4 Best POS Systems for Beer Stores in {{year}} [Features, Pricing, & Reviews]

Running a beer or bottle shop is a labor of love. You sell craft, domestic, and imported brews — and your staff are knowledgeable, often helping customers find what they love and walk away happy.

But behind the scenes, you’re managing 200+ SKUs, finding workable solutions for age verification, and battling case break inventory. Your point of sale (POS) system should solve these problems, not create new ones.

If you’re here, you’re looking for the best POS system for your beer store in 2026 — and we can help. Let’s get into the best providers, including a breakdown of features, pricing, and reviews from liquor store owners.

What Beer Stores Need in a POS

POS systems built for general retail won’t cut it. They might be a good starting point, but once you realize they’re missing critical features, you’ll upgrade or look for a liquor-specific solution.

Whichever provider you choose, make sure they have these features:

• Case break tracking: This feature splits a whole case of inventory into individual units for sale while still accounting for the case itself.
• Built-in age verification: Instead of a process that takes three clicks, manager approval, and ID number entry, look for a POS that lets you quickly scan and flag suspicious IDs.
• Automated invoicing: When inventory arrives at your beer store, the distributor’s invoice is automatically imported and stock levels updated.
• Automated ranking: Beer SKUs turn fast, and seasonal trends matter. Some POS systems offer AI-powered ranking and reorder suggestions based on actual sales data.

This is by no means a complete list. But these specific features help you manage your beer store without manual processes.

The 4 Best POS Systems for Beer Stores

Let’s compare the features, pricing, and reviews of the top providers in the liquor store space.

1. Square POS: Best for Budget-Conscious Beer Stores

Quick verdict: Works if you're running a small beer section or tight-budget operation. Not built for dedicated beer retail.

Features: If budget is your primary concern, Square is a good option. The Free plan includes basic inventory management and payment processing. You can track bottles and cases as separate SKUs and accept all payment types.

The Plus plan ($49/month) adds inventory purchase orders and low-stock alerts, which help you track when you're running low on popular IPAs. The system works on iPad or Android tablets you already own, keeping hardware costs down.

Drawbacks:

• No native case-breaking feature
• Age verification requires workarounds or third-party apps

Pricing: 

• Free Plan: $0/month (basic POS + inventory)
• Plus Plan: $49/month (better rates, advanced inventory)
• Premium Plan: $149/month (custom pricing, advanced reports)
• Processing fees: 2.6% + 15¢ (in person), 3.3% + 30¢ (online)
• Hardware: $0 (free reader) to $799 (Square Register)

Customer reviews: 4.2 rating on Trustpilot. Customers find Square easy to use, noting its intuitive interface. 

2. Bottle POS: Best for Dedicated Beer & Liquor Stores

Quick verdict: Purpose-built for alcohol retail. If beer, wine, or liquor is your primary business, this is the system built to solve your specific problems.

Features: When you sell a single bomber from a case of 12, Bottle POS automatically adjusts both your single-bottle inventory and your case count. Age verification is built for speed, and you can import invoices — just receive your inventory, review the invoice, and you’re good to go.

Other liquor-specific features include:

• Dual pricing: Cash customers see one price, card customers see another. Offer discounts and save processing fees.
• Auto ranking: The system automatically identifies bestsellers vs. slow movers, color-coding them from A to D.
• SKU database: Bottle POS comes preloaded with 20,000 common beer, wine, and liquor products.
• E-commerce integrations: You can create an online store with BottleZoo, and integrate with DoorDash for seamless delivery.

Drawbacks: 

• Slightly more expensive than basic providers — but liquor-specific features are baked in
• Specialized features you might not need if you sell significant nonalcohol inventory

Pricing

• Base System: Customized pricing (varies by location count and features)
• Processing fees: Competitive rates through integrated payments
• Hardware: Flexible — works with standard retail hardware
• Contracts: Month-to-month, no long-term lock-in

Customer reviews: 4.5 rating on Trustpilot. Customers consistently praise the support team for their professionalism, knowledge, and patience. An important note: Many reviewers call team members out by name, showing Bottle POS’ dedication to real customer service.

