2022小型企业十大最佳POS系统

10 Best POS Systems for Small Business in 2022

A point-of-sale (POS) system is a combination of software and hardware that centralizes sales, payment processing, and customer relationship management (CRM). The best POS systems for small businesses also include robust tools for inventory tracking, vendor management, employee management, and customer loyalty. Many small business POS systems are free, though others cost as much as $200 per month for a single terminal.

POS系统是集点单、全渠道，支付和客户关系管理（CRM）于一体的软件和硬件的组合。针对小型企业的最佳POS系统还包括用于库存管理、供应商管理、员工管理和客户忠诚度的强大工具，许多小型企业的POS系统都是免费的，但其他的单终端每月的费用高达200美元。

Based on our research the best POS systems are:

• Square: Best overall POS system for small businesses
• Shopify: Best for multichannel retailers
• Lightspeed: Best for retailers with complex inventory
• Toast: Best for growing restaurants
• Vend by Lightspeed: Best for growing brick-and-mortar retailers
• TouchBistro: Best for small food and beverage businesses
• IT Retail: Best for high-volume independent grocers
• Lavu: Best for restaurants switching from a cash-only model
• KORONA: Best for vape shops, liquor stores, and other high-risk retailers
• Revel Systems: Best for small grocers and high-volume restaurants

Best POS Systems Compared

We prioritized cloud-based systems for their lower entry-level cost and ease of set up. We also looked for strong offline functionality and systems that support multiple business types.

Square: Best Overall Small Business POS System

What We Like

• Baseline POS is free; no monthly subscription fees
• No long-term contracts; cancel anytime
• Tools for retail, professional services, and restaurants
• Free integrated ecommerce site

Drawbacks

• Locked into Square for payment processing
• Limited phone support
• Vendor management requires third-party integrations

Square Deciding Factors

• Supported business types: Independent craft and service businesses, brick-and-mortar retail, ecommerce businesses, food and beverage businesses (coffee shops, breweries, etc.), restaurants, appointment-based businesses (salons, etc.)
• Does not support: High-risk businesses
• Monthly software fee:Free: $0Premium: $60Enterprise: Custom-quoted
• Installation fee: $0, installation is DIY
• Contract length: Month to month
• In-person processing fees: 2.6% + 10 cents
• Online processing fees: 2.9% + 30 cents

Square is the best POS system for most small businesses because of its affordable price point and easy-to-use software. This self-installable system has POS options designed specifically for general purpose, retail, restaurants, and appointment-based businesses. Each option has a free plan that includes unlimited sales and products and an integrated online store, alongside a $50–$60 monthly plan with additional features. This makes Square our top-scoring all-around POS system.

It earned a 4.48 out of 5 on our scoring criteria for POS systems. This user-friendly platform earned the highest marks on this list for the price and from our retail and restaurant experts. The free baseline POS without long-term contracts set Square above the competition, and it only stumbled a bit because of limitations to its inventory tools and the availability of live customer support.

The free baseline POS systems do not have 24/7 support, and higher-tier subscribers may have trouble getting live phone support; most Square support is via chat, email, and its online knowledge base. And while built-in Square processing leads to fast account setup, some businesses prefer to shop for the lowest possible processing rates.

If complex inventory is a must for your business, you’ll prefer Lightspeed. If one-on-one support is what you need, check out Lightspeed and Revel Systems. And if you want to shop for the best rates from multiple processors, consider KORONA, Vend, Lightspeed, Revel, TouchBistro, IT Retail, and Lavu.

Square Hardware

You don’t need to purchase much hardware to run the Square POS system. Many small businesses can run the POS on iPads they already own with an attached Square card reader. Square will send your first card reader to you for free. If you need a more elaborate setup, Square sells a variety of stands, printers, card readers, and cash drawers to complete your system.

Square Standout Features

Depending on your needs and business type, you can operate Square’s POS functions on a desktop, smartphone, iPad, or Square Register. This makes Square the most versatile POS in this guide when it comes to hardware.

Setting up your Square system is an easy, do-it-yourself-affair, following Square’s guided setup instructions. Once you attach a bank account and card reader (Square sends your first one free), you can start processing sales and payments. In most cases, full POS setup takes less than a day. This is one of the fastest installation windows of any system on the market.

