The best POS system for small businesses in Australia

Key takeaways

• The best POS systems for most Australian small businesses are Square, Zeller, Tyro, Shopify POS, Lightspeed, Airwallex, and Hike – each suits a different size and way of selling.

• The most important thing to compare is total monthly cost – software, card fees and hardware together – especially now card surcharges are banned from 1 October 2026.

• For businesses that sell online, Airwallex brings payments, a multi-currency business account and FX onto one platform, with physical POS Payments coming soon to Australia.

The best POS system for small business is the one with the lowest total cost for your sales volume that still covers the features you'll actually use. That matters more than ever this year: from 1 October 2026, businesses cannot add card surcharges for covered networks, so include payment costs in your pricing and margin calculations.

Below, we compare seven POS systems across fees, hardware and features.

What is a POS system and how does it work?

A point of sale (POS) system is the combination of software, hardware and payment processing that records your sales, takes card payments and tracks your stock. Most point of sale systems for small business are built from three parts:

• POS software: Rings up sales, manages inventory and produces reports.

• Hardware: An iPad or tablet, a card reader or terminal, a receipt printer and cash drawer – or just a phone with Tap to Pay.

• Payment processing: The card rate you pay on every transaction.

Some providers bundle all three (Square, Zeller, Hike), some are payments-first (Tyro), and others are software-first with optional payments (Lightspeed, Shopify). For a broader look at your options, compare payment solutions for small businesses.

The best POS systems for small business compared

The best POS systems for small business in Australia are Zeller and Tyro for low card rates, Square for free software, Shopify POS for online and in-store retail, Lightspeed for inventory-heavy shops, Hike for a mid-priced all-in-one, and Airwallex for businesses selling online to customers at home and overseas.

In-depth: Features of the best POS systems for small business

Each option below is reviewed on its fees, pros and cons, so you can match it to how your business sells.

Airwallex

Airwallex brings payments together with multi-currency business accounts on one global platform. Today, you can take payments online through Checkout, Payment Links and eCommerce plugins, then settle funds into the same account you use to pay suppliers and staff. In-person payments are coming soon to Australia, which will give you one dashboard for in-store and online sales, reconciliation and settlement. 

Fees

• Online payments, domestic cards: 1.65% + A$0.30 per transaction

• Online payments, international cards: 3.45% + A$0.30 per transaction

• Business account: A$0 a month on the Explore plan when minimum conditions are met (otherwise A$29 a month)

• In-person payments (POS Payments): Pricing to be confirmed at Australian launch

Pros

• Accept major cards plus 160+ local payment methods in 130+ currencies, then settle into a multi-currency account and pay suppliers at interbank-based FX rates with a transparent margin

• Enable Airi into your checkout to allow your customers to save and auto-populate their payment details securely, increasing conversion and encouraging repeat customers

• Take advantage of Airwallex’s automation and AI tools, such as Optimize 360, which applies real-time intelligence across fraud prevention and reduces churn with smart payment retries

• Choose from multiple checkout options including payment links, fully embedded checkouts, plugins, and low-code options. Physical POS launching soon.

• Integration with Xero, Netsuite, and Quickbooks

Cons

• Not yet available for in-person payments in Australia

• No built-in inventory management

Square

Square offers free POS software, a flat card rate and hardware from $65, which makes it one of the easiest ways for a new business to start taking payments. It suits market stalls, pop-ups and micro businesses through to small shops, and you can upgrade to paid plans as you grow.

Fees

• Square POS Free plan: $0 a month; Square for Retail Plus: $109 a month per location

• In-person: 1.6% 

• Online and keyed-in payments: 2.2%

• Hardware: Square Reader A$65, Square Terminal A$329, Square Register A$1,099

Pros

• Low-cost software tier with no lock-in contract

• Wide range of hardware, plus Tap to Pay on iPhone and Android for selling on the go

• Free next-day transfers, including weekends

Cons

• Higher flat in-person rate than Zeller or Tyro

• Advanced retail features sit on paid plans

Zeller

Zeller is a payments-first provider with low-cost POS software and one of the lowest flat rates for small businesses. It may be a good fit if you need reliable card payments and simple POS features, but not advanced inventory.

Fees

• In-person: 1.4% on all cards, including Amex (incl. GST)

• In-person via Zeller POS: 1.2% (terms apply)

• Phone and mail orders (MOTO): 1.7% (incl. GST); Virtual Terminal: 1.75% + A$0.25

• Zeller Terminal: A$199; no monthly or set-up fees

Pros

• No monthly fees

• Nightly settlement into a Zeller Account, with a savings account and cards available

• Integrates with Xero and 600+ POS platforms

Cons

• Feature depth is lighter than retail-focused platforms, so confirm that your required hospitality workflows are supported before choosing.

