Compare the systems that made your shortlist
A comparison works best after you know your essentials. Keep the same store scenario for every provider, then focus on the differences that affect a normal working day.
Your side-by-side comparison
US public plans as checked September 25, 2026. Regional editions differ. “Confirm” identifies an evidence gap, not an absent feature. Swipe the table or use the mobile cards.
| What matters | VoVi | Square | Shopify POS | Clover | Lightspeed Retail | Toast |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Software starting point | $0 with processor / $99 per location | $0 Free; $49 Plus; $149 Premium | $39 Basic/account, monthly billing; +$89 Pro/location, annual billing | Quote by package and seller | $89 Basic, annual billing | Eligible $0 Starter; POS from $69 |
| Typical buying focus | Retail software value | Simple selling and payments | Connected ecommerce and retail | Hardware and merchant-service bundle | Advanced retail inventory | Restaurant operations |
| Payment setup | External terminal; free US plan requires VoVi processor | Square processing | Shopify Payments / supported alternatives | Seller merchant agreement | Lightspeed Payments terms | Toast processing terms |
| US card-present pricing reference | Request written quote | Free 2.6% + $0.15 | Basic 2.6% + $0.10 | Request written quote | 2.6% + $0.10 | Request written quote |
| Inventory / variants | Retail inventory and variants | Confirm exact tier for advanced workflows | Admin inventory; test Stocky transition | App and package dependent | Strong retail inventory focus | Restaurant/menu focus |
| Online store | Verify required integration | Square Online; plan differences | Core Shopify strength | App/partner configuration | Ecommerce plan and integration check | Restaurant ordering options |
| Hardware | Compatible device; separate external card terminal | Square hardware and compatible devices | Supported Shopify payment hardware | Clover hardware family | Compatible retail hardware | Toast restaurant hardware |
| Kitchen / table service | Demonstrate requirements before choosing | Restaurant-specific products and tiers | Not the primary retail focus | Restaurant configurations available | Separate restaurant product; not this Retail review | Core focus; verify required modules |
| Multiple locations | $99 option is per location; separate country accounts | Software tiers per location | Basic/account; Pro per location | Location/package quotes | Extra location quote required | Location/package quotes |
| Outside the US | $99/location in supported countries; check country list | Country-specific service/payment availability | Country-specific payments and hardware | Local seller and platform availability | Local retail edition and written quote | Local restaurant edition and availability |
| Account currency | One country and currency per account | Local account rules | Store and payment-country rules | Seller/account rules | Edition/account configuration | Local account configuration |
| Before signing | Test support, exports and processor conditions | Confirm paid feature entitlements | Confirm Pro, subscriptions and inventory workflow | Check reseller contract and equipment ownership | Confirm annual terms, registers and locations | Confirm processing, hardware and module totals |
| Practical tradeoff | Smaller, newer company; validate operational depth | Advanced needs can move you to paid tiers | Added store features can raise software cost | Seller terms make quotes hard to generalize | Higher software budget and configuration work | Restaurant fit; quote may add modules |
VoVi
- Software starting point
- $0 with processor / $99 per location
- Typical buying focus
- Retail software value
- Payment setup
- External terminal; free US plan requires VoVi processor
- US card-present pricing reference
- Request written quote
- Inventory / variants
- Retail inventory and variants
- Online store
- Verify required integration
- Hardware
- Compatible device; separate external card terminal
- Kitchen / table service
- Demonstrate requirements before choosing
- Multiple locations
- $99 option is per location; separate country accounts
- Outside the US
- $99/location in supported countries; check country list
- Account currency
- One country and currency per account
- Before signing
- Test support, exports and processor conditions
- Practical tradeoff
- Smaller, newer company; validate operational depth
Square
- Software starting point
- $0 Free; $49 Plus; $149 Premium
- Typical buying focus
- Simple selling and payments
- Payment setup
- Square processing
- US card-present pricing reference
- Free 2.6% + $0.15
- Inventory / variants
- Confirm exact tier for advanced workflows
- Online store
- Square Online; plan differences
- Hardware
- Square hardware and compatible devices
- Kitchen / table service
- Restaurant-specific products and tiers
- Multiple locations