Square’s standout features include:

• Speedy payments: Square does not require a lengthy application to submit before you can start accepting payments. Once your bank account is verified, you can start accepting payments the same day you open your Square account. Processing fees are a low flat rate, and many businesses qualify for next-day deposits (though two-day deposits are more standard).
• Square Appointments: This Square supported app is much more than a simple scheduler. For appointment-based businesses like salons, it may be all the POS you need. You can manage multiple appointment calendars, set up online booking, allow customers to book and manage appointments with an online portal, send automatic SMS and email reminders, and require credit cards upon booking for no-show and cancellation fees.
• Square for Retail: If your business needs retail-supporting tools like inventory tracking and the ability to process refunds and exchanges, you’ll prefer Square for Retail. Like basic Square, Square for Retail offers a free baseline subscription with no long-term contracts. You’ll also get barcode printing tools, detailed sales reports, and easy purchase order and stock management.
• Square for Restaurants: Food and beverage businesses from food trucks to full-service restaurants will find restaurant specific tools in the Square for Restaurants POS. This system includes table and check management, check splitting, online ordering and delivery integrations, and tip tracking. The inventory tools are not ingredient-level, but you can expand them with a Marketman integration. And bar owners should note that the Square for Restaurants POS cannot pre-authorize bar tabs. If you need pre-auths try Toast, Lightspeed, or Revel.
• Free Square Online store: Every Square POS account comes with a free, integrated online store. If you don’t currently have a website, you can host your Square Online store for free on a Square-affiliated domain. In the age of ecommerce where customers want the ability to order all sorts of products and services online, this free site can be an incredible boost to your bottom line.

Shopify: Best for Multichannel Retail

What We Like

• 14-day free trial
• Smart omnichannel and inventory tools
• Easy to use, intuitive interface
• Best-in-class ecommerce platform

Drawbacks

• Offline mode can be glitchy
• Free POS has limited features
• POS subscription requires ecommerce subscription; prices can add up

Shopify Deciding Factors

• Supported business types: Ecommerce businesses, multichannel retail businesses, restaurants (ecommerce platform only; no restaurant POS tools)
• Does not support: High-risk businesses, brick-and-mortar restaurants
• Monthly ecommerce software fee (required):Basic: $29Shopify: $79Advanced: $299
• Monthly POS software fee:Lite: Included with ecommerce subscriptionPro: $89 per location
• Installation fee: $0, installation is DIY
• Contract length: Options for month-to-month, annual, or multiyear
• In-person processing fees:Basic: 2.7%Shopify: 2.5%Advanced: 2.4%
• Online processing fees: 2.9% + 30 cents

Shopify POS is built on the incredibly powerful Shopify ecommerce platform, making this POS a powerhouse tool for brick-and-mortar retailers with active online shops. To access the POS features, you’ll first need to subscribe to the Shopify ecommerce platform.

Lite POS is included for free in any ecommerce subscription, whereas Pro POS includes unlimited staff and registers and custom permissions for $89 per month. With all Shopify plans, sales, inventory, and customer data are stored in one place, making Shopify the best POS for multichannel sellers.

It earned a 4.47 out of 5 on our ranking of the best POS systems, just behind Square and tied with Lightspeed Retail. This POS outscored the others on this list for its register features, where it earned a perfect 5 out 5—only Revel scored as high. The biggest drawback to Shopify POS is that an ecommerce subscription is required, so your costs can add up. Also, many of the best POS features (smart inventory management and advanced reporting) require you to upgrade to POS Pro for an additional $89 per month.

Shopify Hardware

The Shopify POS works on iOS and Android tablets and, as with Square, you can use tablets you already own. You will need to attach a card reader, and you can purchase one alongside tablet stands, receipt printers, and cash drawers directly from Shopify. All purchases can be paid upfront or via a series of low monthly payments through Affirm.

Shopify Standout Features

Shopify has a lot to offer brick-and-mortar businesses needing a robust online presence. But if you’re not looking to sell online, a different retail POS that does not require an ecommerce subscription, like Vend, might be a better option. Shopify also advertises solutions for cafes and coffee shops, as it’s built with retailers in mind. However, these businesses might be better served by Square and Toast. If your restaurant needs an online ordering site, though, Shopify offers excellent ecommerce tools that integrate with several restaurant POS systems.

