POS systems
How much does a POS system cost? Monthly fees, card rates and hardware
Quick answer
Most POS entry plans cost $0 a month; Shopify Basic is $29 a month paid yearly and Lightspeed Retail Basic $89. In-person card rates run from 2.6% + 10¢ to 3.09% + 15¢, or about $0.88 to $1.08 on a $30 sale. Readers cost from nothing to $240. Kitchen displays, online ordering and inventory tools often cost extra.
A POS system costs you three ways: a monthly software fee, a fee on every card sale, and hardware. Here is the entry plan (the cheapest plan that takes card payments for one location) at each POS we rank. Prices from each company's pricing page, read Sep 27, 2026.
Entry plans
| POS | Entry plan | Monthly fee | In-person card rate | Fee on a $30 sale | Cheapest reader |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Square | Square Free | $0 | 2.6% + 15¢ | about $0.93 | first magstripe reader free; chip reader $59 |
| Shopify POS | Basic | $29 paid yearly, $39 monthly | 2.6% + 10¢ | about $0.88 | $49 |
| Toast | Starter Kit Basic, Pay-as-you-Go | $0 | 3.09% + 15¢ | about $1.08 | in the $0 kit; $99 on its own |
| Clover | Starter | $0 | 2.6% + 10¢ | about $0.88 | $199 |
| Helcim | Helcim POS | $0 | interchange + 0.40% + 8¢ | not published | $99 |
| Lightspeed Retail | Basic | $89 billed annually, $109 monthly | 2.6% + 10¢ | about $0.88 | $79 |
| SpotOn | All-In Plan | $0 per station | 2.79% + $0.20 | about $1.04 | hardware included; $240 Terminal |
| Loyverse | Free | $0 | set by a payment partner | not published | not sold |
Card rates are the big cost
On a $0 plan, the card rate is what you pay for the system. At 3.09% + 15¢, Toast's $0 Starter Kit costs about $1.08 on a $30 sale; Toast's Traditional pricing, at 2.49% + 15¢, costs about $0.90 but adds $69 a month and hardware paid up front. SpotOn's month-to-month POS Essentials plan charges 2.45% + $0.15, about $0.89 on a $30 sale, for $55 a station a month.
Helcim charges interchange plus a margin that falls with volume, from 0.40% + 8¢ at up to $50K a month to 0.15% + 6¢ above $1M. Its help centre's worked example, a $100 standard Mastercard sale in person, totals $1.51.
Typical and top plans
- Square: Plus $49 a month (2.5% + 15¢), Premium $149 (2.4% + 15¢), custom pricing above $250,000 a year in card sales.
- Shopify: Grow $79 a month paid yearly, Advanced $299, Plus from $2,300 a month on a 3-year term.
- Clover: Essentials $29.95 a month; Restaurant Growth $89.95 a month plus a $1,799 Station Solo (restaurant pricing).
- Lightspeed Retail: Core $149 a month billed annually, Plus $289.
- Toast: Traditional Core $219 a month and Traditional Growth $578.
Other card fees
- Keyed-in cards: 3.5% + 15¢ on Square, 3.5% + 10¢ on Shopify and Clover, 3.79% + $0.20 on SpotOn's All-In Plan.
- Online payments on Square Free: 3.3% + 30¢. Cards issued outside the US: an extra 1.5% on Square.
- Shopify Basic adds 2% if you use a payment provider other than Shopify Payments.
- Clover Rapid Deposit, for funds within minutes: 1.75%.
- Helcim Tap to Pay on iPhone: $0.10 extra per transaction.
Add-ons
- Kitchen display: Square KDS app $30 a month per device on Plus; Toast $749 plus $35 a month; Clover $799 or $899 plus $25 a month per device (shop); SpotOn $20 a month per station plus $500 hardware and $100 installation (KDS). Loyverse includes a kitchen display free.
- Online ordering: SpotOn's Core Bundle is $50 a month plus 0.20% of card volume, the 0.20% part capped at $200. Toast's Core pack raises the rate to 3.39% + 15¢.
- Shop tools: Shopify POS Pro is $89 a month per location.
- Loyverse add-ons, per store: sales history beyond 31 days $5 a month; employee management or advanced inventory $25 a month each.
- Toast extras: a Toast Go 3 handheld is $599 plus $50 a month, and a virtual-led install $250.
Contracts and exit costs
Square, Shopify (Basic to Advanced), Helcim and Loyverse state no contract. Toast's $0 kit is a 2-year agreement with an early termination fee of $150 for each month left (merchant agreement). SpotOn's All-In Plan has a 2-year minimum term, and cancelling within a year costs the difference to the hardware's list price (terms). Lightspeed charges the rest of the term's fees (service agreement). Clover doesn't publish its terms; its 36-month device subscriptions are non-cancelable.
What to budget
A new shop can start at $0 a month and about $0.88 to $0.93 in fees on a $30 sale, plus a reader of $199 or less. Restaurants should add a kitchen display and online ordering to the sums. See which plan gives the most for the money in our POS ranking.