Shopify POS review: our verdict

This Shopify POS review is for retailers who sell, or plan to sell, both online and in a physical location. Shopify POS is the point of sale app that connects a shop counter, a market stall or a pop-up to the same Shopify back office that runs an online store. Products, stock levels, customers, orders and payments live in one place, so a sale at the till updates the website's inventory and a customer who bought online is recognised in store. That unified setup is the reason we rank Shopify POS near the top of our POS comparison with a "Best for Retail" label.

It is not the right tool for every business. Shopify POS needs a paid Shopify plan, the more advanced retail features sit behind a per-location POS Pro subscription, and it runs only on phones, tablets and Shopify's own terminals rather than on a desktop computer. Businesses that sell almost entirely in person, or restaurants with table service, may be better served elsewhere. For product retailers with an online presence, though, it is one of the most complete options available.

NerdBible did not set up a store on Shopify POS for this review. It is an editorial assessment based on Shopify's product, pricing, hardware, security and help centre pages, its App Store listing, and published independent reviews.

What is Shopify POS and who is it for?

Shopify describes POS as "the point of sale for every sale" and positions it for three situations on its POS overview page: single stores, multi-store retailers that need shared data and inventory, and sellers on the move at markets and events. The software is an app for iOS and Android. According to the Shopify POS help centre FAQ, it is not available for laptops, desktop computers or Amazon Fire tablets, and you need a supported device, the app, a Shopify store and something to sell.

Shopify POS suits:

  • Online sellers adding in-person sales. If you already run a Shopify store, POS uses the same catalogue, customers and reports.
  • Retailers with several channels. Buy online and pick up in store, ship-to-customer from the till and shared gift cards all depend on one back office.
  • Pop-up and event sellers. A phone with Tap to Pay or a small card reader is enough to start.
  • Growing chains. Shopify says its back office supports more than 1,000 locations.

It suits less well restaurants and cafes that need table management and kitchen tickets, service businesses built around appointments, and very small sellers who only trade in person and want to avoid a monthly subscription.

Key features

One catalogue, one inventory

The central selling point is synchronisation. Shopify's App Store listing describes one product catalogue with inventory synced for online and in-person selling, the ability to sell stock held at other locations with shipping calculated at checkout, and tracking of online orders collected in store. For a retailer, that removes the end-of-day job of reconciling two systems.

Payments

Shopify POS accepts major cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Shop Pay and cash, according to the app listing. Shopify Payments is the built-in processor, and the POS pricing page shows that card rates fall on higher plans and that a fee applies when you use a third-party payment provider instead. Shopify recommends Shopify Payments and its own hardware for the full experience, but notes both are only available in selected countries.

Staff management

The app supports staff login PINs, role-based permissions and tracking of which staff member made each sale and how much cash they handled. On the base plans only a limited number of staff can use POS; unlimited staff logins and finer permissions come with the higher plans or POS Pro.

Customer profiles

Shopify POS can build customer profiles that combine in-store and online history, with notes and lifetime spend. Simple profiles are included on every plan; rich profiles with loyalty insights and lifetime value reporting are a POS Pro feature.

Inventory tools

Basic stock sync is included everywhere. POS Pro adds inventory counts, purchase orders, low-stock alerts and stock transfers based on forecasts. TechRadar singled out inventory management as the part of Shopify POS it liked most.

Hardware

Shopify's hardware page covers three setups: a smartphone with Tap to Pay for events, a handheld POS terminal for the shop floor, and a full countertop with card reader, barcode scanner, receipt printer, cash drawer and a hub for connecting peripherals. Shopify says most existing tablets, phones and accessories also work, and it publishes a compatibility list.

Apps and extensions

The Shopify App Store is a major reason retailers choose the platform. NerdWallet counts more than 8,000 apps, and TechRadar describes the range of third-party integrations as unusually broad for a POS system.

How much does Shopify POS cost?

Shopify POS is not sold on its own. You pay for a Shopify plan, which includes the online store, payments, analytics and basic in-person selling, and then optionally add POS Pro per retail location. The current structure on Shopify's pricing page is:

  • Basic, for solo entrepreneurs, with limited staff access to POS.
  • Grow, for small teams, with unlimited POS logins.
  • Advanced, for larger businesses, with lower card rates.
  • Plus, for complex businesses on a one or three year term, which includes the full retail feature set.

Every paid plan includes what Shopify calls casual in-person selling: taking payments, simple customer profiles and returns at the original location. POS Pro is a per-location add-on that unlocks unlimited staff, roles and permissions, rich customer profiles, returns at any location, inventory management, retail reports and omnichannel features such as buy online, pick up in store. Shopify offers a short free trial, can be billed monthly or yearly, and charges card processing fees on each sale. Hardware is a separate purchase. Our comparison page shows the prices we list. Shopify says it recommends POS Pro for stores with heavy foot traffic, several levels of staff or a large catalogue.

Is Shopify POS secure?

Shopify's security page states that the company is certified Level 1 PCI DSS compliant, the highest level of the card industry's security standard, and that it has been issued SOC 2 Type II and SOC 3 reports by independent auditors. It also publishes a transparency report on legal requests for merchant and customer data, and provides guidance on privacy laws such as GDPR and the CCPA, while making clear that merchants have their own obligations.