Shopify’s standout features include:

• Omnichannel sales: The seamless integration between the Shopify ecommerce site and POS enables retailers to offer a frictionless shopping experience. Your customers can buy online and request shipping or pick up and return in-store. They can also shop in-store and request shipping or even browse in-person and purchase their favorite products online using email carts and QR product codes.
• Online integrations: Shopify’s online store chat functions let your customers start a conversation with you from any page on your website. Shopify also integrates with Apple Business Chat, so iPhone users can send messages to you directly from their smartphones. A Facebook integration lets customers shop directly from Facebook and Instagram posts. You can also easily place “Buy” buttons on blog posts and other web content.
• Shipping integrations: Businesses that offer shipping will love that Shopify integrates with a slew of tools for shipping management. Popular platforms like ShipStation, Shippo, and ShipBob are all present, as are niche tools for dropshipping or Fulfillment by Amazon.
• Customer management: All Shopify plans include tools to generate customer profiles with contact information and shopping habits, add customer tags (such as VIP designations), track special requests, generate targeted promotions, create marketing content, and optimize social media campaigns.

Lightspeed: Best for retailers with complex inventory

What We Like

• Detailed inventory and analytics
• Robust, integrated ecommerce platform
• 24/7 customer support and onboarding
• 14-day free trial

Drawbacks

• User interface can take time to learn
• Can get pricey for small businesses
• Shipping integrations are limited

Lightspeed Deciding Factors

• Supported business types: Brick-and-mortar retailers, multichannel retailers, food and beverage businesses (bars, coffees shops, etc.), full-service and quick-service restaurants, golf courses
• Does not support: High-risk businesses
• Monthly software fee: $69–$289 (varies by POS type, payment processor, and payment plan); see detailed pricing table below
• Installation fee: $0
• Contract length: 1 year
• In-person processing fees: Lightspeed Payments – 2.6% + 10 cents; other processors vary
• Online processing fees: Lightspeed Payments – 2.6% + 30 cents; other processors vary

Lightspeed is a cloud-based POS that operates on iPads. Like Square, it has purpose-built POS options for retailers and restaurants. Both systems are strong, with excellent inventory management tools, but Lightspeed Retail’s POS in particular has some niche inventory tools that really set it apart. The ability to manage vendors and orders from the POS dashboard, store supplier catalogs, and discover new suppliers in the included supplier network allow retailers to manage their stock with incredible ease and efficiency.

The Lightspeed Restaurant POS also supports detailed ingredient level inventory, but it stops short of the full vendor management supported by the retail POS. If you need these restaurant tools, check out Toast and Revel. However, in 2021, Lightspeed purchased competing restaurant POS Upserve—which has the most automated restaurant inventory tools on the market—so we expect Lightspeed’s restaurant inventory tools to match its retail tools soon.

Lightspeed earned an overall score of 4.47 out of 5 on our ranking criteria, tying with Shopify POS. This cloud-based system earned high marks for its offline functionality and excellent retail management tools, though its higher prices cost it some points. In a world where systems like Square and Toast offer free baseline subscriptions, it can be hard to compete on cost alone. However, Lightspeed offers a 14-day free trial, so you can try before you buy.

Lightspeed PricingFor Lightspeed Retail, your monthly software subscription fees vary based on when you pay (monthly or annually) and if you are enrolled in Lightspeed Payments for payment processing. Like several other systems in this guide (KORONA, Revel, IT Retail, etc.), Lightspeed integrates with other processors, so you can shop for lower processing rates—though you’ll save on your monthly software fees if you enroll in Lightspeed Payments.

The costs for Lightspeed Restaurant users are more straightforward. You choose between three subscription tiers: Essentials, Plus, and Pro. These prices include enrollment in Lightspeed Payments; your rates may be higher if you choose a different processor.

Lightspeed Hardware

Like many of the systems on this list, Lightspeed’s POS system is built on iPads. You can bring your own if they are compatible or purchase through Lightspeed. Tablet stands, cash drawers, receipt and kitchen printers, and card readers are all also available from Lightspeed at custom-quoted prices.

