--- title: "Best iPad POS Software - 2026 Reviews & Pricing" description: "Find the best iPad POS Software for your organization. Compare top iPad POS Software systems with customer reviews, pricing, and free demos." source_url: "https://www.softwareadvice.com/retail/ipad-pos-comparison/" page_type: "subcategory" language: "en" --- [Home](https://www.softwareadvice.com/) / iPad POS Software Software Advice offers objective insights based on verified user reviews and independent product and market research. When our advisors match you to a software provider, we may earn a referral fee. # Best iPad POS Software of 2026 Updated October 21, 2026 On this page 1. FrontRunners 2. Popular Comparisons 3. Buyers Guide 4. Related Software Filter products 77 results ### Compare Products Showing 1 - 25 of 77 products #### Company Size - Self-Employed - 2-10 - 11-50 - 51-200 - 201-500 - 501-1000 - 1000+ #### Pricing Options - $$$$$ - $$$$$ - $$$$$ - $$$$$ - $$$$$ ### Compare Products Sort by **Recommendations**: Sorts listings by the number of recommendations our advisors have made over the past 30 days. Our advisors assess buyers’ needs for free and only recommend products that meet buyers’ needs. Vendors pay Software Advice for these referrals. **Reviews**: Sorts listings by the number of user reviews we have published, greatest to least. **Average Rating**: Sorts listings by overall star rating based on user reviews, highest to lowest. **Alphabetically (A-Z)**: Sorts listings by product name from A to Z. ### [Clover](/retail/clover-profile/) - Overall rating: 3.8/5 - Reviews: 586 - Best for: Popular - Free trial: Available - Free demo: Not available #### Overview Clover is a POS system designed to help small businesses streamline their operations. The system offers a range of features, including payment processing, inventory management, [Read more](/retail/clover-profile/) ##### What users love - Versatile payment acceptance options - Customizable and modern interface - Simple learning and daily operation ##### To take in mind - Slow and unhelpful support experiences - Expensive hardware and add-ons - Sales tracking and limitations issues #### Features ##### Best rated features - API: 5/5 - Access Controls/Permissions: 5/5 - Sales Tax Management: 5/5 - Real-Time Reporting: 5/5 ##### Worst rated features - Retail POS: 1/5 - Retail Management: 1.2/5 - Returns Tracking: 1.3/5 - For Salons and Spas: 1.5/5 [See all features](/retail/clover-profile/#key-features) #### Pricing ##### Basic - Price: Custom - Pricing available upon request [See full pricing details](/retail/clover-profile/#pricing-and-plans) --- ### [Toast POS](/retail/toast-pos-profile/) - Overall rating: 4.1/5 - Reviews: 554 - Starting price: $69.00/month - Best for: Ease of use - Free trial: Not available - Free demo: Not available #### Overview Toast POS is a cloud-based restaurant point of sale system built specifically for the food service industry. It serves restaurants of every service model — quick service, fast [Read more](/retail/toast-pos-profile/) ##### What users love - Highly customizable user experience - Quick learning and onboarding - Streamlined staff operations ##### To take in mind - Inconsistent and slow support response - Limitations for restaurant workflows - Connectivity and outage problems #### Features ##### Best rated features - Real-Time Reporting: 5/5 - Access Controls/Permissions: 5/5 - SMS Messaging: 5/5 - Real-Time Analytics: 5/5 ##### Worst rated features - Delivery Management: 1.7/5 - Reservations Management: 2/5 - Wait List Management: 2/5 [See all features](/retail/toast-pos-profile/#key-features) --- ### [Epos Now](/retail/epos-now-profile/) - Overall rating: 3.8/5 - Reviews: 730 - Starting price: $349.00one time - Free trial: Not available - Free demo: Not available #### Overview Epos Now POS systems are an effective business management, sales, and payment solution for single-site, multi-site, and online businesses. Popular with retailers and hospitality [Read more](/retail/epos-now-profile/) ##### What users love - Intuitive interface for all users - Streamlined staff operations - Accessible training and onboarding ##### To take in mind - Slow and unresponsive service - Long waits and inconsistent help - Unexpected and recurring charges #### Features ##### Best rated features - Customer History: 5/5 - User Management: 5/5 - Time Clock: 5/5 - Reservations Management: 5/5 ##### Worst rated features - PCI Compliance: 1/5 - Ordering Automation: 1/5 - Point of Sale (POS) Integration: 1/5 - In-Person Payments: 1/5 [See all features](/retail/epos-now-profile/#key-features) --- ### [Rezku POS](/retail/rezku-profile/) - Overall rating: 4.7/5 - Reviews: 42 - Starting price: $49.00/month - Free trial: Available - Free demo: Not available #### Overview Rezku is the premier POS, used by successful restaurants, bars and pizzerias to compete at a higher level, earn new business and eliminate headaches. Rezku comes complete with [Read more](/retail/rezku-profile/) #### Features ##### Best rated features - Cash Management: 5/5 - Customizable Branding: 5/5 - Online Ordering: 5/5 - Loyalty Program: 5/5 ##### Worst rated features - Reporting & Statistics: 4/5 - Discount Management: 4/5 - Sales Trend Analysis: 4/5 [See all features](/retail/rezku-profile/#key-features) #### Pricing ##### Starter - Price: $49.00/month - Starting at just $49. Perfect for small restaurants, bars and food trucks. Rezku makes it easy to [See full pricing details](/retail/rezku-profile/#pricing-and-plans) --- ### [Runit RealTime](/retail/runit-realtime-profile/) - Overall rating: 4.7/5 - Reviews: 19 - Starting price: $274.00/month - Free trial: Available - Free demo: Not available #### Overview RunIt RealTime is a cloud-based point of sale (POS) and inventory management solution that caters to businesses in industries like multi-store apparel, footwear, sports and gift [Read more](/retail/runit-realtime-profile/) #### Pricing ##### Real-Time Cloud POS - Price: $274.00/month - $137/station per month (minimum of 2 stations). Volume discounts available. Low upfront costs. No [See full pricing details](/retail/runit-realtime-profile/#pricing-and-plans) --- ### [Loyverse POS](/retail/loyverse-profile/) - Overall rating: 4.8/5 - Reviews: 458 - Starting price: $0.01/month - Best for: Small businesses - Free trial: Available - Free demo: Not available #### Overview Loyverse POS is a cloud-based, mobile point-of-sale solution aimed at small retail, restaurant and salon establishments. With this software, users can manage inventory, visualize [Read more](/retail/loyverse-profile/) #### Features ##### Best rated features - Touch Screen: 5/5 - CRM: 5/5 - Rewards Management: 5/5 - Order Entry: 5/5 ##### Worst rated features - Tips Management: 1/5 - Delivery Management: 1/5 - Discount Management: 3/5 [See all features](/retail/loyverse-profile/#key-features) #### Pricing ##### Basic - Price: $0.01/month [See full pricing details](/retail/loyverse-profile/#pricing-and-plans) --- ### [Square Point of Sale](/retail/square-point-of-sale-profile/) - Overall rating: 4.6/5 - Reviews: 3,042 - Starting price: $0.00/month - Best for: Enterprise businesses - Free trial: Available - Free demo: Not available #### Overview Square Point of Sale is a cloud-based system designed to process payments and manage business operations across various industries. It serves food and beverage establishments, [Read more](/retail/square-point-of-sale-profile/) ##### What users love - Intuitive interface and setup - Versatile payment acceptance options - Flexible sales and reporting tools ##### To take in mind - High and accumulating transaction fees - Limited and slow customer assistance - Challenges with account holds and reporting #### Features ##### Best rated features - Price/Margin Management: 5/5 - CRM: 5/5 - Transaction History: 5/5 - Separate Checks: 5/5 ##### Worst rated features - Delivery Management: 3/5 - Email Marketing: 3/5 [See all features](/retail/square-point-of-sale-profile/#key-features) #### Pricing ##### Square Free - Price: $0.00/month - The essentials your business needs to sell in-person, online, over the phone, or out in the field. ##### Square Plus - Price: $49.00/month - A full suite of features built specifically for food, retail, and appointment-based businesses. ##### Square Premium - Price: $149.00/month - Our most advanced capabilities backed by 24/7 support. Built to streamline operations and help you [See full pricing details](/retail/square-point-of-sale-profile/#pricing-and-plans) --- ### [PHP Point of