The Truth About POS System Costs, Backed by G2 Data Insights

Purchasing a point-of-sale (POS) system isn’t as simple as buying another product for your retail or restaurant business. A lot of thought and research goes into selecting the right PoS software, hardware, and features unique to your business operations. 

When you think you have figured everything out, the pricing will surprise you. These systems have complex pricing, covering the cost of software, hardware, users, transactions, and processing fees. If you’re not aware of these cost overheads, such surprises can quickly turn into shocks.

 Let’s take a deep dive into the PoS system and weigh some of the best PoS solutions on the market. By the end, you’ll know what drives their costs, how to evaluate pricing structures, and confidently negotiate with vendors.

In a grocery store, barcode scanning hardware is connected to expedite billing and update inventory (through integration). In a restaurant or a cafe, the PoS helps to input food orders, generate invoices, and record sales. Most importantly, it allows the kitchen staff to optimize the order queue. 

It’s one POS system with multiple use cases. Feature and hardware requirements vary based on the use cases, and the pricing follows this variation.

Note: Based on G2’s Grid Report, Quickbooks Point of Sales should ideally be the third software on the list, but it has been discontinued. Therefore, it is not on the list.

POS system pricing model and costs: What to expect

The average initial cost of setting up a POS system ranges from $0 to $2000. The PoS software alone can cost you between $0 and $200.  Different factors influence software pricing for the leading vendors on the market. Let’s check them out.

1. Square Point of Sale 

• G2 rating: 4.7/5 based on 810 reviews
• Pricing plan: Free plan + processing fees ranging from 2.6% + 10 cents to 6% + 30 cents. The Plus plan is $89 per month per location and gives you a discounted processing fee. Custom plans are available on quote with custom processing rates.
• Top features: Supports contactless, credit card, gift card, and automatic bank payments. Offers customized checkout and facilitates offline payments.
• Factors influencing pricing: Add-ons such as Afterpay, loyalty programs ($25), text message marketing, and full-service payrolls come with their pricing. 
• Unexpected costs: Starts at $15 monthly for crafting and tracking email marketing campaigns within the Square POS system. If you wish to take up employee management, it costs $5 per employee per month. 
• Benefits: Improved inventory tools and reports, automated purchase orders, print barcode labels, and unlimited employee time tracking. 

Square also offers a comprehensive retail platform, Square for Retail. It’s an all-in-one POS solution for retail brands and offers more advanced features that help retailers run their businesses more efficiently. The free plan is available, and the plus plan costs $89 per month per location. In Square for Retail, you get advanced inventory tools and the ability to print barcode labels, among other things. 

Insights on Square Point of Sale based on G2 reviews:

These insights are based on 24 reviews submitted by the G2 user community for Square Point of Sale between September 6, 2024, and February 14, 2025.

• Pricing: 16.67% of users appreciated Square Point of Sale’s pricing, often highlighting its affordability and cost-effectiveness. In contrast, 4.17% of reviewers were dissatisfied, with concerns primarily revolving around high costs or unexpected fees.
• Who uses it? Square Point of Sale is widely adopted by businesses of various sizes, with small businesses making up the majority of users. Nearly 45.83% of reviewers come from companies with 2-10 employees, while 29.17% are solo entrepreneurs. Mid-sized businesses also find value in the platform, with 16.67% of users from companies with 11-50 employees. A smaller percentage of users come from larger organizations, with 4.17% each representing businesses in the 51-200 and 201-500 employee range.
• Ease of use, performance, and reliability: Square Point of Sale’s strongest aspect is its ease of use, with 45.83% of reviewers praising its intuitive and user-friendly interface. Performance is another appreciated factor, with 20.83% of users noting its speed, efficiency, and smooth operation. While reliability is mentioned less frequently, 4.17% of users specifically commend its stability and dependability.

Overall, Square Point of Sales comes at a low entry cost, but there are processing charges and separate costs for additional features. If we compare it with the average PoS software cost, it gives a competitive entry rate.

2. Shopify POS

• G2 rating: 4.4/5 based on 322 reviews.
• Pricing plan: $5 per month starter plan for selling on socials and a $89 per month retail plan + Payment processing cost starting from 2.4%-5% plus 10-30 cents per transaction.$0.There are also advanced plans ranging from ~$25-$349 per month with an additional cost of ~$80 per location. There are also discounts on annual payments alongside a 3-day free trial.
• Top features: Omnichannel selling, smart inventory management, reporting and analytics, and additional payments.
• Factors influencing pricing: Additional features like extra inventory locations, priority support, extra staff accounts, and checkout capacity influence the total cost of the software.
• Unexpected costs: These are costs of the POS terminal, cash reader, receipt printer, or barcode scanner. However, they depend on if and how you choose to use them. 

