With a pet industry worth more than £8 billion in 2023, the pet industry is a major part of the UK’s retail sector.
But which POS system offers the best functionality and price point for pet shops?
As a payments expert, I’ve compiled what I feel are the best POS solutions for this sector, to help you make your decision. I’ve looked at price, core functionality, customer support, usability and more to make my verdict.
Why Do Pet Shops Need a POS System?
In addition to facilitating payments, a great POS system can streamline any pet store. Here’s some of the functionality which you might need:
- Inventory Management: Track pet food, supplies, toys, and other items easily, ensuring you never run out of popular products.
- Barcode Scanning: Quickly add new inventory or ring up purchases, streamlining checkout and reducing errors.
- Customer Database: Keep track of pet owners’ preferences, pet birthdays, and purchase history to offer personalised recommendations and promotions.
- Loyalty Programs: Implement loyalty schemes to reward frequent pet shop customers, encouraging repeat business.
- Integrated Payment Processing: Accept various payment methods, including cash, card, and contactless payments, securely.
- Reporting and Analytics: Gain insights into popular products, peak sales times, and overall business performance to make informed decisions.
- Appointment Scheduling: Manage grooming, training, and vet appointments efficiently, enhancing customer experience.
- Subscriptions Management: Handle product subscriptions, encouraging regular repeat purchases and improving customer experience.
- Service Management: Work management tools for additional services such as personalised pet ID tags.
- Social Media Integration: Seamlessly share pet-related content, promotions, and customer testimonials to increase brand visibility and engagement on social media platforms.
Best POS for Pet Shops: My Verdict
While all of the POS systems on my list represent excellent choices, some will suit particular pet care businesses more than others.
New or casual sellers will find Square POS more than meets their needs. There’s no monthly subscription fee or contract, so you’ll only pay a 1.75% processing rate for each transaction you accept. I would recommend this for a 7k turnover or less.
If you’re prepared to sign up for a longer contract, you could get a better rate with a more comprehensive system, such as YumaPOS or Takepayments. These are both mid-range POS systems with broad functionality, a fair price point, and reliable UK based customer support.
Epos Now and Lightspeed are more suited to larger shops or multi-location stores. Although these systems are more expensive than other options, you can reduce costs by negotiating better transaction rates based on your annual card turnover. Both of these offer advanced integrations that come with notable benefits for streamlining profits and backend management.
Read my detailed reviews of each of these Point of Sales below.
Comparison of the Best POS for Pet Shops
| Price | Our Rating | Trust Pilot Rating | Visit | |
| YumaPOS | ££ | ★★★★★ (4.5) | ★★★★★ (4.5) | Visit YumaPOS |
| Lightspeed | £££££ | ★★★★ (4) | ★★★★★ (4.5) | Visit Lightspeed Retail |
| Shopify | ££ | ★★★ (3) | ★ (1.2) | Visit Shopify POS |
| Takepayments | £££ | ★★★ (2.5) | ★★★★★ (4.8) | Visit Takepayments |
| Epos Now | ££££ | ★★★★ (3.5) | ★★★★ (4.3) | Visit Epos Now |
| Square | £ | ★★★★ (4) | ★★★ (4.3) | Visit Square |
Top 6 Best POS Systems for Pet Shops
YumaPOS
With its intuitive interface and comprehensive features, YumaPOS is a very fairly priced POS solution for pet shops. You can get a till, printer, cash drawer, and payment system for just £49.99 per month, with no upfront charge, making it a very affordable option.
However, as contracts are usually for at least 24 months, YumaPOS won’t suit casual sellers such as market stall traders and pop-up shops.
Another great feature is that, unlike most other POS systems, you can choose your payment processor. This means you can find the best market rate for your business instead of having to accept what you’re offered, potentially saving you money.
The system lets you easily update stock levels and prices to respond quickly to market trends and customer demands. YumaPOS helps prevent stockouts and excess inventory, optimising cash flow and profitability.
Customer engagement tools include built-in loyalty programs and automated marketing campaigns. You can personalise promotions and rewards based on customer preferences and purchase history, building long-term relationships.
The system provides tools for tracking employee activities, delegating tasks, and monitoring productivity. Business owners can access detailed insights and over 100 reports highlighting sales trends, customer behaviour, and inventory performance.
Although these features are comprehensive enough for small and medium businesses, larger pet shops will find Lightspeed or Epos Now a more effective solution.
You also can’t expand your systems capabilities by integrating with 3rd party software; this is one of the biggest areas of difference with more complex POS systems.
