Free POS Systems
Which point of sale systems a startup can sell in person with for free today, with no monthly fee, what each charges per card sale, what the free plan leaves out, whether a card is needed and what the first paid plan costs, read from each provider's own page.
Free allowances read on each provider's own pages, all checked on or after . POS systems change their free plans from time to time: confirm the terms on the provider's page before you rely on it.
POS systems a startup can use for free today include Loyverse (Free POS, optional paid add-ons), Lightspeed Retail (14-day free trial of Retail POS), SumUp (Standard plan: $0 a month), Clover (No software fees for 90 days), and Zettle by PayPal (POS with no monthly or setup fees). Each of the 9 free plans below links to the provider's page that states it, with its main limit, the card processing fees, whether a card is needed and what the first paid plan costs.
A pop-up shop, a market stall, a cafe or a first retail store needs a way to take payments in person and track what sold. Several POS apps have no monthly fee and charge only per card sale, and full POS systems offer a free trial.
The headline rarely tells you how far it goes. Free POS apps make their money on card processing fees, card readers and hardware are usually bought separately, and inventory, reports or more locations sit on paid plans. Each system below shows what is free, its main limit, the card fees, whether a card is needed and what the first paid plan costs, quoted from the provider's own page with the date we read it.
Which systems we picked and the order they appear in are our editorial choices; the terms are the providers'. Some of these providers pay us a referral commission when someone signs up through our link: those links are labeled, and they play no part in which systems are listed or where.
POS apps with a free plan
Sell in person with no monthly fee, paying only processing on card sales.
- 1
Loyverse
Owners who need basic sales with no monthly bill
Loyverse is free to use, with optional paid add-ons. Sales reports cover only the last 31 days, and card payments start at From 1.99% + 15¢.
- Payment card
- No credit card needed (source: loyverse.com)
- First paid plan
- Add-ons from $7/month per store (source: loyverse.com)
- 2
SumUp
Small shops that take cards in person on one register
SumUp's POS Lite has a Standard plan at $0 per month. You buy the hardware for $499 and pay the usual 2.60% + 10¢ transaction fee, and the POS Plus plan costs $49 per month for more features.
- First paid plan
- POS Plus: $49 a month, more features (source: sumup.com)
- 3
Zettle by PayPal
Sellers who want a POS app with no monthly bill
Zettle by PayPal's point of sale has no monthly or setup fees. Its card reader costs $29 for the first one, and card-present payments are charged at 2.29% + $0.09 per transaction.
Start free at Zettle by PayPalTerms read on paypal.com on Zettle by PayPal: the free allowance and how to start - 4
Helcim
Merchants who also want Helcim for card processing
Helcim POS software is included when you sign up for your free Helcim account. You only pay a one-time cost for the Helcim Card Reader.
- 5
eHopper
US shops that will process cards through eHopper
eHopper gives its POS software free to US merchants who sign up for its credit card processing. Its card processing is offered at 0 percent for the merchant, and the Essential Plus software plan costs $14.99 a month if you need it later.
- Main limit
- US merchants only (source: ehopper.com)
- First paid plan
- Essential Plus: $14.99 a month (source: ehopper.com)
- 6
Imonggo
Small shops with a modest number of sales lines
Imonggo remains free for small businesses. Its paid Premium plan has a monthly billing cost of $30 per branch, and the free plan covers less than 1,000 transaction lines in a month.
- First paid plan
- Premium: $30 a month per branch (source: imonggo.com)
POS systems with a free trial
Try a full POS system free before you pay a monthly plan.
- 1
Lightspeed Retail
Retailers who want a 14-day look before paying
Lightspeed Retail offers a 14-day free trial with no credit card needed. Its Basic plan is listed at 89 USD a month, and the card-present rate through Lightspeed Payments is 1.5%.
- Payment card
- No credit card needed (source: lightspeedhq.com)
- First paid plan
- Basic: from 89 USD a month (source: lightspeedhq.com)
Start free at LightspeedTerms read on lightspeedhq.com on Lightspeed Retail: the free allowance and how to start - 2
Clover
Qualified businesses that the promotion covers
Clover's promotion gives qualified merchants no SaaS subscription fees during a 90-day trial. Its card rate is as little as 2.3% + 10¢ per transaction.
- 3
KORONA POS
Shops that want an unlimited trial with no card
KORONA POS offers an unlimited free trial with no credit card required. Its Core plan is listed at $59 per month per terminal, and inventory features are on the Retail plan.
- What's free
- Unlimited free trial (source: koronapos.com)
- Payment card
- No credit card required (source: koronapos.com)
- First paid plan
- Core: $59 a month per terminal (source: koronapos.com)
Start free at KORONA POSTerms read on koronapos.com on KORONA POS: the free allowance and how to start
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How this comparison is built
The list covers point of sale systems a founder can use for free today without applying to a program. The order and the "best for" notes are our editorial reading of each system's terms. Every term comes from the system's own pricing or help page on the date shown, never from a third-party list; follow each link for the full conditions. Card processing fees on each sale, hardware sold separately, inventory or multi-location kept for paid plans, a short trial instead of a free plan can matter more than the headline, so the comparison quotes them wherever the provider states them. Some of these systems pay StartupPerks a referral commission, and their links are labeled as referral links; that decides neither whether nor where a system appears, and no system pays for a placement on this page.
Read the full methodologyCommon questions
What is the best free POS system?
By the terms each provider states, Loyverse is a free POS with optional paid add-ons, SumUp's Standard plan is $0 a month, Zettle by PayPal has no monthly or setup fees, Helcim gives free POS software with a free account, and Imonggo is a free online POS for small businesses.
What does a free POS charge per sale?
Loyverse card sales start from 1.99% + 15¢, SumUp charges 2.6% + 10¢ per in-person card sale, and Zettle by PayPal 2.29% + $0.09 per card-present sale.
Is SumUp POS free?
SumUp's Standard plan is $0 a month, with 2.6% + 10¢ per in-person card sale; its hardware is $499, bought separately, and POS Plus is $49 a month.
Which POS systems have a free trial?
Lightspeed Retail has a 14-day free trial with no credit card needed, KORONA POS an unlimited free trial, and Clover no software fees for 90 days for selected business types.
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