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How to choose a POS system: types, costs and checklist

A POS system (point of sale system) is the combination of software and hardware you use to record sales, take payments and keep track of your turnover. Modern systems often do much more, such as stock, customers, webshop and accounting. This guide explains which types exist, how much a POS system costs and how to choose the system that suits your business.

In short

Broadly speaking, there are four types of POS system: an app till on a payment terminal or tablet, local POS software, a cloud POS system and a POS with integrated business software (ERP). Which one suits you best depends on your sector, your number of locations and how much you want to automate.

  • Compare the total cost: software per month, hardware, card transactions, integrations and support.
  • Check the tax rules in your country, such as the registered till and Peppol in Belgium and the TSE in Germany.
  • Look at stock management, integrations, offline operation, reachable support and exporting your data.

Updated: October 2026

Types

What types of POS system are there?

POS systems differ mainly in where the software runs and how much else you can manage with it besides taking payments. The overview below describes the four main types in general terms. Within each category, providers differ considerably.

Comparison of the four types of POS system: what it is, who it suits, pros and cons
Type What is it? Suits Pros Cons
App till or payment terminal till A simple till app on a smartphone, tablet or smart card terminal, often offered by a payment provider. Start-ups, market stalls, pop-ups, events and businesses with a small range of products. Quick to start, little hardware needed, low entry costs and mobile. Limited stock and product management, few reports and integrations. You are often tied to one payment provider and its transaction fees.
Local POS software (standalone) POS software installed on a computer or till in your premises, with the data stored locally or on your own server. Businesses with one fixed location that rarely change their set-up or have an unreliable internet connection. Works independently of the internet, sometimes a one-off licence and a lot of control over your own installation. You handle updates, back-ups and security yourself. Remote access and linking several locations is harder, and webshop integrations often require custom work.
Cloud POS system POS software that runs over the internet, in the browser or as an app. The data is stored centrally by the provider. Shops, hospitality businesses and chains that want insight from anywhere and have several tills or locations. Always the latest version, real-time figures on any device, easy to add tills or locations, and back-ups handled by the provider. A monthly subscription. Dependent on the internet unless the system can keep working offline. Your data is held by the provider, so pay attention to export and privacy.
POS with integrated business software (ERP) A POS system that is part of a wider platform with stock, purchasing, sales orders, invoicing, CRM and sometimes a B2B portal. Growing retailers, concept stores, wholesalers and businesses that sell to both consumers and business customers. A single source of data, no double entry, stock and finances that add up across all channels, and fewer separate packages and integrations. More features to set up, so good implementation and guidance matter. For a very small business it may be more than you need.

What is a cloud POS system?

With a cloud POS system, the software does not run on a single computer in your premises but on the provider's servers. Your till, tablet or laptop connects over the internet. The advantage: you see the turnover and stock of all your tills and locations straight away, even from home, and updates are applied automatically. Always ask what happens if the internet goes down, though. A good cloud POS system can keep selling during an outage and updates the data once the connection is back.

What is the best POS system?

No POS system is the best for everyone. For a market stall an app till is often enough, while a shop with a webshop and three branches will get far more out of a cloud POS with stock management. The same goes for self-employed traders in Belgium: start with your own situation. Do you have to use a registered cash system? Do you also sell to businesses that expect a Peppol invoice? And how much time do you want to spend on administration? Use the checklist below to compare providers on the same points.

Good to know: Count-IT is itself a cloud POS system with integrated business software (the last two types in the table). You work in the browser or the app on any device and can do basic checkout at the till during an internet outage; receipts are synchronised later. Bear that in mind while reading this guide.

Costs

How much does a POS system cost?

How much a POS system costs depends on the type, the number of tills and what is and is not included in the price. So do not just compare the monthly price, but all cost items over a period of a few years. These are the components to take into account.

Software: subscription or licence

Cloud POS systems usually charge a subscription per till or per location per month. Local software sometimes uses a one-off licence plus annual maintenance fees. Check whether updates and new features are included in the price.

Hardware

Think of a POS computer or tablet, receipt printer, cash drawer, barcode scanner, customer display and possibly a scale or label printer. Hardware is usually a one-off purchase. Check whether your existing equipment can still be used.

Card terminal and transaction fees

For card payments you need a payment terminal, bought or rented, and you pay a payment provider per transaction. Those fees vary by provider and payment method. Check whether the POS can connect to several providers, so you have a choice.

Integrations and add-ons

An integration with your webshop, accounting software or shipping partner is sometimes included and sometimes a paid add-on. Integrations that run through third parties may also have their own costs.

