A point of sale (POS) is the central hub where retailers process transactions. Many retailers opt for point of sale software programs that run on iPads because they are portable and operate on an easy-to-use touchscreen. Basic iPad POS systems are free to use, but advanced iPad POS programs can cost around $100/month.
Top 6 iPad POS Systems 2019
| iPad POS | Best For: |
|---|---|
| Square POS | (Best Overall) Small businesses wanting a free, user-friendly POS with built-in payment processing. |
| Lightspeed | Brick-and-mortar retailers who need detailed reporting and inventory management. |
| Shopify | Ecommerce businesses that want to sell in-store, online, and over social media. |
| TouchBistro | Restaurants that need reservation and table management on-the-go. |
| Loyverse | Businesses that want a free POS with loyalty program included. |
| ShopKeep | Businesses needing a budget-friendly Lightspeed alternative. |
How We Evaluated iPad POS
Every iPad POS system should process sales and refunds efficiently, provide business insights through reports, and have a clean, easy-to-use interface. The best iPad POS systems have additional business management features such as inventory management, customer relationship management (CRM), and employee management functions.
We determined the best iPad POS system by looking at the following criteria:
- Price: All of the systems on our list will require an iPad. We looked at any additional upfront costs and ongoing costs, like monthly software fees and payment processing fees.
- Ease of use: We looked at how intuitive each system is to navigate. This feature is especially important for touchscreen POS systems.
- Reporting and analytics: We looked at what profitability insights each system provides.
- Inventory management: We looked at how many products each system can accommodate and extra features like low stock alerts.
- Customer relationship management: We looked at what customer relationship management (CRM) capabilities each software has, such as loyalty programs or customer directory features.
- Employee management: We looked at what employee management features each system includes, such as the ability to create different logins and permission levels, and calculate payroll.
- Accounting integrations: We looked at POS systems that integrate with popular accounting software for seamless bookkeeping.
- Reliability: We looked at POS systems that are reliable, including the ability to function offline during outages or for mobile sales.
- Tech and customer support: We looked at what kind of support each software offers, including whether it is paid or free and what hours representatives are available.
Based on these criteria, our top choice for best overall iPad POS system is Square. Square is the only system on our list that is free to use, feature-rich, and has built-in payment processing.
Square has features like basic inventory management, customer directories, and built-in, flat-rate payment processing to accept payments in-store or on the go, even offline. Most of all, Square is also extremely easy to set up and has intuitive navigation.
Square: Overall Best iPad POS System for Small Businesses
Square is a free point-of-sale (POS) and payment processing software that is extremely easy to use and has minimal start-up costs. There are several free iPad POS apps on the market, but no other that combines robust business management tools with built-in payment processing, making Square by far the best value for small businesses.
Square POS Pricing
The Square iPad app is completely free to use. It also comes with a free credit card reader that plugs right into your iPad. And, since Square sends receipts via text message and email, the only hardware required to start selling with Square is your iPad. When you do start selling, Square charges a flat-rate payment processing fee of 2.75%.
Additional optional hardware can be purchased through Square, including:
- Extra magstripe credit card readers: $10
- Chip and contactless credit card readers: $49
- Square Terminal POS hardware with built-in software and card reader: $399 or $37 per month for 12 months
- Square iPad stand and card reader: $169
- Square register (hardware with built-in software and card readers): $999 or $49 per month for 24 months
Square POS Features
Square POS comes with built-in business management tools, including an automated customer directory, inventory management, and a sales reporting dashboard. Since it is a free app, Square POS does not have as many advanced features as some of the other options on our list, but you can supplement with paid features from the Square marketplace, including loyalty programs, email marketing, and payroll processing.
Square iPad POS
Square’s built-in features include:
Square POS Payment Processing
Square has a built-in payment processing system, which sets Square apart from most of the other iPad POS systems on our list that require a separate merchant services account. Square has a 2.75% flat-rate payment processing fee. Since you are using an iPad to use Square, you can use the free magstripe card reader to accept payments right through your iPad.
