The best POS systems for small businesses We rank and review the top POS systems to help you decide which option is best for your small business. Written by Eddie Harris Reviewed by Ollie Simpson Updated on 26 June 2025 Our Research When judging the best POS systems, our writers work with expert researchers to focus on key features that matter most to small businesses. These include value for money – setup, hardware and transaction fees – help and support, plus the till, stock, and business management tools available. Written and reviewed by: Eddie Harris Reviews Writer Ollie Simpson Senior Research Executive Startups.co.uk is reader supported – we may earn a commission from our recommendations, at no extra cost to you and without impacting our editorial impartiality. 1 of 3 Square: best all-round POS system 4.8 Try Square 2 of 3 Shopify: combine in-store and online sales 4.7 Get Quotes 3 of 3 Clover: top class POS terminals and accessories for expanding businesses 4.4 Get Quotes Our latest research and testing, conducted in May 2025, has determined Square to be the best overall POS system. You should look for a system that comes with the industry-specific features that will benefit your type of business.Last month saw the government announce new rules around the UK’s Skilled Worker visa. These tougher restrictions could most likely worsen the hiring crisis for retail and hospitality. For business owners, that inevitably means a heavier reliance on their POS hardware, so you need to make sure you have the best tool for the job. It’s also essential to choose a provider whose prices fit your budget – and that charges competitive transaction fees. This is especially true in the current financial climate, as you’re going to be doing all you can to keep overheads down. The best POS systems for small businesses at a glance Square: best all-round POS systemShopify: combine in-store and online salesClover: top class POS terminals and accessories for expanding businessesSumUp: a simple, low-cost POS that excels in speed and efficiencyToast: best for established restaurants with busy kitchensLightspeed: first class loyalty features to encourage repeat customerstakepayments: seamlessly combine your POS with a merchant accountEpos Now: best for restaurants and shops with large, complex inventoriesDon’t overspend – you can click any of the links above to begin comparing fees on POS systems for your own business’s size and needs. We may earn a commission from our recommendations, at no extra cost to you. The best POS systems for small businesses: comparison table Swipe right to see more 0 out of 0 backward forward SPONSORED BEST OVERALL Epos Now Square Clover TouchBistro Shopify Pricing from Hardware: From £225Monthly subscriptions: From £25 per month Pricing from Hardware: From £19 plus VATSoftware from: Free Pricing from Bespoke Pricing from $69 per month Pricing from From £25 per monthCurrently £1 per month for the first three months on select plans Compare Quotes Try Square Compare Quotes Compare Quotes Compare Quotes I updated this page on 19/06/2025. Here's what's changed: In May 2025, we carried out a brand new round of testing and research into the POS market to ensure our recommendations are as helpful and accurate as possible.Square is still comfortably the best POS for small businesses in the UK. But Clover has been edged out by Shopify into second place, thanks in large part to the fact that Shopify’s software capabilities have improved since 2024.SumUp and Toast are both newcomers to this list. SumUp cracked its way into the top five thanks to a drop in its POS Lite pricing, which makes it the best deal in this roundup. Toast earned its place thanks to improvements to its software, which is now packed with advanced tools. 1. Square: best all-round POS system Square 4.8 Starting software price: Free plan Transaction fees from: From 1.75% Specific plans for both retail and restaurants, providing industry specific features An extensive ecosystem that allows you to create websites, email marketing, and loyalty programmes all under the same roof Free plan provides a low-cost option for businesses just starting out Summary Square is headed up by Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey. Specifically designed for small to medium-sized businesses, it leads the US market for POS systems, currently serving four million clients. Show moreless Suitable if: You want to take payments both in person and online You're a new business that just needs a simple, free plan You need a platform that can scale and grow alongside your business Not suitable if: You have high staff turnover, and you need a training mode to help quickly onboard new hires You want to deep dive into your costs versus profits You're running a restaurant and you want to assign ingredients to specific dishes Why