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POS 3-year cost calculator
What this does
Enter your card sales and average ticket, and we estimate the full 3-year cost of each major POS: software, hardware, and the cost most calculators ignore, payment processing. Processing is usually 70–85% of the total, so it dominates the result. Figures use representative June 2026 plans; change the assumptions to match your own quote. For the concepts behind the math, see what a POS costs and processing fees explained.
Advanced: your negotiated rate (open systems)
Open systems like JET let you bring any processor, so their processing uses the rate you negotiate. Locked systems use their own published rate.
How the 3-year cost is calculated
For each system: software (monthly plan × 36) + hardware (one register, one-time) + processing over three years. Processing each month = (your card sales × the rate) + (number of transactions × the per-transaction fee), where transactions = sales ÷ average ticket. Locked systems use their own published card-present rate; open systems use your negotiated rate. This is why two systems with the same monthly fee can differ by thousands over three years, and why processor lock-in costs more than any subscription.
Cost calculator FAQ
How much does a POS system cost over 3 years?
For a single register, software plus hardware ranges from about $899 (Square Free + Register; a pay-once JET station is $1,299) to roughly $4,957 (Clover Station Duo on a Growth plan). But processing usually dwarfs both: at $20,000/month in card sales, a 2.6% + 15¢ rate adds about $6,800 per year. This calculator adds all three so you see the full total.
Why does payment processing dominate the cost?
Because it's charged on every sale, for as long as you take cards, while software and hardware are fixed or one-time. At typical small-business volumes, processing is 70–85% of a POS system's lifetime cost. That's why the calculator weights it, and why the rate you can negotiate matters more than the monthly fee.
Are these the exact prices I'll pay?
They're representative June 2026 plans for a single register, card-present. Your own numbers depend on your plan, hardware mix, reseller, and negotiated rate, especially for Clover and Lightspeed, whose pricing varies. Adjust the inputs to match your quote.