Pricing per user or per module

Some providers charge extra per employee, per module (such as stock or a loyalty card) or per additional location. As you grow, this adds up quickly. So work out what you will pay over two or three years.

Implementation, training and support

Set-up, data migration, training and support may be charged once or monthly. Also ask whether support can be reached by phone and whether that costs extra.

Tip: put the quotes from different providers into one overview, with the one-off costs (hardware, installation) and the recurring costs (subscription, transactions, add-ons) over three years. Only then will you see which POS system is really the best value.

Checklist

What should you look for when choosing a POS system?

Hold these fourteen points up against every POS system you are considering. That way you compare providers on the same criteria and avoid surprises later.

  1. Does it suit your sector?

    A clothing shop needs sizes and colours, a restaurant a floor plan and printers for kitchen and bar, a concept store a settlement per entrepreneur. Ask about experience in your sector.

  2. Stock management

    Is stock updated with every sale? Can you count stock, set minimum levels and create purchase orders? Does it handle variants such as size and colour?

  3. Multiple locations

    Can you see turnover and stock per branch and move stock between shops or warehouses? Even with one shop, room to grow is useful.

  4. Webshop integration

    Are products, stock and orders synchronised, so you do not sell online what has already sold out in the shop? Check which webshop platforms are supported.

  5. Accounting integration

    Do turnover, VAT and invoices go to your accounting software automatically? That saves retyping and errors. Ask which packages are supported.

  6. Tax rules in your country

    Does the system meet the rules where you sell, such as the registered cash system in Belgian hospitality or the TSE in Germany? See the overview by country further down.

  7. Working offline

    What happens if the internet goes down? Can you keep selling, and is the data updated later?

  8. Support: phone or ticket?

    Can you call a person, or only submit a ticket? On which days and at what times is support available, including Saturdays? And is support included in the price?

  9. Contract and data export

    What are the contract term and notice period? Can you export products, customers and transactions if you ever want to switch?

  10. Hardware

    Does the software work on equipment you already have, or do you need specific hardware? Is it set up and tested in advance?

  11. Users and permissions

    Can you decide per employee what they may do, such as refunds, discounts or opening the cash drawer? And do you pay per user?

  12. Reports

    Can you see turnover, margins, best sellers and stock value per period, location and employee? Can you export to Excel or PDF?

  13. Scalability: B2B and ERP

    Does the system grow with you if you start supplying businesses, with quotes, sales orders, invoices and a B2B ordering portal? Or will you have to switch again?

  14. Help with switching

    Does the provider help with migrating products and customers, setting up and training? And how quickly can you go live?

By sector

Which POS system suits your sector?

Every sector has its own requirements for a POS system. These are the main points per sector, with a link to the detailed page.

Retail and shops

What matters is fast checkout with a barcode scanner, variants such as size and colour, stock per location and an integration with your webshop. Read more about a POS system for retail and shops.

Hospitality

Look for a floor plan, ordering from a tablet or phone, tickets to kitchen and bar printers, split bills and tips. In Belgium, the registered cash system also plays a role. See the POS system for hospitality.

Concept stores and shop-in-shop

Here it is all about sales per brand or entrepreneur, commission or rent, and a correct settlement per participant. Read how a POS system for concept stores and shop-in-shop handles this.

Business services and B2B

Besides a till, you often need CRM, quotes, sales orders and invoicing, with customer-specific prices. See B2B software with CRM and order management.

Wholesale

Large volumes call for purchasing, order processing, pick lists, invoicing and integrations with accounting and logistics. Read more about software for wholesalers.

POS and ERP in one

Do you sell in-store, online and to business customers? Then avoid double work with a POS system with ERP: stock, purchasing, orders and invoices in the same system as your till. Business customers can then order themselves through a B2B ordering portal.

By country

Tax rules for POS systems in the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany

The rules for POS systems vary greatly by country. This is a general overview, not tax advice.

Netherlands

In the Netherlands there is no certification requirement for POS systems. You must, however, keep complete and verifiable records, including your cash records, and retain them according to the rules of the Dutch Tax Administration (Belastingdienst), as a rule for seven years. So choose a till that records all sales, refunds and discounts and lets you export your data.

In Count-IT you close each day with a cash count, export reports to Excel or PDF and send turnover and invoices to your accounting software through an integration.

