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POS buying guides & comparisons

Last updated October 21, 2026

Everything we've published to help you choose a point-of-sale system: by business type, head-to-head, and the buying concepts that decide what you pay. Every guide uses the same public scoring grid and verified pricing.

Interactive tools

Find your POS (2-min quiz)Answer 5 questions, get matched 3-year cost calculatorYour true total, processing included

Best POS by business type

Best for small businessPick by sales type & card volume Best for restaurantsFull-service, QSR, the trade-offs Best for retailInventory, omnichannel, multi-store Best for coffee shopsSpeed at the morning rush Best for barsTabs, pre-auth, fast re-orders Best for food trucksMobile, offline, cheap to start

Head-to-head comparisons

Square vs CloverTwo all-in-one systems compared Toast vs SquareThe restaurant POS showdown Square vs Shopify POSFree start vs omnichannel Lightspeed vs SquareInventory depth vs simplicity Clover vs ToastAll-in-one vs restaurant-built Square vs Toast vs CloverThree restaurant setups, real totals Lightspeed vs Shopify POS3-year retail cost, math shown JET vs SquarePay once vs free plan JET vs ToastContracts, kitchen tools, 24-month cost JET vs CloverLock-in and 3-year cost

Pricing, fees & news (October 2026)

POS price comparison11 systems, real totals Cheapest POS systemLowest cost by sales volume Toast pricingPlans, fees, real monthly cost Toast alternatives7 restaurant systems compared Visa & Mastercard feesWhat one sale really costs POS & payments news 2026What changed, dated and sourced

Buying guides & concepts

What does a POS cost?The 3-year math Processing fees explainedInterchange, flat-rate, effective rate Processor lock-inThe costliest fine print No monthly feeWhich $0/month options are real How to switch POS3 weeks, zero downtime POS glossaryJargon decoded

In-depth reviews

JET POS — 8.7Pay once, own it Square — 8.4Easiest free start Toast — 8.1Best for restaurants Clover — 7.4Polished hardware Lightspeed — 7.3Best retail inventory Shopify POS — 8.0Best for sell-online

Compare every system Meet our reviewers