Shopify POS
Strongest when paired with Shopify e-commerce. Basic ($39/mo) includes POS Lite; Shopify ($105/mo) includes POS Pro features. Hardware modest because most setups use iPad + card reader.
What this POS actually costs in Year 1.
*Representative buyer: 1 location · 2 terminals · $40K/mo card volume · ~600 transactions/mo.
Basic Shopify plan $39/mo (includes POS Lite). Shopify plan $105/mo (includes POS Pro). Hardware $49-$599 (iPad-based, modest). Processing 2.6% + $0.10. Year-1 TCO: $9,000-$15,000 INCLUDING ecommerce — among the cheapest in the cohort if ecommerce is also needed.
Why this POS is priced this way.
Shopify POS is genuinely free-with-Shopify if you're already paying for Shopify ecommerce. The POS exists because Shopify wants the unified-commerce story (inventory synced across online and in-store). For Shopify-customer retailers, the POS is essentially included; for non-Shopify retailers, it's not the right buy. The $39/mo Basic tier includes POS Lite (mobile + basic in-store features); $105/mo Shopify tier includes POS Pro (staff management, retail-specific features).
What first-time buyers miss.
Shopify POS is genuinely thinner than Toast/Lightspeed for hospitality applications. Restaurants buying it for the cheap-headline-price often find missing features (no kitchen display system out-of-box, weaker modifiers, less depth on tip pooling). Retail buyers face fewer issues; restaurant buyers should look at Toast or Lightspeed Restaurant instead.
Who this POS fits.
Retailers who already run Shopify ecommerce or plan to. Omnichannel retail where inventory unification matters. NOT for restaurants. NOT for retailers without ecommerce ambition (the value collapses).