Sale](/retail/php-point-of-sale-profile/) - Overall rating: 4.7/5 - Reviews: 340 - Starting price: $59.00/month - Best for: Value for money - Free trial: Available - Free demo: Available #### Overview PHP Point Of Sale is a web-based point of sale for independent retailers, specialty shops, repair businesses, and counters that need real inventory depth without per-register [Read more](/retail/php-point-of-sale-profile/) #### Features ##### Best rated features - Merchandise Management: 5/5 - Returns Tracking: 5/5 - Loyalty Program: 5/5 - Receipt Management: 5/5 ##### Worst rated features - Electronic Signature: 4/5 [See all features](/retail/php-point-of-sale-profile/#key-features) #### Pricing ##### Cloud - Price: $59.00/month - Software hosted in the cloud on our servers. We take care of backups, upgrades and maintenance. [See full pricing details](/retail/php-point-of-sale-profile/#pricing-and-plans) --- ### [Square for Retail](/retail/square-for-retail-profile/) - Overall rating: 4.7/5 - Reviews: 496 - Starting price: $0.00/month - Best for: Ease of use - Free trial: Available - Free demo: Not available #### Overview Square for Retail is a cloud-based point of sale (POS) and retail solution for all retailers. Key features include inventory management, customer relationship management, reporting [Read more](/retail/square-for-retail-profile/) ##### What users love - User-friendly setup and operation - Convenient card payment options - Flexible payment acceptance anywhere ##### To take in mind - Transaction and equipment fees add up - Unreliable card reader performance - Limited and slow customer assistance #### Features ##### Best rated features - Shipping Labels: 5/5 - Clock In/Out: 5/5 - Customization: 5/5 - Stock Management: 5/5 ##### Worst rated features - Remote Order Entry: 1/5 - Search/Filter: 3/5 - Alerts/Notifications: 3.5/5 - Supplier Management: 3.5/5 [See all features](/retail/square-for-retail-profile/#key-features) #### Pricing ##### Square Free - Price: $0.00/month - The essentials your business needs to sell in-person, online, over the phone, or out in the field. ##### Square Plus - Price: $49.00/month - Fully loaded for every aspect of business. ##### Square Premium - Price: $149.00/month - The best of the best with 24/7 support. [See full pricing details](/retail/square-for-retail-profile/#pricing-and-plans) --- ### [Poster POS](/retail/poster-profile/) - Overall rating: 4.9/5 - Reviews: 70 - Starting price: $29.00/month - Free trial: Available - Free demo: Not available #### Overview Poster is a cloud-based mobile point of sale (POS) and inventory management solution for food service industry. The inventory management application can alert users when they are [Read more](/retail/poster-profile/) #### Features ##### Best rated features - Order Entry: 5/5 - Sales Order Management: 5/5 - Access Controls/Permissions: 5/5 - Activity Dashboard: 5/5 ##### Worst rated features - Barcode/Ticket Scanning: 3/5 - Reservations Management: 3/5 [See all features](/retail/poster-profile/#key-features) #### Pricing ##### Mini - Coffee Shop - Price: $29.00/month - First 15 days are free. ##### Business - Cafe, Bar - Price: $49.00/month - First 15 days are free. ##### Pro - Restaurant - Price: $69.00/month - First 15 days are free. [See full pricing details](/retail/poster-profile/#pricing-and-plans) --- ### [CleanCloud](/retail/cleancloud-profile/) - Overall rating: 4.6/5 - Reviews: 217 - Starting price: $99.00/month - Best for: Value for money - Free trial: Available - Free demo: Not available #### Overview CleanCloud is a cloud-based retail solution that helps dry cleaning and laundry businesses manage customer orders and streamline point-of-sale operations. The centralized platform [Read more](/retail/cleancloud-profile/) #### Features ##### Best rated features - Invoice Management: 5/5 - Delivery Management: 5/5 - Customer History: 5/5 - Transaction History: 5/5 [See all features](/retail/cleancloud-profile/#key-features) #### Pricing ##### Lite - Price: $99.00/month - Everything a regular store needs to process orders. ##### Pro - Price: $129.00/month - Scale up with Pickup & Delivery and more. ##### Grow - Price: $189.00/month - For advanced workflows and large scale. [See full pricing details](/retail/cleancloud-profile/#pricing-and-plans) --- ### [Shopify