The Top Mobile POS Systems

Nowadays, most mobile POS systems come in the form of an app that you can download onto a phone or tablet. They give you and your staff more flexibility to manage sales and inventory on the go without being tethered to a desktop or a physical terminal, whether you’re on the shop floor or at a market stall.

Based on the findings from our latest round of testing, the best POS system with a mobile option is Square. Square can be used on Android and iOS, offers compact hardware, and is an affordable option that includes a free POS software plan.

Square is a jack of all trades, which means it will suit a wide range of small businesses. On the other hand, fellow frontrunners Lightspeed Restaurant and Shopify are designed for restaurants and retail stores respectively, but they’re more expensive than Square. Keep reading to find out about the strengths and weaknesses of the five best mobile POS systems.

The Top Mobile POS Providers: Overview

Following our extensive research into the Canadian POS market, we can reveal that the top mobile POS systems are:

1. Square: Best Overall Mobile POS System

Square is the best overall mobile POS system. It has free, app-based POS software, a free online store builder, and a range of compact hardware.

Why we recommend Square

Square’s POS app can be downloaded onto a phone or tablet for free (iOS and Android), so you don’t need to bother with large physical terminals. Its $69 card reader is also an incredibly compact 2.6″ x 2.6″ device that takes tap and chip card payments.

Square also sells an iPad mini case with a hand strap for $99, which you can insert its card reader into, so you can keep your equipment in the same place.

The system has an offline functionality and will track all payments even if you lose connection, making it a great option for on-the-go businesses. Plus, you’ll get access to a free online store builder, allowing you to sell your products to a wider audience.

Square has a POS system designed for retail stores, and one for food and drinks businesses. Both have a free and paid version, which comes with extra tools not featured in the free versions. For example, upgrading to the $60 per month Square for Restaurants Plus plan will give you access to more reporting functions, such as close-of-day reports, live sales reports, and time-of-day based reports.

This is also the case for the $79 per month Square Retail Plus plan, where you’ll get access to reporting features like profit-based reporting and estimates, which you can filter by product, current stock and more.

That’s not to say the free version of Square’s software isn’t a viable option. For small vendors, it offers more than enough functionality. With Square’s free retail POS software, you’ll be able to accept returns and refunds, set low-stock alerts, and even create customer profiles, among other premium features. With the free restaurant POS software, you’ll be able to set-up automatic gratuity, schedule discounts, and integrate with Square’s KDS if necessary (this last one does cost $20 per month, per device).

Reasons to avoid Square

You shouldn’t use Square if you’re looking for a POS system with advanced cost vs profit management tools, or want to track ingredient usage. Cost vs profit management is only available on Square for retail’s paid version, and its paid restaurant POS software doesn’t track ingredients.

Instead, we’d suggest you go with Lightspeed for great profit management tools and Lavu for stock and ingredient tracking.

Lastly, Square’s transaction fees are on the high end, at 2.65% with the free POS software, and 2.6% on the paid software. You can get slightly lower fees with Epos Now, or Shopify.

2. Lightspeed Restaurant: Best for Fostering Customer Loyalty

Lightspeed Restaurant’s software is entirely app-based and can be downloaded onto most iPads. Its customer management and loyalty features are what impressed us most during testing.

Why we recommend Lightspeed Restaurant

Lightspeed Restaurant is Lightspeed’s dedicated restaurant POS software (it also has a version for retail stores). Its software is purely app-based, so if you already own an iPad, you’ll save on hardware. Plus, its truly mobile, since there’s an offline function, so you won’t lose sales data if you’re in a no-Wifi zone for the day.

It’s a good option for food and beverage businesses looking to retain existing customers and attract new ones since it has a range of integrated marketing features. These include email and SMS marketing, loyalty programs, and automated marketing campaigns.

There’s also an optional Order Anywhere feature, which allows you to give your customers more ways to order, such as online, or via a QR code. These tools can help create a loyal customer base and contribute to growth.

Lightspeed also has an app for a customer display screen, which can be fully customized to fit your business’s brand image. Other top features include ingredient usage tracking, cost vs profit breakdowns for menu items, and automated resupply orders. Overall, Lightspeed Restaurant was one of the most complete food and beverage POS systems we tested.

When it comes to hardware, Lightspeed has a few card machines available. The best for mobility is the Mobile Tap, which can connect to your iPad via Bluetooth, and accepts a variety of payment types, including digital payments such as Google and Apple Pay.