Insights on Shopify POS based on G2 reviews:

These insights are based on 19 reviews submitted by the G2 user community for Shopify POS between March 3, 2024, and February 21, 2025.

• Pricing: 5.26% of users appreciated the affordability, while 10.53% expressed dissatisfaction, often citing concerns about high costs and the pricing structure.
• Who uses it? Shopify POS is a go-to choice for small and mid-sized businesses, with 47.37% of users coming from companies with 11-50 employees. Another 36.84% come from small businesses with 2-10 employees, and mid-sized companies (51-200 employees) make up 10.53% of users. Lastly, around 5.26% are solo entrepreneurs who also benefit from the platform.
• Ease of use, performance, and reliability: 26.32% of reviewers find it simple to use, highlighting its intuitive layout and hassle-free navigation. 21.05% mention that it’s fast and reliable, while another 15.79% praise its feature set, citing integrations, customization options, and useful functionalities that enhance their experience.

Shopify POS software offers a relatively inexpensive base plan. The medium and higher-level plans also compare reasonably to the average POS software pricing.

3. SpotOn

• G2 rating: 4.4/5 based on 125 reviews
• Pricing plan: Subscription-based plans for restaurants range from $0 to $135, along with a custom plan with additional features and a custom processing fee. Small businesses can also choose between a terminal device and a terminal device plus a website plan at $25 per month and $90 per month, respectively. Carries the same processing fees as restaurant plans. Includes an additional $200 and $200+ setup fee of $175, respectively.
• Top features: Affordable hardware add-ons for in-person selling and automatic offline functionality without an internet connection. 
• Factors influencing pricing: Hardware, online ordering and delivery, employee management, guest engagement, and reservations. 
• Unexpected costs: There’s transparent pricing, and the company avoids hiding fees. Transaction fees apply, typically depending on the payment method. For add-ons, you need to pay extra. 
• Benefits: Versatile hardware, native payment platform with auto-offline functionality

Insights on SpotOn based on G2 reviews:

These insights are based on 48 reviews submitted by the G2 user community for SpotOn between November 7, 2024, and March 1, 2025.

• Pricing: 4.17% of users appreciated the pricing, mentioning affordability or value, while 2.08% expressed dissatisfaction, often citing concerns about cost or pricing structure.
• Who uses it? SpotOn is especially popular with small and mid-sized teams. 16.67% of users come from small businesses (2-10 employees), while 43.75% fall into the 11-50 employee range, making it the largest group. Mid-sized companies (51-200 employees) account for 33.33% of users. Larger organizations aren’t left out either, with 4.17% from 201-500 employees and 2.08% from 501-1000 employees finding value in the platform.
• Ease of use, performance, and reliability: SpotOn makes a strong impression with its ease of use, as 29.17% of users find it simple and intuitive to work with. Performance is another area where it delivers, with 25% appreciating its responsiveness and efficiency. While fewer users explicitly mention reliability, 2.08% recognize its stability in everyday operations.

SpotOn is a little bit on the premium cost side of POS software. However, it does offer a free plan limited to restaurants.

4. Heartland Retail

• G2 rating: 3.1/5 based on five reviews.
• Pricing plan: Subscription-based plan starting at $89 monthly or $80 per month on a yearly plan per station. Payments and payroll cost extra. A free trial of Heartland Retail is also available.
• Top features: Customizable reporting, adaptable menu management with on-the-fly functionality, and mobile payment system.
• Factors influencing pricing: Hardware costs range from $195 to $1895. Integrations and add-ons come at an extra cost. 
• Unexpected costs: Interchange processing costs, service and regulatory mandates, and value-added services (gift cards, instant deposits, etc.) add to extra fees.
• Benefits: It offers an intuitive and customizable UI while facilitating simplified transactions with integrated payment options.

Insights on Heartland Retail based on G2 reviews:

These insights are based on 198 reviews submitted by the G2 user community for Heartland Retail between February 26, 2018, and August 28, 2024.