YumaPOS at a Glance
- Accepted Payments: Apple Pay, Google Pay, Mastercard, Visa, American Express
- Transaction Rates: Varies depending on business type and payment processing volume
- Key Features: Payments, inventory management, purchase orders, employee management, customer loyalty schemes, marketing, customer management, reporting
- Integrations: No retail specific 3rd party software
- Hardware: Software and hardware bundles are available from £49.99 per month, with additional devices and accessories sold separately
- Support: 24/7 technical support, set-up assistance and personalised training
Price
- Bundles combining a till, printer, cash drawer and payment system are available from £49.99 per month.
Pros
✅ Easily track pet products and prevent stockouts or overstocking
✅ Built-in loyalty programmes and automated marketing campaigns help retain pet owners
✅ Simplifies task delegation and rewards staff with loyalty points
✅ Over 100 reports on sales trends and inventory performance, helping you make better business decisions
✅ Free technical support whenever you need it
✅ Can choose your payment processor
Cons
❌ Features too limited for large pet shops
❌ Doesn’t integrate with 3rd party retail software
❌ 24-month contracts won’t suit market stall traders and pop-up shops
Lightspeed Retail
Lightspeed Retail POS is one of the most advanced systems available and is suitable for larger independents or multi-location pet stores. If you’re turning over less than £500k it is unlikely to be cost effective.
They also insist you use their integrated payment processing through Lightspeed Payments.
If you’re happy with those requirements, Lightspeed has some very nifty functionality.
Whether it’s pet food or toys, managing your pet shop’s inventory can be time-consuming. With Lightspeed, bulk product addition, categorisation, re-order point features, and re-ordering inventory are hassle-free. The B2B Catalogue feature automates supplier information, syncing thousands of products from popular pet store suppliers directly to the POS, saving time and ensuring accurate product information.
One unique feature of Lightroom’s Retail POS is that you can sell services alongside your products using Lightspeed Retail. Whether you want to provide quotes for grooming services or offer personalised treatments, you can easily set these up on the system.
Although Lightroom’s eCommerce features are less advanced than other systems, you can expand your system’s capabilities by integrating it with popular 3rd party software such as MailChimp, Xero, QuickBooks and Marcello.
You can also track pet preferences, analyse trends and access mobile-friendly reports anywhere through the data reporting features. Lightspeeds reporting is amongst its real selling points: the analytics capabilities are really the flaghip part of this software offering allowing you to track trends over time and make smart business decisions.
Support is available 24/7 to minimise interruptions to your pet shop, and bespoke hardware packages tailored to your needs are available.
Lightspeed POS at a Glance
- Accepted Payments: Mastercard, Visa, Maestro, American Express, Google Pay and Apple Pay
- Transaction Rates: Based on several factors, including business type and annual card turnover
- Key Features: Payments, inventory management, supplier management, service management, eCommerce, customer engagement, marketing, staff management, data reporting
- Integrations: A good range of 3rd party software, including MailChimp, Xero, QuickBooks, Shopify, WooCommerce and Marsello.
- Hardware: Custom packages available with a wide range of devices, including payment terminals, receipt printers and cash drawers
- Support: 24/7 telephone support or live web chat on the Lightspeed website
Price
| Package Type | Monthly Cost |
| Lean Retail POS package | £59 |
| Standard Retail POS package | £79 |
| Advanced Retail POS package | £119 |
| Enterprise Retail POS package | Bespoke |
| Hardware packages | Bespoke |
Pros
✅ Efficiently track and organise a wide range of products, including pet food, accessories, toys and grooming supplies
✅ Integrate your POS system with popular eCommerce platforms, including Shopify
✅ Save time adding products to your inventory with the B2B Catalogue
✅ Track pet preferences, analyse sales trends and make data-driven decisions to optimise your business strategies
✅ 24/7 support for any queries or issues
Cons
❌ Must use Lightspeed’s payment processor, which could be more expensive
❌ Features too complex for small businesses
❌ eCommerce and marketing features aren’t as strong as other POS systems.
Shopify
Shopify’s POS system is a new addition to the market, offering retail functionality to try and support it’s ecommerce sellers who already sell online.
Their hardware is well priced, and offers a reasonable amount of functionality that might appeal to ecommerce sellers who are branching out into bricks and mortar selling.
Managing inventory is simplified with Shopify POS, allowing you to track stock levels, receive inventory shipments, and create purchase orders effortlessly. Keep track of popular items such as pet food brands, grooming products, and speciality toys to ensure you never run out of essential supplies.
With features like local pickup, buy online and pick up in-store, and local delivery, Shopify POS gives convenient options for your customers, making it easier for them to access your products and services.