On the device side, the help centre says Shopify POS will not run on jailbroken or rooted devices, does not support beta operating systems, and supports each app version for about 180 days, after which you must update. Staff PINs and permissions let you restrict who can issue refunds or see sensitive reports.

Support

NerdWallet reports 24/7 chat support on all plans, with phone support reserved for Plus subscribers. Shopify also offers migration help and setup guidance when you move from another POS, and a large help centre and community forum. For a retailer with a queue at the till, the lack of phone support on standard plans is worth knowing about in advance.

What could be better

  • Total cost adds up. TechRadar called Shopify POS expensive and found its hardware pricier than many rivals; the plan, POS Pro, processing fees and apps all stack.
  • No free plan. NerdWallet lists the absence of a free plan as a drawback, unlike some competitors that let in-person sellers start without a subscription.
  • Key features behind POS Pro. TechRadar notes that the included in-person tier lacks advanced inventory and multi-store analytics.
  • Payout timing. NerdWallet found user complaints that standard deposits take a few business days unless funds go to a Shopify Balance account.
  • App costs. The huge app store is a strength, but users report paying for several third-party apps to fill gaps.
  • No desktop app. Shopify POS runs only on supported phones, tablets and Shopify terminals.

Who should choose something else

If you sell mainly in person and want to avoid monthly fees, a POS with a free plan will cost less to run. NerdWallet suggests Square for that situation, and TechRadar suggests Square for small businesses put off by Shopify's hardware and POS Pro costs. Restaurants and bars should look at a hospitality-focused system with table and kitchen tools. If your business runs on appointments, a booking-first platform is a better fit. And if you do not sell online at all, much of what you pay for in a Shopify plan will go unused.

Is Shopify POS worth it? The bottom line

Shopify POS is worth it for retailers who treat online and in-store selling as one business. Synchronised inventory, shared customer data, a polished app, strong security credentials and an enormous app ecosystem make it one of the most capable retail POS systems available. The cost of that power is complexity in pricing: a Shopify plan, POS Pro for serious retail locations, hardware, processing fees and any apps you add. Work out that total for your own store before you commit. If the numbers make sense, it is a system you are unlikely to outgrow.

What other reviewers found

  • TechRadar praised the interface and inventory tools and called the range of integrations exceptional, but judged Shopify POS expensive and better value for medium and large retailers than for small shops.
  • NerdWallet gave Shopify a top rating as a POS for online-first sellers managing several channels, while listing the lack of a free plan and phone support limited to Plus as drawbacks.
  • PCMag, reviewing Shopify as a whole, made it an Editors' Choice and described it as "a top-tier e-commerce platform" for selling online or in person, noting that the many options can overwhelm casual users.
  • NerdWallet also summarised user sentiment from public reviews: shoppers like the fast Shop Pay checkout, while merchants complain about app costs and slower payouts to outside bank accounts.

Where reviewers agree and disagree

All three outlets agree that Shopify's strength is unification: one platform for online and in-person sales, with an unmatched app ecosystem. They also agree that it is not cheap. The disagreement is about scale. TechRadar sees Shopify POS as best for larger, high-volume retailers and steers small shops toward Square, while NerdWallet sees it as an excellent fit for small and mid-sized online retailers, provided in-person sales are not the main business. The sensible conclusion for a buyer is that the deciding factor is not your size but your mix of channels: the more you sell online as well as in store, the more Shopify POS earns its cost.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a Shopify plan to use Shopify POS?

Yes. Shopify POS works with a Shopify store, and casual in-person selling is included with every paid Shopify plan. You can create the store from inside the POS app. Advanced retail features, such as unlimited staff, inventory counts, purchase orders and returns at any location, require the POS Pro add-on for each retail location or the Plus plan.

What is the difference between Shopify POS and POS Pro?

The standard POS features included in every paid plan let you take payments, keep simple customer profiles and accept returns at the original store. POS Pro is a per-location subscription that adds unlimited staff logins, roles and permissions, rich customer profiles with loyalty insights, inventory management, professional retail reports and omnichannel features such as buy online and pick up in store. Shopify recommends it for busy stores.

What hardware does Shopify POS need?

At minimum, a supported iPhone, iPad or Android device. For card payments you can use Tap to Pay on a compatible phone or a Shopify card reader. Stores can add a countertop stand, barcode scanner, receipt printer, cash drawer and a hub for peripherals. Shopify says most existing hardware is compatible, but the app does not run on laptops, desktops or Amazon Fire tablets.

Is Shopify POS secure?

Shopify says it is certified Level 1 PCI DSS compliant and holds SOC 2 Type II and SOC 3 reports from independent auditors. The POS app supports staff PINs and role-based permissions, refuses to run on jailbroken or rooted devices, and requires regular updates. As with any system, protect administrator accounts and restrict refund permissions to trusted staff.

Is Shopify POS good for small businesses?

It is a strong choice for small retailers who also sell online, because one system handles both. Small businesses that only sell in person may find the monthly plan, hardware and POS Pro costs high compared with POS systems that offer a free plan. Reviewers differ on this point, so compare the total monthly cost for your own setup before deciding.

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