Cheapest POS System in 2026: What One Shop Really Pays
Short answer: Shopify POS Basic is the cheapest full register we could confirm for one shop with two registers and $25,000 a month in card sales. That comes to about $772 a month: $39 for the software plus 2.6% + 10 cents on each card sale, checked on Shopify's pricing page on October 10, 2026. Square's free plan lands about $3 higher at $775 with no monthly fee, so between those two the choice is about features, not price.
Eight POS systems compared for one shop with two registers, three costed with card fees from vendor pages in October 2026.
Most POS pricing pages lead with the monthly software fee. For a shop that takes cards, the processing rate is usually the bigger bill, and it decides which system is cheapest. This guide compares eight point-of-sale systems for one scenario, totals the three that publish enough pricing, and shows where the ranking changes. Toolradar data: our restaurant-pos category tracks 35 tools, and 31% of them offer a free or freemium plan, so a free tier is the first thing a budget buyer looks for.
The scenario is one location with two registers, $25,000 a month in card-present sales, and an average sale of $30, or about 833 sales a month. Every total uses the monthly list price and in-person card rate on the vendor's own pricing page, read on October 10, 2026. Hardware is left out, because Shopify POS, SumUp and Lightspeed show no register price on their pricing pages. SpotOn's All-In plan includes its hardware, which the table notes.
Shopify POS and Square are the two lowest full-register totals we could confirm, about $3 apart. SpotOn is third at $864, on its restaurant plans. Lightspeed, Helcim, Loyverse, Toast and KORONA POS have no total, because their plan price or card rate is not fully confirmed on the vendor's own page. SumUp's free plan is lower at $733, but it is a card reader and lite app rather than a full register, so it sits outside the ranking.
Methodology: eight POS tools from our catalog. Totals use list monthly prices and in-person card rates from each vendor's pricing page, checked October 10, 2026. Annual discounts are not applied to the totals.
Top Picks
Picked by editorial review, informed by G2 and Capterra review volume and rating and by media mentions, the signals behind our category rankings. How we rate
| Tool | Starting price | Rating | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shopify POS | $39/mo Basic, 2.6% + 10¢ in person | 3.2 5,728 reviews | One-location shops that want a full register and accept a monthly fee for it. |
| Square | Free, 2.6% + 15¢ in person | 4.4 4,211 reviews | Shops that want a free full register and can absorb 15 cents on every card sale. |
| SpotOn | All-In, 2.79% + $0.20 in person | 4.4 240 reviews | Restaurants and bars that want hardware included and accept a two-year commitment. |
| Lightspeed | $89/mo Basic, one register | 4.1 3,329 reviews | Independent retailers with one register that want stock and purchasing tools. |
| Helcim | No software fee, interchange-plus | 3.8 54 reviews | Shops that want card costs split into interchange and a visible margin. |
| Loyverse | Free POS, add-ons from $5/mo | 4.6 542 reviews | Single-store shops that want free software and will pick their own processor. |
| Toast POS | Plan price not confirmed | 4.2 1,837 reviews | Restaurants and bars that want front-of-house, kitchen and online ordering in one platform. |
| KORONA POS | Plan price not confirmed | 4.7 152 reviews | Retail and quick-service shops that want built-in inventory and multi-location management. |
Shopify POS
Top Pick- 1.5 on Trustpilot (5,112 reviews)
- 4.4 on G2 (368 reviews)
- 4.6 on Capterra (248 reviews)
One-location shops that want a full register and accept a monthly fee for it.
- Pro: The Basic plan's 2.6% + 10 cents in-person rate gives the lowest full-register total among the costed plans.
- Pro: Grow cuts the in-person rate to 2.5% and wins above $66,000 a month in card sales.
- Pro: The pricing page lists no per-register fee, so a second register adds no software line there.
- Con: Keyed and online cards cost 2.9% + 30 cents on Basic, which makes phone and invoice sales expensive.
- Con: POS Pro is an extra add-on billed yearly per location, for multi-location features.
Shopify POS offers a tiered pricing structure that can be considered fair for businesses of varying sizes.
Shops that want a free full register and can absorb 15 cents on every card sale.
- Pro: The Free plan has no monthly fee per location, and Plus at $49 and Premium at $149 add features on top.
