Shopify POS Review 2023: Pros, Cons & Pricing

Shopify POS is an industry-leading point-of-sale solution with the best ecommerce features and integrations on the market, according to our in-house team of researchers. While Shopify’s built-in web builder and powerful sales tools make it an asset to online and omnichannel retailers, it's still a great choice for brick-and-mortar locations thanks to its robust stock and employee management capabilities.

However, Shopify POS doesn’t let users get started for free, unlike other providers like Square and Zettle. To unlock most of Shopify’s advanced features like low stock alerts and daily sale reports, you’ll need to shell out for its $79 per month retail plan. Shopify only offers retail plans, too, making it less appropriate for restaurants and other service businesses.

This Shopify POS review covers everything you need to know about the solution, including its pricing plans, features, pros, cons, and how it weighs up to other systems on the market. Scroll down to find find out what our researchers thought of Shopify. 

Not a retail business? Use our free POS comparison tool to find a more suitable POS that caters to your industry.

In this review:

• Shopify POS Review: The Basics
• Shopify POS Features
• Shopify POS Set Up and Customer Support
• Shopify Add-Ons and Integrations 
• Shopify POS Hardware
• Shopify POS Plans and Pricing
• Shopify POS Pros and Cons
• Alternatives to Shopify POS
• Our Research and Methodology
• Shopify POS Review: The Verdict
• Shopify POS FAQs

Shopify POS Review: The Basics

Shopify POS software is the best system for businesses interested in selling their products in-person and online, according to our research. In comparison to other POS providers like Square, Lightspeed, Clover and Vend, Shopify POS is the most versatile when it comes to integrating your in-store and online sales.

The software syncs directly with the Shopify ecommerce platform and comes with unlimited product inventory, tracking across all platforms, customer profiles, reporting, automatic inventory updates and more. It's also easy to pick up, and simple to use, making the learning curve for employees who are new to the software even smoother.

In terms of performance, it scored high in all the areas we consider to be most important to ecommerce businesses with excellent stock management features, 24/7 help and support, and dedicated in-person and online loyalty systems.

It's not the cheapest POS system though, which can be a bummer if you're a business with a particularly tight budget.  In addition to the monthly fee, Shopify also charges a set percentage of the revenue from each transaction. However, since Shopify doesn't price up its monthly fees with each additional staff account used, the overall cost remains competitive within the POS industry.

Still, if you're familiar with the platform and are already using a Shopify online store, Shopify POS is a great addition to your roster – equipped with valuable omnichannel integrations and a intuitive mobile app. Let's take a closer look at how it works.

How Does Shopify POS Work?

Shopify POS is essentially an app that you can download to your Android or Apple iOS devices.  This will allow you to sell the services and products you sell in your online store, in person, too. With the Shopify POS app,  you'll be able to take customer orders, accept payments, manage customer profiles, inventory and track sales —just as you would with a Shopify online store, making the customer journey from your online to in-person store even more seamless. You will need a Shopify e-commerce account to get started though, but once you're in, even if you choose not to sell online, you'll have access to all of Shopify's benefits.

Since its first release in 2013, Shopify has come a long way, allowing users to manage their sales remotely. There isn't a Shopify POS desktop version, but in todays day and age, we're not even sure you would need one.  In comparison to other POS providers, like Vend, Shopify is pretty dependent on 3rd party integrations, but because its a globally recognised brand, when we compared it to other providers on features and benefits alone, it was easy to see that its perks for ecommerce businesses do make up for its downfalls.

Shopify POS Features

Shopify is available in two plans: Shopify POS Lite and Shopify POS Pro. Both plans require a Shopify ecommerce account, but come with a large number of business benefits, including a whole host of free business tools like a barcode generator, shipping label templates, profit margin calculator and more. The features you get will depend on the package you choose, but both Shopify POS Lite and Shopify POS Pro include unlimited products, staff discounts, free SSL certificate, abandoned cart recovery and 24/7 support. To investigate, we tested every feature available to see how Shopify POS could benefit your business. Here's what we found.

