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Best Point Of Sale System For Grocery Stores

Advertiser Disclosure Updated: Apr 28, 2024, 12:43pm

Best Point-Of-Sale System For Grocery Stores (2024)

Dana MirandaCEPF®, Small Business Expert Writer, author of YOU DON'T NEED A BUDGET

Dana Miranda is a Certified Educator in Personal Finance® who's been writing about money management and small business operations for more than a decade. She writes the newsletter Healthy Rich about how capitalism impacts the ways we think, teach and talk about money. She's the author of YOU DON'T NEED A BUDGET (Little, Brown Spark, 2024).

Dana Miranda

Dana MirandaCEPF®, Small Business Expert Writer, author of YOU DON'T NEED A BUDGET

CEPF®, Small Business Expert Writer, author of YOU DON'T NEED A BUDGET

Kelly MainStaff Reviewer

Kelly Main is a Marketing Editor and Writer specializing in digital marketing, online advertising and web design and development. Before joining the team, she was a Content Producer at Fit Small Business where she served as an editor and strategist covering small business marketing content. She is a former Google Tech Entrepreneur and she holds an MSc in International Marketing from Edinburgh Napier University. Additionally, she is a Columnist at Inc. Magazine.

Reviewed

Kelly Main

Kelly MainStaff Reviewer

Staff Reviewer

Reviewed

Updated: Apr 28, 2024, 12:43pm

Editorial Note: We earn a commission from partner links on Forbes Advisor. Commissions do not affect our editors' opinions or evaluations.

A point-of-sale (POS) system is vital for any retail business, and your needs are particularly complex for a POS system for a grocery store. Groceries need to be able to accept in-person transactions in multiple forms, scan barcodes easily, process returns, manage customer rewards and more that many businesses don’t have to worry about. For this guide, Forbes Advisor rounded up the best point-of-sale systems for grocery stores to help you choose the right provider for your business.

Best Of

Show Summary

Featured Partner

Clover

$14.95 per month (plus hardware)

90 days

Versatile POS, invoicing, employee management

Clover

On Clover's Website

Korona POS

$59/mo

Unlimited

Inventory management, custom reporting, advanced cashier functionality, accounting integrations

Korona POS

On Korona's Website

The Best Point-of Sale System for Grocery Stores in 2024

Lightspeed POS: Best overall
eHopper POS: Best for free transactions
Clover: Best for affordable hardware
Square POS: Best for grocery stores that offer online orders
PayPal Zettle: Best for businesses using PayPal
SumUp: Best for low cost
Shopify: Best for in-store and mobile payments

Best Overall

Lightspeed POS

Starting price

$69

(billed annually)

Processing fees start at

2.6% plus 10 cents

Standout features

Integrated system for POS and ecommerce

On Lightspeed's Website

$69

(billed annually)

2.6% plus 10 cents

Integrated system for POS and ecommerce

Editor's Take

Lightspeed POS S-Series (formerly ShopKeep) is designed with retailers and restaurants in mind. Its plug-and-play setup makes it easy to use, and you have access to 24/7 customer support and onboarding assistance.

Lightspeed’s retail POS system lets you accept all payment types, including card-present, mobile and contactless payments. It also includes built-in inventory management with low-stock alerts. Lightspeed works for both brick-and-mortar retail and ecommerce, so you can use the same system if you take orders online.

Lightspeed offers four plans:

Lean: $69 per month for one registered with integrated payments
Standard: $119 per month for one register, plus accounting and ecommerce
Advanced: $199 per month for one register, ecommerce and loyalty programs
Enterprise: Get a quote for service with personalized support and consultation

Hardware isn’t included with your plan, but Lightspeed sells all the hardware you need to set up your POS system: cash drawers, handheld scanners, payment terminals and printers. (You’ll have to supply your own desktop computer or tablet.)

Learn more: Read our full Lightspeed POS review.

Who should use it:

Lightspeed offers a simple, affordable POS that’s easy for small businesses to set up and get started. It’s a great fit for a lean grocery store with a single location and register.

