Shopify POS Review: Is it Right for Your Business?

Zara Chechi

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Our research team compared 12 different point of sale (POS) systems across various research areas, and Shopify easily snaps up one of the top spots with an overall score of 4.1/5.

Shopify rates well in many of the categories we researched, these include: hardware, price, usability, and customer score. We highly recommend this POS system for any business that is currently using Shopify's ecommerce platform because the integration between the two provides an easy way to mange both an online and physical store.

To compare more POS systems, you can use our free comparison tool. Just give us a few details about your business and we'll match you up with POS providers. Trusted suppliers will then contact you with obligation-free quotes.

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Shopify POS

4.1
Price
  • Basic – $29/month
  • Shopify – $79/month
  • Advanced – $299/month

Shopify POS:

  • Lite: $0
  • Pro: $89/month/location
Best For

Retailers with an online store

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How Much Does Shopify POS Cost?

Shopify plan

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Price

$29 per month

Credit Card Rates

  • 2.9% + 30¢ USD online
  • 2.7% + 0¢ USD in person

 

Price

$79 per month

Credit Card Rates

  • 2.6% + 30¢ USD online
  • 2.5% + 0¢ USD in person
Price

$299 per month

Credit Card Rates

  • 2.4% + 30¢ USD online
  • 2.4% + 0¢ USD in person
Key Features
  • Basic reports
  • 2 staff accounts
  • Up to 4 inventory locations
  • Up to 77% shipping discount
Key Features
  • Professional reports
  • 5 staff accounts
  • Up to 5 inventory locations
  • Up to 88% shipping discount
Key Features
  • Custom report builder
  • 15 staff accounts
  • Up to 8 inventory locations
  • Up to 88% shipping discount

Shopify POS Subscriptions

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Price

$0

Price

$89/month per location

Key Features
  • In-person credit card rates starting at 2.4% + 0¢ USD
  • Mobile POS
  • Order and product management
  • Customer profiles
Key Features
  • Unlimited store staff
  • Unlimited registers
  • Smart inventory management
  • Staff roles and permissions
  • Omnichannel selling features
  • In-store analytics

Shopify offers free POS software with all its Shopify plans and, if your store is fairly small and you have an ecommerce platform with Shopify, this can work out quite well. The free POS software is pretty basic and will allow you to serve customers, take payments, and manage your inventory.

However, beyond these functions, the free version is fairly limited. Square, one of its competitors, offers a free and feature-rich POS app, which Shopify is lacking. If you want a comprehensive POS system, it can get a bit pricey at $89 per month, per location. If you have multiple locations, the price tag can get quite hefty. For better insight, read our dedicated Square POS review

Bear in mind that, in addition to of these costs, you also have the transaction fees. Although these are a little lower than other competitors. Square's transaction fees are 2.6% and 3.5%, and Shopify's transaction fees are 2.4%. 

However, the ecommerce transaction fees are different and these are based on the plan you opt for. The more expensive the plan, the lower the transaction fees.

If you use Shopify's ecommerce platform, or want to use it, then it makes sense to use the Shopify POS over a non-Shopify POS system. This is because integrating between different providers can cause a lot of issues, and if these do not integrate seamlessly, and something were to go wrong, you'll need to contact each provider separately to try and rectify the issue.

You can use our free quote tool to compare pricing with other POS providers.

The Pros and Cons of Shopify POS

Pros

  • Integrates with Shopify ecommerce platform
  • No contract
  • 24/7 customer support

Cons

  • Heavy focus on ecommerce
  • Card payments can't be taken offline

Pro – Integrates With Shopify Ecommerce Platform

If you currently use Shopify's ecommerce platform, the main benefit is that it integrates seamlessly and allows you to merge your online and physical store. Shopify is a leading provider in the ecommerce world and, while it doesn't perform as well on the POS side, the combination of the two creates a multichannel selling system.

You can provide customized discounts, send digital receipts with Shopify POS, and your customers can check out on the go. You can also track your inventory, categorize an unlimited amount of items, and sync orders across multiple online and physical stores.

You can also use the POS system to develop marketing campaigns via email or social media, providing you with multiple ways to develop relationships with your customers.

Pro – No Contract

Instead of signing a contract with Shopify, you pay on a month-by-month basis. The upside of this is that you won't be stuck in a contract you want to get out of. The flexibility makes it a good choice for small businesses, or businesses with tight budgets.

Some POS providers, such as Lightspeed, provide cheaper pricing when you pay annually, which can also be limiting. This is especially true for start-ups or small businesses because you'll need to invest a hefty amount upfront, and you'll be tied to the provider for a year, minimum. 

Pro – 24/7 Customer Support

Shopify scores a 4/5 in the help and support category, with 24/7 customer support as one of its top features. This provides customers with the confidence and ease to fix any emergency problems that crop up, at any time. When running both an online and physical store, you may be facing an extra set of issues, so having great customer support is important to prevent the issues from escalating.

