The 5 best iPad POS systems for small businesses

Square is the best iPad POS system for small businesses as a result of our latest testing and evaluation.

If you’re looking for the best POS system for your small business, an iPad-based software can be just as effective in taking payments, without paying for expensive terminals.

Modern iPad POS systems offer much more than card payment processing, as most also include features like inventory management, sales reporting and customer relationship management (CRM) – making them a useful all-in-one solution for service-based businesses.

While Square is our number one choice, the best iPad POS system depends on your specific business needs.  To help you decide, read on for our expert picks, along with a breakdown of pricing, key features, and the pros and cons of each provider.

The best iPad POS systems: quick comparison

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	Best for	Overall Score Based on our in-depth research and user testing	Pricing from	Key benefits
FEATURED DEAL	BEST ALL ROUND
Best iPad POS for driving repeat business	Best overall iPad POS	Best iPad POS for a fast-paced restaurant environment	Best iPad POS for beginners	Best iPad POS for balancing usability with features
3.9	4.8	4.4	4.2	3.7
£109 per month	Free	£9.99 per month (on an 18 month contract)	Free	$69 per month
Top class customer engagement and loyalty tools Automatic offline functionality Tablet based kitchen display system	Free POS app Manage multiple stores Integrate an online store	Reporting that gives you a deep dive into your analytics Wide range of tools to boost efficiency Extensive app store	Great range of hardware and accessories Inventory management tools with stock alerts and cost management Mobile and QR code ordering	Great floor planning tools Seamlessly connect to a kitchen display system Strong cost management tools

1. Square: best for new hospitality businesses

Software price: £0-£69 per month, per location
Hardware price: £19-£419 plus VAT
Free plan: Yes

Square is the best option for early-stage hospitality businesses because it’s easy to learn, quick to deploy, and designed to keep service moving smoothly – even with high staff turnover and a constantly changing workforce.

Square’s pricing model is also well-suited to new businesses, with no monthly software fees or long-term contracts on its free plan. Instead, businesses just pay a 1.75% transaction fee for in-person card payments, helping to keep costs predictable while reducing upfront investment.

Square is Level 1 PCI compliant and provides live transaction monitoring. It also uses strong cryptographic protocols for data transfer, is end-to-end encrypted, and has its own proprietary tokenisation scheme.

How much does Square cost?

If you’re on Square’s free plan, then you’ll be subject to a 1.75% transaction fee for in-person card payments. In the grand scheme of transaction fees, this is roughly about average. So you won’t be overpaying, and considering it’s on a free plan, that’s a pretty solid deal.

Just keep in mind, if you’re planning on using Square on iPad as your sole POS, you’ll most likely need to also purchase the Square Stand which is currently £99 plus VAT. If you need any accessories, such as a cash drawer and a printer, then the cost could add up quickly. Square sells a bundle which is comprised of the Square Stand, cash drawer, USB receipt printer and paper rolls for £419 plus VAT.

2. SumUp: Best for budget-conscious retail stores

Software price: £0-£49 per month
Hardware price: £0-£135
Free plan: Yes

SumUp is the top choice for budget-conscious retailers, as its Standard Plan comes with no monthly costs or setup fees – businesses only have to pay a flat transaction fee of 1.69% for in-person payments and 2.50% for online payments.

For small retail businesses, SumUp makes inventory management much easier, offering tools that allow businesses to sell different sizes, colours or styles under a single product listing. Any stock updates are automatically synced across the system, helping to maintain accurate inventory as the business grows.

SumUp is PCI compliant, its transaction process encrypts all data, and it is transferred to a secure payment server, and SumUp doesn’t store sensitive data on smartphones, tablets or card readers. It also has qualified internal and external teams regularly testing its security systems.

How much does SumUp cost?

SumUp provides a free tier, which is subject to a 1.69% transaction fee. But if you’re taking in a high number of monthly sales, you should consider the Payments Plus plan, which costs £19 per month, but unlocks extremely low 0.99% fees.

3. TouchBistro: Best for quick-service restaurants (QSRs)

Software price: From $69 per month
Hardware price: 499 to $1,299+
Free plan: No

TouchBistro works best for quick-service restaurants (QSRs) because it provides pop-up menu modifiers that prompt staff to upsell side dishes, suggest meal deals, and record allergen information before an order is completed.

It also supports customer-facing displays and self-service kiosks within its iPad ecosystem, allowing customers to place and review orders independently. As this reduces the need for staff to take orders manually, businesses can redeploy employees to food preparation, customer service, or other operational tasks during busy periods.

TouchBistro is PCI compliant, and it uses Amazon Web Services (AWS) cloud infrastructure, helping to protect payment information and business data.

How much does TouchBistro cost?

TouchBistro isn’t a beginner-friendly, low-cost POS system. However, it does take an interesting approach to its pricing. You pay the base monthly price for the software, but you can then have a certain level of choice over which features you add.