Pros & Cons

One-on-one onboarding
Built-in fraud monitoring
Integrated payment option
Inventory management
Monthly and annual plans available

Hardware isn’t included with subscription
Hardware pricing isn’t transparent

Best for Free Transactions

eHopper POS

Starting price

Free; $24.49 per month

(billed annually)

Processing fees start at

Standout features

Free setup for startup retail businesses

Via partner site

Free; $24.49 per month

(billed annually)

Free setup for startup retail businesses

Editor's Take

eHopper lets United States small businesses sign up and use its software totally free—no setup, monthly or processing fees. That gets you a license to use the software on one POS station, and it’s limited to an inventory of 50 products with up to 300 transactions per month.

To get unlimited products and transactions, ecommerce support, loyalty programs and more features, you can upgrade to the Freedom plan for $293.88 per year. eHopper works on Poynt terminals, Android devices and Windows PC. You can buy all the hardware you need directly from eHopper, including tablets and desktop computers, printers and cash drawers.

Free transaction processing happens through a cash discount or credit surcharge, which means you either pay a processing fee or pass the fee on to your customer.

Learn more: Read our full eHopper review.

Who should use it:

eHopper is best for small businesses that want free transaction processing and don’t need a lot of features.

Pros & Cons

Integrates with QuickBooks
Paid plans come with phone, email and chat support
Free transaction processing
Accept EBT
Self-service kiosks available for self-checkout

Not compatible with Apple devices
Must have an internet connection to process debit and credit cards
No cash discount for businesses in Colorado, Connecticut, Kansas, Maine, Massachusetts and Oklahoma

Best for Affordable Hardware

Clover

Starting price

$14.95 per month (software-only) or $60 per month (software and hardware)

Processing fees start at

2.6% plus 10 cents

Standout features

Proprietary hardware included in monthly plans

On Clover's Website

$14.95 per month (software-only) or $60 per month (software and hardware)

2.6% plus 10 cents

Proprietary hardware included in monthly plans

Editor's Take

Clover offers a cloud-based POS system with sleek hardware and a proprietary app that lets you turn any smartphone or tablet into a virtual terminal to make sales on the go. It also offers loyalty programs and supports tips as well as integrations with QuickBooks and Xero for accounting.

Clover POS systems can accept cards, mobile wallet payments, PayPal or Venmo and cash or check.

Clover offers three monthly packages for retail businesses:

Starter: $60 per month for a mini touchscreen POS and basic inventory and transactions
Standard: $130 per month for a 14-inch POS and customer-facing screen, cash drawer, handheld scanner, weight scale and advanced inventory and transactions
Advanced: $175 per month for everything in Standard plus a handheld POS device

Learn more: Read our full Clover review.

Who should use it:

Clover’s Standard plan is an ideal fit for a small grocery store with one register. The option to pay for software with your monthly plan is great for new businesses that need cash flow.

Pros & Cons

Low-cost plans
No upfront cost for hardware
Inventory management
Tax reporting
Includes fraud protection for up to $100,000
Easily setup customer loyalty programs
Individual staff logins and permissions

Price varies by business type and third-party branded Clover POS systems
Keyed-in card transactions are expensive

Best for Grocery Stores That Offer Online Ordering

Square POS

Starting price

Free

Processing fees start at

2.6% plus 10 cents

Standout features

Free POS and ecommerce plan

Via partner site

Free

2.6% plus 10 cents

Free POS and ecommerce plan

Editor's Take

With Square, you can keep track of in-person and online purchases in one place. On its free monthly plan, you can use the software for both an in-person POS and an online store with inventory management and a free website builder.

Square POS software is compatible with the Square Register or with an iPad using the Square Stand. Hardware is all sold separately. Square doesn’t produce other hardware, but you can buy compatible third-party hardware through the company’s online store to ensure it’ll work with your Square POS.

Square offers three monthly plans:

Free: $0 per month for one POS and online store
Plus: $60 per month per register to add advanced inventory and checkout features
Premium: Custom pricing for larger businesses

Learn more: Read our full Square POS review.

Who should use it:

Square is best for grocery stores with a deli or other in-store hot food that want to give customers the ability to place orders online for in-store pick-up.

