She's appeared on Cheddar News and also worked as a policy contributor for GenFKD. Hillary earned a bachelor's degree with high honors in political science from the University of Michigan.
Email: <a href="mailto:hcrawford@nerdwallet.com">hcrawford@nerdwallet.com</a>.
Lisa Anthony is a former NerdWallet writer covering small-business. Before Nerdwallet, she had more than 20 years of experience in banking and finance.
Kurt Woock started writing for NerdWallet in 2021 and has covered mortgages, cryptocurrency, electric vehicles and small business software.
Prior to joining NerdWallet, Kurt worked for the Colorado Public Employees' Retirement Association and as a legislative editor for the Colorado General Assembly.
Kurt has a B.A. from Valparaiso University and an M.A. in journalism from the University of Missouri-Columbia. He lives in Chicago.
Ryan Lane is an editor on the small-business team and a NerdWallet authority on student loans. He spent more than a decade as a writer and editor for student loan guarantor American Student Assistance and was a managing editor for publisher Cell Press. Ryan’s work has been featured by The Associated Press, USA Today and MarketWatch, and he previously co-authored the U.S. News & World Report Student Loan Ranger blog. Email: <a href="mailto:rlane@nerdwallet.com”">rlane@nerdwallet.com</a>.
Ryan Lane is an editor on the small-business team and a NerdWallet authority on student loans. He spent more than a decade as a writer and editor for student loan guarantor American Student Assistance and was a managing editor for publisher Cell Press. Ryan’s work has been featured by The Associated Press, USA Today and MarketWatch, and he previously co-authored the U.S. News & World Report Student Loan Ranger blog. Email: <a href="mailto:rlane@nerdwallet.com”">rlane@nerdwallet.com</a>.
NerdWallet's content is
fact-checked for accuracy, timeliness, and relevance by humans.
It undergoes a thorough review process involving writers and editors to ensure
the information is as clear and complete as possible. Learn more by checking
our
Editorial Guidelines.
Content was accurate at the time of publication.
Why trust NerdWallet
250+ small-business products reviewed and rated by our team of experts.
80+ years of combined experience covering small business and personal finance.
75+ categories of best business software selections.
NerdWallet's small-business software content, including ratings, recommendations and reviews, is overseen by a team of writers and editors who specialize in business software, including payment processing, accounting and payroll. Their work has appeared in The Associated Press, The Washington Post, Nasdaq, Entrepreneur, ABC News, Yahoo Finance and other national and local media outlets. Each writer and editor follows NerdWallet's strict guidelines for editorial integrity to ensure accuracy and fairness in our coverage.
Advertiser disclosure
You're our first priority.
Every time.
We believe everyone should be able to make financial decisions with
confidence. While we don’t cover every company or financial product on
the market, we work hard to share a wide range of offers and objective
editorial perspectives.
So how do we make money? Our partners compensate us for advertisements
that appear on our site. This compensation helps us provide tools and
services - like free credit score access and monitoring. With the
exception of mortgage, home equity and other home-lending products or
services, partner compensation is one of several factors that may affect
which products we highlight and where they appear on our site. Other
factors include your credit profile, product availability and
proprietary website methodologies.
However, these factors do not influence our editors’ opinions or ratings, which are based on independent research and analysis. Our partners cannot
pay us to guarantee favorable reviews.
Here is a list of our partners.
Hillary Crawford writes about small-business software at NerdWallet and is certified in QuickBooks Online and web design. Her previous roles include news writer and associate West Coast editor at Bustle Digital Group, where she helped shape news and tech coverage. She's appeared on Cheddar News and also worked as a policy contributor for GenFKD. Hillary earned a bachelor's degree with high honors in political science from the University of Michigan.
Email: <a href="mailto:hcrawford@nerdwallet.com">hcrawford@nerdwallet.com</a>.
Lisa Anthony is a former NerdWallet writer covering small-business. Before Nerdwallet, she had more than 20 years of experience in banking and finance.
Kurt Woock started writing for NerdWallet in 2021 and has covered mortgages, cryptocurrency, electric vehicles and small business software.
Prior to joining NerdWallet, Kurt worked for the Colorado Public Employees' Retirement Association and as a legislative editor for the Colorado General Assembly.
