Choosing a point of sale (POS) system: It seems simple enough, but this often-overlooked step can lead to huge issues for new smoke shop owners.
If you go with a generic system, you’ll miss out on must-have features like age verification, carton-pack inventory tracking, and cigar labeling — leading to underage sales, stockouts, and mistakes at the checkout counter. If you don’t thoroughly vet your provider, you might get stuck in an expensive contract paying exorbitant fees for the features you need.
Want to avoid these problems and ensure a smooth, profitable start for your smoke shop? This blog will cover everything you need to know before committing to smoke shop POS software, including what to look for and a list of our five favorite providers.
Want to skip straight to the good stuff?
What To Look For in Smoke Shop POS Software
When customers stop by your smoke shop, they usually know what they’re looking for — whether it’s a smooth Cuban cigar, exciting new vape flavor, or relaxing CBD tincture.
Similarly, you should have a good idea of what you want before starting your POS search. Here are some must-haves to put on your shopping list:
- The right features: It might be tempting to go with big name POS providers, but we recommend choosing a system specifically designed for smoke shops. An industry-specific solution will include scanner-powered age verification to prevent underage sales, carton-pack inventory tracking, tobacco scan data reporting, cigar label printing, and high-risk payment processing.
- The right price: Your POS provider should offer transparent pricing options, making it easy to see exactly what you’ll pay for the features you need. Stay away from companies that advertise a low monthly price but charge add-on fees for access to features like advanced inventory management, in-depth reporting, and customer loyalty.
- The right support: Starting a smoke shop is a tough job, and you shouldn’t have to do it alone. Look for a POS provider that offers 24/7 support through phone, chat, and email to help you through onboarding and beyond. Ideally, this support will be included in your monthly software cost — not an additional charge.
There’s no one-size-fits-all POS software, so before committing to a provider, think carefully about what you can afford, how comfortable you are with technology, and which features you need most.
The Best Smoke Shop POS Solutions
With so much to do between now and your shop’s grand opening, you probably don’t have time to do extensive research into the world of POS software.
That’s why we’ve done the hard work for you and created this list of reliable, modern POS systems with the features you need to launch, manage, and grow your smoke shop.
Let’s take a look at each provider’s pros, cons, and pricing to help you make the right decision.
5. Clover
First on our list is Clover, a popular POS provider catering to retailers in all industries. Clover is an attractive option for new business owners because of their user-friendly software and affordable pricing options.
Pros
- Simplicity: Clover’s sleek hardware and simple software interface require minimal training, letting you and your team learn how to use the system in minutes.
- Flexible hardware options: You can opt for a simple card reader, handheld device, or full terminal and customer display, with the ability to upgrade your hardware as your smoke shop grows.
- Product categorization: Organize your inventory with filters, categories, and alphabetized lists.
Cons
- Unreliable payment processing: Some smoke shops have experienced unexpected terminations of their merchant accounts.
- Generic features: While Clover includes all the retail essentials, it doesn’t include advanced or industry-specific features like carton-pack inventory tracking or age verification by default.
- Inadequate support: Many Clover customers report long wait times and poor quality customer support.
Pricing
Clover’s pricing tiers range from $16 to $240/month for 36-month contracts. These prices include your POS hardware and access to Clover’s POS software.
Their most popular payment processing rate is 2.5% + 10 cents.
4. National Retail Solutions (NRS)
National Retail Solutions (NRS) is another popular option among new business owners who want a simple, all-in-one system to help them make sales and manage inventory.
Pros
- Simplicity: Like Clover, NRS offers user-friendly hardware and software that you can set up and learn within minutes.
- Mobile app: NRS’ convenient mobile app makes it easy to monitor and manage your smoke shop on the go.
- Coupon club: You can join NRS’ local coupon club to offer customers discounts at no cost to you, helping you attract customers and boost sales.
Cons
- A la carte pricing: While NRS’ basic software plans seem affordable, you’ll have to pay additional monthly fees to unlock features like age verification, advanced inventory tracking, and customer loyalty.
- Customer-facing ads: NRS’ included customer displays show unrelated, distracting POS ads unless you pay $44.95 to disable them.
- Limited customer support: NRS’ support team is only available from 7 a.m. to midnight EST — which could be inconvenient for west coast or open-late smoke shops.