is Square a top choice for small businesses?On the basis of our most recent in-house tests, we can confidently say that Square is the easiest POS system to use. While setting up the back end was slightly easier that the front end, overall the system excels in usability thanks to its naturally intuitive interface, making this great for first time users.Fledging business owners will also appreciate Square’s app-based approach, as you can download the app completely free. Small, single locations can run Square’s free app on an iPad to save on costs, while more sophisticated operations can upgrade to its excellent range of terminals and accessories, and subscription-based software plans (which are split into plans for restaurant and retail).We found all these elements to be extremely user friendly, but if you do run into any issues, you can rest assured that Square provides every help and support option you could want. Square performs so strongly across all categories that we also chose it as the best POS for restaurants and the best POS for retail businesses.We found the Square interface very easy to navigate. Source: Startups.co.ukWhat could be improved?During our testing, we did feel the absence of any serious cost management tools. For business owners who want to take a more granular look at their profit margins, we’d recommend Clover instead. Our feedback to Square would be to also include a dedicated training mode to help onboard new staff (the kind that Toast provides).How much does it cost?PricingSoftwareFree plan: FreeSquare for Retail Plus plan: £49/month, per locationPremium plan (for businesses that process more than £200,000 per year): custom pricingHardwareSquare Stand (to turn your iPad into a countertop terminal): £99 plus VATSquare Register: £599 plus VAT Transaction feesFree plan: 1.75% in person, 2.5% for virtual terminal and invoices, 1.4% + 25p for online transactionsSquare for Retail Plus plan: 1.6% in person, 1.4% + 25p for online transactionsPremium plan: custom ratesFree trial?You can test the system using the free plan on a tabletOne of Square’s strengths is its completely transparent pricing model. Merchants will know exactly what they’re budgeting for, with no hidden fees, and fair transaction rates you won’t be overpaying on.Newer businesses will appreciate the option of a free app-based plan, while the paid plans will unlock slightly lower transaction fees, which is beneficial for more established merchants with higher sales volumes. What our researchers think I’m a huge fan of the Square interface. When we tested it on the an iPad, I found it really easy to navigate as everything was clearly labelled and the interface was really modern and clean looking, which made it even easier to find all the functions I needed. Ollie Simpson Senior Research Executive Need to know: front end and back end When talking about POS software, it generally falls into two categories:Front end: this is the ‘front of house’ part – what you’ll use to manage customer transactions, such as inputting an order or printing a bill.Back end: this is the ‘back office’ part – the interface used to manage the business, change settings (for example, menu items or a connected inventory), and see analytics. 2. Shopify: combine in-store and online sales Shopify 4.7 Starting software price: £25 Transaction fees from: 1.5% Easily integrates with a Shopify online store (depending on your plan) Strong support options to help inexperienced users Extensive app store Summary Headquartered in Ontario, Canada, Shopify is the second largest publicly traded Canadian company. It hosts 5.6 million active stores across more than 175 countries. Show moreless Suitable if: You have a wide-ranging and diverse inventory You want access to an extensive app store You want to integrate your existing Shopify website Not suitable if: You need to keep processing costs as low as possible You want a training mode for new staff You want a full POS terminal, rather than using software on an iPad Why is Shopify a top choice for small businesses?Shopify’s POS system may only run on iPads, rather than on a dedicated terminal, but there’s plenty of power under the hood. Best of all is its seamless integration with Shopify-built ecommerce stores, making Shopify the go-to option if you want to sell online as well as in person. Its unified dashboard for both online and in-store operations is especially helpful.Since our last round of testing in 2024, Shopify has made some noticeable improvements to its software capabilities. Many of our expert users fed back that Shopify was the best POS system they had used, and we agreed that its new built-in AI assistant is incredibly fast and helpful, especially when trying to locate specific features.The detailed reporting and excellent inventory management left us impressed, but we