Kurt has a B.A. from Valparaiso University and an M.A. in journalism from the University of Missouri-Columbia. He lives in Chicago.
Hillary Crawford writes about small-business software at NerdWallet and is certified in QuickBooks Online and web design. Her previous roles include news writer and associate West Coast editor at Bustle Digital Group, where she helped shape news and tech coverage. She's appeared on Cheddar News and also worked as a policy contributor for GenFKD. Hillary earned a bachelor's degree with high honors in political science from the University of Michigan.
Email: <a href="mailto:hcrawford@nerdwallet.com">hcrawford@nerdwallet.com</a>.
Lisa Anthony is a former NerdWallet writer covering small-business. Before Nerdwallet, she had more than 20 years of experience in banking and finance.
Kurt Woock started writing for NerdWallet in 2021 and has covered mortgages, cryptocurrency, electric vehicles and small business software.
Prior to joining NerdWallet, Kurt worked for the Colorado Public Employees' Retirement Association and as a legislative editor for the Colorado General Assembly.
Kurt has a B.A. from Valparaiso University and an M.A. in journalism from the University of Missouri-Columbia. He lives in Chicago.
Ryan Lane is an editor on the small-business team and a NerdWallet authority on student loans. He spent more than a decade as a writer and editor for student loan guarantor American Student Assistance and was a managing editor for publisher Cell Press. Ryan’s work has been featured by The Associated Press, USA Today and MarketWatch, and he previously co-authored the U.S. News & World Report Student Loan Ranger blog. Email: <a href="mailto:rlane@nerdwallet.com”">rlane@nerdwallet.com</a>.
Ryan Lane is an editor on the small-business team and a NerdWallet authority on student loans. He spent more than a decade as a writer and editor for student loan guarantor American Student Assistance and was a managing editor for publisher Cell Press. Ryan’s work has been featured by The Associated Press, USA Today and MarketWatch, and he previously co-authored the U.S. News & World Report Student Loan Ranger blog. Email: <a href="mailto:rlane@nerdwallet.com”">rlane@nerdwallet.com</a>.
NerdWallet's content is
fact-checked for accuracy, timeliness, and relevance by humans.
It undergoes a thorough review process involving writers and editors to ensure
the information is as clear and complete as possible. Learn more by checking
our
Editorial Guidelines.
Content was accurate at the time of publication.
Why trust NerdWallet
250+ small-business products reviewed and rated by our team of experts.
80+ years of combined experience covering small business and personal finance.
75+ categories of best business software selections.
NerdWallet's small-business software content, including ratings, recommendations and reviews, is overseen by a team of writers and editors who specialize in business software, including payment processing, accounting and payroll. Their work has appeared in The Associated Press, The Washington Post, Nasdaq, Entrepreneur, ABC News, Yahoo Finance and other national and local media outlets. Each writer and editor follows NerdWallet's strict guidelines for editorial integrity to ensure accuracy and fairness in our coverage.
Advertiser disclosure
You're our first priority.
Every time.
We believe everyone should be able to make financial decisions with
confidence. While we don’t cover every company or financial product on
the market, we work hard to share a wide range of offers and objective
editorial perspectives.
So how do we make money? Our partners compensate us for advertisements
that appear on our site. This compensation helps us provide tools and
services - like free credit score access and monitoring. With the
exception of mortgage, home equity and other home-lending products or
services, partner compensation is one of several factors that may affect
which products we highlight and where they appear on our site. Other
factors include your credit profile, product availability and
proprietary website methodologies.
However, these factors do not influence our editors’ opinions or ratings, which are based on independent research and analysis. Our partners cannot
pay us to guarantee favorable reviews.
Here is a list of our partners.
Many or all of the products on this page are from partners who compensate us
when you click to or take an action on their website, but this does not
influence our evaluations or ratings. Our opinions are our own.
Processing rates are more expensive than competitors.
Square takes the cake because it has a low barrier to entry and supports a variety of industries. It has a free POS software app and gives new merchants a free mobile card reader to take swipe payments. This makes it possible to start accepting payments from anywhere almost instantly. If you’d like to upgrade your hardware, Square also sells a handheld terminal and chip/tap card reader.
Square isn’t built for just one type of business either. It can work for retailers, cafes, breweries, quick-service restaurants, freelance and service-based businesses.