POS](/retail/shopify-pos-profile/) - Overall rating: 4.6/5 - Reviews: 248 - Starting price: $5.00/month - Best for: Small businesses - Free trial: Available - Free demo: Not available #### Overview Shopify POS is a point-of-sale solution that helps retail businesses streamline operations related to marketing, inventory management, payment processing, product reporting and [Read more](/retail/shopify-pos-profile/) #### Features ##### Best rated features - Promotions Management: 5/5 - For iPad Devices: 5/5 - Employee Management: 5/5 - Returns Tracking: 5/5 ##### Worst rated features - Email Marketing: 3.5/5 - Retail Inventory Management: 3.7/5 - Ordering Automation: 4/5 - Retail POS: 4/5 [See all features](/retail/shopify-pos-profile/#key-features) #### Pricing ##### Sell in person - Starter - Price: $5.00/month - Up to 1 POS lite location ##### Sell in person - Retail - Price: $89.00/month - Up to 1 POS location ##### Sell everywhere - Basic - Price: $39.00/month - Unlimited POS logins [See full pricing details](/retail/shopify-pos-profile/#pricing-and-plans) --- ### [Magestore](/retail/magestore-profile/) - Overall rating: 4.9/5 - Reviews: 44 - Starting price: $69.00/month - Free trial: Available - Free demo: Not available #### Overview Magestore POS is a Magento-native point of sale that helps you process checkouts quickly in-store, at pop-ups, and even during outages with offline mode. It keeps stock consistent [Read more](/retail/magestore-profile/) #### Features ##### Best rated features - Returns Management: 5/5 - Loyalty Program: 5/5 - Touch Screen: 5/5 - Data Security: 5/5 ##### Worst rated features - Barcoding/RFID: 2.5/5 [See all features](/retail/magestore-profile/#key-features) #### Pricing ##### POS Lite - Price: $69.00/month - A 7-day free trial ##### POS Simple (Subscription) - Price: $89.00/month - A 20-day free trial ##### POS Simple (One-time payment) - Price: Custom - Pricing available upon request - A 1-year warranty and a 90-day money-back guarantee [See full pricing details](/retail/magestore-profile/#pricing-and-plans) --- ### [MYR POS](/retail/myr-pos-profile/) - Overall rating: 4.5/5 - Reviews: 122 - Starting price: $80.00/month - Best for: Customer support - Free trial: Not available - Free demo: Not available #### Overview MYR POS is a cloud-based point of sale solution and was created specifically for the quick-serve and fast-casual restaurant segments. Customers typically include coffee shops, [Read more](/retail/myr-pos-profile/) #### Features ##### Best rated features - Receipt Management: 5/5 - Real-Time Updates: 5/5 - Sales Management: 5/5 - Split Checks: 5/5 ##### Worst rated features - Barcode/Ticket Scanning: 1/5 - eCommerce Management: 2/5 - Pricing Management: 3/5 [See all features](/retail/myr-pos-profile/#key-features) --- ### [Flipdish](/retail/flipdish-profile/) - Overall rating: 4.8/5 - Reviews: 113 - Starting price: $99.00/month - Best for: Features - Free trial: Not available - Free demo: Not available #### Overview Flipdish is an all-in-one restaurant POS and restaurant management system powering thousands of restaurants and takeaways around the world. Streamline operations with an intuitive [Read more](/retail/flipdish-profile/) #### Features ##### Best rated features - Multi-Location: 5/5 - Electronic Payments: 5/5 - Online Payments: 5/5 - Loyalty Program: 5/5 ##### Worst rated features - Restaurant POS: 1/5 - For Restaurants: 1/5 - Mobile Access: 1/5 - Forecasting: 1/5 [See all features](/retail/flipdish-profile/#key-features) --- ### [Arryved](/retail/arryved-profile/) - Overall rating: 4.9/5 - Reviews: 26 - Starting price: $1.00/month - Free trial: Not available - Free demo: Not available #### Overview Arryved is an all-in-one POS and hospitality management system. Built for dynamic bars, taprooms and restaurants, Arryved is remarkably easy to use. With online ordering, [Read more](/retail/arryved-profile/) #### Features ##### Best rated features - Third-Party Integrations: 5/5 - Real-Time Data: 5/5 - Point of Sale (POS): 5/5 - Activity Dashboard: 4.9/5 ##### Worst rated features - Barcode/Ticket Scanning: 1/5 [See all features](/retail/arryved-profile/#key-features) --- ### [STORIS](/retail/storis-profile/) - Overall rating: 4.5/5 - Reviews: 70 - Free trial: Not available - Free demo: Not available #### Overview STORIS is an end-to-end retail management suite tailored for home furnishings, bedding, and appliance retailers. It combines all essential retail functions—point of sale, inventory [Read more](/retail/storis-profile/) #### Features ##### Best rated features - Shipping Management: 5/5 - Forecasting: 5/5 - Retail Inventory Management: 5/5 - Payment Processing: 5/5 ##### Worst rated features - Employee Management: 1/5 [See all features](/retail/storis-profile/#key-features) --- ### [authorize.net](/online-payment/authorize-net-profile/) - Overall rating: 4.5/5 - Reviews: 220 - Starting price: $25.00/month - Best for: Features - Free trial: Not available - Free demo: Not available #### Overview authorize.net is a payment processing solution that allows businesses to accept a variety of payment methods. These include credit/debit cards, eChecks, and digital wallets, [Read more](/online-payment/authorize-net-profile/) #### Features ##### Best rated features - For Nonprofits: 5/5 - Invoice Management: 5/5 - API: 5/5 - eCommerce Management: 5/5 [See all features](/online-payment/authorize-net-profile/#key-features) --- ### [Gofrugal](/retail/gofrugal-pos-profile/) - Overall rating: 4.4/5 - Reviews: 199 - Starting price: $7.00/month - Best for: Small businesses - Free trial: Available - Free demo: Available #### Overview Gofrugal POS is a hybrid point of sale (POS) solution that helps retailers across various industries, to manage their distribution and billing routines and automate financial [Read more](/retail/gofrugal-pos-profile/) ##### What users love - User-friendly and intuitive design - Comprehensive feature set coverage ##### To take in mind - Inconsistent and slow support response #### Features ##### Best rated features - Kitchen/Menu Management: 5/5 - Item Management: 5/5 - Food Delivery Dispatching: 5/5 - Gift Card Management: 5/5 ##### Worst rated features - Pricing Management: 2/5 - eCommerce Management: 2.6/5 [See all features](/retail/gofrugal-pos-profile/#key-features) #### Pricing ##### Basic - Price: $7.00/month [See full pricing details](/retail/gofrugal-pos-profile/#pricing-and-plans) --- ### [tillpoint](/retail/tillpoint-profile/) - Overall rating: 4.7/5 - Reviews: 19 - Free trial: Not available - Free demo: Not available #### Overview Tillpoint is a cloud-based business management and electronic point of sale (EPOS) solution for retail stores, restaurants and the hospitality industry. The solution provides [Read more](/retail/tillpoint-profile/) #### Features ##### Best rated features - Sales Reports: 1/5 - Order Management: 1/5 - Online Ordering: 1/5 - Inventory Management: 1/5 ##### Worst rated features - Payment Processing: 1/5 - Table Management: 1/5 - Reservations Management: 1/5 - Inventory Management: 1/5 [See all features](/retail/tillpoint-profile/#key-features) --- ### [SmartSwipe](/retail/smartswipe-profile/) - Overall rating: 4.7/5 - Reviews: 15 - Starting price: $1.00/month - Free trial: Available - Free demo: Not available #### Overview SmartSwipe is a cloud-based POS system designed for restaurant and retail businesses of any size. This solution helps businesses manage inventory, track customers, process [Read more](/retail/smartswipe-profile/) #### Features ##### Best rated features - Order Management: 5/5 - Payment Processing: 5/5 - Sales Reports: 5/5 - Inventory Management: 5/5 ##### Worst rated features - Point of Sale (POS): 4/5 [See all features](/retail/smartswipe-profile/#key-features) #### Pricing ##### Basic - Price: $1.00/month [See full pricing details](/retail/smartswipe-profile/#pricing-and-plans) --- ### [Paladin](/scm/paladin-pos-profile/) - Overall rating: 4.6/5 - Reviews: 20 - Starting price: $130.00/month - Free trial: Not available - Free demo: Available #### Overview For over 40 years, Paladin Data Corp. has been helping independent retail businesses run better. Paladin point of sale (POS) and inventory management software automates [Read more](/scm/paladin-pos-profile/) #### Features ##### Best rated features - Customer Accounts: 5/5 - Order Management: 5/5 - Sales Reports: 5/5 - Data Import/Export: 5/5 ##### Worst rated features - Purchase Order Management: 4/5 - Inventory Tracking: 4/5 [See all