- Software tiers per location
- Outside the US
- Country-specific service/payment availability
- Account currency
- Local account rules
- Before signing
- Confirm paid feature entitlements
- Practical tradeoff
- Advanced needs can move you to paid tiers
Shopify POS
- Software starting point
- $39 Basic/account, monthly billing; +$89 Pro/location, annual billing
- Typical buying focus
- Connected ecommerce and retail
- Payment setup
- Shopify Payments / supported alternatives
- US card-present pricing reference
- Basic 2.6% + $0.10
- Inventory / variants
- Admin inventory; test Stocky transition
- Online store
- Core Shopify strength
- Hardware
- Supported Shopify payment hardware
- Kitchen / table service
- Not the primary retail focus
- Multiple locations
- Basic/account; Pro per location
- Outside the US
- Country-specific payments and hardware
- Account currency
- Store and payment-country rules
- Before signing
- Confirm Pro, subscriptions and inventory workflow
- Practical tradeoff
- Added store features can raise software cost
Clover
- Software starting point
- Quote by package and seller
- Typical buying focus
- Hardware and merchant-service bundle
- Payment setup
- Seller merchant agreement
- US card-present pricing reference
- Request written quote
- Inventory / variants
- App and package dependent
- Online store
- App/partner configuration
- Hardware
- Clover hardware family
- Kitchen / table service
- Restaurant configurations available
- Multiple locations
- Location/package quotes
- Outside the US
- Local seller and platform availability
- Account currency
- Seller/account rules
- Before signing
- Check reseller contract and equipment ownership
- Practical tradeoff
- Seller terms make quotes hard to generalize
Lightspeed Retail
- Software starting point
- $89 Basic, annual billing
- Typical buying focus
- Advanced retail inventory
- Payment setup
- Lightspeed Payments terms
- US card-present pricing reference
- 2.6% + $0.10
- Inventory / variants
- Strong retail inventory focus
- Online store
- Ecommerce plan and integration check
- Hardware
- Compatible retail hardware
- Kitchen / table service
- Separate restaurant product; not this Retail review
- Multiple locations
- Extra location quote required
- Outside the US
- Local retail edition and written quote
- Account currency
- Edition/account configuration
- Before signing
- Confirm annual terms, registers and locations
- Practical tradeoff
- Higher software budget and configuration work
Toast
- Software starting point
- Eligible $0 Starter; POS from $69
- Typical buying focus
- Restaurant operations
- Payment setup
- Toast processing terms
- US card-present pricing reference
- Request written quote
- Inventory / variants
- Restaurant/menu focus
- Online store
- Restaurant ordering options
- Hardware
- Toast restaurant hardware
- Kitchen / table service
- Core focus; verify required modules
- Multiple locations
- Location/package quotes
- Outside the US
- Local restaurant edition and availability
- Account currency
- Local account configuration
- Before signing
- Confirm processing, hardware and module totals
- Practical tradeoff
- Restaurant fit; quote may add modules
Sources and current verification notes · Country compatibility
Compare the same arrangement
Use the same location count, sales volume, payment mix and essential capabilities in each column. A basic plan for one provider should not be compared with a fully configured quote for another without explaining the difference. Record which price is published, which is an estimate and which needs a sales quote. Keep USD software billing distinct from the currency in which a store operates.
Replace broad labels with a test
Inventory can mean a simple quantity or a detailed receiving, transfer and count workflow. Restaurant features can range from item buttons to kitchen routing and order management. For each important row, write the action that would demonstrate it in your business. A documented feature still needs a check against the required plan, country, hardware and version.
Keep uncertainty visible
- Supported: evidence describes the requirement, subject to the stated conditions.
- Needs confirmation: there is not enough evidence for your exact setup.
- Does not fit: a known restriction conflicts with an essential requirement.
Choose the next proof, not just the lowest number
Use a provider’s official destination for current terms and a live demonstration. POS Review offers longer research summaries; it shares ownership with POSFind and VoVi, so those links are not independent endorsements. For a suitable US VoVi scenario, FreePOS USA explains the US$0 software condition: use VoVi’s processor, with processing and hardware separate. Keeping another processor costs US$99 per month per location. Compare the whole arrangement before deciding.
Sources & verification
Provider details can change. Confirm your written quote and local requirements before signing.