Businesses save when customers use cards with low interchange rates.
Automatically applies volume discounts.
Free POS software.
No termination fees or long-term contracts.
Cons
Interchange-plus costs can be difficult to predict.
Receives more negative app reviews than competitors.
Unlike most of its competitors, Helcim uses interchange-plus pricing to determine your payment processing fees. That means you pay less when a customer uses a card with low interchange fees. Debit cards, for example, often have much lower rates than credit cards. This makes Helcim a great choice for high-volume businesses that deal with a variety of card types.
Helcim also automatically applies volume discounts when you process more than $50,000 per month.
Its mobile POS options include a handheld terminal and a card reader with a touchscreen. If you’re looking to supplement mobile options with a countertop setup, though, Helcim isn’t the best pick. It doesn’t sell full POS register systems.
POS Pro upgrade for brick-and-mortar locations adds $89 per month.
Business and American Express cards carry higher online rates (3.5% plus 30 cents in the Basic plan).
Phone support only available for Plus plan subscribers.
Shopify is a solid pick for retailers that mainly sell online but also do in-person sales. You can use it to build out a professional looking e-commerce website — no experience required. There are hundreds of pre-built templates to choose from. You’ll also find shipping discounts (up to 87% off) in all plans.
Mobile POS options include a small mobile reader and a handheld terminal that you can pair with a smartphone or tablet.
If you have a brick-and-mortar location, expect to pay an extra $89 per month for the POS Pro add-on. This gives you access to in-store inventory management and unlimited staff roles. If you’re just selling at pop-ups and markets, however, you can likely do without it.
Hardware is expensive (mobile card reader costs $199).
Can’t use Tap to Pay on Android devices.
Promotions require a three-year contract.
May be subject to early termination fees if you use Clover as your payment processor.
Most of the mobile POS systems on this list require you to use their in-house payment processing services. They don’t work with outside processors. That isn’t the case for Clover. You can buy its hardware from a variety of third-party processors.
This is useful for businesses that want to opt for a local payment processor or negotiate rates with a bank. Just make sure to buy the hardware straight from that processor so that it’s programmed correctly. You can’t switch processors once you purchase the hardware.
In terms of Clover’s mobile POS hardware, we like the Flex handheld terminal more than the Clover Go mobile reader. At $199, the mobile reader is just too expensive for what it does. The Flex is far pricier at $749. However, it’s a more valuable tool for taking orders tableside or completing sales anywhere in the store.
Free POS plan (but you’ll pay significantly higher processing fees).
Built specifically for restaurants.
24/7 phone and web messaging support.
Cons
No mobile card readers.
Requires a two-year contract and charges early termination fees.
Charges setup fee, and offline mode includes hidden cost of backup router.
Online ordering and accounting integrations cost extra.
Toast is more expensive than most of the alternatives mentioned here. But unlike those options, it’s built specifically for businesses in the restaurant industry. It has in-house delivery options, as well as an in-house reservation system. There’s also an add-on called xtraCHEF that lets you drill into recipe costs and minimize food waste. This can be worth it for full-service restaurants — especially ones with multiple locations.
Toast doesn’t have a mobile card reader, but it does sell handheld terminals. You can use them to take orders tableside or ring up tabs at the bar.
Limited accounting integrations; no payroll integrations.
Receives more negative app reviews than competitors.
Deposits may take up to three days.
PayPal POS is a great low-cost way to take payments on the go. New merchants can get a card reader for just $29, and in-person processing rates are low at 2.29% plus 9 cents per transaction. PayPal POS doesn’t have many industry-specific features, so we recommend it for simple businesses. Think freelancers, side hustles and pop-ups.
It also stands out for its variety of payment options. You can let customers pay with cards, PayPal or Venmo. Just know that PayPal and Venmo transactions can quickly add up at 3.49% plus 49 cents per transaction.
Processing rates are more expensive than competitors.
Square takes the cake because it has a low barrier to entry and supports a variety of industries. It has a free POS software app and gives new merchants a free mobile card reader to take swipe payments. This makes it possible to start accepting payments from anywhere almost instantly. If you’d like to upgrade your hardware, Square also sells a handheld terminal and chip/tap card reader.
Square isn’t built for just one type of business either. It can work for retailers, cafes, breweries, quick-service restaurants, freelance and service-based businesses.
