A POS system costs between $249 and $3,000+ for hardware, plus $0-50/month for software and 2.1-3.5% per transaction for payment processing. The total cost depends on your business type, number of terminals, and the features you need. Here's what to expect for every category — with real numbers, hidden fees to avoid, and a lease-vs-buy analysis that can save you thousands.
POS Cost by Business Type
| Business Type | Hardware Cost | Monthly Software | Processing Rates | First-Year Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small [cafe](/industries/restaurants/cafeteria-pos-system) / [coffee shop](/industries/restaurants/coffee-shop-pos-system) | $299-599 | $0-15/mo | 2.1-2.8% | $600-1,200 |
| Restaurant (single location) | $599-1,499 | $15-50/mo | 2.1-2.8% | $1,200-2,500 |
| Bar / nightclub | $599-1,499 | $15-50/mo | 2.1-2.8% | $1,200-2,500 |
| [Retail store](/blog/best-pos-system-retail) | $299-1,499 | $0-50/mo | 2.1-2.8% | $600-2,400 |
| [Convenience store](/blog/convenience-store-pos-system) | $599-1,799 | $0-50/mo | 2.1-2.8% | $800-2,500 |
| [Liquor store](/blog/liquor-store-pos-system) | $599-1,799 | $0-50/mo | 2.1-2.8% | $800-2,400 |
| Food truck / mobile | $249-499 | $0-15/mo | 2.1-2.8% | $400-800 |
| Multi-location restaurant | $1,499-5,000+ | $50-150/mo | 2.1-2.6% | $3,000-7,000+ |
| Hotel / hospitality | $1,499-5,000+ | $50-150/mo | 2.1-2.6% | $3,000-7,000+ |
Hardware Cost Breakdown
Entry Level ($249-499)
- PAX A920 ($249) — handheld smart terminal with touchscreen, receipt printer, and card reader built in
- Clover Go ($49-99) — mobile card reader that pairs with your smartphone via Bluetooth
- Clover Mini ($299-499) — compact countertop touchscreen with built-in payment processing
Best for: Food trucks, market vendors, small cafes, mobile businesses, pop-up shops (iPad POS guide for tablet options).
Mid-Range ($599-1,499)
- Clover Station Duo ($1,199-1,499) — dual-screen countertop POS with receipt printer, cash drawer compatible, and customer-facing display
- Clover Flex ($499-599) — handheld POS with touchscreen, printer, and barcode scanner for tableside or floor service
- Kwick POS ($599-899) — full POS terminal designed for restaurant workflows including tab management
Best for: Restaurants, bars, retail stores, single-location businesses.
Enterprise ($1,500-5,000+)
- Aloha POS ($1,000-3,000+) — full-service restaurant and hospitality with enterprise reporting
- Multi-terminal Clover setup ($2,500-5,000+) — multiple stations for large operations with centralized management
- Korona POS ($1,500-3,000+) — high-SKU retail environments with advanced inventory
Best for: Multi-location chains, hotels, large restaurants, supermarkets.
Monthly Software Fees
Most modern POS systems charge a monthly software subscription that unlocks features beyond basic payment processing:
| System | Monthly Fee | What's Included |
|---|---|---|
| Clover Essentials | $0/mo | Basic POS functions, payment processing |
| Clover Register | $15/mo | Full POS + inventory + employee management |
| Clover Counter Service | $50/mo | Restaurant features + kitchen display system |
| Clover Table Service | $75/mo | Full-service restaurant with table management |
| Kwick POS | $0-25/mo | Full POS features for bars and restaurants |
| Aloha POS | $50-150/mo | Enterprise restaurant features, multi-location |
The key question: what features do you actually need? A retail store selling products might only need the $0-15/month tier for basic POS and inventory. A full-service restaurant with table management, kitchen display, and online ordering legitimately needs the $50-75/month tier.
Payment Processing Fees — Where the Real Money Is
Processing is the biggest ongoing cost — and the area where choosing the right pricing model can save you the most money over the life of your business.
Interchange-Plus Pricing (Recommended)
Through Unison: 2.1-2.8% per transaction for in-person payments. You pay the actual card network cost (interchange) plus a small, transparent markup. This means:
- Debit card transactions cost less (interchange is lower for debit)
- You see exactly what each transaction costs
- Your effective rate decreases as your volume increases
Flat-Rate Pricing
Through bundled providers like Square or Toast: 2.6-2.9% + $0.10-0.30 per transaction. Simple to understand but consistently more expensive because you overpay on every debit card transaction and low-risk card type.
