Until recently, using a traditional or on-premise point of sale (POS) system was sufficient for most retailers and restaurants. That’s all changing now as businesses are adapting their technologies to keep up with customer demand. It is easy to see why mobile iPad POS systems are catching on in the retail industry.
- Flexibility: The size and mobility of an iPad POS makes it possible for retailers to serve customers wherever they go. This is especially useful for mobile merchants, such as food trucks or pop-up shops.
- Affordability: A traditional POS involves multiple components such as a terminal, display unit, and cash register, whereas an iPad POS involves just a tablet and a subscription which results in a lower price point.
- Ease of use: While traditional and on-premise POS systems can be complex, software on iPads or other tablets often feature a modern and intuitive user interface, improving the overall usability of the system.
To simplify your search, we’ve selected five of the best iPad POS systems for retailers that are *highly rated for ease of use based on our data.
Top 5 iPad POS systems for ease of use
What reviewers like about Lightspeed Retail:
- Most reviewers highlight the system’s ease of set up and use, as well as its straightforward workflow capabilities.
- Others found that the system’s integration between ecommerce storefronts and brick-and-mortar stores allows for seamless inventory control.
Best for: Its customer base runs the gamut of small to medium retailers, from fashion and apparel boutique stores to electronics stores.
Key features: Similar to a regular POS system, this software includes inventory management, integrated payments, reporting and analytics, and integrations with other apps.
*Lightspeed Restaurant customers also have the ability to run their restaurants on a cloud-based iPad POS system with features that present menu items with descriptions, table management, and on-the-spot payments.
What reviewers like about MindBody:
- Reviewers point to its sleek dashboard, user-friendly back-end system, and marketing features.
- Many praise the system for its ability to schedule classes, make payments, and view schedules for multiple fitness studios.
Best for: Fitness studios, health centers, and salons that run their businesses on schedules and online bookings.
Key features: Its features reflect the needs of its core customer base through appointment and event scheduling, text notifications and reminders, and email campaign builders. It also provides a built-in product scanner, receipt printer, as well as accepts credit cards, mobile payments, and gift cards.
What reviewers like about Shopify:
- First-time business owners highlight Shopify as a go-to for its “no-hassle” setup and navigational ease, especially for bootstrap ecommerce sites.
- Several reviewers appreciate the ability to unify their online shops with their brick-and-mortar locations, as well as easy integration with third-party systems and marketplaces.
Best for: Its simple and easy-to-use interface means novice users looking to launch online stores can get set up easily with no hassle. Features can be upgraded as businesses grow.
Key features: It allows integration of ecommerce and brick-and-mortar stores for inventory and sales, provides unlimited bandwidth and online storage, and offers its own own payment gateway service. Retail display stands designed for countertops can also be purchased from Shopify.
What reviewers like about Square:
- Many reviewers appreciate the simplicity and intuitiveness of its user interface and how easy it is to navigate and learn.
- Several users point to the ease of its payment processing as operators have the ability to process payments from the app on their mobile devices.
Best for: A perfect fit for small retailers like coffee shops, ice cream stores, and food trucks with a smaller inventory (fewer than 250 SKUs).
Key features: Its key capabilities include online payment processing, sales reports, inventory, and digital receipts, as well as valuable analytics information.
What reviewers like about Vagaro:
- Several reviewers say its mobile app and widget for Android gives them the ability to easily schedule appointments on the back-end booking system.
- Many speak highly of the efficiency the booking system has brought to their business through the multiple reminders that it sends to clients.
Best for: Companies that runs their businesses on appointments and bookings, such as salons, spas, or fitness centers.
Key features: It manages bookkeeping, payroll, client databases, and inventory management. The system also includes email and text notifications to clients, in addition to automated email marketing.
Next steps to finding the right iPad POS system
Now that you have a good idea of the variety of systems out there, as well as the features to look for, go deeper in your POS search with our comprehensive buyers guide.
You can also visit our iPad POS product page to see more products that may better suit the demands of your business. Or schedule a free consultation with a retail software advisor at your preferred date and time.
Methodology:
To be included, products must have at least 20 reviews created on Software Advice between November 2018 and November 2019, and fall into the top five spots based on averages of ease-of-use ratings from real users. They are arranged in alphabetical order.
