Cheap POS System
So many small business owners can't afford to pay thousands of dollars for a POS system yet they are crucial in today's merchant environment.
Luckily, more and more manufacturers are coming out with inexpensive POS systems.
The great thing is, we've researched them for you, and come up with 3 that we highly recommend!
Scroll down to see the top 3 least expensive, yet still very effective POS systems on the market today!
Square is one of the most popular point of sale systems, due in part to the fact that it is completely free.
The Square POS system comes with sales reporting, employee management, inventory management, and several pricing options, all of which can help you custom fit it within the scope of your business.
The beauty of Square is that business owners are able to continue using the equipment they have or upgrade to new equipment through the company.
The Square app allows for very easy payment processing using the app on your tablet or mobile device.
Customers can also make use of Square Wallet to set up digital tabs and pay using various cards that they have stored on their system.
While the card reader comes with the package for free and the baseline price for the software is also free, you do have to pay 3.5% + $0.15 for transactions that are manually entered. For different types of payments there are also different fees to look out for.
However, overall, this is the best POS system for small businesses who are on a budget.
Related articles include: Square POS System Cost, How Does Square Work.
#2 Vend
Vend is an extremely popular and incredibly intuitive POS solutions that is used by retailers across the United States of all shapes and sizes.
This company made it onto our best POS system for retail list because it can be used for inventory management, customer management, sales data, analytics reporting, and so much more.
Plus, it works with third-party software like Xero and Shopify, perfect for those who have their business attached to an e-commerce platform.
The software was created with user-friendliness in mind, meaning you'll find it easy to train your staff quickly and efficiently.
Plus, you can use your existing equipment with Vend, such as your cash drawers or your receipt printers. All you truly need to have to use Vend is your computer, a tablet, or an iPad.
As for Vend's pricing model, the price you pay is completely based on the size of the package that you choose to buy.
You can pay as little as $59 per mon to take advantage of the single outlet package, which comes with a 1,000-product limit, a single register, email support, and ten users. If you choose to pay an additional $39 per year, you can get phone support, personal assistance, and ongoing training.
#3 Revel
Many believe that Revel is the future of point of sale solutions thanks to the iPad app, which you can use to get real-time reporting for your business.
Whether you run a retail shop, a restaurant, or a grocery store, Revel works extremely efficiently for data and analytics.
The beauty of Revel is that it is completely built on a cloud-based system, meaning you never have to worry about having servers on-site.
Plus, you have the ability to access your data anywhere where there is WiFi, allowing you to go on vacation and still keep track of how your shop is running back home. This is one aspect that makes it one of the best enterprise POS systems available.
It is important to note that Revel pries its systems out in tiers, which there are three of, including the Enterprise tier, the Business tier, and the REVELite tier.
You can choose to start at the REVELite tier if you want to save some money. Beyond that, there are different pricing options for the particular POS system your business needs. The price of a point of sale system will be different for a table service restaurant vs. a quick-service restaurant.
See our Revel POS system reviews page for full details.
What To Look For In Cheap POS Systems
The POS system that you choose will largely be based on the applications that you are planning to use it for. You must also decide what kinds of hardware or peripherals that you want to attach to your POS system.
Restaurant POS systems may have giant touchscreens that employees can use to enter orders with ease. Someone who runs a restaurant might also want some very specific POS features, including raw ingredient inventory or tableside ordering.
When looking for an inexpensive POS system, it is very important to look for one that has built-in security features. There are different security options, though at the baseline, employees should enter PIN numbers to access the POS software inside. Some point of sale solutions even come with fingerprint scanners for additional security.
You might also consider the data capabilities of your POS system and whether or not it can handle all of the data that comes from your transactions and turn it into actionable events. For example, some POS system models have the ability to create loyalty programs based on returning customers, which can be extremely helpful for restaurants. Some POS software comes with integrated accounting features, allowing users to organize sales, transactions, payment processing, and more, into easy-to-read spreadsheets. In essence, it is important that your cheap POS software has the ability to both store and provide access to data.
An affordable POS system might also come with POS hardware, such as a barcode scanner, a receipt printer, a credit card reader that can process payments, and a cash drawer.
Beyond the basic hardware and software, you also want to look at the different features that come with your point of sale system. Some of these POS features include:
Finding the Most Affordable POS System For Your Business
Finding a high-end point of sale system without paying tons of money isn't impossible if you know where to look. Whether you're looking for a retail POS, a restaurant POS, or a general small business POS, the point of sale systems listed above are great options to start out with.
Make sure to consider the needs of your business and see if the point of sale software you decide to go with has a free plan or free trial that you can use to see if it is a good fit for your business. See our free POS system guide for more information about free options.
We hope that this review of cheap point of sale systems was helpful in narrowing down your choices and we wish you the best of luck as you continue to grow your small business.
Tyler Connaghan
Contributing Author