Square payment processing features include:
- 2.75% flat-rate fee
- Next-day funds
- Instant funds with an additional 1% fee
- Accept payments remotely with invoices, a virtual terminal, or ecommerce
Square POS Ease of Use
Square has a reputation for being very easy to use, including during the setup process. Simply create a free Square account on their website, download the POS app on your iPad, and you can start selling once your free magstripe reader comes in the mail. It takes a few minutes to configure your store, including adding products, pricing, and customers. Overall, Square is easy to set up and even easier to navigate on the iPad when processing sales, creating invoices, and viewing reports.
Square POS Inventory Management
Inventory management is one of the areas in which Square is lacking. The free POS has basic inventory management, but you have to manually create each product, which is unrealistic for larger retailers with lots of SKUs. You can upgrade to Square for Retail for $60 per month for more detailed inventory management, such as import items through CSV files, set low stock alerts, and manage purchase orders right from your iPad. Or, you can consider a program like Lightspeed, which has these features built in.
Square POS Customer Relationship Management
Square has a robust directory feature that sets it apart from other systems. Square remembers payment methods and can associate customers with payment methods and transactions. Square has options for text and email receipts, including a free feedback feature on email receipts where customers can say if they were satisfied or dissatisfied, and businesses can respond with messages and coupons.
However, unlike Loyverse, Square does not include a free loyalty program. Square Loyalty is an additional $25 per month for one to 50 loyalty customer visits, $35 per month for 51 to 100 loyalty customer visits, and $50 per month for 101 to 200 loyalty customer visits in one month. The program is customizable with both traditional punch card and tiered reward options. But, if you want a free loyalty program, consider Loyverse.
Square POS Ecommerce Integrations
Square comes with a free, basic ecommerce store to sell online. Square also offers online stores with ecommerce tools through Weebly for as little as $8 per month. Square also integrates with popular ecommerce solutions including Wix, BigCommerce, WordPress, Magento, and more. Square has many integrations and partners to create ecommerce solutions, but if you’re looking for an iPad POS system that has built-in ecommerce features, Shopify is the way to go.
Square POS Reporting Dashboard
Square Dashboard offers real-time insights at a glance, including transactions, deposits, hourly sales, customer spend, and more. Dashboard is a separate free app you can download on your iPad (or iPhone or Android device, if you prefer). The app is certainly not bad, and if you’re a small business like a cafe, it may provide all of the insights you need. However, Square’s reporting is not nearly as capable as Lightspeed’s, which can create just about any customized report you can think of, along with accompanying graphs or charts.
Square Dashboard reporting app
What Square POS Is Missing
Overall, Square is a great iPad POS system if you are looking for a free solution that covers the basics. It’s perfect if you are a startup business looking to save on costs. It’s also great if you are a cafe, coffee bar, or market vendor that doesn’t have thousands of inventory items. If you are a growing retailer, multichannel seller, or have detailed inventory needs, you could grow out of Square rather quickly. If you process over $10,000 per month and your average transaction is over $20, you can find lower processing fees through a traditional merchant services provider.
Square POS Reviews
Square generally has really positive reviews. It’s the best solution for businesses looking for a simple iPad POS system with built-in payment processing. Businesses love that it is easy to use. Some negative reviews cite problems with Square’s customer service, which is only available Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. PST, and only for existing Square customers. Visit our Square POS Review Page for more feedback from business owners.
Get Started with Square POS
Square is the easiest iPad POS system when it comes to getting started. Simply sign up for a free account on Square’s website, download the Square POS app on your iPad, and your credit card reader will arrive in the mail. No applications, installations, complicated setups, or expensive hardware required. Get a free account today.
Lightspeed: iPad POS with Inventory Management & Detailed Reporting
Lightspeed is a cloud-based POS system designed for traditional brick-and-mortar retailers, including boutiques and specialty shops. Lightspeed is unique because it has a very sophisticated inventory management system and unparalleled custom report builders. These advanced features allow businesses to make informed purchasing, merchandising, and staffing decisions that can drive sales and cut costs for growing businesses.
Lightspeed Pricing
Lightspeed provides custom quotes for each business, but popular POS plans start at $99 per month for software and include one register and five employees. Lightspeed hardware kits are $699 and include receipt printers, cash drawers, and bar code scanners. Lightspeed runs on iPads, but can also work on a laptop or desktop if you prefer. With Lightspeed, retailers can choose their own payment processing service and find the most competitive rate, unlike Square and Shopify, which charge a set percentage.