also appreciated the extensive range of apps provided by the Shopify store, so you shouldn’t be found wanting if you need to bolt on any additional features.The straightforward design of the Shopify interface makes for a user-friendly experience. Source: Startups.co.uk What could be improved?While Shopify has continued to supercharge its software over the past year, this comes somewhat at the expense of simplicity. We feel that Shopify has evolved to prioritise power, meaning you get a lot of features, but also making it a more complex system with a potentially steeper learning curve for new businesses.If you’re looking for a simple and low-cost POS, Square or SumUp might be a better option for you. And while we were certainly impressed by how easy the system was to use on an iPad, some might prefer using a dedicated countertop terminal, like Clover’s.How much does it cost?PricingSoftwareSell in person- Retail plan: £69/monthSell everywhere- Basic plan: £25/month- Grow plan: £65/month- Advanced plan: £344/monthHardwareBouncepad Click Tablet Stand: £168Transaction fees1.5% - 5%Free trial?YesUnfortunately, Shopify doesn’t come with a free plan, so if you’re just getting started and need to keep costs to a minimum, you might want to consider Square instead. The upside is that Shopify is transparent about its pricing, and offers a broad range of tiers for different needs. The downside is that, on its lower tiers, it can charge some pretty eye watering fees. What our researchers think This is the number one platform if you want to sell online too. I was able to set up my online store and then within two minutes I had set up my POS station and connected it to my iPad, that meant everything was in sync across both channels, something which most other platforms make a lot more complicated to set up! Ollie Simpson Senior Research Executive 3. Clover: top class POS terminals and accessories for expanding businesses Clover POS 4.4 Starting software price: Currently £1 per month (18-month contract) Transaction fees from: 1.49% Customisable customer display that supports contactless payments Great range of apps to help scale your business and support your customers Wide range of software tools to support your staff Summary Clover is based in California and, as of 2020, processes $133 billion in card transactions annually. It’s owned by Fiserv, the largest merchant acquirer in the world. Show moreless Suitable if: You have a medium to large retail store or restaurant You're an established business that's willing to pay extra for top class terminals and accessories Your store is growing rapidly Not suitable if: You have a small store or pop-up that just needs low-cost basics You have a limited inventory and don't need to pay extra for advanced management tools You work in hospitality, and automated tip sharing is non-negotiable Why is Clover a top choice for small businesses?Clover stands apart for its first-class POS terminals and accessories, which connect seamlessly. We particularly like the thoughtful design touches like its built-in fingerprint scanner, which makes it extremely quick and easy for staff to log in during peak hours in either a hectic retail outlet or busy restaurant floor.We found the software to be just as well-designed as the hardware: we appreciated the usability and simplicity of the system, especially compared to some clunkier competitors. This ease-of-use would lend itself particularly well to a fast-paced hospitality environment. The Clover POS terminal also comes bundled with its own receipt printer. Source: Startups.co.ukThe POS also comes stocked up with features to help your staff, including everything from invoicing to inventory management to discounts. With Clover, you should have everything you need to run your business smoothly and scale it over time. A standout, though, is the customisable customer display screen, which is the best we’ve seen.What could be improved?Restaurateurs should take note that Clover doesn’t include automated tip sharing tools, so if you’re concerned about falling foul of the UK Tipping Act, Toast will have your back instead.There were a few small gripes with back end functions, as we did struggle with bulk uploading, and overall there was a bit of a steep learning curve with this part of the system. If you just need a simple, straightforward platform, Square is a better option.The sleek Clover terminal is one of the most impressive pieces of hardware we’ve tested. Source: Startups.co.ukHow much does it cost?PricingSoftwareCurrently from £1 per monthHardwareClover Mini: £450Clover Station Solo: Contact Clover for pricesClover Station Duo: £1,300Transaction feesFrom 1.49%Free trial?NoneThe key thing to be aware of with Clover is its comparatively expensive hardware: the Clover Station Duo costs almost double some of the other terminals