6 Best Vape Shop POS Systems in 2023

Leading our list of best vape shop POS systems is KORONA POS. This cloud-based software offers competitive subscription pricing, works with high-risk payment processors, and provides complete multilocation management features and ecommerce tools for vape shops—starting at only $59/month. It works best for high-risk retailers, ticketing businesses, and retail-focused food and beverage operations.

KORONA POS highlights include several useful built-in tools, such as age verification and an ecommerce integration. The unlimited free trial is a major plus point. KORONA POS could have done better with its number and variety of integrations, as well as having staff and inventory management in the base plan. It is also not RACS-compliant.

KORONA POS payment processors include:

Use your existing compatible hardware or purchase your system directly from KORONA via installments. (Source: KORONA POS)

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The software has an easy-to-use checkout function with an intuitive interface and customizable workflows. (Source: KORONA POS)

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KORONA POS lets you consolidate business data in real time across multiple locations. (Source: KORONA POS)

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KORONA provides vape shop owners with flexible solutions that can grow along with their businesses. While most of these capabilities can also be found in other POS providers, there are several functions where KORONA excels, including:

• Integrated payment options: KORONA POS does not have its own payment processing system. Instead, it partners with popular merchant service providers, which allows users with high-risk businesses to get the best transaction rates.
• Age verification function: KORONA offers a built-in age and ID verification functionality for both in-store and online checkout. The system prompts the user to enter the customer’s birth date or provide a valid ID. Otherwise, the age-restricted products will be removed from the receipt.
• Complete CRM and built-in point-based loyalty program: KORONA allows you to engage your customers through short message service (SMS), email, and branded applications. It also comes with a point-based loyalty program and lets you build your customer database to help you track customers and process their special orders.
• Flexible multistore management: At $89 a month, KORONA’s Plus POS subscription provides you with multistore management tools to consolidate data and reports in real time. You can manage inventory, conduct inventory counts, award loyalty points, track sales, and monitor employee performance for all locations from a single platform.
• Retail loss prevention: Set customizable security features to minimize retail loss and permissions to limit access to back office tools, where bad actors can do harmful things like alter prices and tamper with returns processes. Add authorization tools to prevent impromptu discounts, price changes, and no-sales tenders.
• Inventory management: KORONA POS includes a mobile inventory app that allows you to manage inventory on the go. It also supports adding inventory using a barcode scanner and lets you track inventory movement with automated counting that generates a daily count list on demand. You can also set automatic reordering, track shipment, and manage your vendor list.

Lightspeed Retail is our recommended vape shop POS system for growing businesses that handle complex or large volumes of inventory. This cloud-based POS software is known for its robust inventory management features and detailed reporting features. Lightspeed Retail also includes an ecommerce integration with built-in age verification solutions, payment processing, and a wide variety of add-ons, making it an excellent choice for sellers looking for ways to sell in-store and online seamlessly.

The lack of offline card processing and extra fees for using a third-party payment processor cost it a few points in our evaluation. The POS is also fairly expensive; businesses that want a cheaper (or free) option can go for Square for Retail instead.

Lightspeed Retail’s payment processors include:

• Lightspeed Payments (default)
• Vantiv
• Cayan
• Element Express
• Mercury Payments Services

Note that your monthly POS rates will increase if you use a third-party processor.

Lightspeed works on iPads and offers a range of accessories, including an iPad kit. (Source: Lightspeed)

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Lightspeed Retail lets you create up to 50 custom matrix attribute sets. A vape shop could use a 3-attribute matrix for size, strength, and percentage. (Source: Lightspeed)

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Lightspeed Retail offers seamless integration with its ecommerce platform. (Source: Lightspeed)

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Lightspeed Retail, which has built-in RACS compliance, is equipped with a wide variety of tools to manage vape shops smoothly across multiple platforms. This includes the ability to take special orders, create in-depth customer profiles, and define rules to regulate sales. Lightspeed registers can also be programmed with age and quantity sale restrictions.

