Best POS System For Car Wash: Key features, Pricing & More

best-pos-system-for-car-wash

Managing multiple duties at once is a challenge for car wash businesses. Among these are checking out customers, selling car wash packages, and offering customer service. If you’re having trouble with these tasks, the best POS system for car wash businesses could be the secret to unlocking the full potential of your company.

Having said that, we have created the POS system for car wash review for your consideration. These systems are made especially to boost productivity, enhance client satisfaction, and simplify business administration. Let’s examine how success can be increased with the right car wash point-of-sale system. 

1. Best POS System For Car Wash: A Quick Look

Best-POS-System-For-Car-Wash

A POS system for a car wash is a contemporary cash register or till that allows you to take sales and do much more! In essence, it’s a tool that may assist you in running your car wash business by keeping track of sales and inventory while offering excellent customer care.

2. POS System For Car Wash Review: Our Top Picks

The best car wash point of sale systems for 2024 are:

  • Shopify POS: Best for eCommerce presence
  • Epos Now POS: Best for apps and integrations
  • Sonny’s CarWash POS: Best for multi-site locations
  • MicroTelecom POS: Best for managing on the go
  • Nayax VPOS Touch: Best for cashless payments

Now, let’s dig deeper into each POS system for car wash review and see what they offer or how they will benefit your car wash business.

2.1. Shopify POS: Best for eCommerce presence

Our rating 
4.0/5⭐
Monthly software fee
$5 – $89+
Hardware cost
$49 – $500
Feature Highlights
✔ E-Commerce presence
✔ Online scheduling

Shopify POS is one of the best POS for small businesses from different industry sectors, including car washes. You can use it to monitor different aspects of a car wash business like processing refunds, sending customer receipts, applying discounts, maintaining inventory, and accepting credit cards.  

Shopify-POS 

2.1.1. Pricing

Shopify POS Lite, which is a part of your initial Shopify subscription costs, starts at $5/month or Shopify POS Pro at $89/month/location. See their comparison here.

Transaction costs vary based on your subscription plans, starting from 2.4% to 2.7% + $0 per transaction.

2.1.2. Features

  • E-Commerce presence: You can use Shopify’s e-commerce platform to sell your wash plans online under your domain name. Customers can easily update their details and cancel their wash plans anytime.
  • Online scheduling: It allows customers to schedule their wash online.
  • Plug-ins and apps: You can add functionality to the Shopify POS app as needed, such as loyalty programs to reward frequent car washing visitors or staff management to assign tasks to your car washers.

2.1.3. Hardware

Shopify-POS-hardware 

Here’s a summary of Shopify POS retail hardware prices below:

  • A Chipper 2X BT card reader or Tap & Chip card reader: 49$
  • Shopify POS Go mobile device: $399 ($429 with case)
  • Barcode scanners: $229 to $329
  • Label printers: $299 to $499
  • Receipt printers: $299 to $369
  • Cash drawers: $139 to $159

2.1.4. Payment method

  • Shopify Payments
  • Cash
  • Credit/debit cards
  • Mobile wallets
  • Loyalty points
  • Gift cards  

2.1.5. Suitable and Not suitable for

  • It is SUITABLE for businesses that want to build a strong eCommerce presence to promote their service online and sell more wash plans.
  • It is NOT SUITABLE for businesses that only focus on running brick-and-mortar service.

2.1.6. Pros & Cons

Pros
  • Powerful eCommerce tools
  • Affordable pricing plans for small car wash businesses
  • 24/7 customer service
Cons
  • Limited offline capabilities

2.2. Epos Now POS: Best for apps and integrations

Our rating 
4.5/5⭐
Monthly software fee
One-time payment of $1,099 
Hardware cost
$58 – $250+
Feature Highlights
✔ Integrations
✔ In-depth insights

Epos Now offers you a fully-loaded car wash POS that keeps your customers’ vehicles on the road and looking sharp. Its complete POS solution includes the best car wash POS software, terminals, built-in printers, card machines and more.

