What is a POS system? Point of sale explained for small businesses
By SendPay Business · · 2 min read
- 1Your card appears in your app
- 2Tap it to pay in a shop
- 3See every payment as it happens
A POS (point of sale) system is where a sale is completed: it records what was sold, takes the payment and keeps the numbers. For a shop or cafe it's usually a till app on a tablet with a card reader; for others it can be much simpler.
What a POS system does
- Rings up items and prices, including discounts and tax.
- Takes payment by card, phone or cash.
- Prints or emails a receipt.
- Tracks sales, stock and staff in reports.
The parts
Most POS systems have software (the till app, often a monthly subscription), hardware (a tablet or terminal, a card reader, sometimes a receipt printer and cash drawer) and a payment provider that charges a fee on each card payment.
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What it does
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Do you need one?
If customers pay in person over a counter, a POS system usually helps. If you sell remotely, visit customers, or take payment after the job is done, a payment link or an invoice can take the payment without any hardware.
Where SendPay fits
SendPay doesn't sell card machines or POS hardware. SendPay platforms let you take payment with payment links and invoices under your own brand, which suits businesses that don't need a counter.
How it works
Your own money app- 1Name it and pick your colours
- 2Choose what it does
- 3Launch when you are ready
Why sign up
Create your free SendPay account
It's all about creating your own financial platform with ease. Start with a free account today.
- 🪪A free business accountOpen it in about a minute with your business name, email, password and mobile. No card and no documents to start.
- 💳Get paid from day oneTake card payments, and share your own payment link and invoices so customers pay in a click.
- 🌐A free business websiteFree to build, free to publish and free to keep, with unlimited visits.
- 🚀Your own financial platformDesign and preview your whole platform free, then launch when you are ready.
SendPay Business is a technology company, not a bank. Accounts, cards and payments are powered by licensed partners.
Questions people ask
How do card machine deals compare?
Compare two card machine deals over the first year, including device, per-payment and monthly costs.
Card machine cost calculator →Are there alternatives to a card machine?
The guide compares the options for small businesses.
Card machine alternatives →Virtual terminal or payment links?
The guide explains the difference.
Virtual terminal vs payment links →Read next
Spotted a mistake or something out of date? and we'll fix it. How our guides are made
This guide is general information, not legal or financial advice. SendPay Business is a technology company, not a bank, and does not take deposits; regulated services on the platforms are provided by licensed partners. Other companies named in this guide are reference points only and are not affiliated with SendPay Business.