- Pro: The in-person rate falls to 2.5% on Plus and 2.4% on Premium.
- Pro: Premium charges no gift card load fee, where Free and Plus charge 2.5%.
- Con: The 15-cent fixed fee costs about $42 a month more than Shopify's 10 cents across 833 sales.
- Con: Online and invoice cards cost 3.3% + 30 cents on the Free plan.
Square's pricing is generally fair, especially for small businesses.
Restaurants and bars that want hardware included and accept a two-year commitment.
- Pro: All-In includes POS software and hardware with no monthly fee per station, per its restaurant pricing page.
- Pro: On Essentials, Station 15 is listed at $750, down from $995, and the handheld at $297, down from $495.
- Pro: The pricing page lists 24/7 support as included on its plans.
- Con: Its in-person rate of 2.79% plus 20 cents is the highest of the three ranked options at this volume.
- Con: Keyed cards cost 3.79% + $0.20, and processing minimums apply.
Independent retailers with one register that want stock and purchasing tools.
- Pro: Basic includes one register and Retail POS.
- Pro: Annual billing saves up to 18%, according to the pricing page toggle.
- Pro: Plus adds advanced customization and ease of scaling for established retail operations.
- Con: The 1.5% card-present rate shows no fixed fee, so the monthly total cannot be confirmed.
- Con: A second register is priced separately, and that price is not on the page.
Lightspeed's pricing, ranging from $89/month for Basic to $289/month for Plus, appears expensive for a single register POS system, especially given that many core features are available across all tiers.
Watch out
Onboarding/professional services are options, not free
Shops that want card costs split into interchange and a visible margin.
- Pro: The pricing page lists no account monthly fee, software fees or statement fees.
- Pro: The in-person margin drops from 0.40% + 8¢ under $50K a month to 0.25% + 7¢ between $100K and $500K.
- Pro: Margins are published by volume tier, so you can see how the rate moves as takings grow.
- Con: At this volume, the margin alone is $167 before card-network interchange is added.
- Con: Confirm the margin applies to your account before you sign.
Single-store shops that want free software and will pick their own processor.
- Pro: The POS software itself is free.
- Pro: Sales history, employee management and advanced inventory are separate add-ons, so you pay only for what you use.
- Pro: Each add-on has a 14-day free trial.
- Con: Card rates are not on the pricing page, so the monthly processing cost cannot be totalled here.
- Con: Employee management and advanced inventory cost $25 a month per store each.
You pay only for add-ons, per store.
Watch out
Over 3 stores, Advanced Inventory is a special offer, not $25 list.
Restaurants and bars that want front-of-house, kitchen and online ordering in one platform.
- Pro: It is an all-in-one restaurant platform covering front-of-house, back-of-house and guest engagement.
- Pro: Cloud access with real-time data and integrated online ordering and delivery.
- Pro: Purpose-built hardware is listed as a strength.
- Con: It can be a significant investment for smaller businesses.
- Con: Proprietary hardware can limit flexibility, and contracts may be required.
Retail and quick-service shops that want built-in inventory and multi-location management.
- Pro: It is a cloud POS for retail, quick-service restaurants and ticketing.
- Pro: Inventory includes auto-ordering and mobile access.
- Pro: It works with any credit card processor.
- Con: Pricing is not publicly listed, so buyers need to ask for a quote.
- Con: It needs third-party accounting software such as QuickBooks.
KORONA POS offers a modular pricing structure that can become expensive quickly, especially for businesses needing multiple add-ons.
Watch out
Add-ons are per terminal/gate/franchise/token
What a POS system costs once you take cards
A point-of-sale system is the register software that rings up a sale, plus the card processing that moves the money. The software is a monthly fee, usually charged per location. The processing is a percentage of every card sale plus a fixed amount per payment, so it grows with your takings.
The fixed part hits small tickets hardest. On a $30 sale, 10 cents is about 0.3% of the sale and 15 cents is 0.5%. Across 833 card payments a month, a 15-cent fee costs about $42 more than a 10-cent fee, which can be more than a monthly software fee. For the feature side of the decision, see the best POS systems guide.
Why card fees decide the cheapest option
At the scenario volume, every 0.1 point of rate is worth $25 a month. Square's free plan has no monthly fee but charges 15 cents per card sale. Shopify POS Basic adds a monthly fee but charges 10 cents, which leaves it $2.65 cheaper at this volume.
