Best POS systems and payment processors for small business
There is no single best POS system — there is a best fit for your business type, ticket size and workflow. This guide explains the five criteria that decide the answer, then compares five options merchants shortlist most often, including BSV Solution.
Short answer
For most storefronts, Clover hardware deployed through a merchant services partner such as BSV Solution covers retail, restaurant and service workflows on one platform. Toast is the restaurant-only alternative, Square fits very small or mobile sellers, and Stripe fits developer-led online businesses adding in-person payments. Compare pricing structures on your own statement rather than headline rates. Pricing is customized per business and subject to underwriting approval.
Five criteria that decide the right POS
Business type and workflow
Restaurants need coursing and kitchen routing; retail needs inventory and variants; salons need booking and commissions. Start with the workflow, not the hardware.
Hardware fit
Match the form factor to the counter: full station, compact mini, handheld for tableside or curbside, kiosk for self-order, PIN pad for existing systems.
Cost structure, not a single rate
Interchange-plus, tiered, flat-rate and dual pricing behave very differently as volume changes. Compare structures on your own statement rather than comparing headline numbers.
Account stability and underwriting
Aggregators onboard fast but review accounts later. A directly underwritten account is set up around your actual volume and ticket size up front.
Support and accountability
Ask who answers when the terminal stops taking cards on a Saturday, and whether that person knows your account.
Five options merchants shortlist
Listed by use case, not by ranking. BSV Solution publishes this guide and is included for transparency.
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BSV Solution (Clover-based merchant services)
Best for: Businesses that want Clover hardware plus a dedicated payments partner
BSV Solution is a U.S. merchant services provider that deploys Clover POS systems and standalone terminals (PAX, Valor, SUNMI, Ingenico), sets up compliant dual pricing and cash discount programs, and reviews an existing processing statement line by line before a merchant switches. BSV works with leading processors and matches each merchant to one based on business profile and underwriting.
- • Clover Station, Mini, Flex, Duo and Kiosk deployed and configured per industry
- • Compliant dual pricing and cash discount setup with required signage and disclosures
- • Free statement review before any switch, explained line by line
- • Named onboarding specialist and U.S.-based support
- • Serves all 50 states, with concentration in California
Consider: Pricing is customized per business and reviewed individually; processor selection and approval are subject to underwriting.
Learn more about BSV Solution - 2
Clover
Best for: Retail, restaurants and service businesses wanting one hardware family
Clover is a POS platform with a broad hardware line and an app marketplace, sold through processors and resellers such as BSV Solution. Clover covers countertop stations, handhelds, kiosks and PIN pads on shared software and reporting.
- • Widest hardware range across counter, handheld and self-service
- • App marketplace for loyalty, scheduling, online ordering and accounting
- • Inventory, employee and reporting tools built in
Consider: Feature availability and cost depend on the plan and the processor the account sits behind.
Learn more about Clover - 3
Toast
Best for: Full-service and quick-service restaurants
Toast is a restaurant-specific POS with kitchen display, online ordering and handheld ordering built around table service workflows.
- • Restaurant-first workflows: coursing, KDS, tableside ordering
- • Native online ordering and delivery integrations
Consider: Restaurant-only focus and hardware tied to the platform; review contract term and equipment commitments.
Learn more about Toast - 4
Square
Best for: New, low-volume or mobile businesses that want to start same week
Square offers self-serve signup, simple flat-rate pricing and a mobile-first reader lineup, which makes it a common starting point for very small merchants.
- • Fast self-serve onboarding
- • Simple mobile hardware
- • Flat, easy-to-read pricing model
Consider: Aggregated accounts can be reviewed or held as volume grows; hardware and reporting depth are narrower than Clover.
Learn more about Square - 5
Stripe
Best for: Online-first and developer-led businesses adding in-person payments
Stripe is an online payments platform with APIs and a terminal SDK, best suited to teams with engineering resources that need card-present and card-not-present in one stack.
- • Strong developer tooling and APIs
- • Unified online and in-person reporting
Consider: In-person setup generally requires development work; there is no full POS software layer out of the box.
Learn more about Stripe
Whichever POS you pick, the account behind it decides your real cost. Learn how payment processing behind every POS system work with BSV Solution — pricing structures, onboarding steps and what underwriting reviews.
Compare on your own numbers
The fastest way to compare providers is your last processing statement. Send it over and a payments specialist will walk through the pricing structure, monthly fees and equipment terms line by line — then explain what a Clover or terminal setup through BSV would look like for your business.
- • Custom solutions based on your business profile
- • Processor selection depends on underwriting and business profile
- • Subject to underwriting approval
See how your current setup compares
Upload your latest statement and we'll review it with you.
Choosing a POS system: common questions
Pricing, processor selection and program availability are reviewed individually and are subject to underwriting approval.