Lightspeed Features
Lightspeed includes more than 40 preset sales and inventory reports to give you maximum insights on your best-selling products, profit margins, and more. Lightspeed also includes employee performance reports so you can easily identify top sales staff, prepare for peak times, and view average transaction values.
Retailers can order products directly through Lightspeed
Lightspeed Payment Processing
Lightspeed does not have built-in payment processing like Square. That means businesses will have to find a third-party merchant services or payment processing solution. Lightspeed integrates with Cayan and Vantiv, so we recommend choosing one of those providers so that your payments are connected. While a built-in payment solution like Square is simpler, using a provider like Cayan could give you lower processing rates if you are a large-volume business.
Lightspeed Ease of Use
Lightspeed is a very powerful software system with lots of capabilities. When you sign up for Lightspeed, you receive one-on-one onboarding, where a representative walks you through the system and demonstrates all of the features. Lightspeed has tons of reporting options along with inventory customization and management, so the software is naturally more complex than Square, for example, which doesn’t have these features. Despite the thorough feature set, Lightspeed is surprisingly smooth to navigate on the front-end and on the back-end.
Lightspeed Inventory Management
Lightspeed is great for retailers who have lots of SKUs or custom products. When you first set up Lightspeed, inputting all of your inventory takes a bit of time, but the end result is a powerful business management tool. Lightspeed streamlines operations by letting retailers order new and repeat stock through the retail POS software and combine orders into one master order to get the best pricing. Lightspeed can also anticipate shopping trends in your customer base, which is a unique feature that can help retailers order products with more accuracy.
Lightspeed Customer Relationship Management
Lightspeed has a suite of CRM tools built into the POS, including customer profiles with the ability to add notes and view sales history. Retailers can also view a customer’s lifetime value, including predictions on future purchases. Retailers can also set different customer categories, such as VIP customers and employee customers, with automated discounts for each. However, Lightspeed Loyalty, which offers a loyalty program, integrated marketing tools, and SMS and email marketing, is an additional $59 per month.
Lightspeed Ecommerce Integrations
Lightspeed also has an ecommerce platform that connects seamlessly with the POS platform. Retailers can sell their existing inventory online by building a custom website from a suite of free templates, add photos and product descriptions, and more. Lightspeed’s ecommerce platform is an additional fee on top of the in-store iPad POS. Ask your Lightspeed representative about any special deals or packages for purchasing both software programs.
Lightspeed Reporting & Analytics
Reporting and analytics are where Lightspeed really shines. Lightspeed has over 40 reports included that provide actual tips and insights to improve your business. For example, Lightspeed can take sales and traffic data and translate that into staffing and inventory reports to help you prepare for peak hours. All of the reporting dashboards are completely interactive, so you can build your own reports instantly and view visuals for each. This level of analysis and customization is just not available in other POS systems at a price point that is accessible to small businesses.
Lightspeed’s sleek reporting dashboard
What Lightspeed Is Missing
Lightspeed is an extremely robust and powerful POS, so there is not much it is missing. However, if you add on the ecommerce platform and the Lightspeed Loyalty, you are looking at over $200 per month, which is simply not acceptable for some small businesses. Lightspeed also does not have built-in payment processing, so businesses will need a separate merchant services account to accept card payments.
Lightspeed Reviews
Lightspeed has very positive reviews. Businesses like that it’s a robust system packed into an intuitive interface. The reporting and inventory functionality is excellent, and many reviewers are impressed with Lightspeed’s level of customer service. However, Lightspeed comes with a year-long commitment, which many businesses don’t like. Visit our Lightspeed Review Page for details.
Get Started with Lightspeed
To get started with Lightspeed, visit their website to sign up for a free trial and schedule a demo with one of their customer service representatives. You’ll receive a personalized quote. Once you sign up, they will walk you through the setup process. Visit Lightspeed to get started.
Shopify: Best iPad POS System for Ecommerce & Multichannel Businesses
Shopify is a cloud-based sales platform for retailers. Shopify is unique because it has an iPad POS system for in-store sales, an ecommerce platform for online sales, and solutions to sell on social media. Shopify is the best iPad POS for multichannel retailers because they can sell across multiple platforms for one competitive monthly fee starting at $29.
