Square vs POS Nation
Square is an excellent general-purpose POS that can run a convenience store. POS Nation is built specifically for convenience stores, liquor stores, and tobacco shops. The specialist tools—age verification, lottery integration, carton pricing—make daily operations easier.
Our Verdict
POS Nation wins for convenience stores, liquor stores, and tobacco shops. Square wins for simple retail without age-restricted products, or hybrid businesses that don't need c-store specific features.
Best for:
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Square | POS Nation | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $0/mo | $99/mo or $999+ one-time | Square |
| Age verification | Manual | Built-in ID scanning | POS Nation |
| Lottery integration | No | Yes | POS Nation |
| EBT/SNAP | Limited | Full support | POS Nation |
| Scale integration | Limited | Built-in | POS Nation |
| Ease of setup | Very easy | Moderate | Square |
| E-commerce | Included | Limited | Square |
| Tobacco inventory | Basic | Carton/pack tracking | POS Nation |
Square
Pros
- ✓Free to start
- ✓Easy setup
- ✓Good ecosystem
- ✓E-commerce included
Cons
- ✗No ID scanning integration
- ✗No lottery
- ✗Basic EBT support
- ✗Not built for c-stores
POS Nation
Pros
- ✓Built for convenience stores
- ✓ID scanning included
- ✓Lottery integration
- ✓Full EBT/WIC
Cons
- ✗Monthly cost or upfront investment
- ✗Less modern interface
- ✗Limited e-commerce
- ✗Smaller brand
In-Depth Analysis
Age Verification Reality
C-stores and liquor stores check IDs constantly. With Square, that's manual—look at ID, mentally calculate age. With POS Nation, scan the ID and the system verifies automatically. Multiply by 50+ checks per day and the time (and compliance risk) adds up.
Specialty Inventory
Tobacco inventory in cartons and packs, lottery ticket tracking, WIC-eligible items—these are daily concerns for c-stores. POS Nation handles them natively. Square treats them as exceptions. If these are your core operations, use the tool built for them.
The Cost Question
Square's free plan is appealing. But POS Nation's one-time purchase option ($999+) eliminates monthly software fees forever. Over 3 years, ownership can cost less than Square's 'free' processing fees on the same volume. Do the math for your store.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Square handle a convenience store?
Yes, Square can work. But you'll manually verify IDs, skip lottery integration, and work around inventory limitations. It works—just not as smoothly as purpose-built systems.
Is POS Nation's one-time purchase worth it?
If you plan to operate 3+ years, often yes. Calculate: monthly fees x 36 months vs one-time cost. Include the hardware bundle value. For established stores, ownership usually wins.