In the past, small business owners maintained personal relationships with every customer. Mr. or Mrs. Jones would approach the cash register for conversations about family, weather, or upcoming store specials. Merchants listened carefully to customer needs and made handwritten notes to guide their merchandise ordering decisions.
Today’s landscape looks dramatically different. Cash registers rarely handle actual cash, and the friendly merchant has given way to sophisticated point of sale (POS) systems. While customers still receive excellent service, inventory management now operates through automated software rather than cashier intuition.
Small businesses require various tools—from invoice software to payroll services—but a robust POS system stands as an essential foundation. Treating your POS merely as a payment processor severely limits your business potential. The most effective systems handle payment processing while simultaneously managing inventory, enabling mobile transactions, and seamlessly integrating with eCommerce platforms. Whether you operate a floral business or catering business, selecting the right POS system proves critical for success.
Square – Best Mobile POS System
Multiple industry sources consistently rank Square as the premier mobile POS solution for small businesses. Built for customer interactions anywhere, the mobile platform operates seamlessly on iPad, iPhone, or Android devices. Features include check splitting, inventory management, and receipt printing or emailing—making it incredibly popular among mobile vendors.
Retail businesses can leverage Square for Retail, which essentially replaces our traditional neighborhood merchant. This comprehensive retail system processes payments both in-store and online while managing inventory, generating real-time reports, issuing gift cards, overseeing employees, and delivering customer support.
Square for Restaurants expands beyond the retail platform’s capabilities. Beyond payment processing and inventory control, this specialized software provides customizable food menus and floor plan optimization tools. Their Premium and Plus plans include all necessary hardware, with straightforward implementation supported by available specialists when needed.
Vend – Best For Multi-Store Retailers
While less recognized than Square, Vend’s multi-store solutions deliver robust POS systems tailored for mid-size and enterprise businesses managing multiple teams. Designed exclusively for retail operations, Vend streamlines store management through catalog control, inventory transfers, and mobile counting with reconciliation capabilities.
Vend’s standout feature lies in its comprehensive team reporting functionality. Rather than shouldering all responsibilities alone, business owners can establish access levels and user permissions based on employee roles and trust levels. The system enables sales target assignment to specific teams while tracking individual employee performance, creating accountability across the organization.
Retailers have flexibility to use existing hardware or purchase proprietary equipment during signup. The platform adapts effectively for ecommerce, featuring industry-leading security and award-winning support. Integration with accounting software enables inventory control across online and offline channels, complemented by their customer retention program.
Shopify – Best for eCommerce
While Shopify serves brick-and-mortar businesses, it dominates the eCommerce landscape without equal. With over one million worldwide users, Shopify integrates seamlessly with standard web design platforms, including WordPress, Wix, and Squarespace.
Small business startups can utilize Shopify as their complete online solution. Register your domain, construct a website, integrate shopping cart functionality, and connect banking services—you’re ready to launch. Shopify provides comprehensive marketing tools, including email campaigns, Google Shopping integration, and Facebook advertising. While initial setup requires time investment, the software remains user-friendly throughout.
From an operational standpoint, Shopify delivers payment processing and shipping solutions alongside inventory management and reporting capabilities. Entrepreneurs seeking startup capital can explore Shopify Capital for funding opportunities. The platform offers a fourteen-day free trial, with monthly subscriptions starting at $29, plus additional features detailed on their website.
Revel Systems – Best Loyalty Program
The interface resembles a CRM system—because it fundamentally is one. Revel Systems transcends traditional POS functionality by operating as a comprehensive CRM that monitors customer activity and delivers targeted promotional offers and emails for retention. This expanded capability establishes them as the clear leader in POS loyalty program solutions.
Unlike most POS developers who begin with payment processing and expand outward, Revel Systems prioritized customer relationship management from inception. Their cloud-based platform appeals to restaurants, coffee shops, and pizzerias, enabling menu creation, inventory tracking, and direct customer communication.
Real-time reporting delivers insights into customer preferences, hourly sales patterns, and special orders. The system connects these data points directly to specific customers, enabling personalized communication within their CRM platform. While this integration sounds straightforward, it represents a relatively unique approach in the POS marketplace.
QuickBooks – Best For Integrated Accounting
Far from an afterthought, QuickBooks earns inclusion as the world’s most widely-used accounting software. Their POS system shouldn’t surprise anyone familiar with their comprehensive business solutions. QuickBooks Point of Sale manages payment processing, inventory tracking, and customer rewards programs with seamless accounting integration.
Rather than declaring any single POS system superior to others, we recognize that each profiled solution offers excellent capabilities for simplifying and organizing small business operations. However, we strongly recommend this: “Never operate a business without implementing a POS system.”
