Is there a free POS system? Yes, and here's the fine print

The software is. You pay nothing per month for the app itself. What you do pay is a processing fee each time a customer pays by card, plus whatever hardware you decide to buy. Cash sales cost you nothing.

From card processing. Every time you take a card payment, the provider keeps a small percentage plus a few cents. That's the trade: free software in exchange for running your payments through them.

Not always. Plenty of free POS apps run on a phone or tablet you already own, and some can take tap payments right on the phone. You can add a card reader, printer or cash drawer later if you want a full counter setup.

Counter-service spots, coffee shops and food trucks usually do fine on a free plan. Full-service restaurants that need coursing, table maps and kitchen screens often end up on a paid tier. It depends on how busy and how complicated your service is.

With the better free POS options, no. Read the sign-up terms anyway and look for early termination fees, equipment leases and monthly minimums. If you see any of those, it isn't really free.

Yes. Export your item list and customer list before you leave, and keep the old system running for a week or so while you move over. Card processing history usually stays with the old provider, so download your reports.

It depends on what Loyverse isn't doing for you. If it's the 31-day limit on free reports, offline cards, a different card processor or someone to call, other free plans fix each of those. Our guide to Loyverse alternatives matches the problem to the option.

No. We're a guide and referral site, and a division of POSUSA. We help you pick and set up a free POS. The software and payments come from our partner. See our partner disclosure for how we get paid.

The software is. Square Free costs nothing per month. You pay 2.6% + 15¢ on in-person card payments, 3.3% + 30¢ on online payments and 3.5% + 15¢ on keyed-in cards. Cash and checks are free. Our guide to whether Square POS is free covers what else can cost money.

Both are free POS apps with no monthly fee. Loyverse includes loyalty and a kitchen display on its free plan. Square Free keeps your full sales history, takes cards offline on its own hardware and adds an online store, invoices and booking. Our Square vs Loyverse comparison goes line by line.

No. Tap to Pay on iPhone and Tap to Pay on Android take contactless cards with just your phone. If you want to accept chip cards too, the Square Reader for contactless and chip is $59. See all the options on our Square rates and hardware page.

Standard transfers are free and arrive as soon as the next business day. If you need it right away, instant transfers cost 1.95% of the amount.

No. You get the same plan and the same rates as signing up on Square's site directly. Square pays us, not you.

Yes. Square Plus is $49 a month per location and Square Premium is $149 a month per location. Both have a free 30-day trial, and you can switch back to Free anytime.

Yes, on supported hardware. Offline payments get stored and process when you reconnect. Upload them within 24 hours to be safe, because pending payments expire after 72 hours, and you take the risk if a card declines while you were offline. Tap to Pay and keyed-in cards don't work offline.

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