Best POS Systems and Cash Registers for Grocery Stores

POS System

Whether you own a convenience store or a small grocery store, we’re here to help you discover the best cash register for your requirements


From our research, we know that the best cash registers for grocery stores are designed by Casio and Sam4s. The best grocery store POS system is created by Square.

In this review, you’ll read about both options. You’ll also find advice on which type of system you should pick for your business.

Or, if you’re tired of shopping around, you can use our free comparison tool to get quotes directly from POS and cash register companies, quickly and easily. Simply answer a few questions, and we’ll match you with the right company. They’ll then contact you with more information and no-obligation quotes.

Traditional Cash Registers Vs POS Systems

Which system is right for you? Well, to answer that question, you need to think about your requirements and your budget. Go through the comparison table below and think about what you want from your cash register or POS system.

Electronic Cash RegisterPoint of Sale System
  • Low cost – one off outlay
  • Easy to use
  • Basic functions
  • Basic reporting
  • No software updates
  • Pay monthly
  • Customer relationship management
  • Marketing
  • Detailed sales reports
  • Grows with your business

An electronic cash register is all about the initial outlay. Purchase the hardware, boot up the system and hey presto, you have yourself a cash register. There’s no need to worry about system updates or monthly fees, and you can keep a cautious eye on your best sellers with basic reporting.

Feel like you need more? You’ll want a grocery store POS system. A POS system will keep detailed tabs on your sales, enable you to nurture customer relationships, and help you streamline your sales process to really put the convenience in convenience store. It’ll also keep an eye on your stock so you never over order.

What are the Best Cash Registers for Grocery Stores?

Cash RegisterStar RatingBest For
Casio TE- 4500Best for convenience
Sam4s ER 380Best for budget
Sam4s SPS- 530FTBest for advanced functions

Casio TE-4500F

With a memory capacity of up to 25,000 barcodes, feel free to stock up your store with a great supply of convenience goods. This electronic cash register is a decent all-rounder; it’s easy to use, features a clear tilt operator LCD display, and includes a customer display so people can see their bill adding up.

It comes with drop and load receipt printer built in, ports to hook up the till to your PC, and you can opt for an integrated bar scanner, too. Talk about convenience. There’s not much to moan about with the Casio TE-4500F. Only that it’s not the cheapest cash register out there. But if it’s an all-rounder you need, you can’t go wrong.

Pros

  • Up to 99 clerk sign ons
  • Adds up clerk commission rates
  • Daily, weekly and monthly reporting

Cons

  • Tad expensive

Sam4s ER 380

There’s no getting away from the fact that the Sam4s is very basic. But for a small convenience store where baskets consist of a couple of items, it’s more than adequate. This electronic cash register is a decent all-rounder; it’s easy to use, features a clear tilt operator LCD display, and includes a customer display so people can see their bill adding up.

The Sam4s doesn’t hook up to a scanner, which means you’re going to need to label your stock. It does come with a printer, though, so you’ll be able to give your customers a receipt for their transaction.

Pros

  • Advanced features
  • Enter up to 60,000 barcodes
  • Touchscreen

Cons

  • Very basic functionality

Sam4s SPS-530 FT

There’s no denying that this Sam4s cash register is a huge step up from its sibling featured before. This one combines simple electric cash register functionality with a POS display. This makes it the one you go for if you’re looking for a cost-effective alternative to a PC or tablet based POS system.

You can enter up to 60,000 barcodes – great if you run a larger convenience store – and thanks to the 7” touchscreen, you can easily navigate to and amend a sale. If you have just over $1,000 to spare, this electric cash register could make a good investment. But for convenience stores where customer turnover is low, it may not be worth the payout.

Pros

  • Advanced features
  • Touchscreen

Cons

  • Expensive

What are the Best Grocery Store POS Systems?

POS systemStar ratingBest for
Square RetailBest overall
VendBest for ease of use
Lightspeed RetailBest for expanding businesses

Square Retail

Square is the best POS system for grocery stores because it ticks all the boxes – it’s affordable, simple to use, and offers impressive features.

Considering our most advanced cash register package will set you back over a thousand dollars, it’s worth thinking about investing in this new cloud-based technology.

Within this particular retail package from Square, you receive an iPad stand, a cash drawer, a contactless card payment device, receipt printer and paper – literally everything you need to start taking payments from day one. This convenience store POS system ticks all the right boxes.

Pros

  • Sleek hardware
  • Free tailored retail software
  • Use your own iPad

Cons

  • Expensive

Vend

Vend claims it’s America’s leading POS company. But how has it earned that status? First of all, the software is very easy to navigate. Vend has made it convenient for you to process transactions, add or remove products, and access sales data.

Second of all, unlike other POS software, Vend is compatible with a range of hardware, so you’re not limited to purchasing your hardware through the software supplier. If you’re unsure if this modern kind of cash register is for you, you can get involved with a 30-day free trial.

