The Best POS Software in 2026
We researched POS software using vendors’ official websites, including pricing pages, plan tables, and product documentation. Rankings focus on the category’s core job, value for money, and verified features that support in-person sales. Compare options for retail, restaurants, and other businesses that need to manage checkout and transactions.
Our top picks
-
Top ranked
Lightspeed Restaurant#1 of 229.3/10A full-service restaurant POS covering ordering, tables, inventory, staff, and multi-location operations.
-
Runner-up
Toast#2 of 229.2/10An integrated restaurant toolkit spanning POS, online orders, reservations, and staff operations.
-
Top-ranked free plan
Square Online#10 of 227.9/10A free way to sell online with Square POS links, but not a POS-operations tool.
Free plan · 30-day trial
Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.
The full ranking 22 tools, best first
-
Best forRestaurants needing a mature, full-service POS
A full-service restaurant POS covering ordering, tables, inventory, staff, and multi-location operations.
9.3/10★★★★★Visit Lightspeed -
Best forRestaurants seeking an integrated operating toolkit
An integrated restaurant toolkit spanning POS, online orders, reservations, and staff operations.
9.2/10★★★★★Visit Toast -
Best forRestaurants managing multiple sites and service styles
Aloha Cloud connects restaurant ordering, table management, and back-office controls, with custom pricing.
9.0/10★★★★☆Visit Aloha Cloud -
Best forRestaurants needing broad features at a clear entry price
A broad restaurant POS with table, kitchen, menu, inventory, and online-ordering tools.
8.9/10★★★★☆Visit Epos Now -
Best forRestaurants centralizing service across locations
A restaurant-focused POS spanning service, kitchen, labor, and multi-location operations.
8.7/10★★★★☆Try Squirrel Systems -
Best forRestaurants managing orders, tables, and payments
A broad restaurant POS combining payments, ordering, reservations, and staff tools.
8.6/10★★★★☆Visit SpotOn -
Best forSmall and midsize restaurants needing flexible service
A restaurant POS with flexible service options, but sales-led pricing makes costs harder to compare.
8.5/10★★★★☆Visit Clover -
Best forRetail chains coordinating stores and online sales
A broad retail POS suite for connecting store, inventory, and online-channel operations.
- Offline mode
- Inventory management
7.9/10★★★★☆Visit Cegid Retail -
Best forMerchants combining online and in-person sales
A broad omnichannel commerce suite for merchants joining online and physical sales.
7.9/10★★★★☆Visit Shopify -
Best forBusinesses needing a free online storefront with POS link
A free way to sell online with Square POS links, but not a POS-operations tool.
7.9/10★★★★☆Visit Square Online -
Best forRestaurant groups analyzing POS sales performance
Restaurant sales and operations analytics for teams that already have a POS.
7.9/10★★★★☆Visit Oracle -
Best forEnterprises configuring products and generating quotes
A cloud CPQ tool for complex B2B sales—not a point-of-sale checkout system.
7.9/10★★★★☆Visit SAP CPQ -
Best forRestaurants connecting POS and back-office operations
A connected restaurant POS with ordering, operations, reporting, and Marty AI.
7.9/10★★★★☆Visit Lavu -
Best forRestaurants managing dine-in and online orders
Restaurant POS with offline sales, ingredient inventory, and varied ordering tools.
- Offline mode
- Inventory management
7.8/10★★★★☆Visit LINGA POS -
Best forRestaurants wanting broad cloud POS capabilities
A cloud POS toolkit spanning restaurant operations, online orders and reporting.
- Inventory management
7.7/10★★★★☆Visit Focus POS -
Best forCost-conscious shops comfortable with open-source POS
A broad open-source POS with free core software and optional support or hosting plans.
- Inventory management
7.6/10★★★★☆Visit uniCenta -
Best forShops wanting flexible POS deployment
A flexible POS with offline checkout, inventory tools, and deployment choices.
- Offline mode
- Inventory management
7.5/10★★★★☆Visit Odoo -
Best forRetailers needing affordable multi-location controls
A paid POS suite with broad retail controls and multi-location tools from $59 per terminal monthly.