The order flips at other volumes. Below about $23,400 a month in card sales, Square's free plan is cheaper, because the software fee outweighs the 5-cent gap per sale. Above that, Basic wins. Shopify's Grow plan charges 2.5% instead of 2.6%, so it beats Basic only above $66,000 a month in card sales.
Key Features to Look For
A free plan that still charges card fees (Essential)
Square's free plan has no monthly fee per location, but in-person cards pay 2.6% + 15 cents, and online or invoice payments pay 3.3% + 30 cents.
A software fee per location (Essential)
Square Plus is $49 a month per location and Premium is $149. Shopify POS Basic carries a monthly fee, and its POS Pro add-on is billed yearly per location.
A fixed fee on every sale (Important)
Shopify charges 10 cents per in-person sale on Basic, Grow and Advanced. Square charges 15 cents on every tier, which costs more on small tickets.
Hardware on the pricing page (Important)
Square lists hardware options from $59. SpotOn lists Station 15 at $750, down from $995, on its Essentials plan.
Keyed and online card rates (Important)
SpotOn's All-In plan charges 3.79% + $0.20 for keyed cards, against 2.79% + $0.20 when the card is present. Those higher rates add up on phone and invoice sales.
What to check before you pick the cheapest option
Put your real monthly card volume into the scenario. The plan that wins at $25,000 a month can lose at $5,000 or $100,000, and the flip points above show where.
Compare the in-person rate and the fixed fee separately. A lower percentage can lose to a higher fixed fee on small tickets.
Count keyed and online sales. Those rates run higher on every vendor here, including 3.3% + 30 cents on Square's free plan.
Price every location. Square charges its monthly fee for each location you run, and Shopify's POS Pro add-on is billed per location.
Confirm hardware and contract terms before you sign. Shopify's pricing page shows no reader or register price, and SpotOn's All-In plan carries processing minimums and a 2-year minimum term. For a feature check, see Square vs Lightspeed.
Evaluation Checklist
Write down your monthly card-present sales, your average sale, and the share of sales keyed or taken online.
Price each plan at your real volume using the in-person rate and the fixed fee, not the software fee alone.
Confirm register and reader prices on the vendor's checkout page before you sign anything.
Ask in writing how many registers the plan includes and what each extra one costs.
Pricing Overview
Free software
Square's Free plan and Loyverse's free POS, where card fees are the main cost at this volume.
Free
Entry paid plan
Shopify POS Basic and Square Plus, for shops that want paid features over the free plan.
$39 to $49/mo
Mid tier
Lightspeed Basic, Shopify Grow for its lower 2.5% in-person rate, and Square Premium per location.
$89 to $149/mo
Top tier
Lightspeed Plus for established retail operations, and Shopify Advanced for the lowest in-person rate among Shopify's plans. Shopify Plus starts at $2,300 a month on a 3-year term.
$289 to $399/mo
Pricing Comparison
| Tool | Plan costed | Monthly software | In-person card rate | Monthly cost at scenario | Hidden costs and limits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Basic, one location | $39/mo, monthly | 2.6% + 10¢ | $772 | POS Pro add-on billed yearly per location. Online and keyed cards 2.9% + 30¢. No hardware price on the page. | |
Square | Free, one location | No monthly fee per location | 2.6% + 15¢ | $775 | Gift card load fee 2.5% on Free and Plus. Online and invoice cards 3.3% + 30¢. Hardware options from $59. |
All-In, two stations (restaurant plans) | No monthly fee per station | 2.79% + $0.20 | $864 | Keyed cards 3.79% + $0.20. Processing minimums and a 2-year minimum term. Hardware included. | |
Lightspeed | Basic, one register | $89/mo | 1.5%, no fixed fee shown | Not costed | A second register is not priced on the page. Annual billing saves up to 18%. |
Helcim | Interchange-plus | No monthly fee | 0.40% + 8¢ margin under $50K a month | Not costed | Card-network interchange is added on top. The margin alone is $167 a month at this volume. |
Loyverse | Free POS | Free, add-ons $5 to $25/mo per store | Set by partner processor | Not costed | Sales history $5/mo. Employee management and advanced inventory $25/mo each. 14-day add-on trials. |
Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Not costed | Restaurant-only platform. Plan price not confirmed on its own pages today. | |
Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Not costed | Plan price not confirmed on its own pages today. | |
SumUp (outside the ranking) | Free, card reader | None | 2.6% + 10¢ | $733 | A card reader and lite app, not a full register. POS Plus $49/mo. SumUp POS plans start at $99/mo. |
Prices and card rates checked October 10, 2026 on Shopify POS pricing, Square point of sale pricing, SpotOn pricing, Lightspeed Retail pricing, Helcim pricing, Loyverse pricing and SumUp pricing. Toast and KORONA POS: no plan price confirmed on their own pages, so no cost is shown.