• Fewer retail tools than Lightspeed or Shopify

Tyro

Tyro is an EFTPOS terminal provider that integrates with 580+ POS and property management systems. It's the right choice if you're happy with your current POS software and want a low card rate and fast settlement behind it.

Fees

• In-person: 1.3% (incl. GST)

• Online: 1.5% + A$0.2

• Terminal rental: Pro Touch and Pro Key A$29 a month, Pro Lite A$19 a month, Tyro BYO A$0

• Custom pricing for businesses processing more than A$20,000 a month

Pros

• Same-day settlement seven days a week into a Tyro Transaction Account (excludes Amex, JCB and Afterpay)

• Tap & Save least-cost routing on dual-network debit cards

• Rental options for hardware, so there's no large upfront cost

Cons

• Not POS software on its own – you'll need a separate POS

• Terminal rental adds a monthly cost

Shopify POS

Shopify POS is best for businesses that already sell online on Shopify and want stock, orders and customers in one place. It's built for retail and scales from a single market stall to many stores.

Fees

• Plans: Basic A$56/month, Grow A$149/month, Advanced A$575/month

• POS Pro: +A$129 a month per location (billed yearly)

• In-person: 1.85% (Basic), 1.75% (Grow), 1.65% (Advanced)

• Online: from 1.7% + A$0.30 (Basic), 1.55% + A$0.30 (Grow), 1.35% + $0.30 (Advanced)

• Shopify POS Terminal: A$419

Pros

• Online and in-store inventory sync

• Scales to many locations, with no third-party transaction fee when you use Shopify Payments

• Tap to Pay on your phone

Cons

• Highest monthly cost on this list if you need POS Pro

• Extra fees if you use a third-party payment provider (2% on Basic, 1% on Grow, 0.6% on Advanced)

Lightspeed Retail

Lightspeed Retail is a feature-rich POS for growing shops with lots of SKUs or more than one location. If inventory is the core of your business, see our guide to the [best POS system for retail – link when live].

Fees

• Plans: Basic A$129 a month, Core A$229, Plus A$329

• Lightspeed Payments: 1.5% card-present

• Online transaction rate: on request

Pros

• Advanced inventory management

• Built-in eCommerce

• Strong reporting

Cons

• Highest entry-level software cost on this list

• More set-up than many small businesses need

Hike

Hike is an Australia-available POS with integrated payments and accounting sync. It sits in the middle ground between Square and Lightspeed – more retail depth than a free plan, without enterprise-level pricing.

Fees

• Essential: A$89/month

• Plus: A$129/month

• HikePay: 1.5% in-person

• Hardware: HikePay Reader A$114, HikePay Terminal A$366

Pros

• Xero and MYOB integrations

• Built-in eCommerce, plus Shopify, WooCommerce and BigCommerce integrations

• Multi-location ready, and you can cancel anytime

Cons

• Monthly fee on every plan

• Hardware bundles add up – the Hike Register alone is A$1,508

What the card surcharge ban means for your POS choice

From 1 October 2026, businesses can no longer surcharge eftpos, Mastercard or Visa debit, prepaid or credit card payments. The RBA also reduced domestic interchange caps on that date; foreign-card interchange caps and related transparency changes follow from 1 April 2027.

The card surcharge ban means the fees you pay your provider now come straight out of your margin. American Express, UnionPay and PayPal are not subject to the RBA’s formal regulation, but they have separately announced no-surcharge rules. When you compare POS systems, check:

• Your card rate: It's now a direct cost to your margin, so a 0.3% difference adds up quickly.

• Least-cost routing: Whether your provider routes dual-network debit cards through the cheaper network (for example, Tyro Tap & Save).

• Surcharge settings: Turn off any automatic surcharging in your POS or terminal.

Do you need a POS system or just an EFTPOS terminal?

If you only need to take card payments, an eftpos terminal or Tap to Pay on your phone is enough. You need POS software once you're tracking stock, managing staff or selling across more than one channel.

An EFTPOS terminal is enough if:

• You sell a small range of products or services and don't need to track stock

• You work alone or with one or two staff

• You only sell in person, such as at markets or on call-outs

You need a POS system if:

• You manage inventory, variants or low-stock alerts

• You need staff logins, rosters or sales-by-staff reports

• You sell online and in-store and want one view of stock and sales

Features to look for in a small business POS system

The features that matter most in a small business POS are transparent total cost, payment flexibility, inventory management, online and in-store sync, accounting integration, and fast settlement and reporting.

Transparent, low total cost

Look at software, card rate and hardware together rather than any one number. A free plan with a higher rate can cost more than a paid plan at higher volumes. Avoid lock-in contracts and break fees so you can switch if your needs change.

Payment flexibility

Your POS should accept tap, chip, mobile wallets and Tap to Pay on a phone. If you serve tourists or sell overseas, check support for international cards and wallets such as Alipay, WeChat Pay and UnionPay – an area where Airwallex is built to help.