Epos-Now-POS 

2.2.1. Pricing

One-time payment of $1,099 upfront for The Complete Solution but you can get a discounted offer at $249. The deal is available at the time of writing this article but may end soon!

Transaction fees: 2.6% + 10¢ (in-person and online)

2.2.2. Features

  • Dozens of integrations: You can keep an eye on your car wash team and schedule by using a variety of third-party systems and management solutions that are accessible straight from your POS.
  • In-depth insights: To find your best-selling car wash packages and items, you can gather and analyze data and create thorough client profiles to tailor your offerings.
  • Custom packages: Depending on customers’ particular requirements, you can design vehicle wash packages that include everything from a basic clean to a complete detail and provide cleaning supplies, air fresheners, and other stuff. 

2.2.3. Hardware

Epos-Now-POS-hardware

Here’s a summary of Epos Now POS hardware prices below:

  • Pro Cash Drawer: $73
  • Caller ID: starting at $120
  • Staff Swipe Cards: $58
  • Barcode scanners: starting at $73
  • Receipt printers: starting at $250

2.2.4. Payment method

  • Epos Now Payments 
  • Digital wallets 
  • Credit/debit cards 
  • Mobile payments like Google Pay and Apple Pay

2.2.5. Suitable and Not suitable for

  • It is SUITABLE for businesses that look to upgrade the POS systems as their service is growing thanks to vast integrations.
  • It is NOT SUITABLE for businesses that want to avoid high upfront costs.

2.2.6. Pros & Cons

Pros
  • All-in-one package with choice of hardware for car wash businesses
  • Dozens of applications for car wash POS upgrades
Cons
  • Contract lock-in
  • Rising fees for high-volume transactions of car washes

2.3. Sonny’s CarWash POS: Best for multi-site locations

Our rating
4.7/5⭐
Monthly software fee
$419 + extra fees
Hardware cost
N/A
Feature Highlights
✔ Multi-Site Management
✔ Vehicle Identification

Sonny’s CarWash POS system was created from the ground up with an easy-to-use interface, enabling you and your team to concentrate on managing your car wash business and cutting expenses across all of your locations.

Sonnys-CarWash-POS 

2.3.1. Pricing

This best car wash POS system requires you to contact them for a custom quote but based on our research, we found that it will charge you a $419 monthly service fee for automatic car wash POS software updates and cloud backup. Additional costs may apply.

2.3.2. Features

  • Multi-Site Management: You can track the performance of all your locations in one place, manage staff globally or locally, communicate customer License Plate Recognition (LPR) data between sites, and enable promo redemptions at all or selected sites.
  • Vehicle Identification: It serves to identify customers’ automobiles. A scanner uses a license plate or a sticker on the windshield to identify a car as it gets closer to the tunnel entrance. The car can go through the tunnel, wash, and leave.
  • Customer & License Plate Tracking: Customers can be tracked and managed using their names, loyalty cards, or license plates. Their most recent visit, loyalty points, and a thorough history of transactions will all be accessible to you. 

2.3.3. Hardware

Sonnys-CarWash-POS-hardware

Here’s a summary of Sonny’s CarWash POS hardware prices below (some prices are not disclosed):

  • Mobile Card Reader: $1,283.50
  • Sonnys Mobile POS: $7,200
  • Docking Station
  • Pay Station
  • Digital Menus
  • PLC Tunnel Controller

2.3.4. Payment method

  • Cash
  • Credit/debit cards 
  • Wash Book/Gift cards 

2.3.5. Suitable and Not suitable for

  • It is SUITABLE for businesses that operate many car wash sites and want to supervise them all in one place.
  • It is NOT SUITABLE for businesses running on a tight budget.

2.3.6. Pros & Cons

Pros
  • Simple-to-use interface
  • More industry-related tools to power your car wash operation
Cons
  • Costly service fees
  • Complaints about less effective for shorter carwash tunnels

2.4. MicroTelecom POS: Best for managing on the go

Our rating 
4.3/5⭐
Monthly software fee
$25 – $55
Hardware cost
$59 – $415+
Feature Highlights
✔ Mobile POS
✔ Self-checkout

As a comprehensive payment solution, the MicroTelecom Car Wash POS System integrates with many terminals to enable quick checkout at a very affordable price. This best car wash POS system’s core solution is a mobile app management platform that enables car wash owners to create their own branded, highly polished mobile experience.