Processing rates are more expensive than competitors.
Square takes the cake because it has a low barrier to entry and supports a variety of industries. It has a free POS software app and gives new merchants a free mobile card reader to take swipe payments. This makes it possible to start accepting payments from anywhere almost instantly. If you’d like to upgrade your hardware, Square also sells a handheld terminal and chip/tap card reader.
Square isn’t built for just one type of business either. It can work for retailers, cafes, breweries, quick-service restaurants, freelance and service-based businesses.
Processing rates are more expensive than competitors.
Square takes the cake because it has a low barrier to entry and supports a variety of industries. It has a free POS software app and gives new merchants a free mobile card reader to take swipe payments. This makes it possible to start accepting payments from anywhere almost instantly. If you’d like to upgrade your hardware, Square also sells a handheld terminal and chip/tap card reader.
Square isn’t built for just one type of business either. It can work for retailers, cafes, breweries, quick-service restaurants, freelance and service-based businesses.
Businesses save when customers use cards with low interchange rates.
Automatically applies volume discounts.
Free POS software.
No termination fees or long-term contracts.
Cons
Interchange-plus costs can be difficult to predict.
Receives more negative app reviews than competitors.
Unlike most of its competitors, Helcim uses interchange-plus pricing to determine your payment processing fees. That means you pay less when a customer uses a card with low interchange fees. Debit cards, for example, often have much lower rates than credit cards. This makes Helcim a great choice for high-volume businesses that deal with a variety of card types.
Helcim also automatically applies volume discounts when you process more than $50,000 per month.
Its mobile POS options include a handheld terminal and a card reader with a touchscreen. If you’re looking to supplement mobile options with a countertop setup, though, Helcim isn’t the best pick. It doesn’t sell full POS register systems.
Pros
Sells mobile card reader and handheld terminal.
Enables Tap to Pay on iPhone and Android.
Businesses save when customers use cards with low interchange rates.
Automatically applies volume discounts.
Free POS software.
No termination fees or long-term contracts.
Cons
Interchange-plus costs can be difficult to predict.
Receives more negative app reviews than competitors.
Unlike most of its competitors, Helcim uses interchange-plus pricing to determine your payment processing fees. That means you pay less when a customer uses a card with low interchange fees. Debit cards, for example, often have much lower rates than credit cards. This makes Helcim a great choice for high-volume businesses that deal with a variety of card types.
Helcim also automatically applies volume discounts when you process more than $50,000 per month.
Its mobile POS options include a handheld terminal and a card reader with a touchscreen. If you’re looking to supplement mobile options with a countertop setup, though, Helcim isn’t the best pick. It doesn’t sell full POS register systems.
Pros
Sells mobile card reader and handheld terminal.
Enables Tap to Pay on iPhone and Android.
Businesses save when customers use cards with low interchange rates.
Automatically applies volume discounts.
Free POS software.
No termination fees or long-term contracts.
Cons
Interchange-plus costs can be difficult to predict.
Receives more negative app reviews than competitors.
Unlike most of its competitors, Helcim uses interchange-plus pricing to determine your payment processing fees. That means you pay less when a customer uses a card with low interchange fees. Debit cards, for example, often have much lower rates than credit cards. This makes Helcim a great choice for high-volume businesses that deal with a variety of card types.
Helcim also automatically applies volume discounts when you process more than $50,000 per month.
Its mobile POS options include a handheld terminal and a card reader with a touchscreen. If you’re looking to supplement mobile options with a countertop setup, though, Helcim isn’t the best pick. It doesn’t sell full POS register systems.
POS Pro upgrade for brick-and-mortar locations adds $89 per month.
Business and American Express cards carry higher online rates (3.5% plus 30 cents in the Basic plan).
Phone support only available for Plus plan subscribers.
Shopify is a solid pick for retailers that mainly sell online but also do in-person sales. You can use it to build out a professional looking e-commerce website — no experience required. There are hundreds of pre-built templates to choose from. You’ll also find shipping discounts (up to 87% off) in all plans.
Mobile POS options include a small mobile reader and a handheld terminal that you can pair with a smartphone or tablet.
If you have a brick-and-mortar location, expect to pay an extra $89 per month for the POS Pro add-on. This gives you access to in-store inventory management and unlimited staff roles. If you’re just selling at pop-ups and markets, however, you can likely do without it.