features](/scm/paladin-pos-profile/#key-features) #### Pricing ##### Basic - Price: $130.00/month [See full pricing details](/scm/paladin-pos-profile/#pricing-and-plans) --- ### [Tabology EPOS](/retail/rpos-cloud-profile/) - Overall rating: 4.7/5 - Reviews: 13 - Starting price: £39.00/month - Free trial: Available - Free demo: Not available #### Overview With Tabology’s EPOS and management suite, tech never gets in the way of outstanding service. It gives you everything you need to keep your hospitality business running smoothly, [Read more](/retail/rpos-cloud-profile/) #### Features ##### Best rated features - Credit Card Processing: 5/5 - Product Catalog: 5/5 - Separate Checks: 5/5 - Discount Management: 5/5 [See all features](/retail/rpos-cloud-profile/#key-features) #### Pricing ##### Essentials - Price: £39.00/month - A full featured hospitality EPOS with industry focussed reporting, stock management & mobile or ##### Pro - Price: £59.00/month - Full hospitality management suite with built-in booking system, loyalty CRM, staff scheduling tools ##### Partner - Price: £99.00/month - Custom branding and API access for growing brands [See full pricing details](/retail/rpos-cloud-profile/#pricing-and-plans) --- ### [Stockagile](/retail/stockagile-profile/) - Overall rating: 4.7/5 - Reviews: 11 - Starting price: €79.00/month - Free trial: Available - Free demo: Not available #### Overview Stockagile is an all-in-one software that maximizes the profitability of retail businesses by boosting their growth and optimizing their operations. This tool, which connects all [Read more](/retail/stockagile-profile/) #### Features ##### Best rated features - Gift Card Management: 5/5 - Purchasing & Receiving: 5/5 - Reorder Management: 5/5 - Employee Management: 5/5 ##### Worst rated features - Inventory Management: 3/5 - Order Management: 4/5 - Retail Inventory Management: 4/5 - Inventory Auditing: 4/5 [See all features](/retail/stockagile-profile/#key-features) #### Pricing ##### Grow - Price: €79.00/month - Todo lo que necesita tu negocio de retail para crecer sin límites. [See full pricing details](/retail/stockagile-profile/#pricing-and-plans) --- ### [Lightspeed Restaurant](/retail/lightspeed-restaurant-profile/) - Overall rating: 4.4/5 - Reviews: 216 - Starting price: $69.00/month - Best for: Small businesses - Free trial: Available - Free demo: Not available #### Overview Lightspeed Restaurant is a cloud-based point of sale (POS) solution for restaurants suitable for full-or quick-service restaurants, bars, nightclubs, hotel restaurants, cafes and [Read more](/retail/lightspeed-restaurant-profile/) #### Features ##### Best rated features - Promotions Management: 5/5 - Marketing Automation: 5/5 - Accounting: 5/5 - Discount Management: 5/5 ##### Worst rated features - eCommerce Management: 1/5 - Electronic Payments: 2/5 - Employee Management: 2.7/5 - Sales Tax Management: 3/5 [See all features](/retail/lightspeed-restaurant-profile/#key-features) #### Pricing ##### Basic - Price: $69.00/month ##### Essential - Price: $189.00/month ##### Premium - Price: $399.00/month [See full pricing details](/retail/lightspeed-restaurant-profile/#pricing-and-plans) --- 1 [2](https://www.softwareadvice.com/retail/ipad-pos-comparison/?__ai_markdown=true&page=2)[3](https://www.softwareadvice.com/retail/ipad-pos-comparison/?__ai_markdown=true&page=3)[4](https://www.softwareadvice.com/retail/ipad-pos-comparison/?__ai_markdown=true&page=4) ## Popular Comparisons [ Epos Now vs Square Point of Sale ](https://www.softwareadvice.com/retail/epos-now-profile/vs/square-point-of-sale/)[ Clover vs Lightspeed Retail ](https://www.softwareadvice.com/compare/1932-Lightspeed-Retail/vs/61761-clover/)[ Lavu vs Toast POS ](https://www.softwareadvice.com/retail/lavu-profile/vs/toast-pos/)[ Shopify POS vs PHP Point of Sale ](https://www.softwareadvice.com/retail/php-point-of-sale-profile/vs/shopify-pos/)[ TouchBistro vs Lightspeed Restaurant ](https://www.softwareadvice.com/retail/lightspeed-restaurant-profile/vs/touchbistro/) ## Your Guide to Top iPad POS Software, March 2023 Software Advice uses reviews from real software users to highlight the top-rated iPad POS products in North America. [Learn how products are chosen](https://www.softwareadvice.com/legal-page/frontrunners-methodology/) #### Explore