MicroTelecom-POS 

2.4.1. Pricing

There are 3 pricing plans:

  • MT-POS Software for Car Wash: $25/month
  • MT-POS Software for Car Wash (PRO): $40/month
  • MT-POS Software for Car Wash (MAX): $55/month

MicroTelecom POS System has a fixed rate starting at 2.7% plus $0.10 for processing fees. 

2.4.2. Features

  • Mobile POS: You can complete transactions while on the go thanks to its portable devices’ small sizes and intuitive user interfaces. While being away, you can still check if the car wash will take place on schedule or if the performance is good with your phone.
  • Self-checkout: In addition to the mobile POS, you can install a self-checkout station at the car wash building and accept payments from afar. That is ideal for self-service car washing.
  • AI Engine: The built-in AI System is designed to help you better recognize the most popular wash plans, providing up-selling and cross-selling opportunities.

2.4.3. Hardware

MicroTelecom-POS-hardware

Here’s a summary of MicroTelecom POS hardware prices below:

  • Payment Terminals: $349.99 to $415
  • Cash Registers: $165.46 to $192.43
  • Receipt Printers: $279 to $365
  • Barcode Scanner: $59

2.4.4. Payment method

  • Cash
  • Credit/debit cards via secured EMV or swipe transaction 
  • Mobile and contactless payments like Google Pay and Apple Pay

2.4.5. Suitable and Not suitable for

  • It is SUITABLE for businesses that are always on the go and need portable management devices to monitor the business from afar.
  • It is NOT SUITABLE for businesses that operate just one fixed car wash station.

2.4.6. Pros & Cons

Pros
  • Mobility and adaptability give you the convenience to operate on the go
  • Fast self-checkout
Cons
  • No Premium Consulting/Integration Services

2.5. Nayax POS: Best for cashless payments

Our rating 
4.4/5⭐
Monthly software fee
One-time payment of device installation from $289 + monthly service fees from $14.70
Hardware cost
N/A
Feature Highlights
✔ VPOS Touch
✔ Automation

Nayax POS can help you streamline your operation with its flexible management solutions including an array of credit card pay stations and a suite of POS System Features that facilitate self-service.

Nayax-POS 

2.5.1. Pricing

This best car wash POS system’s pricing varies by product and service, but for car wash businesses, it recommends the VPOS Touch solution, which costs:

  • $399 for 1–4 units
  • $314 per unit for 5–14 units
  • $289 per unit for 15–35 units
  • $399 for 36+ units

Once the device is installed and active, you need to pay monthly fees, including:

  • Service fees – Per machine: $14.70 + GST (includes licensing, support, telemetry & Roaming SIM card)
  • Merchant account fee: $20 + GST (per fleet, not per machine).

Besides, this solution charges a transaction fee of 3%+GST for Monyx and 1%+GST for Pre-paid cards/fobs.

2.5.2. Features

  • VPOS Touch: With a color touchscreen, and voice interaction, it offers your customers a safe and secure payment method by accepting over 80 forms of payment in over 50 currencies. Customers will not worry if they forget to take cash with them.
  • Automation: It offers a fully digitalized refund process, saving you the trouble of manual refunds. Additionally, using digital receipts for their vehicle wash might help you go green and enhance the client experience.
  • Centralized platform: You can view particular transactions by date, date range, or transaction ID and create a receipt or issue a refund for clients all in one location.