You’ll also be able to access detailed reporting and analytics tools, allowing you to gain insights into customer preferences, popular pet trends, and sales performance across different product categories.
There’s a range of plans to suit all budgets, ranging from £5 per month for the Starter plan to £344 per month for the Advanced plan.
Whilst the £5 per month may look attractive for new pet shops, it has a high 5% payment transaction rate, making Square’s Free plan more cost-effective.
Although the Advanced plan gives you access to a better rate of 1.5%, the £344 per month account fee is more expensive than any other premium plan. Larger pet shops will find Lightspeed or Epos Now, a more comprehensive, cheaper solution.
With fixed transaction rates for all plans, you won’t be able to negotiate a better rate, regardless of your transaction volume. This means if you accept many card payments, you could pay more than other systems.
It’s worth noting that Basic, Shopify and Advanced plan customers will also have to pay £69 per month for each POS Pro location, increasing the monthly cost of Shopify POS further.
Shopify offers reliable POS hardware to handle transactions seamlessly, whether processing payments for grooming services, pet adoptions, or retail purchases.
You can purchase devices individually or buy the Retail Bundle for £149, which includes a card reader and countertop system.
Shopify POS at a Glance
- Accepted Payments: Mastercard, American Express, Visa, Apple Pay and Google Pay
- Transaction Rates: Varies depending on plan. In-person fixed transaction rates range between 1.5% and 5%, and
- Key Features: Payments, inventory management, purchase orders, eCommerce, customer management, marketing, staff management, reporting
- Integrations: Mailchimp, Post & DHL, Quickbooks, Xero and much more
- Hardware: Sold as a bundle or individually
- Support: Customer service is available 24/7 by e-mail, telephone or web chat
Price
| Plan | Monthly Cost | POS Location Cost | In-person Credit Cards | Online Credit Cards |
| Starter | £5 | Included (1 POS Lite) | 5% | 5% + £0.25 |
| Basic | £25 | £69 per POS Pro | 1.7% | 2% + £0.25 |
| Shopify | £65 | £69 per POS Pro | 1.6% | 1.7% + £0.25 |
| Retail | £69 | Included (1 POS Pro) | 1.7% | 2% + £0.25 |
| Advanced | £344 | £69 per POS Pro | 1.5% | 1.5% + £0.25 |
Pros
✅ Easily organise and track pet supplies, food varieties and toy assortments for efficient inventory management
✅ Synchonise your physical store with your online presence to create a consistent shopping experience
✅ Build and maintain customer relationships by tracking purchase history, preference and pet details
✅ Manage staff permissions, track employee performance and streamline communication
✅ Increase your reach with marketing integrations such as MailChimp, Klaviyo, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and more.
Cons
❌ More expensive than other POS systems
❌ Must have a POS Pro account to access advanced features
❌ Features too limited for large pet shops
❌ Customers have rated Shopify 1.5 out of 5 on TrustPilot
Takepayments POS
Takepayments POS (tPOS) is an excellent choice for pet shop owners who want a simple system that is easy to use.
tPOS enables seamless processing of both card and cash payments, supported by integrated portable card machines.
Cash payments are processed with end-of-day reconciliation, and you can access your funds the next working day.
Age verification functionality allows you to manage age-restricted items, ensuring compliance with regulations for pet medications and other sensitive products.
Supervisor approval controls provide extra security and oversight for high-value transactions or sensitive inventory items.
The intuitive product management system allows you to easily create and manage a diverse range of pet products and services, including items sold by weight or length.
With centralised supplier management, you can effortlessly track and report on your pet supply chain, ensuring consistent stock availability.
Real-time reporting lets you track sales trends and evaluate product performance instantly to help you make informed decisions and plan your strategy.
Although tPOS supports multiple store management, large pet shops will find the systems limited and would be better suited to an alternative system such as Epos Now or Lightspeed.
You’ll also notice that there are no inbuilt service management or marketing features, and you can’t integrate 3rd party software with your system, which could be a dealbreaker if you want to manage all of your business from one platform.
Software and hardware are bundled together in one convenient package.
Choose from the tablet-sized tPOS counter for £45 + VAT a month or the more comprehensive tPOS complete solution for £55 + VAT per month.
Both plans include a portable card machine, and you’ll have to make an upfront payment of £250 regardless of your choice.
Comprehensive training and support from tPOS’s dedicated team of experts ensures you get the most out of your POS system.
Takepayments POS at a Glance
- Accepted Payments: Mastercard, Visa, Maestro, American Express, Apple Pay, Samsung Pay and Google Pay.
- Transaction Rates: Custom rates depending on several factors, including transaction volume.
