POS Nation

Our Verdict

POS Nation’s “small business to small business” approach definitely has a certain appeal. It’s a rather “old school” approach in some ways, but there’s undoubtedly a market for this, and the system itself has all the key features most retail businesses need.

On the more negative side, the lack of integrations with modern platforms could be a deal-breaker for some. If, for example, you already have an established eCommerce setup and use various apps, POS Nation for Retail may not prove the best fit.

Pros

Includes up-front payment option
Flexible hardware configurations
Stellar reputation for customer service
No long contracts & commitments

Cons

Remote access to your data costs extra
One off payment option has limited support

Plans & Pricing

POS Nation’s pricing is bespoke, and you must request a quote based on the exact combination of software, hardware, and integrations you require. However, everything is based on two core packages. One option is a monthly payment subscription.

The other is a one-off up-front cost where you own the hardware and then pay monthly for software. This is increasingly rare in the point-of-sale industry and could be of great interest to those who are looking to save on monthly prices.

Flex Monthly POS

Flex Monthly POS is the monthly payment arrangement currently at $149. Flex pricing includes a lifetime warranty for the hardware and software. in addition, monthly pricing covers hardware and software

Freedom POS

Freedom POS is a One-Time Payment (This is for the hardware bundle). The cost is a one-time payment of $1199 for the hardware, however, it does include a monthly payment for the software and support. Additionally, it includes a 2-year hardware warranty.

Custom Build POS

This is a fully bespoke option, customized based on your exact requirements. You can specify whichever hardware, payment options and extras you need. There’s still no long contract imposed on you. Prices for these systems are on application.

Flex Monthly

$149 /mo

Monthly payment

Freedom

$1199

One time payment

Custom

Get a quote

Custom to your needs

In-depth review

Features and Functionality

Flexible Payment Options

POS Nation provides a whole host of different payment options with its POS Nation for Retail. Contactless payment comes as standard, and you can also accept cash, checks, and credit and debit cards. There’s also the facility to set up customer payment accounts.

Advanced Inventory Management

The inventory management functionality in POS Nation for Retail is extremely flexible and includes features not widely seen in many POS systems. There’s vendor management with automatic stock reordering, and support for businesses that rent products to customers. You can also choose to add a mobile handheld inventory device to assist with inventory management and stock-taking.

Loyalty Features

POS Nation gives you the ability to issue loyalty cards to customers and to customize a tiered loyalty scheme with your choice of rewards. There’s also customer tracking so you can learn your customers’ spending patterns and create promotions you know will interest them.

Employee Management

POS Nation for Retail includes functionality for clocking staff in and out, managing breaks, and tracking hours worked. The solution also includes granular permissions, giving you precise control of which staff can use certain parts of the system.

Comprehensive Reporting

POS Nation for Retail offers over 50 reports, all of which can be easily exported to Microsoft Excel. Retail Mobile Dashboard (a chargeable extra at $15 per month) gives you access to your reporting from anywhere.

Hardware Requirements

All of POS Nation’s packages – both paid monthly and paid up-front – come with a basic hardware setup as standard. It’s based around a Windows touchscreen PC, as well as a barcode scanner, cash drawer, receipt printer, and contactless payment device. You can add additional hardware, such as barcode printers and pole displays. POS Nation offers a range of suggested equipment, including devices from mainstream manufacturers such as Star and Epson.

Integrations & Add-ons

POS Nation for Retail is rather limited when it comes to integrations, especially when compared to POS systems that provide a large “app store” style selection. Accounting integration with QuickBooks is available as a chargeable extra. There’s also an eCommerce module that allows you to connect POS Nation for Retail to your website. These integrations will be adequate for many retail businesses, but some may be left wanting.

Ease of Use

POS Nation for Retail is built with ease of use in mind, and there are plenty of customization options that allow you to create the optimum setup for your team. It’s simple to integrate item photographs, and there are “hotkey” layouts available for promotions or frequently purchased items. Users of POS Nation for Retail often highlight the ease of use (as well as the company’s good quality support).

Customer Service

POS Nation has a refined infrastructure for customer support and it’s well regarded by the company’s customers too. Note, however, that exactly what support you have access to varies.

As a monthly-paying customer, you have unlimited access to 24/7 assistance. However, if you opt for a one-off payment, you only qualify for business hours support for three months unless you pay for a support plan.