2.5.3. Hardware

Nayax-POS-hardware

You need to log in to see the prices of the devices. Here’s a summary of Nayax VPOS Touch hardware below:

  • Car Wash Bundle
  • VPOS Touch Card Reader Set
  • Monyx QR Code Sticker
  • Pulse Cable
  • Protective Casing

2.5.4. Payment method

  • Cash
  • Credit/debit cards
  • NFC
  • Mobile wallets
  • Prepaid cards

2.5.5. Suitable and Not suitable for

  • It is SUITABLE for businesses that want to build a cashless experience for customers.
  • It is NOT SUITABLE for businesses that want transparency in pricing.

2.5.6. Pros & Cons

Pros
  • Accepting all modes of cashless payments
  • Great automation for processing carwash payments
Cons
  • Complex and unclear pricing structure 

3. Why a POS System Essential for Car Wash Businesses?

The best car wash point of sale systems can save significant amounts of money for your business so it’s important to ensure you select the right solution for your needs. Yet, there are more benefits that your business will enjoy if you have one in place.

3.1. Streamlining Workflows

To effectively manage fast-paced, high-volume transactions, a specific point-of-sale system is a must for car wash businesses. It easily connects with washing machines, simplifies check-in and tracks service plans like premium detailing or expedited washes.

This streamlined workflow guarantees that every transaction is handled promptly and precisely while lowering wait times and errors.

3.2. Improving Customer Experience

For customers of car washes, POS systems provide features including digital coupons, membership programs, and customer loyalty benefits.

By providing discounts, monitoring client preferences, and making tailored offers, these systems promote recurring business. Long-term loyalty is increased, retention rates are raised, and the customer experience is enhanced.

3.3. Tracking & Reporting Accurately 

As car wash businesses have many revenue streams (e.g., wash services, add-ons, and retail products), seasonal changes, and varying service levels, managing finances can be challenging. 

A POS system tracks sales, income, and expenses in real time and offers comprehensive financial reporting. Owners of car washes can make better decisions on the expansion of their businesses using these insights.  

3.4. Managing Employee 

Time tracking, performance monitoring, and personnel scheduling are all made easier by car wash point-of-sale systems. Employee performance evaluation, labor expense tracking, and shift management are all made easier by these capabilities.

Payroll systems can also be integrated, which streamlines wage computations and guarantees on-time payment.

3.5. Securing With Compliance

Strong security measures are necessary when handling sensitive consumer data, including payment information and personal information.

To safeguard consumer information and guarantee adherence to payment card industry (PCI) standards, POS systems are built with industry-specific security measures. This lowers the possibility of data breaches and preserves consumer confidence.

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4. Final Thoughts – Which is the Best POS System For Car Wash Business?

Finding the best POS system for car wash depends on the needs of each company, but generally speaking, it should increase productivity and profitability. To help you make well-informed decisions, here are the cases where one is better than the others:

  • Shopify POS: If you want to create an online presence by building a website or integrating an online site with your existing website, Shopify is the one since it is a powerhouse in the eCommerce world.
  • Epos Now POS: It integrates seamlessly with dozens of apps to turn your POS into a powerful headquarters that runs and manages your business more quickly and accurately. So, if you want an option like this, go for Epos Now POS.
  • Sonny’s CarWash POS is a great option for you if you want to operate from one place since it provides flexibility and compatibility with different devices and a suite of multi-location management.
  • MicroTelecom POS: It emphasizes the use of mobile devices to manage data and system functions, which makes it perfect for running your service on the go.
  • Nayax POS: If you want to offer a seamless car wash experience to your customers, a cashless payment solution like this POS is what you need. 

5. Conclusion

When selecting the best POS system for car wash businesses, owners must obviously take a number of factors into account, ranging from security and hardware compatibility to crucial functionality. 

It is because choosing the best car wash POS system can have a big impact on your operations and client happiness, regardless of how long you’ve been in business or how new you are.

We hope that this blog has given you some ideas of which option is right for you. If you need more information on POS systems like this, eComStart is here to help.

6. FAQs

Author:
Finn Nguyen is an eCommerce Expert specializing in Shopify, with a passion for guiding new business owners. With over 5 years of experience in the eCommerce industry, Finn has helped many new business owners from launching their first online store to achieving thriving sale. See his LinkedIn here

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