Best POS Systems NZ 2025: Complete Buyer's Guide
The right POS (Point of Sale) system streamlines sales, tracks inventory, and provides insights into your business. This guide compares New Zealand's top POS systems for retail, hospitality, and cafes.
💡 Quick Recommendations
- Best for Retail: Vend (Lightspeed Retail) - $119-$249/month
- Best for Cafes/Small Retail: Square - Free software, 1.9% fees
- Best for Restaurants: Lightspeed Restaurant - $119+/month
- Best NZ-Owned: Kounta - $79-$299/month
Top POS Systems in NZ
1. Vend (Lightspeed Retail) 🏆
Best for Multi-Store Retail
$119-$249/mo
per register
New Zealand-founded (now owned by Lightspeed), Vend is the leading POS for NZ retailers. Cloud-based, works on iPad/Mac/PC, and integrates with Xero seamlessly. Strong inventory management and multi-store capabilities.
✓ Key Features
- • Inventory management (variants, bundles)
- • Multi-store management
- • Xero & MYOB integration
- • E-commerce integration (Shopify, WooCommerce)
- • Customer loyalty programs
- • Advanced reporting & analytics
Pricing
- • Lean: $119/month (1 register)
- • Pro: $169/month (advanced features)
- • Enterprise: $249+/month (unlimited)
- • Transaction fees: 1.8-2.6%
- • Hardware: iPad + accessories ($800-$1,500)
Best for: Fashion retail, homewares, specialty stores, multi-location retailers, businesses with 50-5,000+ SKUs.
2. Square POS 💚
Best Free Option for Startups
FREE
1.9% + 30¢/transaction
Square offers genuinely free POS software with pay-per-transaction pricing. Perfect for cafes, small retailers, and startups not wanting monthly fees. Simple setup, iPad-based, and includes card reader.
✓ Key Features
- • Free POS software (unlimited)
- • Contactless card reader included
- • Basic inventory tracking
- • Online ordering & delivery
- • Customer directory & marketing
- • Same-day bank deposits available
Pricing
- • Software: $0/month (free)
- • EFTPOS/Credit: 1.9% + 30¢
- • Tap/contactless: 1.9% + 30¢
- • Manual entry: 2.7% + 30¢
- • Hardware: $59-$799 (optional)
Best for: Cafes, food trucks, markets stalls, small boutiques, startups with low transaction volume (under $50k/year).
3. Lightspeed Restaurant
Best for Hospitality
$119+/mo
per location
Purpose-built for restaurants, cafes, and bars. Features like table management, kitchen display systems, course firing, and split bills make it ideal for full-service hospitality.
Best for: Restaurants, bars, full-service cafes with table service, hospitality businesses needing kitchen integration.
4. Kounta 🇳🇿
Best NZ-Owned Option
$79-$299/mo
per register
Australian-founded but with strong NZ presence. Cloud POS working on iPad, great for both retail and hospitality. Flexible pricing and local support.
Best for: Businesses wanting local support, hybrid retail/hospo (cafe + shop), SMEs needing flexibility.
POS Pricing Comparison
| POS System | Monthly Cost | Transaction Fees | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vend | $119-$249 | 1.8-2.6% | Multi-store retail |
| Square | $0 | 1.9% + 30¢ | Cafes, startups |
| Lightspeed Restaurant | $119+ | 1.8-2.5% | Restaurants |
| Kounta | $79-$299 | 1.8-2.6% | Flexible retail/hospo |
💡 Total Cost Reality: For $100k annual sales: Monthly software ($120) + transaction fees ($2,000) + hardware ($1,200 one-time) = ~$2,120/month first month, ~$2,120/month ongoing. Transaction fees are your biggest cost.
Best POS by Business Type
☕ Cafes & Coffee Shops
Recommended: Square or Lightspeed Restaurant
Why: Fast service, simple menu, mobile ordering. Square's free tier perfect for low-margin cafes. Upgrade to Lightspeed if you add table service.
🍽️ Restaurants & Bars
Recommended: Lightspeed Restaurant or Kounta
Why: Need table management, course firing, kitchen display, split bills. Lightspeed is industry-leading for full-service restaurants.
👗 Fashion & Apparel Retail
Recommended: Vend
Why: Strong inventory (sizes, colors, variants), customer loyalty, e-commerce integration. Multi-store management for chains.
🛒 General Retail
Recommended: Vend or Square
Why: Vend for 50+ SKUs and serious inventory needs. Square for simple stores with under 50 products.
🚚 Market Stalls & Pop-ups
Recommended: Square
Why: Free, mobile, works on phone/tablet, includes card reader. Perfect for temporary or mobile retail.
Essential POS Features
Must-Have Features
- ✓ EFTPOS/contactless payments
- ✓ Inventory tracking
- ✓ GST reporting (IRD compliance)
- ✓ Sales reporting & analytics
- ✓ Staff management & permissions
- ✓ Xero/MYOB integration
- ✓ Customer database
Nice-to-Have Features
- + Multi-store management
- + E-commerce integration
- + Customer loyalty programs
- + Purchase orders & suppliers
- + Table management (hospitality)
- + Kitchen display system
- + Email marketing
FAQs
What is the best POS system for small business in NZ?
For most NZ small retailers, Vend (now Lightspeed Retail) or Square are the best POS systems. Vend costs $119-$249/month with powerful inventory and multi-store management—ideal for established retailers. Square is free for basic features with 1.9-2.7% transaction fees—perfect for startups and cafes. For hospitality (restaurants/bars), Lightspeed Restaurant ($119+/month) or Kounta are better choices with table management and kitchen display systems.
How much does a POS system cost in NZ?
POS systems in NZ cost $0-$300/month in software fees plus 1.5-3% transaction fees. Free tier: Square (free software, 1.9% fees), Entry-level: $50-$120/month (Vend Lean, Kounta), Mid-range: $120-$250/month (Vend Pro, Lightspeed), Enterprise: $250+/month (custom pricing). Hardware (iPad, terminals, printers) costs $500-$2,500 one-time. Most small retailers pay $150-$300/month total including transactions.
Do I need a POS system for my NZ retail store?
You need a POS if you answer yes to any: Sell physical products in-store, need inventory tracking across multiple products/variants, accept card payments regularly, want sales reporting and analytics, have multiple staff members processing sales, sell both online and in-store, need GST reports for IRD. If you're service-based or sell just a few items, invoicing software (Xero, MYOB) might suffice. But any physical retail or hospitality business benefits from proper POS.
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