The best POS system for a small business is the one that fits how you sell without locking you into high processing rates or a long contract. For most retail shops, that’s Clover or Exatouch, and for restaurants and bars, TableTurn. Square, Toast and Lightspeed are popular too, but each one controls your payment processing, and merchants report real downsides worth knowing before you sign.
Key takeaways
Look at the total cost, not the software price. Hardware, add-ons and processing usually cost far more than the monthly plan.
Square, Toast and Lightspeed control your processing. Square and Toast require their own processing, and Lightspeed charges a monthly fee if you use someone else.
Clover, Exatouch and TableTurn run on Cost-Plus pricing at Interchange + 0.30% max, month-to-month, with no early termination fee.
What to look for in a POS system
Fit: features built for retail, restaurants, quick service or mobile sales
Total monthly cost: software, hardware, add-ons and processing together
Processing: whether you can get a better rate without replacing the whole system
Contract: term length, auto-renewal and cancellation fees
Support: a real person when something breaks in the middle of a rush
Our picks
Clover: best all-around for most small businesses. Clover handles retail, quick service, appointments and mobile sales, with a large app market for add-ons. Through us, you get any one of six Clover devices free, a free four-year extended warranty and Cost-Plus pricing. Clover’s software plans are billed by Clover.
Exatouch: best for retail, liquor, convenience and quick service. It’s a seven-piece station with real-time inventory, age verification, scan data for tobacco rebates and offline card processing during internet outages. It’s free for qualifying businesses and $89 a month for everyone else, with 24/7 US-based support.
TableTurn: best for restaurants and bars. The register, kitchen display and card reader work as one system, with commission-free online ordering, QR table ordering and dual pricing on every plan. Software runs $0 (Lite), $39 a month (Lite+) or from $99 a month (Pro), billed monthly with no long-term contract, and the terminal is sold at cost.
Square, Toast and Lightspeed: what to know before you sign
Square is easy to start with, but you can only use Square’s processing. In-person sales cost 2.6% + 15¢ on its free plan, keyed-in cards cost 3.5% + 15¢, and since 2023 Square no longer returns its fees when you refund a sale. Custom rates are only offered above $250,000 a year in sales. The most common complaints are sudden account holds and frozen funds, and Square’s terms let it suspend an account “at any time for any reason.” Many merchants also report trouble reaching a live person.
Toast is built for restaurants, but it requires Toast’s processing and Toast-approved hardware, and contracts typically run two to three years. Its pricing page lists no processing rates. Reviewers report 2.49% + 15¢ in person when you pay for hardware up front, and 3.09% + 15¢ or more on the pay-as-you-go plan. Restaurant owners frequently report that add-ons like handhelds, kitchen displays and online ordering push the monthly bill well past the first quote, along with long support hold times.
Lightspeed is a deep retail system, with plans from $89 to $289 a month before hardware. If you use another processor, Lightspeed charges a monthly third-party processing fee, and canceling mid-contract means paying the rest of the term with no pro-rated refund. Merchants also report unhelpful support and a system that can feel like more than a small shop needs.
Why the processing rate matters most
On a flat rate like Square’s, every card costs the same high percentage, including low-cost debit cards. With Cost-Plus pricing, you pay the card brands’ actual interchange rate plus a small, fixed markup, so you pay less on the cards that cost less. For most businesses, processing is the biggest POS expense: on $30,000 a month in card sales, even a 0.5% difference adds up to $1,800 a year.
Not sure what your current POS is really costing you? Get your free savings analysis and we’ll show you what you’d pay with Clover, Exatouch or TableTurn on Cost-Plus pricing, within one business day.
Quick answers
Can I use my own processor with Square or Toast? No. Square and Toast only process through their own payment services, and Lightspeed charges a monthly fee if you use another processor.
Is the free equipment really free? Yes, with no minimums. It’s a placement, so if you ever leave, you send it back, but there’s no contract and no early termination fee.
Can I keep my current Clover? Usually not. Clover devices are typically locked to the processor that sold them, so we provide a new one free.
READY TO OPTIMIZE?
Get Your Free Savings Analysis
Send us a recent processing statement and we’ll show you what you’d pay with Clover, Exatouch or TableTurn on Cost-Plus pricing.
No obligation. No contracts. No ETF.