Beginning my day early as a store owner with a number of locations involves ensuring all preparations are in place for a successful operation. It is crucial to improve processes and collect information that help in making knowledgeable choices as part of our daily routine.
and assist you work out which variation of’s point of sale system is best for you. Let’s dive in. OK, so there are 2 primary factors to use Lite. One– it lets you offer at point of sale rapidly, and inexpensively. The crucial thing to understand about Lite is that it is bundled with every Shopify strategy– there are no extra charges for using it. This indicates that you can sell with Lite for as little as $5 per month. It’s likewise very quick to set up. By contrast, is an add-on that costs $89 per
month, per location– meaning that if you wish to sell in more than one locationthan area simultaneously, things can get pricey pretty rapidly. Two– it’s really easy to utilize. If all you wish to do is accept simple payments in one location, Shopify POS Lite lets you do that truly quickly– all you’ll need really is your phone and a card reader. By contrast, which is geared more towards retail outlets and multi-location selling,
might be overkill for merchants with standard POS needsneed. It will normally include more configuration and more hardware. However ultimately, you may find yourself outgrowing Lite rather quickly– particularly if you prepare to offer in more than one area at the same time. Which’s where the “strategy comes in. I’ll discuss the contexts in which can be the right fit for merchants in simply a minute, but before I do,
What is the difference between Shopify and Square POS?
In the morning, I log into to inspect stock levels across all areas. With its centralized dashboard, I can rapidly see which items are running low and require restocking. This conserves me valuable time that I can allocate to other elements of handling business.
might need no introduction because it is the most popular e-commerce software application vendor globally. The company was established in 2006 by a business owner called Tobias Lütke who struggled to develop an online store for snowboarding equipment and set out to build the very best ecommerce platform to make it much easier. Observing that the software was great, he changed his focus from developing an online shop to offering tools for retailers that needed to build one.
‘s e-commerce software has actually enjoyed paralleled growth and garnered countless clients across the globe. By 2016, the business had nearly $400 million in yearly revenue, which figure exploded to $4.6 billion by 2021 after the Covid pandemic spurred an online retail boom.
forayed into point-of-sale systems in 2017 by launching a Bluetooth-enabled debit and credit card reader for brick-and-mortar shops. Since then, it has constructed more items and turned them into a significant source of income. The business is based in Ottawa, Canada.
Throughout the day, assists me handle deals effectively. Its instinctive user interface allows my staff to procedure orders promptly, whether it’s at the checkout counter or on the store flooring using mobile gadgets. The integrated payment processing makes sure seamless transactions, keeping our clients delighted.
One of the standout functions of is its robust analytics tools. I routinely review sales reports and customer insights to identify trends and tailor our marketing efforts accordingly. The ability to create custom reports provides me a much deeper understanding of our organization performance, enabling me to make data-driven choices.
Comparing to Square POS, the switch was driven by a number of elements. While Square offered standard performance, provided a more comprehensive service tailored to the requirements of multi-location companies like ours. The ability to manage inventory centrally, in addition to advanced analytics and reporting capabilities, were crucial selling points.
In addition,’s ecosystem used smooth combination with our online shop, allowing us to manage inventory and sales throughout all channels from one platform. This omnichannel technique has actually helped us offer a combined shopping experience to our customers, whether they’re shopping in-store or online.
Overall, the switch to has been instrumental in optimizing our operations, improving effectiveness, and driving growth throughout our several areas.
Pros:
Advanced stock management: Centralized inventory tracking throughout several areas, making it simple to manage stock levels and restocking.
Robust analytics: Offers detailed sales reports and customer insights to assist make informed service decisions.
Seamless integration: Incorporates efficiently with’s ecommerce platform, enabling an unified online and offline retail experience.
Personalized: Deals flexibility to create custom reports and customize the system to particular company needs.
Cons: Not suitable for little businesses or single-location operations, does not have functions that accommodate minimal scale or scope.
Prices: includes a monthly membership cost, which might be more expensive than some other point-of-sale (POS) systems.
Alleviate of usage: While designed to be easy to use, mastering all the features of might take some time for brand-new users.
Compatibility: POS Pro might not be fully compatible with all third-party hardware, requiring particular equipment purchases.
e-commerce strategies:
$ 29 for Fundamental when billed every year (or $39 when paid monthly).
$ 79 for regular when billed every year (or $105 when paid monthly).
$ 299 for Advanced when billed annually (or $399 when paid monthly).
Customized rates for Shopify Plus.
All e-commerce plans included POS Lite for selling in-person. Updating to Pro for brick-and-mortar services costs an additional $89 per location.
‘s alternative services for generally selling in-person:
$ 5 for Starter plan, which includes one Lite location.
$ 79 (when billed every year) for Retail strategy, or $89 when paid monthly; includes one Pro area.