Ecommerce

Photo: Shopify website builder

Whether you pick Shopify POS Lite or Pro, you'll need a Shopify ecommerce account to get started. Because of that, you'll also have the advantage of getting your own online Shopify store, which is great news: Shopify just happens to be the best ecommerce website builder on the market! Whether you choose to sell online, or stick with a store you already have, you can still use your ecommerce account to streamline your processes and manage your inventory —  which is a big advantage.

Still, given its seamless ecommerce integrations and the ability to sync customer transactions across channels, it just makes sense to use Shopify POS with its ecommerce platform. With an account, you'll be able to set up and customize your own ecommerce website and blog, which will ultimately help you broaden your customer reach. Shopify's website builder also comes with a useful drag-and-drop store editor, which makes building a professional website as quick as it gets.

You'll also be able to integrate your store accounts on Amazon and eBay, as well as social media channels. A mobile app syncs instantly with the main POS dashboard, too, letting managers view and make changes while on the go.

Photo: Shopify magic blog post tool. Source: shopify.com

Sales and payments

Like most POS packages, Shopify POS software and hardware do come at a cost, but at least the Shopify POS card reader is free, allowing you to accept Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover. Something we'd have liked to see from Shopify POS is more payment options — Square and TouchBistro both feature contactless payments, and Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Samsung Pay would be a great free addition to Shopify's POS offering, but at least the option is available with the Shopify Tap & Chip Card Reader.

Bill-splitting, cash, partial payments, and store credit are all supported features with Shopify though, which is great. Custom payment options aren't included but can be added — which we found especially useful for store owners who want to accept checks or IOUs.

What payment methods can customers use?

Photo: Shopify point of sale in action. Source: shopify.com

All Shopify plans come with Shopify Payments — a fully integrated merchant services processor for card payments, compatible with Shopify POS. Processing rates vary, depending on your plan, but in-person rates are between 2.4 and 2.7%. The Shopify POS Lite plan will lock you into the Shopify Payments processor, but with Shopify POS Pro, you'll have a choice of over 100 payment providers. Users can choose from Worldpay, 2Checkout, Amazon Pay, DigiPay, Braintree, CyberSource, Paypal Express Checkout, and more.

When it comes to online orders, a customer's shipping address can be logged in their account for the future, and receipts can be emailed as well as printed. Shopify's payment options are expansive, compared to other POS systems we've tested out. However, our POS frontrunner Square offers just as many flexible payment options, including QR payment options and buy now, pay later (BNPL) services.

Inventory

The best thing about Shopify is that it is constantly updating and improving its system. Since our first Shopify POS review, its inventory has massively improved, and now includes multi-location management, plus QR code shopping and online ordering for curbside pickup on Shopify Pro.

We'll explain how it works in more detail below.

Photo: Shopify stock tracking features. Source: shopify.com

The inventory management feature allows you to view your inventory, adjust your inventory counts and create transfers. Products can be listed by category, type, season, sale or more, and barcodes can be quickly assigned as new products are added. Variations on products can also be added, if a change in size, color or material needs to be noted, and every product variation can be given a new price, SKU, and weight as well. You can also view the inventory history of inventory adjustments for products and variants whose inventory is being tracked on Shopify.

For ease of use, products can be added or restocked straight from the mobile app, which is perfect for businesses with more than one location, or for staff on the move.

In comparison to other providers, our research team felt Shopify performed especially well in this category, scoring it 5/5 for its stock management capabilities alone – placing it on equal footing with providers like Square and Clover.

However, large businesses or those with complex inventories may be better off going for Lightspeed instead of Shopify, as the POS offers a number of stand-out capabilities from Excel and CVS data imports to its own Supplier Network.

Analytics and reporting

Shopify POS comes equipped with multiple analytical tools, including a sales dashboard. The POS dashboard tracks and displays the latest sales, orders, and traffic, letting managers know how their business is growing.

Analytics reports can be created both for products (telling managers which items are selling best and when) and for retail (telling managers which staffers sell the most, which customers return the most, and which location does the best overall).

