Mobile Point of Sale systems have become increasingly popular as businesses seek to reduce overhead and keep their staff lean. In fact, the market for mobile point-of-sale systems is expected to grow by more than $62.46 billion over the next five years.
How did we get here though. Well, it is helpful to understand the history and future of online shopping and how mobile plays a role in that.
So, if you want to upgrade your business practice and go mobile with your sales, the following five best mobile POS systems are worth considering!
1. Clover – Best Overall Mobile POS System
Want to process credit cards, make digital receipts, or just see what your sales look like? With Clover, you can.
The Clover POS System makes running your business easier and more efficient than ever. The all-in-one system has an intuitive mobile interface. It lets you easily manage inventory, run reports, take payments anywhere and anytime, accept online orders, and much more. With convenient hardware options, Clover is ideal for mid-sized businesses like yours.
Features
Clover mobile point of sale system is flexible enough to work in almost any retail situation. Users can easily organize their workplace and access crucial information with a customizable dashboard.
The digital receipts also work as real-time reporting for sales transactions, allowing you to make informed decisions about your business. So you will be prepared for anything that comes your way with so many payment processing options and a virtual terminal.
With Clover, you can pay nothing upfront and use the system for payments only with a standard processing rate of 3.5% + $0.10 for card-not-present transactions and 2.6% + $0.10 for card-present transactions.
The $14.95/month Clover Essentials plan includes basic inventory, sales data, and card processing capabilities. Want more POS features? Upgrade to the $44.95-$54.90/month Clover Register plan for advanced inventory management and lower transaction fees.
Pay monthly for your Clover hardware and software, and pay as low as $35 per month for the basic options.
The brand has multiple Android-based and POS hardware solutions. Clover’s most friendly mobile device is the Clover Flex. The hardware is a small, lightweight terminal that you can easily move from table to table for orders on the go or keep stationary until the need arises. Besides, it also offers Clover Go.
Overall, Clover is a great mobile POS solution for your small business if you want to control various operations from one app. Clover’s wide range of hardware, easy-to-use POS software, POS app, and affordable processing rates make it a vendor to strongly consider if you’re in the market for a mobile POS system.
Pros
- Best for almost any small to mid-sized business
- Clover App Store for more features
- Several Clover providers and resellers
Cons
- POS software only works with Clover hardware
- Pretty high software fees
2. Square – Best for Cost and Transparency
Square is a popular all-around payment processor that works just as well for retail and quick-serve merchants as it does for restaurants and cafes.
Features
The platform provides an online store and shopping cart, enabling merchants to sell online, too. It also has a free point-of-sale app that includes robust reporting, inventory management, and business analytics.
Square is a fully integrated point-of-sale system and campaign management platform that allows you to get set up and running within minutes.
With features like merchant accounts, permission, sales history, marketing tools, and multiple/split payments, Square is great for various settings and businesses.
It’s well suited for businesses of all sizes, especially those with access to a smartphone or tablet—including small businesses, entrepreneurs, designers, and creatives.
With its no monthly fee, 2.6% + $0.10 per transaction processing rate, Square is the perfect solution for small businesses to get started processing credit cards on their mobile devices.
If your business runs at a high volume or is considered a higher risk, you may need to look elsewhere for other mobile POS systems. But if your business has an annual revenue of $250K or more, Square’s processing discount may benefit you.
With Square, you can start processing credit cards with a phone, tablet, or laptop. No need for a big credit card terminal, a pricey card reader, or a complex setup process.
The free Square magstripe card reader is an excellent option for businesses that still primarily take credit cards. Still, if you’re ready to enter the modern era of payments and accept chip cards, the $49 EMV/NFC reader from Square is an essential accessory.
Pros
- Wide variety of features
- Flat-rate payment processing
- Free POS system with the app for tablets and smartphones
Cons
- Not suitable for high-risk businesses
- Not cost-effective for large businesses
3. Toast – Best for Food Service Businesses
Toast POS is a free, easy-to-use point-of-sale system for bars and restaurants. The cloud-based software includes digital ordering, labor management, menu management—and more.
With the Toast restaurant management system, you get a sleek mobile ordering app that syncs with your digital display behind the bar and on tables.
Features
It offers online ordering, contactless delivery, eGift card support, and QR code payments to fit your brand needs.
Additionally, Toast offers a variety of payment options that work seamlessly with your business systems.
To top it off, use the KDS-compatible app to drive marketing opportunities while building customer loyalty with solid analytics and reporting.
Toast has flexible pricing, including a starter plan offering core POS software and payment processing. Besides, you can choose from Point of Sale packages for $69/month or try the $165/month Essentials offering if you need the digital ordering system.
Additionally, you’ll get a larger plan if you add gift cards or marketing tools using a $272/month Growth plan.
Although this vendor is one of the priciest mobile POS solutions, there is no upfront cost for Starter Kit. The brand also has an in-house credit card processing program with flat-rate charges. But the POS is not compatible with other payment processors.
Pros
- Android POS hardware suitable for restaurants
- Contactless mobile POS solution
- Handheld "Toast-Go" devices
Cons
- Multi-year merchant contract with ETF is needed
- Customer service could be better
4. Shopify POS – Best for E-Commerce Sellers
Shopify POS is an all-in-one point-of-sale app that helps you sell in-store. It’s built on the trusted Shopify eCommerce platform. It has all the features and functionality of a traditional POS system: inventory management, searchable product databases, and more.
