Shopify POS Lite vs POS Pro: Learn The Differences

The Shopify POS system has two plans: Shopify POS Lite vs POS Pro. The Lite plan provides any basic tools that you need to deal with in-person sales. On the other hand, the Pro plan goes further with advanced features that benefits you in expanding and building an outstanding buying journey for customers.

Whether you choose POS Pro vs Lite Shopify will give you the package of diverse features. Each has its own mission but overall, they are here to be a helping hand with the checkout process. To help you decide, we will explain all the differences between Shopify POS Pro vs Lite. 

Moreover, if you want to explore in-depth features, benefits, and pricing about Shopify POS in detail, check out our Shopify POS review for a thorough breakdown.

1. Key differences between Shopify POS Lite vs POS Pro

Every Shopify account includes free Shopify POS Lite, which is made for businesses of all sizes to set up and run a physical store or conduct in-person sales while on the go. The necessary tools for handling your in-person sales are included in Shopify POS Lite, and they include:

• Accept Payments 
• Connect a Card Reader 
• Issue Receipts 
• Orders Management
• Basic Inventory Management 
• Customer Profiles 

So, what is Shopify POS Pro?

With all the Shopify POS Lite features and more, Shopify POS Pro is an advanced version of Shopify POS. To utilize the advanced features, merchants who upgrade to Shopify POS Pro will have to pay an additional monthly cost. It offers all of Lite’s capabilities plus additional benefits to manage heavy sales and the needs of a busy retail business, such as:

• Advanced Inventory Management 
• Omnichannel Selling 
• Detailed Reporting 
• Staff Permissions and Roles 
• Customizable Checkout 
• Marketing and Customer Engagement 

Below is our summary of all the different points between Shopify POS Pro vs Lite:

	Shopify POS Lite	Shopify POS Pro
Pricing	– Despite being frequently referred to as the “free version,” it isn’t completely free because you need to purchase a Shopify price plan, which starts at $5 per month.	– Shopify POS Pro is part of the Shopify Retail plan and the Shopify Plus enterprise package. It can also be added to any other Shopify plan for an extra $89/location every month.
Staff management	– Basic staff accounts with unique PINs allow login from any location.	– Advanced staff management tools. – Attribute specific sales to each staff member and use manager approval workflows for actions.
Checkout Features	– Mobile checkout using a smartphone or tablet, with smart grids.   – A camera barcode scanner and support for offline transactions.	– Process exchanges for past purchases from any retail or online location. – Save and retrieve shopping carts from various environments. – Customize printed receipts.
Inventory tracking	– Basic tools for inventory tracking to monitor inventory and assign products to different locations and channels.	– Create purchase orders, and receive purchase order suggestions based on demand forecasts. – Transfer requests between inventory locations, inventory receiving tools, and detailed inventory counting and reporting. – Real-time stock adjustments
OmniChannel selling	– Tools for cross-channel in-store and online selling. – Online sales, in-person sales, and integrations with social media and other channels to manage transactions anywhere.	– Access to local pickup and delivery options. – The option for customers to buy online and exchange or return items in-store simplifies the returns process
Analytics	– Comprehensive dashboard with inventory reports, financial reports, and cash tracking tools.	– Access to daily sales reports with detailed insights.

Here are the pros and cons of Shopify POS Lite vs POS Pro:

2. Shopify POS Lite vs POS Pro: A specific comparison

2.1. Shopify POS charges

The primary difference between Shopify POS Lite and Pro is the POS pricing. It can be a little challenging to comprehend Shopify’s POS price.

 

The majority of ordinary Shopify packages come with Shopify POS Lite, which lets you manage online sales and point-of-sale transactions. You can access one Shopify POS Lite account with the $5 Shopify monthly payment of the “Starter” package.

Transaction costs for Shopify POS Lite vary based on whether sales are made in-person or online:

• Online sales: 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction
• In-person sales: 2% per transaction

Assume your company generates $20,000 in monthly sales, with an average price of $20. The monthly breakdown would look like this:

• Subscription fee: $39/month for the Basic Plan
• Transaction fees:
  • Online sales: $20,000 * 2.9% + (20,000 / 20) * $0.30 = $580 + $300 = $880
  • In-person sales: $20,000 * 2% = $400

So, your total monthly cost for Shopify POS Lite would be: $39 (Subscription) + $880 (Online transaction fees) + $400 (In-person transaction fees) = $1,319.

On the other hands, you will have to pay an amount to upgrade to the Pro plan. The monthly cost is $89/month/location if billed each month but you can a deduction of $79/month/location if billed annually.

