The Best Android POS Systems

It’s hard to find any other Android POS system better than Square. The software itself is free to use and you’ll get a free card reader when you create an account. Most of the features you need to run a business are included at no added cost. You will have to pay processing fees for each sales transaction, but Square makes it easy to know what you owe with flat fees.

• In person: 2.6% plus $0.10
• Online: 2.9% plus $0.30
• Manual key: 3.5% plus $0.15

If you want to expand Square’s functionality with marketing or payroll apps, you can do so with add-ons that range from $5 to $45 per month. There are also third-party apps in Square’s marketplace, some of which are free, to help you with business management.

Learn more: Read our full Square review.

Who should use it:

With all of what Square has to offer, it’s a viable and affordable solution for businesses that prefer Android devices, whether you’re selling in person at a store, online or at pop-up shops. Its flat-fee pricing makes it particularly attractive to new small businesses.

Shopify is one of the first POS systems one thinks of for e-commerce sales, but Shopify is more versatile than that. Shopify POS works well as an Android POS for your smartphone or tablet, whether you’re selling at a farmers market or a brick-and-mortar location too. You’ll have to pay for your own hardware, including card readers, but devices are relatively affordable. Shopify Payments provides a way for you to complete sales transactions without having to connect your own third-party payment processor, but the rates can be high.

• Basic Plan
  • Online: 2.9% plus $0.30
  • In person: 2.7%
• Grow Plan
  • Online: 2.6% plus $0.30
  • In person: 2.5%
• Advanced Plan
  • Online: 2.4% plus $0.30
  • In person: 2.4%

If you’re selling high tickets and high volume, even the discount you get with the Advanced plan can be expensive compared to having your own merchant account. Plus, plans are kind of expensive to start: $39 to $399 per month. It’s worth noting that if you do choose to go with a third-party payment processor, you have to pay Shopify 0.5% to 2% per transaction, anyway. So, it still may be cheaper to stick with Shopify Payments if you’re sold on its Android POS system.

The good news is that Shopify’s POS system comes with so many features on each plan, so you might not mind paying for it. You’ll get a website with an online store on which you can list an unlimited number of products. The inventory management is excellent and syncs your sales between online and off-line, so you don’t oversell.

Upgrading your Shopify POS plan may be necessary as your business grows because you may need more advanced reporting, additional staff logins and more inventory locations. The higher up you go with your subscription, the greater the discounts you get on processing and shipping rates.

Learn more: Read our full Shopify review.

Who should use it:

Shopify is a great Android POS system for growing businesses that expect to expand staff or locations. The Advanced plan is a must if you plan to sell internationally because you can collect duties and import taxes at the checkout stage.