7 Best Retail Software for Small Business in 2026, Compared
Compare the 7 best retail software for small business options on price, inventory and hardware, with every price checked on November 10, 2026.
Shamim Mia, Founder, SerpAstraLast verified November 10, 202612 min readWe compare pricing pages, documentation and public reviews. We never accept payment for rankings.
Key takeaways
- Square is the cheapest start for most small shops: the POS costs $0 a month, and the Plus plan adds advanced inventory at $49 a month per location.
- Shopify POS is the pick if you sell online too — Basic starts at $39 a month ($29 billed annually), and POS Pro adds $89 a month per location.
- The single most important buying factor is the billing unit — per location, per terminal or per register — because a second counter can double the software bill.
- Every price below was checked on November 10, 2026. The Epos Now monthly fee is third-party sourced and the Revel pricing page returned an error that day, and we say so plainly.
- Processing fees are billed separately by every vendor here, so get the card rate in writing before you compare software prices.
On this page
Quick comparison
| Tool | Best for | Starting price | Free plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Square | New and single-location shops that want a capable POS with no monthly software fee | $0/mo | Yes (Free plan) |
| Shopify POS | Retailers whose online store matters as much as the physical register | $39/mo | No (3-day trial) |
| Lightspeed Retail | Inventory-heavy shops, apparel and specialty stores, and multi-location retailers | $89/mo (annual) | No (trial) |
| Clover | Small shops that want a complete countertop system — device plus software — in one monthly bundle | $16/mo (36 mo) | No (demo) |
| KORONA POS | Specialty shops — liquor, vape, convenience and wineries — that want to choose their own payment processor | $59/mo | No (free trial) |
| Epos Now | Shops that want to buy the complete countertop system — terminal, printer and card machine — in one purchase | $84/mo + $399 once | No (demo) |
| Revel | Multi-location retailers and quick-service chains that need central control across many terminals | $99/mo | No (demo) |
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Request a listingThe best retail software for small business
Square
Best for: New and single-location shops that want a capable POS with no monthly software fee
Square is the default answer for a new shop because the software costs nothing to start. The Free plan covers the POS app, an item library with inventory tracking, invoicing and bookings, and you only pay when you take a payment — 2.6% + 15¢ per in-person sale. Tap to Pay on iPhone and Android means you can take cards with no reader, and a basic reader costs $59.
The step up is Plus at $49 a month per location, which unlocks the inventory tools a growing shop needs: purchase orders, barcode label printing, stock counts and cost-of-goods reports, plus loyalty and marketing. Premium at $149 adds transfers between stores, advanced reporting and 24/7 phone support. The limit is the processing rate — at high volume, a negotiated interchange-plus rate elsewhere beats the flat fee.
What we like
- Free plan covers the POS app, item library with inventory tracking, invoicing and bookings — no monthly fee, only processing
- Plus at $49 a month per location adds purchase orders, barcode label printing and cost-of-goods reports
- Tap to Pay on iPhone and Android takes cards with no reader, and hardware starts at $59 for a reader
- No contracts: cancel or switch plans at any time
Watch out for
- Free plan charges 2.6% + 15¢ per in-person sale, which costs more than interchange-plus pricing at high volume
- Advanced inventory, transfers between stores and 24/7 phone support sit on the paid plans
Shopify POS
Best for: Retailers whose online store matters as much as the physical register
Shopify POS only makes sense if the online store matters as much as the register — and for more and more small retailers, it does. One catalog, one inventory pool and one customer record work in the store, on the website, on social and in AI chats, so a sale anywhere updates stock everywhere. Every paid Shopify plan includes casual in-person selling, and POS Pro at $89 a month per location adds staff roles, smart inventory, low-stock reports and unlimited registers.
The math needs care. A store on the $39 Basic plan with one Pro location pays $128 a month before processing, and each extra location adds $89. In-person cards cost 2.6% + 10¢ on Basic. Buy it when the website is a real sales channel; if you only sell over the counter, Square or Lightspeed costs less.
