eHopper Review: Is it Right for Your Business?

eHopper’s point-of-sale (POS) system offers free software for retailers, small restaurants, cafes, food trucks, and several other business types. While the free plan is limited, inexpensive plans include inventory tracking on the ingredient level, table mapping, and an ecommerce website. The hardware-agnostic programming means you can use its hardware or choose your own. While user reviews around eHopper (and particularly its customer supper) are mixed, this software’s low price point and detailed inventory tools have earned it a spot in our recommended grocery store and free POS systems.

Visit eHopper

What We Recommend eHopper For:

I have looked at dozens of POS software and am impressed with eHopper’s user interface and its layout of features. The inventory section makes it especially good for small retailers and some quick service restaurants. However, the price, scope, and features (supported by user reviews) suggest the software has limits, particularly when it comes to full-service restaurant functionality.

Specifically, we recommend eHopper for:

• Small grocery stores: Even the basic plans have tools specific to selling grocery stores such as the ability to sell by weight and serialized inventory management for tracking perishables. These features, along with options to accept EBT payments, earned eHopper a spot in our list of recommended grocery store POS.
• Markets and small retailers wanting a free POS: eHopper has a strong free version with sales, customer management, and matrix inventory tracking, earning it a spot in our list of best free POS systems.

eHopper’s ability to sell products by weight, length, and other measurements also makes it a suitable option for retailers that charge by those dimensions such as butcher shops, fabric stores, spice vendors, or delis. However, it’s important to note that eHopper only works with the United States customary units measurement system, not the metric system.

When eHopper Would Not Be a Good Fit:

• Large stores or those needing a variety of analysis tools: eHopper’s reporting and feature set is limited, so while small, one-shop stores will find it useful, larger businesses may outgrow it quickly. Our recommended POS systems for inventory management offer more robust back-office tools.
• Budget-minded businesses with online sales: While eHopper supports ecommerce, you need the most expensive OmniChannel plan to use it. Our recommended multichannel POS systems offer more affordable and feature-rich options.
• Most restaurants, especially full-service: While eHopper does advertise as a restaurant POS and has necessary features—like table mapping, ingredient tracking, modifiers, and credit card preauthorization—it is still very basic. This is particularly true when it comes to its reporting and register functions like voids, which is why it is not included in our list of best restaurant POS systems.

eHopper Overview

Visit eHopper

eHopper Pricing

eHopper has heavy discounts if you sign up for longer plans—up to 79% off with a three-year contract.

Payments

eHopper integrates with payment processors with any plan. It supports card payments through services (such as First Data, Global, and Elavon) and contactless payments via NFC technology (like Google Pay and Apple Pay).

It advertises a free credit card processing program for US vendors, which means that the software can be programmed to charge customers the processing fee you normally pay. It promotes it to customers as a discount if they pay cash.

To learn more about this practice (and why we don’t typically recommend it), read our guide on “free” or zero-cost payment processing.

Hardware

eHopper’s all-in-one system is compact and attractive.

You get a free integrated Pax S300 payment terminal when you sign up for eHopper’s Payments program. The all-in-one hardware packages start at $799, which has the software already loaded and a touch-screen monitor, customer display, and receipt printer built-in. It also sells peripherals like cash drawers and receipt printers.

Full hardware prices include:

• All-in-One POS terminal: $799–$1,599
• Receipt printers: $199–$368
• Cash drawers: $109–$139
• Credit card terminals: $186–$710
• Scanners: $199–$239
• Tablets: $299+

eHopper is compatible with many operating systems, so you may be able to use it with other hardware as well. You can also download it for a mobile system on Android or iOS.

eHopper Features

eHopper operates in several operating systems.

Signing up for eHopper is super easy. On the website, click on the Sign Up Button, then fill in a simple form, which includes specifying your type of business. Once eHopper accepts your application, it sends you instructions for activating your account. There are videos that walk you through getting started, including importing your inventory and setting up sales taxes.

eHopper is designed for a wide range of shops, from retail to restaurants. It offers a full toolset for sales, customer management, and inventory and features for specialized businesses (like liquor stores, vape shops, or ecommerce).

