Comparing the Best Point of Sale Systems Providers
Point of sale (POS) systems are computerized systems used by businesses to manage transactions. A business can use a POS system to track inventory, sales, and customers. There are many different types of POS systems available, so it is important for businesses to research the different options and find the system that best suits their needs.
Technically, a POS system is the software that runs on a computer or server that is connected to a POS terminal, which is the hardware used to capture customer data and process transactions. A POS system typically includes features for sales processing, inventory management, customer management, and reporting. The type of business will determine which type of POS system is best suited for their needs.
Lightspeed
Lightspeed is a prominent point-of-sale (POS) supplier for retail and restaurant enterprises. Because it offers an amazing combination of features tailored for shops, such as powerful loyalty and inventory management systems, we picked it as the best POS for retail.
Key Features
- Inventory management – Lightspeed makes it easy to keep track of inventory levels and reorder products when necessary.
- Sales processing – Lightspeed can process sales quickly and efficiently, which is important for busy businesses.
- Customer management – Lightspeed lets businesses manage customer information, such as contact details and purchase history.
- Reporting – Lightspeed provides detailed reports that can help businesses track their performance and make informed decisions about their operations.
Pros & Cons
- Allows to track inventory across multiple locations
- Offers app integration
- Excellent customer support
- The monthly fee can be expensive for small businesses
TouchBistro
TouchBistro is another restaurant-specific POS system that we recommend for giving the greatest guest experience. Tableside and self-service ordering for your consumers, as well as inventory management options, are all available through the system.
Key Features
- Drag And Drop – With TouchBistro, you can simply drag and drop menu items to create your order.
- Track Inventory – Monitor your inventory levels and get low stock alerts with TouchBistro’s inventory management system.
- Customer Accounts Management – Keep track of your customers’ contact information and purchase history with TouchBistro’s customer accounts feature.
- Time clock and Scheduling – Manage your staff’s hours with TouchBistro’s time clock and scheduling features.
Pros & Cons
- Flexible pricing
- Ease of use
- Offers third-party payment processing integrations
- Restaurant-specific tools
- No free-trial
Toast
Toast is a complete point-of-sale system that allows busy restaurant operators to accept and track purchases. The program includes front-of-house, back-of-house, and guest-facing technologies to help you manage your restaurant’s sales. Toast caters to upmarket restaurants, casual dining, pubs, nightclubs, cafés, bakeries, and chain restaurants of all sizes.
Key Features
- All-in-one POS system – Toast offers a complete POS system that includes front-of-house, back-of-house, and guest-facing technologies.
- Digital ordering – Toast’s digital ordering system lets customers place orders directly from their table.
- Table management – Toast’s table management system helps restaurants keep track of seating arrangements and guest information.
- Order and pay – Toast’s order and pay system lets customers pay for their orders directly from their table.
Pros & Cons
- Cloud-based
- Offers robust hardware options for restaurants
- Easy to use
- Great for restaurants
- No 3rd party credit card processor
EPOS Now
EPOS Now is a POS company based in the United Kingdom that serves customers all over the world. Walt Disney Pictures, Universal Studios, and Yankee Candle are among its current clients. Because it offers a wide range of high-quality custom and one-on-one onboarding, we picked EPOS Now as the simplest POS system to use.
Key Features
- Inventory Tools – EPOS Now’s inventory tools let you track your inventory levels and get low stock alerts.
- Sales Report – EPOS Now’s sales report gives you insights into your business operations.
- Customizable Packages – EPOS Now offers customizable packages to suit your business needs.
- Employee Management – EPOS Now’s employee management system lets you track your staff’s hours and schedules.
Pros & Cons
- Live demo and free trial
- Highly customizable packages
- Customer support
- Ease of use
- Can be pricey
Upserve
Upserve is a point-of-sale system for small businesses such as coffee shops, cafés, delis, and bakeries. Inventory management capabilities include vendor management, one-click purchase, and low-inventory notifications, among others. You may also boost your sales and earnings by using technologies like menu optimization and recipe costing.
Key Features
- Split Checks and Items – Upserve’s split check and item feature lets you divide checks and items between multiple guests.
- Offline Mode – Upserve’s offline mode ensures that you can continue to accept payments even if the power goes out.
- Restaurant Analytics – Upserve’s restaurant analytics give you insights into your sales, labor, and guest behavior.
- Menu Optimization – Upserve’s menu optimization tool helps you maximize your profits by understanding which menu items are most popular with your guests.
Pros & Cons
- Unique reporting capabilities
- Employee training mode
- Great inventory management
- Limited integrations
Helcim
Helcim’s all-in-one POS platform for small enterprises has affordable prices. Its clean and straightforward price structure is very appealing. There are no commitments or monthly fees, and all credit card transactions will be charged at fair interchange rates.
Key Features
- In-house Merchant Platform – Helcim’s in-house merchant platform lets you process payments without the need for a third-party processor.
- Virtual Terminal – Helcim’s virtual terminal lets you accept payments over the phone or online.
- ACH payment – Helcim offers ACH payment processing to save you money on transaction fees.
- Recurring Billing – Helcim’s recurring billing feature lets you automatically bill your customers on a regular basis.
Pros & Cons
- Flexible plans
- Excellent customer service
- No long term contracts
- Limited integrations
Lavu
For restaurants of all sizes, Lavu is an iOS-based (iPads), highly customizable POS system. It’s an excellent choice for coffee shops, pizzerias, food trucks, and vineyards. You can choose from a variety of POS hardware and accessories when you sign up for Lavu, including terminals, restaurant display systems, cash registers, and networking equipment.