Photo: Shopify POS Reports overview. Source: shopify.com

Loyalty and marketing

Customer profiles are automatically created with each new order, and can follow a customer across their online and physical purchase histories, allowing you to learn more about your audience. This is especially important for businesses who are interested in growth — with more insights about your customer behaviour, you'll be able to select, create and sell more products based on their activity.

Email addresses can be also collected with each new account. This can then be used in email marketing campaigns to bolster return visits and increase your potential earnings.

In addition to the above, discount codes can be created and applied via the Shopify POS. Gift cards are also supported and can be redeemed in-store or online, though this feature isn't available on the Basic Shopify plan.

Shopify POS Hardware

Like most POS software, Shopify hardware does come at an extra cost but you'll only need a card reader to get started, so it's great that the Shopify card reader is completely free. With a card reader you'll be able to take payments from your smartphone or tablet on the Shopify POS app — but you can choose to boost your POS game with connecting hardware accessories like barcode scanners, printers and cash drawers.

All Shopify hardware comes with a 1-year warranty, 24/7 support, plus free shipping and returns, which makes its more worthwhile in the long run. If you're using an Android device, you'll need a Swipe card reader, but if you're on Apple iOS you'll just need the Shopify POS app.

Shopify POS Chip and Swipe Reader

Shopify's Chip and Swipe Reader comes free with a payment plan. Together with the mobile app, Shopify POS users will be ready to take payments and sell from just about anywhere — farmer's markets, kiosks, storefront — you name it. The pocket-sized device takes chip cards or swipeable mag stripes.

Here's a quick video to give you a feel for what this hardware option looks like.

Set Up and Customer Support

Shopify's support team is available to users of any payment plan by email, live chat and phone, for 24 hours a day, seven days a week. That's about as comprehensive a support team as any POS user can hope for.

Online resources include guides, a help center, a community discussion forum, and — in what is, to my knowledge, a first for POS services — multiple podcasts aimed at educating and entertaining Shopify users.

Another online resource accessible via Shopify's website is the Shopify Academy, a free online training program that lets users learn both how to use the service itself, and how to expand their business more broadly. The on-demand courses include lessons like how to grow a business with Instagram or how to “build a print-on-demand empire.”

Support and training

Add-Ons and integrations

One of the things we liked most about Shopify is that its app store is filled with thousands of add-on apps for accounting, marketing and reporting, which are constantly being updated  — allowing you to stay ahead of the competition. Apps our team found to be most useful included the no-contact delivery option, free loyalty program, and the newly added Shopify Balance add-on —  a small business banking solution than can integrate directly with your Shopify account. Some of the apps do cost extra though, so it's worth prioritizing the features you need most. Still, you'll have plenty of options to choose from, which is something we look for when reviewing a product.

Shopify POS Plans and Pricing

Shopify offers two POS plans: Shopify POS Lite and Shopify POS Pro. Both plans require a Shopify ecommerce account, but only a Shopify Basic plan and above will include an ecommerce store.

Shopify POS Lite is included in all monthly Shopify plans, except Lite, so there's no extra cost to use the Lite point of sale software. Shopify POS Pro on the other hand will cost an additional $89 per month on top of the basic ecommerce fees, unless you buy a Shopify Pro ecommerce plan. So, how does this compare to other POS plans? To be honest, it's not the best price that we've seen. In comparison to Zettle and Square, Shopify doesn't offer the most competitive pricing package — because of this, we could only give it a score of 2.2/5 for its price. While there are benefits for ecommerce and retail stores, if you're not using Shopify's web builder or looking to integrate or expand your retail business online, you might be better off with other POS software.

Let's take a closer look at the pricing plans below.

Basic Shopify plans starts at $29 per month, supports up to two staff accounts and includes a free card reader and mobile app. In addition to the monthly fee, however, users will be charged an additional 2.9% + 30¢ of the revenue from each online credit card transaction, 2.7% from each in-person credit card sale, and 2% of revenue from any payment provider other than Shopify.