we tried.While Clover is a great choice for larger businesses, if you’re just starting out, Square’s transparent set pricing, cheaper hardware, and free plan will be more beginner friendly. However, right now, Clover is running a promotion with prices starting from just £1 per month (which includes a POS device) for 18 months. How many POS terminals does your business need? Just 1 2-3 Over 3 Unsure Compare Costs What our researchers think The Clover hardware was the most modern and sleek for me, out of all the POS systems we tested, I’d liken it to Apple in the way it looks with glossy white colours. Using the system was really simple too, it’s laid out with icons and looks similar to an iPad, so there’s no issues with learning to use it – plus the finger print recognition was so useful and meant I could log in quicker than any other system we tested. Ollie Simpson Senior Research Executive 4. SumUp: a simple, low-cost POS that excels in speed and efficiency SumUp 4.2 Starting software price: Free Transaction fees from: 1.69% Superb range of hardware and accessories Built-in electronic gift cards Low-cost system with a free plan Summary In 2020, London-based payment service provider SumUp acquired GoodTill, an iPad-based POS software provider. Show moreless Suitable if: You run a small business that's in its early stages You're looking to keep overheads lean and avoid monthly costs You're also looking to integrate an ecommerce site Not suitable if: You want the option to create physical gift cards You want your staff to use handheld POS devices Your business is more complex and requires a sophisticated POS back office Why is SumUp a top choice for small businesses?What immediately leaps out about SumUp is how sleek and lightweight the SumUp POS Lite terminal is, while still feeling professional and at a reasonable price point. This terminal, coupled with the easy-to-use software, would be a great fit for a smaller hospitality business like a coffee shop that wants efficiency and reliability without breaking the bank.The POS Lite consists of a 13” HD touchscreen tablet with a stand, and comes bundled with the free version of SumUp’s POS software (you also get the SumUp card reader). This is a pretty standout deal for new business owners who want to get set up with all they need to start taking payments, but without worrying about factoring in monthly software fees.You can download the free SumUp app to your smartphone, which connects up to the card reader. Source: Startups.co.ukFor retailers who also need an ecommerce presence, you can easily integrate your POS with SumUp Online to start selling online as well as in person. We also appreciate that SumUp POS comes with built-in electronic gift card functionality, and since 2024, we’re happy to note a marked improvement to SumUp’s front end design, with the addition of a helpful “park order” function.What could be improved?While the front end might have been given a much welcome polish since our 2024 testing, we do unfortunately have some ongoing grumbles with the back end. It was still a bit clunky, and had some slow loading times.In terms of the front end, SumUp is a safe and simple option for small retailers and restaurants, but the back end issues might render it unsuitable for more complex businesses.We would have also liked to see the option for physical gift cards, which Square’s POS is able to support. And while SumUp’s POS hardware did impress us, we would have liked an option for a handheld POS system, like Shopify’s, Clover’s, or Square’s.SumUp’s simple, intuitive interface makes completing sales easy. Source: Startups.co.ukHow much does it cost?Pricing SoftwarePay-as-you-go: FreePayments Plus: £19/monthPoint of Sale Pro: £49/monthHardwarePOS Lite: One-time cost of £249POS Pro: Starting at £754.80Transaction feesPay-as-you-go: 1.69%Payments Plus: 0.99% per transaction, 1.99% for premium cards Free trial?7-day trial for Payments PlusIf you’re looking for a low-cost POS system, SumUp is worth your attention. Speaking purely in terms of cost, SumUp is the best deal on this roundup. You can use the free plan to start taking payments with a very reasonable transaction fee. And the POS Lite bundle has recently had a price reduction, making it even more affordable.This is a great option for merchants looking to get started for a small investment, and avoid monthly fees. But if you do start to see a dramatic uplift to your sales volume, you can opt for the monthly Payments Plus plan, which can save you up to 60% on your transaction fees. 5. Toast: best for established restaurants with busy kitchens Toast 4.0 Starting software price: £80 per month Transaction fees from: Quote-based Excellent inventory management tools Reservation tools built into the POS package Includes customer engagement tools that let you create a points