Take a look at some of Lightspeed Retail’s most notable features:

• Customized selling restrictions: Lightspeed Retail is currently beta-testing register rules features that enforce limitations for the sale of high-risk products. The POS allows users to prevent bulk purchases by setting quantity limits, as well as performing age verification during transactions using ID-scanning technology.
• Wide selection of integrations and add-ons: Lightspeed Retail offers significant integration tools that vape shop owners will find useful. Its long list includes high-risk-business-friendly payment processors and age-verification solutions for its ecommerce platform. These industry-specific integrations allow vape shop owners to sell online while staying compliant with legislation requirements.
• Inventory management features: Vape shop owners will appreciate Lightspeed Retail’s ability to create custom matrix sets and build as many variants as they need for their products. It also allows users to easily manage products that are acquired in bulk and then sold individually. The same platform can also be used to track sales orders, submit purchase orders (POs), and manage vendor information. Lightspeed’s detailed inventory management tools, alongside its solid reporting capabilities, can also help with loss prevention by letting you spot anomalies or inconsistencies with your stock.

Clover POS is a cloud-based, all-in-one POS provider that allows users to keep their existing merchant account. Clover includes all the tools you need as you grow, making it one of the most scalable POS solutions available. It’s particularly suited for businesses that want to choose their own payment processor, need built-in loyalty programs, or prefer flexible and customizable registers.

While Fiserv is Clover’s default payment processor, third-party resellers can reprogram the system upon sign-up to work with your preferred payment processing solution. This is a useful feature for vape shops that need to find a payment processor compatible with regulated industries or high-risk businesses, or simply for shops that want to find the lowest available processing rates.

Clover POS earned high marks for its wide range of easy-to-use tools, ease of use, and general features. Unpredictable pricing, the inability to sell vape products online, and limited features for less expensive plans prevented Clover from climbing further in our list.

Its pricing is a little different than the other options on our list, as the plan you sign up for not only determines your features but also determines the hardware and software you will have access to. It also changes depending on the industry your business is part of—quick-service or full-service restaurants, professional services, retail, etc.

For retail businesses specifically, see below for a breakdown of each plan and what it includes:

*Additional fees apply for additional locations/registers

Clover’s hardware and software bundles can be pre-configured to work with any payment processor. (Source: Clover POS)

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Clover’s checkout register is customizable with hotkeys and shortcuts for better process flow. It also includes a search bar that lets you find products by menu, barcode, or text. (Source: Clover POS)

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Clover accessories include a customized weight scale for merchants like vape shops that sell products by weight. The scale passes information to the POS automatically, making the checkout process easier. (Source: Clover POS)

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As one of the most popular alternatives to Square, Clover provides sales, inventory, and business management features known to be both affordable and user-friendly. But it is in flexibility and customizability that Clover stands out from Square.

• Clover register: The Clover register is customizable and easy to use, with search functions and weighing scale integrations to process sales faster. It allows you to accept swipe, dip, or tap payments as well as contactless payments like Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayPal, and Venmo. The POS also includes a RACS-compliant age verification tool – a crucial feature for vape shops.
• Inventory management: Clover’s tools provide a way for you to keep tabs on your stock and prevent losses due to theft or deception—though keep in mind that you’ll need to pay more if you want advanced inventory management.
• Programmable payment processor: Fiserv is the default payment processor for Clover accounts, but the system allows you to reprogram this one time during the initial setup. This flexibility is a significant boon for businesses in regulated industries such as vape shops, because it allows them to find payment processors that accept high-risk merchants. Note that with Clover, you cannot reprogram your payment processor after you complete the initial system setup, so be sure to choose wisely early on.
• Customer management: Clover POS allows you to set up customer profiles automatically from the point of sale, including adding the customer’s photo so your sales staff can identify them easily. The system also lets you create and search transaction history records for each customer, which can help with marketing and customer personalization.
• Loyalty programs: Every Clover account comes with Clover’s point-based program, where you can assign points to different products and use these to reward your customers for shopping. Using Clover Promos, you can also advertise promos on social media, or via email or text messaging.
• Third-party apps: Clover has a large collection of third-party apps, including order management, advanced inventory management, and back-office tools.
• Free customer-facing loyalty app: Clover also has a customer-facing loyalty app where you can add your business and its loyalty program. Customers can download the Clover app and manage their points.