The Pro plan charges more for in-person transactions but has comparable rates for online sales:

• Online sales: 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction (Same as Lite)
• In-person sales: 2.7% per transaction (Higher due to the extra features offered with Pro)

Here is how the expenses would seem for the monthly breakdown if the same scenario were used, with $20,000 in monthly sales and an average sale price of $20: 

• Subscription fee: $39 (Basic Plan) + $89 (Pro) = $128
• Transaction fees:
  • Online sales: $20,000 * 2.9% + (20,000 / 20) * $0.30 = $580 + $300 = $880
  • In-person sales: $20,000 * 2.7% = $540

So, the total monthly cost for Shopify POS Pro would be: $128 (Subscription) + $880 (Online transaction fees) + $540 (In-person transaction fees) = $1,548.

	POS Lite	POS Pro
Monthly subscription	$39	$128
Estimated transaction fees	$1,280	$1,420
Total estimated monthly cost	$1.319	$1,548

Moreover, for POS Lite vs POS Pro comparison of pricing, you should take into account the hardware required for your retail store in addition to the software costs. With card readers starting at $49, the Countertop Kit at $459, and the Shopify POS Go mobile system at $299, Shopify offers a variety of alternatives. 

These devices are easy to use, but you can also use an iPad or other mobile device to process payments, which is perfect for companies that don’t have a physical store and want to keep costs down.

2.2. Detailed Features of Shopify POS Lite vs POS Pro Comparison

Both Shopify POS Lite vs Pro options provide access to several sales channels, first-rate customer service, and a wide range of point-of-sale features. The Pro package offers the same Shopify POS Lite features. 

Yet, to get extra Shopify POS pro features, you will have to pay more.

2.2.1. Customization

 

Shopify POS Lite: You can personalize your POS system’s smart grid to arrange categories in a way that makes checkout quick and simple. Moreover, the design can be modified for tablets and smartphones to ensure consistency across all devices. 

Shopify POS Pro: This premium plan lets you edit the printed receipt templates to ensure that your printed receipts are consistent with their brand, giving your buyers a polished appearance. Moreover, adding your store’s logo, changing the color scheme, and including relevant information like contact data or social media links are more of the customization functions you have.

2.2.2. Staff Management

 

Shopify POS Lite: Essential tools for workforce management are available. This plan restricts you to a certain number of employees, each of whom has a unique pin that they can use to access the POS system. Shopify POS Lite is a productive choice for companies with a small workforce and simple personnel administration requirements.

Shopify POS Pro: Pro enables you to manage your staff more thoroughly. You may track hours or shifts, specify specific permissions, and build unique roles. If you have a larger staff or various locations and different employees need access to different areas of the POS system, this is quite helpful. It helps you manage your employees more effectively by giving you more freedom and control with:

• Unlimited POS staff 
• Staff roles and permissions based on their unique requirements and operational structure, providing an extra layer of control and security.
• Sales attribution to staff, which can be used to calculate commissions or provide recognition and rewards for exceptional performance.

2.2.3. Customer Management

 

Shopify POS Lite: To save and retrieve crucial information such as contact data, purchase history, total spend, and notes, you can establish comprehensive customer profiles. You can segment and target your communications using customer tags, shipping addresses, tax information, and marketing preferences. 

Shopify POS Pro: Pro goes one step further by giving you the ability to administer reward programs, track consumer preferences, provide customer support and generate more thorough customer profiles. To strengthen client relationships and promote repeat business, you can customize customer experiences and set up rewards programs.  

2.2.4. Inventory Tracking

 

Shopify POS Lite: With Lite, you may manage product variations, keep track of stock levels, and make necessary inventory adjustments. For smaller businesses with fewer goods to oversee, it’s ideal. Lite meets your needs if your company operates in a straightforward manner.

Shopify POS Pro: Stocky, an advanced inventory management app included with Shopify POS Pro, is a useful consultant or business partner that helps retailers efficiently manage inventory across several locations. This is how it can help merchants:

• Streamline inventory management throughout the whole retail network by moving merchandise between locations while keeping track of what has been received and what is being shipped.
• Demand forecasting helps retailers maintain ideal stock levels to satisfy consumer demand, reduce stockouts, and optimize sales opportunities. It is based on seasonality, sales trends, historical patterns, and recent product performance.
• Low stock reports enable you to prevent stockouts and guarantee a seamless and continuous sales process by acting quickly, such as by requesting reorders or modifying inventory levels.