Inventory management

Basic stock levels and low-stock alerts are enough for most small businesses. If you carry thousands of SKUs or variants, look at a retail-focused system.

Online and in-store sync

If you also sell through one of the major eCommerce platforms, choose a POS that keeps stock, customers and sales in one view. This stops you selling the same item twice and gives you a clear picture of which channel performs best.

Accounting integration

A direct sync with Xero or your preferred account platform can push your sales, fees and payouts into your books automatically. That cuts reconciliation time and reduces manual errors at the end of each month.

Fast settlement and reporting

Same-day or next-day settlement keeps your cash flow steady, so check when funds actually land in your account. Daily sales and staff reports help you spot trends, and an offline mode keeps you trading if the internet drops.

How to choose the best POS system for your small business

To choose the best POS system for your small business, start with your sales volume and must-have features, then test your shortlist in real conditions.

1. Estimate your monthly card turnover and run the cost maths above.

2. List your must-have features versus nice-to-haves.

3. Check what hardware you already own, such as an iPad or phone.

4. Confirm integrations with your accounting and eCommerce tools.

5. Use a free trial and test it on a real trading day.

• Running a café or restaurant? See the [best POS system for a restaurant – link when live].

• Inventory-heavy shop? See the [best POS system for retail – link when live].

• Multiple sites or larger turnover? See the [best POS system Australia – link when live].

Why businesses choose Airwallex

Businesses choose Airwallex to accept customer payments online, hold funds in multiple currencies and pay suppliers from one platform. If you sell online today and plan to sell in person, it keeps every channel in one place as you grow.

Streamlined customer acceptance and finance management on one platform

Accept payments online today through Checkout, payment links and Payment Plugins, with POS Payments coming soon to Australia. See every sale in unified reporting, alongside FX, Global Accounts, Yield and Corporate Cards.

Accept payments from customers anywhere

Accept 160+ payment methods in 130+ currencies, including major cards and wallets. Alipay, WeChat Pay and UnionPay make it easy for tourists and international customers to pay the way they prefer.

Hold and spend what you earn in multiple currencies

Operate like a local, everywhere with Airwallex Global Accounts: open local accounts in minutes and transact across 70+ countries and 20+ currencies. Pay suppliers at interbank-based rates from your multi-currency business account and save up to 80% on FX fees compared with traditional banks.

Increase customer retention and conversion with Airi

Airi auto-populates payment details at checkout, so new and returning customers pay you in one click. Compared with standard card payments, Airi delivers a 3x faster checkout and lifts conversion by up to 14%, at no extra cost.

Improve your payment outcomes with AI

Optimize 360 is Airwallex's AI-powered engine for fraud protection, network acceptance and recovery, delivering up to 2.6% higher approval rates. It retries declined payments intelligently, routes each transaction through the best path, and triggers 3DS checks only when needed.

Connects to the tools you use

Sync payments and transactions with Xero, and sell through Shopify and WooCommerce with ready-made plugins. Use Airwallex APIs to connect your existing POS and keep order and payment data in step.

Frequently asked questions

Is there a free POS system for small businesses?

No POS system is technically “free”, but Square offers a free POS plan with no monthly fee, and Zeller includes free POS software with its terminals. You still pay a percentage on every card payment and buy hardware upfront, so "free" refers to the software only. Paid plans add advanced inventory, reporting and multi-location features.

Can I still add a card surcharge in Australia?

No, not on most cards. From 1 October 2026, businesses can't surcharge eftpos, Mastercard or Visa debit, prepaid and credit card payments. American Express, UnionPay and PayPal are also expected to prohibit surcharging under their separate rules.

Can I use my phone as a POS system?

Yes. Square, Shopify POS, Hike and Lightspeed support Tap to Pay, which turns a compatible phone into a contactless card reader with no extra hardware. It suits market stalls, mobile services and pop-ups. For higher volumes or chip and PIN payments, a dedicated terminal is usually more reliable.

Which POS systems integrate with Xero?

All seven systems in this guide integrate with Xero: Square, Zeller, Tyro, Shopify POS, Lightspeed, Hike and Airwallex. The depth varies – some sync daily sales summaries, while others push individual transactions, fees and payouts. Check each provider's integration page to confirm it matches how you reconcile.

Sources

1. Reserve Bank of Australia – Review of Merchant Card Payment Costs and Surcharging: Conclusions Paper (media release, 31 March 2026)

2. Reserve Bank of Australia – Conclusions Paper FAQs

3. https://squareup.com/au/en/point-of-sale/retail/pricing 

4. https://www.tyro.com/payments/online/online-payments/

5. https://www.shopify.com/au/pricing 

6. https://www.lightspeedhq.com/au/pos/retail/pricing/ 

7. https://hikeup.com/au/pricing/ 

8. https://www.myzeller.com/au/pricing