Lightspeed Standout Features

Like Square and Shopify, Lightspeed offers a powerful POS for managing in-store and online sales. With the way retail and restaurants have been impacted since 2020, it’s no wonder that the top three POS systems on this list include equally robust on-site and online selling features. Where Lightspeed has the other two systems beat, however, is in inventory management tools, especially for retailers.

Lightspeed’s standout features include:

• Inventory management: Retailers can bulk upload up to 10,000 SKUs at once, manage variants, create bundles, and track unit costs, layaways, and special orders. Built-in product catalogs streamline orders, and low-stock alerts let you know when to place them. Lightspeed has the most sophisticated integrated product ordering on this list, largely because of the built-in supplier network. The restaurant inventory is not quite at the same level yet, but with Lightspeed’s acquisition of Upserve, it should be there soon.
• Supplier network: Retailers can discover products, submit purchase orders, and track stock shipments from within Lightspeed POS. The only other system on this list that comes close to matching this tool is KORONA.
• Reporting and analytics: Lightspeed includes over 40 built-in reports and allows retailers to build custom reports that show data in easy-to-scan charts and graphs. Restaurant users can access basic reporting with the Essentials POS package and gain advanced reporting capabilities at the higher level subscription tiers. While this may cramp some operations, it also ensures that small operations don’t pay for features they don’t use.
• Ecommerce: Lightspeed ecommerce syncs with POS data, offers over 50 professional themes, and includes full shipping and order management tools, marketing, CRM, and SEO features. Restaurant ecommerce functions are equally robust, including options for online ordering and reservation functions.
• Marketing: Lightspeed has a built-in loyalty program included in higher-level subscription tiers. You can create a tiered rewards system for both in-store and online purchases, send one-time deals for birthdays or to VIP customers, and design emails with templates or a drag-and-drop builder. If you need marketing tools in your baseline POS, consider Revel.

Toast: Best for growing restaurants

What We Like

• Free starter POS
• Pay-as-you-go plans let small restaurants buy two POS terminals for no upfront costs
• Robust restaurant inventory with purchase order management
• Flexible online ordering and delivery tools

Drawbacks

• Locked into Toast for payment processing
• Two-year contract
• Operates on proprietary hardware

Toast Deciding Factors

• Supported business types: Quick-service and full-service restaurants, food and beverage businesses (bars, coffee shops, etc.)
• Does not support: Retail businesses, service businesses, high-risk businesses
• Monthly software fee:Starter (pay-as-you-go): $0Starter (standard): $69Essentials: $165Custom: Custom quote
• Installation fee: Optional; starting at $250
• Contract length: 2 years
• In-person processing fees:Pay-as-you-go: 2.99% + 15 centsStandard: 2.49% + 15 cents
• Online processing fees: Not disclosed

Toast is a powerhouse, cloud-based POS built specifically for the restaurant industry. It’s no surprise that this massively functional POS is the top-ranking restaurant-only POS on this list; it also consistently ranks at the top of our guide to the best restaurant POS systems.

With a free Starter POS and pay-as-you-go options for hardware, small restaurants can start with Toast for no upfront cost and increase their POS footprint as their businesses grow. Meanwhile, enterprise-level restaurants will also feel supported by Toast’s integrated online ordering, delivery management, inventory, marketing, and employee management tools. This is why we love Toast for growing restaurants.

In our rubric, the platform earned a 4.46 out of 5—pretty good for a system that only supports restaurants. Toast scored points for its price and the sheer scope of available POS tools from employee scheduling to purchase order management.

It took hits because many of those tools are only available with higher-priced subscriptions or higher processing fees. The required hardware purchases and standard two-year contract also add to the costs. If you need a more affordable restaurant POS system, consider Square, TouchBistro, and Lavu instead.

Toast Hardware

Toast operates only on Toast-designed POS terminals. This can increase costs, but these terminals also have added benefits. They are designed to withstand high-volume use and function in restaurant environments that have to contend with heat, steam, spills, and drops. Toast hardware can operate at higher and lower temperatures than iPads, and Toast frequently tops our ranking of the best kitchen display systems.

