Shopify POS is a point-of-sale app that syncs your in-person sales with your Shopify online store. It’s included free (as “POS Lite”) with every Shopify plan starting at $39/month, or you can add “POS Pro” for $89/month per location for deeper staff, inventory, and omnichannel tools. Expect to pay $49–$450+ for hardware, plus a 2.4%–2.6% in-person transaction fee depending on your plan.
What Is Shopify POS?
Shopify POS is a point-of-sale application that lets you sell products in person — in a store, at a market, or from a pop-up while keeping your inventory, customer profiles, and sales reports in sync with your Shopify online store.
It runs on iPad and Android devices. Every sale you ring up in person updates the same stock count that customers see on your website, so you’re never overselling an item that just walked out the door.
That’s the core pitch: one system for online and offline sales, instead of two disconnected ones.
How Much Does Shopify POS Really Cost?
This is where most buyers get confused, because “Shopify POS” isn’t one price; it’s layered on top of your Shopify subscription, plus an optional Pro add-on, plus transaction fees.
POS Lite vs. POS Pro what’s actually included
POS Lite comes bundled into every Shopify plan at no extra cost. It covers the basics: ringing up sales, accepting payments, and syncing inventory. Staff accounts and returns are limited, and customer profiles stay fairly simple.
POS Pro costs $89/month per location ($67/month if you pay annually) and adds unlimited staff accounts, granular staff permissions, deeper customer profiles and loyalty tools, and more advanced in-store reporting. It’s not available on the Starter plan. You need at least Basic Shopify to add it.
Shopify plan pricing (which POS rides on top of)
| Plan | Monthly cost | Annual cost | In-person transaction fee | POS Pro available? |
| Starter | $5/mo | 5% | No | |
| Basic | $39/mo | $29/mo | 2.6% + 10¢ | Yes (+$89/mo) |
| Grow (Shopify) | $105/mo | $79/mo | 2.5% + 10¢ | Yes (+$89/mo) |
| Advanced | $399/mo | $299/mo | 2.4% + 10¢ | Yes (+$89/mo) |
| Shopify Plus | From ~$2,300/mo | Custom | Custom | Included |
Pricing reflects publicly listed 2026 rates from Shopify and NerdWallet’s Shopify pricing coverage; always confirm current figures on Shopify’s official pricing page before purchasing, since providers adjust rates periodically.
Is Shopify POS free? Shopify POS Lite is included at no extra charge with any paid Shopify plan (plans start at $39/month for most retailers, or $5/month on the limited Starter tier). You still pay your regular Shopify subscription and per-transaction card processing fees; there’s no version of Shopify POS that’s entirely free to run.
Shopify POS Hardware What You’ll Actually Spend
Software pricing is only half the budget. You also need physical hardware to take payments in person, and this is where costs can creep.
| Hardware component | Typical cost |
| Tap & Chip Card Reader | $49 |
| Shopify POS Terminal (all-in-one) | $349 |
| Verifone Victa Mobile with dock | $449 |
| POS Hub (connects printer/scanner/drawer) | $69 |
| iPad (required for most setups) | $429–$1,599 |
| Barcode scanner | $229–$329 |
| Receipt printer | $100–$550 |
| Cash drawer | $50–$200 |
A basic mobile setup a Tap & Chip Reader plus an iPad you already own — can cost as little as $49. A full countertop register with a printer, scanner, and cash drawer typically runs $600–$1,200, not including the iPad. Shopify also offers hardware financing and a rental program starting around $9/day for temporary or seasonal selling.
One important 2026 detail: Shopify is retiring POS Go’s mobile-selling function, so if you’re buying new floor-selling hardware, the Verifone Victa Mobile is the current recommended replacement rather than POS Go.
Shopify POS vs. Square vs. Clover Which Fits Your Business?
If Shopify POS is the only system you’re evaluating, you’re doing it wrong. Square and Clover both compete directly, and the “best” choice depends on whether your business is online-first or in-person-first.
| Factor | Shopify POS | Square |
| Starting monthly cost | $39/mo minimum (Basic plan) | $0 (free basic tier) |
| In-person transaction fee | 2.4%–2.6% + 10¢ | 2.6% + 15¢ |
| Free starter hardware | No | Yes |
| Ecommerce integration | Deep built into the same platform | Add-on via Square Online |
| Best fit | Businesses that sell online and in-person and want one system | Businesses that sell mostly in person, or need free/low-cost entry |
Square typically wins on upfront cost and simplicity for a single-location, in-person-only business; its free tier requires no monthly subscription. Shopify POS tends to win for retailers who already sell (or plan to sell) online, because inventory, customers, and orders live in one place instead of two systems you have to reconcile manually.
Clover sits closer to Square in pricing structure but leans harder into restaurant and food-service workflows, which isn’t Shopify POS’s strength.
