Best Point of Sale Software for Retail in 2026: 8 Tools Compared

#1

Square for Retail

Best for: Overall retail POS

4.5/5 on G2 (99 reviews, checked Oct 2026)

Visit squareup.com

Square for Retail earned the highest overall score in recent small-business POS comparisons, with a free tier, flexible hardware and broad tools for retail, restaurants, service businesses and mobile sellers. Software fees run $0 to $149 per month depending on tier, with in-person processing at 2.6 percent plus 15 cents on the free plan, and a mobile reader available free in some guides or from $59 in others. Offline payments, inventory, customer management and reporting are included, with multi-location support on paid tiers.

The lock-in is Square Payments: you cannot bring your own processor. Advanced retail features sit on higher tiers, so growing stores should budget for the $149 tier. For most new shops, Square is the best starting point, since it costs nothing to begin and scales with the business.

#2

Shopify POS

Best for: Omnichannel retail

4.4/5 on G2 (368 reviews, checked Oct 2026)

Visit shopify.com

Shopify POS is the best choice for multichannel retailers, syncing in-store and online inventory, customers and orders in one system. Software fees list from $5 to $89 per month for POS tiers, with card-present processing at 2.4 to 2.6 percent plus 10 cents, and hardware from $49 for a card reader. One comparison lists Shopify store plans from $39 per month for full online selling, so total cost depends on whether you also run a Shopify store.

The trade is processor lock-in for best rates: Shopify Payments gives the lowest processing, while third-party processors add fees. Offline mode is limited compared with Square. Shops where online comes first should choose Shopify POS, since no other tool here unifies online and in-store stock as cleanly.

#3

Lightspeed Retail

Best for: Inventory-heavy multi-location retail

Visit lightspeedhq.com

Lightspeed Retail suits inventory-heavy and multi-location retailers, with advanced inventory management, purchase orders, vendor tracking and multi-location stock control. Starting prices list at $89 per month in one guide and $109 to $339 in another, with processing at 2.6 percent plus 10 cents on Lightspeed Payments, and the option to use a third-party processor. Bring-your-own-device support keeps hardware costs low for some setups.

The price is the highest here, and pricing ranges vary widely, so get a written quote before committing. Setup takes time for large catalogs, though bulk import tools help. Retailers with big catalogs and several locations will find Lightspeed inventory depth worth the cost.

#4

Clover

Best for: Customizable POS hardware

3.8/5 on G2 (108 reviews, checked Oct 2026)

Visit clover.com

Clover offers the most customizable POS hardware, from compact mobile terminals to full countertop stations, with a strong app marketplace for retail features. Software fees list from $0 to $84.95 or more per month depending on plan and reseller, with processing near 2.3 percent plus 10 cents, and hardware from $279 for a compact terminal or $349 in other guides. Processor choice exists on the Fiserv network, though reseller terms vary.

The catch is reseller variability: prices, contracts and support depend on where you buy, so compare resellers carefully. Hardware costs are the highest here, but busy counters that need durable, purpose-built terminals will find Clover hardware worth it.

#5

Helcim

Best for: Lowest card processing fees

3.9/5 on G2 (19 reviews, checked Oct 2026)

Visit helcim.com

Helcim offers the lowest card fees in this list through interchange-plus pricing, with zero monthly software cost and no contract. Recent guides list processing from interchange plus 0.15 percent plus 6 cents, with other guides citing markups as low as 0.3 percent plus 8 cents, making Helcim the cheapest processor for high-volume stores. A free mobile reader is available in some guides, with a $99 card reader in others, and tap-to-pay support is included.

Hardware range is limited compared with Clover, and online selling is basic beside Shopify. High-volume retailers and B2B sellers who care most about processing costs should choose Helcim, since interchange-plus pricing beats flat-rate fees once volume grows.

#6

KORONA POS

Best for: Payment processor flexibility

4.7/5 on G2 (72 reviews, checked Oct 2026)

Visit koronapos.com

KORONA POS is the processor-agnostic retail choice, letting stores choose their own payment processor rather than locking into one vendor. Pricing lists at $59 to $79 per terminal per month, with offline mode and bring-your-own-device support keeping hardware costs at zero for existing tablets. That flexibility suits stores with negotiated processing rates or existing processor relationships they want to keep.

Per-terminal pricing adds up for multi-register stores, and hardware options are basic compared with Clover. Stores that prioritize processor freedom over ecosystem depth should choose KORONA, while stores wanting an all-in-one bundle should look at Square or Shopify.

#7

GoDaddy POS

Best for: Low-cost in-person selling

Visit godaddy.com

GoDaddy POS gives low-cost in-person selling with zero monthly software cost and flat-rate processing at 2.3 to 2.5 percent depending on plan, with a free mobile reader or tap-to-pay option and a $99 card reader in some guides. It suits microbusinesses, market sellers and pop-up shops that need simple checkout without a monthly bill. Software fees run $0 to $34.99 per month across tiers in recent guides.

Multi-location support is limited, and the retail feature set is smaller than Square or Lightspeed. Occasional sellers and single-location shops that prioritize zero monthly cost will find GoDaddy POS the simplest free option after Square.

#8

Epos Now

Best for: Budget small retail

4.6/5 on G2 (29 reviews, checked Oct 2026)

Visit eposnow.com

Epos Now suits budget small retail with a flat $39 per month starting price in recent comparisons, covering retail checkout, inventory and reporting, with hardware bundles for countertop setups. It ranks as the best budget option for small retail in one guide, with a score of 8.8 out of 10, and it serves both retail and hospitality, which suits mixed businesses.

Processing rates are quoted rather than published as a flat figure, so get a written processing quote before signing. Support quality varies in reviews, so test the demo and support response before committing. Small retailers wanting a simple flat monthly price should shortlist Epos Now beside Square free tier.