Toast Standout FeaturesToast has every tool a restaurant owner could dream of. You get essential restaurant functions like QR code ordering and payments, online ordering and delivery management, ingredient-level inventory, and employee scheduling. However, Toast also supports niche tools like pocket-sized, handheld order and payment terminals, tip pool management, and in-POS messaging to alert managers when there is an issue or alert customers when their orders are ready.

Toast’s standout features include:

• Pay-as-you-go options: New Toast Starter subscribers can get started with no upfront costs. With the pay-as-you-go option, all Starter subscribers pay are processing fees (similar to Square’s Free POS). Toast’s processing fees are higher for pay-as-you-go users, but they include software and hardware for up to two terminals. You can add online ordering, loyalty, email marketing, and gift cards for an additional 0.4% in processing fees.
• Front-of-house features: Toast includes table, course, and seat management; easy check splitting; and credit card pre-authorizations for bar tabs. You’ll also get table management, order management, and even direct messaging from the POS screen, so your team can hail a manager directly from the POS when needed.
• Reporting and back office: Toast includes comprehensive, customizable reports for everything from staff management to menu assessments. You can track inventory in real time at the ingredient level, receive low stock alerts, and generate purchase orders from the back office.
• Workforce management: Like Square, Toast includes optional workforce management tools to draft and communicate employee schedules and streamline timekeeping and payroll. Toast goes a big step further, including tip-pool management and access to restaurant-tailored HR documents like handbook templates and alerts for new, local regulations.
• Online ordering and delivery: With Toast, you can create an integrated online ordering site to receive online orders or integrate with third-party platforms like Uber Eats and DoorDash. Toast also includes full, maps-based driver dispatch if you want to support a team of in-house delivery drivers. Or you can use Toast Delivery Services to hail on-demand third-party drivers to deliver orders for a flat, per-order fee with no commissions.

Vend by Lightspeed: Best for growing brick-and-mortar retailers

What We Like

• 14-day free trial
• Choose from built-in or third-party payment processing
• Flexible checkout features; built-in loyalty, store credit, layaway
• Age-verification tools and flexible processing support some higher-risk businesses

Drawbacks

• Ecommerce functions require integration
• Reporting is basic
• Does not have integrated email marketing

Vend by Lightspeed Deciding Factors

• Supported business types: Brick-and-mortar retailers, multichannel retailers (via third-party integrations), some high-risk businesses
• Does not support: Food and beverage businesses, restaurants
• Monthly software fee: Varies by processor type and whether you pay annually or monthly; see detailed pricing section below
• Installation fee: $0
• Contract length: 1 year
• In-person processing fees: Varies by processor; built-in processing is by Lightspeed Payments
• Online processing fees: Varies by processor; built-in processing is by Lightspeed Payments

Vend by Lightspeed is a POS designed strictly for brick-and-mortar retailers. This browser-based system operates on any web-enabled computer or tablet, so small retailers can get started with hardware they already own. Like Toast, Vend by Lightspeed includes several subscription levels that scale as your business grows, so it is an ideal system for retailers that start small and plan to grow big.

It comes with built-in store credit, layaway tools, offline processing, and easy product catalog management. Vend integrates with many different payment processors, so businesses can shop around for the lowest rates. However, you’ll get the lowest software fees if you enroll in Lightspeed Payments.

Vend by Lightspeed earned a 4.43 out of a possible 5 on our best POS system ranking. This accessible POS earned points for its 24/7 customer support, ease of use, and payment flexibility. Its biggest drawback is that it lacks native ecommerce functions. You can manage an online store via an Ecwid, Shopify, or BigCommerce integration. But if you’re using Shopify for ecommerce, it makes sense to use the connected Shopify POS instead.

Vend by Lightspeed Pricing

Since Lightspeed purchased Vend in 2021, it’s not surprising that Vend’s pricing structure is similar to sister POS Lightspeed Retail. The prices themselves are slightly different, but Vend’s pricing follows the same format as Lightspeed’s, offering lower prices to users that enroll in Lightspeed Payments and pay their fees annually.

Vend by Lightspeed Hardware

Vend is browser-based, so it runs on any internet-enabled iOS, Android, and Windows-based computer or tablet. Vend is also compatible with a slew of popular receipt printers, cash drawers, and barcode scanners. So, as with Square, Vend lets you use hardware you already own. Though if you want a sleek POS terminal, Vend has you covered with options to pay upfront or in low monthly installments.