Con – Heavy Focus On Ecommerce

Shopify has a heavy focus on ecommerce, which is no surprise considering its ecommerce platform is incredibly popular and highly rated. However, this does mean that its POS software lacks a lot of features found in other systems. It's not a suitable POS for the hospitality industry as it lacks specialized features.

You can only use Shopify POS with one of its ecommerce plans, which means you'll have access to this even if you don't want to sell online. This is why it only really makes sense to use Shopify POS if you also want to make use of the ecommerce platform.

Cons – Card Payments Can't Be Taken Offline

Shopify POS can only process cash payments offline, which means if something happens to your connection, you won't be able to process card payments. If you're a mobile business, this is especially painful as it may be difficult to find or maintain a stable connection. Other POS systems, such as Square and TouchBistro, offer the ability to take card payments offline.

Shopify's Key Features Explained

Inventory Management Tools

In addition to being able to track inventory, inventory management tools can only be found in the Pro plan, so you'll need to pay to access them. These tools are fairly comprehensive and provide a ton of solutions, so it's no surprise our research scores it a 5/5 for stock management.

On the Pro plan, you can create purchase orders to streamline your ordering process. Your order history can develop forecasting for your business, based on performance and seasonality. Low stock warnings can be set up so you don't fall behind or run into issues, as well as sales suggestions that will highlight which products aren't selling.

You can also access inventory analysis, which will help you decide which items should be re-ordered, and which are not doing as well and are taking up valuable inventory space.

Manage Customers

Each time a customer shops online or in store, a customer profile is created. You can easily keep track of customer data, their buying history, notes, shipping addresses, and marketing preferences. This will help tailor and customize your marketing campaigns for your customers.

Whenever your customer shops online or in store, their order data is synced so you can track both types of purchases. This is one of the main benefits of having your ecommerce platform and POS system linked.

Another plus is that you can develop a tailored loyalty program for customers that can be used for both online and in-store purchases.

Integrated Reports and Analytics

The integration of ecommerce and a POS system means you can get reports and analytics from both your online and physical stores. You can generate reports and insights into products, sales, and staff performance. Your dashboard also gives you an overview of your stores and sales.

Other reports you can access include discounts, finances, products, and cash flow. The extensive reporting functions are one of the reasons Shopify POS scores a 4/5 for business development in our research.

What Kind of Business is Shopify POS Best For?

Retailers With Online Stores

As is clear throughout this review, we recommend Shopify POS to retail stores that also have an online presence. Whether you already have an ecommerce store with Shopify, or want to switch to Shopify but also want to integrate your physical store, Shopify is a good option.

The best POS systems for your business will depend on your unique needs and pain points. Syncing an ecommerce site to your physical store will provide you with a seamless way to manage stock, customers, and sales data.

It scores well in several of our research areas including hardware (4.5/5) and usability (5/5). While it is a solid POS system, it does lack the specialized features that are required by other industries, such as hospitality. Retailers without an online store can make use of this POS system, however, there are better options out there with more features and a better price point, such as Square.

How Does Shopify Compare to its Competitors?

Price

When it comes to pricing, Shopify scores a poor 2.7/5. Even though it does offer free POS software, which comes with its paid ecommerce plans, this POS software is fairly basic and won't be of much help to retailers. Compared to its competitors, such as Square, which offers a much more robust free POS app, Shopify is lacking.

The paid POS version is $89 per month, per location, which can get pricey, especially when you also have to pay for the ecommerce side. This starts at a reasonable $29 per month, but this only accommodates two staff accounts, basic reporting, and four inventory locations. If your business is a start-up or a small business, this might be fine. However, you'll likely outgrow this plan and need to pay more every month.

Pricing can get expensive with Shopify, but for retailers who want the integration between online and physical stores, it's worth it.

Features

Shopify offers great features for retailers with its in-depth inventory management, staff management, and comprehensive reporting. However, most of these features are hidden by a fairly pricey paywall that makes them less accessible to small businesses. Other POS providers, such as Lightspeed, offer similar features specifically catered towards retail businesses in need of a POS. Lightspeed also offers features such as a built in CRM system.

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0 out of 0

Shopify POS

Square

Clover

TouchBistro

Lightspeed

Epos Now

4.1
4.8
3.9
4.0
4.3
4.2
Price
  • Basic – $29/month
  • Shopify – $79/month
  • Advanced – $299/month

Shopify POS:

  • Lite: $0
  • Pro: $89/month/location
Price

$0/month

Plus: $60/month

Price

$14.95-295/month

Price
Price
Price

Hardware averages $484 (one-off payment)

Software starts from $17 (monthly fee)

Best For

Retailers with an online store

Best For

Overall

Best For

Medium-sized Businesses

Best For

Restaurants

Best For

Bars

Best For

Wide-range of Hardware

Pros
  • Integrates with Shopify ecommerce platform
  • No contract
  • 24/7 customer support
Pros
  • Free POS app
  • Suited to small businesses
Pros
  • Handheld POS system
  • Easy to use
Pros
  • Designed for hospitality
  • Integrated CRM system
  • Add-on features
Pros
  • In-built CRM system
  • Extensive report templates
  • Advanced inventory management
Pros
  • User-friendly software and hardware
  • Free trial and demo
  • Good customer support
Cons
  • Heavy focus on ecommerce
Cons
  • Not as comprehensive as other POS systems
Cons
  • Lack of features
  • Third party apps do not always integrate well
Cons
  • Difficult to get out of contract
Cons
  • Costly
Cons
  • No free customer support plan
  • Costly
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Does Shopify POS Have Good Customer Reviews?