POS Pro upgrade for brick-and-mortar locations adds $89 per month.
Business and American Express cards carry higher online rates (3.5% plus 30 cents in the Basic plan).
Phone support only available for Plus plan subscribers.
Shopify is a solid pick for retailers that mainly sell online but also do in-person sales. You can use it to build out a professional looking e-commerce website — no experience required. There are hundreds of pre-built templates to choose from. You’ll also find shipping discounts (up to 87% off) in all plans.
Mobile POS options include a small mobile reader and a handheld terminal that you can pair with a smartphone or tablet.
If you have a brick-and-mortar location, expect to pay an extra $89 per month for the POS Pro add-on. This gives you access to in-store inventory management and unlimited staff roles. If you’re just selling at pop-ups and markets, however, you can likely do without it.
POS Pro upgrade for brick-and-mortar locations adds $89 per month.
Business and American Express cards carry higher online rates (3.5% plus 30 cents in the Basic plan).
Phone support only available for Plus plan subscribers.
Shopify is a solid pick for retailers that mainly sell online but also do in-person sales. You can use it to build out a professional looking e-commerce website — no experience required. There are hundreds of pre-built templates to choose from. You’ll also find shipping discounts (up to 87% off) in all plans.
Mobile POS options include a small mobile reader and a handheld terminal that you can pair with a smartphone or tablet.
If you have a brick-and-mortar location, expect to pay an extra $89 per month for the POS Pro add-on. This gives you access to in-store inventory management and unlimited staff roles. If you’re just selling at pop-ups and markets, however, you can likely do without it.
Hardware is expensive (mobile card reader costs $199).
Can’t use Tap to Pay on Android devices.
Promotions require a three-year contract.
May be subject to early termination fees if you use Clover as your payment processor.
Most of the mobile POS systems on this list require you to use their in-house payment processing services. They don’t work with outside processors. That isn’t the case for Clover. You can buy its hardware from a variety of third-party processors.
This is useful for businesses that want to opt for a local payment processor or negotiate rates with a bank. Just make sure to buy the hardware straight from that processor so that it’s programmed correctly. You can’t switch processors once you purchase the hardware.
In terms of Clover’s mobile POS hardware, we like the Flex handheld terminal more than the Clover Go mobile reader. At $199, the mobile reader is just too expensive for what it does. The Flex is far pricier at $749. However, it’s a more valuable tool for taking orders tableside or completing sales anywhere in the store.
Hardware is expensive (mobile card reader costs $199).
Can’t use Tap to Pay on Android devices.
Promotions require a three-year contract.
May be subject to early termination fees if you use Clover as your payment processor.
Most of the mobile POS systems on this list require you to use their in-house payment processing services. They don’t work with outside processors. That isn’t the case for Clover. You can buy its hardware from a variety of third-party processors.
This is useful for businesses that want to opt for a local payment processor or negotiate rates with a bank. Just make sure to buy the hardware straight from that processor so that it’s programmed correctly. You can’t switch processors once you purchase the hardware.
In terms of Clover’s mobile POS hardware, we like the Flex handheld terminal more than the Clover Go mobile reader. At $199, the mobile reader is just too expensive for what it does. The Flex is far pricier at $749. However, it’s a more valuable tool for taking orders tableside or completing sales anywhere in the store.
Hardware is expensive (mobile card reader costs $199).
Can’t use Tap to Pay on Android devices.
Promotions require a three-year contract.
May be subject to early termination fees if you use Clover as your payment processor.
Most of the mobile POS systems on this list require you to use their in-house payment processing services. They don’t work with outside processors. That isn’t the case for Clover. You can buy its hardware from a variety of third-party processors.
This is useful for businesses that want to opt for a local payment processor or negotiate rates with a bank. Just make sure to buy the hardware straight from that processor so that it’s programmed correctly. You can’t switch processors once you purchase the hardware.
In terms of Clover’s mobile POS hardware, we like the Flex handheld terminal more than the Clover Go mobile reader. At $199, the mobile reader is just too expensive for what it does. The Flex is far pricier at $749. However, it’s a more valuable tool for taking orders tableside or completing sales anywhere in the store.