Shopify is a household name for ecommerce merchants, and has removed vape shop products from its list of restricted products. As long as selling vape shop products is legal in your location, Shopify will let you sell on the platform. Adding online age verification tools, however, will cost between $2 and $10 per month.

It works best for businesses that want a strong online presence or ecommerce store, or that want to sell via social media. Every Shopify account comes with free POS software with expanded fulfillment methods, such as buy online, pick-up in-store (BOPIS) and delivery, making it ideal for online vape shops with storefronts for distributing and accepting returned products. However, offline functionality for Shopify is limited, and the per-transaction fee for using a third-party payment processor can be expensive.

Shopify’s payment processors include:

• Shopify Payments (default)
• PayPal
• WorldPay
• Authorize.net

Choose from Shopify’s range of sleek and stylish mobile-friendly themes. (Source: Shopify)

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Shopify comes with free POS software with a customizable interface and easy-to-use checkout functionality. (Source: Shopify)

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Shopify POS features an iPad retail kit for countertop setup. (Source: Shopify)

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Shopify’s range of omnichannel and fulfillment method features is a welcome addition to our vape shop POS roundup. As not all ecommerce merchants are the same, Shopify gives vape shop owners more options that would better match their unique business model.

• Website builder: Shopify comes with stylish mobile-ready themes, both free and paid. It includes a content management system (CMS) and blogging platform to help maximize your marketing and sales efforts. Both the website builder and the content editor are user-friendly, and users need little to no coding skill to start building their online store.
• Checkout and register: You can customize your online store’s checkout process with Shopify’s range of payment and fulfillment options. The POS software allows you to conduct global searches, issue refunds and discounts, process exchanges, and send customized digital and printed receipts.
• Omnichannel selling: Shopify allows you to receive orders online and accept payments, returns, or exchanges in-store. It also lets you send customer carts via email, in which buyers can remotely complete their purchase or add shipping details for purchases that were made in-store. Regardless of the method used, all these transactions will be organized and accessible on your Shopify POS system.
• Smart inventory management: Shopify’s smart inventory management tool provides you with an inventory library where you can curate products and set different variants. It also provides automated real-time product tracking and allows you to set low-stock notifications. Shopify Pro users get access to the Stocky app, which provides additional features such as inventory analysis, demand forecasting, and sale item suggestion tools.
• Loss prevention: To enhance loss prevention, Shopify lets you set staff permissions in order to limit access to various parts of the system as needed. The POS includes a “sensitive permissions” setting for viewing or editing private store data, such as customer information and billing payment methods or invoices.
• Customer management: Shopify’s CRM features let you automatically create profiles for customers who order online and purchase in-store. You can add tags, view order histories and notes, and save contact details for marketing purposes. Shopify also offers a free loyalty app that allows you to set up branded loyalty programs.
• Age verification tools: Shopify does include age-verification tools, but only as paid add-ons, and only for online sales. You’ll have many options to choose from, ranging from about $2 to $10 per month.
• High-risk payment processing: Businesses in high-risk industries such as CBD and THC should note that such products are not compatible with Shopify Payments (the POS’ integrated payment processor). Fortunately, users can choose from among many third-party integration options, giving you more flexibility in finding a processor that accepts high-risk products.

Square for Retail is easily the most affordable of all the industry-leading POS software we have for this evaluation. Starting with a free plan, it offers a suite of sales and inventory management tools that can handle variants and sales by weight easily, the ability to manage an unlimited number of products and transactions, and a built-in online shop. Businesses that process ticket sales or want a built-in age-verification tool will want to go with KORONA POS instead.

Vape shop owners will have to register their accounts under the Square CBD Program, which carries higher fees compared to other transactions done via Square. There is also no age verification for online sales (besides simple reminder pop-ups), and the POS isn’t RACS-compliant.

