It’s easy to turn your iPhone into a point-of-sale system. All you need to do is download an app and use a card reader. Some of the top mobile POS systems are completely free, and some even offer a free reader so you can accept credit card payments on your phone. An iPhone POS system does much more than just accept payments over your device’s internet connection. It has features like inventory management, loyalty programs, and menu management – very important for restaurants.
You will be charged either a monthly/yearly fee or a per-transaction fee (which is popular) for using point-of-sale applications: they accept credit card payments, bill the customer, and deposit the money into your bank account.
Whether you’re just starting out, ditching your countertop POS, or looking for an omnichannel solution, we’ve got the best iPhone POS options for you.
Square Point of Sale (POS)
Developer: Square, Inc.
Cost: Free
App rating: 4.8
Square Point of Sale is well-known for delivering a simple and intuitive point-of-sale experience. Square outperforms other products in its class due to its lower price structure and custom pricing for merchants with annual sales of up to $250,000. The service is suitable for both one-time pop-up stores known as micro-businesses and more established sellers and high-volume merchants. Square POS has become a favorite among POS apps due to its flexible POS setup and suitability for small to midsize businesses.
Square’s services have grown to include invoicing, marketing, customer loyalty and feedback, inventory management, and small business loans. It anticipates the needs of SMBs and entrepreneurs in a variety of business processes and has grown as a result of its strong reputation. Square charges a 2.6 percent transaction fee as payment processing cost for in-person swipes, taps, or dips. Transactions entered by hand cost 3.5 percent plus 15 cents. Online and over-the-phone transactions, which are more likely to be fraudulent, require a higher fee. Square vendors can only accept their currency. To accept foreign currencies, one workaround is to open separate accounts.
The Square POS app is intended for a wide range of businesses and includes features such as digital receipts, customer feedback via receipt, and others. After signing in to your specific store (you can use the app with multiple stores), it displays a simple grid with your products and/or product categories on the left and the sales receipt on the right. When you select a product, a pop-up window appears that allows you to select the size, quantity, and other item options, taxes, and discounts (which can be selected by customer groups, such as Friends & Family or Employees). Customers can pay with cash, gift cards, credit/debit cards, or alternative methods such as Apple Pay. If the customer needs to split the bill (for example, by using a gift card and cash), a “Split” button at the top right-hand side allows them to do so. Customers can also leave a tip if they wish. Loyalty schemes are also integrated into the software and can be linked to credit cards or phone numbers.
Square is an excellent choice for small business owners, particularly those with mobile operations such as farmers’ markets and art fairs and those with small transactions such as coffee shops. If your company is rapidly expanding and your transactions suddenly increase, you may be subjected to an account review because this may appear to be fraud or illegal activity. Companies that process a high volume of transactions should use an interchange plus processor like Helcim or a wholesaler like Payment Depot.
Shopify Point of Sale (POS)
Developer: Shopify Inc.
Cost: Free
App rating: 4.5
Shopify POS integrates one of the best point-of-sale systems in the industry with the Shopify e-commerce platform. However, unlike some competitors, Shopify does not provide free POS software, and the forum is geared toward retail, so businesses in other industries may want to look for alternatives.
If you run an online business, you must manage your online store to achieve your goals and objectives. Shopify Inc. has created Shopify Mobile, an online store app designed to help users manage their online stores from their iPhone devices.
The dashboard will provide you with a clear picture of how your store is performing. For example, you will be given a detailed list of all orders that require your attention. Another significant advantage of using this app is that you will be able to accept payments from your customers via your phone. Because it is not geographically restricted, you can access it from anywhere in the world as long as your device is connected to the Internet.
The dashboard is one of the best features that give the Shopify app an advantage. You won’t have to keep scrolling through multiple pages because this dashboard displays all the information you need to run your online store like a pro.
The app also includes a dynamic search feature that allows you to locate a specific client’s order by its unique number, code, or even the customer name. You will save time by not having to go through the entire order database. The Shopify app is a fantastic app that allows you to manage your Shopify stores like a pro.
Clover Go – Dashboard & POS
Developer: Clover Network, Inc.
Cost: Free
App rating: 4.7
Clover is an easy-to-use point-of-sale system for small and medium-sized businesses. It includes a variety of software and hardware options to meet your specific requirements. Clover can meet all of your processing and point-of-sale (POS) needs, whether you own a retail business, a restaurant, or provide services. While it is not the cheapest platform on the market, Clover’s payment partners make it an excellent choice for businesses of all sizes.