Belgium

Certain hospitality businesses must use a registered cash system (GKS, the so-called "white till"); whether this applies to you depends on factors such as your activities and turnover. Businesses that do not have to issue an invoice for every sale record their daily receipts in a daily receipts book (dagontvangstenboek). And since 1 January 2026, e-invoicing via Peppol has been mandatory between Belgian VAT-registered businesses (B2B).

Count-IT supports the daily receipts book and sending e-invoices via Peppol, both through Scrada. Does your hospitality business fall under the GKS obligation? Then discuss in advance with us and your accountant what your situation requires.

Germany

Under the KassenSichV, electronic POS systems must be protected by a certified technical security device (TSE). You must be able to provide a receipt for every sale, till data must be available through the standard DSFinV-K export and your digital records must comply with the GoBD, including a Verfahrensdokumentation (process documentation).

Count-IT uses Fiskaly's certified cloud TSE and DSFinV-K export, and has drawn up a certified GoBD Verfahrensdokumentation with Interev.

Rules change regularly and depend on your situation. Always check the current obligations with your accountant or tax adviser before you choose a POS system. Read how Count-IT handles this on our certification and compliance page.

Step-by-step plan

Switching POS systems: a step-by-step plan

Switching to a new POS system sounds like a lot of work, but with good preparation it takes seven steps. Ideally, plan the switch for a quiet period.

  1. Map your current situation

    Note what works well and what does not, what hardware you have, which integrations you use and when your current contract ends.

  2. Set your requirements

    Go through the checklist on this page and decide what you really need and what is mainly nice to have.

  3. Compare and try

    Request a demo from a few providers and test with your own products and way of working. You can try Count-IT free for 30 days or see it in a 30-minute live online demo.

  4. Export your data

    Export products, customers and suppliers from your old system, note outstanding balances such as gift cards and keep your historical sales data for your records.

  5. Import and set up

    Transfer products and customers, for example via Excel or CSV. Test with a few rows first, then set up VAT, payment methods, till buttons and user permissions.

  6. Connect hardware and integrations

    Connect the card terminal, printers, scanner, webshop and accounting software, and do a test sale including a refund and day closing.

  7. Train your team and go live

    Go through the key actions with your staff, choose a quiet start day and keep your provider's support close at hand.

Frequently asked questions

Questions about choosing a POS system

What types of POS system are there?

Broadly, there are four types: an app till on a smartphone, tablet or smart card terminal; local POS software that runs on a computer in your premises; a cloud POS system that works over the internet; and a POS with integrated business software (ERP) for stock, purchasing, orders and invoicing. Within each type, providers differ considerably.

How much does a POS system cost per month?

That depends on the type and on what is included in the price. Besides the subscription, allow for hardware, card transaction fees, any integrations and support. For comparison: Count-IT costs €35 (Light) or €69 (Full) per month per till, excluding VAT, including support, updates and unlimited users.

What is the best POS system?

No POS system is the best for everyone. The best system suits your sector, your number of locations, your webshop and accounting, the tax rules in your country and your budget. Compare providers using a fixed checklist and try the system with your own products before you choose.

What is the best POS system for self-employed traders in Belgium?

As a Belgian self-employed trader, first look at the rules that apply to you: do you run a hospitality business with a GKS obligation, do you need to keep a daily receipts book and do you send invoices to businesses via Peppol? Then choose a system that suits your sector, with reachable support. Count-IT supports the daily receipts book and sending via Peppol through Scrada.

What is the difference between a cloud POS and a local POS?

A local POS runs on a computer in your premises; you handle updates and back-ups yourself. A cloud POS runs over the internet with the provider, so you can see your figures anywhere, updates arrive automatically and you can easily add tills or locations. In return, there is usually a monthly subscription.

Does a cloud POS system work without the internet?

That differs per system, so always ask. With Count-IT you can do basic checkout at the till during an internet outage; receipts are synchronised later.

Do I need a certified POS system?

That depends on the country. In the Netherlands there is no certification requirement, but you must keep and retain your records. In Belgium, certain hospitality businesses must use a registered cash system. In Germany, an electronic till must be protected by a TSE. Check your situation with your accountant.

How long does it take to switch to a new POS system?

With good preparation it can be quick. With Count-IT you are usually live within a few days: you import products via Excel or CSV, hardware is tested and configured in advance, and we help you with the switch.

Can I keep using my existing POS hardware?

Often yes, but it depends on the software. Count-IT works in the browser or the app on any device, and for existing printers, scanners and card terminals we first check whether they are compatible.

Compare Count-IT for yourself?

Try Count-IT free for 30 days with your own products, with no obligation, or see what it costs per till.

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