- Key Features: Payments, cash management, inventory management, supplier management, staff management, customer management, reporting
- Integrations: None
- Hardware: Choose from a countertop or mobile POS system. Additional accessories, such as card readers, are also available.
- Support: Call customer support seven days a week
Price
| Initial Setup | Monthly Cost | |
| tPOS Counter | £250 + VAT | £45 + VAT |
| tPOS Complete | £250 + VAT | £55 + VAT |
Pros
✅ Easily track pet products, medications and accessories with intuitive inventory management
✅ Efficiently process both card and cash payments, giving your customers a greater choice
✅ Acces your funds the next working day for more flexible cash flow
✅ See real-time insights into sales trends for different pet products and customer preferences
✅ Age verification and supervisor approval controls to comply with regulations
Cons
❌ Features are too basic for large pet shops
❌ No marketing or service management features
❌ No 3rd party software integrations
❌ Must use Takepayment’s payment processor
Epos Now
Epos Now’s Retail POS is a highly customisable solution, perfect for large pet shops.
Integrated payment solutions ensure quick and secure transactions, supporting various payment options, including credit cards, contactless payments, and popular eWallets like Apple Pay and Google Pay.
The system promises to streamline your daily operations, claiming to save up to 10 hours each month on administrative tasks.
With comprehensive barcode management, you can effortlessly manage your extensive product catalogue, from premium pet food to speciality toys and grooming supplies.
Set low stock notifications or enable automatic purchase orders to prevent running out of your best-selling products.
Seamlessly integrating with eCommerce platforms, online and in-store orders are managed from a centralised platform.
You can also offer convenient options like Click & Collect and home delivery, catering to the diverse needs of pet owners.
Epos Now empowers pet shops to cultivate loyal customer relationships through tailored loyalty schemes and targeted marketing campaigns.
Customer profiles are created and updated after every purchase, helping you to create personalised experiences that keep tails wagging and customers returning for more.
Although you can expand your Epos Now system’s capabilities with 3rd party integrations like Mailchimp, BigCommerce and Shopify, there are fewer options than alternative providers such as Lightspeed.
Hardware is sold individually or as part of the Complete Solution for £325 bundle. Including a till, cash drawer, printer and payment terminal, it has everything you need to incorporate the system into your business.
Epos Now provides 24/7 support, ensuring you always have the assistance you need to keep your business running smoothly.
From setting up integrated payments to troubleshooting technical issues, Epos Now is there every step, allowing pet shops to focus on what they do best: providing exceptional pet care.
Epos Now POS at a Glance
- Accepted Payments: Mastercard, Visa, American Express, Apple Pay and Google Pay
- Transaction Rates: Custom rates based on several factors, including annual card turnover
- Key Features: Payments, inventory management, purchase orders, eCommerce, employee management, customer management, loyalty schemes, marketing, data reporting
- Integrations: Mailchimp, BigCommerce, Shopify, WooCommerce, Wix and more
- Hardware: Bundles from £325 or devices sold individually
- Support: Live web chat is available between 9 am and 6 pm, or call customer support 24/7
Price
| Package | Complete Solution | Software Only |
| Initial Cost | £325 | N/A |
| Monthly Cost | From £59 | £25 + VAT |
Pros
✅ Track pet food expiration dates, manage medication inventory and categorise products by pet type using the advanced inventory management features
✅ Create personalised experiences using customer preferences and purchase history.
✅ Integrate instore and online sales to one centralised platform
✅ Access detailed insights into sales performance, inventory turnover rates and popular pet products
✅ 24/7 customer support to reduce downtime
Cons
❌ Features are too complex for small pet shops
❌ Limited 3rd party integrations
❌ Must use Epos Now’s payment processor
❌ Integrating with 3rd party software may incur an additional cost
Square
Square POS for Retail is a great entry-level system, perfect for market stall traders, pop-up shops and casual traders.
Whether selling in-store, online, over the phone, or at events, Square seamlessly integrates these channels, ensuring your products reach customers wherever they are.
With no extensive training required, you can easily add a synced online store without any coding, sell through social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook, and offer convenient services like click and collect, local delivery, and shipping.
You can customise your checkout process to include pet-specific modifiers, categories, and integrated hardware solutions, ensuring a hassle-free experience for you and your customers.
The system prioritises payment security with dispute management, fraud protection, and encrypted payments, giving pet owners peace of mind when purchasing.
You can access your funds within 1-2 working days for free or pay a 1% fee to instantly transfer it to your bank account, which is excellent if your cash flow is limited.
Square’s inventory management system allows you to monitor stock levels, receive low-stock alerts, and manage inventory across multiple locations, ensuring you never run out of popular items.