What we like
- One inventory pool for the store, the website, social and AI chats — a sale anywhere updates stock everywhere
- POS Pro adds staff roles, smart inventory management, low-stock reports and unlimited registers
- One back office scales to 1,000+ locations with central reporting
- Shopify Magic AI features are included on Shopify plans
Watch out for
- POS Pro at $89 a month per location sits on top of the plan, so one location with Pro costs $128 a month before processing
- A physical-only shop pays for an online plan it barely uses
- Published card rates require Shopify Payments
Lightspeed Retail
Best for: Inventory-heavy shops, apparel and specialty stores, and multi-location retailers
Lightspeed Retail is the inventory-first pick in this list. Basic at $89 a month billed annually covers POS, payments and core inventory with purchase orders, vendor catalogs and low-stock alerts, plus basic built-in eCommerce — a combination the cheaper tools split across add-ons. Matrix SKUs and serial tracking handle apparel sizes and serialized goods without workarounds.
The trade-off is commitment and complexity. The $89 price needs an annual contract — month-to-month is $109 — and each plan includes only one register, so extra counters cost more. Core at $149 adds loyalty, advanced reporting and accounting integrations; Plus at $289 adds forecasting, the API and phone support. Setup takes real work compared with Square, but for a shop that lives in its stock data, it pays back.
What we like
- Matrix SKUs, serial tracking, purchase orders, vendor catalogs and low-stock alerts built for complex stock
- Built-in basic eCommerce on every plan, with Lightspeed Wholesale and NuORDER catalog access
- Loyalty, advanced reporting and accounting integrations from Core at $149 a month billed annually
- 24/7 chat support on every plan
Watch out for
- The $89 price needs annual billing; month-to-month is $109
- Each plan includes only one register — extra registers cost more
- Phone support and API access sit on Plus at $289 a month billed annually
Clover
Best for: Small shops that want a complete countertop system — device plus software — in one monthly bundle
Clover sells the counter as a bundle: one monthly price covers the device set and the software plan. Retail Basic is $16 a month for 36 months — a Compact terminal with Starter software — or $349 upfront, and it takes cards at 2.6% + 10¢ in person. Standard at $180 a month for 36 months upgrades to the Station Duo with Retail Growth software and a 2.3% + 10¢ rate.
The catch is the contract. A financed bundle runs 36 months and is non-cancelable, and the Basic terminal is a payment device, not a full retail system — inventory categories and variants need Standard. Buy direct from Clover.com: banks and resellers quote different rates and terms for the same hardware. Clover fits a shop that wants one supplier for till, payments and support and will commit for three years.
What we like
- Hardware and software arrive in one bundle with one monthly price — no separate till to source
- In-person card rate of 2.3% + 10¢ on Standard and Advanced, 2.6% + 10¢ on Basic
- Large app marketplace with 150+ apps for accounting, loyalty and marketing
- LTE on every device, so the counter keeps selling if the Wi-Fi drops
Watch out for
- 36-month non-cancelable subscription when the hardware is financed month to month
- Basic bundle is a compact terminal only — full retail software needs Standard at $180 a month for 36 months
- Card rates and terms vary by reseller, so buy direct from Clover.com
KORONA POS
Best for: Specialty shops — liquor, vape, convenience and wineries — that want to choose their own payment processor
KORONA POS is for the owner who wants to choose their own payment processor instead of being locked into one. Core at $59 a month per terminal covers checkout, promotions, gift cards and reporting, with unlimited users and sales, and there are no contracts, no cancellation fees and no surcharges. The unlimited free trial needs no credit card, and support is US-based, 24/7, with a 60-day money-back guarantee.
The Retail plan at $79 is the one most shops actually need, because inventory counts, real-time stock tracking, barcode automation and supplier ordering all sit there — Core is checkout without stock control. Per-terminal pricing adds up fast: five terminals run $295 to $495 a month before add-ons. Pick KORONA when processing freedom and inventory depth matter more than a built-in online store.
What we like
- Processor-agnostic — keep your current card processor and renegotiate its rate independently of the software
- No contracts, no cancellation fees and no surcharges; month-to-month billing
- Retail adds real-time stock tracking, barcode automation, supplier ordering and automated reordering
- 24/7 US-based support with a 60-day money-back guarantee on software
Watch out for
- Inventory counts and real-time stock tracking need Retail at $79 a month, not Core at $59
- Per-terminal pricing adds up — five terminals cost $295 to $495 a month before add-ons
- eCommerce comes through integrations, not built in
Epos Now
Best for: Shops that want to buy the complete countertop system — terminal, printer and card machine — in one purchase
Epos Now takes the opposite approach from the free-software vendors: buy the system. The homepage advertises the Complete Solution — countertop terminal, receipt printer, card machine and software — from $399, with installation and training included. The software covers inventory, staff management, CRM and reporting, and payments run at a fixed 2.6% + 10¢ in person through Epos Now Payments.