Pros & Cons

Easy setup
Access funds the next business day
Multiple payment terminals available as your business grows

Afterpay processing fees are 6% plus 30 cents
Loyalty programs cost extra

Best for Businesses Using PayPal

PayPal Zettle POS

Starting price

Free software; $29 for your first card reader

Processing fees start at

2.29% plus 9 cents

Standout features

Integrates with PayPal account

Via partner site

Free software; $29 for your first card reader

2.29% plus 9 cents

Integrates with PayPal account

Editor's Take

Zettle is PayPal’s POS system that lets you track sales performance and get insights into your business. You can take payments offline, so your business doesn’t have to hit pause if there’s an internet outage. Zettle integrates seamlessly with PayPal online transactions.

You can purchase hardware a la carte and use the software for free. Your first card reader is $29 (discounted from $79). Payments hit your PayPal account within one business day.

Learn more: Read our full PayPal review.

Who should use it:

PayPal Zettle is a good option for businesses that are already using PayPal for their business or any that want to add online sales and keep track of all transactions in one place.

Pros & Cons

No monthly fee
Money transferred to PayPal account within one business day
Accept Venmo payments

POS hardware pricing not transparent
Hardware sold separately

Best for Low-Cost Payment Processing

SumUp

Starting Price

Free

Processing fees

2.75%

Standout Features

Low cost to get started

Via partner site

Free

2.75%

Low cost to get started

Editor's Take

SumUp charges no monthly fee and only charges a 2.75% per-transaction fee. You can use the software for free, and a SumUp Card Reader is $35 and accepts payment via swipe, chip, tap and mobile wallets.

SumUp offers more robust hardware packages if you need more than a card reader. You can purchase a register with a customer loyalty terminal for a comprehensive POS solution.

SumUp also offers a full-service business bank account, so you can manage all of your business’s finances through a single app.

Learn more: Read our full SumUp review.

Who should use it:

SumUp is for small startup businesses that need a simple and affordable POS solution with straightforward hardware.

Pros & Cons

No monthly fee
Simple transaction fee pricing
Low-cost card reader
Mobile payment processing

Limited features compared to other POS systems
Loyalty program requires separate hardware

Best for In-Store and Mobile Payments

Shopify POS

Starting price

$39

per month

Processing fees

2.7%

Standout features

In-person and mobile POS, order management and customer profiles

On Shopify's Website

$39

per month

2.7%

In-person and mobile POS, order management and customer profiles

Editor's Take

Shopify POS is a fit for all sizes of retail businesses. Its app can turn any mobile device into a POS terminal and it’s fully integrated with your online Shopify store.

Shopify POS offers plans that include inventory management, staff management and customer relationship building. It sells sleek card readers, handheld POS devices, scanners, cash drawers and receipt printers. You just have to provide a tablet or desktop computer to run the software.

All Shopify plans include POS and ecommerce. Tiers are:

Basic: $39 per month for two staff accounts and four inventory locations
Shopify: $105 per month for five staff accounts and five inventory locations
Advanced: $399 per month for 15 staff accounts and eight inventory locations

All plans include Shopify POS Lite. You can upgrade to Shopify POS Pro for an extra $89 per location, per month, for advanced staff permissions and inventory management.

Learn more: Read our full Shopify review.

Who should use it:

Shopify is the best fit for retail businesses that sell in-person and online.

Pros & Cons

Works for omnichannel businesses
Syncs inventory between online and off-line orders
In-person and ecommerce included in all plans
Mobile payment processing comes standard

No free option
Hardware sold separately
Gets pricey for grocery stores with multiple locations ($89 per month per location)

Summary: Best Point-Of-Sale System For Grocery Stores (2024)