system Summary Toast, Inc. is headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, with its POS system purpose built for the food and beverage industry. Toast's POS operates on Android, and is currently used by 140,000 restaurant locations. Show moreless Suitable if: You're running a restaurant with complex operations You need help managing a large inventory You want built-in customer engagement tools to encourage repeat business Not suitable if: You're just running a small eatery with a basic inventory You want to run your POS on an iPad (Toast is Android exclusive) You're looking to avoid monthly costs Why is Toast a top choice for small businesses?Toast is purpose built to support businesses in the food and beverage industry, and we came away impressed by the wide range of advanced features the POS provides, including automatic tip sharing (something many of its competitors overlook). We also appreciated the mobile ordering and the built-in reservation tools that can give you control over the flow of your customers.In particular, we felt the cost vs. profit management tools that come with Toast’s POS would be well suited to more seasoned restaurants (and those with multiple locations) who will need a more sophisticated look at their spending. The excellent inventory management system will also be crucial to more advanced eateries that have a complex stock to look after.We appreciated the array of features packed into Toast, including the built-in reservation tools. Source: Startups.co.ukWhen we were testing Toast, we found that the back office in particular was highly intuitive, making it easy to navigate around. Toast might be a more expensive POS offering, but you’ll get a lot of bang for your buck.What could be improved?One thing that small business owners will need to know about Toast: it’s Android only. That means if you’re planning to use iPads you already own, they won’t be compatible with Toast. We’d say take a look at Square if you want a low-cost, iPad-friendly POS.The Toast Flex has screen that can be flipped, and adjustable height, to fit a range of different hospitality environments. Source: Startups.co.ukHow much does it cost?PricingSoftwareStarter: from £80/monthEssentials: £150/monthCustom: custom pricingHardware From £749Transaction feesQuote-basedFree trial?NoneToast is, by quite some way, the costliest option on this roundup. This is mainly due to its lack of a free plan, and it’s cheapest starting cost is a steep £80 per month. If you’re fresh off the ground as a small eatery, like a food truck or coffee shop, SumUp should be more your speed.However, more established restaurants with more complex needs might find that Toast’s vast array of advanced features, coupled with its well constructed back office, is worth the hefty price tag. 6. Lightspeed: first class loyalty features to encourage repeat customers Lightspeed 4.0 Starting software price: £75 (Retail), £69 (Restaurant) Transaction fees from: Quote-based Offline functionality that syncs automatically when back online Brilliant customer engagement features Tablet-based system is easy to carry around Summary Based in Montreal, Canada, Lightspeed is a commerce platform that currently serves over 150,000 customer locations. Show moreless Suitable if: You're a restaurateur or retailer looking to expand your operations Inspiring repeat business is a top priority for your business You want reliable offline functionality Not suitable if: You need to frequently change your floor plan You want automated tip management You prefer having a dedicated countertop till, rather than an iPad Why is Lightspeed a top choice for small businesses?Lightspeed stands out from the crowd by offering some of the most impressive tools for driving customer engagement that we’ve seen. You get a built-in loyalty programme on which your customers can collect and redeem loyalty points, and you can also contact your customers via email and text.Lightspeed’s software comes in two versions: Lightspeed Retail or Lightspeed Restaurant. But both versions of the POS are equally well-equipped to manage large and complex inventories. The inventory management tools also come with some pretty comprehensive cost/profit breakdowns, which are great for a deeper look into your analytics.We found creating table plans with Lightspeed Restaurant effortless. Source: Startups.co.ukLightspeed also provides tools for managing multiple locations (such as the ability to share customer data across locations), so it’s a strong option for merchants looking to expand. When we tested Lightspeed, we found it be a fast and reliable system, and we appreciated its automatic offline functionality.What could be improved?While we mostly found Lightspeed to be a smooth system with a strong depth of tools, we did note that it’s missing automated tip management (which comes built-in with Toast).We also felt that the system could prove to be tricky for restaurateurs who need to change their floor plan frequently, as this can only be done from the back office. If you want to give staff the ability to quickly change your floor plan from the front end, this is something you can do on Epos Now.Lightspeed’s customer engagement tools are some of the strongest we’ve tested. Source: Startups.co.ukHow much does it cost?Lightspeed RestaurantLightspeed RetailSoftwareBasic: £69 per month Core: £129 per monthPro: £219Annually:Basic: £75 per month Core: £149 per monthPlus: £189Monthly:Basic: £89 per month Core: £189 per monthPlus: £229Lightspeed represents one of the more premium options on this roundup. Its starting monthly cost, for either Restaurant or Retail, isn’t cheap. But you are getting an impressive amount of tools and features for your money.Square and SumUp are better options if you’re just starting out and need a low-cost, simple solution. But if you’re an established and growing business, you might find Lightspeed’s top loyalty tools and multilocation features to be worth the cost. 7. takepayments: seamlessly combine your POS with a merchant account takepayments 3.8 Starting software price: £55 per month Transaction fees from: Quote-based Code scanners built into the front and back of the terminal User-friendly and simple front end balanced with a feature-dense back end The terminal comes with a built-in printer Summary takepayments is a UK-based company offering payment solutions including card terminals, online payments, and POS systems. It currently serves over 750,000 customers and is one of the fastest-growing card payment providers in the UK. Show moreless Suitable if: You want to seamless integrate your POS with your merchant account You have a small cafe or shop with a basic inventory You want to be supported in your onboarding Not suitable if: You want to customise or enhance your system with app integrations You want to be able to sell gift cards Tools for building customer engagement are critical for you Why is takepayments a top choice for small businesses?Payment solutions provider takepayments is the best merchant account provider for small businesses, thanks to its flexible payment solutions and fast next-day payouts. So if you’re looking to bring your merchant account and POS system under one roof, takepayments is a strong option. takepayments provides the tPOS Counter, which comes fully integrated with the POS software, and is also bundled with a card reader. Source: Startups.co.uktakepayments’ POS terminal, the tPOS Counter, comes with built-in scanners, a printer, and a customer display. This makes it really useful for speeding up order processing and checkout, especially for smaller cafes and shops as the all-in-one terminal can help declutter your counter.When we tested it, we found it to be particularly new-user-friendly, thanks to an intuitive onboarding processing and clear labelling. If you do run into any issues while using the system, takepayments can provide remote support to easily diagnose and solve the issue.takepayments’ reporting tools can provide insights into your best-selling products. Source: Startups.co.ukWhat could be improved?While takepayments is reasonably feature rich, it is missing a few potentially important tools for merchants. For one thing, it doesn’t come with the ability to set up a loyalty programme within the system. If building customer engagement is a top priority, Square or Lightspeed will be a more solid option.There’s also no option for creating or selling gift cards, and there’s no app store, if you want to download and integrate third party apps. Clover will have you covered with both gift cards and an extensive app store, if these are key features for you.How much does it cost?PricingSoftware/HardwaretPOS Counter: £55/month plus £250 setup feetPOS Complete: £65/month plus £250 setup feeTransaction feesQuote-basedFree trial?Nonetakepayments’ POS terminal prices aren’t the most expensive we’ve seen, but it doesn’t offer a free plan like Square or SumUp. However, as we’ve mentioned, one of takepayments’ key strengths is its bespoke transaction fees. This means you should get a fee structure that’s tailored to your business.Read more: our full takepayments review 8. Epos Now: best for restaurants and shops with large, complex inventories Epos Now 3.6 Starting software price: £25 Transaction fees from: 1.3% In-depth inventory management tools Automatic offline mode High quality terminal with a large 15.6" HD display screen Summary Based out of Norwich, Epos Now is a payment service provider and SaaS company, specifically focusing on providing POS systems to small and medium sized businesses. Show moreless Suitable if: You have a restaurant or shop of any size, small or large You’re