Free POS plan (but you’ll pay significantly higher processing fees).
Built specifically for restaurants.
24/7 phone and web messaging support.
Cons
No mobile card readers.
Requires a two-year contract and charges early termination fees.
Charges setup fee, and offline mode includes hidden cost of backup router.
Online ordering and accounting integrations cost extra.
Toast is more expensive than most of the alternatives mentioned here. But unlike those options, it’s built specifically for businesses in the restaurant industry. It has in-house delivery options, as well as an in-house reservation system. There’s also an add-on called xtraCHEF that lets you drill into recipe costs and minimize food waste. This can be worth it for full-service restaurants — especially ones with multiple locations.
Toast doesn’t have a mobile card reader, but it does sell handheld terminals. You can use them to take orders tableside or ring up tabs at the bar.
Free POS plan (but you’ll pay significantly higher processing fees).
Built specifically for restaurants.
24/7 phone and web messaging support.
Cons
No mobile card readers.
Requires a two-year contract and charges early termination fees.
Charges setup fee, and offline mode includes hidden cost of backup router.
Online ordering and accounting integrations cost extra.
Toast is more expensive than most of the alternatives mentioned here. But unlike those options, it’s built specifically for businesses in the restaurant industry. It has in-house delivery options, as well as an in-house reservation system. There’s also an add-on called xtraCHEF that lets you drill into recipe costs and minimize food waste. This can be worth it for full-service restaurants — especially ones with multiple locations.
Toast doesn’t have a mobile card reader, but it does sell handheld terminals. You can use them to take orders tableside or ring up tabs at the bar.
Free POS plan (but you’ll pay significantly higher processing fees).
Built specifically for restaurants.
24/7 phone and web messaging support.
Cons
No mobile card readers.
Requires a two-year contract and charges early termination fees.
Charges setup fee, and offline mode includes hidden cost of backup router.
Online ordering and accounting integrations cost extra.
Toast is more expensive than most of the alternatives mentioned here. But unlike those options, it’s built specifically for businesses in the restaurant industry. It has in-house delivery options, as well as an in-house reservation system. There’s also an add-on called xtraCHEF that lets you drill into recipe costs and minimize food waste. This can be worth it for full-service restaurants — especially ones with multiple locations.
Toast doesn’t have a mobile card reader, but it does sell handheld terminals. You can use them to take orders tableside or ring up tabs at the bar.
Limited accounting integrations; no payroll integrations.
Receives more negative app reviews than competitors.
Deposits may take up to three days.
PayPal POS is a great low-cost way to take payments on the go. New merchants can get a card reader for just $29, and in-person processing rates are low at 2.29% plus 9 cents per transaction. PayPal POS doesn’t have many industry-specific features, so we recommend it for simple businesses. Think freelancers, side hustles and pop-ups.
It also stands out for its variety of payment options. You can let customers pay with cards, PayPal or Venmo. Just know that PayPal and Venmo transactions can quickly add up at 3.49% plus 49 cents per transaction.
Limited accounting integrations; no payroll integrations.
Receives more negative app reviews than competitors.
Deposits may take up to three days.
PayPal POS is a great low-cost way to take payments on the go. New merchants can get a card reader for just $29, and in-person processing rates are low at 2.29% plus 9 cents per transaction. PayPal POS doesn’t have many industry-specific features, so we recommend it for simple businesses. Think freelancers, side hustles and pop-ups.
It also stands out for its variety of payment options. You can let customers pay with cards, PayPal or Venmo. Just know that PayPal and Venmo transactions can quickly add up at 3.49% plus 49 cents per transaction.
Limited accounting integrations; no payroll integrations.
Receives more negative app reviews than competitors.
Deposits may take up to three days.
PayPal POS is a great low-cost way to take payments on the go. New merchants can get a card reader for just $29, and in-person processing rates are low at 2.29% plus 9 cents per transaction. PayPal POS doesn’t have many industry-specific features, so we recommend it for simple businesses. Think freelancers, side hustles and pop-ups.
It also stands out for its variety of payment options. You can let customers pay with cards, PayPal or Venmo. Just know that PayPal and Venmo transactions can quickly add up at 3.49% plus 49 cents per transaction.
Our writers and editors have evaluated more than 25 POS system providers. Most of them sell portable POS hardware and have mobile apps, so we started with those.