Vend by Lightspeed Standout Features

Vend’s retail management tools are designed to be scalable, with options for small operations like gift shops up to multilocation boutiques. It is a user-friendly cloud system with offline processing, staff logins, flexible configurations including layaway and on-account sales, store credit, gift cards, and partial payment. You can scan new shipments to add them to your inventory and print custom barcode labels to quickly get the new products onto the sales floor.

Vend by Lightspeed’s standout features include:

• Detailed inventory tools: Vend allows retailers to easily track variants and bundles, and create, import, and print barcodes from the POS dashboard. You can also build a centralized product catalog, set custom low-stock alerts, and manage multiple tax rates.
• Mobile barcode scanning app: Vend has a free iOS app for scanning barcodes to perform quick inventory counts, receive shipments, or look up product details from the sales floor. Any changes made in the app can sync to Vend’s reporting data, so you can update your inventory without spending hours in the back office.
• Add-ons and growth tools: As your business grows, Vend has the tools to expand your operation. The platform comes with a native loyalty program and integrates with third-party tools for ecommerce, accounting, employee scheduling, and multichannel inventory management. If you prefer a system with ecommerce built in rather than integrated, you’ll want to check out Square, Shopify, and Lightspeed.
• High-risk tools: Vend has built-in age verification tools that prompt your cashiers to scan and verify customer age. This is a great fit for shops that sell tobacco or alcohol products. With Vend’s flexible payment processing, you can get an account with a high-risk processor to support riskier businesses like vape shops. Though keep in mind, you’ll pay higher monthly fees for the privilege. If you need high-risk tools without extra fees, KORONA may be a better choice.

TouchBistro: Best for small food and beverage businesses

What We Like

• Self-installable iPad POS system
• Expandable hardware including KDS and digital menu boards
• Simple delivery tools
• Supports multiple payment processors

Drawbacks

• Requires one-year contract
• Loyalty and online ordering cost extra
• Inventory requires regular manual entry to stay updated

TouchBistro Deciding Factors

• Supported business types: Food and beverage businesses (coffee shops, bakeries, breweries, food trucks, etc.), restaurants
• Does not support: Retail businesses, service businesses
• Monthly software fee: $69 per terminal
• Installation fee: $0
• Contract length: 1 year
• In-person processing fees: Varies by processor; TouchBistro integrates with TB Payments, Square, Worldpay, and TSYS
• Online processing fees: Varies by processor; TouchBistro integrates with TB Payments, Square, Worldpay, and TSYS

TouchBistro is an iPad POS that, like competing system Toast, is designed specifically for food and beverage businesses. Unlike Toast, however, it operates on iPads and is easy to self-install. Its user interface more closely resembles the standard iOS than any other option on this list. So if you (or your staff) have ever used an iPhone, you’ll pick up TouchBistro immediately.

The ease of use, affordable price, and ability to shop for the lowest processing rates make TouchBistro the best fit for small food and beverage businesses like food trucks and coffee shops.

In our evaluation, it scored a 4.16 out of 5. This POS earned points for its ease of use, affordability, and responsive customer service. Its main drawback is that loyalty and online ordering require extra fees, which is why we don’t recommend it for restaurants that want online ordering. For a restaurant POS with free integrated online ordering, your best bet is Square.

And while TouchBistro includes ingredient-level inventory in its baseline POS, the inventory does not automatically update as you receive new orders (like Toast and Revel). This means you’ll need to manually update stock levels, which can eat up administrative time.

TouchBistro HardwareTouchBistro is compatible with iPads, iPad Airs, and iPad minis that run iOS 12 or later. Depending on your payment processor, you’ll need to be careful that your iPads have headphone jacks, as some card readers require them. You’ll also need to pay attention to whether your preferred receipt printers use USB-C or lightning port connections and ensure that your chosen iPads have the connections you need. You can bring your own compatible hardware or purchase directly from TouchBistro at custom-quoted prices.

TouchBistro Standout FeaturesThe biggest ace up TouchBistro’s sleeve is how easy the system is to install and use. Like Square and Lightspeed, users can quickly self-install it following its detailed instructions. Though, like Toast, TouchBistro also offers one-on-one installation assistance for a fee if users want it.

