Compare the costs, everyday tools and tradeoffs behind six point-of-sale systems.
POS Review is owned by VOVI POS, INC. We favor VoVi and explain why. These are research-based editorial reviews, not independent customer ratings. Our method
US pricing · Sources checked September 25, 2026
Retail, inventory & teams
US merchant approval required. Or $99/month/location with another processor. Processing and hardware extra.
Supported countries only. Use your own processor and external terminal. One country and currency per account; confirm local fiscal setup. Processing and hardware extra.
Square
Everyday retail & cafés
US plan. Paid tiers $49/$149 per location. Processing and hardware extra.
US prices do not apply here. Confirm the local product, payments, hardware, tax requirements and written quote.
Shopify POS
Online + in-store commerce
One account. POS Pro adds $89/location/month, billed annually. Processing extra.
US prices do not apply here. Confirm the local product, payments, hardware, tax requirements and written quote.
Countertop & handheld setups
Confirm equipment, processing, software and cancellation together.
US prices do not apply here. Confirm the local product, payments, hardware, tax requirements and written quote.
Inventory-heavy retail
US base-location plan with Lightspeed Payments. Extra locations/registers require a quote.
US prices do not apply here. Confirm the local product, payments, hardware, tax requirements and written quote.
Restaurants & food service
US offer. Eligible setups and processing terms apply. Paid POS starts at $69/month.
US prices do not apply here. Confirm the local product, payments, hardware, tax requirements and written quote.
Software prices below are starting points, not complete quotes. Processing, hardware, add-ons and contract terms can change the comparison.
US public plans as checked September 25, 2026. Regional editions differ. “Confirm” identifies an evidence gap, not an absent feature. Swipe the table or use the mobile cards.
| What matters | VoVi | Square | Shopify POS | Clover | Lightspeed Retail | Toast |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Software starting point | $0 with processor / $99 per location | $0 Free; $49 Plus; $149 Premium | $39 Basic/account, monthly billing; +$89 Pro/location, annual billing | Quote by package and seller | $89 Basic, annual billing | Eligible $0 Starter; POS from $69 |
| Typical buying focus | Retail software value | Simple selling and payments | Connected ecommerce and retail | Hardware and merchant-service bundle | Advanced retail inventory | Restaurant operations |
| Payment setup | External terminal; free US plan requires VoVi processor | Square processing | Shopify Payments / supported alternatives | Seller merchant agreement | Lightspeed Payments terms | Toast processing terms |
| US card-present pricing reference | Request written quote | Free 2.6% + $0.15 | Basic 2.6% + $0.10 | Request written quote | 2.6% + $0.10 | Request written quote |
| Inventory / variants | Retail inventory and variants | Confirm exact tier for advanced workflows | Admin inventory; test Stocky transition | App and package dependent | Strong retail inventory focus | Restaurant/menu focus |
| Online store | Verify required integration | Square Online; plan differences | Core Shopify strength | App/partner configuration | Ecommerce plan and integration check | Restaurant ordering options |
| Hardware | Compatible device; separate external card terminal | Square hardware and compatible devices | Supported Shopify payment hardware | Clover hardware family | Compatible retail hardware | Toast restaurant hardware |
| Kitchen / table service | Demonstrate requirements before choosing | Restaurant-specific products and tiers | Not the primary retail focus | Restaurant configurations available | Separate restaurant product; not this Retail review | Core focus; verify required modules |
| Multiple locations | $99 option is per location; separate country accounts | Software tiers per location | Basic/account; Pro per location | Location/package quotes | Extra location quote required | Location/package quotes |
| Outside the US | $99/location in supported countries; check country list | Country-specific service/payment availability | Country-specific payments and hardware | Local seller and platform availability | Local retail edition and written quote | Local restaurant edition and availability |
| Account currency | One country and currency per account | Local account rules | Store and payment-country rules | Seller/account rules | Edition/account configuration | Local account configuration |
| Before signing | Test support, exports and processor conditions | Confirm paid feature entitlements | Confirm Pro, subscriptions and inventory workflow | Check reseller contract and equipment ownership | Confirm annual terms, registers and locations | Confirm processing, hardware and module totals |
| Practical tradeoff | Smaller, newer company; validate operational depth | Advanced needs can move you to paid tiers | Added store features can raise software cost | Seller terms make quotes hard to generalize | Higher software budget and configuration work | Restaurant fit; quote may add modules |
Sources and current verification notes · Country compatibility
A transparent VoVi–Square comparison for independent retailers: included functions, US pricing, transaction-size effects, hardware and international eligibility.
Compare VoVi and Shopify POS by online-store needs, complete subscription structure, staff controls, current inventory workflows and payment configuration.
A retail-focused comparison of VoVi and Lightspeed X-Series: stock workflows, software commitments, country rules, migration and situations where each fits.
A practical evaluation plan for a smaller POS company: mandatory workflows, support, payment boundaries, data exit, trial evidence and a controlled launch.
Compare three US free-POS offers, what each includes, which costs remain and when a paid plan deserves a place on your shortlist.
These resources are part of the same VOVI POS, INC. family. They serve different buying questions.
Let’s work through your business, hardware and options.