Best Point of Sale (POS) Software

Looking for the best Point of Sale (POS) software for your business? Although it may seem easy, one wrong choice can affect your business negatively. This is where you can rely on GoodFirms' researched list of the best POS software solutions available in the market. With easy-to-use filters, you can also compare the prices, features, and deployment types of the top point-of-sale systems. Also, read verified user reviews of the top POS systems and make an informed buying decision. Check the list below:

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List of Open Source & Free Point of Sale (POS) System & Software

  • KORONA POS

    Best Point of Sale (POS) Software
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    KORONA POS all-in-one point of sale software offers powerful retail, eCommerce, ticketing, and QSR solutions along with extensive hardware integrations. KORONA POS is a scalable cloud-based system. There are no contracts, credit card processing agreements, or fees, only a flat, monthly subscription payment. All set-up, training, and 24/7 support are included in your subscription. KORONA point of s ... read more about KORONA POS

    Entry Level Price
    $49 Per Month
    Free Trial
    More than 30 days
    Category Focus
    50% in POS Software
  • NexoPOS

    A POS Software system for small and medium businesses.
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    NexoPOS is a POS software designed to help small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) run their operations, from managing their customers, tracking their inventory, and generating detailed reports on sales among others. NexoPOS is a point of sale software system easy to install, build for businesses, which helps you to manage your store and your stock in a few clicks. ... read more about NexoPOS

    Entry Level Price
    $25.00 Per Month
    Free Trial
    N/A
    Category Focus
    100% in POS Software
  • MYR POS

    #1 POS System for restaurants
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    MYR POS is a POS solution for quick-service restaurants looking to take orders faster and manage their entire business from one dashboard. Streamline online and mobile ordering with a branded mobile app and a direct integration with delivery platforms like Uber Eats - Making it easy to manage online and physical orders from one tablet and boost their revenue during slow periods. ... read more about MYR POS

    Entry Level Price
    $79 Per Month
    Free Trial
    14 Days
    Category Focus
    33% in POS Software
  • Shopify POS

    Point of Sale System with Retail POS Software for Quick Sales
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    Shopify POS system is an iPad and iPhone-based point of sale service from Shopify. The application allows you to manage your entire online and physical store business using a unified platform. Shopify POS software is part of the Shopify eCommerce suite, enabling you to take your business and manage it from everywhere. ... read more about Shopify POS

    Entry Level Price
    $29.00 Per Month
    Free Trial
    14 Days
    Category Focus
    50% in POS Software
  • QuickBooks POS

    POS Software for Small Businesses
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    QuickBooks Point of Sale is a desktop point-of-sale (POS) system that helps businesses streamline their sales and inventory management processes. It is a comprehensive solution that includes features for accepting payments, managing inventory, tracking customer data, and generating reports. QuickBooks Point of Sale is easy to use and can be customized to fit the needs of any business. ... read more about QuickBooks POS

    Entry Level Price
    Contact vendor
    Free Trial
    30 Days
    Category Focus
    100% in POS Software
  • Square

    Point of Sale Software Easy to Use.
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    Square is a point-of-sale application designed to provide businesses with a reliable and fast POS software system. It enables you to take payments using your iOS or Android devices and can be implemented on the counter or on-the-go. The POS system comes with a free downloadable point of sale software plus a Square magstripe reader, allowing payments via debit and credit cards. It also comes with ... read more about Square

    Entry Level Price
    Free version
    Free Trial
    Available
    Category Focus
    40% in POS Software
  • Clover

    Smart, customized point of sale systems that make running your business easier
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    Your Clover POS system makes running your business a breeze. Take orders and accept payments. Organize inventory and manage your team. Grow your customer base. All at the tips of your fingers. A retail point of sale system gives you the power to run your entire shop on a single smart platform. Manage inventory and keep track of stock. Accept payments at the touch of a button. Handle returns and ex ... read more about Clover

    Entry Level Price
    Contact vendor
    Free Trial
    N/A
    Category Focus
    25% in POS Software
  • Lightspeed POS

    The one-stop commerce platform for retail, hospitality and golf merchants around the world.
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    ShopKeep POS software puts your cash register on an iPad. It’s intuitive and easy to use. We were founded by a merchant, so we know simple, powerful solutions beat complicated bells and whistles every time. With ShopKeep, you can accept any form of payment and you get essential features like automatic inventory tracking, employee management and real-time sales reporting anytime, anyplace. ... read more about Lightspeed POS