The price for the Shopify plan jumps up to $79 per month, which covers up to five staffers and supports more advanced reporting features and gift cards. Payment fees are a slightly better deal, however, at 2.6% + 30¢ of each online credit card sale, 2.5% of each in-person credit card sale, and 1% from each sale through a third-party payment provider.

The Advanced plan will run you $299 per month, supporting fifteen staffers and further reducing payment fees. Users will be charged 2.4% + 30¢ for each online credit card purchase, 2.4% for each in-person one, and 0.5% for each sale via a third-party payment provider.

Shopify Plus is the most expensive plan at $2,000 per month, but it's not something we'd recommend for smaller businesses. All Shopify plus accounts, reporting, transaction fees and inventory locations are bespoke – allowing high-volume businesses to tailor their Shopify package to their needs.

Your business's staff size is a key factor to consider when looking at plans, given that the Basic Shopify plan allows two staff accounts, the main Shopify plan allows five, and the Advanced Shopify plan allows fifteen. Given that most POS vendors' plans charge extra for each individual account or register added, Shopify's set monthly prices could be considered better value to a business the more staff members it has (unless it surpasses fifteen, that is), but you could always sign up for a 14-day free Shopify trial to help make your decision.

Interested in seeing how Shopify's price stacks up to its competition? Find out how much POS systems typically cost here.

Shopify POS Pros and Cons

One of the biggest benefits of Shopify POS is its flexibility and multichannel integration. With more businesses moving online, it's the perfect tool for businesses that are looking for a way to integrate their online and in-store sales more seamlessly.

Shopify POS Pro now offers online ordering for curbside pickup, QR code shopping and multi-location management, which allows businesses to be more mobile and competitive in a post-pandemic world.

Another thing Shopify does really well is deliver great customer help and support. After testing the POS out, our team awarded Shopify POS a score of 5/5 for its customer support offering, due to its 24/7 customer support line, online help centre, useful video tutorials, FAQs and extensive community forums — which we found especially helpful when we were testing out its features. It's also really use-friendly, simple to use, and quick to set up, making the onboarding process for businesses even smoother. 

Areas where Shopify falls short include is in its offline offering. Without an internet connection, you won't be able to create or important products, sync orders, manage your existing inventory, or accept credit card payments. You can still accept custom and cash payments if you're logged in on iOS already, but you won't be able to do much more than that without a backup connection.

See our summary of Shopify POS pros and cons below.

Alternatives to Shopify POS

While Shopify is one of the best POS systems on the market, and its ecommerce functions give it a unique twist, it isn't the only good POS option on the market. If you're not interested in multichannel selling or integrated payment processing, rival POS systems, like Square and Lightspeed, might be a better fit for your business.

Lightspeed, for example, works with loads of different third-party services to expand the number of features on offer. Square, on the other hand, has significant brand recognition and a large community of users — they can help you find solutions for any problems you might encounter.

Check out our full guide to the best retail POS systems here, or if your business has more specific POS needs — our POS comparison tool can help match you to your ideal solution. Let's take a look at the main Shopify rivals below.

Our research and methodology

Before we get started, it's important to know that our rating isn't based on just a hunch or my opinion. We have a whole team of experts dedicated to testing and researching every product we recommend, to ensure that we provide the most up-to-date and accurate information.

Our only goal is to help businesses succeed, and we know that having the right tools and information can save costs in the long run. Not every product we review will be the right product for you, but we do our best to ensure that we test all the right criteria, so that you have the best options available.

Based on our research and analysis, we know that Shopify is the best POS for ecommerce because it scored high in all the categories we'd recommend as of importance to ecommerce businesses. In our testing it scored 4/5 overall, with 5/5 in stock management, 4.8/5 in help and support, and 4/5 for both till and business management.  In this review, we'll talk a little more about what these scores mean, and how they compare to other POS software, like Vend, Square, Lightspeed and Clover. But first, we'll explain more about how Shopify POS software works.

Frequently Asked Questions