2.2.5. Omnichannel Selling

 

Shopify POS Lite: Whether people shop online or in-store, it provides excellent customer service. These systems maintain synchronization between inventory levels, customer profiles, and product collections. Any changes are instantly apparent thanks to Shopify POS’s real-time updates. In order to service their clients, retailers have access to the most recent information, including product availability.

Shopify POS Pro: With more sophisticated tools for managing your sales channels, Shopify POS Pro goes above and beyond what Shopify POS does best. You can move merchandise between stores, handle orders across several sites, and keep real-time track of everything. 

Pros have the resources to help you easily manage the movement of your products between locations if your firm is growing and you need greater control over it. These tools include:

• Local Pickup 
• In-store Purchase with Direct Shipping 
• Online Purchase with In-store Exchange and Return 
• Local Delivery

2.2.6. Checkout Process

 

Shopify POS Lite: Using a smartphone or tablet, mobile checkout features include order notes, personalized discount codes, smart grids to speed up checkout procedures, and custom sales procedures. In addition, it supports offline transactions and has a camera barcode scanner for iOS devices.

Shopify POS Pro: Pro users can execute exchanges for previous purchases from any retail or online location with automatic inventory adjustments, in addition to Shopify POS Lite’s powerful checkout functionality. The checkout procedure is sped up by the ability to save and retrieve shopping carts from different contexts. It also enables you to add website URLs, store hours, policies, and promotions to printed receipts.

2.2.7. Analytics

 

Shopify POS Lite: It provides thorough reporting and analytics, giving retailers access to all the information they need to understand how well their businesses are performing both online and in-store. Businesses who use both POS plans have access to:

• Sales reports help monitor sales patterns, pinpoint best-selling items, and make informed choices to maximize their sales tactics.
• Finance reports are used to maintain proper financial record-keeping, track financial performance, and keep an eye on spending.
• Use inventory data to guarantee effective order fulfillment, reduce stockouts, and improve inventory management.

Shopify POS Pro: The Shopify POS Pro system generates daily reports on sales, products, and employee performance, giving a thorough picture of the company’s daily sales. This enables Shopify merchants to monitor their sales patterns, pinpoint periods of high sales, and make data-driven choices to maximize their company’s productivity and earnings.

3. Shopify POS Lite vs POS Pro: Which is suitable for your store?

Are you thinking about determining which one of the two Shopify POS options is suitable for your company? It all depends on the type of business you operate and your expansion goals. 

Here are some examples of POS Lite vs POS Pro Shopify merchants need to know to make an informed decision.

3.1. Examples of Shopify POS Lite

• Businesses that provide services: It enables you to effectively manage appointments and transactions without requiring all of Pro’s sophisticated inventory tools. It simplifies things so you can concentrate on your customers rather than the technology.
• Retail stores with a single location: It includes all the features you need to handle sales, inventory, and customer relations without having to pay for Pro.
• Ecommerce stores with physical sales: It’s an affordable approach to grow your company without paying for features you might not use frequently. Besides, you can keep your inventory in sync with your online store, which allows you to manage those in-person sales.

3.2. Examples of Shopify POS Pro

• Companies that place a high priority on consumer engagement: You can use it to segment your customer base according to past purchases, administer loyalty programs, and provide customized checkout experiences. If you want to engage with your clients and entice them to come back, these elements are essential.
• Businesses with several locations: It provides sophisticated features for personnel, inventory, and sales management across all of your locations, making it simple to keep everything in sync. You can easily move inventory between locations and receive comprehensive reports by location.
• Expanding businesses and retailers: POS Pro provides all the tools you’ll require to handle that expansion. It is designed for companies that desire greater control and insight into their operations, and it offers everything from sophisticated staff management capabilities to comprehensive analytics and inventory management.

4. Conclusion

Ultimately, the size, requirements, and expansion goals of your company will determine whether you choose Shopify POS Lite vs POS Pro. Let’s conclude by determining which choice could be most appropriate for you.

If you want to keep things modest and straightforward, POS Lite is an excellent and affordable option. But let’s say you already manage several locations or are preparing for expansion. In that scenario, POS Pro’s additional capabilities can greatly aid in streamlining your business processes and provide you with the information and resources you need to effectively manage everything.

💡 If you’re interested in exploring the e-commerce capabilities of Shopify POS compared to other platforms, please check out our guides on Shopify POS vs Square POS and Shopify vs Lightspeed.

We hope that this post helped you understand the differences between Shopify POS Pro vs Lite through our in-depth article about POS Lite vs POS Pro comparison. Check out the eComStart blog section for more articles on the POS systems.

5. FAQs