Shopify Pricing
Shopify offers three tiers for their POS app and ecommerce platform: Basic Shopify, Shopify, and Advanced Shopify. All include an iPad POS app, online store, unlimited products, and the ability to process payments with Shopify Payments. New customers can test any Shopify plan with a 14-day trial.
No specific hardware is required other than your iPad for the POS app, but you can purchase the following optional hardware through Shopify:
- Chip and swipe card readers for $29
- iPad stands for $119
- Receipt printers for ~$300
- Cash drawers for $119
- A complete POS kit for $399, or $579 with barcode scanner
Shopify POS Pricing & Features
| Best For | |||
| Monthly Fee | |||
| Online Credit Card Processing | |||
| In-Store Credit Card Processing | |||
| Shipping Discounts | |||
| POS App | |||
| Online Store | |||
| Sell on Facebook | |||
| Unlimited Products | |||
| Gift Cards | |||
| Professional Reports | |||
| Advanced Report Builder |
Shopify Features
All Shopify plans include an integrated ecommerce platform. In addition to Basic Shopify, Shopify, and Advanced Shopify, there is also Shopify Lite for selling on social media and at pop-up events, or Shopify Plus for large-scale enterprises. Shopify also has its own app store where you can find extra features and plug-ins.
Shopify has user-friendly POS apps for iPad and smartphone
Shopify features include:
Shopify Payment Processing
Like Square, Shopify has built-in payment processing. This is a great feature for businesses that want an all-in-one solution and don’t want to worry about a separate merchant services account. Shopify also uses flat-rate transaction fees with no minimums, and Shopify’s processing fees are slightly lower than Square’s.
Shopify Ease of Use
Shopify specializes in making setting up an ecommerce store easy, but the same philosophy carries over to their POS as well. The entire system is pretty straightforward and sleek without compromising on functionality. Square is the only solution that has an in-store POS, ecommerce platform, and payment processing all built into one system.
Shopify Inventory Management
All three Shopify plans include inventory management with unlimited SKUs. Shopify’s inventory management is slightly simpler than Lightspeed’s, but still has the ability to import and export products in bulk, list variations like size and color, and assign existing barcodes or create new ones.
Shopify Customer Relationship Management
Shopify automatically creates customer profiles with each new order and tracks customer transactions. like Square does. Since Shopify POS combines ecommerce with in-store selling, the POS tracks customers across both channels. Shopify does not have all the CRM functions of Lightspeed, such as a VIP customer classification. But, Shopify does have a built-in email marketing feature, which most other POS systems, like Square, charge extra for.
Shopify Multiple Sales Channels
The ability to seamlessly sell across multiple sales channels is what sets Shopify apart from the rest of the iPad POS systems on our list. Shopify combines in-person sales and ecommerce under one dashboard like Lightspeed, but Shopify also has options to sell on Facebook, Pinterest, Amazon, BuzzFeed, and more. This is the only POS on our list that has some of these sales channel integrations. Shopify also has a built-in communication tool for employees for cross-platform communication.
Shopify Analytics Dashboard
Shopify has an analytics dashboard with data on sales, orders, and traffic. Businesses can also see which products are selling and which ones aren’t, and view sales by location, staff member, or time of day. Shopify also has a separate mobile app to view all of the analytics on the go. Shopify’s analytics aren’t nearly as advanced or as customizable as Lightspeed, but they still provide valuable insights.
Shopify syncs all in-person and online orders into one dashboard
What Shopify Is Missing
Shopify is an extremely easy-to-use platform that is great for letting businesses establish multiple sales channels for a relatively low price. However, Shopify does not have an offline mode, which can be a big deal if you are looking to use your iPad POS to make sales on the go instead of in a store environment. If you need a portable POS that can accept offline payments, Square is the better choice.
Shopify Reviews
Reviews for Shopify are extremely positive. It’s the go-to ecommerce solution for the average small or medium-sized business because you can easily create a beautiful, functional ecommerce site and get the iPad POS system up and running. Businesses also like that there is built-in payment processing so it’s truly an all-in-one system. Negative reviewers say they want more customization options for their ecommerce store. Visit our Shopify Review Page to read full user reviews.
Get Started with Shopify
To get started with Shopify, visit the website, enter your email and store name, and create a password to start a risk-free 14-day trial. Shopify is the best option if you want to grow your business by selling in-store and online. Start your free trial today.
