Compare POS systems
Software costs, hardware and card processing rates for the most popular point-of-sale systems for restaurants, retail and service businesses.
Square POS
Free POS software with built-in payments
Small retail, cafes, salons and mobile sellers
Software
$0 (free plan)
In-person rate
2.6% + 10¢
Clover
Polished POS hardware with industry plans
Restaurants and retailers that want premium hardware
Software
$0 to $129.85/month, depending on plan
In-person rate
2.3%–2.6% + 10¢ (by plan)
Toast
POS built specifically for restaurants
Full-service and quick-service restaurants
Software
$0/month (Starter Kit); Point of Sale plan from $69/month
In-person rate
Varies by plan (by quote)
Shopify POS
In-person selling for Shopify stores
Retailers that sell online and in store
Software
Included with Shopify plans; POS Pro $89/location/month
In-person rate
2.4%–2.6% + 10¢ (by Shopify plan)
Published US pricing checked November 2026. Some POS providers quote processing rates individually; always get pricing in writing.
Watch out for
Processing lock-in
Square, Toast and Shopify POS require you to use their own payment processing. That's convenient, but it means you can't shop around for a lower rate later. Clover can be bought through many banks and resellers, each with different processing contracts.
If you already have a merchant account or want negotiated rates, ask whether a POS lets you bring your own processor before you buy hardware.
Before you buy
Total cost checklist
1
Monthly software fee per location and per device
2
Hardware: buy outright vs. lease
3
In-person, online and keyed processing rates
4
Contract length and early termination fees
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