The Real Savings Math
| Monthly Card Volume | Interchange-Plus Cost | Flat-Rate Cost | Monthly Savings | Annual Savings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $10,000 | $230-260 | $270-300 | $30-70 | $360-840 |
| $25,000 | $575-650 | $675-750 | $75-175 | $900-2,100 |
| $50,000 | $1,050-1,300 | $1,350-1,500 | $150-350 | $1,800-4,200 |
| $100,000 | $2,100-2,600 | $2,700-3,000 | $300-600 | $3,600-7,200 |
The higher your volume, the more interchange-plus saves. For businesses processing $50,000+/month, the savings pay for your entire POS hardware within the first year.
Want to eliminate processing fees entirely? A cash discount program passes the processing cost to card-paying customers. This works well for businesses with significant cash volume like convenience stores, auto repair shops, and service businesses.
Lease vs Buy: Why You Should Always Buy
POS leasing is one of the most expensive mistakes a small business can make. Here's the math:
| Scenario | Lease Cost | Buy Cost | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clover Station Duo (48-month lease) | $75/mo × 48 = **$3,600** | **$1,499** one-time | You pay $2,101 extra |
| Clover Mini (48-month lease) | $50/mo × 48 = **$2,400** | **$499** one-time | You pay $1,901 extra |
| PAX A920 (48-month lease) | $40/mo × 48 = **$1,920** | **$249** one-time | You pay $1,671 extra |
Beyond the cost difference, leases come with:
- Auto-renewal clauses — the lease automatically renews for another term if you don't cancel within a narrow window
- Early termination fees — $200-500+ to exit the lease early
- No ownership — at the end of 4 years of payments, you don't own the equipment
- Locked-in processing — many lease agreements lock you into the provider's processing rates
Unison sells all POS hardware outright. You own it, you can switch processors anytime, and there's no contract.
Hidden Costs to Watch For
Beyond hardware, software, and processing, watch for these fees that some providers bury in the fine print:
- Equipment leasing — $50-100/month for equipment worth $500-1,500. Always purchase outright.
- Installation and setup fees — $200-500 from some providers. Unison includes setup and training free.
- PCI compliance fees — $50-100/year from some processors. Unison charges $0 for PCI compliance.
- Early termination fees — $200-500+ to cancel your contract. Unison has no contracts.
- Statement fees — $5-15/month for paper or online statements.
- Gateway fees — $10-25/month for online payment gateway access. Often bundled free with Unison.
- Batch fees — $0.10-0.30 per batch settlement. Adds up to $3-9/month for daily batches.
- Minimum processing fees — $25/month minimum that you pay even if your volume doesn't reach that threshold.
Total hidden fees from a typical processor: $100-300/month on top of your stated processing rate. Ask your provider for a complete fee schedule before signing anything.
3-Year Total Cost of Ownership
Here's what a POS system actually costs over 3 years, including all fees:
| Business Type | Hardware | Software (3yr) | Processing (3yr at $30K/mo) | Hidden Fees (3yr) | **Total** |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| With Unison | $1,499 | $540 | $23,760 | $0 | **$25,799** |
| With typical processor | $1,499 (or $3,600 lease) | $1,800 | $29,160 | $3,600 | **$36,060** |
| **Savings with Unison** | **$10,261** |
How to Get the Best POS Price
1. Purchase hardware outright — never lease, ever 2. Choose interchange-plus processing — save 20-40% vs flat-rate 3. Right-size your system — don't buy enterprise when a Clover Mini will do 4. Bundle hardware and processing — one provider, better pricing, simpler support 5. Ask for the full fee schedule — get every fee in writing before you commit 6. Avoid long-term contracts — month-to-month gives you leverage
Get a custom POS quote. Contact Unison → for transparent pricing with no hidden fees, no contracts, and no leases. Call (925) 290-6003.
Related resources:
- POS Hardware — explore all systems and pricing
- Best POS for Restaurants — restaurant-specific guide
- Best POS for Retail — retail-specific guide
- How to Lower Processing Fees — 9 proven strategies
- Merchant Account Fees Explained — understand every line on your statement