Company	Forbes Advisor Rating	Starting price	Processing fees start at	Standout features	Learn More CTA text	Learn more CTA below text
Lightspeed POS	4.8	$69 per month (billed annually)	2.6% plus 10 cents	Integrated system for POS and ecommerce	Learn More	On Lightspeed's Website
eHopper POS	4.7	Free; $24.49 per month (billed annually)	0%	Free setup for startup retail businesses	Learn More	Via partner site
Clover	4.5	$14.95 per month (software-only) or $60 per month (software and hardware)	2.6% plus 10 cents	Proprietary hardware included in monthly plans	Learn More	On Clover's Website
Square POS	4.4	Free	2.6% plus 10 cents	Free POS and ecommerce plan	Learn More	Via partner site
PayPal Zettle	4.1	Free software; $29 for your first card reader	2.29% plus 9 cents	Integrates with PayPal account	Learn More	Via partner site
	4.1	Free	2.75%	Low cost to get started	Learn More	Via partner site
Shopify	3.9	$39 per month	2.7%	In-person and mobile POS, order management and customer profiles	Learn More	On Shopify's Website

Methodology

Forbes Advisor analyzed 12 factors to organize this list of the best point-of-sale systems for grocery stores. Based on those factors, each POS system could score a total of 100 points. We then translated that point system into an easily digestible 5-star rating:

Key features: Our criteria weighed features including retail and restaurant POS, mobile payment support, software integrations and inventory management.
Pricing: We measured two pricing factors: whether the system offers a free trial and whether subscription pricing would be considered expensive, moderately priced or cheap relative to competitors in the analysis.
Expert score: Our software experts rated systems based on popularity, features, value and ease of use.

Featured Partner

Clover

$14.95 per month (plus hardware)

90 days

Versatile POS, invoicing, employee management

Clover

On Clover's Website

Korona POS

$59/mo

Unlimited

Inventory management, custom reporting, advanced cashier functionality, accounting integrations

Korona POS

On Korona's Website

How To Choose a POS System for a Grocery Store

To choose a POS system for a grocery store, consider these four areas: cost, features, hardware options and ease of use.

Cost might not be the most important factor for your business but, if it is, start there. Look for systems that cover your basic needs at a price that fits your budget.

As with any business expense, you have to balance cost with benefits. Consider which features and products are worth the price for your business. What hardware does your business need, including a register terminal, tablet stand, cash drawer, card reader and barcode scanner? Weigh the costs of buying these through a third party vs. a la carte or through a package from a POS provider.

The capabilities of most POS software are familiar—you’re likely to find support for checkout, card and mobile wallet transactions, inventory management and staff management. Hardware packages and pricing vary significantly, though.

Don’t ignore the user experience (UX)—a low-cost system might cause your staff a lot of headaches down the line if it’s not easy to learn or use. Choose something that’s designed to fit the kind of store you run and that doesn’t require many workarounds or include extraneous features that will confuse your staff or customers.

A POS system should be intuitive for customers, so put yourself in their shoes when you imagine how the devices will live in your store.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is a POS system in a grocery store?

A POS system is the software and hardware used to check out customers, process transactions and manage the cash drawer. A POS system can also include automatic inventory management and staff scheduling, tipping and other features.

How much does a grocery POS system cost?

The price of grocery POS systems varies widely depending on what kind of hardware you need and which features you require in the software. A small startup store could get started with totally free POS software, and you might have to spend between $35 and $1,000 or more on hardware.

How do grocery stores keep track of inventory?

Most grocery stores use inventory management software that’s integrated with a POS system. You can scan in items when they’re delivered to the store to record receiving them, and the system will mark items sold automatically when they’re scanned at the register.

How do I choose the right POS system for my grocery store?

The best POS system for your grocery store depends on a variety of factors, including the type of store and number of stores you have, your budget and the features you need. For many situations, it makes sense to invest in the best system you can afford and, preferably, the system can grow with your business.

Next Up In Business

Information provided on Forbes Advisor is for educational purposes only. Your financial situation is unique and the products and services we review may not be right for your circumstances. We do not offer financial advice, advisory or brokerage services, nor do we recommend or advise individuals or to buy or sell particular stocks or securities. Performance information may have changed since the time of publication. Past performance is not indicative of future results.

Forbes Advisor adheres to strict editorial integrity standards. To the best of our knowledge, all content is accurate as of the date posted, though offers contained herein may no longer be available. The opinions expressed are the author’s alone and have not been provided, approved, or otherwise endorsed by our partners.

Dana Miranda

CEPF®, Small Business Expert Writer, author of YOU DON'T NEED A BUDGET

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