    Entry Level Price
    Contact vendor
    Free Trial
    N/A
    Category Focus
    40% in POS Software
  • Primaseller

    The Complete POS & Online Inventory Management Software Solution
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    Primaseller is a complete POS software and Online Inventory Management Software Solution that enables multi-channel retailers to manage their Brick & Mortar in-store sales along with all their online channels of sale like their web stores or marketplaces like Amazon in an integrated seamless manner. Primaseller integrates your inventory and sales across multiple online and physical channels of sal ... read more about Primaseller

    Entry Level Price
    Contact vendor
    Free Trial
    14 Days
    Category Focus
    40% in POS Software
  • Epos Now

    Award winning EPOS systems and cloud software for any business.
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    Inventory, customer loyalty and point-of-sale software for iPad, Android, Mac & PC. Instant setup, grow and manage your business in the cloud. From a single location, to many. Thrive with omnichannel selling options, multi-location inventory management, and a versatile POS solution that meets your business needs, and more. ... read more about Epos Now

    Entry Level Price
    $39 Per Month
    Free Trial
    30 Days
    Category Focus
    30% in POS Software
  • Agiliron

    Sell More in More Places, but Manage in One.
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    Agiliron is an all-in-one software suite that allows you to manage all orders, inventory, and CRM records, from all channels, in one place. Sell More in More Places, but Manage in One. Grow sales by easily adding a Wholesale channel, Retail POS, Webstores, Amazon, Mobile stores, eBay & more. Omni-Channel software for Retail, Wholesale & eCommerce businesses. Integrate And Manage Your Retail Operat ... read more about Agiliron

    Entry Level Price
    $85 Per Month
    Free Trial
    30 Days
    Category Focus
    33% in POS Software
  • Vend

    Best POS Software for Small Business Retail
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    Vend is the leading POS software for retail, trusted by over 20,000 small business retailers worldwide. Vend is the leading POS software for retail. At Vend by Lightspeed, we believe in making things easier. Easier for you, easier for your staff to sell and connect with customers, and ultimately, easier for your retail business to get ahead. Optimize your retail operations with our easy-to-use sof ... read more about Vend

    Entry Level Price
    $99 Per Year
    Free Trial
    30 Days
    Category Focus
    40% in POS Software
  • Kibo Commerce

    ORDER MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE TO BRIDGE THE ONLINE AND IN-STORE GAP
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    Kibo empowers retailers and branded manufacturers to achieve optimal performance of B2C and B2B commerce through unified consumer experiences. With over 40 years of innovations, Kibo provides a complete omnichannel commerce platform delivered with the lowest total cost of ownership and the fastest time to market.  ... read more about Kibo Commerce

    Entry Level Price
    Contact vendor
    Free Trial
    N/A
    Category Focus
    33% in POS Software
  • Toast

    Built to make your restaurant better
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    Toast is an all-in-one point-of-sale and restaurant management platform. As a cloud-based system built specifically for restaurants, Toast POS software offers advanced functionality including tableside ordering, quick menu modifications, real-time enterprise reporting, online ordering, and labor management on an easy-to-use interface.  Toast helps you improve your operations, grow revenue, and ge ... read more about Toast

    Entry Level Price
    $79.00 Per Month
    Free Trial
    N/A
    Category Focus
    30% in POS Software
  • Erply

    Next generation retail and POS software system.
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    Erply is a cloud POS system for retailers of any size. We offer comprehensive inventory management, a suite of detailed reports, and multi-store functionality. Erply is fast and flexible, making us a long-time partner of several highly successful brands like Sony, Disney, Garmin GPS, Elizabeth Arden, Athlete's Foot, Carat, Rapid Refill, Viasat, UNICEF, United Nations and United States Olympic Comm ... read more about Erply

    Entry Level Price
    $99.00 Per Month
    Free Trial
    14 Days
    Category Focus
    50% in POS Software
  • Revel System

    THE POS SYSTEM TO ACHIEVE YOUR NEXT BUSINESS GOAL.
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    Revel Systems is the POS software and platform built to help the business achieve its goals. Improving day-to-day operations and fueling merchant growth, Revel's streamlined ecosystem pairs an intuitive point of sale software with powerful management tools, integrating inventory management, employee management, sales reporting, and more into a single platform. ... read more about Revel System

    Entry Level Price
    Contact vendor
    Free Trial
    N/A
    Category Focus
    50% in POS Software
  • Loyverse

