Shopify POS Review 2026: Is It Best Sales Software?

Looking for best Point Of Sale software? 📈

If yes you are in right place. ✅

Have you ever walked into a store where the checkout feels just plain smooth? The item scans, the payment goes through, the receipt prints everything works and you barely notice the process.

That seamless “magic” is what a good point‑of‐sale (POS) system brings and believe me, I dug into Shopify POS to see whether it delivers.

If you’re running a business with both online and offline sales (or planning to), you’ll want to stick around: I’ve used Shopify POS, evaluated its strengths and its pain points, and in this article I’ll walk you through what works, what doesn’t, and whether it’s the right pick for you.

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Why I Decided to Try Shopify POS? 🛒

I’ve had a small business leaning towards omnichannel online store + occasional pop‐ups + maybe a small retail presence.

I was tired of juggling separate inventory systems, separate customer lists, and reconciling payments across platforms.

When I learned that Shopify (already familiar for many online shops) has a POS app that promises unified inventory, unified customer data, and integration between the physical and digital store, I thought: “Okay, let’s test it out.”

• Inventory gets out of sync between online and offline.
• Staff don’t always know if stock is available.
• Checkout hardware looks dated or clunky.
• Customer data is scattered (online store has one list, physical store has another).

So I set up Shopify POS, ran it through real in‐store transactions, and here’s how the experience went.

What Exactly Is Shopify POS? 🚀

Put simply: it’s the in‐person sales arm of the wider Shopify platform.

It allows you to sell face‑to‑face (in a pop‑up/retail location) and sync that with your online store so everything – products, customers, inventory – is unified.

Here are some of the core capabilities:

• Accepting payments (cards, digital wallets, cash) in person.
• Syncing inventory between online and offline, so you don’t end up selling something that isn’t available in one channel.
• Managing customer profiles—knowing who bought what, when, whether online or in store.
• Running one dashboard for your total business (if you have multiple locations or sales channels).
• Hardware support – card readers, terminals, scanners, etc.

In short: this isn’t just a simple “swipe and go” checkout system; it’s built for “retail + online” and deeper sales management.

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The Good Stuff: What I Loved? 👌

1. Fast, intuitive interface

From download to my first trial sale, I found the interface fluid. Choose a product, tap checkout, take payment. Even staff not technically very savvy picked it up quickly.

2. Unified inventory & online/offline sync

Because I already had an online store, adding the physical checkout side meant I didn’t need a totally separate system.

Inventory adjustments made in store were reflected online, so overselling was less of a worry.

3. Customer data made accessible

Having a customer profile that spans both online and offline meant I could: see lifetime value, track repeat offline purchases, and run offers based on actual behaviour rather than just one channel.

This helped with loyalty thinking.

4. Lots of integrations

If you like apps and extensions, Shopify delivers: barcode scanners, receipt printers, loyalty programs, local‑pickup fulfilment, etc. I don’t think I’ve seen many POS systems with this breadth as standard.

5. Omnichannel capability

One feature I really liked: you could sell in store, yet fulfil via another location, or ship to customer even though sale was made in store. Buying flexibility = better customer experience.

How to Set Up Shopify POS? (Step-by-Step)

🛠 Step 1: Create a Shopify Account

Go to shopify.com and sign up for a plan. Even the Basic plan includes Shopify POS Lite.

• You can start with a free trial.
• Pick a plan based on your business size (Basic, Shopify, Advanced).

🛒 Step 2: Choose POS Plan.

• POS Lite: Comes free with your Shopify plan.
• POS Pro: $89/month per location (for advanced inventory, staff permissions, etc.).
• You can start with Lite and upgrade later.

Step 3: Signup/Login Your Account

• You can Signup with your gmail
• If you have Shopify Account. You can Direct Login

🧾 Step 4: Set Up Your Products

• Add products from your Shopify dashboard (or sync your online store items).
• Include price, description, SKU, barcode, stock quantity, etc.