- Inventory management
7.5/10★★★★☆Visit KORONA POS -
Best forRetailers needing enterprise inventory and controls
Retail Pro pairs offline checkout with inventory, purchasing, and multi-location controls.
- Offline mode
- Inventory management
7.3/10★★★★☆Visit Retail Pro -
Best forRetailers managing inventory across locations
A broad multi-location retail POS with strong inventory controls, but a costly entry tier.
- Offline mode
- Inventory management
7.2/10★★★★☆Visit Lightspeed -
Best forRestaurants needing offline card processing
A Windows restaurant POS focused on keeping card transactions moving during outages.
- Offline mode
6.2/10★★★☆☆Contact Shift4 -
Best forSpecialty retailers needing stock and age checks
Retail-focused POS with inventory and age checks, from $59/month billed annually.
- Offline mode
- Inventory management
6.1/10★★★☆☆Visit POS Nation
No tools match those filters.
Compare at a glance
| # | Tool | Free plan | Paid from | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lightspeed Restaurant | No | $69/mo | 9.3 |
| 2 | Toast | No | 9.2 | |
| 3 | Aloha Cloud | No | 9.0 | |
| 4 | Epos Now | No | $84/mo | 8.9 |
| 5 | Squirrel Systems | No | $90/mo | 8.7 |
| 6 | SpotOn Restaurant | No | 8.6 | |
| 7 | Clover POS | 8.5 | ||
| 8 | Cegid Retail | 7.9 | ||
| 9 | Shopify | No | $29/mo | 7.9 |
| 10 | Square Online | Yes | 7.9 | |
| 11 | Oracle Restaurant Analytics | 7.9 | ||
| 12 | SAP CPQ | No | 7.9 | |
| 13 | Lavu | No | 7.9 | |
| 14 | LINGA POS | No | 7.8 | |
| 15 | Focus POS | 7.7 | ||
| 16 | uniCenta oPOS | Yes | £6/mo | 7.6 |
| 17 | Odoo Point of Sale | Yes | 7.5 | |
| 18 | KORONA POS | No | $59/device/mo | 7.5 |
| 19 | Retail Pro | 7.3 | ||
| 20 | Lightspeed Retail | No | $89/mo | 7.2 |
| 21 | Future POS | 6.2 | ||
| 22 | POS Nation | No | $59/mo | 6.1 |
Head-to-head All 6 comparisons →
- Lightspeed Restaurant vs Squirrel Systems
- Aloha Cloud vs Squirrel Systems
- Squirrel Systems vs Clover POS
- Squirrel Systems vs Cegid Retail
- SpotOn Restaurant vs Clover POS
- SpotOn Restaurant vs Cegid Retail
Explore other topics All topics →
- AI Tools 303 directories · 8,269 tools ranked AI Writing Tools · AI Video Generators · Text-to-Speech Software
- Web Hosting & Domains 275 directories · 6,107 tools ranked Shared Web Hosting · Managed Cloud Hosting · Dedicated Server Hosting
- Productivity 157 directories · 4,948 tools ranked Note-Taking Apps · Calendar Apps · Project Management Software
- Marketing 135 directories · 3,977 tools ranked SEO Tools · Influencer Marketing Platforms · Email Marketing Software
- Sales & CRM 152 directories · 4,161 tools ranked Real Estate CRM Software · CRM Software · Proposal Software
- Customer Service 55 directories · 1,547 tools ranked Chatbot Builders · Knowledge Base Software · Call Center Software
How we rank POS software
Every tool on this page was researched by iTechGuides Editors from its official website — pricing pages, plan tables and product documentation. We rank on how well each one does this category's core job, what the free or entry plan includes, and where it falls short. Where we have enough verified facts, the score out of 10 is a rubric — job fit, value and how much we could verify — shown with its breakdown on every tool's page; a tool we have not verified enough to score yet shows its rank without a number. Scores are re-checked when a product changes its plans. Read the full editorial policy, or submit a tool we missed.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Last updated · How we research and update