How Much Does a POS System Cost?
Hardware cost
$ 49 for Tap & Chip card reader.
$ 219 for Tap & Chip countertop set (iPad not included).
$ 299 for Go mobile device.
$ 349 for terminal.
$ 459 and up for terminal counter top packages.
Contract length
No agreement needed. Plans are paid month to month unless you register for a yearly, two-year or three-year plan.
Pros:
Free standard version: Square offers a complimentary version of its system, making it accessible for small companies with restricted spending plans.
Simple setup: Square is known for its easy setup process, allowing businesses to start processing deals rapidly.
All-in-one service: Square offers extra services like payment processing, appointment scheduling, and payroll, all integrated into one platform.
Compatibility: Functions with a wide variety of third-party hardware, supplying more versatility in selecting equipment.
Client support: Square offers responsive customer support via phone, email, and chat, helping companies repair concerns efficiently.
Cons:
Limited inventory management: While sufficient for standard needs, Square’s inventory management features might not suffice for companies with intricate requirements.
Standard analytics: Square’s reporting abilities are not as thorough as’s, doing not have some advanced analytics features.
Less scalable: Square may not be as appropriate for companies with numerous areas or those planning substantial growth, as it does not have some functions required for complicated operations.
Unlike Lite, the Pro version lets you offer in as many places as you desire. The disadvantage is that every area you contribute to a subscription brings an $89 monthly fee with it But this will only represent a small percentage of an effective retail operation’s outgoings, and the ‘per area, each month’ method to pricing implies that the Pro plan is flexible and scalable. Two– it provides you a lot more control over how your staff use. If you desire to reward staff for their performance,
provide them different access rights to your system, or appoint different functions to them, then is a much better alternative than the ‘Lite’ variation. It offers you a really large range of tools for handling your group’s relationship with your system. Three– it provides you a lot more customer-focused features. Lite lets you accept payments from your consumers inexpensively and simply, however that’s about it. By contrast, lets you do far more for your customers. Unlike the ‘Lite’ version, it.
The Go is an all-in-one terminal that consists of a card reader and barcode scanner. You can utilize the scanner to instantly detect the rate of a product and the card reader to receive the cash from the customer. This device accepts tap, chip, and swipe payments. It has a 5.5-inch high-definition display and a long battery life to guarantee you can use it for a whole organization day after a complete charge.
The smaller card reader lets you accept tap and chip payments from customers however not swipe. It links wirelessly to a tablet or by means of Bluetooth to a cellphone. It is compact and simple to manage, implying it is ideal for services that operate on the go, e.g., farmer’s markets.
Shopify Payments
provides a payments processing option that lets you charge money to all significant debit and charge card. Your consumers can insert their cards, tap them, or swipe them depending on the kind of hardware you picked. There’s likewise Tap to Pay, which lets you accept payments on your iPhone with no extra hardware. The pricing is transparent– between 2.4% and 2.7% on each successful deal– with no hidden costs or setup charges.
Stock Management
One of the major pain points that sellers face is handling their inventory; understanding which items are available at an offered time and the costs for each of them. The great thing is that supplies functions to help.
You can take stock of each item and appoint products to different locations and channels utilizing’s software application. You can also perform precise inventory counts with your barcode scanner after getting items. You can set the system to notify you if an item is running out of stock or to offer sale product suggestions. Likewise, you can get detailed reports to track your sales; what items are selling quicker, what items aren’t selling, which items must be restocked, etc syncs among the industry’s best point-of-sale systems with the e-commerce platform. With the app, you can offer your services or products in person and online. Take orders from customers,
Once you have a plan, you can download the app– offered for iOS and Android gadgets. Utilizing the app, you’ll have the ability to log in and start customizing your system. If you’re offering in person, you can either use Tap to Pay on iPhone or purchase hardware, and you’ll be ready to begin taking client orders.
is finest for services that:
Want to utilize’s e-commerce functions. While does provide two basic plans for company’s that primarily sell face to face or on social networks, the bulk of its offerings are for omnichannel sellers who wish to build a customized online shop utilizing.
Sell online and personally. is enhanced for offering across online stores, social networks channels and brick-and-mortar stores. The impressive lineup of functions is perfect for omnichannel retailers.
Prefer to utilize a single service provider for and payment processing. Payments is included with all monthly plans to process online deals as well as in-person payments. You can utilize a third-party company, such as Amazon Pay, Authorize.net or Braintree, to process payments. Your rates will likely vary from what Shopify Payments charges if you work with a third-party processor, nevertheless, and Shopify will charge you an extra deal fee for not utilizing its internal item.
Choosing factors
Clover provides solutions for e-commerce companies and in-person shops to let organizations choose the combination they require. features differ by monthly strategy. More costly regular monthly plans consist of advanced stock and reporting abilities.