3. Lightspeed for Retail: Best for High-SKU General Retail

Quick verdict: Powerful inventory system for complex retail, but you're paying for features that don't solve beer-specific problems.

Features: Lightspeed’s inventory management is genuinely powerful. It handles thousands of SKUs, supports variants (bottle size, brewery, style), and offers detailed inventory reports. 

The system tracks stock movement across multiple locations in real time — a valuable feature if you run a small chain. Lightspeed's supplier catalog access (8+ million products) speeds up adding new inventory items.

Drawbacks: 

• Not built for alcohol retail — Lightspeed’s strength lies in general retail complexity (apparel, electronics, multivariant products)
• No distributor invoice integration
• Age verification is basic

Pricing:

• Basic Plan: $89/month (core POS + inventory + ecommerce)
• Core Plan: $149/month (advanced reports + loyalty + integrations)
• Plus Plan: $289/month (API access + custom reporting + phone support)
• Processing fees: 2.6% + 10¢ with Lightspeed Payments (higher if third-party)
• Hardware: $149-$399 per device (iPad required, sold separately)

Customer reviews: 4.2 rating on Trustpilot. Customers note that the Lightspeed team goes above and beyond to provide support.

4. KORONA POS: Best for Beer Stores That Want Processor Flexibility

Quick verdict: Mid-tier option with genuine beer retail features and the ability to shop for your own payment processor. No contracts.

Features: KORONA handles singles, six-packs, and cases under the same SKU. They also offer payment processor freedom — perhaps their biggest advantage — so you can choose your own processor and negotiate rates.

KORONA doesn’t tie you into long-term contracts, and age verification is included.

Drawbacks:

• Learning curve is steeper
• Per-terminal pricing adds up (at $89/month per register, a 3-register setup costs $267/month before processing fees)
• Doesn’t automatically import invoices

Pricing: 

• Core Plan: $59/month per terminal (basic POS, sales reports, promotions)
• Retail Plan: $69/month per terminal (inventory tracking, automated purchase orders, case breaks)
• Add-ons: $10–$50/month (Plus package with advanced inventory, +$20/month recommended)
• Processing fees: Negotiated directly with any processor (KORONA charges no processing fees)
• Hardware: Flexible — works with existing hardware or purchase through KORONA

Customer reviews: 4.5 rating on Trustpilot. Customers note the flexible payment options and integration with QuickBooks.

Which POS System Is Right for Your Beer Store?

Every provider has its pros and cons, but if you know what you need for your store, you can confidently make an informed decision.

Choose Square if:

• You have an extremely tight budget ($0–$50/month max).
• You run a small beer section inside a general store.
• You sell mostly prepackaged six-packs (minimal case breaks).
• You can handle manual age verification during checkout.

Choose Bottle POS if:

• Beer, wine, or liquor is your primary business.
• You're tired of manual case break reconciliation.
• Checkout speed matters.
• You want distributor price updates and invoicing automated.
• You value time savings over the lowest monthly cost.
• You plan to open multiple locations.

Choose Lightspeed if:

• You run a high-end specialty beverage shop with 1,000+ SKUs.
• You need robust e-commerce alongside retail.
• Budget flexibility allows $300+/month.
• You don't mind manual workarounds for case breaks.

Choose KORONA POS if:

• You want beer-specific features at a mid-tier price.
• Processor flexibility matters (negotiate your own rates).
• You value no-contract month-to-month pricing.
• You're willing to invest one to two weeks learning the system.
• You want strong inventory without paying Lightspeed prices.

No matter your choice, when you book demos or sales calls with these providers, be sure to ask as many questions as possible.

The Best POS System for Beer Stores: It’s Your Choice

Generic POS systems cost less upfront, but create problems down the road — especially when they don’t provide liquor-specific features.

Purpose-built or mid-tier systems cost more per month, but you’ll save money managing your day-to-day operations properly.

POS Nation is dedicated to providing liquor retailers with the best POS hardware and software. That’s why we recommend Bottle POS. It’s built for liquor stores, comes at a good price point, and provides excellent support.

Schedule a liquor POS demo today and take Bottle POS for a spin.