    Free POS Software & Inventory Management Software.
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    Loyverse POS is a free and easy-to-use point of sale (POS) system that helps small, medium & large businesses manage their sales, inventory, and customers. With Loyverse POS, you can accept payments in person, online, or over the phone. You can also track your list, create reports, and send loyalty rewards to your customers. Loyverse POS is a cloud-based system so you can access it from anywhere. ... read more about Loyverse

    Entry Level Price
    Free version
    Free Trial
    Available
    Category Focus
    25% in POS Software
  • eHopper

    Free POS Software for Small Businesses
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    ehopper is a point-of-sale (POS) system that is designed to help businesses of all sizes. With ehopper POS, you can accept payments, manage inventory, track sales, and create custom loyalty programs, all in one place. ehopper is easy to use. The software is designed to be intuitive and user-friendly, with a simple interface that makes it easy to find the features you need. ehopper is also af ... read more about eHopper

    Entry Level Price
    Free version
    Free Trial
    Available
    Category Focus
    50% in POS Software
  • MyTime

    Modular solution, tailored to your organization.
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    MyTime is a fully integrated appointment scheduling, point-of-sale, and customer engagement platform for multi-location chains and franchises. It’s built to be modular, but it really shines when the various components work together to maximize revenue by reaching customers wherever they are at the moment they are ready to transact. MyTime Scheduler is a powerful business management tool that inc ... read more about MyTime

    Entry Level Price
    $129 Per Month
    Free Trial
    N/A
    Category Focus
    30% in POS Software
  • Retail Pro

    Power every channel with Retail Pro
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    Retail Pro International (RPI) is a global leader in retail management software that is recognized world-wide for rich functionality, multi-national capabilities, and unparalleled flexibility. For over 25 years, RPI has innovated retail software solutions to help retailers optimize business operations and have more time to focus on what really matters - cultivating customer engagement and capitali ... read more about Retail Pro

    Entry Level Price
    Contact vendor
    Free Trial
    N/A
    Category Focus
    50% in POS Software
  • Odoo POS

    User-friendly Point of Sale system.
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    Odoo's Point of Sale solution consists of a smart interface that any restaurant, shop or retail company can use without any difficulty. This solution is compatible with any hardware, works online/offline, and the integrated inventory management enables real-time control and accurate forecasting to manage procurement. ... read more about Odoo POS

    Entry Level Price
    $6 Per Month
    Free Trial
    15 Days
    Category Focus
    100% in POS Software
  • QueueBuster

    Point of sale now made easy
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    QueueBuste is a powerful Mobile POS Solution for all kinds of businesses. From large format retail stores to small carts and kiosks, QueueBusterâ„¢ has all that you need to run your business like a breeze. Manage your Products, Inventory, Loyalty and CRM from a single location, anytime anywhere! ... read more about QueueBuster

    Entry Level Price
    Contact vendor
    Free Trial
    14 Days
    Category Focus
    50% in POS Software
  • NCR Aloha Cloud

    NCR Aloha Cloud is the foundational, cloud-based point of sale for restaurants.
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    NCR Aloha Cloud is the foundational, cloud-based point of sale for restaurants. With enhanced handheld devices the size of a smartphone, a refreshed, user-friendly UI and fast merchant payout, operators can focus on running their restaurant, not their technology. And, Aloha Cloud’s delivery marketplace integration ensures restaurant operators can manage their delivery services from the POS, elim ... read more about NCR Aloha Cloud

    Entry Level Price
    $0 Per Month
    Free Trial
    N/A
    Category Focus
    50% in POS Software
  • Heartland Retail

    Meet the leading retail POS software. Built for retailers, by retailers.
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    The same cloud POS you know and love, servicing start-up to enterprise-grade retail businesses. We're more than just a payments processing software—we get you and grow with you! Propel into the next era of retail with the Heartland family by your side. Heartland, part of Global Payments Inc. (NYSE: GPN), is one of the largest payment processors in the United States, delivering credit/debit/prepa ... read more about Heartland Retail

    Entry Level Price
    $80.00 Per Month
    Free Trial
    7 Days
    Category Focus
    50% in POS Software
  • TouchBistro

    The All-in-One Restaurant Management System.
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    TouchBistro pos software is built for restaurant people, by restaurant people. We're a team with hundreds of years of experience in the restaurant industry – and we've used that experience to build a Point of Sale software solution that helps restaurateurs make more money, deliver a great customer experience, and take the guesswork out of making business decisions. TouchBistro was designed to ma ... read more about TouchBistro

    Entry Level Price
    $69.00 Per Month
    Free Trial
    Available
    Category Focus
    34% in POS Software
  • Bindo POS