looking to reduce your monthly outgoings You have a large and detailed inventory to manage Not suitable if: You're a restaurant owner who wants to share out tips automatically You need a free POS plan You prefer more beginner-friendly, basic software New feature: Standalone Mode For 2025, Epos Now has introduced a brand new feature to its POS toolbox: Standalone Mode. This allows you to keep taking payments with your card reader even when the integrated method of taking card payments (such as the main till) is down. You can now use 4G or wifi as a backup when your till isn’t connecting to the reader, or if the internet has gone down. Why do we think Epos Now is a top choice for small businesses?If you need to efficiently manage a large inventory, Epos Now should be in your crosshairs. When we tested it, we were impressed by how well it managed inventory updates, as well as stock tracking.If you need to closely monitor profit margins, Epos Now’s sales reports are hugely helpful, even including a cost vs profit analysis. We found accessing the reports in the system was reassuringly straightforward, and extremely valuable for monitoring profitability.The Epos Now terminal also comes with a separate display screen, which makes it easy for your customers to see their total. Source: Startups.co.ukWe were also thoroughly impressed by Epos Now’s big, sturdy terminal. It felt well-built and easy to use thanks to a massive 15.6” HD display. If you’re operating in a fast-paced hospitality environment, this will really help streamline those orders.Epos Now provides a high-quality terminal with a large display. Source: Startups.co.ukWhat could be improved?While we appreciated the range of functionality Epos Now provides, we did feel that it’s missing a more extensive option for automated tip sharing, which Square comes with. And while the interface has a sleek, modern design, the learning curve could be potentially quite steep for new users.How much does it cost?PricingSoftwareFrom £25 per monthHardwareFrom £225Transaction feesFrom 1.3%Free trial?NoneEpos Now offers various packages containing different hardware and accessories, depending on your specific needs. While this flexibility is welcome, it can make it difficult to compare its pricing against other providers’.In summaryTo sum things up, in order to find the perfect POS system for your business, you’ll need to look for the tools and features you think will benefit your specific operation.Square was our overall top choice thanks to its range of features, usability, and suitability to both small and medium sized operations. How to choose a small business POS systemYou should always compare different POS system providers before you sign on the dotted line, as well as having a solid idea of how much a POS should cost you. You don’t want to be tied to a service that doesn’t suit the specific needs of your business. It might be, generally speaking, a great product – but it might not be the right product for you.While one system might look top of the range on paper, it might be lacking the specific features it needs to be the right POS for a takeaway business, for example.But what factors should you compare? Which features do you most need to focus on? Here are our top tips for what to consider:Upfront costs: understand the initial costs you’ll encounter, and how this may vary depending on how many tills, terminals or other devices you need to buy.Transaction fees: you can’t avoid them, but different providers charge different transaction fee rates. Some will depend on how many sales you process, so make sure you get yourself the best deal.Mobile & tablet POS: no terminal? no problem – if you only wish to run a POS system on an iPad or mobile phone, that’s perfectly possible, as most providers now offer a POS app.Online store tie-in: if you process online sales as well as in-person sales, a modern POS system should run all of this for you from the same core inventory. You’ll make life easy for yourself by choosing one platform for both.Types of POS system to considerEvery retail or hospitality business needs a POS system, regardless of their specific sector or size. However, there are different types of POS systems that suit certain types of businesses better:POS apps – best for small businesses with limited budgets that want a flexible and portable POSMobile POS systems – best for market stalls or food trucks, or retailers that want to process transactions on the sales floorMultichannel POS systems – best for businesses that sell online and in-person and need to sync orders and inventorySelf-service kiosk POS systems – best for businesses with self-checkout options, such as quick service restaurants, ticketing, and hospitality Regulatory requirements for small business owners If you’re taking card payments, you’re going to need to be fully