Compare pricing, payment fees, inventory features, hardware and ecommerce capabilities from the leading retail POS systems — before you sign anything.
Four systems cover most retail scenarios. Scores use our published 8-category methodology; “Best for” reflects editorial judgment based on verified product facts.
Prices checked 2026-08-08. Square pricing reflects the October 2025 plan revamp. Always confirm final pricing with the vendor.
A quick matcher built on the same criteria we use in our reviews. No email required.
Omnichannel depth vs free-plan simplicity. Which fits your store — and your processing costs?
Compare →Ecommerce-first vs inventory-first — the classic split for growing retailers.
Compare →The $49/mo question: every gate Plus unlocks, the rate math, and when the upgrade pays off.
Compare →Free-plan simplicity vs deep retail inventory — and the transaction-volume break-even.
Compare →Leaving Shopify? Square, Lightspeed and Clover compared on price, fees and what you give up.
See alternatives →Leaving reseller-quoted pricing? Shopify POS, Square and Lightspeed — with real Clover exit costs.
See alternatives →The $89/mo-per-location question: exactly which gates Pro unlocks, and when to upgrade.
Compare → Plan vs PlanThe $100/mo question: the 2.4% rate, 24/7 support and the multi-location gates — plus the $100k/mo breakeven.
Compare →Two $0-start, flat-rate systems — the 5¢-per-tap gap, hardware from $54, inventory and the free online store.
Compare →A full commerce platform vs the cheapest card reader: subscription vs $0/mo and the no-per-tap-fee break-even.
Compare → NewFlat rate vs wholesale pricing — the ~$3,400-a-year gap on a $30k/month store, and where a processor stops being a POS.
Compare →Every head-to-head we've published, including plan-vs-plan breakdowns and alternatives guides.
Browse all →Size/color variants, serial tracking, age checks, case-break selling — retail workflows differ by industry. We cover them one vertical at a time.
Loyalty, gift cards, bulk case-break, distributor POs and high-SKU checkout.
Read →One-off item entry, tag-day discounts, consignment and donation-receipt gaps.
Read →Counted/weighted items, contractor accounts, serial numbers, distributor POs.
Read →Clothing, jewelry, boutique, gift, liquor, convenience and more — see all verticals.
All industries →POs, receiving, transfers, cycle counts and barcode workflows.
Best for inventory →Cross-store stock, transfers and consolidated reporting.
Best multi-location →One inventory for online + in-store, BOPIS and returns anywhere.
Best omnichannel →What a $0 plan really gives a store — and what it quietly costs you.
Best free POS →Every system is scored on pricing, processing, inventory, omnichannel, hardware, ease of use, reporting and support — with published weights.
Vendor-confirmed facts carry a “last checked” date. Where official data is unavailable, we say so and cite independent sources.
We may earn commissions, but editorial scores are set before affiliate terms are considered. Different systems win different categories.
Six cost components and three computed year-one budgets — stall, single store, three locations.
See the budgets →Interchange, assessments and markups: why 2.6% on paper is 3.10% in practice.
Read the guide →A step-by-step framework: workflows first, demos second, pricing last.
Read the guide →Plans, the POS Pro add-on, processing fees and the true first-year cost.
See the numbers →
Retail POS