A point of sale (POS) system is so much more than a way to accept payments. The right POS system manages the bulk of your retail business, from restocking and inventory tracking to marketing and business strategy.
The software and technology you use are also integral to your ability to adapt to changing customer preferences and stay competitive.
Investing in a POS system is investing in the future of your business, but the number of retail POS systems out there can be overwhelming. It's hard to know which one is right for your unique needs.
With over two decades of retail technology experience, we know there’s no such thing as a one-size-fits-all POS system. To help you narrow down your options, we’ve put together a list of the best POS systems for retail stores in 2024 and the essential features you need to find long-term success.
Retail POS Systems: An Overview
When small business owners want to upgrade their POS system or invest in one for the first time, they don’t know where to start.
So, let’s start with the basics. There are two components of a modern POS system.
- Hardware: POS hardware includes terminals, card readers, checkout scanners, mobile inventory scanners, and similar technology that processes payments and scans information into the system. Some POS systems also integrate with other software that allows you to use your smartphones and mobile devices to cut down on costs.
- Software: POS software is where modern systems really shine for small businesses (and where the various systems differ the most). In addition to handling payments, your POS system can track inventory levels, streamline vendor management, set up customer loyalty and discounts, integrate with e-commerce, and more.
The best POS systems for retail provide small businesses with the tools they need to meet customer expectations, increase profit margins, and stand out against bigger competitors.
6 Best POS Systems for Retail Stores in 2024
There are many great retail POS systems on the market today. Which one is the right fit for you? It depends on what your business needs. Start by making a list of your short and long-term goals.
Are you looking to improve the checkout process? Do you want access to more sales data for better demand forecasting? Do you need a system that can support specific types of payments like subscriptions, layaway, or sell-by-weight?
All of the providers on this list have their unique strengths and weaknesses — so having your goals in mind will help you narrow things down.
With that in mind, here are our picks for the best POS systems for retail stores.
1. POS Nation
Founded in 2001, POS Nation is a top-rated, comprehensive solution for small businesses. With many specialized features for various retail industries, we offer flexible configurations to fit your needs. Our cloud-based solution also has some of the lowest payment processing fees out there.
We serve general retail, grocery, liquor, convenience, and tobacco stores — with specific features for each.
Standout features
POS Nation has all the features you would expect from a modern POS provider, but here are some of our most helpful.
- Affordable, in-house payment processing: We offer customers a low processing fee of 0.10% + $0.05 per transaction and process payments in-house. That’s not all. Transactions can be completed in a flash, age verification is simple with our ID scanner, and custom hotkeys let employees ring up items at the touch of a button.
- Advanced inventory management: Get an accurate view of your inventory, identify areas of shrinkage, and optimize stock levels across all your locations. We also support case break inventory for liquor stores and carton-pack inventory for tobacco stores. Last, never run out of popular items again with automatic purchase orders. Simply set reorder thresholds for your inventory and once those points are hit, automatically generate and send purchase orders to your vendors.
- Robust reporting: Utilize over 55 prebuilt reports to help maximize profit margins, identify bestsellers, optimize your staffing, and more.
- Customer loyalty: POS Nation offers customizable customer loyalty features to help you retain customers. We also facilitate storing customer data to help tailor your marketing offers.
- E-commerce support: Take your store online with e-commerce support. All your sales and inventory data is seamlessly connected between your online and in-person stores.
For a full list of features, check out our all-in-one retail POS software.
Pricing
Our solution offers various pricing plans starting at $69/month. Use our pricing configurator tool to build the system you need.
2. Square
Square is one of the biggest names on the market. Their all-around POS system is easy to configure and use. Though it lacks a few of the advanced or industry-specific features (at least, on lower subscription levels) of other solutions on this list, Square is a great choice for beginners looking for an easy, low-maintenance option.
Standout features
As a huge player in the POS industry, Square has many of the basic features that most retailers need. Here are some of their top features:
- Clean, customizable interface: Square lets you customize your checkout in various ways to smooth out the customer journey.
- Offline transactions: As is true of many cloud-based solutions, Square lets you accept credit card transactions even when you’re offline. Transactions are processed once you regain a connection or expire if not processed after 24 hours.
- Online sales: Square has robust e-commerce support through Square Online including social media integrations.
- Built-in reporting: Square Analytics gives users many reporting options to help identify customer insights and top-selling items.
Pricing
Square offers a free plan with basic payment and online selling tools but limited customization. Its most popular pricing option for retail stores is $89/month, per location (plus processing fees).
3. IT Retail
IT Retail has over 25 years of experience helping businesses in the grocery, supermarket, deli, and food market industries. With all of the conveniences of a modern POS system plus industry-specific features like deli scale integrations and sell-by-weight capabilities, IT Retail is an ideal and affordable choice for grocery and specialty stores.
Standout Features
Managing a grocery store or food market has specific inventory and sales needs that IT Retail is equipped for.
- Self-checkout and grocery-specific features: IT Retail provides self-checkout for the modern grocer. You can switch between cashier-assisted and self-service modes, get customers through your store faster, and save on labor costs. Other grocery-specific features include perishable inventory management, rugged hardware, and loss prevention.