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Pros & Cons of Shopify POS ✨

Pros ✅	Cons ❌
Seamless integration with Shopify’s ecommerce platform	Monthly cost adds up with add-ons and hardware
Omnichannel support: sell in-store, online, and on-the-go	Limited features on basic POS plan
User-friendly interface for fast staff onboarding	Requires reliable internet connection for full functionality
Real-time syncing of orders and inventory across all channels	Some advanced features only available in Shopify POS Pro
Customizable hardware options for various store sizes	—
Built-in analytics and smart inventory management	—
Supports staff management and customer profiles	—

#6 Key Features of Shopify POS ✨

Here are the must‑know features and how they played out for me:

1. Inventory tracking & alerts

When I sold something in store, the online listing automatically adjusted. I also got alerts when items were running low in a particular location. It saved a lot of manual updating and double‑checking.

2. Customer profiles + loyalty

Having offline purchases tied to the same customer account online meant I could identify “heavy buyers” across channels. I created a small loyalty segment for repeat in‑store purchasers. Worked well.

3. Hardware + checkout flow

I used a tablet with the Shopify POS app, paired a card reader (Bluetooth) and tested tap/swipe payments. The flow was clean: pick item > apply discount > payment > receipt (digital or printed).

4. Multi‑channel selling

I set up “buy online, pick up in store” and “in store, ship to customer” to test flexibility. Because inventory was centralised, the process felt coherent for the customer.

5. Staff management (Pro feature)

When I onboarded a second staff member, I could set permissions: one worked on checkout, another on inventory only. This kind of role control is important for stores with multiple employees.

6. Analytics & reporting

Sales per location, comparison of online vs offline, and product performance across channels these all came through. Good to know what’s driving revenue.

Shopify POS Pricing 💰

Let’s talk money. Understanding the costs upfront saved me from surprises.

• Starter Plan – $5/month: Ideal for casual in-person selling and social media sales.
• Retail Plan – $89/month: Includes 1 POS Pro location for full-featured retail selling.

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Shopify POS vs Square POS vs Lightspeed POS 💪

Feature	Shopify POS	Square POS	Lightspeed POS
Best For	Retailers with an online store	Small businesses and food vendors	Advanced inventory-heavy retailers
Pricing	Starts at $0 (Basic), Pro at $89/mo	Free basic plan; paid add-ons	Starts at $89/month
Hardware Compatibility	Shopify hardware + third-party	Square hardware or iPad	Lightspeed hardware or BYO setup
Omnichannel Features	Native integration with Shopify online store	Limited ecommerce integration	Strong multi-channel tools
Inventory Management	Real-time sync across channels	Basic inventory features	Advanced inventory & vendor management
Customer Support	24/7 live chat, email, and phone	Phone support (business hours)	24/7 support with onboarding help
Mobile Capability	iOS & Android support	iOS & Android support	iOS only

Customer Reviews & Testimonials 👌

Tips Before You Buy 💡

Here are a few practical tips from my experience:

• Start with Lite: If offline is small now, start with what’s included, test the flow, see if the features suffice.
• Plan your hardware: Decide what level of checkout you want (tablet + reader vs full terminal). Hardware cost adds up.
• Align your metrics: Make sure you track in‑store vs online separately initially so you can see the lift from the POS system.

• Train staff early: Even a good interface benefits from basic training on staff permissions, checkout flow, returns.
• Check your integration needs: If you use external systems (loyalty, ERP, etc), verify they integrate smoothly with Shopify POS.
• Monitor ROI: After 3‑6 months, check: is the extra cost (subscription + hardware + transaction fees) offset by improved throughput, fewer errors, better customer retention?
• Scalability: If you plan to open more locations, the unlimited staff and multi‑location features (Pro) pay off.
• Consider payment fees: If you don’t use Shopify Payments, you may still pay extra transaction fees—factor that into your cost model.

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Conclusion: Is It Really Worth It? 🏁

Absolutely worthwhile if you’re a retail business with decent in‑store volume and you want a unified system.

Using Shopify POS felt like moving from separate “online store” + “offline store” silos into one connected ecosystem. That alone makes it a compelling choice for many retailers.

The strength is in its unity: one product catalogue, one customer base, one dashboard.

If your business is growing, planning to scale, and you want fewer operational headaches, it could very well be the tool that allows you to focus on customers rather than logistics.

But if you’re just dipping your toes into physical selling, or your volumes are modest, make sure you aren’t paying for features you won’t use yet. The right strategy might be: start lean, grow into Pro.

Also Read:

• ZoomInfo Review: Is It Best For Sales & Marketing?
• Close CRM Review: Is It Best Sales Software?

FAQs 💬