Reasons to avoid Lightspeed Restaurant

Lightspeed is on the expensive side, with its cheapest plan starting at $89 per month. If this is too much for your business, Square is a less costly alternative. It has a free software plan, and its paid restaurant POS costs $60 per month.

Plus, Square’s POS app is available for both iOS and Android devices, while Lightspeed’s only works on iOS, so isn’t a viable option if you’re not an Apple products user. Another option is Epos Now, which is compatible with most devices.

Lastly, if you plan on eventually investing in a physical terminal, then Lightspeed isn’t the system for you, since it’s only on an app. Square, and Epos Now, on the other hand, offer physical terminals as well as app-based solutions.

3. Shopify: Best for Omnichannel Selling

Shopify is the best solution for omnichannel selling, thanks to its integrated ecommerce and POS systems, which can be accessed via an app. It’s also got an affordable $7 per month Starter plan designed for new merchants selling via social media.

Why we recommend Shopify

Ecommerce giant Shopify offers a completely mobile POS solution, with which payment can be accepted on any iOS device including iPhone and iPad.

Shopify offers two types of POS software, POS Lite, included with its $7 per month Starter ecommerce plan, and POS Pro ($119 per month), available as an add-on with all other Shopify ecommerce plans.

Shopify Starter is a great mobile POS option for very small sellers who are just starting out. With it, you’ll get access to a basic online store and will be able to generate links to sell on social media. POS Lite will give you the ability to accept payments via your mobile phone (no card machine required), and view basic sales reports for online and in-person purchases.

Shopify’s POS Pro plan is the one we recommend for more serious sellers. You’ll get access to features such as accepting in-store returns for online purchases, and low-stock reports that take both online and in-person sales into account. You can also create customer profiles that sync in-person and online purchase history, making it easier to reward customer loyalty.

When it comes to hardware, Shopify has a mobile POS device, the $389 Shopify POS Go, which acts as a POS terminal, barcode scanner, and card reader. You can access your POS interface from the device, instead of using your phone, however, it does require Wifi to operate. Alternatively, you can also use the much more affordable $69  WisePad 3 Card Reader, which Shopify sells, and is a simple card reader with a pin-pad that connects to your phone via Bluetooth.

Reasons to avoid Shopify

If you’re not interested in selling online, you should avoid Shopify, since its POS Pro software requires you to pay for a Shopify online store. This also makes Shopify an expensive option, since on top of the $119 per month you’ll be paying for the POS, you’ll be paying from $51 to $517 per month for an online store.

Shopify’s $7 per month Starter and POS Lite plan is a highly affordable alternative, but it’s too simple a solution for regular sellers. So, if you’re not interested in an online store but still want great functionality, or do want an online store but want to pay less, we’d recommend Square instead. Square also offers offline functionality for its mobile POS hardware, something Shopify lacks.

4. Epos Now: Best for Managing Complex Inventories

Epos Now’s POS software can accessed from a range of devices, including iPad, Android, PC, Mac and Epos Now’s hardware range. Its powerful software is best for businesses that need robust inventory management tools.

Why we recommend Epos Now

To access Epos Now’s mobile POS, you can buy a software-only license for $599 upfront, or from $55 per month. This lets you download Epos Now’s app onto any device, from tablet to smartphone.

When it comes to hardware, Epos Now has two mobile card machines, the Pro+ and the Air. The Pro+ is a portable POS device, which means you can access Epos Now’s main POS system directly from it. It also works with 3G, 4G, and Wifi, so is a great solution if you operate in areas without internet. The Air is a touchscreen card machine, that syncs sales data with the POS system. However, it only works with Wifi, so isn’t as versatile as the Pro+.

Epos Now has dedicated software for different types of businesses, from food trucks to flower stalls. Features and tools will differ slightly depending on the system you choose.

But, regardless of which type of POS you choose, all Epos Now POS systems come with crucial features, such as stock alerts, bulk inventory upload, and cost vs. profit analysis. All this can help businesses juggling a large inventory identify the most profitable items for future ordering.

Reasons to avoid Epos Now

Epos Now can be an expensive option, which isn’t helped by the fact that it is not very transparent with its pricing. While you could simply pay a one-off $599 for a software license, you’ll likely need to pay a recurring monthly fee, which will vary depending on your needs. So, if you want a provider with clear pricing, look to Square or Shopify. Square is a particularly affordable option.