Register and Checkout

eHopper supports product images in the checkout.

eHopper has a user-friendly checkout screen that shows nicely on Android or iOS systems and other POS terminals like Poynt. If you have more than one device, it shares information so that you can keep track of sales and supplies. It’s easy to ring up sales, modify items (like extra cheese on pizza), add discounts, calculate taxes and tips, and more. Plus, you can customize item placement so that the most-purchased items are most easily accessed.Other register functions include an offline mode (cash transactions only), custom receipts, pay-in/pay-out management, currency tracking, and open/close register. You can also set preferences like dine-in, takeout, and delivery and use the customizable loyalty program to encourage repeat customers with special deals.

eHopper’s higher plans include table management and online ordering. It accommodates split payments, pre-authorization, and partial payments for layaway programs or tabs.

Inventory

You can add modifiers to individual products or groups of products.

eHopper’s inventory management system lets you:

• manage stock by description, modifiers, units, and more
• set low stock alerts
• make and print bar codes for labels
• manage store transfers
• create inventory matrices to optimize customer choices
• adjust inventory when doing audits
• track purchase orders
• manage your vendors

With eHopper’s ingredients management, you can assign ingredients to products, including setting the quantity needed for each product. The system automatically deducts the ingredients from stock as the product is sold. You can assign ingredients to modifiers too.

Restaurant Tools

eHopper has basic modifier management.

While eHopper is not one of our recommended restaurant POS systems, it’s certainly a viable option for small counter service or quick-service restaurants. Depending on the version you choose, you can take advantage of table management, ingredient tracking, or setting up modifiers for create-your-own pizzas or sandwiches.

Self-service kiosks and online ordering make it easy for customers to order ahead of time and pick up when the food is ready. eHopper accommodates liquor sales and has a credit card pre-authorization feature for starting tabs, so you can use it for your bar or if serving alcohol.

The system also lets you accept tips on receipts, terminals, or screens—as well as recommend amounts, then have them applied to orders, split into payments, or allow for manual entry. Tip reports not only show tips by time and employee but by other custom factors.

Ecommerce (OmniChannel Account only)

The online store is customizable and syncs with your in-store system.

eHopper ecommerce is a cloud-based online store that integrates with the physical POS system. You can manage orders online and have inventory sync with the same modifications, sizing, and options for both. You can integrate eHopper’s online store into your website, or you can use eHopper’s hosting.

It integrates with Authorize.Net, PayPal, Stripe, and other payment providers. eHopper provides you hosting and an SSL certificate, making it an all-inclusive solution.

Employee Functions

Employees can clock in and out.

You can set employee roles and permissions, including what parts of the software they can access. You can also store their contact information, give them discounts, track their activity on the software, and manage their tips.

The time clock function lets employees clock in and out of their shifts on the software but does not have scheduling or payroll features. You can download a report, however.

eHopper Ease of Use

eHopper has a clean, easy-to-use interface.

Easy-to-find functions and clear tabs make it simple for cashiers to refund tickets and ring up sales, discounts, modifications (like extra cheese on a pizza). It effectively employs both tabs and drop-down menus to ensure smooth workflows.

Users can find a thorough database on features, including how-to videos that walk you through the processes. The articles are illustrated. Users on paid programs can contact support by phone, email, and chat, whereas those on the free program, Essentials, are limited to the online help section.

eHopper Alternatives

If you’re not sure eHopper POS is right for you, see how it compares with our top POS systems.

What Users Think of eHopper

• Capterra: 4.5 out of 5 stars based on 47 reviews

Overall, users found the software easy to use. However, eHopper looks to have been hit hard with the pandemic. After September 2019, it went from nearly consistent 4- and 5-star reviews to 1-star reviews. The biggest issues were the hit-and-miss customer support and problems with the QuickBooks integration. A running theme in the bad reviews over the past year was “you get what you pay for.”

Bottom Line

eHopper is an inexpensive POS software that nonetheless packs a lot of great functions while being easy to use. The customer service took a big hit in 2020, but the online help section explains the tools well. Check out the system’s free version to see if it will meet your needs.

Visit eHopper