TouchBistro: Best iPad POS System for Restaurants for Managing Tables & Reservations
TouchBistro is an iPad POS restaurant management software that comes with over 200 features built-in, including reservation and table management. These advanced front-end capabilities at a competitive monthly fee make TouchBistro the best option for restaurants that want reservation management on an iPad system.
TouchBistro Pricing
TouchBistro has a monthly software fee that is billed annually. There are four tiers to choose from, and each comes with a different number of software licenses. If you plan on having a single checkout counter or register to ring all transactions, the Solo plan is a good fit. If you need two registers (one at the hosting station and one behind the bar, for example) then the Dual plan is a good fit. TouchBistro operates on iPads and Apple computers, which can be purchased through TouchBistro or separately.
Additional hardware available through TouchBistro for a custom price includes:
- Kitchen impact printers for printing kitchen tickets
- Receipt printers
- Cash drawers
- Ethernet switch and cables (required for multi-iPad setups)
- iPad stands
TouchBistro Pricing Tiers
| Monthly Fee | ||||
| Licences Included | ||||
| Recommended For |
TouchBistro Features
TouchBistro runs on iPads that are synched through a local network, so it does not require internet to work (except for credit card processing). If you have just one iPad, you can manage everything directly from that device. If you have two or more iPads, you need to run the Pro Server Application on a Mac Mini, which will serve as your central database that syncs all the iPads together.
TouchBistro has a ton of restaurant-specific features packed into a user-friendly interface
TouchBistro features include:
TouchBistro Payment Processing
TouchBistro is working on providing built-in payment processing with TouchBistro Payments powered by Chase. However, that feature is not yet available. So for now, businesses will need to have a separate payment processing provider. TouchBistro partners with Chase Merchant Services, Square, Cayan, PayPal, WorldPay, and a few others to offer integrated payments.
TouchBistro Ease of Use
The TouchBistro interface is colorful, easy to navigate, and super customizable. It’s designed with the employees in mind, as they can customize different buttons and their placements. This is a unique feature, as POS systems like Square and Lightspeed have set interfaces that can’t really be customized. There’s also an option to add high-resolution photos of each menu item, which benefits both servers and customers.
TouchBistro Inventory Management
TouchBistro has advanced inventory management features like the ability to create recipes for each menu item to automatically track specific ingredient levels and run menu costing. These features help restaurants order food more accurately and maintain healthy sales margins on each item. Not every restaurant POS has these features, especially ones at a modest price point, so inventory management is an area where TouchBistro really stands out.
TouchBistro Reservation & Table Management
TouchBistro is specifically designed for restaurant owners, so there are features to map out the entire layout of your restaurant, move parties and tables around freely, and manage multiple floors and sections. View currently seated tables including party size, check amount, and how long they have been there all at a glance while also managing reservations for future guests. TouchBistro is the only iPad POS system on our list that has these front-of-house restaurant management features.
TouchBistro Reporting & Analytics
TouchBistro has built-in reporting such as sales and transaction history, sales totals, and sales statistics by category. Businesses can also create custom reports and save them for future use. Though TouchBistro’s reports seem to cover just about all of the basics, several reviewers state they wished the reporting features were more advanced. If advanced, customizable reporting is what you are looking for, consider using Lightspeed.
TouchBistro lets restaurants manage tables and reservations all in one easy-to-use display
What TouchBistro Is Missing
TouchBistro has fantastic front-of-house management features, but does not have some of the back-of-house and CRM features that other POS systems have. For example, Loyverse has a free kitchen display app for managing orders, but TouchBistro charges extra for a kitchen display system. TouchBistro’s loyalty program is also not included in the base price, whereas Loyverse has a free one built in. If table and reservation management is not important for your restaurant business (if you’re a quick service restaurant, for example), consider Loyverse instead.
TouchBistro Reviews
TouchBistro has really positive reviews overall. Businesses really like the front-of-house features that are built in. They also like that it is easy to use and is super customizable. Some reviewers wish that TouchBistro was cloud based. Visit our TouchBistro Review Page to read full reviews.
Get Started with TouchBistro
To get started with TouchBistro, visit their website to get a free quote and request a free one-on-one live demo. In addition to the one-on-one consultation, restaurants can sign up for a free trial to test the features for themselves. Visit TouchBistro to get started.