There are two “components”: the Clover Go app and an optional reader. The app is required for card acceptance, while the reader is optional but highly recommended. If you don’t use the reader, you’ll have to key in card information, which is more expensive and less secure.
Clover Go includes several valuable features. You can set tax rates, allow customers to tip, email, or text receipts at the end of transactions, and manage multiple employees accounts with specific permissions for each employee, ensuring that only managers have access to management functions or only authorized employees can issue refunds.
A multi-user feature allows management to view retail time sales data while employees are taking payments in the field. If customers prefer to pay in cash, you can record those transactions as well for easy accounting.
PayPal Here – Point of Sale
Developer: PayPal, Inc.
Cost: Free
App rating: 4.5
PayPal’s mobile solution for accepting credit cards on your iPhone is available here. You can select a PayPal reader that accepts magstripe cards, EMV chip cards, contactless payments, PIN debit, or a combination based on your needs.
Through PayPal Here, you can accept and process payments online, in person, or via personalized invoices. Customers can pay online using PayPal, PayPal Credit, credit cards, debit cards, and Venmo. Customers making in-person purchases can use credit cards, debit cards, or contactless payments, depending on the reader you have on hand. PayPal Here also allows you to create, send, and track invoices and payments directly from the app.
All payments will be applied to your PayPal account’s available balance. The funds can then be transferred to your bank account and withdrawn.
By adding photos and descriptions to the PayPal Here app, you can build your inventory and create a database of items for sale. You’ll also be able to categorize your products. If you’re selling an item with multiple options (size, colors, designs), you can use the app to assign variations to the item. You’ll also be able to create a list of your best-selling items so that they appear on the system quickly.
PayPal Here’s monitoring tools available are rather basic. You can view and print basic sales reports that give you information about the transactions made by each salesperson, the items purchased, and the transaction type.
Lightspeed Retail POS (R)
Developer: Lightspeed Commerce Inc.
Cost: Free
App rating: 2.3
Lightspeed has been in the POS business since 2005, and its software has evolved significantly over that time. The company has refined its software offerings to address common retail problems and changing needs in the digital age. Lightspeed Retail is a full-featured POS, business management, and eCommerce platform that covers all of the essentials and more.
Lightspeed Retail is a specialized POS system for small-to-medium-sized businesses that sell products both in-store and online. The company provides you with all of the software and hardware you need to take orders, manage inventory, and run your retail business daily.
In addition to a POS system, Lightspeed Retail provides you with a specialized eCommerce platform, store management system, loyalty programs, and analytics reports to help you maximize your business performance. Lightspeed Retail provides much more than a POS system for your money.
Lightspeed Retail is a comprehensive platform jam-packed with features designed to assist store owners in selling products and managing their businesses. These are divided into five distinct product categories to which you have access depending on the plan you choose.
TouchBistro Point of Sale
Developer: TouchBistro Inc.
Cost: Free
App rating: 3.5
Because of customer-focused features like tableside ordering, TouchBistro is our top pick for a point-of-sale (POS) system that prioritizes the restaurant guest experience. The company provides an affordable solution for restaurants looking for mobile POS systems. TouchBistro includes numerous useful features such as payment processing, inventory management, and loyalty programs.
TouchBistro is a point-of-sale (POS) system designed for full-service restaurants, coffee shops, and cafes. Because of features such as online ordering, reservations, and customer loyalty programs, it is the best choice for food businesses focused on the guest experience. The software allows you to keep track of seating and table arrangements, update the menu, split tickets, and send orders to the kitchen.
TouchBistro is a versatile solution suitable for restaurants of all sizes. If you own a small restaurant or a food truck, you can get started with a low monthly subscription and a few upgrades. As your restaurant expands, you can add more features and hardware to help it run smoothly. TouchBistro is thus a scalable solution for restaurants of all sizes. The vendor is constantly updating the platform to provide more services that busy restaurant owners require.
TouchBistro’s feature-rich software sets it apart from other POS systems. The software is updated regularly, with new features added to help restaurants that want to improve both the guest experience and behind-the-scenes operations. Here are some TouchBistro’s best features, such as Restaurant management, Inventory management, Customer management, and Reporting.
Toast Takeout & Delivery
Developer: Toast, Inc.