The number to pin down before signing is the monthly software fee. Epos Now does not publish one on its own site: the $84 a month figure comes from third-party reviews, and discounted bundles typically require a paid support package and multi-year terms. Get a written quote that itemizes software, support, hardware and processing separately, then compare the total against Square before committing.
What we like
- Complete system in one box: countertop terminal, receipt printer, card machine and software
- Inventory, staff management, CRM, sales reporting and payments in one system
- Fixed in-person card rate of 2.6% + 10¢ through Epos Now Payments
- App store covers accounting, loyalty and marketing add-ons
Watch out for
- Monthly software fee is not published on the vendor site — the $84 figure comes from third-party reviews
- Discounted bundles typically require a support package and multi-year terms
- Promotional hardware prices rotate, so confirm the current offer in writing
Revel
Best for: Multi-location retailers and quick-service chains that need central control across many terminals
Revel is built for operators running more than one counter. The $99 a month per terminal starting price buys a cloud iPad POS with centralized menu, inventory and reporting across every location, plus an open API for franchise workflows and custom integrations. Hardware is standardized — iPad, stand, printer, cash drawer — so opening a new terminal is a known quantity rather than a fresh project.
The price comes with conditions a single shop should weigh. It needs a three-year Revel Advantage contract, a minimum of two terminals, and annual billing; onboarding starts at $674 and hardware is priced separately. Processing runs through Revel Advantage at a flat 2.49% + 15¢. For a growing chain, the central control is worth the commitment; for one store, Square or KORONA costs less with no contract.
What we like
- Centralized menu, inventory and reporting across every location from one back office
- Open API for custom integrations and franchise workflows
- Real-time sales data from all terminals in one dashboard
- iPad-based hardware is standardized, so adding a terminal is a known quantity
Watch out for
- The $99 rate needs a 3-year Revel Advantage contract and at least two terminals, billed annually
- Onboarding starts at $674, and hardware is priced separately
- Processing runs through Revel Advantage at a flat 2.49% + 15¢, with no bring-your-own-processor option on the discounted rate
The best retail software for small business runs the till, tracks the stock and takes the payment without a second system to babysit. We ranked the seven tools below by fit for the most common buyer — a single-location shop owner who wants to sell today and know what is on the shelves tonight — and every price was checked on November 10, 2026.
How to choose the best retail software for small business
- Count your counters first. Square charges per location, KORONA POS and Revel per terminal, Lightspeed Retail per register — the billing unit decides your real price.
- Decide whether you sell online too. If you do, Shopify POS keeps one inventory pool for the store and the site; if not, you are paying for a website you do not need.
- Check how inventory works on the entry plan. KORONA POS Core has no stock tracking, Clover Basic has no inventory categories — the feature you need may sit one tier up.
- Ask about the card rate in writing. Processing is billed separately everywhere here, and at $30,000 a month in card sales, 0.3% is $90 a month.
- Check the hardware and the contract. Clover bundles run 36 months, Revel needs three years, Square has no contract — know the exit before the entrance.
- Try it with real stock before you pay. The free trials in this list are long enough to run one genuine week — your products, your customers, your shelves — and that week tells you more than any review can.
Choosing software is one decision; getting found is another. A shop lives or dies on local search, so read our guide to local SEO for service businesses alongside this list. And before you put a new product page live, check that your name, address, and phone number match everywhere with the free NAP consistency checker — mismatched listings cost more walk-ins than any software saves.
Retail software pricing: what you will actually pay
Take a single store with one register, $30,000 a month in card sales and 750 transactions at a $40 average ticket. On list prices, software plus processing costs $911.50 a month on Square Plus ($49, plus 750 sales at 2.5% + 15¢), $871 a month on Clover Basic ($16, plus 750 sales at 2.6% + 10¢), $944 a month on Lightspeed Basic billed annually ($89, plus 750 sales at 2.6% + 10¢), and $983 a month on Shopify Basic with POS Pro ($39 + $89, plus 750 sales at 2.6% + 10¢). Epos Now runs $939 a month ($84, plus 750 sales at 2.6% + 10¢) with $399 of hardware once, and Revel runs $1,057.50 a month (two terminals at $99 each, plus 750 sales at 2.49% + 15¢). KORONA POS Core is $59 a month before processing, which you negotiate separately with your own processor.