Loyverse: Best Free iPad POS for Businesses That Want a Loyalty Program
Loyverse is a suite of free POS and business management apps for small businesses. Loyverse is unique because it is the only free POS on our list that includes a loyalty program and a kitchen display system. Loyverse is a good fit for businesses wanting a free POS with a built-in loyalty program.
Loyverse Pricing
Like Square, the Loyverse POS app is completely free to use and can be downloaded right from the app store. Loyverse is a real bargain because the free system includes some features that usually cost extra, even for POS systems that have a monthly fee, such as a loyalty program, kitchen display system (KDS), and a customer-facing display app.
Loyverse Features
In addition to the loyalty program, kitchen display system app, and customer-facing display, Loyverse comes with features like customer messaging, reporting, analytics, and employee management. Overall, Loyverse has a lot of handy features, especially for a free system.
Loyverse has a free POS app and free Dashboard app for analytics
Specific Loyverse features include:
Loyverse Payment Processing
Unlike Square, the other free iPad POS system option on our list, Loyverse does not have built-in payment processing. Businesses that use Loyverse need to sign up for a third-party payment processing system. Loyverse partners with Vantiv, SumUp, and iZettle for integrated credit card payments. If you are looking for a free POS system but prefer built-in payment processing, consider using Square.
Loyverse Ease of Use
Loyverse is pretty simple to use. Since it’s a free app, it’s designed so that people can download it and start using it on their own without a complicated setup process. But, if you’re new to POS software, Loyverse has a suite of how-to videos that cover everything you need to know to get your account set up.
Loyverse Inventory Management
Loyverse has pretty detailed inventory management, especially for a free app. Loyverse’s inventory features are more detailed than Square’s, the other free POS on our list. Businesses can add menu items and detail which ingredients are used in creating them, and manage stock to a detailed level. Businesses can also import purchase orders, transfer stock between multiple locations, and see which items are performing best or moving slow. Loyverse also offers an Advanced Inventory Management add-on for $25 per month that offers inventory valuation and allows businesses to send purchase orders directly to suppliers.
Loyverse Customer Relationship Management
Customer relationship management is an area where Loyverse really excels. Loyverse has a comprehensive CRM package that records customer data, buying behavior, and preferences. Loyverse also has a free email marketing tool for promotions and collecting feedback. Most notably, Loyverse has a free points-based loyalty program. Overall, Loyverse has an excellent suite of CRM features. Most POS systems, including Square, charge a monthly fee for loyalty program features.
Loyverse Additional Free Apps
In addition to the free POS app, Loyverse also has a dashboard app to view sales, reports, and inventory on the go. There’s also a free kitchen display app for restaurants to use in the kitchen to track customer orders. And, Loyverse has a free customer display app to use at checkout so customers can view order details, pricing, rewards points, and sign up for the loyalty program with their email address. Most POS systems charge extra for these features, so it’s pretty remarkable that Loyverse offers them for free.
Loyverse Reporting & Analytics
Loyverse has a satisfactory suite of reports available, including sales reports, inventory reports, and tax reports. These are all downloadable via CSV files. If you upgrade to the Advanced Inventory Management ($25 per month), you also can view Inventory Valuation reports. The only downside is that Loyverse does not have a customizable, drag-and-drop reporting dashboard like Square does. Of course, Loyverse’s reporting features come nowhere close to the advanced custom report builders of Lightspeed.
Loyverse free kitchen display app
What Loyverse Is Missing
Loyverse has a lot of great features, and most of them are free, which is pretty rare. However, the biggest downside to Loyverse is that it does not have any integrations other than payment processing. That means if Loyverse does not offer the feature directly, there is no way to add it onto the POS. For this reason, we do not recommend Loyverse for retailers that want ecommerce because there is currently no way to sync your online store with Loyverse.
Loyverse Reviews
Loyverse has some really positive reviews. Businesses like that it is user-friendly and that it is free to use. Some reviewers are not happy with the limited payment processing options. But, overall feedback is really positive. Visit our Loyverse Review Page for more details.
Get Started with Loyverse
To get started with Loyverse, first visit their website and create a free account. You’ll immediately be taken to the Loyverse Back Office, where you can start configuring business settings. Next, download the Loyverse POS app on your iPad. All that’s remaining is a connected payment processor, and you’re all set. Since Loyverse is completely free, there’s no risk in testing it out. Visit the Loyverse website to create your free account.