Cost: Free
App rating: 4.9
Toast was created to help restaurateurs streamline day-to-day operations and make restaurant management easier. Toast includes almost everything you’d need to accept payments, track inventory, manage employees, and offer extras like promo codes and gift cards.
The service strikes the perfect balance of features, value, and usability. Because it lends itself so well to the day-to-day duties of restaurant management, it is a recommended pick in the restaurant point-of-sale (POS) systems space.
Toast has several great add-ons for additional services to help restaurateurs manage their entire restaurant business, making it a one-stop shop for managing your entire restaurant business. Toast Mobile Order & Pay, Gift Cards & Loyalty, Payroll & Team Management, Partner Connect, Scheduling & Team Communication, Marketing, Third Party Delivery Integrations, and xtraCHEF are some of the features available.
It also includes a variety of integrated hardware options that you can tailor to your specific requirements. You can add any number you need for complete restaurant publicity, ranging from a mobile device to all-in-one terminals.
Toast’s paid plans are one of the several expensive ones on the market. In addition, the free plan charges you for every transcription you perform on the platform.
Another concern with Toast is that you cannot utilize a third-party payment method and must use its own. This could be an issue for companies that already have a relationship with a payment processor and do not want to switch.
Payment for Stripe
Developer: PocketVendor Inc
Cost: Free
App rating: 4.8
Stripe Payments is a powerful online payment processor. It accepts a variety of payment methods and over 135 currencies. And, if you know how to use its innovative developer tools, you can create a checkout flow that feels unique.
Stripe users can accept in-person payments by embedding Stripe Terminal, the company’s point-of-sale solution. However, if you conduct the majority of your business in person, there are better options. Other payment processors, such as Square, provide restaurant and retail features such as end-of-day reports and inventory tracking.
However, Stripe’s flat-rate costing is simple to grasp, and there are no monthly fees. Furthermore, if it isn’t a good fit, you can cancel at any time.
If you run an e-commerce store, Stripe is hard to beat for its integrations and ability to accept a variety of currencies. It may require some developer assistance to integrate it with your shopping cart. Still, once you do, the system is dependable and provides some of the best reporting options available among merchant services.
Loyverse POS – Point of Sale
Developer: Cavius International Limited
Cost: Free
App rating: 4.6
Loyverse is a simple point-of-sale system designed for small businesses. It enables you to process transactions, keep inventory and sales records, and set up a customer loyalty program. The best part is that Loyverse is completely free!
Loyverse is excellent POS software in many ways. The user interface is simple to use and teach, and Loyverse’s customer service is widely praised on online forums. You won’t get a robust offering of services, as you might expect from free software, but it’s excellent for the price.
Loyverse is intended for small businesses that want to move beyond pen and paper or Excel spreadsheets. And this software is fantastic for those merchants. Those who like what they see and want to take advantage of more advanced features can do so by upgrading to advanced inventory and employee management. The POS’s reasonably priced add-ons put it on par with others in its class.
Loyverse is also now selling add-ons. These add-ons are completely optional and are only available through a subscription model, such as Employee Management, Advanced Inventory, and Integrations.
QuickBooks GoPayment POS
Developer: Intuit Inc.
Cost: Free
App rating: 4.8
Small business owners can process payments on the go with QuickBooks GoPayment, a mobile POS system app. Customers can use the app to accept dipped, swiped, and digital wallet payments with QuickBooks Payments, and they can pair it with the QuickBooks Card Reader. A QuickBooks account is required to use QuickBooks Payments.
You can accept payments without having to find a third-party processor for mobile businesses that already use QuickBooks for accounting. It is available for iOS devices and is free. However, there are fees associated with payment processing.
Using QuickBooks for all your accounting needs is a great way to save time. With its Card Reader and GoPayment app, transactions are automatically reconciled in the software. Additionally, those who already use the accounting solution can easily accept electronic payments from emails or invoices with the payment processing service. All this means less hassle when something goes wrong and needing assistance, as you’re only dealing with one company.
Most non-accounting QuickBooks products are only compatible with other Intuit and QuickBooks products or require accounting software to be used. People using Xero accounting could not use GoPayment or QuickBooks Payments to process credit cards. Overall, the product is not a great fit for those who like to combine services from a variety of providers.
Wrap It Up!
It’s amazing how easily these POS apps enable you to sell products, accept payments, also manage inventory. So, get started with one of these apps and leave us a comment with your thoughts.