    The Omnichannel POS and Payment Solution to Scale Your Business
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    Bindo is a cloud-based iPad POS software system with a vertically integrated eCommerce marketplace. It offers a point of sale software solutions to retail management and restaurant businesses by deploying smart inventory management tools to help in effective tracking of inventory in real-time. ... read more about Bindo POS

    Entry Level Price
    Free version
    Free Trial
    Available
    Category Focus
    50% in POS Software
  • Poster POS

    Point of Sale and Inventory Management for cafes, restaurants, and stores.
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    Poster POS is a cloud-based tablet point of sale software system that enables businesses, specifically cafes, restaurants, and shops to take orders, manage inventory levels, monitor stocks, and more. The system is easy to set up, with your whole POS software up and running in 15 minutes. ... read more about Poster POS

    Entry Level Price
    $24.00 Per Month
    Free Trial
    15 Days
    Category Focus
    50% in POS Software
  • Tillpoint

    Point of Sale & Management Software for Every Part of Your Retail or Restaurant Business
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    Tillpoint is the multi-award-winning POS & Business Management System capable of running your entire operation. Its innovative modular design allows users to easily manage all areas of operation, including the POS, Inventory, Staff and Accounting. Tillpoint currently has over 25 modules, all of which are included in the subscription plans, resulting in a complete, centralized, and cost-effective ... read more about Tillpoint

    Entry Level Price
    $29 Per Month
    Free Trial
    7 Days
    Category Focus
    25% in POS Software
  • Cegid

    Retail POS Software & Talent Management Solutions
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    Cegid is a robust point of sales software and stores management software for retail businesses. It’s a POS software & reliable management system that also integrates the capabilities of inventory management and customer relationship management applications. The program combines all customer touch points across different platforms to deliver centralized store management and staff monitoring exper ... read more about Cegid

    Entry Level Price
    Contact vendor
    Free Trial
    N/A
    Category Focus
    50% in POS Software

Buyer’s Guide

Introduction to the Buyer’s Guide to the POS Software

Manual checkout processes are no longer valid in the dynamic business environment. Flexibility and automation have become the crucial differentiating factors. A POS software eases ordering, billing, product positioning, customer service, sales projections, marketing campaigns, and demand forecasts. Its implementation can help businesses ease the purchasing process and forecast seasonal demands accurately with analysis of historical customer purchase data. 

Businesses get hold of commerce by using point of sale systems that promote longevity in the business. Retail, hospitality, consumer services, multi-service businesses (like health, nutrition, entertainment, theatres, and hotels) make use of point of sale apps regularly.

However, choosing the right POS software for your business can be daunting. Therefore, this buyer's guide to POS (Point of Sale) software intends to provide in-depth information to the buyers to choose the appropriate point of sale system for their business.

What is Point of Sale (POS)?

POS is an abbreviation for Point of Sale or Point of Service. It means the point of sale transaction or deal that happens between a merchant and a customer when purchasing the product or service. The POS solution is generally used to carry out the transaction.

In simple terms, Point of Sale serves as a system that allows the sale of physical goods in a retail store. The POS system eases the checkout process, streamlines billing, and improves customer experience. 

For example – If you are purchasing something in a retail shop, you are undergoing point-of-sale.

What is a Point of Sale (POS) Transaction?

POS transaction is the state where customers offer payment for the purchase of goods or services. It occurs when the deal is finalized. The user can use cash, debit cards, mobile payments, or credit cards for the payment. 

POS systems are increasingly becoming popular by allowing customers to speed up the checkout process and pay bills easily.

What is a Point of Sale (POS) System?

Any store that has a point of sale and point of purchase can use POS software. Ecommerce stores and many brick-and-mortar stores widely deploy the POS system. The POS system helps in controlling the transactions. From customers, products, sales, inventory, loyalty programs, and labor; this point of sale software solution automatically updates the essential database. 

Retail companies, grocery shops, and hospitality businesses like restaurants and hotels can benefit highly from a POS system. The retailers can accept and process the payments with the help of retail POS software. The user purchases the POS system with hardware and accessories such as a monitor screen, cash register, barcode scanner, receipt printer, and card readers.

Why Do Businesses Require POS Software?