We narrowed down our list to products that meet most of the following criteria:
Sell handheld terminals or mobile card readers. These are your main mobile POS hardware options. You can often use handheld terminals by themselves. But you typically need to pair mobile readers with a smartphone or tablet via Bluetooth.
Enable Tap to Pay on mobile devices. This is the most convenient way to accept payments on the go. All you need is your smartphone — no hardware required. Customers simply tap their card to your phone’s screen.
Offer free POS software. Businesses that are entirely mobile usually need fewer POS features than brick-and-mortar operations. This is where free POS software plans come in. They often focus on just the basics: reporting, payment processing and invoicing.
Have mobile apps that earn at least four stars. User reviews aren’t everything, but they can help you gauge a product’s user friendliness. Helcim’s and PayPal’s mobile apps are outliers on our list. They earn closer to three stars as opposed to four. Helcim users complain of account closures, and PayPal users say the app repeatedly asks them to log in. Still, we think their low costs offer value to some small businesses.
We also tried to choose products that cover a wide span of industries and scenarios. You’ll find options for taking food orders tableside, selling items on the go and completing sales on the floor to shorten lines.
We didn't consider mobile payment apps that aren't full POS systems. Options like Venmo and Zelle do let you accept payments digitally on-the-go. But they don't sell POS hardware or have as many software capabilities as the options listed here.
How much do mobile POS systems cost?
The full cost of a mobile POS system includes the price of the hardware, plus monthly software and payment processing fees. Here’s a breakdown of how much each costs, along with whether you can finance the hardware.
Hardware pricing
Mobile card reader
Handheld terminal
Hardware financing
Square
$0 for swipe reader.
$59 for tap and chip Bluetooth reader.
$299 for handheld terminal.
$399 for slim pocketable terminal.
✔️
Helcim
$199 for touchscreen tap and chip reader.
$349 for slim pocketable terminal.
✔️
Shopify
$49 for tap and chip Bluetooth reader.
$349 for handheld POS terminal.
✔️
Clover
$199 for tap and chip Bluetooth reader.
$349 for small countertop terminal.
$699-749 for slim handheld terminal.
✔️
Toast
X
$1,032.20 for slim handheld terminal.
✔️
PayPal
$29 for tap and chip Bluetooth reader.
$199 for handheld terminal.
X
Monthly software costs
Square
$0 for Square Free plan.
$49 for Square Plus plan.
$149 for Square Premium plans.
Helcim
$0
Shopify
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).
$2,300 per month and up for Shopify Plus.
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.
Clover
$0 for Clover Go Starter, Retail Basic and Personal Services Basic plans.
$29.95 for Clover Go Essentials, Professional Services Basic, Home and Field Services Starter and Standard plans.
$84.95 for Retail Standard and Professional, Personal Services Standard and Advanced, and Home & Field Services Advanced plans.
$89.95 for Full-Service Dining Starter and Quick-Service Dining Starter and Standard plans.
$104.90 for Retail Advanced plan.
$109.90 for Full-Service Dining Standard and Quick-Service Dining Advanced plans.
$129.85 for Full-Service Dining Advanced plan.
Toast
$0 for Starter Kit plan.
$69 Point of Sale plan.
Custom plans available.
PayPal
$0
Payment processing fees
Square
2.6% plus 15 cents for in-person transactions with Free plan.
3.3% plus 30 cents for online transactions with Free plan.
2.5% plus 15 cents for in-person transactions with Plus plan.
2.4% plus 15 cents for in-person transaction with Premium plan.
2.9% plus 30 cents for online transactions with Plus and Premium plans.
3.5% plus 15 cents for manually keyed transactions.
Helcim
Interchange plus 0.4% and 8 cents per in-person transaction (if $50,000 or less in monthly card transactions).
An additional 10 cents per Tap to Pay transaction.
Interchange plus 0.5% and 25 cents per online or manually keyed transaction (if $50,000 or less in monthly card transactions).
0.5% plus 25 cents for ACH payments (capped at $6 for transactions less than $25,000).
Shopify
For online payments made with standard cards: 2.5%, 2.7% or 2.9% plus 30 cents in Advanced, Shopify or Basic plan, respectively.
