Best POS System Australia: 2025 Comparison Guide

Having the right Point of Sale (POS) system is essential to your business' success. Most importantly, they allow you to seamlessly process payments. They can also be used to track your inventory and contribute to your business' success in a range of other ways.

With so many POS system options on the market, finding the right one can feel overwhelming. That's why we've assembled a comprehensive rundown of the best POS systems in Australia. We'll make it easy to find the right system for you and help your business run more smoothly.

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Why Your POS System Choice Matters

Here are a few reasons why it's important to find the right POS system for your business:

Smooth operations

A great POS system keeps your business humming, while a poor one can cause real headaches. To keep things running at their best, finding the right system is vital.

Easy integrations

The best POS systems integrate with other elements of your business like EFTPOS, existing accounting software, food delivery apps and more. The right system for your business should offer the integrations you need to maximise your success.
Hand holding Android terminal on top of wooden table with different food items
Angled shot of women tapping card on Android terminal held by chef at Pizza store

Happy customers

Smoother operations mean more satisfied customers. Nobody likes waiting in long queues while you figure out glitches in your system. A great system keeps customers happy and coming back for more.

Data and insights

POS systems process a lot of data. You can use this data to learn more about your products and customers. This allows you to improve profitability in your business. Look out for a system with built-in data analysis and insights that help your business grow.
hand holding phone at Android terminal to make payment on top of table with fashion accessories
Streamline your operations with Smartpay.

Important Considerations When Choosing the Best POS System

To find the best POS system for your business, you need to consider the key features that make them up. Here are the main aspects of a POS system you need to be aware of to make the correct purchase.

POS Hardware

The most fundamental part of a POS system is the computer that runs POS software. This computer is generally linked to a screen so you can use the system.

To process payments, POS systems need to be linked to a payment processing system like an EFTPOS terminal. Some EFTPOS terminals can even run POS software, making them all-in-one POS systems.

POS systems can also encompass other tools like receipt printers and cash drawers.

When selecting POS hardware, consider questions like:

Durability: Is your POS hardware built to last?

Portability: Can you configure your system to operate on-the-go, or are you bound to your countertop?

Payment processing: How well does your POS hardware integrate with payment processing? Are you able to accept your customers' favourite payment types, including contactless payments?

POS ​​Software

The next critical aspect of POS systems to consider is software. This is the "brain" that allows your system to function.


POS software should help you process sales smoothly and efficiently. It can also go above and beyond with a range of other features including:


Inventory management: For many businesses, each transaction means a reduction in inventory. This means that you can integrate your POS software into your inventory management workflows. Many POS systems allow you to manage inventory entirely inside your POS system.


Data analysis: The best POS systems allow you to tap into all the data they naturally collect about your business. This can help you identify your peak times of day, best-selling items and much more.


Industry requirements: Tailored POS solutions have specific features to help you become the very best in your industry. For example, hospitality-specific POS systems can support online ordering, at-table ordering, self-ordering kiosks and much more.

Ease of Use: Your Team's Daily Experience

Your business needs a system with the essential POS features to help you grow. However, you also need to make sure it's simple for your whole team to pick up and start using.

Here are a few things to consider in this area:

Onboarding: How easily can your team get on board with your new system? What training materials or demos are provided? Don’t forget to think about future employees who’ll need to learn the system quickly.

Interface: Is the system's user interface streamlined? Is it easy to complete the task you need to complete? Are you likely to encounter much user error when using the system?

Configuration and customisation: How well can you tweak the system to meet your business' unique needs? 

Integration: Working Seamlessly With Your Other Tools

Running a successful business requires much more than just a great POS system. Your system needs to function well alongside all the other tools you use to operate.

Look out for a POS system that integrates effectively with everything you use, including:

Payroll and accounting software: POS systems help you keep on track when it comes to your payroll and team management. For example, you can integrate your system with timesheets.

Loyalty and marketing systems: Loyalty and marketing tools can also be a valuable integration with your POS system. For example, you can easily track whether a customer has made the necessary purchases to qualify for a reward.

Booking and delivery tools: For hospitality businesses, effective integrations with booking and delivery tools are critical to keep things running smoothly. The right POS system should allow you to process online orders within your system for maximum convenience.

POS systems can also sidestep the need to integrate with tools by offering these features within the system itself. This can enable you to cut down on your tech stack, saving you money.

Customer Support: When Things Go Wrong

If your POS system stops functioning, all of your operations will grind to a halt. It's vital that when you experience issues with your system, you can get them resolved quickly.