The point of sale system software is becoming the nerve center of every business. It provides an all-in-one solution to a large number of everyday issues. The point of sale solutions collects and records data accurately, which helps users know about the functioning of the business. Point of sale software is essential due to many reasons:

  • Manage the Inventory- The point of sale software maintains the business' inventory. It collects and tracks the information that helps the users know what sells a lot and what time it should be restocked. From the reports, the users can decide when they should adjust the pricing.
  • Automate the Accounting- POS solutions make the record-keeping and accounting process easy and effortless. Directly from the system, the user can collect all the data. If the sound POS system is connected to the computerized accounting system, the user can clear credit cards, record transactions, manage sales, and quickly collect taxes.
  • Collect Customer Data- The user can gather the information from the current customers based on the information input capacities. The POS system allows improving customers' buying experience by keeping the information related to customers' phone numbers and email addresses. The customers will find it easy to shop more if their information is stored prior to the system. This results in better CRM.
  • Save Time - The point of sale software speeds up the checkout process and inventory management. It offers faster payroll processing. The user can make use of the search tool to look for any type of transaction.

Businesses should invest in POS software due to the following reasons:

  • Improved customer experience
  • Simplify sales from multiple locations 
  • Better productivity through integrations
  • Gain access to customer purchase histories
  • Control of inventory
  • Manages Taxes 

What are the Benefits of POS Software?

  • Speedups purchase transactions
  • Provides a seamless shopping experience
  • Optimizes checkout process 
  • Saves information about all customer’s purchase history
  • Boosts productivity by the faster checkout process
  • Provides essential business reports and sales data
  • Better customer service and experience
  • Streamlines cross-selling, interaction with shoppers, and up-selling 
  • Enables easy stock management

What are the Different Types of (Point of Sale) POS?

The various types of POS software are as follows:

Mobile Point of Sale

In the small business sphere, the mPOS system has become more and more popular. Small businesses, like event vendors, contract professionals, and freelancers, find Smartphone POS servicesan apt option for processing payments. As per the business requirement, the mPOS can be connected to external hardware like a card reader, cash drawer, printer, and barcode scanner. The business owners only have to download an app and create an account for a mobile POS system. 

The user can experience better processing capability, enhanced communication, sophisticated consumer analytics, real-time inventory management, and wireless connectivity with mPOS smart devices. It is cheaper and more flexible than the ePOS (electronic point of sale) system. In retail stores, mobile POS software helps attain consumer data, empower employees, and generate more dynamic sales opportunities. It is suitable for mobile vendors, coffee shops, gift shops, small retail stores, pizzerias, ice cream parlors, art galleries, small theatres, salons, quick-service restaurants, juice bars, and professional services.

The Terminal Point of Sale 

The terminal point of sale (POS) system is used for processing payments at the billing counter. POS terminal usually detects all modes of payments. The modern POS terminals discover NFC (near field communication) / contactless cards and wallets such as Apple Pay, Google Wallet, Samsung Pay, and many more. The Terminal point of sale system is apt for busy retail, antique stores, grocery stores, restaurants.

Self-Service Kiosk POS

A Self-service POS system enables the customers to input the necessary payment data and check out their purchases with self-service POS systems. Even if the billing workers are not physically present to manage the sales process, the businesses can deploy self-service kiosk POS to manage the billing counter. It is apt for - ticket sales, large retail stores, parking, etc. 

How Does a Point of Sale system work?

The POS system helps in running the businesses smoothly by saving time and reducing paperwork. It works in the following manner:

  • Installation and set up – The POS system involves physical hardware components and software system data. The POS provider sets up the account. The user can add inventory, employees, and customers. The POS Company teaches users how to make use of this POS system.
  • Collects data- The POS systems fetch customers' data, including the phone number, name, and customer number. In the industry-specific software, there are features of inventory management.
  • Payment Processing: The customer uses a credit/debit card or an authorized e-wallet to make the payment at the billing counter. Before making the authorized transaction, the user requires the PIN, signature, and fingerprint scan to complete the POS purchase. From the PIN or other security features, the authentication information travels through the banking networks to reach the issuing bank. The bank holds the power to approve or deny the deal based on the transaction type and amount of funds present in the cardholder's account.
  • Promotion - The Point of Sale solutions allow users to design simple marketing strategies to gain more business. It offers email marketing and direct mail reports.
  • Reporting and Back Office – The users can review the sales reports and manage inventory, employees, and customers. The point of sale software provides reports that include the details of the cost of goods sold, low inventory along with existing inventory, customer purchase history, item-specific sales reports, and gross sales.

For example,- In restaurants, the POS system enables tableside payment. You may use credit cards or cell phones to pay with Apple Pay or Android Pay for paying the amount. The restaurant's machine or system to take your payment is termed their point of sale terminal. It takes the payment of the customers by adding up the totals along with the sales tax.