Epos Now also isn’t the easiest system to operate, especially if you’re new to POS. We tested Epos Now’s retail and restaurant POS software, and in both cases we felt the signposting could have been clearer, and we were a little overwhelmed by the number of tools. If you need an easy-to-use system, Square fits the bill, or Lightspeed Restaurant, which has a training mode.

5. Lavu: Best for Optimized Stock Tracking

Lavu, like Lightspeed Restaurant, is a purely iPad-based food and beverage POS system, making it a great mobile solution for businesses. It really shines when it comes to inventory tracking and management, allowing you to track how much you’re using for each dish.

Why we recommend Lavu

Lavu is a great system for restaurateurs who want to minimize wastage by keeping a tight eye on their inventory. With the POS system, you’ll be able to assign individual ingredients to items, and monitor your inventory, and update your menu in real time when items go out of stock.

You’ll also be able to view reports on menu sales and order trends, and integrate with several third-party inventory management tools, such as DigitalPour, for managing drinks and liquid inventory. All these tools combined will help you predict what stock to order when, and identify areas where waste occurs, ultimately improving your inventory management.

Besides menu and order reports, Lavu has a host of other reporting types, such as activity reports (for refunds for example), payment reports (see what type of payment method customers use), and labor reports so you can properly manage employees.

Lavu’s POS app can also be used to take contactless payments, if it’s downloaded onto an iPad or iPhone, so you can keep your hardware expenses to a minimum. If you do want a card machine, Lavu can provide you with mobile card readers from partners such as Verifone.

Reasons to avoid Lavu

For all its wonderful inventory management tools, Lavu doesn’t have proper cost vs profit management tools. So if that’s essential for you, we suggest you try Lightspeed Restaurant.

It also doesn’t have many options when it comes to hardware, although Lavu POS does integrate with third-party devices. This probably won’t be an issue for you if you’re looking for a mobile POS, but, if you do want a provider that has a wide selection of its own POS hardware, we suggest Square or Epos Now.

Lastly, Lavu doesn’t advertise any of its pricing, and requires you to contact them for a quote for precise estimates. If that’s a turn off for you, then we suggest Square, since it’s the provider with the clearest pricing. The cost of everything from software, to hardware, to add-on features is explicitly stated.

Buying Guide: How to Choose a Mobile POS System

You already know you want a mobile POS system, but how do you choose the right one for your business? Here are a few things to consider when comparing systems:

Features and tools

Probably the most important aspect of a POS system, you want to make sure the system you choose has the tools and features you need.

A lot of POS systems are tailored to specific industries, which makes finding the right one a little easier. For example, the best POS systems for hotels can take reservations, payments, and has third-party integrations.

Popular features for POS systems for all types of businesses include:

• Online ordering or online store integration
• Advanced reporting and analytics
• Ingredient management (if you serve food or drink)
• Customizable product categories
• Customer loyalty programs and marketing
• Staff scheduling and management

Hardware compatibility

If you plan on using your existing hardware with your mobile POS system, you should make sure your chosen POS software is compatible with your devices. Some POS systems only work on iOS, for example, while others, such as Toast, featured in our best POS for restaurants page, only work on Android.

Same goes for additional hardware, such as card machines. If you already have a card machine that you want to keep using, make sure it can connect to your POS system.

You might also want to think of your hardware needs for the future. If you want to invest in a physical terminal further down the line, you should choose a POS provider that can supply you with one.

Cost and pricing structure

Mobile POS systems cost less than traditional ones, on average, since you don’t need to purchase as much bulky hardware. However, cost should still be a factor in your decision.

We recommend that you look closely at the pricing structure of different POS systems, and assess what’s included for free, and what comes at an added cost, to get the best deal.

Don’t forget about card processing fees either. Companies that have cheap or free software tend to charge more expensive transaction fees, so that’s something to be wary of.

Add-ons and integrations

You should also pay attention to what software or apps your chosen POS system can integrate with. If you already use software, such as accounting software, make sure the POS system you choose has a ready-made integration for it, as this will help you streamline operations.

It’s also a good idea to check what other add-ons or apps are available via a POS system. Some providers offer advanced marketing or reporting features as add-ons, usually for an extra fee – but if these seem particularly valuable to your business they could be worth the extra price.

Ease of Use

As a rule of thumb, the easier an EPOS system is to use, the better. This will speed up training and service times, and reduce room for error.

This doesn’t mean you need to go with the absolute easiest system to use. If you and your employees are experienced with EPOS systems, you could compromise on ease-of-use in favor of advanced features.

How We Test Mobile POS Systems