FrontRunners - [Loyverse POS](https://www.softwareadvice.com/retail/loyverse-profile/) - [PHP Point of Sale](https://www.softwareadvice.com/retail/php-point-of-sale-profile/) - [Square Point of Sale](https://www.softwareadvice.com/retail/square-point-of-sale-profile/) - [Arryved](https://www.softwareadvice.com/retail/arryved-profile/) - [Gofrugal](https://www.softwareadvice.com/retail/gofrugal-pos-profile/) - [Shopify POS](https://www.softwareadvice.com/retail/shopify-pos-profile/) - [Square for Retail](https://www.softwareadvice.com/retail/square-for-retail-profile/) - [Helcim](https://www.softwareadvice.com/inventory-management/helcim-profile/) - [Lightspeed Retail](https://www.softwareadvice.com/product/1932-Lightspeed-Retail/) - [Clover](https://www.softwareadvice.com/retail/clover-profile/) “Usability” includes user ratings for Functionality and Ease of Use. “Customer Satisfaction” includes user ratings for Customer Support, Likelihood to Recommend and Value for Money. Reviews analysis period: The reviews analysis period spans two years and ends the 15th of the month prior to publication. ## Send me a copy of this list to my inbox ### Get a copy of this list with pricing info sent to your inbox so you can pick up where you left off when convenient to you. In this guide we'll cover: [What is an iPad POS system?](#WhatisaniPadPOSsystem) [Deployment Options](#DeploymentOptions) [Benefits and Potential Issues](#BenefitsandPotentialIssues) [Market Trends to Understand](#MarketTrendstoUnderstand) [Hardware](#Hardware) Note: This guide covers POS systems specifically with respect to Apple's iPad. For POS solutions that may work for other tablets, see our tablet POS guide; and for systems that can run on any mobile device (including smartphones), see our mobile POS (mPOS) guide. ## What is an iPad POS system? An iPad point-of-sale (POS) system is POS software specifically designed for use on Apple's iPad. The iPad's attractive design, user-friendly interface, and relatively affordable setup and maintenance costs make iPad POS systems an appealing choice for retail operations. As a result, more and more point-of-sale vendors are releasing iPad applications for their POS systems. However, no iPad POS solution is perfect. Each type of deployment has its benefits and drawbacks. ## Deployment Options **Web-based systems.** With this deployment option, users access a vendor's point-of-sale application by logging into the system via a Web browser (e.g., Chrome, Firefox etc.). The benefit of this type of application is that retailers don't have to worry about software updates and backups. While many Web-based point-of-sale applications are responsive-developed to be viewable on a variety of devices at different resolutions—they may not be developed specifically for iPad, so the experience may not be flawless. **Remote access.** In a remote access point-of-sale environment, the system is hosted in a central location and is accessed remotely via a virtual private network (VPN). It's important to note that remote managed applications are prone to "back door" attacks and should comply with Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards, more commonly referred to as PCI compliance. This deployment option is becoming less commonplace. **Native iPad apps.** Native iPad point of sale applications are developed specifically for iOS powered devices and deliver the best possible user experience. Native applications are installed directly to the iPad or other Apple device. The benefit is these applications are typically fast and reliable. The downside is they may require fees to upgrade and manual updating. ## Benefits and Potential Issues iPad POS systems are often great solutions for retail start-ups, small retail operations and mobile retailers (e.g., food truck vendors) because they're easy to implement, scalable and affordable compared to traditional POS systems. _Product grid view in Lightspeed_ However, reporting and inventory management for some point-of-sale solutions, Square for example, are limited or non-existent. Retailers who handle large amounts of cash, require detailed reporting capabilities or use many external devices, such as signature pads, bar code readers and displays, may prefer a traditional POS system for handling transactions. Fortunately, many traditional providers now offer iPad applications or support via one of the deployment models mentioned above. Retailers that adopt the right types of iPad POS software for their operations stand to benefit in many ways, such as: **Low upfront costs.