Key Features
- Customizable Menu – Lavu’s customizable menu lets you create a menu that is tailored to your restaurant’s specific needs.
- Table Management – Lavu’s table layouts and table management system lets you see which tables are available and keep track of your guests’ orders.
- Seat and Course Numbering – Lavu’s seat and course numbering feature let you keep track of your guests’ orders and ensure that they are seated in the correct order.
- Multi-printer Order Routing – Lavu’s multi-printer order routing system lets you send orders to the correct printer based on the type of order.
Pros & Cons
- À la carte integration options
- Highly customizable
- Offers third-party processors
- Affordable pricing
- Only available for iPads
Clover
Clover is a wonderful choice for a range of organizations, but notably, those who require a large selection of POS systems. If you only require a card reader, you may want to start with the Clover Go and then upgrade to the complete POS terminal as your needs grow.
Key Features
- ACH Payment Processing – Clover’s ACH payment processing lets you accept payments directly from your customers’ bank accounts.
- Customizable Dashboard – Clover’s customizable dashboard gives you the ability to track the metrics that matter most to your business.
- Inventory Management – Clover’s inventory management system lets you track your inventory levels and get low stock alerts.
- Employee Management – Clover’s employee management system lets you manage your staff’s hours and schedules.
Pros & Cons
- Beautifully designed system
- Ease of use
- Offers plan variations
- Very customizable
- Complex pricing
Revel
For restaurants and merchants, Revel is a cloud-based POS system. It offers a number of important POS features, but it’s the customer loyalty programs that truly stand out. You may create a bespoke program for your clients to earn rewards, points and prizes with Revel. This in-house loyalty system is simple to integrate with your POS system—and using a third-party loyalty program is just as simple.
Key Features
- Loyalty Rewards – With Revel’s loyalty rewards program, you can create a bespoke loyalty program for your customers.
- Discounts & Promotions Management – Create and manage discounts and promotions for your customers.
- Split Bills Function – Revel’s split bills function lets you split bills between multiple guests.
- Customizable Menu – Revel’s customizable menu lets you create a menu that is tailored to your restaurant’s specific needs.
Pros & Cons
- Fantastic customer loyalty features
- Highly customizable menus
- User-friendly interface
- No free trial
Square POS
Square provides companies with POS software and hardware to receive consumer payments. Its point-of-sale systems are oriented for restaurants and retail, but it’s also a fantastic fit for service-based enterprises.
Key Features
- Payment Protection – Square protects your payments with fraud prevention and data encryption.
- Customizable Checkout – Square lets you customize your checkout process with branding, taxes, and tips.
- Offline Mode – Square’s offline mode lets you continue to accept payments even if your internet is down.
- Customer Directory – Square’s customer directory lets you keep track of your customers’ contact information.
Pros & Cons
- Customizable templates
- Transparent pricing
- Flexible plans
- Limited third-party marketplaces
POS Nation
POS Nation has all the functionality you’ll ever need for your point-of-sale system. This solution is unique in that it can be tailored to your company’s specific requirements. It makes no distinctions for businesses of all shapes and sizes and offers them POS systems that are perfectly suited to their needs.
Key Features
- Inventory Control – POS Nation’s inventory control system lets you track your inventory levels and get low stock alerts.
- Employee Management – POS Nation’s employee management system lets you manage your staff’s hours and schedules.
- Order by Table – POS Nation’s “order by table” function lets you keep track of your guests’ orders and ensure that they are seated in the correct order.
- Kitchen Communication – POS Nation’s kitchen communication system lets you send orders to the correct printer based on the type of order.
Pros & Cons
- Flexible pricing
- Complete POS solution
- Custom packages
- Steep learning curve
Brilliant POS
Brilliant POS system serves a wide range of sectors and provides cost-effective solutions to help you build your business and gain insight into how it operates. If your internet is down, you may still conduct transactions with Brilliant POS software.
Key Features
- Offline Mode – Brilliant POS software can be used offline, so you can continue to conduct transactions even if your internet is down.
- Customizable Reports – With Brilliant POS software, you can create customizable reports to get insights into your business operations.
- Data Export – Brilliant POS software lets you export data to Excel, CSV, or PDF formats.
- Multi-Location Support – Brilliant POS software supports multiple locations, so you can manage your business from one central dashboard.
Pros & Cons
- Can be used offline
- For multiple types of businesses
- Cloud-based
- Affordable pricing
- Limited app integrations
Linga rOS
Linga does not advertise itself as a POS supplier. The firm instead promotes its rOS, or Restaurant Operating System. Linga markets its solution as “the operating system that evolves around you,” and it is appropriate for a variety of restaurant kinds and sizes. Linga rOS has a long list of amazing features and capabilities. Even the entry-level plan includes capabilities like online and mobile ordering, inventory management, CRM, and labor management.
Key Features
- Online and Mobile Ordering – Customers can order from your website or mobile app.
- Inventory Management – Track your inventory levels and get low stock alerts.
- Customer Loyalty – Reward your loyal customers with loyalty points and discounts.
- Kitchen Display System – The kitchen display system lets your kitchen staff see orders in real-time.
Pros & Cons
- Cloud-based
- Very customizable
- Competitive rates
- Online ordering
- Timeclock issues