There are upsides and downsides to this. We appreciated this customisable “build your own POS” approach, as you can avoid paying for tools you won’t use. But if you do want a fully stocked pantry of features, you’re going to be faced with a large bill.

4. Clover: Best for high-volume night venues

Software price: From £9.99 per month
Hardware price: Quote-based
Free plan: No

Clover is the top choice for high-volume night venues as its quick and responsive interface makes it easy for staff to assign individual orders and split bills by guest or seat order. This helps staff avoid spending too much time manually splitting large or complex bills at the tills, keeping service moving during busy periods.

Its system also supports drag-and-drop table layouts, so restaurant businesses can reconfigure their floor plan on screen as needed. Staff can quickly update table arrangements, making it easier to manage seating and adapt to periods of high demand.

Clover is PCI compliant, its hardware is end-to-end encrypted, and it uses EMV® 3DS to authenticate customers’ payments and prevent you from being exposed to card-not-present fraud.

How much does Clover cost?

Clover provides quote-based transaction fees, as opposed to a set fee like Square’s. So what you lose in initial transparency, you could make up for with a transaction fee agreement that’s tailored to your needs.

5. Lightspeed Restaurant: Best for businesses handling multi-site inventories

Software price: From £79 per month
Hardware price: £500-£1,500 per terminal (depending on setup)
Free plan: No

Lightspeed Restaurant is ideal for businesses scaling into multiple locations at once, thanks to its advanced inventory management, detailed ingredient tracking, and a comprehensive reporting platform made to give businesses better visibility over stock and costs.

From a single dashboard, businesses can update menus across multiple restaurant locations, POS terminals, and third-party delivery platforms like Uber Eats and Deliveroo. This reduces manual administration and helps keep pricing and menu information consistent across every channel.

Lightspeed is PCI compliant, specific products are SOC 2 compliant, it enforces multi-factor authentication, it uses encryption protocols, and it employs strong security tools to keep merchant data secure

How much does Lightspeed Restaurant cost?

Lightspeed Restaurant isn’t a budget option for iPad POS systems. If you’re looking for a cheap-and-cheerful, low-cost option, you’d be far better off with Square or SumUp instead, as even the Basic plan still has a steep monthly cost attached.

However, if you’ve got multiple locations to manage and you don’t mind shelling out for first-class loyalty features, then Lightspeed Restaurant will be well worth your attention.

How to choose an iPad POS system for my small business

Integrating an iPad POS system into your business comes with a number of benefits, including mobility and saving costs on expensive terminals.

But how do you know which will be best for your business? Here are the key considerations you’ll need to look out for when shopping for an iPad POS:

• Usability: you’ll need a system that’s easy to navigate and well-signposted so you can quickly find the features you need. We recommend trying a free trial or demo to see if it’s right for you before signing up for any contracts.
• Tools and features: there’s no point shelling out for advanced features if all you need are basic payment processing tools. Make a list of all the features that are your must-haves, and make sure your chosen POS platform can provide them.
• Reliable support: technology is doomed to go haywire at some stage, so make sure your provider has a solid suite of help and support options so you won’t be left hanging at a critical moment.
• Long-term support: all successful businesses should be planning for scalability, even if it’s in the distant future, so you should choose a platform that can grow with your business. Look for providers that have plans and features to support expansion.
• Cost: don’t just go straight for the cheapest platform possible. Keep in mind things like: what features you get for your money, transaction fees and contracts. For example, if you have a high turnover of monthly sales, it can be more than worth it to pay a monthly fee in exchange for low transaction fees.

You can read more on our dedicated page about credit card processing fees, and it’s even got a handy calculator to help you work out what you should be paying.

Our methodology: how we test iPad POS systems

We analysed 11 POS systems in total to ensure that our recommendations would be up to date and accurate.

This included hours of actual hands-on user testing, conducted in our London office. We tested and analysed the systems based on the six categories that are most important for iPad POS systems for SMEs:

1. Usability and user experience (30%): how easy the system is to operate and navigate, including how quickly users can complete everyday tasks.
2. Software capabilities and features (25%): all the tools, tricks and features that should ensure a smooth running of your day-to-day operations.
3. Pricing (20%): this includes transaction fees, monthly costs and any additional hardware you might need to purchase.
4. Help and support (15%): the quality and availability of customer support, including contact options, response times, and onboarding resources.
5. Hardware ecosystem quality (5%): the range, reliability, and compatibility of POS hardware, including card readers, tills, receipt printers, barcode scanners, and kitchen display systems.
6. Market reputation (5%): this is determined by competitor reviews, online comments, and how likely users are to recommend the system.

Summary: the best iPad POS systems for small businesses

Square is our top pick of iPad POS systems thanks to its intuitive software, affordable pricing, and an impressive range of features available on its free plan.

That said, the best option for your business will always depend on your specific needs, so it’s important to compare features, hardware compatibility, and costs.

It’s worth taking the time to shop around, rather than just going for the cheapest option available. That way, you can find the right solution that can help you take payments, manage day-to-day operations, and support your business as it grows.