The honest takeaway: if ecommerce is central to your business, Shopify POS’s integration advantage is hard to replicate elsewhere. If you sell almost entirely in person and want the lowest possible entry cost, Square deserves a serious look before you commit.
What Real Users Say Verified Pros and Cons
Marketing pages will tell you Shopify POS is seamless. Verified reviews on the App Store, Capterra, and G2 tell a more textured story and it’s worth reading before you buy, not after.
Review scores as of 2026: Shopify POS holds a 4.5-out-of-5 rating from roughly 7,500 App Store reviewers, a 4.4/5 on G2 (315+ reviews), and 4.7/5 on Capterra (217 reviews).
What users consistently praise:
- Real-time inventory sync between online and in-store sales repeatedly cited as the single biggest reason merchants switch to or stay with Shopify POS
- Fast staff onboarding and an easy-to-customize checkout screen
- Omnichannel features like buy-online-pickup-in-store and local delivery
What users consistently flag as friction:
- Card reader connectivity issues reviewers describe contactless payments intermittently failing and needing manual entry as a workaround, which is awkward mid-transaction
- Hardware costs adding up especially for sellers who work multiple markets, pop-ups, or events and need duplicate equipment
- The Android app trails the iOS app in reliability, according to multiple reviewers if you’re choosing a device, iPad is the safer bet
- Occasional account-review or payout-hold incidents reported by individual merchants, which is a real operational risk worth understanding before you route all your payment processing through one provider
None of this means Shopify POS is a bad product — its aggregate ratings are strong. But going in with realistic expectations about hardware reliability and support response times will save you frustration in month one.
Does Shopify POS Work Offline?
Shopify POS includes an offline mode for temporary connectivity loss: transactions are stored locally on the device and sync automatically once your internet connection returns. However, real-time inventory updates across multiple locations, and syncing with your online store, only happen while you’re connected so offline mode is a safety net for outages, not a way to run a permanently disconnected store.
Who Should (and Shouldn’t) Use Shopify POS
Good fit if you:
- Already run, or plan to run, an online Shopify store alongside physical selling
- Need inventory to update in real time across web and in-person channels
- Plan to scale to multiple locations eventually
- Want buy-online-pickup-in-store or ship-from-store capability
Look elsewhere if you:
- Sell almost exclusively in person and want the lowest possible monthly cost (Square’s free tier likely beats Shopify’s $39/month minimum)
- Run a restaurant or food-service business needing kitchen display systems and table management as a core feature that’s not Shopify POS’s strength
- Have zero interest in ecommerce, now or later, and just need a simple cash register replacement
How to Set Up Shopify POS in 5 Steps
- Choose your Shopify plan and confirm POS needs. Decide whether POS Lite (included) covers you, or whether you need POS Pro for multi-staff or multi-location features.
- Download the Shopify POS app on an iPad or Android device from the App Store or Google Play.
- Connect your card reader. Pair it via Bluetooth in the app’s settings — Shopify-branded readers are required; third-party card readers from other providers aren’t supported.
- Add your printer, scanner, or cash drawer. Most connect through a POS Hub or directly via USB, depending on the model.
- Set up staff PINs and process a test sale. Confirm inventory updates correctly on your online store before going live on the floor.
Most single-location retailers can complete this in under a day, especially with Shopify-branded hardware, which is built for plug-and-play compatibility.
Conclusion
Shopify POS is included free (as Lite) with every paid Shopify plan starting at $39/month, with POS Pro available for $89/month per location if you need advanced staff and reporting tools. Budget $49 for a basic card reader up to $1,200 for a full countertop setup. It’s the strongest choice if you sell or plan to sell both online and in person; if you sell almost exclusively face-to-face, compare it directly against Square’s free tier before you commit.
FAQs
What does POS stand for?
POS stands for point of sale the moment and place a transaction is completed. A POS system today includes both the software that processes the sale and the hardware (card reader, printer, scanner) used to complete it.
Is Shopify POS good for a small business?
Yes, for small businesses that sell or plan to sell online too. Its main strength is unifying online and in-person inventory and sales data, which matters less if you sell exclusively in person.
Can I use Shopify POS without an iPad?
Yes. Shopify POS also runs on Android tablets and phones, though multiple reviewers report the iOS app is more stable and better supported than the Android version.
Does Shopify POS charge extra fees beyond my subscription?
Yes. Beyond your monthly Shopify plan, you’ll pay an in-person transaction fee (2.4%–2.6% + 10¢, depending on your plan) unless you negotiate custom rates on Shopify Plus.
How is Shopify POS different from a regular cash register?
A cash register only records transactions and holds cash. Shopify POS processes payments, tracks inventory in real time, stores customer data, generates sales reports, and syncs everything with your online store. It’s a full business management tool, not just a till.