TouchBistro’s standout features include:

• Flexible hardware: Like several systems on this list, TouchBistro operates on iPads. With TouchBistro, these iPads can be configured as POS terminals, KDS screens, or self-service kiosks. There are some additional fees for KDS screen and kiosk software; you’ll need to contact TouchBistro for a custom quote.
• Support and training: TouchBistro maintains a detailed knowledge base with training videos. You can also request one-on-one or in-person training with a TouchBistro representative for custom-quoted fees.
• Straightforward pricing: Where other systems have multiple subscription tiers, TouchBistro has a single per-terminal price. You pay additional monthly software fees to add features like integrated online ordering ($50/month), gift cards ($25/month), loyalty ($99/month), or reservations ($229/month). While this can make your costs add up, small cafes, coffee shops, and breweries won’t pay for tools they don’t use.
• Flexible payment processing: TouchBistro offers the best of both worlds when it comes to payment processing. Like competitors Lightspeed, Revel Systems, and Lavu, TouchBistro offers users the choice between a built-in processor or a third-party payment processor. Unlike those other systems, however, TouchBistro users do not pay higher software fees for using a compatible third-party processor.

IT Retail: Best for high-volume independent grocers

What We Like

• Smart grocery- and market-specific tools like EBT and eWIC payments
• Scale integration and industry grade hardware
• Works with multiple payment processors
• Strong loyalty features

Drawbacks

• Hardware requires custom quote
• No fuel pump or deli/cafe features
• No free trial

IT Retail Deciding Factors

• Supported business types: Groceries, independent markets
• Does not support: Retail, service businesses, restaurants
• Monthly software fee:Markets: $79Supermarkets: Custom quote
• Installation fee: Optional; custom-quoted
• Contract length: 1 year
• In-person payment processing: Varies by processor; choose from IT Retail Payments or Fiserv
• Online payment processing: Varies by processor; choose from IT Retail Payments or Fiserv

IT Retail is a robust POS designed by grocers to support independent markets. So, it makes sense that IT Retail includes hard-to-find features like scale integration for selling goods by weight, bottle deposit management, automated rewards, and self-checkout options.

The POS comes packaged with the rugged hardware necessary in a grocery environment and includes ecommerce integrations to cater to online orders and connect with a network of delivery drivers. It also supports the widest variety of self-checkout hardware on this list, including a contactless mobile self-checkout system through FutureProof.

In our evaluation, IT Retail scored 3.95 out of 5. It earned points for supporting multiple payment processors and for its robust inventory tools but lost some ground when it came to price. The industry-grade hardware is great for high-volume markets, but it requires a custom quote. IT Retail estimates that hardware for a single lane can run from $2,000 to $5,000, depending on your selections. If your independent grocery needs more accessibly priced iPad-based hardware, consider Revel Systems instead.

IT Retail Hardware

IT Retail’s hardware is built to survive in a busy market environment. The provider offers tools for inventory scanning and self-checkout alongside the traditional touch-screen terminals. The hardware your store needs will vary based on your market size and checkout style, so you’ll need to contact IT Retail for a custom quote.

IT Retail Standout Features

IT Retail has all the tools an independent grocery or specialty market needs. From checkout lanes enabled with scanners and scales, to smart inventory management and ecommerce tools. This incredibly flexible system can support markets with only a few checkout lanes, but it really excels with markets that have several lanes, including self-checkout stands.

IT Retail’s standout features include:

• Flexible checkout: Integrated scales make it easy to sell produce and bulk goods and goods by weight. You can accept all major credit and debit cards, EBT food and cash payments, gift cards, eWIC, and contactless payments such as Apple Pay. IT Retail also offers a slew of self-checkout options—including digitized, mobile in-person check out via FutureProof, allowing customers to check-out via their smartphones.
• Inventory management: You can generate purchase orders from your IT Retail back office and track products by case, six-pack, or bottle. When supplies arrive, you can receive and count stock using a mobile app and generate new shelf tags as needed. These seemingly small functions can save you labor hours when it comes to receiving and restocking. As with other systems on this list, your IT Retail POS will alert you to low stock, so you never forget to reorder.
• CRM tools: You can create a custom loyalty program and issue scannable loyalty cards—giving your small market the same feel as a larger brand. Your IT Retail POS automatically tracks available rewards at checkout and prompts your cashiers to ask customers if they would like to redeem accrued rewards.
• Ecommerce integration: Market owners can enable online ordering and delivery, including specialty and fresh items, with several ecommerce integrations—such as Local Express, Mercato, Freshop, My Cloud Grocer, and Instacart. So, you can find the best solution for your market.
• Age verification: Like Vend by Lightspeed, IT Retail includes built-in tools for scanning IDs for age-restricted purchases. This is a great fit for markets that sell alcohol and tobacco products.