For online payments made with business or American Express cards: 3.1%, 3.3% or 3.5% plus 30 cents in Advanced, Shopify or Basic plan, respectively.
For in-person payments: 2.4%, 2.5% or 2.6% plus 10 cents for in-person payments in Advanced, Shopify or Basic plan, respectively.
Clover
2.3% plus 10 cents for in-person transactions on Full-Service and Quick-Service Restaurant plans.
2.5% plus 10 cents for in-person transactions on all Retail plans, Professional Services Standard and Advanced plans, all Personal Services plans and the Home and Field Services Advanced plan.
2.6% plus 10 cents for in-person transactions on the Home and Field Services Standard plan.
3.5% plus 10 cents for online or keyed-in transactions.
Toast
3.09-3.69% plus 15 cents per transaction, if you choose a pay-as-you-go plan.
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.
PayPal
2.29% plus 9 cents for in-person and QR code transactions.
3.49% plus 9 cents for manual-entry card transactions.
2.99% plus 49 cents for invoicing (payment made with card).
3.49% plus 49 cents for invoicing (payment made with PayPal).
The table below isn’t an exhaustive list of all the industries each of our picks supports. Instead, we prioritized the industries we think are the best fits.
Clover, for example, technically supports personal and professional service businesses. But its POS plans for them are expensive compared to the competition.
Square
Food and beverage.
Retail.
Services.
Freelance.
Helcim
Retail.
Services.
Shopify
Online retail with the occasional in-person sale.
Clover
Food and beverage.
Retail.
Toast
Food and beverage.
PayPal
Retail.
Services.
Freelance.
Can mobile POS systems accept payments offline?
Offline modes vary by provider and even their specific hardware models. If your area doesn’t have reliable service, the following options don’t need internet or a cellular connection to operate:
Square Reader for contactless and chip (first generation, v3 and up).
Clover Flex.
Shopify card readers.
Toast Go handheld terminal.
PayPal Reader.
Keep in mind that they can’t run offline indefinitely, though. They eventually need a network connection to process the backed-up transactions.
The cut-off times vary from one product to the next. The PayPal Reader, for instance, needs a connection within 24 hours. Pending payments on a Square Reader will expire in 72 hours. But the company recommends uploading them within 24 hours to be safe.
Also, be aware that offline payments can be risky. If a customer uses a fraudulent credit card, the payment won’t go through once you’re back online.
That’s partially why certain mobile POS systems don’t have an offline mode. Instead, they always require Wi-Fi or a cellular data connection. Here are some examples:
Clover Go card reader.
Helcim Card Reader.
Helcim Smart Terminal.
How to choose the best mobile POS system
If your business already uses a POS system or payment processor, explore that company’s mobile POS options. Owning hardware from two separate companies can unnecessarily complicate things.
If you want to start accepting mobile payments and don't already use a POS system, follow these steps:
1. Consider your industry. This is the quickest way to narrow down your options. If you're a freelancer, for example, you can rule out Toast. See the table above to find out which products support your business type.
2. Figure out which type of hardware you need. Do you want a small mobile card reader or a larger handheld terminal? Do you prefer your card reader to have its own screen or keypad? Helcim's card reader, for instance, has a touchscreen. Others typically don't. Instead, you use your phone to operate them. Explore our best credit card readers roundup to compare readers’ battery life, key features and accessories.
3. Compare upfront and ongoing costs. Aside from the initial cost of hardware, you'll want to look at monthly POS subscriptions and processing rates. Most options have free POS plans. But there's no way around payment processing fees. You can use our credit card fees calculator to compare those costs.
4. Confirm accounting software integrations. Sales from your mobile POS system should sync directly to your accounting software. This minimizes manual data entry. And more importantly, it helps ensure you're accurately tracking your business's finances.
Last updated on May 29, 2026
Methodology
NerdWallet independently reviews point-of-sale (POS) system providers before determining our top picks. We collect the data for our software ratings from products’ public-facing websites and from company representatives. Our editorial team reviews information on a regular basis for consistency and accuracy.
We also periodically update our scoring system to reflect changing industry norms and business needs. For instance, in 2026, we added a payroll integration category to our POS systems rubric. It’s important that POS systems can sync up with payroll software to minimize manual data entry and keep track of employee hours.
NerdWallet’s POS system 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 POS system 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.
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