Consider the following when it comes to customer support:

Availability: Can you get support during all the hours your business operates? Is it based in Australia, or is it offshore?

Channels: How is support made available to you? Can you get in touch using phone, email or live chat? Having the right channels all adds up to getting your POS back online faster.

Resources: Are there online resources for you to rely on, like blogs or a help centre?

Pricing and Cost: The Full Financial Picture

The success of your business all comes down to your bottom line. It's critical that you understand the pricing and cost of any POS system you're considering. This includes factors like:

Leasing vs buying: Will you rent your POS hardware from your provider, or purchase it outright? How will this affect your bottom line in the long term?

Outright cost: Whether it's rental fees or outright purchase cost, how much will you spend on your system?

Offers: What deals are available to bring down the cost of the system? For example, Smartpay's POS and Payment Bundles offer free hardware to businesses who meet a minimum turnover threshold.

Additional fees: Consider additional fees like integration costs, support and more.

Support and training: Be sure to factor in the cost of technical assistance and staff education. Smartpay provides free local support with our POS system, along with additional training options available upon request to ensure your team is confident using the system.

Best POS Systems in Australia for 2025

Now that you understand what you're looking for, it's time to look at the major POS providers in Australia.
In a rush? Here's a rapid-fire rundown of the big players in the space:
Provider
Transaction Fees
Monthly Costs
Hardware Costs
Key Features
Support Availability
💡
Smartpay
0% for merchants on Smartpay Zero Cost™
$0* monthly on Zero Cost™, or flat-rate plan available
$0 for hardware lease on eligible plans
Plug-and-play setup, works with any POS, Australian-based support
24/7 Australian phone + local account manager
Zeller
1.4% for card-present transactions
$0 monthly
$199 for Zeller Terminal 2
Simple pricing, same/next-day settlement, free business account
24/7 phone + email support
Square
1.6% for card-present transactions
Free plan, paid tiers available
$65–$1,099 depending on setup
Easy setup, strong ecommerce integration, mobile POS
Online + phone (limited hours)
Lightspeed
1.5% for card-present transactions
$79–$359+/month
Ranges from hardware included in monthly plan to bundles over $1,000
Advanced inventory, multi-store reporting
Online + phone (limited hours)
*T&Cs apply

Smartpay

Smartpay is an exciting option when selecting a POS system in Australia. Our POS and Payment Bundle allows you to take a fully-integrated approach to satisfying your customers.

Here's what makes Smartpay a top option for POS systems in Australia:

A great system with valuable add-ons

Our POS system has all the features you need to keep your business flowing. Process your transactions swiftly and reliably.

For retail businesses, you can enjoy all-in-one inventory management, integrated scales and scanners, purchasing order management and more. This makes it easy to manage your stock while serving your customers.

For hospitality, we support tools like online orders, at-table orders, gift cards and more. We also offer integrations with booking systems and Deliverit. This keeps your customers happy and your team on-track.

We're payment specialists

When you choose the Smartpay POS and Payment Bundle, you don't just get a great POS system. You also get our Android Terminal, one of the newest on the market. It’s a reliable, all-in-one tool designed for seamless portability and ease of use, making it the perfect fit for any business environment.

With our bundle, you can completely manage your transactions and payments with us. That means no more middleman mark-ups.

Keep costs low and profits high

You can operate our POS and Payment Bundle for $0 if you meet our eligibility criteria. Here's how it works:

  • You can get 12 or 24 months of a free subscription to our POS system.
  • If you meet our turnover criteria, you get our POS hardware and EFTPOS terminal for free.
  • With Smartpay Zero Cost™ EFTPOS, you can pass merchant fees onto your customers with a surcharge. Or, you can use our Simple Flat Rate and cover your fees yourself.

Protect your bottom line with Smartpay's Zero Cost POS system.

Multi-Network SIM

Network outages can turn a profitable day upside down. That's why our Android terminal comes with a multi-network SIM. Meaning that if the network goes down, the 4G multi-network SIM will automatically connect to the strongest network or use 4G data ensuring you can continue to take payments.

Smartpay Business Hub

The Smartpay Business Hub is your one-stop shop for everything you need to optimise your business. Within the Business Hub, you can access:

  • View real-time and historical transactions and settlements
  • Connect to accounting applications like Xero or MYOB
  • Connect to business applications like marketing tools or eCommerce integrations
  • Connect your bank and credit cards for cash flow forecasts

Best in class service

We offer technical support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. You can get in touch online here or on 1800 433 876. Our dedicated team will get your system back to its best as quickly as possible.

Does Smartpay's POS and Payment Bundle sound like the right solution for you? Find out more and elevate transactions in your business today.