What Are the Various Types of POS Software Based On Deployment Options?

On-Premise POS Solutions: Businesses that want to house their POS software on their own in-house servers and IT infrastructure can deploy the on-premise POS software. Businesses have to purchase a license to use the software. 

Web-based or Online POS Solutions: Third-party online POS software providers offer web-based online POS software that can be accessed from anywhere with internet accessibility. 

Cloud-based POS Software: The cloud-based POS solutions are hosted through a third-party cloud service provider, and business data is stored in cloud servers for high-speed transactions and massive storage capabilities. 

Open source POS Software: Open source POS solutions come with free source code that can be modified according to business needs. 

Based on the Requirement and Nature of Business

There are many types of POS systems, and you can pick up the apt POS solution depending on the requirement and nature of your business.

Retail POS Software- This type of system includes label printing for items without UPC codes, employee commissions, scales of weighted items, ecommerce integrations to set up an online store, and product matrix along with item variants to support the different types of product sizes, colors, etc.

Restaurant POS software- This software should cover the receipt printer for attaining the physical check to the customer, the ability to assign order types such as dine-in or takeout, online ordering, remote ticket printing, and custom table map.

Salon POS software- This type of solution requires online booking, calendar management, and memberships.

What is the Difference Between On-Premise POS and Cloud-based POS?

If you are in a dilemma to choose between an on-premise POS or a cloud-based POS system for your business, the below-mentioned points will help you draw the conclusion.

Data security:

On-Premise - The user can access data from only one location as it is a closed network. Your business will be responsible for the protection of your on-premise server.

Cloud-Based - The user can access the cloud-based system from anywhere in the world as it stores data online. The data in this system is more secure as the technical experts maintain the servers.

Integration and Customization:

On-Premise - Based on the business process, the user can customize the on-premise module. The enterprises with a considerable budget can find it an appropriate option.

Cloud-Based - Though the customization in a cloud-based POS system is limited, it is easy and effective to integrate new modules into a cloud-based system. This system is less time-consuming, and users don’t have to be fretful about the networks and servers.

Cost Efficiency:

On-Premise - The user does not have to depend on any ongoing service fees for hosting. The user has the freedom and control over the data with this system.

Cloud-Based -Being a subscription-based service, this system has a little upfront cost. The vendors automatically handle maintenance and updates. On the basis of the business size, the price can vary.

POS Best Practices

The user should follow the below-mentioned practices to make the POS system efficient:

  • The POS software should meet the needs of the digital era to meet the demands of reliability, speed, and security.
  • The companies prefer cloud-based platforms so that the users can experience unified commerce, the agility of deployment, along with scalability. 
  • The POS solution should be able to enhance customer engagement with the help of technology. The retailers can bring incentives, cross-sell, interact with shoppers, and up-sell by swiping a loyalty card.
  • The retailers should make an educated purchase decision with the help of e-commerce and omnichannel experience.
  • The store associate uses a mobile point of sale software by attaching shopping carts with tablet computers and Apple iTouch.
  • The retailers should provide a consistent pricing pattern or pricing transparency across all channels, whether physical or virtual. 
  • The merchants should believe in creating a powerful POS foundation that also supports modern POS systems.
  • Retailers should be aware of the changes and updates in the mandatory regulations such as Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS). They should use PCI-compliant devices, monitor physical devices, and should not connect their POS system to external networks. 

How to Choose the Best Point of Sale Software?

The POS software should meet the digital era's needs to meet the demands of reliability, speed, and security. The best POS software can simplify business operations and allow users to make informed business decisions. The user should consider the following crucial points to pick the best point of sale system for their business:

User-friendly – The point of sale software should be easy to use so that you can manage it comfortably without consulting the manual regularly or depending on the tech support all the time.

Hardware – The type and size of the business decide on the kind of hardware. The small retailers need a tablet, card reader, and cash box, while the more extensive operation prefers terminals, receipt printers, and barcode scanners.

Software – The user should study the option's capabilities and costs to ensure that the point of sale app is the right fit for their business needs.

Integration – The POS solution should integrate appropriately with the tools, applications, and software that the user is already using. The POS system that integrates seamlessly with third-party vendors will prove to be the ideal choice for the users.

Automation – The POS system software should be able to automate processes and reduce manual inputs. From the logistics, it should be able to use the data. The point of sale system should hold the capability to update inventory and order information by the supply chain.