Mistakes to Avoid
- ×
Comparing software fees only. At this volume, card fees are 95% of the Shopify Basic bill and all of Square's free plan bill.
- ×
Reading a percentage without its fixed fee. A 2.5% rate plus 15 cents costs more on a $30 sale than 2.6% plus 10 cents.
- ×
Ignoring keyed and online rates. Shopify Basic charges 30 cents on online sales, three times its in-person fixed fee.
Expert Tips
- →
Run the scenario at your own volume. The order flips at about $23,400 a month between Square's free plan and Shopify Basic, and at $66,000 between Basic and Grow.
- →
Check the annual price before comparing. Lightspeed says annual billing saves up to 18%, so a monthly list price can overstate the yearly cost.
- →
Compare alternatives too. The Shopify POS alternatives and Square alternatives pages list other options that may change the total.
Red Flags to Watch For
-
A free plan that puts its card rate on a sub-page, so the real total is unknown until you sign up.
-
A flat monthly quote with no card rate, which makes a cost comparison impossible.
-
A processing minimum or multi-year term attached to the plan, as with SpotOn's All-In plan, which carries both.
The Bottom Line
For one shop with two registers at the scenario volume, Shopify POS Basic and Square's free plan are effectively tied, about $3 a month apart. Square's free plan wins below about $23,400 a month in card sales, and Shopify Basic wins above it until Grow takes over at a higher volume. SumUp's free card-reader plan is lower at $733, but it is not a full register. Cite this: Toolradar, "Cheapest POS System in 2026: What One Shop Really Pays", October 2026. We will re-check every price within 60 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cheapest POS system in 2026?
For one shop with two registers and $25,000 a month in card sales, Shopify POS Basic is the cheapest full register we could confirm, at about $772 a month. That covers the software fee plus 2.6% + 10 cents per card sale, checked October 10, 2026. Square's free plan comes in at $775 with no monthly fee.
Is there a free POS system?
Yes. Square's Free plan has no monthly fee per location and charges 2.6% + 15 cents for in-person cards. Loyverse's POS is free, with paid add-ons from $5 a month per store. Both still charge card processing on every sale, so a free plan is not automatically the cheapest total.
How much does a POS system cost per month for a small shop?
Software runs from free to $399 a month across the plans in this guide. Card processing is the larger number: at the scenario volume, the card fees alone run from $733 to $864 a month across the three costed plans.
Does card processing change which POS is cheapest?
Yes. Shopify's Grow plan at 2.5% + 10 cents beats Basic only above $66,000 a month in card sales. Square's free plan stays cheaper than Basic below about $23,400 a month, because the software fee is the deciding cost at low volume.
Is SpotOn's All-In plan a cheap POS?
Its All-In plan has no monthly fee per station and includes hardware, but at 2.79% plus 20 cents in person it costs about $864 a month at this volume, the highest of the three costed plans. It also carries processing minimums and a 2-year minimum term, and its figures come from restaurant plans.
Why do some POS systems in this guide have no cost?
We cost a plan only when its monthly price and a complete card rate, fixed fee included, appear on the vendor's own pricing page. Lightspeed shows a 1.5% card rate with no fixed fee, Helcim adds its margin on top of card-network interchange, Loyverse leaves card rates to partner processors, and Toast and KORONA POS show no plan price we could confirm today.
Cite this page: Toolradar, "Cheapest POS System in 2026: What One Shop Really Pays", updated October 2026, https://toolradar.com/guides/cheapest-pos-systems
Related Guides
Some offers on this page may be paid placements or contain affiliate links.