Pros

  • Compatible with a range of hardware
  • Easy to use interface
  • 30-day free trial

Cons

  • Sales reporting is limited

Lightspeed

Lightspeed is one of the best POS systems in Canada, offering another type of tailored software for retail businesses. This point of sale system is great for those who want an insight into and greater control over the ins and outs of their business.

The most popular Lightspeed package starts at $99 per month. For that, you receive a register, 5 employee accesses, personalized onboarding and more. Best of all, if you ever have the opportunity to open up more convenience stores or grocery stores in the future, you can easily expand your system and receive sales data from each location.

Pros

  • Full hardware package available
  • Capture lots of business data
  • Integrate other software

Cons

  • One year commitment required

Next Steps

Now you know the difference between a convenience store POS system and a cash register, it’s time to get a true idea of how much one may cost you. The easiest way to do this is by using our free quote-comparison tool. 

Once you’ve answered a couple of questions, the suppliers that best match your requirements will be in touch with more information and no-obligation quotes. Our service is quick, easy, and free.

How We Test POS Systems for Businesses

We tested 16 market-leading POS systems to evaluate them in terms of functionality, usability, price, features, and more so we can make the most useful recommendations to Canadian businesses.

Our rigorous testing process means these products have been scored and rated in eight main categories of investigation and 45 subcategories – in fact, we covered 61 areas of investigation in total. We then gave each category score a ‘relevance weighting' to ensure the product's final score perfectly reflects the needs and requirements of Expert Market readers – and that's our product testing algorithm in a nutshell!

Our main testing categories for POS systems are:

Till: the core functionality of the POS system, which includes the processing of sales transactions. It involves features such as item scanning, item look-up, and price calculation.

Business Management: the features and tools provided by the POS system to support various aspects of running a business, such as employee management, shift scheduling, and customer management.

Stock Management: the POS system's capabilities to manage inventory and track stock levels, including inventory tracking, stock alerts and transfers, and purchase order management.

Business Development: the features and tools provided by the POS system to help businesses grow and improve their operations, e.g. customer relationship management, marketing integrations, and sales forecasting.

Usability: how easily and intuitively the POS system can be used by the staff, including the user interface design, navigation, ease of training, and overall user experience during setup.

Price: the cost associated with acquiring and using the POS system, such as the initial purchase cost, licensing fees, subscription plans, and any additional charges or ongoing costs.

Help and Support: the assistance and resources available to users when they encounter issues or need guidance while using the POS system including documentation, tutorials, or knowledge bases.

Features: the functionalities and capabilities provided by the POS product. This can include dedicated restaurant and retail functionality including KDS, loyalty management, and multi employee login.

 

FAQs

How does an iPad POS system work?

If you’re thinking about investing in an iPad POS system for your grocery store, turning your iPad into your cash register is as easy as downloading the POS software app onto your iPad. The software provider will then charge you a monthly fee based on how many user accounts you require.

In some cases, they’ll even offer you the software for free. However, this is usually on the basis of a slightly higher credit card transaction fee.

You’ll need some additional hardware, too. And software suppliers are more than happy to provide you with the items you need for a small monthly fee or a one-off cost.

Depending on your convenience store or grocery store’s requirements, this may include:

  • A cash drawer
  • Barcode scanner
  • Card machine
  • Receipt printer

What should I consider if I’m looking to buy a convenience store POS system?

By default, cheap cash registers are basic systems. But as long as your customer flow gives you enough time to manually enter prices, they’re a perfectly suitable POS system for grocery stores. Most cheap cash registers will enable you to set up more than one user, with others having a refund button, and a void button for mistakes.

If you’re prepared to part with a little more cash, you can invest in a cash register that integrates with a barcode scanner. This type of system will enable you to process purchases quicker, and may be better for smaller grocery stores with a moderate customer flow. Some will even hook up to your QuickBooks account via PC USB connection for super-convenient accounting.

Can you get free POS software?

In a sense, yes. POS companies like Square offer basic software packages for free. There’s always a catch, though. You’ll still need to afford the initial hardware outlay, and as with any POS software company, they charge you a fee for card transactions.

What is the best POS for grocery stores?

The best POS for grocery stores in Canada is provided by Square. This company prides itself on its affordability and ease of use, but we also like its range of features including its advanced reporting.

Written by:
Dan’s a Senior Writer at Expert Market, specialising in digital marketing, web design, and photocopiers, amongst other topics.
Reviewed by:
Ruairi uses his 3+ years of research experience to uncover insights which can help Expert Market provide the best business solutions for their users. He has done this by meeting with business owners to find out what is important to them and what challenges they face on a daily basis. Ruairi specialises in tools that can be used to grow your business and has done research for a wide range of categories on Expert Market, such as EPOS, Website Builders, and Merchant Accounts.