PCI Compliance – In small businesses, it becomes crucial to have the provision of payment security. The point of sale software should be in compliance with the data security standards, which are recognized by the Payment Card Industry (PCI). The users’ payment data should be safe-guarded with end-to-end encryption and data tokenization.

Support- POS solutions should provide 24/7 support through live chat, phone, and email.

Cost- Before finalizing the POS system, the user should consider its cost that including the hardware and software price. Make sure that the terminals should align with the needs of the users. The user should also consider operating costs.

Features- The user should make sure that the POS system should have the core functionalities of inventory tracking, customer management, invoicing and billing, refunds and returns, employee scheduling, and data analytics.

What Questions Should You Ask Before Buying a POS system?

When the user plans to purchase the point of sale software for their business, then he/she should ask a few questions to gain information about prospective POS provider, which in turn helps him to know about the POS Company:

  • Is the company financially workable?
  • Whether POS is the primary business of that company?
  • How much experience does the company hold regarding your business industry type?
  • Whether the company serves as a provider or reseller?
  • How are the reviews of that particular company?
  • What are their service parameters?

What Are Some Common POS Mistakes, and How To Avoid Them?

While choosing a POS software, the users might make a few common mistakes. Let’s discuss how to overcome them:

Pay attention to price only.

Mistake- The user can buy cheap and low-quality POS system software that lacks essential functionalities.

Remedy - To run a competitive business, they should spend more to buy a sophisticated POS system that offers essential and advanced features.

Ignoring the hidden costs

Mistake – Busy business owners may ignore the costs of training staff, maintenance of the system, and payment processing. It can result in more expenses than initially expected.

Remedy- Before investing, it is advisable to consider the factors related to migration costs, hardware, and software, payment processing, maintenance, setup fees, etc. 

Missing the support system

Mistake- Without the support system, the user can face some technical issues that can waste precious time and results in disappointments.

Remedy- The knowledgeable and reliable support system provides technical aid to the users at the time of need. Users should look for vendors that provide efficient technical support.

Restricting the customer payment option

Mistake – The POS system offering limited payment options may turn away some customers from the products and services.

Remedy- More payment options should be given to the customers. The chip payment option will remove the fraudulent charges. They should look for a point of sale software that offers multiple payment options. 

Features of Point of Sale Software

The prominent features of the Point of Sale solutions are:

Inventory and stock Management- All the time, the point of sale system software offers full visibility and accountability at the store level. It presents the visibility of inventory along with SKU’s (Stock-keeping unit) transaction history.

Billing and Order Processing- By scanning items and capturing different payment modes, the point of sale solutions perform billing and order processing functionality. The POS generates order invoices, emails to the customers, adds customer details along with discount details. 

Sales Monitoring and Reporting - The point of sale software produces a strong sales report. The merchants can receive hourly, daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly reports. The advanced POS solutions offer sales trends like seasonal demand in products and information related to stock management.

Cross Channel Returns Management- The POS management system accepts cross-channel returns and assists in refunds and replacements from any type of store location. The POS system captures the details of the reason for the return, the salesperson's name, and remarks.

Employee Management- The point of sale software administers the employee hours, staffing levels, and sales performance, which ultimately helps track employee productivity. With each transaction, the POS tracks the employee's activity, which eventually assists in dividing the right and weak performers. 

Customer Relationship Management – By storing customer data and purchase history, the point of sale software helps in retaining the customers. In business, customer data is helpful for advertising as it offers insights regarding which customer would be paying attention to the sale.

Onboarding and Support- The point of sale systems software provides interactive webinars, 24/7 support, one on one sessions, email and chat support, customer forum, and account history.

Mobility – The POS system software can be customized for mobility. Your shopper may be on any floor, section, or counter. Mobile POS allows you to take payments and close transactions from anywhere. 

Multiple Payment Methods: POS allows payments with multiple payment modes such as credit cards, debit cards, loyalty points, gift cards, discount cards, etc. It also allows shoppers to pay with multiple currencies. 

How to Keep the POS System Secure from Cyber Attacks?

You can keep your POS system secure by following the best practices as below:

  • Make use of PCI (Payment Card Industry) compliant devices
  • Never connect the POS system to external networks
  • Set firewalls and anti-virus software
  • Limit access to the internet
  • Prohibit remote access
  • Create strong passwords and often change it
  • Lockdown all the devices at the end of the workday
  • Appoint security experts

What Are the Current Trends in the POS System?

The global point of sale (POS) software market is forecast to reach a size of 42.5 billion U.S. dollars by 2027 - a more than threefold increase from 2018.The Pandemic led to restrictions on cash payments, and the focus of authorities on promoting cashless transactions has significantly increased the use of POS software solutions. 