PCI DSS compliant. This is non-negotiable, and applies to all merchants, whether you’re running a market stall or a chain of restaurants.This stands for Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard, and they are regulations that are enforced to ensure payment processing is held to a safe and secure standard.There are four levels of PCI DSS compliance, and which level you fall into will depend on the amount of transactions you take per year.Level 4: less than 20,000 card transactions per yearLevel 3: 20,000 to one million card transactions per yearLevel 2: one million to six million card transactions per yearLevel 1: more than six million card transactions per yearEach level has its own set of requirements to satisfy, but at the very least, the key requirements will be to:Complete an annual Self-Assessment Questionnaire (SAQ)Fill out an Attestation of Compliance (AOC) formPotentially perform quarterly network vulnerability scansBreaching PCI DSS and GDRP regulations could result in severe fines and penalties for merchants. So make sure you understand fully what your responsibilities are, and follow the rules to the letter. Our methodologyWe are extensive and impartial.We regularly update our research and testing to ensure it is up to date and accurate. As recently as May 2025, our Senior Research Executive led a brand new set of analysis on 11 of the top POS systems in the UK, so we can be confident in our top five choices.Our dedicated Reviews Writer carried out hours of hands-on user testing of both the front and back ends of the POS software and the hardware at our London offices. This was based around a testing framework devised by our Head of Research, to ensure the systems were thoroughly and effectively analysed.The results of this testing, combined with in-depth analysis from the research department, was then judged against the six categories we determined to be most important to a small business owner in the UK.Those six categories, and their importance weightings, were:Usability (35%): how easy to use and intuitive the platform is.Pricing (25%): are you getting a good deal? We assess hardware prices, transaction rates, monthly costs and any hidden fees.Software (20%): we review all of the features that come included, from inventory management to data reporting.Help and support (10%): which avenues of support are provided to merchants if they run into technical issues?Hardware (5%): we asses the payment terminals and accessories available. Revisit any of our reviews: 1. Square: best all-round POS system 2. Shopify: combine in-store and online sales 3. Clover: top class POS terminals and accessories for expanding businesses 4. SumUp: a simple, low cost POS that excels in speed and efficiency 5. Toast: best for established restaurants with busy kitchens 6. Lightspeed: first class loyalty features to encourage repeat customers 7. takepayments: seamlessly combine your POS with a merchant account 8. Epos Now: best for restaurants and shops with large, complex inventories How to choose a small business POS system Our methodology Share this post facebook twitter linkedin Tags Recommendations Written by: Eddie Harris Reviews Writer Eddie is resident Reviews Expert for Startups, focusing on merchant accounts, point of sales systems and business phone systems. He works closely with our in-house team of research experts, carrying out hours of hands-on user testing and market analysis to ensure that our recommendations and reviews are as helpful and accurate as possible. Eddie is also Startups video presenter. He helps create informative, helpful visual content alongside our written reviews, to better aid customers with their decision making. Eddie joined Startups from its sister site Expert Reviews, where he wrote in-depth informational articles and covered the biggest consumer deals events of the year. And, having previously worked as a freelancer providing screenplay and book coverage in the film and television industry, Eddie is no stranger to the demands of the sole trader. Reviewed by: Ollie Simpson Senior Research Executive After three years of refining my skills in data analysis, I transitioned to a role as a researcher to help understand our readers' preferences and needs. My professional journey started as a researcher in law enforcement, where I developed strong analytical abilities. Later, I moved into operations, strengthening my understanding of quantitative data. Now, I blend my quantitative analysis skills with qualitative research to explore both audience preferences and product nuances. Armed with a UX design diploma, I translate research findings into actionable insights that facilitate informed decision-making. Whether enhancing Startups offerings or delivering research presentations, I am driven by a relentless pursuit of improvement and results.