Over a year, that is $10,938 on Square Plus, $10,452 on Clover Basic, $11,328 on Lightspeed Basic and $11,796 on Shopify with POS Pro — before hardware. The cheapest software is not the cheapest bill: Clover Basic is the lowest monthly total here, but it is a compact payment terminal with Starter software, not a full retail system, and the full version costs $180 a month for 36 months. The honest comparison is software plus processing plus hardware, over the length of the contract you are signing.
Three costs sit outside every number above. First, payment processing: every vendor here bills card fees separately from the software, so get the processing rate in writing before you compare. Second, hardware: a card reader, receipt printer and cash drawer are not included in any software price, and Clover and Epos Now sell their own bundles. Third, the contract: Clover bundles run 36 months and Revel three years, so a low monthly figure can still be a long commitment.
Know the difference: the software fee and the processing fee
The confusion in this category is between two bills that arrive together. The software fee is the monthly subscription — $0 to $109 here. The processing fee is the percentage plus fixed cents the vendor takes on every card sale, and it is billed separately by every vendor in this list. On $30,000 a month in card sales, processing is $855 to $892.50 a month on the four cheapest options — roughly ten times the software fee.
That is why a free POS is not a free till. Square Free charges $0 a month for software and $892.50 a month in processing on the example above (750 sales at 2.6% + 15¢). A negotiated interchange-plus rate from your own processor — possible with KORONA POS, which lets you bring any processor — can beat every flat rate here once volume climbs. Compare the processing rate first and the software fee second, and get both in writing before you sign.
There is a second, quieter confusion: a POS is not retail software. A basic POS rings up sales; retail software adds inventory, purchasing, customer records and reporting around the till. Every tool in this list does both to some degree, but the balance differs: Square and Clover lean POS-first, while Lightspeed Retail and KORONA POS lean inventory-first. Buy for the inventory depth you need, not the checkout alone.
Quick comparison: tool type by need
| Buyer | Best pick | Why |
|---|---|---|
| New shop, tightest budget | Square | $0 a month, no contract, Tap to Pay needs no reader |
| Sells online as well as in store | Shopify POS | One inventory pool for the site and the counter |
| Inventory-heavy or multi-location | Lightspeed Retail | Matrix SKUs, purchase orders and multi-location stock from $89 a month |
| Wants hardware bundled in | Clover | Terminal plus software from $16 a month for 36 months |
| Wants to choose the card processor | KORONA POS | Processor-agnostic, no contract, $59 a month per terminal |
| Wants to buy the till outright | Epos Now | Complete system from $399, hardware and software in one box |
| Running many counters | Revel | Central control across terminals from $99 a month each |
Mistakes to avoid
- Budgeting on the headline price. Square is $0 a month for software but $892.50 in processing on $30,000 of card sales, and KORONA POS is $59 a month per terminal, not per store. A second terminal or a higher card rate can double the bill.
- Forgetting payment processing. Card fees are billed separately by every vendor here. Get the processing rate in writing before you compare software prices.
- Skipping the hardware question. A card reader, receipt printer and cash drawer are not in any software price. Ask which models work and who pays for them.
- Choosing a bundle without reading the term. Clover bundles run 36 months and are non-cancelable, and Revel needs three years — know the exit before the entrance.
- Signing before asking about data export. Ask whether you can export your product catalog, customer list and sales history if you leave, and get the answer in writing.
How we chose
We checked each vendor's own pricing page on November 10, 2026 and recorded the starting price exactly as shown. Square's $49 Plus plan was confirmed on Square's own pricing page today, Shopify's $89 POS Pro on Shopify's POS pricing page, Lightspeed Retail's $89 and $109 on its own pricing page, and KORONA POS's $59, $79 and $99 on its own pricing page. Two prices need a plain disclosure: Epos Now publishes no monthly software fee on its own site — the homepage shows only the $399 Complete Solution — so the $84 a month figure comes from third-party reviews, and Revel's pricing page returned a 429 error on November 10, so its $99 a month starting price is corroborated by multiple October 2026 reads of Revel's published price. Shopify's plan page also returned a 429, so Basic at $39 a month ($29 billed annually) rests on fresh October 2026 reads of Shopify's own pricing page. Ratings come from G2, except Epos Now, where we used Capterra; no rating is estimated. We ranked the tools by fit for the most common buyer — a single-location shop owner — not by brand size. No vendor paid for a place in this list, and none of the links here are affiliate links.