Zeller

Zeller is primarily known for being an EFTPOS provider. However, it also offers a Lite POS system. It's designed with small businesses in mind, offering a convenient, portable POS system.

Zeller POS Lite features Wi-Fi, SIM card and ethernet functionality to keep you connected. It supports discounts, refunds and itemised receipts.

While it's a "Lite" approach to POS software, the system does support item categorisation and bulk item uploads. However, it lacks more in-depth features when it comes to inventory management and data analysis.

Zeller POS Lite is a solid choice if you have very simple POS needs. The software comes free with the Zeller Terminal 2, which is itself available for purchase for $199.

However, this value proposition doesn't quite stack up to options like the Smartpay POS and Payment bundle, which has no ongoing costs if you meet turnover criteria. The Smartpay POS and Payment also offers a more comprehensive suite of POS features.

Square

Square offers a few different approaches to POS in your business. Its software runs on a range of different hardware types, including:

  • Square Handheld: Square Handheld is a portable POS machine, allowing you to accept payments in a wide array of locations. It costs $349, or $30/month over 12 months.
  • Square Terminal: The Square Terminal is essentially an EFTPOS terminal which also offers a full POS solution. It costs $329, or $28/month over 12 months.
  • Square Register: This is a more robust solution in the Square line-up. You can access a full suite of POS features, and a two-screen set-up allows your customers to monitor the transaction as it’s processed. It costs $1,099, or $92/month of 12 months.

Square also charges 1.6% for each transaction it processes. While Square does have an impressive variety of devices and feature-rich software, its pricing structure can be a significant turn-off for many businesses.

Lightspeed

Another popular POS platform in Australia is Lightspeed. Lightspeed's POS product is closely linked to the former POS platform Kounta, acquired by Lightspeed in 2019.

Customers with Lightspeed get core POS and EFTPOS hardware that enables you to process transactions and dig deep into the data behind your business.

Lightspeed offers a cloud-based POS solution that supports everything from in-store sales to eCommerce. It has robust features to manage multiple locations and track your inventory. If you're willing to spend a bit more, you can get your hands on additional hardware like kitchen display systems.

Lightspeed offers two distinct payment structures for retail and for hospitality. Retail plans start at $129/month, going up to $329/month. Hospitality plans start at $79/month, going up to $359/month. 

Lightspeed has much to offer large businesses that need a lot from their EFTPOS, like multi-location management. For small to medium-sized businesses, these features are often more than you require. They also come with a big price tag when compared to more affordable options that scale with your business.

Get Started With a Modern POS Solution

If you're ready to elevate your business, get in touch about Smartpay POS and Payment Bundles today. We offer a unified approach to taking care of transactions in your business.

With specialised solutions for retail and hospitality, it's easy to customise your system for your business. Get a multi-network SIM that keeps you online, all the time.

You also get to access our first-class customer service, on-call whenever you need them. You can also use the Smartpay Business Hub to get deeper insights into your business, helping you take things up a notch.

Get in touch today and see how we help you delight your customers and keep your business buzzing.

Small Business POS FAQs

When looking for the right POS system, small businesses should prioritise a cost-effective solution that scales with your business. This makes Smartpay's POS and Payment Bundle an excellent choice.

Our POS system comes with a 12 or 24 month free subscription, and free hardware based on your turnover. When combined with our Zero-Cost™ EFTPOS, your business can operate our all-in-one solution with minimal ongoing costs.

Some key features to look for in a POS system include:

  • Reliable transactions: Most importantly, a POS system must allow you to manage and process your transactions. For example, Smartpay's POS and Payment Bundle offers an easy, all-in-one solution with all the software and hardware
  • Inventory management: As you put all your transactions through a POS system, they are excellent tools for managing your inventory. You can keep your inventory automatically updated each time you sell an item
  • Ordering systems: Integration with different kinds of ordering systems is another valuable tool POS systems can offer, especially for hospitality businesses. Integrations with booking or delivery systems ensure you get to serve as many customers as possible.

Data analysis: Your system should allow you to access the data it collects to help you understand your business better. This can be the key to your next big step forward.

Most POS systems have monthly costs ranging from around $30/month all the way up to around $350/month. However, alternative solutions like Smartpay's POS and Payment Bundle allow you to operate a POS system with virtually no ongoing costs.

Not necessarily! Smartpay's POS and Payment Bundle offers minimal ongoing costs with a free 12 or 24 subscription and free hardware depending on your turnover. You can also use Smartpay's Zero Cost™ solution to pay nothing for your EFTPOS, too.

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