• Pricing: 1.01% of users had positive feedback on Heartland Retail’s pricing, highlighting affordability or value, while 4.55% voiced concerns, often pointing to high costs or the pricing structure.
• Who uses it? The largest group of users for Heartland Retail comes from companies with 11-50 employees, making up 37.37% of its user base. Small businesses with 2-10 employees follow closely behind at 29.29%, while 22.73% of users come from mid-sized companies with 51-200 employees. Larger organizations are also represented, with 3.03% each from businesses with 201-500 and 501-1000 employees, showing the platform’s adaptability across different company sizes.
• Ease of use, performance, and reliability: 57.07% of users appreciate the tools’s intuitive interface and straightforward functionality. 17.68% of reviewers mention performance, noting its efficiency and responsiveness in daily operations. Reliability also gets a nod, with 3.03% of users pointing out its stability and dependability.

The cost of Heartland Retail is a little bit higher than average retail POS software pricing.

5. Stripe Terminal

• G2 rating: 4.4/5 based on 15 reviews.
• Pricing plan: “Consists of transaction fees for both online and offline payments. Stripe’s online payment fees are 2.9% + 30 cents per completed charge. In-person payments are at 2.7% + 5 cents per transaction. There are hardware costs in addition. 
• Top features: No monthly software fees or termination fees, 24/7 chat support, and support for more than 135 currencies.
• Factors influencing pricing: Custom domain, hardware, and payment processing fees.
• Unexpected costs: There are no hidden costs associated with its standard pricing model, but Stripe has other add-ons, such as Stripe Billing, Stripe Connect, and Stripe Radar, that add to the costs. Moreover, extra fees might be charged for international cards and currency conversions. 
• Benefits: Completely customizable with a software development kit, offers Europay, MasterCard, and Visa (EMV)-certified card readers, and gives competitive pricing on transaction fees.

Insights on Stripe Terminal based on G2 reviews:

These insights are based on 15 reviews submitted by the G2 user community for Stripe Terminal between November 23, 2019, and August 11, 2022.

• Pricing: The pricing seems to divide opinions evenly — 6.67% of users mention it positively, while another 6.67% highlight it as a drawback. Some find it reasonable, while others feel it could be better.
• Who uses it? Stripe Terminal has a noticeable presence among small businesses, with most reviews from companies with 2-10 employees (46.67%) and 11-50 employees (26.67%). Larger organizations also use it, as 13.33% of reviews come from companies with 1001-5000 employees, while 13.33% are from solo users.
• Ease of use, performance, and reliability: User feedback highlights ease of use as a key strength, with 46.67% of reviews mentioning its straightforward interface and seamless functionality.

Overall, Stripe Terminal may not be a comprehensive POS. However, it does feature free software that saves money. The hardware is also cheaper, starting at just $59.  Stripe Terminal is on the more affordable side of the spectrum compared to the average cost of POS software. 

6. ConnectPOS

• G2 rating: 4.8/5 based on 19 reviews.
• Pricing plan: Subscription-based plans cost between $39 and $89. There’s also an option for an enterprise plan. You can raise a custom quote to get more details on enterprise pricing. 
• Top features: Real-time synchronization, availability of offline mode, customizable options, and data security. 
• Factors influencing pricing: Add-on features such as currency converters and multiple checkout currencies can influence ConnectPOS pricing.  Loyalty programs and staff management features can be factored in as well.
• Unexpected costs: It offers transparent pricing, but customization comes at an extra cost.
• Benefits: Easy hardware setup, support for multiple payment options, and availability of robust reporting tools.

Insights on ConnectPOS based on G2 reviews:

These insights are based on 15 reviews submitted by the G2 user community for ConnectPOS between March 26, 2024, and February 20, 2025. ​

• Pricing: While specific pricing details aren’t widely discussed in the reviews, 20% of users feel there’s room for improvement in cost, with some mentioning that a lower price or reduced renewal fees would enhance the value.
• Who uses it? ConnectPOS is a popular choice for small businesses, with 73.33% of users coming from companies with 2-10 employees. It also sees adoption among growing teams, as 13.33% of users work in organizations with 11-50 employees. While most users come from smaller companies, the platform also serves mid-sized businesses (51-200 employees) and larger organizations (201-500 employees), each making up 6.67% of the user base.
• Ease of use, performance, and reliability: 13.33% of ConnectPOS users say that the platform is easy to use. Performance stands out the most, with 40.00% of reviewers praising its speed and efficiency. While reliability isn’t specifically mentioned in the reviews, the strong performance feedback suggests that users generally find the system dependable.

The ConnectPOS software is cost-effective when compared to the average cost of a POS system. 

Connect with the top POS vendors on the market and enter negotiations confidently.