Pricing
NRS’ hardware packages range from $599 to $999 upfront, and their monthly software subscriptions cost between $19.95 and $49.95/month. Keep in mind that you’ll probably have to pay additional monthly fees to unlock advanced features.
NRS doesn’t lock businesses into contracts, but you can get one month free if you pay annually.
NRS offers one standard option for payment processing — which is a 2.49% + 10 cents per transaction.
3. KORONA POS
Looking for something a little more specialized? Check out KORONA POS. This provider offers all-in-one POS systems for liquor stores, smoke shops, and related retailers.
Pros
- Well-rounded features: KORONA POS offers a full range of features to help you manage your smoke shop, from robust inventory management to role-based cashier permissions.
- Marketing tools: KORONA POS’ software includes a point-based customer loyalty program, personalized promotions, and email/SMS marketing.
- Free trial: You and your team can take KORONA POS for a spin before investing in the software and hardware.
Cons
- Complicated interface: Some KORONA POS users have trouble setting up the software and learning its features, which could slow down your cashiers and lead to errors.
- Essential upgrades: You’ll likely need KORONA POS’ most expensive software subscription and an upgrade to their Plus tier for must-have features like real-time inventory tracking and in-depth sales data.
Pricing
KORONA POS’ most affordable software subscription is $59/month, but we recommend upgrading to their most expensive tier for $69 since it includes crucial features like real-time stock tracking, inventory automations, and customer purchase histories.
You’ll probably also need to upgrade to their Plus option for access to your store’s full sales data and analytics. This costs an additional $20/month.
KORONA POS doesn’t publicly display their hardware or payment processing prices online, so get in touch with their sales team for a quote.
2. FtX POS
FtX POS is a provider that offers all-in-one smoke shop POS software and hardware to help you make sales, manage inventory, and more.
Pros
- E-commerce integration: Want to sell your smoke shop’s products online for pickup or delivery? FtX POS integrates with e-commerce platforms for seamless inventory and sales syncing.
- Handheld inventory scanner: Simplify inventory counts with FtX POS’ convenient handheld inventory scanners.
Cons
- Limited reviews: FtX POS doesn’t have any reviews on verified sites like Capterra and Trustpilot, making it difficult to hear from other smoke shop owners about their experience with the software, hardware, and customer service.
- Expensive: FtX POS is one of the most expensive options on our list, with their most affordable plan starting at $99/month.
- Limited automation features: Time-saving features like automated inventory ordering and receiving are only available with the Enterprise plan, which requires a custom quote.
Pricing
FtX POS’ most popular pricing options range from $99 to $179/month with no contract requirements. You’ll have to pay extra monthly fees to unlock features like mobile inventory scanning, tobacco scan data, customer loyalty, and age verification.
Their payment processing fee is 2.59% + 10 cents per transaction.
1. Cigars POS
Cigars POS is our top pick for new and veteran smoke shop owners. Designed by and for tobacco retailers, this solution includes everything you need to manage complex inventory, stay compliant with the law, and boost sales.
Pros
- Industry-specific design: Cigars POS exclusively supports smoke shops, which means you’ll have the features and support you need to tackle your biggest challenges.
- Flexible payment processing: Save on your payment processing by opting for one of Cigars POS’ flexible options, like dual pricing or interchange plus pricing.
- 24/7 support: Get access to Cigars POS’ team of smoke shop industry experts any time at no additional cost.
- High-risk payment processing: Want to sell trending products like CBD, delta-8, and kratom hassle-free? Cigars POS offers fully integrated high-risk payment processing.
Cons
- Learning curve: Cigars POS includes several advanced features to help you manage and grow your smoke shop, but you’ll have to spend time with your support team and employees to learn the ins and outs of the system.
- Pricing: Cigars POS isn’t the most affordable POS system on the market. However, starting with a powerful, industry-specific from day one will be well worth the money.
Pricing
We offer flexible hardware, software, and payment processing options to meet every smoke shop’s needs and budget — with no contracts or hidden fees.
Use Cigars POS’ build and price tool to get an instant, custom quote for your business.
Power Your Smoke Shop With Cigars POS
Congratulations! You’re one step closer to opening your dream smoke shop — and we’re here to help.
Our smoke shop POS software includes all the features you need to run your business, including carton-pack inventory tracking, in-depth reporting and analytics, built-in age verification, sales-boosting marketing tools, and more.
Want to see these tools in action? Schedule your live demo of Cigars POS today!