** Equipment and software for a single user iPad POS system can cost between $1,000 and $3,500, depending on hardware requirements and number of terminals. **Increased mobility.** Because iPad devices are portable, retailers are free to move the checkout to the customer to provide faster service. This is especially important in restaurant operations and non-traditional storefronts, such as food trucks and pop-up markets, where a traditional POS system that lacks portability is inconvenient. **Improved data management.** With an iPad POS system, retailers can efficiently manage receipts, credit card information and customer data. Additionally, these types of systems often include real-time tracking of sales data, so managers always have up-to-date information for making operational decisions. Retailers that fail to realize some of these core benefits often do so because they: - Do not have the right infrastructure in place to support integration of software systems from different vendors. - Do not adequately prepare staff for adoption of new software. - Fail to properly train staff on how to leverage the software's full scope of features and functionality. ## Markets Trends to Understand **E-payments and mobile wallet.** In a Hospitality Technology report on POS software trends, 62.5 percent of respondents said enabling new payment options was a key motivator for pursuing a POS upgrade. At the same time, 35.6 percent of respondents said mobile wallet integration is a top feature they will look for when purchasing new point-of-sale software. There are many iPad POS systems available on the market which include electronic payment options. **Cloud software.** From the same report, 40.7 percent of respondents said they want to centralize their POS data and will look at cloud and hosted software solutions to meet that need. Cloud-based point of sale software makes it easier for retailers to operate using new and secure technology, have instant access to sales data and scale up by way of integrating value add modules, such gift cards and loyalty reward programs. With a cloud-based system, there's no need to manage a secure server, schedule data backups or depend on administrators for upgrades. ## Hardware When calculating the cost of iPad point-of-sale software, it's important to include hardware equipment costs. Make sure hardware choices are compatible by contacting the vendor. Common POS hardware components include: | Feature | Description | | --- | --- | | Tablets | iPad POS software typically supports iPad, iPad Mini and iPad Touch. Apple's tablets are often considered pricy compared to others, with costs ranging from $229 for an iPad Mini to $499 and more for iPads. | | Stands and mounts | iPad stands and mounts position and protect the devices. Costs typically range between $49 and $349, with high-end models reaching price points from $500 to $1,000 range. | | Card reader | Most iPad POS software packages include a credit card reader. When purchased separately, card readers typically have price tags between $10 and $100. | | Barcode scanner | iPads have a built-in camera that can serve as a barcode scanner. Retailers who scan barcodes frequently may prefer a handheld or mounted scanner, however. Costs typically range from $170 to $529 per device. | | Receipt printer | iPad compatible receipt and label printer costs range from $299 to $479. | | Cash drawer | Depending on your security requirements, cash drawer prices typically range between $100 and $299. | --- ### Related iPad POS Software - [Bar POS Software](https://www.softwareadvice.com/retail/bar-pos-software-comparison/) - [Point of Sale Software](https://www.softwareadvice.com/retail/web-based-point-of-sale-software-comparison/) - [Restaurant POS Software](https://www.softwareadvice.com/retail/restaurant-pos-software-comparison/) - [Retail POS System Software](https://www.softwareadvice.com/retail/) - [iPad Kiosk Software](https://www.softwareadvice.com/retail/touch-screen-pos-software-comparison/)