Shopify POS Pricing 2026: Software, Hardware, and Per-Transaction Costs
Everything you need to know about selling in person with Shopify. POS Lite vs Pro comparison, hardware costs for every accessory, in-person transaction rates by plan, and total first-year investment estimates.
POS Lite vs POS Pro
Shopify offers two POS tiers. POS Lite is included free with every Shopify plan from Basic upward and handles fundamental in-person sales. POS Pro at $89 per location per month adds retail-specific features that matter for serious brick-and-mortar operations. The choice depends on whether you need staff management, advanced inventory, and exchange processing, or whether basic payment acceptance is sufficient.
| Feature | POS Lite (Free) | POS Pro ($89/location/mo) |
|---|---|---|
| Accept card payments | Yes | Yes |
| Sync with online store | Yes | Yes |
| Customer profiles | Yes | Yes |
| Discount codes at register | Yes | Yes |
| Registers per location | 1 | Unlimited |
| Staff PINs & permissions | No | Yes |
| In-store exchanges | No | Yes |
| Advanced inventory management | No | Yes |
| Stock transfers between locations | No | Yes |
| Purchase orders | No | Yes |
| Demand forecasting | No | Yes |
| Retail analytics & reports | No | Yes |
| Custom receipts | No | Yes |
| Daily sales reports by staff | No | Yes |
Hardware Costs
Shopify sells certified POS hardware directly. You can also use your own iOS or Android device with just a card reader for the simplest setup. The table below lists every hardware item available from Shopify's hardware store with current pricing. Total hardware investment ranges from $49 for a minimal mobile setup to $1,200+ for a full retail register.
| Hardware Item | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Tap & Chip Card Reader | $49 | Bluetooth, works with iOS/Android. Minimum viable hardware. |
| POS Terminal | $459 | All-in-one countertop terminal with built-in receipt printer. |
| Tap & Chip Counter Mount | $349 | Countertop reader with customer-facing display. |
| Receipt Printer (Bluetooth) | $249 | Star Micronics thermal printer, wireless. |
| Receipt Printer (USB) | $369 | Wired option for reliability in high-volume environments. |
| Cash Drawer | $129 - $139 | Standard retail cash drawer, connects to receipt printer. |
| Barcode Scanner | $199 | 2D barcode scanner for inventory lookup and checkout speed. |
| iPad Stand | $149 - $199 | Countertop or wall-mount stand for iPad-based POS. |
Total First-Year Cost Estimates
Three common POS setups with estimated first-year costs including Shopify subscription, POS software, hardware, and transaction fees. These estimates assume 200 in-person transactions per month at $40 average order value on Shopify Payments with the Basic plan. Adjust the revenue and plan for your situation.
Mobile Setup
Pop-up shops, markets, mobile sellers
- ✓ Shopify Basic ($468/yr)
- ✓ POS Lite (free)
- ✓ Card reader ($49)
- ✓ Your smartphone ($0)
Basic Register
Single-location retail with one register
- ✓ Shopify Basic ($468/yr)
- ✓ POS Lite (free)
- ✓ POS Terminal ($459)
- ✓ Cash drawer ($139)
Full Retail
Multi-staff retail with advanced inventory
- ✓ Shopify Grow ($1,260/yr)
- ✓ POS Pro ($1,068/yr)
- ✓ Terminal + printer + scanner ($907)
- ✓ Cash drawer ($139)
POS Alternatives Comparison
If you only sell in person and do not need an online store, dedicated POS platforms may be cheaper. Square offers a free POS with the same 2.6% + $0.10 rate and no monthly fee. Clover and Lightspeed are popular alternatives for restaurant and specialty retail. However, if you sell both online and in person, Shopify's unified platform avoids the complexity and cost of managing separate systems.
Square's free plan includes a card reader, POS app, and online store builder. For pure in-person selling at low volume, it is hard to beat. Clover starts at $14.95/month with a 2.3% + $0.10 rate but requires purchasing their proprietary hardware ($599-$1,799). Lightspeed starts at $89/month with features comparable to Shopify POS Pro. The choice depends on your primary sales channel: online-first with in-person supplemental (Shopify) versus in-person-first (Square or Clover).
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does Shopify POS cost?
Shopify POS Lite is free with all Shopify plans (Basic and above). POS Pro costs $89 per location per month and adds advanced inventory management, staff permissions, exchanges, and in-store analytics. Hardware ranges from $49 for a card reader to $459 for a complete terminal. A basic single-register setup typically costs $200-$500 for hardware plus your Shopify subscription.
What is the difference between POS Lite and POS Pro?
POS Lite handles basic in-person sales: accept payments, track orders, and sync with your online store. POS Pro adds staff management with PINs and permissions, unlimited registers per location, advanced inventory tools (stock transfers, purchase orders, demand forecasting), in-store exchange processing, and detailed retail analytics. Most single-location stores start with Lite and upgrade when they need staff management or advanced inventory.
What Shopify POS hardware do I need?
At minimum, you need a Shopify card reader ($49 for Tap and Chip reader) and an iOS or Android device (phone or tablet). A typical retail register setup includes a POS Terminal ($459) or iPad with a stand, a receipt printer ($249-$369), a cash drawer ($129-$139), and a barcode scanner ($199). The total hardware cost for a full register is typically $700-$1,200.
What are Shopify POS transaction fees?
In-person transaction rates using Shopify Payments are 2.6% plus $0.10 on Basic, 2.5% plus $0.10 on Grow, 2.2% plus $0.10 on Advanced, and 2.15% plus $0.10 on Plus. Manual card entry rates are higher: 3.5% plus $0.15 on Basic. These rates are lower than online rates because in-person transactions carry lower fraud risk for payment processors.
Is Shopify POS cheaper than Square?
Square charges a flat 2.6% plus $0.10 for in-person transactions with no monthly fee for its basic POS. Shopify POS on Basic charges the same rate but requires a $39/month Shopify subscription. If you only sell in person, Square is cheaper. If you sell both online and in person, Shopify POS integrates with your online store and the combined subscription covers both channels, often making it more cost-effective overall.