- Advanced reporting: IT Retail offers reports that give you insights into things like which products are moving, what products are hot on certain holidays, peak hours, and more.
- Cloud-based: IT Retail syncs lanes directly to the cloud, eliminating downtime and costs from maintaining an in-store server.
- E-commerce support: Take your grocery store online with a flexible e-commerce solution. Our point of sale integrates with the best online shopping and delivery platforms for your market.
Pricing
IT Retail offers a variety of customized pricing options based on your needs.
4. Lightspeed POS
Lightspeed is another big name in the POS industry, offering a powerful and comprehensive POS system tailored to apparel, bike, electronics, and health stores. Founded in Canada, Lightspeed has gained traction in over 100 countries as a leading POS provider and offers enterprise-grade solutions for rapidly growing businesses.
Standout Features
With features that span a variety of industries, Lightspeed is a great all-around system with a few standout capabilities.
- 24/7 Support: Lightspeed offers 24/7 chat support to help you set up your system or assist when it goes down.
- Real-time visibility: Gain visibility across all of your locations to understand sales numbers, team performance, and more.
- Marketing support: Automate your marketing to help reach new customers and create customer segments based on sales data.
Pricing
Lightspeed POS’ basic plan starts at $89 per month and includes basic inventory management and integrated payment processing. The core plan, which includes advanced features like reporting and inventory management, is $149/month.
5. Clover
Clover is a popular POS choice, especially for restaurants, quick-service dining, and professional services. It is easy to use and includes POS hardware that is sold as part of monthly subscriptions. Clover offers competitive processing fees but lacks some of the integrations and advanced features of other competitors.
Standout Features
Clover excels with portable, user-friendly hardware and competitive processing fees for in-person payments. Other standout features include:
- Included hardware: Clover’s plans include best-in-class POS hardware that is sleek and easy to use.
- App market: Clover POS systems have a built-in app market that lets you download third-party applications (like accounting or marketing software) to integrate with their system.
- Customizable systems: Clover’s use of apps and accessories allows you to customize your system to fit your needs.
- Real-time reporting: Use built-in sales data to stay up to date on your business health and trending customer behaviors.
Pricing
Clover’s standard plan is $135/month on a 36-month contract or $1,799 plus $49.95/month.
6. Comcash
Comcash is a great choice for retail stores and also caters to garden centers and hardware stores. Their case-breaking and serialized inventory management features make it ideal for businesses that sell a wide variety of high-end and general items.
Standout Features
Comcash provides modern software and sleek hardware to help streamline the checkout process. Here are a few other unique features:
- Flexible inventory management: Comcash supports an unlimited number of SKUs and serialized inventory, giving business owners maximum flexibility when configuring their stock.
- Built-in CRM and loyalty: Comcash’s POS app comes with customer relationship management (CRM) capabilities and loyalty, so you can identify your best customers and keep them engaged.
- Mailchimp integration: Comcash syncs directly with Mailchimp, a leading email marketing platform, so you can send out targeted emails and offers.
- E-commerce support: Offer online sales with a webstore application that integrates seamlessly with your in-store POS system.
Pricing
Comcash offers flexible pricing plans that you can explore using their build and price tool.
What Should I Look for in a POS Provider?
Hopefully, now you have an idea of what options are out there — so, what to do next? Our advice: take your time. As a business owner, you’ll be using your POS system every day, so it’s important to do your due diligence and talk to a few providers.
When you start to set up demos with a POS provider, consider the following features:
- Payments: A POS system should be able to accept credit cards, contactless payments, and popular digital options like Apple Pay. Ensure you understand the transaction fees and how payments are processed.
- Inventory management: Look for a POS system that can give you an accurate, up-to-date view of your inventory levels. Modern inventory management software can also help streamline and optimize inventory tracking with case breaking (e.g. tracking each bottle within a case of wine) and automated restock alerts.
- E-commerce capabilities: Online shopping is increasingly popular with customers, even for local businesses. Having a POS system that connects directly to your online shop ensures that both your in-person and digital business run smoothly.
- Customer loyalty and discounts: Small businesses are increasingly using customer loyalty programs to attract repeat business to their stores. Many POS systems allow you to customize your discounts, so you can get creative with your promotions.
- Reporting tools: Tracking sales and inventory data gives you actionable insights into your bestsellers, customer behaviors, peak hours, and more.
- Employee management: Give employees access to only the right systems and track their performance and sales history.
- Data security: Ensure your customers’ data stays safe by using a POS system that follows data security best practices and adheres to PCI-DSS payment compliance requirements.
Grow Your Business With a POS System Built for Retail
At POS Nation, we specialize in building tools for the unique needs of small and growing businesses. Over the years, we’ve learned that different industries have very different priorities and needs.
The best POS system for your retail business is one that is invested in your long-term success. POS Nation collaborates with small and growing businesses to help them increase their profits, streamline their processes, and build their brand.
Talk to one of our experts today to find a POS solution that will empower your retail business to thrive.