Store customer preferences, collect feedback, and offer personalised services like pet loyalty programs and gift cards to build long-term relationships.
However, it’s worth noting that, unlike most POS systems, marketing is an add-on feature that is not included as standard, which could increase costs.
You can also monitor sales trends, identify popular products, and gain insights into customer behaviour using the reporting features to help you make informed decisions.
There’s a fantastic range of 3rd party integrations, including MoeGo, ProPet, GoDaddy, Xero, Ecwid, WooCommerce, Wix, and more.
Choose between the Free plan with no monthly fees or the Plus plan for £49 per month per location.
As expected, the free plan gives you access to Square’s basic features and an in-person transaction rate of 1.75%.
The Plus plan includes more advanced features, including automatic purchase orders, barcode label printing and item bundling.
You’ll also get a better in-person transaction rate of 1.6%, although online and manually keyed transaction rates remain the same as the Free plan.
Pet shops that process more than £200,000 per year can get custom rates on the Premium plan.
However, large pet shops will find Square’s features somewhat restrictive and would be better considering an alternative system such as Lightspeed or Epos Now.
There’s no need to buy additional hardware as you can effortlessly accept contactless payments using your iPhone or Android phone, making transactions quick and secure for you and your customers.
If you want additional hardware, you can purchase a range of devices, including card readers, registers and terminals, with prices starting from £19 + VAT.
Square POS at a Glance
- Accepted Payments: Mastercard, Visa, Visa Electron, American Express, Maestro, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay, Vpay, Clearpay
- Transaction Rates: Fixed in-person rates ranging between 1.6% – 1.75%. Large businesses can get custom rates based on transaction volume.
- Key Features: Payments, inventory management, order management, eCommerce, supplier management, customer management, marketing, staff management, data reporting
- Integrations: MoeGo, ProPet, Wix, GoDaddy, WooCommerce, Ecwid, BigCommerce and more.
- Hardware: Use an iPhone or Android phone for contactless payments or purchase card readers, terminals and registers from £19+ VAT
- Support: Call customer service between Monday to Friday, 9 am and 5 pm
Price
| Plan | Cost |
| Free | £0 + processing fees |
| Plus | £49 per month, per location + processing fees |
| Premium | Bespoke |
| Hardware | From £19 + VAT |
Pros
✅ Sell products across multiple channels, catering to your customer’s preferences
✅ No long-term contracts, and you can scale, downgrade or pause your account anytime.
✅ Speed up your stock count with barcode management
✅ Recieve low stock alerts when you’re running low on your best-selling products
✅ Create personalised recommendations based on customer preferences and purchase history
✅ Turn your iPhone or Android phone into a contactless card reader.
✅ Transparent pricing so you always know what your costs will be.
Cons
❌ Fixed transaction fees for Free and Plus plans stop you from negotiating a better rate
❌ Need a Plus plan to get advanced features
❌ Marketing and loyalty schemes aren’t included as standard
❌ Large pet shops will find the customisation too limited
Key Features of a Pet Shop POS
| Feature | Description |
| Inventory Management | Keep track of pet food, supplies, toys, and other items in real-time to prevent stockouts and optimise ordering. |
| Barcode Scanning | Streamlines checkout processes and reduces errors by scanning product barcodes for quick item entry. |
| Integrated Payment Processing | Accept various payment methods securely and efficiently, including cash, card, and contactless payments. |
| Reporting and Analytics | Generate reports on sales, inventory levels, and customer trends to make data-driven business decisions. |
| Loyalty Programs | Implement loyalty schemes to reward repeat customers and encourage customer retention. |
| Appointment Scheduling | Manage grooming, training, and veterinary appointments to optimise staff scheduling and enhance customer experience. |
| Vendor Integration: | Integrate with pet food and supply vendors for seamless ordering and inventory management. |
| Mobile POS Capability: | Enable staff to process transactions and access inventory information anywhere in the store, improving flexibility and customer service. |
| Pet ID Tag Customization: | Offer customisation options for pet ID tags, including engraving features, to meet pet owners’ preferences. |
| Regulatory Compliance: | To maintain operational legality and comply with pet industry regulations, including food safety standards and licensing requirements. |
| Online Integration: | Seamlessly manage inventory across online platforms and synchronise product listings and pricing for consistent online and in-store experiences. |
| Customer Feedback and Reviews | Collect feedback from pet owners to improve products and services and display positive reviews to attract new customers. |
| Multi-Store Management | Manage multiple pet shop locations from a centralised system, facilitating inventory transfers, reporting, and consistent customer experiences across all stores. |