ShopKeep: Good Lightspeed Alternative for iPad POS Systems
ShopKeep is an iPad POS that is the halfway point between Square, which is free but with limited features, and Lightspeed, which is more expensive but has super-sophisticated features. ShopKeep is a good choice for retailers who want more robust features than Square can offer, but don’t want to spring for Lightspeed’s higher monthly fee.
ShopKeep Pricing
ShopKeep is a moderately priced, pay-as-you-go monthly subscription service. They recently switched to quote-based pricing, but was previously $69 per month, which included unlimited users and products. You’ll have to contact ShopKeep for a specific quote. You can also purchase extra hardware like iPad stands, receipt printers, and cash drawers through ShopKeep for an additional quote-based fee.
ShopKeep Features
ShopKeep has a suite of retail management features including bulk inventory management, employee logins and permissions, reporting, and more, all tied together with award-winning customer service.
ShopKeep has an easy-to-use interface
ShopKeep’s features include:
ShopKeep Payment Processing
ShopKeep has its own payment processing service, like Square and Shopify. Like the POS system, ShopKeep’s payment processing rates are also quote-based. However, ShopKeep also integrates with other payment processing solutions, like Payline and Chase.
ShopKeep Ease of Use
ShopKeep is one of the original iPad POS systems, and is very easy to use. The setup process is simple and the navigation is clean. However, one of the big drawbacks is that businesses cannot add pictures to inventory items.
ShopKeep Inventory Management
ShopKeep includes a bunch of great inventory features, including the ability to manage thousands of SKUs in bulk with CSV files. ShopKeep also has low stock triggers, calculates profit margins, and tells you your best sellers. If you have a restaurant, ShopKeep can also manage ingredient-level inventory tracking. All in all, it’s inventory features for brick-and-mortar stores are definitely a step above Square, but not as advanced as Lightspeed.
ShopKeep Customer Relationship Management
ShopKeep has a decent amount of CRM features built in, including the ability to track individual customer sales history, capture customer information at checkout, send customized email receipts, and import customer information into contact lists. ShopKeep also has a Mailchimp integration for customized email promotions.
ShopKeep Ecommerce Integrations
Unlike Lightspeed and Shopify, ShopKeep does not have its own ecommerce solution. But ShopKeep does integrate with BigCommerce, so you can still sync inventory between in-store and online.
ShopKeep Reporting & Analytics
ShopKeep has pretty decent reporting features, including sales reports by category, item, vendor, discounts, and register. Businesses can also view inventory reporting such as on-hand quantities and cost of goods. There are also customer reports including sales per customer, trends, and top-spending customers. Businesses can view sales by staff member and track employee time. Plus, ShopKeep has a handy iPhone app for viewing reports on the go.
ShopKeep has a back-office feature to view reports, marketing, settings, and more.
What ShopKeep Is Missing
ShopKeep is an overall decent option. However, it doesn’t have the detailed customized reporting that Lightspeed has. If you’re a restaurant, ShopKeep doesn’t have table mapping or management features like TouchBistro. ShopKeep also does not accept payments offline. If you are looking for a solution that does accept offline payments, consider using Square.
ShopKeep Reviews
Reviews for ShopKeep are generally positive. Businesses like that ShopKeep is intuitive and easy to use. Reviewers also say the customer service is friendly and helpful. Some reviewers report glitches or issues with system updates. Visit our ShopKeep Review Page for more user feedback.
Get Started with ShopKeep
To get started with ShopKeep, first visit their website to request a quote and a free trial. ShopKeep is worth testing, especially if you are looking for something a little more detailed than Square, but are not sure about paying $99 per month for Lightspeed. Visit ShopKeep to get started.
Bottom Line
Every POS system should be able to easily and securely process transactions and handle basic business management functions. The best POS systems are elegant and all-inclusive. iPad POS systems in particular should be sophisticated and easy to use via touchscreen.
Square provides a free system for processing transactions anywhere, even offline with a built-in payment processing system. Square’s POS interface is sleek and provides the basic inventory and CRM functions any business would need. Setup is as easy as entering your name and email on the website and downloading the free POS from the Apple app store. Your card reader will arrive in the mail and you can start selling right away. Open a free account today.
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