The Shopify POS is easy to use with any device and, most importantly, enables you to focus your energy on growing your business. What’s great is you can upgrade it anytime to meet your business’s growing demands.
Features
Shopify’s basic plan has most of the features you need to run a successful business. These include customizable templates, advanced inventory, unified reporting, online ordering, and integrated hardware.
You can also use it to manage your inventory and orders in one place. And if you upgrade to a higher tier, Shopify will even help you market your business!
Besides, with various competitive plans to choose from, plus some optional extensions, it’s easy to customize Shopify POS to meet your needs.
The Shopify Starter Plan is ideal for those just getting started, who are testing the waters with one storefront and don’t have a lot of inventory or sales volume.
It comes at a meager monthly fee of $5/month with POS software, buy buttons, limited online selling, and invoicing tools.
Shopify Lite comes at a flat rate of 2.7% per transaction. However, the processing fees decline on upgrading to a larger package.
Shopify’s hardware accessories include card readers and tablet computers for payment processing and other purposes. Additionally, they sell these products through their website, besides other items, including printers and cash drawers.
If you’re looking for a better way to accept mobile customer payments, then Shopify POS might be the perfect solution.
Pros
- Best pocket-sized POS system
- Offer buy buttons for selling on websites
- Best for artists, pop-up shops, farmer's markets, craft fairs
Cons
- Not suitable for large businesses
- You can’t customize anything
5. Revel – Best for Multi-Location Stores
Revel is worth considering if you’re looking for a mobile point-of-sale system that can scale with your business and offer a host of integrations to make it even more powerful. The Revel POS system best suits mid-sized to large-volume retailers and restaurants.
Features
Revel’s features are just as powerful as its hardware. The POS system has advanced reporting, so you can track sales and inventory in real-time through your Revel dashboard.
It also supports online ordering, so customers can order directly from the bar or restaurant without ever having to flag a server down.
Besides, it has a customer display system that lets customers browse menus and place orders via tablet or smartphone.
The software is designed for offline use, too—it even works with dial-up internet connections and has multi-store capacity!
Revel offers plans that range from $99/month to full-service processing. However, the plan is available only if you sign up for 3-year processing and onboarding, and it’s typically around $674.
It also offers a 14-day trial period with no monthly commitment, so you can test it out and see if it’s right for your business before making a decision.
Revel’s point of sale lets you choose the best products and services to get your business off to a great start. From cash drawers, printers, and iPads to stands and more, they’ve got everything you need right here.
Overall, Revel has deep analytics, and you have virtually any feature you could dream up at your fingertips. The learning curve is a bit higher, but if you’re looking for an all-in-one system, it may be worth its price!
Pros
- Comprehensive feature set
- Multi-location capability
- Several integrations
Cons
- High upfront cost
- It can be difficult to update
Buyer’s Guide – How to Choose the Top Mobile Point of Sale Systems?
With the world becoming more mobile daily and businesses looking to increase efficiency and streamline processes, a mobile point of sale (mPOS) system can be a great addition to any business.
When choosing a mPOS system for your company, you should consider the following factors:
Device Compatibility
When choosing a mobile point-of-sale system, compatibility is critical. You must ensure that the system you choose is compatible with the device you want to use.
You can choose from many devices, including smartphones and tablets. The choice depends on your specific needs and preferences and the type of business you are running.
Payment Processing Options
If you’re looking for something that will allow you to accept card payments and cash on the go, consider choosing a system with an integrated cash drawer.
These allow you to accept both forms of payment without having to worry about keeping track of receipts or handling change. Besides, choosing a POS system that supports multiple payment options would be your best bet.
User Interface Design
The user interface is part of the software that allows you to interact with it. You should look for an interface that is easy to use and intuitive so that new employees can quickly learn how to use it without needing much training.
Affordability
An excellent mobile POS system should be easy on your budget without sacrificing quality or functionality. The best way to do this is by finding a company that offers affordable monthly payments so you can make sure that it’s within your budget.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Can I do POS with my phone?
Yes, you can do so by using the POS app. Go where your customers are with a mobile POS system that helps you take payments, enables your device’s camera to work as a barcode scanner, handles order management, and more.
2. How much does a mobile POS system cost?
It all depends on your business size, needs, and the type of set-up you require. Generally, and as a guide, you can expect to pay around $0 and $2,000, for the first year, including mobile POS software, hardware, and installation.
Conclusion
We discussed the best mobile POS systems that can handle any business type. Although Clover is our top recommendation and works best overall, for a more targeted approach, Toast is best for food chains and restaurants.
And we recommend Shopify and Square if you want a POS system for small to mid-sized businesses. However, if you have a larger establishment with high sales volume and risk, Revel is your best bet!
So, grab some cash and get a jumpstart with the best mobile POS system from our top list today!
for more on different types of POS systems, visit our ecom portal.
Paul Martinez is the founder of EcomSidekick.com. He is an expert in the areas of finance, real estate, eCommerce, traffic and conversion.
Join him on EcomSidekick.com to learn how to improve your financial life and excel in these areas. Before starting this media site, Paul built from scratch and managed two multi-million dollar companies. One in the real estate sector and one in the eCommerce sector.