Most positive customer reviews are centered around the ease created by the integrated ecommerce and POS systems. Some did find that the POS system is lacking in some aspects. Many users commented how easy it is to use, which isn't surprising considering our research rates its usability at 5/5.

Overall, yes, there are good customer reviews, however, some customers did find that it lacks extensive customization. The lack of customization does mean that it's generally much more user-friendly.

Customer review

Shopify POS was the easiest setup I have done for my business. The integration from my e-commerce store to the easy conversation to the POS was done easily on the app and on the go! The ability to create a custom order and customer profiles, that you can add card info manually, and that you can text email, or print receipt.

Haven't come across anything yet that I don't love! I wish that it came with a reader for cards instead of having to pay a lot for the reader. (sic)

Victoria S,
g2.com -
Customer review

Shopify POS makes it SO easy to take sales at a brick-and-mortar location or even a pop up shop. We use it for traveling locations when we go to fairs or artist events. It makes it super easy for us to take payments of all types and stay up to date on inventory. (sic)

Julianna O,
g2.com -
Customer review

Love the synchronicity between our online ecomm store and our brick and mortar location. Like the ability to save carts. Like that each employee can login separately. Like that we can have receipts sent to customers via email or text as well as a physical receipt, if needed. Like that we can feature items in different channels (like online or in store only).

I dislike that Shopify Gift Cards are not reloadable. This feature is offered by many and most other Point of Sale providers and I wish that Shopify offered this feature as well, especially for in purchase customer returns. This would be my biggest complaint and dislike about using Shopify Point of Sale and potentially the main reason I would consider switching to another point of sale provider. I also dislike that we cannot do multiple exchanges. If someone exchanges an item for another size and then later wants to bring it back for a different color we are unable to process this additional exchange on the Point of Sale. (sic)

Amanda C,
g2.com -
Verdict

Our research team compared 12 different POS systems to find the best in the market, and this research focused on several areas including, price, hardware, and usability. These areas are important for businesses as it determines what you can afford, how easy it is to use, and how well the hardware performs.

Shopify performs well in the hardware area, scoring a 4.5/5. Although, the hardware is a tad pricier when compared with other providers, such as Zettle and Square, the hardware performs well and is not as expensive as other systems such as Lightspeed or Epos Now.

It scores a 5/5 for usability, as the system is easy to use. Both the ecommerce and POS platforms are user-friendly, although there is a lack of customization because of this. It scores a 2.7/5 for pricing because you'll need to pay for a Shopify ecommerce plan to access the free POS software, which is fairly basic and only suitable for mobile businesses or start-ups. The paid version is priced at $89 per month, per location.

Shopify POS will provide you with plenty of great features, such as inventory management, staff management, and extensive reporting. It doesn't perform very well in the pricing department despite it's free plan as the free version is fairly basic and doesn't compare to free POS software from other providers.

Shopify POS is easy to use, but there is a lack of customization available. It's best suited to retailers who want an online store, or online stores which want to have pop-up shops.

To compare POS systems from other providers, you can use our free quote tool to get a clearer idea of other POS systems. We just need a few details about your business and we'll match you up with the right POS providers. Our trusted suppliers will then contact you with obligation-free quotes.

FAQs

Is Shopify POS easy to use?
Yes, Shopify is easy to use. Our research has scored it a 5/5 for usability and lots of Shopify customers have found that the POS system is easy to use.
Does Shopify POS take a fee?
There is free POS software which comes in-built into every ecommerce plan. However, this free software is fairly basic. If you only have to use the POS system for occasional pop-up stores, you might find that this works well. If you have a brick-and-mortar store then you most likely need a more comprehensive POS system. This starts at $89 per month, per location.
Can I use Shopify POS without wifi?
You can use some functions on the Shopify POS system, this includes some cash transactions and card transactions if you're using a third-party card reader that allows for this.
Can you use Shopify POS without a card reader?
Yes, you can however you'll only be able to take cash transactions in store.
Written by:
Zara Chechi
Zara Chechi Business Services Expert

Zara is a Payments Expert, specialising in writing about Point of Sale systems. With a Law Degree from City University of London, she has used her legally-honed research and analytical skills to develop expertise in the Business Services world. Featured in FinTech Magazine, she quickly became an expert in payroll, POS systems, and merchant accounts.

Reviewed by:
Ruairi Shirlow Business Services Researcher

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.