What to do next
Start with the free plan or trial of your top pick and run one real week of sales through it. Check that stock counts match the shelves, that the card rate on the invoice matches the quote, and that the price you were quoted matches the bill. If the counter is sorted but new customers are not finding you, our monthly SEO service handles the visibility side. Once your tools are in place, find out what's holding your rankings back.
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Get a free audit→Sources we checked (14)
- Square pricing — squareup.com/us/en/pricing (checked November 10, 2026)
- Square Point of Sale on G2 — 4.6/5, 1,208 reviews (checked November 10, 2026)
- Shopify POS pricing — shopify.com/pos/pricing (checked November 10, 2026)
- Shopify plans — shopify.com/pricing, Basic $39/month, $29/month billed annually (checked October 2026)
- Shopify POS on G2 — 4.4/5, 378 reviews (checked November 10, 2026)
- Lightspeed Retail pricing — lightspeedhq.com/pos/retail/pricing (checked November 10, 2026)
- Lightspeed Retail on G2 — 4.0/5, 294 reviews (checked November 10, 2026)
- Clover pricing — clover.com/pricing (checked November 10, 2026)
- Clover on G2 — 3.8/5, 108 reviews (checked November 10, 2026)
- KORONA POS pricing — koronapos.com/pricing (checked November 10, 2026)
- KORONA POS on G2 — 4.7/5, 72 reviews (checked November 10, 2026)
- Epos Now homepage — eposnow.com, Complete Solution from $399 (checked November 10, 2026)
- Epos Now on Capterra — 3.8/5, 719 reviews (checked November 10, 2026)
- Revel Systems on G2 — 4.1/5, 146 reviews (checked November 10, 2026)
Shamim
Founder of SerpAstra
A full-stack SEO and digital marketer who spends most days on Local SEO for dental practices, AI search visibility and lead generation.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best retail software for small business?
Square is the best starting point for most small shops: the POS costs $0 a month, Plus adds advanced inventory at $49 a month per location, and there is no contract. Shopify POS wins if you sell online too, and Lightspeed Retail wins for inventory-heavy shops. Pick by billing unit and by whether you sell online, not by brand size.
How much does retail software cost per month?
Software runs from $0 a month on Square Free to $109 a month on Lightspeed Retail Basic, before card processing. A single store doing $30,000 a month in card sales pays roughly $871 to $983 a month in software plus processing on the four cheapest options here. Hardware is extra, and Clover and Revel bundle it into multi-year contracts.
Is there free retail software for small business?
Yes — Square Free costs $0 a month and covers the POS app, inventory tracking, invoicing and bookings; you only pay card processing at 2.6% + 15¢ per in-person sale. The other tools here offer free trials or demos instead of a free plan. Free works until you need purchase orders, barcode labels or multi-location stock control.
Square vs Shopify POS: which is better for a small shop?
Square is better for a counter-only shop: $0 to start, $49 a month for Plus, no contract, and no online plan to pay for. Shopify POS is better when the website is a real sales channel, because one inventory pool serves the store and the site — but one location with POS Pro costs $128 a month before processing, against $49 on Square Plus.
Do I need to buy hardware separately?
Usually, yes. Square readers start at $59 and Shopify card readers at $49, while a full counter setup runs into the hundreds. Clover and Epos Now bundle hardware with the software — Clover Basic is $16 a month for 36 months or $349 upfront, and Epos Now's Complete Solution starts at $399. Check which printers, drawers and readers work before you buy.
What is the difference between POS software and retail management software?
POS software rings up sales and takes payments; retail management software adds inventory, purchasing, customer records and reporting around the till. Every tool in this list does both to some degree, but the balance differs: Square and Clover lean POS-first, while Lightspeed Retail and KORONA POS lean inventory-first. Buy for the inventory depth you need, not the checkout alone.
Can I switch retail software later?
Yes, but the exit terms differ, so read them before you sign. Square is month-to-month with no contract, and KORONA POS has no cancellation fees. Clover bundles run 36 months and are non-cancelable, and Revel needs a three-year contract. Before switching, confirm you can export your product catalog, customer list and sales history — ask for it in writing.
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