Lavu: Best for restaurants switching from a cash-only model

What We Like

• Cash discount settings defray processing costs
• Operates on iPads
• Transparent pricing

Drawbacks

• Lower than average customer reviews
• Vendor management requires additional fees
• No free trial or free subscription tier

Lavu Deciding Factors

• Supported business types: Food and beverage businesses, restaurants
• Does not support: Retail, service businesses
• Monthly software fee:Starter: $59Growth: $129Optimize: $279

Prices are for a single terminal; additional terminals are $50 each

• Installation fee: $0
• Contract length: 1 year; though Lavu offers a 50% discount on hardware for users that sign a 3-year agreement
• In-person processing fees: Varies by processor; Lavu Pay pricing is not publicly disclosed
• Online processing fees: Varies by processor; Lavu Pay pricing is not publicly disclosed

Lavu is a cloud-based iPad POS designed for food and beverage businesses. It is the only system in this guide that offers a cash discount setting, which allows you to offer a discount for cash payments that will offset your credit card processing fees. This feature helps small restaurants that are switching from a cash-only operation to accept digital payments without incurring additional costs.

You’ll still be out of pocket for processing fees on credit card tips. However, the overall savings can help small businesses afford to upgrade from a cash register to full POS system.

Lavu earned a 3.91 out of 5 in our evaluation. It scored well for its register features and ease of use; like TouchBistro and Square, Lavu is easy to self-install. However, it does not offer a free trial or free baseline subscription, so it stumbled a bit on price. It also lost some ground in our expert score because Lavu’s customer reviews are lower than the other systems on this list. If you want a system with higher customer ratings, try Toast, Lightspeed, and TouchBistro.

Lavu Hardware

Lavu uses iPads and iPod touch devices as the base for its POS system. You can purchase a wide variety of POS hardware—including iPads—directly from the Lavu website. For the most part, its hardware options are incredibly affordable compared to competitors’ prices, and it offers discounts on hardware to users that sign up for a three-year service agreement.

Lavu Standout Features

Lavu is a highly customizable iPad POS, with several cost-saving features. Like Lightspeed, TouchBistro, and Revel, Lavu supports both built-in payment processing and integrated third-party processors, so users can shop for the lowest processing rates. Though with Lavu, you will need to pay an additional $25 per month to use a third-party processor.

Lavu’s standout features include:

• Cash discount: Cash discounting allows you to charge one price for card payments and a different, lower price for cash payments. So, you build the price of processing into the price you charge for your products, then apply a discount—say 4%—to checks that are paid in cash. This way, Lavu’s cash discounting tool helps small food businesses avoid the cost of credit card processing fees. This is especially attractive if the cost of processing has kept you from growing your business beyond cash-only sales.
• Transparent pricing: Like most of the systems on this list, Lavu has several software subscription tiers. Like TouchBistro, Lavu clearly lists the monthly fees for additional features from loyalty ($50/month) to KDS software ($30/month). Small restaurants can choose which tools are important to them and only pay for what they need.
• API Access: Lavu supports an open application programming interface (API) that allows you to build custom software integrations with your POS. This feature costs an additional $30 per month, but if you want to connect your accounting program, delivery software, or other tools, it will be well worth it for the administrative time you can save.
• A/P Automation: Lavu also owns accounts payable automation software Sourcery. It allows you to generate a central database of your vendors to create, place, receive, and pay for orders through the app. These are similar to the tools supported by LightSpeed Retail’s top-rated inventory functions. Sourcery costs an additional $99 per month, putting it more in the budget range of high-volume or multi-location restaurants. But Lavu frequently offers deals with up to three months free if you want to try it.