The most recent trends in the POS system are as follows:

  • Cloud-Based technology - The cloud-based applications that integrate with the POS system are reducing the cost of the point of sale ownership.
  • Artificial Intelligence - Several companies are automating tasks and learning a customer’s journey through data and digital touchpoints by making use of AI in business applications.
  • Mobile payments - In business, mobile payment options have made transactions more accessible and safer and can even improve customer service.
  • Data collection and analytics - The POS software collects customer details along with data and tax information. It checks employee productivity along with sales.
  • Rise of Bluetooth - On Bluetooth, the payment is fast and secure. The users don’t have to rely on WiFi. Even when the internet is slow or non-existent, they can work comfortably.
  • On-demand purchasing - The POS system allows on-demand purchases for the customers. They can purchase food or goods in advance with the help of store-specific payment apps.

What is the Average Cost of POS Software?

The POS software cost depends on the business size, amount of features it offers, the quality of elements, the type of industry the POS system is meant for, and the potential for customization and scalability. The POS is made up of software along with hardware. The POS hardware costs include tablets, monitors, card readers, receipt printers, barcode scanners, and self-service kiosks. You should also consider the POS hardware costs along with the software. 

The cost of the point of sale systems software can start as low as $6 monthly (for example, Odoo POS) and can reach as high as $1300 per month approximately (for instance, HDPOS Smart)

Small businesses hold the basic features of the POS software, so their prices are more affordable rather than the large organizations that believe in investing in plans that offer more advanced features. If you are looking for Free and open source POS software solutions, then you can consider Chromis POS, Floreant POS, and Unicenta

Why Refer to GoodFirms’ list of the Best Point of Sale (POS) software?

GoodFirms’ platform performs thorough research based on the latest market trends. Here you will get the curated list of best POS software accompanied by authenticated reviews. By exploring this huge platform, you can find high-quality and accessible POS software solutions available in the market. Prioritize your business needs and then accordingly decide the best POS software system for your business. 

You can choose the best POS software for your business needs by going through GoodFirms’ list of the top POS systems. The implementation of the high-performance POS system in your business will provide you better customer experience. Feel free to talk to the experts at GoodFirms or explore the third-party vendors to gain more information on the point of sale software.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who are the free POS Software on GoodFirms?

The Free POS Software on GoodFirms, based on verified client reviews and ratings, includes:

  • Revel System - (5/5 Ratings, 2 Reviews)
  • Imonggo - (5/5 Ratings, 1 Review)
  • AccuPOS - (5/5 Ratings, 1 Review)
  • BooksPOS - (5/5 Rating, 1 review)
  • Pangea Open POS - (0 Review)

Who are the best POS Systems for small businesses on GoodFirms?

The Best POS Software for Small businesses on Goodfirms, based on verified client reviews & ratings, include:

  • KORONA POS - (5/5 Ratings, 2 Reviews)
  • MYR POS - (5/5 Ratings, 1 Review)
  • Loyverse - (5/5 Ratings, 2 Reviews)
  • Retail Pro - (5/5 Ratings, 2 Reviews)
  • Odoo POS - (4.5/5 Ratings, 2 Reviews)

Who are the best-rated POS Software on GoodFirms?

GoodFirms has listed 150+ POS Software, based on reviews & ratings, here are the Best-rated POS Software:

  • Shopify POS - (4.5/5 Ratings, 19 Reviews)
  • QuickBooks POS - (4.3/5 Ratings, 18 Reviews)
  • Square - (4.3/5 Ratings, 17 Reviews)
  • Lightspeed POS - (4.3/5 Ratings, 4 Reviews)
  • Clover - (4.8/5 Ratings, 4 Reviews) 

What is a POS System?

Like the digital heartbeat of a modern business, a POS system orchestrates a seamless dance between customers and sellers. At its core, it's a sophisticated ensemble of software and hardware, gracefully converging sales, inventory management, and payment processing into a unified symphony of commerce.

Which POS software offers a One-Time Payment Price Model on GoodFirms?

There are 25+ POS Software offers One-Time Payment Price Model on GoodFirms, including:

  • Epos Now - (5/5 Ratings, 3 Reviews) 
  • eHopper - (5/5 Ratings, 2 Reviews)
  • MicroBiz - (5/5 Ratings, 1 Review)
  • Nobly POS - (5/5 Ratings, 1 Review) 
  • Magestore POS - (5/5 Ratings, 1 Review
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