Square offers a range of hardware options to suit different business needs. Hardware kits are available, as well as individual devices. (Source: Square)

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Speed up the checkout process with customizable tiles that you can move around to match your workflow. (Source: Square)

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Square for Retail’s inventory management tool includes variant tracking, stock counting, and other nuanced inventory control features. (Source: Square)

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Square POS includes a free plan, and its intuitive system offers the best value for small businesses and startups. It is also easy to use and installs automatically, so vape shop owners who purchase this software can start selling immediately.

Here are some of Square’s standout features to help vape shop owners build a successful store:

• Square dashboard: Managing a vape shop is easier if it can be done from a single platform. The dashboard is Square’s headquarters; it provides business information and action options at a glance, so owners can see key data and make timely decisions quickly. Once you’ve installed the appropriate Square add-on tools, the dashboard also allows you to send out invoices, engage with customers, and manage employees and inventory.
• CRM: Square’s CRM uses a tool called Customer Directory, where business owners can view customer data, such as their contact details and how they transact with the business normally. Customers are also able to provide feedback through their digital receipts and start a private conversation with your business.
• Cash tracking: Square can be used to accept and track cash and payments, such as checks and gift cards, from any Square device like a tablet, smartphone, or terminal. It’s also possible to split tender, so customers have the option to use different payment types for a single transaction.
• Loss prevention: Square uses machine learning, analytics, and algorithm adjustment in order to detect and defend against new trends in fraud. Square’s free Risk Manager lets you create a Block List for suspicious cards, email addresses, and IP addresses. You can even create your own rules and alerts that control whether your POS accepts a payment or not. Learn more about Square’s Risk Manager tool and its key features.
• Age verification: This is an area in which Square performs less well than other systems on this list; Square Online does not have a legally compliant age verification feature. However, the system does allow for pop-ups that act as reminders for this purpose.

While it did not rank best in this guide, Square tops our lists on several of our guides:

POS Nation is primarily a POS system for convenience, liquor, and grocery stores. However, because of its built-in tools for age verification and perishables tracking, it is also a viable solution for vape shops. The system is unique from other providers in our list because it is locally installed with a cloud backup that makes for a great offline solution and bundles hardware into its subscription plan.

POS Nation’s strong points include a simple payment scheme with no long-term contracts, good hardware integration and options, and built-in tools for running a vape shop. It could have scored better with more affordable plans, more equitable customer support, and greater flexibility with payment processors. It’s also not the best option for businesses wanting to optimize multichannel sales; Shopify POS would work much better for that purpose.

POS Nation’s payment processors include:

• Mercury Payment Systems
• Swipely
• Worldpay
• Heartland
• Sterling Payment Technologies

POS Nation’s unique pricing method offers a software and hardware bundle subscription plan that starts at $99 per month with no long-term contract. You can also choose to purchase the bundles outright. (Source: POS Nation)

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POS Nation’s inventory management feature includes matrix-style inventory control, mix-and-match pricing, and perishables tracking – all of which work well for vape shops. (Source: POS Nation)

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The built-in age verification function prompts cashiers to enter or scan the customer’s ID manually. (Source: POS Nation)

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POS Nation is a popular choice for liquor stores and convenience stores, making it suitable for vape shops. It includes an ID scanner, scale integration, mobile checkout features, and integrated payment options with a number of providers:

• Custom-build plan: POS Nation offers a custom-build plan that guides you in choosing your own payment processor and preferred features (based on your business type), without committing to a long-term contract.
• Specialized inventory management tools: The system supports perishable inventory tracking, case-break inventory, mix-and-match pricing, and kit building for vape shops. You can also integrate scales to allow for selling by weight options.
• Loss prevention: POS Nation’s inventory tracking features help with loss prevention, but the system also includes employee permissions at the individual level that help you prevent fraud and other malicious actions. Freshly-onboarded employees have limited access, and will need manager approval to perform purchase cancellations or returns. You can also add notes whenever logging a return or a loss, helping you spot harmful trends. Blind counts for cash drawers are available as well.
• Age validation: The tool includes ID scanner software and hardware to scan driver’s licenses or other IDs. You can also set the age validation requirements per product from the back end using POS Nation’s advanced item configuration tools.
• Customer data management: The software records contact and billing information for each transaction. It also records purchase history, with a lookup function to quickly search for frequent customers’ previously bought items.